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Belgariad
''The Belgariad'' is a five-book fantasy epic written by David Eddings, following the journey of protagonist Garion and his companions, first to recover a sacred stone, and later to use it against antagonist Torak. It was a bestseller from the first book in the series. It has been called both the "last gasp" of traditional fantasy and "one of the founding megasagas" of modern fantasy. Background David Eddings, who had been writing adventure and thriller genres, has said he developed the idea for a fantasy series somewhat "cynically" after noticing how many times J. R. R. Tolkien's '' The Lord of the Rings'' series had been reprinted. He had an epiphany, realizing the fantasy genre might be very lucrative and was currently "underserved". He mapped out an imaginary world to use in developing the story for the Belgariad. He has also said he was influenced by reading medieval epics and by Lester del Rey's editorial input. In later works he acknowledged his wife, Leigh Eddings, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Malloreon
The Malloreon is a five-part fantasy book series written by David Eddings, which follows ''The Belgariad''. The Malloreon is set in the same world as The Belgariad, but expands on several aspects of the setting, especially the eastern continent of Mallorea. Works in the series # ' () # ' () # ' () # ' () # ' () While the story concludes in The Malloreon, minor events occur in the prequels ''Belgarath the Sorcerer'' and ''Polgara the Sorceress'', which otherwise cover the history of the world. ''Guardians of the West'' At the end of ''The Belgariad'', Garion has slain the evil god Torak and expects lasting peace. The first half of the book concentrates on the first eight years of Belgarion's reign, describing minor problems including Queen Ce'Nedra's seeming infertility and a civil war in Arendia. All of these problems are resolved without much trouble, their resolutions providing some comic relief. The book also depicts the life of Errand, Polgara's ward. During his ye ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Belgarion
Belgarion (also called Garion) is a fictional character and the chief protagonist in ''The Belgariad'' and ''The Malloreon'', two fantasy epics written by David Eddings. Garion is the distant nephew of Polgara the Sorceress and the distant grandson of Belgarath the Sorcerer, though in truth his lineage is many times removed from them, through Belgarath's other daughter and Polgara's twin sister, Beldaran, the wife of Riva Iron-Grip, the first king (and founder) of Riva. Garion's father was Geran, a stonecutter in the Sendarian village of Annath and hidden heir to the Rivan throne. His mother, Ildera, was the daughter of a clan chief of Algaria. Geran and Ildera were killed after a Grolim sent her into premature labor while he had Pol out looking for Garions grandmother. After Garions birth he set fire to their home, and he (Garion) was taken by his aunt to live on Faldor's farm. He lived there in ignorance for 14 years. He was watched all his life by Chamdar, the man who kille ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Polgara The Sorceress
''Polgara the Sorceress'' is a fantasy novel by American writers David and Leigh Eddings, and the twelfth in the setting of ''The Belgariad'', ''The Malloreon'' and ''Belgarath the Sorcerer''. Like the latter novel, it is presented as a first-person narrative recounting the life of the eponymous character, Polgara, framed by a prologue and epilogue in the third person placing it in context relative to the earlier stories. The fictional character of Polgara is the (many generations removed) aunt of Belgarion and the daughter of Belgarath. Plot summary ''Polgara the Sorceress'' begins with Ce'Nedra entreating Polgara to write a book about her life, filling in the gaps left by her father's story, ''Belgarath the Sorcerer''. The main part of the story then opens, revealing that Polgara and her twin sister Beldaran were raised by their adoptive uncles, the deformed Beldin and the twin sorcerers Beltira and Belkira (all disciples of Aldur, like Belgarath), after the apparent death ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
David Eddings
David Carroll Eddings (July 7, 1931 – June 2, 2009) was an American fantasy writer. With his wife Leigh, he authored several best-selling epic fantasy novel series, including ''The Belgariad'' (1982–84), ''The Malloreon'' (1987–91), '' The Elenium'' (1989–91), ''The Tamuli'' (1992–94), and '' The Dreamers'' (2003–06). Biography Eddings was born in Spokane, Washington, to George Wayne Eddings and Theone (Berge) Eddings, in 1931. Eddings has stated that he is part Cherokee. Early life Eddings grew up near Puget Sound in the City of Snohomish. After graduating from Snohomish High School in 1949, he worked for a year before majoring in speech, drama and English at junior college. Eddings displayed an early talent for drama and literature, winning a national oratorical contest, and performing the male lead in most of his drama productions. He graduated with a BA from Reed College in 1954, writing his first novel, ''How Lonely Are The Dead'', as his senior thesis. After gra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Rivan Codex
''The Rivan Codex'' is a collection of background material to the Belgariad and Malloreon fantasy saga by David and Leigh Eddings. It consists of two bodies of material used in writing the novels, one for each series, with three informal essays by David Eddings. ''Belgarath the Sorcerer'' and ''Polgara the Sorceress'' do not have dedicated sections, but are referred to in the Eddings' discussions, and drew on the material of the first ten books. In particular, one text presented in the background to the Belgariad forms the basis for the first chapter of ''Belgarath the Sorcerer''. The Rivan Codex also contains the holy writings of the various religions in the world and the economic diversities of the different countries. It starts off with a creation story where each god takes a people and then goes into their specific money, religion, economy method, trade relations, weights/measures, etc. One of the essays also lists the following formula for epic fantasy: # The Underlying The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Belgarath The Sorcerer
