David Eddings dies

[SiHart]

Very sad news:

Best-selling US writer David Eddings, who wrote a number of heavyweight fantasy novels, has died aged 77.

Inspired by the success of the Lord of the Rings, Eddings penned The Elenium series, which follwed the adventures of crooked-nosed knight Sir Sparhawk.

His wife Leigh, who died two years ago, played a pivotal role in the creation of his work.

Publisher Jane Johnson said Eddings was "a towering force of modern commercial fiction, a master of the epic".

She added that the arrival of a new manuscript from the author at the offices of HarperCollins was "a grand event".

"In the 90s, each one was guaranteed a number one position on the Sunday Times hardback bestseller list," said Ms Johnson.

Eddings' other works included The Redemption of Althalus and The Dreamers series.

The author worked on secret US missile programmes until his first book, a contemporary adventure story, was published in 1973, after which he switched to fantasy literature.

He built his reputation on doorstep tomes, and once said: "I'm never going to be in danger of getting the Nobel Prize for literature."

"I'm a storyteller, not a prophet. I'm just interested in a good story," he added.

I enjoyed his books a great deal when I was younger. I haven't read any of the more recent of his works, but The Elenium and The Belgariad were unbeatable series.

Si xx

[Dirk Gently]

I've never read any of his work but you can hardly enter a bookstore & not see his work on sale & if you are a fan of Fantasy novels then you'll know his name even if you haven't read anything of his, as is my case.

It's always a shame when a talent like this dies.

R.I.P David.

[Paul Clement]

With Robert Jordan's death a little over a year ago, and now David Eddings, there's only one of my favourite three Fantasy authors left, and that's George R R Martin.

Eddings was the one that got med into Fantasy in a big way though. His Belgariad, Mallorean, Elenium and Tamuli series were books I read over and over again. He was never going to be the best writer, but as a tale teller he was in a league of his own.

[Jeff]

I just saw this thread and wasn't aware of the news before now. I read his Belgariad and Mallorean series back in the early 90's when I ran out of Wheel of Time material, and then started reading the Elenium and Tamuli series which were coming out at that time... I actually didn't finish the Tamuli then, but a couple years ago I re-read the two series all the way through.