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The Elenium #1
Diamanttronen
Spjuthök trädde in i tronsalen och såg mot sin drottning. Hennes ansikte var en perfekt, nästan självlysande oval. Det blonda håret föll mjukt över axlarna. På huvudet bar hon Eleniens tunga krona av guld. De smala händerna vilade på tronens armstöd och ögonen var slutna. Vacker och onåbar satt hon där i sitt hölje av klaraste kristall, inkapslad som en insekt i ett isblock.
Så hörde Spjuthök med ens det svaga, dunkande ljudet. Det växte i styrka - som för att tala om för den sorgsne riddaren att hennes hjärta ännu slog.
Spjuthök böjde knä. "Jag är tillbaka nu, Ehlana", viskade han. "Allt kommer att bli bra igen."
Hjärtslagen ljöd allt starkare, nästan som om drottningen av Elenien hade hört hans löfte.
Första boken i Sagan om Elenien, en magisk berättelse fylld av äventyr, hjältedåd och kärlek och en fängslande allegori om den eviga konflikten mellan onda och goda krafter.
Så hörde Spjuthök med ens det svaga, dunkande ljudet. Det växte i styrka - som för att tala om för den sorgsne riddaren att hennes hjärta ännu slog.
Spjuthök böjde knä. "Jag är tillbaka nu, Ehlana", viskade han. "Allt kommer att bli bra igen."
Hjärtslagen ljöd allt starkare, nästan som om drottningen av Elenien hade hört hans löfte.
Första boken i Sagan om Elenien, en magisk berättelse fylld av äventyr, hjältedåd och kärlek och en fängslande allegori om den eviga konflikten mellan onda och goda krafter.
395 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 1989
321 people are currently reading
11315 people want to read
About the author
David Eddings
220 books5,559 followersDavid Eddings was an American author who wrote several best-selling series of epic fantasy novels. David Eddings' wife,
Leigh Eddings
, was an uncredited co-author on many of his early books, but he had later acknowledged that she contributed to them all.
They adopted one boy in 1966, Scott David, then two months old. They adopted a younger girl between 1966 and 1969. In 1970 the couple lost custody of both children and were each sentenced to a year in jail in separate trials after pleading guilty to 11 counts of physical child abuse. Though the nature of the abuse, the trial, and the sentencing were all extensively reported in South Dakota newspapers at the time, these details did not resurface in media coverage of the couple during their successful joint career as authors, only returning to public attention several years after both had died.
After both served their sentences, David and Leigh Eddings moved to Denver in 1971, where David found work in a grocery store.
David Eddings' first books (which were general fiction) sold moderately well. He later switched to writing epic fantasy, a field in which he achieved great success. In a recent interview with sffworld.com, he said: "I don't take orders from readers."
On January 26, 2007 it was reported that Eddings accidentally burned about a quarter of his office, next door to his house, along with his Excalibur sports car, and the original manuscripts for most of his novels. He was flushing the fuel tank of the car with water when he lit a piece of paper and threw into the puddle to test if it was still flammable.
On February 28, 2007, David Eddings' wife, Leigh Eddings (born Judith Leigh Schall), died following a series of strokes. She was 69.
David Eddings died on June 2, 2009 at the age of 77.
They adopted one boy in 1966, Scott David, then two months old. They adopted a younger girl between 1966 and 1969. In 1970 the couple lost custody of both children and were each sentenced to a year in jail in separate trials after pleading guilty to 11 counts of physical child abuse. Though the nature of the abuse, the trial, and the sentencing were all extensively reported in South Dakota newspapers at the time, these details did not resurface in media coverage of the couple during their successful joint career as authors, only returning to public attention several years after both had died.
After both served their sentences, David and Leigh Eddings moved to Denver in 1971, where David found work in a grocery store.
David Eddings' first books (which were general fiction) sold moderately well. He later switched to writing epic fantasy, a field in which he achieved great success. In a recent interview with sffworld.com, he said: "I don't take orders from readers."
On January 26, 2007 it was reported that Eddings accidentally burned about a quarter of his office, next door to his house, along with his Excalibur sports car, and the original manuscripts for most of his novels. He was flushing the fuel tank of the car with water when he lit a piece of paper and threw into the puddle to test if it was still flammable.
On February 28, 2007, David Eddings' wife, Leigh Eddings (born Judith Leigh Schall), died following a series of strokes. She was 69.
David Eddings died on June 2, 2009 at the age of 77.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 714 reviews
February 6, 2015
'You'd better get ready to ride, Sparhawk.'
Meet Sparhawk: Pandion Knight and Queen’s Champion. If this were D&D his character class would likely be Paladin; he can cast spells, but mostly prefers to just chop off heads with his considerable broadsword.
Sparhawk is a bit of a bad-ass. So is his horse, Faran.
'It's the Queen's Champion. Don't ever stand in his way.'
I fairly devoured this novel in short order. Sparhawk has a zero tolerance approach to BS which is immensely refreshing and enjoyable.
The Diamond Throne is a no-nonsense tale. The writing style on display here is sometimes a bit workmanlike and without literary flourish, but it seems to suit the story (and especially the protagonist) rather well.
'It's going to be dangerous.'
And thus our hero sets out on a quest to save the kingdom, accompanied by a few companions.
Ah, the tried and tested recipe for a fantasy story. Fortunately it’s hardly possible to make a mess of a book when it has such an endearing protagonist. Eddings seems to have struck gold with Sparhawk, because I was willing to forgive all kinds of faults.
It’s an old school story that (in my opinion) leans slightly more toward the heroic fantasy of Gemmell than it does the high fantasy of Tolkien, and yet it still sits somewhere in between. I haven’t read The Belgariad yet, so I’m unable to draw any comparison. Eddings, it seems, was somewhat hot property in the 1980s, alongside the likes of Raymond E. Feist. Just don’t expect dragons or elves.
'What are you planning, Sparhawk?'
'Chastisement.’
One of the major selling points of this story is the dialogue. It’s rather good, what. In fact, it’s absolutely delightful more often than not.
The bantering between the characters, and especially the knights of the different orders, is deftly dealt with. It’s remarkable that, for all the humour in this novel, it never stoops to being silly or a parody.
'It should be almost like a cheese grater when we start to grind them up against your walls.'
'And I can drop some interesting things on them from my battlements as well. Arrows, large rocks, burning pitch - that sort of thing.'
'We're going to get on splendidly, my Lord,'
The story won me over with its simple charm. It’s not as complicated and reality-ridden as the modern fantasy, but it does have a bit of dirt under its fingernails.
There are some religious and philosophical leanings, but for the most part these serve to underscore elements of the story.
'Has he ever bitten you?'
'Once. Then I explained to him that I'd rather he didn't do it any more.'
'Explained?'
'I used a stout stick. He got the idea almost immediately.'
In short: it’s a fantasy adventure that should appeal to readers that don’t have a very straight literary stick wedged somewhere tight.
For literary merit, cleverness and all that jazz: 3.5 stars
For pure unadulterated entertainment value: 4.5 stars
Meet Sparhawk: Pandion Knight and Queen’s Champion. If this were D&D his character class would likely be Paladin; he can cast spells, but mostly prefers to just chop off heads with his considerable broadsword.
Sparhawk is a bit of a bad-ass. So is his horse, Faran.
'It's the Queen's Champion. Don't ever stand in his way.'
I fairly devoured this novel in short order. Sparhawk has a zero tolerance approach to BS which is immensely refreshing and enjoyable.
The Diamond Throne is a no-nonsense tale. The writing style on display here is sometimes a bit workmanlike and without literary flourish, but it seems to suit the story (and especially the protagonist) rather well.
'It's going to be dangerous.'
And thus our hero sets out on a quest to save the kingdom, accompanied by a few companions.
Ah, the tried and tested recipe for a fantasy story. Fortunately it’s hardly possible to make a mess of a book when it has such an endearing protagonist. Eddings seems to have struck gold with Sparhawk, because I was willing to forgive all kinds of faults.