''Belgarath the Sorcerer'' is a fantasy novel by American writers David Eddings and Leigh Eddings. Set in the same universe as the Eddings' ''The Belgariad'' and ''The Malloreon'', it is a prequel to the other series, although the framework story is set after the events of ''The Malloreon''. Story The book opens shortly after the end of ''The Malloreon'' with Belgarion, with help from Durnik, pestering Belgarath to write an autobiographical account of the events prior to ''The Belgariad''. The core of the book is in the form of Belgarath's memoirs starting with his becoming an outcast from his village and becoming first disciple of the god Aldur and ending with the birth of Belgarion—a span of about seven thousand years. ''Polgara the Sorceress ''Polgara the Sorceress'' is a fantasy novel by American writers David and Leigh Eddings, and the twelfth in the setting of ''The Belgariad'', '' The Malloreon'' and ''Belgarath the Sorcerer''. Like the latter novel, it is presen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
High Fantasy
High fantasy, or epic fantasy, is a subgenre of fantasy defined by the epic nature of its setting or by the epic stature of its characters, themes, or plot.Brian Stableford, ''The A to Z of Fantasy Literature'', (p. 198), Scarecrow Press, Plymouth. 2005. The term "high fantasy" was coined by Lloyd Alexander in a 1971 essay, "High Fantasy and Heroic Romance", which was originally given at the New England Round Table of Children's Librarians in October 1969. Characteristics High fantasy is set in an alternative, fictional ("secondary") world, rather than the "real" or "primary" world. This secondary world is usually internally consistent, but its rules differ from those of the primary world. By contrast, low fantasy is characterized by being set on Earth, the primary or real world, or a rational and familiar fictional world with the inclusion of magical elements. The romances of William Morris, such as ''The Well at the World's End'', set in an imaginary medieval world, are ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paperback
A paperback (softcover, softback) book is one with a thick paper or paperboard cover, and often held together with adhesive, glue rather than stitch (textile arts), stitches or Staple (fastener), staples. In contrast, hardcover (hardback) books are bound with cardboard covered with cloth, leather, paper, or plastic. Inexpensive books bound in paper have existed since at least the 19th century in such forms as pamphlets, yellow-backs, yellowbacks, dime novels, and airport novels. Modern paperbacks can be differentiated from one another by size. In the United States, there are "mass-market paperbacks" and larger, more durable "trade paperbacks". In the United Kingdom, there are A-format, B-format, and the largest C-format sizes. Paperback editions of books are issued when a publisher decides to release a book in a low-cost format. Lower-quality paper, glued (rather than stapled or sewn) bindings, and the lack of a hard cover may contribute to the lower cost of paperbacks. Paperb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Earl
Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particularly a chieftain set to rule a territory in a king's stead. After the Norman Conquest, it became the equivalent of the continental count (in England in the earlier period, it was more akin to a duke; in Scotland, it assimilated the concept of mormaer). Alternative names for the rank equivalent to "earl" or "count" in the nobility structure are used in other countries, such as the '' hakushaku'' (伯爵) of the post-restoration Japanese Imperial era. In modern Britain, an earl is a member of the peerage, ranking below a marquess and above a viscount. A feminine form of ''earl'' never developed; instead, ''countess'' is used. Etymology The term ''earl'' has been compared to the name of the Heruli, and to runic '' erilaz''. Proto-Norse ' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
East–West Dichotomy
In sociology, the East–West dichotomy is the perceived difference between the Eastern and the Western worlds. Cultural and religious rather than geographical in division, the boundaries of East and West are not fixed, but vary according to the criteria adopted by individuals using the term. Used in discussing such studies as management, economics, international relations, and linguistics, the concept is criticized for overlooking regional hybridity. Divisions Conceptually, the boundaries are cultural, rather than geographical, as a result of which Australia and New Zealand are typically grouped in the West (despite being geographically in the east), while Islamic nations are, regardless of location, grouped in the East. However, there are a few Muslim-majority regions in Europe which do not fit this dichotomy. The culture line can be particularly difficult to place in regions of cultural diversity such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, whose citizens may themselves identify ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joseph Campbell
Joseph John Campbell (March 26, 1904 – October 30, 1987) was an American writer. He was a professor of literature at Sarah Lawrence College who worked in comparative mythology and comparative religion. His work covers many aspects of the human experience. Campbell's best-known work is his book ''The Hero with a Thousand Faces'' (1949), in which he discusses his theory of the journey of the archetypal hero shared by world mythologies, termed the monomyth. Since the publication of ''The Hero with a Thousand Faces'', Campbell's theories have been applied by a wide variety of modern writers and artists. His philosophy has been summarized by his own often repeated phrase: "Follow your bliss." He gained recognition in Hollywood when George Lucas credited Campbell's work as influencing his ''Star Wars'' saga. Campbell's approach to folklore topics such as myth and his influence on popular culture has been the subject of criticism, including from folklorists. Life Background J ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hero's Journey
In narratology and comparative mythology, the hero's journey, or the monomyth, is the common template of stories that involve a hero who goes on an adventure, is victorious in a decisive crisis, and comes home changed or transformed. Earlier figures had proposed similar concepts, including psychologist Otto Rank and amateur anthropologist Lord Raglan. Eventually, hero myth pattern studies were popularized by Joseph Campbell, who was influenced by Carl Jung's analytical psychology. Campbell used the monomyth to analyze and compare religions. In his famous book ''The Hero with a Thousand Faces'' (1949), he describes the narrative pattern as follows: A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man. Campbell's theories regarding the concept of a "monomyth" have been the s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
