Edding's books are definitely 'genre fantasy', but they are enjoyable and I tend to pick up each of the new books as soon as they come out. Few fantasy authors can create a world as detailed and believable as David Eddings, with complete religious, political, and historical context.

Now, I'll be the first to admit that the series (the Belgariad-Mallorean, Elenium-Tamuli) have very similar premises and characters. It's a model that works, and you'll find parallels throughout the novels that can get a bit annoying.

I happen to like the Sparhawk stories (The Elenium and Tamuli) myself - but there are people who will defend the first series' as the best. Read both, make your own decision!

Eddings has a fantastic presence on the web, too. Many people have websites about the worlds, and the newsgroup is popular and large.

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