It’s an old school story that (in my opinion) leans slightly more toward the heroic fantasy of Gemmell than it does the high fantasy of Tolkien, and yet it still sits somewhere in between. I haven’t read The Belgariad yet, so I’m unable to draw any comparison. Eddings, it seems, was somewhat hot property in the 1980s, alongside the likes of Raymond E. Feist. Just don’t expect dragons or elves.
'What are you planning, Sparhawk?'
'Chastisement.’
One of the major selling points of this story is the dialogue. It’s rather good, what. In fact, it’s absolutely delightful more often than not.
The bantering between the characters, and especially the knights of the different orders, is deftly dealt with. It’s remarkable that, for all the humour in this novel, it never stoops to being silly or a parody.
'It should be almost like a cheese grater when we start to grind them up against your walls.'
'And I can drop some interesting things on them from my battlements as well. Arrows, large rocks, burning pitch - that sort of thing.'
'We're going to get on splendidly, my Lord,'
The story won me over with its simple charm. It’s not as complicated and reality-ridden as the modern fantasy, but it does have a bit of dirt under its fingernails.
There are some religious and philosophical leanings, but for the most part these serve to underscore elements of the story.
'Has he ever bitten you?'
'Once. Then I explained to him that I'd rather he didn't do it any more.'
'Explained?'
'I used a stout stick. He got the idea almost immediately.'
In short: it’s a fantasy adventure that should appeal to readers that don’t have a very straight literary stick wedged somewhere tight.
For literary merit, cleverness and all that jazz: 3.5 stars
For pure unadulterated entertainment value: 4.5 stars
October 23, 2014
I've probably read this 4 or 5 times. It's fun, entertaining & amusing. I liked this first trilogy better than the second (Tamuli) but both are good if you're looking for something quick, light & entertaining.
Sparhawk is a great character, a battered knight, but his horse Faran is my favorite. It's nice to see a horse as a character. More authors should do this.
Sparhawk is a great character, a battered knight, but his horse Faran is my favorite. It's nice to see a horse as a character. More authors should do this.
February 24, 2025
We jump straight into this world with the prologue which has a lot going on and consists of a multitude of characters which was a little overwhelming. Having said that it did give the reader a little background/history into the world though which I appreciated.
There were some character names that were too similar to towns which kept me on my toes. The main character is Sparhawk and I could tell from the start he was going to be an interesting/fun protagonist, he's charming yet arrogant, childlike and sarcastic but also caring and kind. Kalten is a very similar character and it is easy to see why they get along so well. We get a little background into the knight's lives as children and into their life-long friendship which was really sweet. When the two characters are together you know there is bound to be mischief. Stephrenia is also a really intriguing character she is so mysterious and I am looking forward to learning more about her, she has a really lovely motherly quality too.
The magic system didn't seem overly complex but is has a lot of charm - it felt old-school and classic. I felt myself getting lost within the plot though this book spans over a fair amount of time and it didn't do a great job of letting the reader know how much time was passing, it just said X amount of week/days had passed which was disappointing. There were also little bits of repetition which in a 400 page book weren't needed.
This book shined in it's relationship building, and how many lovable characters David Eddings managed to squeeze into a pretty small fantasy book. However I felt like we could have better villains - I didn't feel that much hate towards them they felt a little neglected. I would have liked a little more insight into why they were so bad and why our main character had so much hate for the 'bad guys' and so much love for the young queen as it was never fully explored.
As this was a fairly short book I wasn't expecting as great battles, the battles we did have were short and sweet there were little moments of gore and then as quickly as they came they were gone. Sparhawk and his crew very easily defeated everything in there way, I don't know if this is setting them up for a fall or if this is just low stakes. You could sense the pressure/suspense building in this book though you could tell it was just the first in a series and that things were heating up.
Due to the characters splitting into groups and then meeting back up there was a really good recap section near the end of this book - I thought although it was a simplistic was of doing a recap it was really well executed. Overall this was enjoyable book, but there were definitely some things missing, I am looking forward to what happens next and I hoping for a little more action.
There were some character names that were too similar to towns which kept me on my toes. The main character is Sparhawk and I could tell from the start he was going to be an interesting/fun protagonist, he's charming yet arrogant, childlike and sarcastic but also caring and kind. Kalten is a very similar character and it is easy to see why they get along so well. We get a little background into the knight's lives as children and into their life-long friendship which was really sweet. When the two characters are together you know there is bound to be mischief. Stephrenia is also a really intriguing character she is so mysterious and I am looking forward to learning more about her, she has a really lovely motherly quality too.
The magic system didn't seem overly complex but is has a lot of charm - it felt old-school and classic. I felt myself getting lost within the plot though this book spans over a fair amount of time and it didn't do a great job of letting the reader know how much time was passing, it just said X amount of week/days had passed which was disappointing. There were also little bits of repetition which in a 400 page book weren't needed.
This book shined in it's relationship building, and how many lovable characters David Eddings managed to squeeze into a pretty small fantasy book. However I felt like we could have better villains - I didn't feel that much hate towards them they felt a little neglected. I would have liked a little more insight into why they were so bad and why our main character had so much hate for the 'bad guys' and so much love for the young queen as it was never fully explored.
As this was a fairly short book I wasn't expecting as great battles, the battles we did have were short and sweet there were little moments of gore and then as quickly as they came they were gone. Sparhawk and his crew very easily defeated everything in there way, I don't know if this is setting them up for a fall or if this is just low stakes. You could sense the pressure/suspense building in this book though you could tell it was just the first in a series and that things were heating up.
Due to the characters splitting into groups and then meeting back up there was a really good recap section near the end of this book - I thought although it was a simplistic was of doing a recap it was really well executed. Overall this was enjoyable book, but there were definitely some things missing, I am looking forward to what happens next and I hoping for a little more action.
January 2, 2023
A delightfully cozy high-fantasy tale! 🥰
The Diamond Throne follows the adventures of Sir Sparhawk, the honorable knight and Queen's Champion. This novel was at times hilarious, at times wholesome, and often low-stress; all of which I enjoyed.
Docked off a star because I thought the middle part was a bit repetitive and boring.
Overall a great read to end my holiday season. I'm proud to have this pretty tome on my bookshelf. 💙💙
The Diamond Throne follows the adventures of Sir Sparhawk, the honorable knight and Queen's Champion. This novel was at times hilarious, at times wholesome, and often low-stress; all of which I enjoyed.
Docked off a star because I thought the middle part was a bit repetitive and boring.
Overall a great read to end my holiday season. I'm proud to have this pretty tome on my bookshelf. 💙💙
October 30, 2022
An exalted champion returns home after a long absence, to find the kingdom in turmoil, beset with evil, and his beloved queen deathly ill and only kept alive by powerful sorcery. His mission: find the cure and rid the land of the plotting traitors. He's on a strict time limit, with the protective spell failing even as he goes - and every time it does, another knight dies and its ghost comes to haunt him. What a great mechanic! Gets the idea across really well, should easily keep the reader on their seats... but alas.
It's got so much going for it and could have made for a great tale indeed, but the execution lacks.
Mostly it's just the main characters riding around, talking exposition to one another and explaining what they have to do and then doing it. Every now and then something happens, but it never feels all that threatening or perilous, usually taken care of without much trouble - fights starting quickly and ending even quicker - and all the more often all this stuff happens off-screen, or in the background. Also on the background is all that political intrigue and various countries and factions squabbling with one another, the occasional mention of an invasion or demon cultists or what have you... but again, almost none of it is actually seen. Four hundred pages of telling, little to no showing.
Apart from the exposition, there's almost no characterization in anyone. You've got your knights, your squires, your mysterious sorceress, your even more mysterious mute little girl with strange powers... all the archetypes, starting as such and remaining as such. Their dialogue feels stilted and uninteresting: where they don't exposit or plan stuff, they waste quite a bit of space and attention with simple platitude responses such as "I guess I didn't think of that", which get a mite tiresome after an umpteeth time. The main character is this snarky old badass that is nearly always a step or two ahead of everyone else: amusing as it was to watch him put down and embarrass his enemies, it didn't do much for the tension or stakes. Even now at the end, it doesn't feel too much like anything could actually threaten him.
