“We all live as long as we need to.” — Belgarath the Sorcerer
Top comment: He’ll probably have two eulogies. One that is archetypal but with some relatively well-written dialogue, and another immediately after that’s pretty much the same thing, except a few names and places changed around. – Rawrasaur
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Many people dismiss his works as derivative, but I think they had an added something in the form of meta-commentary that made them worthwhile. Belgarath the Sorceror had a lot of good lessons in it about the relationship between humility, respect, and curiosity that probably set me on the right path way back when.
What about David Carradine?
I can’t tell you how heartbroken I was when I heard about this. I first read the Belgariad in 1998 and was sucked in instantaneously. Eddings gave an element of humanity and subtle humor to fantasy that had been sorely lacking. I’ve devoured his books – I own High Hunt, for crying out loud – and count the Elenium/Tamuli as my favorite fantasy epic EVER.
His characters and stories (but mostly characters) enriched my reading and writing in ways I’m sorry I’ll never be able to express to him. He’s definitely being mourned.
I am sad. The Belgariad may have been somewhat archetypal, but they were fun and excellently written. I still haul them out every few years. And the Elenium world may be one of my all time favorites.
Farewell.
lance lunchmeat: I agree. Granted I’m not a huge fan of his, but even I know of Kung Fu, which I’ve never even seen. Though I have seen Deathrace 2000, which is a head above that remake from last year, though it was cool that they let him voice Frankenstein at the beginning of the movie.
So will all of his eulogies read like his first eulogy? too soon?
Dear Author Dude Who Writes That Big Honking Series I Really Like But WILL NOT FINISH IT: Let this be a warning. Release the next book pretty ding-dang soon, or life will go all Robert Jordan on you! You know who you are. (Even if I don’t.)
I can’t say I was blown away by his work, but he was definitely a fun read. He will be missed.
Rest in peace. He’ll probably have two eulogies. One that is archetypal but with some relatively well-written dialogue, and another immediately after that’s pretty much the same thing, except a few names and places changed around.
Cookie: Doesn’t actually apply here…
Hagan and Rawrasaur:
I’d be really, really upset by those comments if I hadn’t read the first two books of The Dreamers.
David Eddings was the first fantasy author I read who introduced the concept of a girl having a nice wiggle to her walk.
So he trumps the Tolkien-brigade on that score. Plust dimples, dimples often got a mention.
Thanks for the memories Mr Eddings, it was a pleasure.
Man, hadn’t heard this. His books didn’t really age well, but I loved them when I was younger, re-reading them over and over again. Thanks for all the entertainment.
(Ironically, I just loaned book one of the Belgariad to the neighbor’s 8th-grade daughter last week, but she didn’t like it.)
Sure it applies. Especially if someone is knocking off other fantasy authors to make a certain surviving author nervous about not finishing up the goddamn next book, and that someone watches plenty CSI so they know how to make it look like natural old man causes.
I remember picking up the first book of the Mallorean series because it had a big wolf head on the cover and I thought it looked cool. My dad questioned the merits of the title, but I pointed out it said “International Best Seller” so it had to be good. (Dad still shook his head…he was pushing Dune and Red October more)
This news makes me sad, even though I stopped after reading Althalus. Eddings was kind of a beach reading version of Tolkien, and I definitely enjoyed going back to his stories as child. Great primer for other fantasy, like Moorcock and Prachett.
May the Snark be with him.