The Elder Gods by David Eddings -- Book Review

As an avid reader of Fantasy for as long as I can remember, I've been trying to sample every fantasy writer I can get my hands on.

For the longest time people have been recommending David Eddings to me. So after a real long time, I finally got my hands on one of his books. Naturally, now that I've got Eddings under my belt, my list of popular fantasy authors to still read has grown slightly shorter.

I bought a second hand copy of The Elder Gods by David Eddings at The Strand, a second hand bookstore in Manhattan, about a month ago. The book is the first in The Dreamers series and was released in 2003, so it's quite recent and I don't need to feel too guilty about judging an author based on a style that is sure to have changed over time. Eddings by 2003 had enough time to come into his own style.

My honest opinion on the book is that it sucked.

If I am really not enjoying a book I usually put it down, and though I considered putting The Elder Gods down several times I decided to read to the end. I guess that makes it better than certain fatally flawed books, but not many and not by much.

I'm not one to make rash statements without backing them up, so here is the why:

First and foremost, the book lacked conflict. The protagonists in the book (all the unnecessary protagonists as well) were seemingly flawless. When the character with the coolest weapon and the most sarcastic character, and the most funny character, a book is doomed to failure. What keeps a reader attached to a book is the fear of the protagonist's failure. What keeps a reader focused is well written complex plot. What keeps a reader entertained is interesting character interaction. A good book draws emotion out of a reader.

Through reading The Elder Gods, I felt no emotion whatsoever and felt I was reading a dry, uninteresting fanfiction-like amateurish piece of writing.

Character interaction was monotonous with nothing unexpected happening throughout the book. The antagonists were completely undeveloped without any sort of justification or sense.

Okay I've finished my rant. I wouldn't waste my time on this if I were you. Go read J R R Tolkien or Ursula K. Le Guin if you feel the need to spend your time on fantasy.

That is the verdict.

Have a great one!