Still, though, whenever those ghost knights do show up it's always great. No complaints on that part. Half a star extra just for them. I just wish they'd been executed more efficiently, and not sunken into the mire of all this other stuff going on.
Judging by what I've seen so far, I think the entire trilogy could easily have been stuffed in just this one book. Tighten the travel and worldbuilding and dialogue, speed things up a little, and you'd have made for a pretty good spooky epic. Or else spend all those empty pages to more properly build the world around them and put some much-needed flesh on the bones of the characters. As it stands - even with the occasional bright spot - this one just didn't quite grab me.
It's got so much going for it and could have made for a great tale indeed, but the execution lacks.
Mostly it's just the main characters riding around, talking exposition to one another and explaining what they have to do and then doing it. Every now and then something happens, but it never feels all that threatening or perilous, usually taken care of without much trouble - fights starting quickly and ending even quicker - and all the more often all this stuff happens off-screen, or in the background. Also on the background is all that political intrigue and various countries and factions squabbling with one another, the occasional mention of an invasion or demon cultists or what have you... but again, almost none of it is actually seen. Four hundred pages of telling, little to no showing.
Apart from the exposition, there's almost no characterization in anyone. You've got your knights, your squires, your mysterious sorceress, your even more mysterious mute little girl with strange powers... all the archetypes, starting as such and remaining as such. Their dialogue feels stilted and uninteresting: where they don't exposit or plan stuff, they waste quite a bit of space and attention with simple platitude responses such as "I guess I didn't think of that", which get a mite tiresome after an umpteeth time. The main character is this snarky old badass that is nearly always a step or two ahead of everyone else: amusing as it was to watch him put down and embarrass his enemies, it didn't do much for the tension or stakes. Even now at the end, it doesn't feel too much like anything could actually threaten him.
Still, though, whenever those ghost knights do show up it's always great. No complaints on that part. Half a star extra just for them. I just wish they'd been executed more efficiently, and not sunken into the mire of all this other stuff going on.
Judging by what I've seen so far, I think the entire trilogy could easily have been stuffed in just this one book. Tighten the travel and worldbuilding and dialogue, speed things up a little, and you'd have made for a pretty good spooky epic. Or else spend all those empty pages to more properly build the world around them and put some much-needed flesh on the bones of the characters. As it stands - even with the occasional bright spot - this one just didn't quite grab me.
May 26, 2022
Reread March 2022: The last time I read this series was back in 2011. Eddings tends to be a comfort read for me though normally I turn to the Belgariad instead of the Sparhawk books. And now I remember why. The story is an old school quest/hero journey to save Queen and country from evil by finding a magical maguffin and one I enjoy even if it is considered tropey 30+ years later. Where this differs from Eddings' other series are the characters. It took me a long time to warm up to the characters. I finally got into the groove in the last quarter of the book and started to enjoy the story. We will see if the remainder of the trilogy changes my mind but this may be my last time reading The Elenium.
January 3, 2008
David Eddings is comfort reading of the highest order (okay, I will admit that I stopped reading him after a certain point, but this series was before that point, so!); I'd reread all of the rest of this series in December, and all of the followup series (The Tamuli), but my copy of this one had taken a walkabout, so I had to backfill and re-read the first one last.
Eddings writes High Fantasy (with Capital Letters, even), with all the tropes and archetypes thereof -- there aren't any surprises here. And this is surprisingly slow-moving for the first book in a new world; he spends a lot of time setting up structures and relationships that would have been pretty obvious in context, and he's always had a little bit of a problem with over-expositing. (I suspect that it would actually be possible for a reader who's familiar with the genre to pick up book two, start there, and be perfectly fine.) It isn't that the book itself moves slowly, but that it takes a long time for many of the elements of the larger plot to come into play.
On the other hand, the characters are archetypically-familiar without being cardboard cutouts, the main character's just a darling, and even though Eddings's prose is clunky in places, his ability to juggle multiple strands of plot is a delight to watch on a technical level and just plain interesting on the readerly level. If you're looking for an old-familiar-friend series, give this one a try. As archetypical High Fantasy goes, this one's a keeper.
Eddings writes High Fantasy (with Capital Letters, even), with all the tropes and archetypes thereof -- there aren't any surprises here. And this is surprisingly slow-moving for the first book in a new world; he spends a lot of time setting up structures and relationships that would have been pretty obvious in context, and he's always had a little bit of a problem with over-expositing. (I suspect that it would actually be possible for a reader who's familiar with the genre to pick up book two, start there, and be perfectly fine.) It isn't that the book itself moves slowly, but that it takes a long time for many of the elements of the larger plot to come into play.
On the other hand, the characters are archetypically-familiar without being cardboard cutouts, the main character's just a darling, and even though Eddings's prose is clunky in places, his ability to juggle multiple strands of plot is a delight to watch on a technical level and just plain interesting on the readerly level. If you're looking for an old-familiar-friend series, give this one a try. As archetypical High Fantasy goes, this one's a keeper.
August 17, 2025
Perhaps I may have a weakness for main characters who have been wronged and are coming back to settle the score. Sparhawk was unjustly exiled for a decade and is only now able to come back and serve the new queen. Only problem is, she was poisoned. Now he needs to save her while outwitting the powerful people who want both of them dead.
A great premise and wonderful setting with heroes, villains, and a damsel in distress. The action moves along quickly and there is enough political and religious intrigue to keep readers interested. The conclusion does not let this book stand on its own, but leads into the next book in the trilogy quite well. 3.75/5
A great premise and wonderful setting with heroes, villains, and a damsel in distress. The action moves along quickly and there is enough political and religious intrigue to keep readers interested. The conclusion does not let this book stand on its own, but leads into the next book in the trilogy quite well. 3.75/5
May 30, 2015
The Diamond Throne is the first book in the Elenium series, and trust me it is amazing! It is followed by The Ruby Knight and The Sapphire Rose. This is possibly one of my most favourite books! I love absolutely everything about it! I could write pages and pages on how brilliant this book is, but since that would take you too long to read and I would land up giving to much away, I’ve tried my best to explain why this book is so fantastic.
David Eddings is more well known for his Bolgariad series, which is a coming of age Epic Fantasy.
The Elenium is unique in that it is not a coming of age series. The characters are already old and seasoned. To be honest, I found the Elenium to be a much better series than The Bolgariad. The characters have more depth, the story has more layers and subplots. The magic system is more complex and the religious structure is more unique and multilayered. The creatures are also more interesting. This series is action packed and often quite gorey.
The Diamond Throne begins with Sparhawk, a knight of the Pandion Order, arriving back home from ten years of enforced exile. His arrival is in the dark and the wet, a perfect setting! Sparhawk is already middle aged, cinical and world weary, he is unattractive and far from your usual kind of hero. He is loyal to the crown and his Knightly Order, but his moral cumpus is often somewhat skewed and his behaviour not very Noble. He is however a character that you instantly like, he has flaws, he has made mistakes in the past and continues to make them. He is a steadfast friend, he shows kindness to those in need. When Sparhawk has a purpose, he will do everything in his power to fulfil it.
To read my full review please click:
http://www.bookrantorrave.com/blog/th...
David Eddings is more well known for his Bolgariad series, which is a coming of age Epic Fantasy.
The Elenium is unique in that it is not a coming of age series. The characters are already old and seasoned. To be honest, I found the Elenium to be a much better series than The Bolgariad. The characters have more depth, the story has more layers and subplots. The magic system is more complex and the religious structure is more unique and multilayered. The creatures are also more interesting. This series is action packed and often quite gorey.
The Diamond Throne begins with Sparhawk, a knight of the Pandion Order, arriving back home from ten years of enforced exile. His arrival is in the dark and the wet, a perfect setting! Sparhawk is already middle aged, cinical and world weary, he is unattractive and far from your usual kind of hero. He is loyal to the crown and his Knightly Order, but his moral cumpus is often somewhat skewed and his behaviour not very Noble. He is however a character that you instantly like, he has flaws, he has made mistakes in the past and continues to make them. He is a steadfast friend, he shows kindness to those in need. When Sparhawk has a purpose, he will do everything in his power to fulfil it.
To read my full review please click:
http://www.bookrantorrave.com/blog/th...
May 13, 2023
Solid fantasy novel.
Interesting world, characters and plot.
Something was missing for me though. I couldn't place my finger on what exactly, but it didn't work as well for me as most newer books. Especially the dialogues seemed a bit lacking in a way.
The main character is a great and funny one anyway, so if you're on the lookout for a new series, and already read through most of the genre, this might still be a nice change while waiting for the next favorites.
Interesting world, characters and plot.
Something was missing for me though. I couldn't place my finger on what exactly, but it didn't work as well for me as most newer books. Especially the dialogues seemed a bit lacking in a way.
The main character is a great and funny one anyway, so if you're on the lookout for a new series, and already read through most of the genre, this might still be a nice change while waiting for the next favorites.
December 5, 2021
This was a reread for me. David Eddings books were an early favourite of mine when I stumbled into the fantasy genre in my early teens. I decided it was finally time for a reread to see if they would hold up! It did not but luckily it still ended up an OK read.
The story is a fairly standard old school mix of epic and quest fantasy. Knight of the Realm and hereditary Queens Champion Sir Sparhawk is recalled to court a decade after being exiled after the newly ascended to the throne Queen Elena falls ill. She is placed in a magical enchantment and Sparhawk has do deal with a bunch of court intrigue and politics as well getting out and about to find a cure for the Queen’s ailment before it eventually kills her.
I thought the tale started pretty strongly. The court intrigue was interesting enough and the story sprinkled in plenty of action and some humour. Sparhawk himself was likeable enough and easy to root for even if he was a bit of a typical 1980s hero!
The tale slumped a bit in the final third when the quest arc kicked in. For whatever reason that portion of the tale was just less engaging. It meant the book ended a lot weaker than it started.
I loved this one in my younger days and recall it being a real favourite but with a few extra decades behind me I found this more of an average read for me this time around. It was OK though so I’ll probably press on with the second one in the series at some point.
Rating: 5 stars from teen Gavin and 3 stars from the older me. I was tempted to go ahead and leave the higher rating on for the sake of nostalgia as I did love Eddings books a ton in my teen years but I’ll go for the in between rating of 4 stars.
The story is a fairly standard old school mix of epic and quest fantasy. Knight of the Realm and hereditary Queens Champion Sir Sparhawk is recalled to court a decade after being exiled after the newly ascended to the throne Queen Elena falls ill. She is placed in a magical enchantment and Sparhawk has do deal with a bunch of court intrigue and politics as well getting out and about to find a cure for the Queen’s ailment before it eventually kills her.
I thought the tale started pretty strongly. The court intrigue was interesting enough and the story sprinkled in plenty of action and some humour. Sparhawk himself was likeable enough and easy to root for even if he was a bit of a typical 1980s hero!
The tale slumped a bit in the final third when the quest arc kicked in. For whatever reason that portion of the tale was just less engaging. It meant the book ended a lot weaker than it started.
I loved this one in my younger days and recall it being a real favourite but with a few extra decades behind me I found this more of an average read for me this time around. It was OK though so I’ll probably press on with the second one in the series at some point.
Rating: 5 stars from teen Gavin and 3 stars from the older me. I was tempted to go ahead and leave the higher rating on for the sake of nostalgia as I did love Eddings books a ton in my teen years but I’ll go for the in between rating of 4 stars.
January 8, 2015
The Diamond Throne kicks off with a bang with the main character returning after a ten year unjust exile at the behest of the new Queen with only one little snag in that the queen has taken seriously ill and had had to put into a form of stasis and this begins a quest to find a cure for the young Queen! :D Though there are also the parties responsible for poisoning intent on causing trouble which of course leads to all sorts of attempted upsets, daring do's, plenty of clenched teeth and grim chins! :D
Characterisation is excellent with all the characters having distinctly different personalities which results in a lot of humour that ties in with all the action and creates a brilliant set of situations and interactions that will keep you guessing which the way things are going g to go with the plot! :D There are also parts where it appear that the characters are having a bit of a holiday which again adds to the tone of the book! :D
The Diamond Throne does a great job of setting up the world of The Elenium with us been introduced to the order of the various Knights as well as the political structure that is heavily based on mediaeval Europe's feudal culture that with a few more democratic processes in place! But this adds to a great cambers for the adventures of the characters throughout the book which leads to encounters with many people from different nations as well as giving an opportunity to explore the past history of the world and some the major events that happened to have formed the societies and Nations! :D
The characters are all really well depicted as being different from each other with no characters actually feeling like hot copies of the other and all the characters regardless of rank, or how often they peer, seems to be lacking in three-dimensional characterisation which leads to some great interactions between them and really adds to the feel of the book especially when the characters are in conflict with each other but the come together in order to overcome the obstacles are often thrown in their way! You also get to see a lots of the past history of the land and the characters which also adds to the overall palimpsest that is depicted throughout the book! :D
Throughout the book you can see in and detect that there is a much bigger plotline going on and this is obviously the set up for the later books showing very clearly that there is a lot more going on very at first see in this opening book! :D Though this is not to say that The Diamond Throne is not completely packed out with events and world building you can see why three books were needed to get this world started! This all adds to a adventure which never lets up at all for a second with the characters getting into once great after another! :D
Face paced, lots of humour, great plot, world building and noble questing! :D Highly recommended! :D
Characterisation is excellent with all the characters having distinctly different personalities which results in a lot of humour that ties in with all the action and creates a brilliant set of situations and interactions that will keep you guessing which the way things are going g to go with the plot! :D There are also parts where it appear that the characters are having a bit of a holiday which again adds to the tone of the book! :D
The Diamond Throne does a great job of setting up the world of The Elenium with us been introduced to the order of the various Knights as well as the political structure that is heavily based on mediaeval Europe's feudal culture that with a few more democratic processes in place! But this adds to a great cambers for the adventures of the characters throughout the book which leads to encounters with many people from different nations as well as giving an opportunity to explore the past history of the world and some the major events that happened to have formed the societies and Nations! :D
The characters are all really well depicted as being different from each other with no characters actually feeling like hot copies of the other and all the characters regardless of rank, or how often they peer, seems to be lacking in three-dimensional characterisation which leads to some great interactions between them and really adds to the feel of the book especially when the characters are in conflict with each other but the come together in order to overcome the obstacles are often thrown in their way! You also get to see a lots of the past history of the land and the characters which also adds to the overall palimpsest that is depicted throughout the book! :D
Throughout the book you can see in and detect that there is a much bigger plotline going on and this is obviously the set up for the later books showing very clearly that there is a lot more going on very at first see in this opening book! :D Though this is not to say that The Diamond Throne is not completely packed out with events and world building you can see why three books were needed to get this world started! This all adds to a adventure which never lets up at all for a second with the characters getting into once great after another! :D
Face paced, lots of humour, great plot, world building and noble questing! :D Highly recommended! :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 19, 2015
Dosadna i predvidiva knjiga sa dosadnim i predvidivim likovima koji rade dosadne i predvidive stvari. To sve i ne bi bilo tako staršno da su likovi interesantni, da imaju pametne razgovore ili da je glavni lik neko ko je kolko tolko realan a ne wunderkind koji je sve rešava pošto je pametniji od svih, ili bolji borac ili...
Jedino što je sama postavka priče interesantna sa princozom/kraljicom zamrznutom u dijamant dok joj ne nađu lek.
Iskreno zaobići.
Mada moguće da mi ovo smeta pošto sam već pročitao dosta knjiga iz ovog žanra pa one koje su suviše klasične nisu više interesantne.
Jedino što je sama postavka priče interesantna sa princozom/kraljicom zamrznutom u dijamant dok joj ne nađu lek.
Iskreno zaobići.
Mada moguće da mi ovo smeta pošto sam već pročitao dosta knjiga iz ovog žanra pa one koje su suviše klasične nisu više interesantne.
September 11, 2021
Le quería poner tres estrellas, pero es q es muuuu romancero este libro. Tal vez cuando lo repose un poco le pueda subir la puntuación pero de momento no puedo.
May 16, 2014
I’m cheating here a little bit because this is a three book series, but it seems a little redundant to only talk about the first one, so please view this review as being for all three.
David Eddings is one of the great masters of the quest fantasy. What Tolkien started many, many authors have run with, though few as successfully or just generally as satisfyingly as Eddings.
The Elenium focuses on a Knight called Sparhawk and his travels to save his young and very beautiful queen, who is encased in diamond to keep her alive. Of course, Sparhawk is joined on his voyage by a number of others, all possessing severe likeability (my review, my words ;) and suitable heroism. They are wonderfully easy to read and contain enough cynicism to keep them from spilling over into cheese.
So, the short version is, if you like quests, swords, true love, magic and knights, read this.
David Eddings is one of the great masters of the quest fantasy. What Tolkien started many, many authors have run with, though few as successfully or just generally as satisfyingly as Eddings.
The Elenium focuses on a Knight called Sparhawk and his travels to save his young and very beautiful queen, who is encased in diamond to keep her alive. Of course, Sparhawk is joined on his voyage by a number of others, all possessing severe likeability (my review, my words ;) and suitable heroism. They are wonderfully easy to read and contain enough cynicism to keep them from spilling over into cheese.
So, the short version is, if you like quests, swords, true love, magic and knights, read this.
September 19, 2015
Resenha feita pelo blog Bravura Literária.
O Trono de Diamante, lançado em Agosto desse ano, foi o primeiro livro do gênero Fantasia publicado pela Editora Aleph, que é famosa por seus lançamentos do gênero de Ficção Científica. Grande admirador de Tolkien, o autor David Eddings foi um dos mais bem sucedidos escritores de fantasia do século XX. A Aleph apostou, e eu posso afirmar que o tiro foi certeiro!
No livro somos apresentados a Sir Sparhawk, um cavaleiro da Ordem Pandion, uma das quatro ordens de cavalaria que servem à Igreja, que foi exilado pelo falecido rei Aldreas. Após 10 anos exilado em Rendor, Sparhawk decide voltar para Elenia.
"— Esse é o campeão da rainha — exclamou o segundo guarda. — Nunca fique no caminho dele."
Chegando em Cimmura, uma cidadela de Elenia, Sparhawk toma conhecimento de que a rainha Ehlana, filha do rei Aldreas, foi acometida por uma misteriosa doença que a deixou à beira da morte, sem condições nenhuma de subir ao trono. Dessa forma, Annias, um clérigo da Igreja e membro do Conselho Real que deseja muito mais do que somente o trono de Elenia, colocou seu protegido Lycheas, um jovem de 16 anos e filho da princesa Arissa (irmã do rei Aldreas), como príncipe regente.
Com a saúde precária da rainha e a tentativa de tirar o poder das mãos de Annias para não deixar que seus planos para com o reino se concretizem, um grupo de doze cavaleiros Pandion e a feiticeira styrica Sephrenia tiram a rainha de seu leito, colocando-a em seu trono. Com a ajuda dos doze cavaleiros, a feiticeira realiza um feitiço que envolve a rainha e seu trono em uma barreira de diamante, mantendo-a desse modo viva por um pouco mais de tempo, ou até que a cura para sua doença seja encontrada.
Mais adiante seremos apresentados à Sir Kalten, o cavaleiro Pandion amigo de Sparhawk; Kurik, escudeiro de Sparhawk; Sir Vanion, preceptor da Ordem Pandion; Berit, o noviço aspirante a cavaleiro; Talen, o pequeno ladrão; Martel, ex-cavaleiro Pandion e muitos outros personagens.
Sem mais história, pois corro o risco de contar spoilers e ser fortemente apedrejado! Hahahahaha.
O autor David Edding nos apresenta um mundo medieval fantástico, onde a magia existe de forma sútil, e nem todos a conhecem.
O autor caprichou no detalhamento de lugares e personagens, tornando dessa forma a construção de seu mundo muito mais fácil para nós leitores.
O continente de Eosia, onde a trama ocorre, nos traz referências a povos já conhecidos por nós, como: vikings, árabes e muitos outros.
Com poucas partes de ação, os pontos fortes do livro são os conflitos políticos, religiosos e raciais que foram muito bem colocados e explorados durante o decorrer da história, tornando tudo muito intrigante, deixando o leitor com aquela ansiedade para descobrir o que acontecerá a seguir.
Na questão da religião, o autor se aprofundou bastante em diversas crenças, onde os elenos acreditam em somente um deus, enquanto outros povos possuem deuses e deusas novos e antigos, muitíssimo poderosos e que podem ser invocados pelo povo que os servem.
A narrativa é em terceira pessoa, em uma linguagem não muito simplificada, mas também não tão arcaica, com algumas partes de humor, tornando desse modo a leitura gostosa e muito bem fluída.
Vale destacar que o livro nos lembra em todos os sentidos uma Quest Épica de jogos de RPG. Os personagens variam entre Paladinos, Magos, Ladinos e muitos outros.
A edição é simplesmente belíssima! A capa chama muito a atenção, a diagramação é excelente, e a editora caprichou (e muito!) na revisão ortográfica!
Estou ansioso para a leitura do segundo livro da trilogia, e espero que Aleph não demore para lançá-lo para nós hahahaha!
O Trono de Diamante, lançado em Agosto desse ano, foi o primeiro livro do gênero Fantasia publicado pela Editora Aleph, que é famosa por seus lançamentos do gênero de Ficção Científica. Grande admirador de Tolkien, o autor David Eddings foi um dos mais bem sucedidos escritores de fantasia do século XX. A Aleph apostou, e eu posso afirmar que o tiro foi certeiro!
No livro somos apresentados a Sir Sparhawk, um cavaleiro da Ordem Pandion, uma das quatro ordens de cavalaria que servem à Igreja, que foi exilado pelo falecido rei Aldreas. Após 10 anos exilado em Rendor, Sparhawk decide voltar para Elenia.
"— Esse é o campeão da rainha — exclamou o segundo guarda. — Nunca fique no caminho dele."
Chegando em Cimmura, uma cidadela de Elenia, Sparhawk toma conhecimento de que a rainha Ehlana, filha do rei Aldreas, foi acometida por uma misteriosa doença que a deixou à beira da morte, sem condições nenhuma de subir ao trono. Dessa forma, Annias, um clérigo da Igreja e membro do Conselho Real que deseja muito mais do que somente o trono de Elenia, colocou seu protegido Lycheas, um jovem de 16 anos e filho da princesa Arissa (irmã do rei Aldreas), como príncipe regente.
Com a saúde precária da rainha e a tentativa de tirar o poder das mãos de Annias para não deixar que seus planos para com o reino se concretizem, um grupo de doze cavaleiros Pandion e a feiticeira styrica Sephrenia tiram a rainha de seu leito, colocando-a em seu trono. Com a ajuda dos doze cavaleiros, a feiticeira realiza um feitiço que envolve a rainha e seu trono em uma barreira de diamante, mantendo-a desse modo viva por um pouco mais de tempo, ou até que a cura para sua doença seja encontrada.
Mais adiante seremos apresentados à Sir Kalten, o cavaleiro Pandion amigo de Sparhawk; Kurik, escudeiro de Sparhawk; Sir Vanion, preceptor da Ordem Pandion; Berit, o noviço aspirante a cavaleiro; Talen, o pequeno ladrão; Martel, ex-cavaleiro Pandion e muitos outros personagens.
Sem mais história, pois corro o risco de contar spoilers e ser fortemente apedrejado! Hahahahaha.
O autor David Edding nos apresenta um mundo medieval fantástico, onde a magia existe de forma sútil, e nem todos a conhecem.
O autor caprichou no detalhamento de lugares e personagens, tornando dessa forma a construção de seu mundo muito mais fácil para nós leitores.
O continente de Eosia, onde a trama ocorre, nos traz referências a povos já conhecidos por nós, como: vikings, árabes e muitos outros.
Com poucas partes de ação, os pontos fortes do livro são os conflitos políticos, religiosos e raciais que foram muito bem colocados e explorados durante o decorrer da história, tornando tudo muito intrigante, deixando o leitor com aquela ansiedade para descobrir o que acontecerá a seguir.
Na questão da religião, o autor se aprofundou bastante em diversas crenças, onde os elenos acreditam em somente um deus, enquanto outros povos possuem deuses e deusas novos e antigos, muitíssimo poderosos e que podem ser invocados pelo povo que os servem.
A narrativa é em terceira pessoa, em uma linguagem não muito simplificada, mas também não tão arcaica, com algumas partes de humor, tornando desse modo a leitura gostosa e muito bem fluída.
Vale destacar que o livro nos lembra em todos os sentidos uma Quest Épica de jogos de RPG. Os personagens variam entre Paladinos, Magos, Ladinos e muitos outros.
A edição é simplesmente belíssima! A capa chama muito a atenção, a diagramação é excelente, e a editora caprichou (e muito!) na revisão ortográfica!
Estou ansioso para a leitura do segundo livro da trilogia, e espero que Aleph não demore para lançá-lo para nós hahahaha!
November 9, 2020
David Eddings' Belgariad series is what first gave me my love of reading, especially of fantasy, so I always have a soft spot for anything he has written and this book is no exception. Although I think the Belgariad is better I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Sir Sparhawk, a Knight of the Pandion order has returened to Elenia after 10 years of being exciled to find that the young queen, Ehlena, is sick and dying, betrayed by a corrupt Churchman who has lofty ambitions and her bastard cousin. It is up to Sparhawk to try and find a cure for her illness, with the help of his friends and fellow knights, as well as a thief and a girl-child, before Queen Ehlena dies and the world is thrown into an age of darkness.
What I love about David Eddings is that he creates such likable characters, reading about Sparhawk, Kurik, Kalten and company is always very entertaining, the banter between them all is funny and seems to be one of his key tools in chracterization. However, the characters to bare a resemblance to his characters in the Belgariad, the story is also quite similar.
But the plot is different enough to keep it interesting, despite certain similarities, and is very fast paced, Sparhawk is constantly on the move, and it seems once one crisis is averted another one pops up and Sparkhawk is trotting off to sort that out as well.
This is a fun read, it isn't a dark and involved fantasy, but rather a great adventure story full of knights and magic.
Sir Sparhawk, a Knight of the Pandion order has returened to Elenia after 10 years of being exciled to find that the young queen, Ehlena, is sick and dying, betrayed by a corrupt Churchman who has lofty ambitions and her bastard cousin. It is up to Sparhawk to try and find a cure for her illness, with the help of his friends and fellow knights, as well as a thief and a girl-child, before Queen Ehlena dies and the world is thrown into an age of darkness.
What I love about David Eddings is that he creates such likable characters, reading about Sparhawk, Kurik, Kalten and company is always very entertaining, the banter between them all is funny and seems to be one of his key tools in chracterization. However, the characters to bare a resemblance to his characters in the Belgariad, the story is also quite similar.
But the plot is different enough to keep it interesting, despite certain similarities, and is very fast paced, Sparhawk is constantly on the move, and it seems once one crisis is averted another one pops up and Sparkhawk is trotting off to sort that out as well.
This is a fun read, it isn't a dark and involved fantasy, but rather a great adventure story full of knights and magic.
June 20, 2011
Stating this upfront. It's not genius writing. The characters are two dimensional and perfect. They look perfect (except for when they have a feature that turns them from perfect to unique), they act perfect, their motives are noble and honorable, except for the villains who twirl their mustaches and laugh at their maniacalness.
Okay, maybe not quite that bad but it's close. Every cliche that could be hit seemed like it was.
No it didn't wrap up the main conflict. There don't seem to be any subplots of any importance to give depth or breadth to the story or the characters. Just one plot, straight away, and it's not concluded with any degree of satisfaction, no doubt to get you to buy the next book.
Despite all that, I still loved this book. It's light reading, it's fast reading. It's not taxing on the brain or the believability. It's a fun read. It's escapist. For all the popcorn, I'd read it again and plan on reading the other two books.
Don't look for brilliant writing, deep characters, wickedly twisted plots. Watch for the low flying Mary Sues that come at you from every corner and enjoy the guilty pleasure reading for what it is.
Okay, maybe not quite that bad but it's close. Every cliche that could be hit seemed like it was.
No it didn't wrap up the main conflict. There don't seem to be any subplots of any importance to give depth or breadth to the story or the characters. Just one plot, straight away, and it's not concluded with any degree of satisfaction, no doubt to get you to buy the next book.
Despite all that, I still loved this book. It's light reading, it's fast reading. It's not taxing on the brain or the believability. It's a fun read. It's escapist. For all the popcorn, I'd read it again and plan on reading the other two books.
Don't look for brilliant writing, deep characters, wickedly twisted plots. Watch for the low flying Mary Sues that come at you from every corner and enjoy the guilty pleasure reading for what it is.
July 17, 2020
This is either my 3rd or 4th reading. Admittedly, it has some of the flaws of most of Eddings' work: the characters are chuckleheads and the plot usually revolves around...well, I won't spoil it but you can probably figure it out.
However, there are some marked improvements (and in the realm of general fantasy it is better than most).
1. Sparhawk is infinitely superior to Garion.
2. The bad guys are far more interesting than in the Belgariad. Azash is truly something to be feared. Kal Torak, by contrast, was a glorified form of Vader.
Perhaps something else to be noticed: there is a connection between the health and wholeness of the monarch and the health of the land.
This is probably Eddings' best work. Highly recommended.
However, there are some marked improvements (and in the realm of general fantasy it is better than most).
1. Sparhawk is infinitely superior to Garion.
2. The bad guys are far more interesting than in the Belgariad. Azash is truly something to be feared. Kal Torak, by contrast, was a glorified form of Vader.
Perhaps something else to be noticed: there is a connection between the health and wholeness of the monarch and the health of the land.
This is probably Eddings' best work. Highly recommended.
July 18, 2016
I remember this series very fondly, but I think I enjoyed it more as a teenager. It's still a good read, but the plot is a bit too "go here; chase clue; repeat". Subtlety is not Eddings' strong point. Like On Basilisk Station, the humor is a bit too on-the-nose, the protagonists are a bit too capable, and the author relishes showing antagonists getting their comeuppance. The story very much doesn't stand on its own (which has become a pet peeve of mine). And the prologue is a fictitious legend that runs rampant over xkcd's "too many fantasy names" rule of thumb.
Those are mostly quibbles and they may not be a problem for you. The setting here is very detailed and the characters are mostly plausible, even if they do quip back and forth like they're starring in a sitcom. I didn't remember the big reveal near the end and was surprised all over again. I suspect I remember more of the sequels, so I'll be continuing the trilogy :)
Those are mostly quibbles and they may not be a problem for you. The setting here is very detailed and the characters are mostly plausible, even if they do quip back and forth like they're starring in a sitcom. I didn't remember the big reveal near the end and was surprised all over again. I suspect I remember more of the sequels, so I'll be continuing the trilogy :)
September 11, 2022
A return to a comforting read from long ago, and I'm pleased to find it much as I remembered it. Unlike Althalus, which upon rereading I found to have a dubious moral certainty, at least this first installment of the Elenium is exactly what I came looking for, a fantasy epic knotted with intrigue and lightened by the main characters' minor vices and camaraderie. Even though the plot is almost a satire of the fetch quest (Sparhawk travels across half the world seeking a chain of answers, returns home hardly any the wiser, and then what he seeks is independently revealed to him in a vision) I do get a sense of satisfaction in the conclusion. The fact that I already have the other books in the series -- and they are of known quality -- is probably part of that.
June 28, 2009
The dialog in this book is probably the best thing about it. Eddings has a WONDERFUL talent with snappy remarks and clever comebacks. I remember when I first read it, reading bits aloud to my sister. "But ThPARhawk" he lisped. "You know how thatin thpoths when it geths wet!!"
Yeah, probably doesn't mean much to you, but trust me, it was hilarious.
It's a true fantasy novel, with knights and magic and battles and the works. Definitely my favorite Eddings novel.
That being said...
After rereading it recently, what really jumped out at me was that it needed tighter editing. In searching for a really dramatic phrase, Eddings sometimes got a liiiiittle bit wordy, unnecessarily so. At one point he says "The battle went on for another ten minutes, and then it was over." As opposed to...what? "The battle went on for another ten minutes...and then it went on for a little longer?" There's examples like that all over the book.
And oh my GOD, his editor needed to tell him "If you use the word 'bleak' one more time I will cram this thesaurus down your throat." I'm not kidding guys, in this book and the one that follows you can find the word "bleak" or "bleakly" in every. Single. Chapter. Not kidding, every one. One time he used it THREE TIMES in the same chapter. That kinda thing reeeeaaally starts to get annoying, because it jerks you out of the moment. "Yes, OKAY, bleak again, you couldn't have used ANY OTHER WORD...?" Definitely didn't notice that the first time around, sure noticed it now/.
Yeah, probably doesn't mean much to you, but trust me, it was hilarious.
It's a true fantasy novel, with knights and magic and battles and the works. Definitely my favorite Eddings novel.
That being said...
After rereading it recently, what really jumped out at me was that it needed tighter editing. In searching for a really dramatic phrase, Eddings sometimes got a liiiiittle bit wordy, unnecessarily so. At one point he says "The battle went on for another ten minutes, and then it was over." As opposed to...what? "The battle went on for another ten minutes...and then it went on for a little longer?" There's examples like that all over the book.
And oh my GOD, his editor needed to tell him "If you use the word 'bleak' one more time I will cram this thesaurus down your throat." I'm not kidding guys, in this book and the one that follows you can find the word "bleak" or "bleakly" in every. Single. Chapter. Not kidding, every one. One time he used it THREE TIMES in the same chapter. That kinda thing reeeeaaally starts to get annoying, because it jerks you out of the moment. "Yes, OKAY, bleak again, you couldn't have used ANY OTHER WORD...?" Definitely didn't notice that the first time around, sure noticed it now/.
October 23, 2014
Not the correct edition. Mine is an old library copy from cassette tapes. The sound quality kind of sucked, but I've read the book in paper several times, so it wasn't a huge deal.
This is a simple story, a fun romp, that doesn't take itself too seriously. It's an interesting world with a neat system of magic & a definite goal. The characters are pretty standard, but their dialog makes them more interesting. I love that Faran, Sparhawk's horse, plays such a great role.
It definitely ends on a cliff hanger, so be prepared to read the next two books. I liked this trilogy better than the sequel trilogy.
This is a simple story, a fun romp, that doesn't take itself too seriously. It's an interesting world with a neat system of magic & a definite goal. The characters are pretty standard, but their dialog makes them more interesting. I love that Faran, Sparhawk's horse, plays such a great role.
It definitely ends on a cliff hanger, so be prepared to read the next two books. I liked this trilogy better than the sequel trilogy.
September 1, 2017
I suspect that the high regard in which I held Edding's writing had more to do with the context of my life at the time that I initially discovered his work (starved for distraction) because... this, at least, really wasn't very good. And filled with disparaging and unnecessary references toward women. It is possible that this is just the very worst of his efforts, but... I think I'll have to stand by the past tense "held," in my opening sentence, as far as that high regard is concerned.
December 7, 2023
This didn't have that same feel as the Belgariad and Malloreon had. I struggled with maintaing interest in the story, and I found the main character to be uninteresting as well. Unsure if I'll continue with the series.
2.5/5 stars
2.5/5 stars
June 5, 2008
Eddings basically repeats the same plot over and over again. I'm particularly attached to Sparhawk, so I didn't mind at all.
May 21, 2021
Menuda decepción de libro... David Eddings es un autor conocido en la fantasía, y siempre he pensado que en algún momento debería leerlo. Como ha salido para un club de lectura, y la idea no me parecía mala, dije 'Palante'.
Pero... Siempre hay un pero (aquí hay varios). Pensaba que podría estar bien, pero no estaba seguro de si iba a gustarme. Mi instinto ya me estaba diciendo que la cosa no iba a ir bien... Y viendo reseñas, no me sabe tan mal ser el único al que no le ha gustado el libro (muchas de las razones las tengo yo también).
Los personajes me han parecido muy planos, me han parecido iguales desde el principio hasta el final.
La princesa... Digo yo que hubiera estado bien conocerla como personaje, al menos con recuerdos... Sigo esperanza que tenga 'algo' de protagonismo.
Las conversaciones me han parecido increíblemente simples en más de un momento... Y muy cortas y breves en muchos casos... Y me chocaba mucho que en algunos momentos así usarán el lenguaje que usaban (ya sé que es referencia al tipo de historia y mundo, pero...)
La acción brilla por su ausencia...
Los supuestos malos... Desde el segundo 1 sabes quiénes son... Y son los malos malisimos prototipo...
¿El o los plot del libro que dice la gente? Sinceramente, sigo esperándolos (porque plot twists no he encontrado ninguno). Y de interesante o interesantes... No he visto ninguno en el libro...
Solo me ha hecho cierta gracia una referencia (quiero pensar que hecha a posta) a Rasputin... Pero ya, lo único en todo el libro...
Pero... Siempre hay un pero (aquí hay varios). Pensaba que podría estar bien, pero no estaba seguro de si iba a gustarme. Mi instinto ya me estaba diciendo que la cosa no iba a ir bien... Y viendo reseñas, no me sabe tan mal ser el único al que no le ha gustado el libro (muchas de las razones las tengo yo también).
Los personajes me han parecido muy planos, me han parecido iguales desde el principio hasta el final.
La princesa... Digo yo que hubiera estado bien conocerla como personaje, al menos con recuerdos... Sigo esperanza que tenga 'algo' de protagonismo.
Las conversaciones me han parecido increíblemente simples en más de un momento... Y muy cortas y breves en muchos casos... Y me chocaba mucho que en algunos momentos así usarán el lenguaje que usaban (ya sé que es referencia al tipo de historia y mundo, pero...)
La acción brilla por su ausencia...
Los supuestos malos... Desde el segundo 1 sabes quiénes son... Y son los malos malisimos prototipo...
¿El o los plot del libro que dice la gente? Sinceramente, sigo esperándolos (porque plot twists no he encontrado ninguno). Y de interesante o interesantes... No he visto ninguno en el libro...
Solo me ha hecho cierta gracia una referencia (quiero pensar que hecha a posta) a Rasputin... Pero ya, lo único en todo el libro...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2024
I think part of my ambivalent feelings regarding this book is because the translation was incredibly boring. I could tell some of the jokes were funny in english, but none of them worked well or at all in swedish, which took away some of my enjoyment.
Also, I know is fantasy written in another time, but the casual "Shit happens" to someone fathering an illegitimate child did not endear me to Sparhawk. Or the one fathering the child, it's just so utterly ironic that whoever meets him always inquire about his wife and kids, which makes the betrayal worse. The kid himself is hilarious, but then again it's not his fault his father is an asshole.
Regarding the plot, it's intriguing I suppose, but it's alot of go there, ask that, go someplace else.
Also, I know is fantasy written in another time, but the casual "Shit happens" to someone fathering an illegitimate child did not endear me to Sparhawk. Or the one fathering the child, it's just so utterly ironic that whoever meets him always inquire about his wife and kids, which makes the betrayal worse. The kid himself is hilarious, but then again it's not his fault his father is an asshole.
Regarding the plot, it's intriguing I suppose, but it's alot of go there, ask that, go someplace else.
October 2, 2018
It's my own fault. I picked up The Diamond Throne because of my fond memories of reading The Belgariad as a teenager. In my own defense, I can only hope that Eddings' earlier work was better than his latter. Despite getting through four hundred pages of The Diamond Throne, I couldn't muster enough patience to get through the last few chapters. The characters are shallow, the plot circular, and the only notable themes are racism, religious tripe, and the type of avarice which you expect to find in nearly all antagonists.
The characters give away their shallow nature at the very beginning of the book with their impetuous behaviour and frequent sarcasm. Sparhawk, who is described as a sharp-witted, fearsome knight, behaves more like a spoiled brat. He gives money to a poor prostitute in one scene and a boil (by the use of magic) to a common courtier who annoys him in the next. His friends, Kalten and Kurik, only seem to be in the book to say something sarcastic in response to everything Sparhawk says.
The dialogue between the characters more often than not feels like a conversation competition, which made me (correctly) suspect that the author was from the U.S.A. I think the intention was to bring some gritty modern culture into the world of fantasy. The result, however, was just some weird mix of modern banter with medieval formality which didn't work at all for me.
Another weird writing device Eddings uses is to take real-world races and religions and import them into his fantasy world verbatim. The Elene Church is indistinguishable from the Christian Church, which makes you wonder how the author comes up with his ideas. I mean sure, art imitates life, but isn't the whole point of fantasy to escape from real life? Many of the races in his world are also proxies for real life (non-christian) races. Whether intentional or not, there does seem to be an odd religious prejudice throughout the book.
The plot is dire. Boring, formulaic, and repetitive: Being followed, travel to the next city, attacked on the way, slaughter everyone, Sparhawk says something macho, Kalten says something sarcastic, Sparhawk says "I deserved that", arrive at the new city, stay with an old friend who owes them a favour, do what Sephrenia says... rinse and repeat. Nothing ever goes wrong for the good guys, and the bad guys are always thwarted easily. It's just boring.
I think the real failing of this book is that although the author does well to tell us about his world, he fails to show us those very things. Sparhawk does not behave how he's described; Sephrenia is intended to be mysterious and powerful, but just comes off as powerless, bossy and fake. Even the most evil entities in the book, Azash and the Demork, inspire no fear or revulsion. Whatsmore, the urgency to save the Queen's life, which is supposed to be central to the plot, is simply not conveyed. The main characters spend their time hanging about in taverns, chasing up all their petty grievances, and can't continue their quest because they don't want to upset some other knights by leaving without them.
The saving grace of The Diamond Throne is that is an easy, quick read. The use of language is also quite good, even though its effects are only weak. I can see now how adverbs weaken the impact of writing. For Buddha's sake, show us these characteristics, don't tell us.
I expected too much from The Diamond Throne. I had thought Eddings was a master. Sadly, I've been given a reality check. It seems more appropriate to describe Eddings as the Mills and Boons of fantasy. Predictable and formulaic. Seeing as I'm unlikely to read any more of his work, I can only hope that I am wrong about that. There are too many other good books to read.
The characters give away their shallow nature at the very beginning of the book with their impetuous behaviour and frequent sarcasm. Sparhawk, who is described as a sharp-witted, fearsome knight, behaves more like a spoiled brat. He gives money to a poor prostitute in one scene and a boil (by the use of magic) to a common courtier who annoys him in the next. His friends, Kalten and Kurik, only seem to be in the book to say something sarcastic in response to everything Sparhawk says.
The dialogue between the characters more often than not feels like a conversation competition, which made me (correctly) suspect that the author was from the U.S.A. I think the intention was to bring some gritty modern culture into the world of fantasy. The result, however, was just some weird mix of modern banter with medieval formality which didn't work at all for me.
Another weird writing device Eddings uses is to take real-world races and religions and import them into his fantasy world verbatim. The Elene Church is indistinguishable from the Christian Church, which makes you wonder how the author comes up with his ideas. I mean sure, art imitates life, but isn't the whole point of fantasy to escape from real life? Many of the races in his world are also proxies for real life (non-christian) races. Whether intentional or not, there does seem to be an odd religious prejudice throughout the book.
The plot is dire. Boring, formulaic, and repetitive: Being followed, travel to the next city, attacked on the way, slaughter everyone, Sparhawk says something macho, Kalten says something sarcastic, Sparhawk says "I deserved that", arrive at the new city, stay with an old friend who owes them a favour, do what Sephrenia says... rinse and repeat. Nothing ever goes wrong for the good guys, and the bad guys are always thwarted easily. It's just boring.
I think the real failing of this book is that although the author does well to tell us about his world, he fails to show us those very things. Sparhawk does not behave how he's described; Sephrenia is intended to be mysterious and powerful, but just comes off as powerless, bossy and fake. Even the most evil entities in the book, Azash and the Demork, inspire no fear or revulsion. Whatsmore, the urgency to save the Queen's life, which is supposed to be central to the plot, is simply not conveyed. The main characters spend their time hanging about in taverns, chasing up all their petty grievances, and can't continue their quest because they don't want to upset some other knights by leaving without them.
The saving grace of The Diamond Throne is that is an easy, quick read. The use of language is also quite good, even though its effects are only weak. I can see now how adverbs weaken the impact of writing. For Buddha's sake, show us these characteristics, don't tell us.
I expected too much from The Diamond Throne. I had thought Eddings was a master. Sadly, I've been given a reality check. It seems more appropriate to describe Eddings as the Mills and Boons of fantasy. Predictable and formulaic. Seeing as I'm unlikely to read any more of his work, I can only hope that I am wrong about that. There are too many other good books to read.
November 3, 2016
On the one hand, I want to give credit to Eddings for trying to write this. He went from family-friendly bestselling non-Tolkien epic fantasy author of all time (at the time) to, immediately, a dark and brutal semi-noir proto-grimdark story about church politics, drenched in sex (albeit off-screen) and blood and elder gods and incest and pederasty and fountains of blood and ethnic cleansing and blood. And when I was eight, I loved it, although given his massive decline in sales apparently a lot of other people didn't.
On the other hand, although he tried to write this, he didn't do a great job of it. It's far too rushed (more plot in 400 pages than in half of the Wheel of Time), Eddings just isn't a great author, and his long-term latent tendency toward racism, conservativism and sub-Nietzschean contempt for the little people breaches into plain sight in a way that doesn't exactly spoil the book (it's a colour around the edges, not the central picture) but that does give it a bad aftertaste. Perhaps most seriously, he's unable to fully commit to the grimdark, and the natural buoyancy of his work, floating back whenever not held down to a bubbly sort of smug 'what a lark' nonchalance, undermines the better and more serious bits.
Which is a shame, because there are actually some good ideas here, and once I got into it I found myself actually quite enjoying it. Enough, at least, that I'll probably go on and re-read the next two volumes.
So it's not very good. In fact, it's bad. But it's not ALL bad, and those interested in the history of the genre may find it worth the trouble, although I'd hardly go around recommending it to people on literary merit alone.
My far, far longer review can be found over here.
On the other hand, although he tried to write this, he didn't do a great job of it. It's far too rushed (more plot in 400 pages than in half of the Wheel of Time), Eddings just isn't a great author, and his long-term latent tendency toward racism, conservativism and sub-Nietzschean contempt for the little people breaches into plain sight in a way that doesn't exactly spoil the book (it's a colour around the edges, not the central picture) but that does give it a bad aftertaste. Perhaps most seriously, he's unable to fully commit to the grimdark, and the natural buoyancy of his work, floating back whenever not held down to a bubbly sort of smug 'what a lark' nonchalance, undermines the better and more serious bits.
Which is a shame, because there are actually some good ideas here, and once I got into it I found myself actually quite enjoying it. Enough, at least, that I'll probably go on and re-read the next two volumes.
So it's not very good. In fact, it's bad. But it's not ALL bad, and those interested in the history of the genre may find it worth the trouble, although I'd hardly go around recommending it to people on literary merit alone.
My far, far longer review can be found over here.
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