The Redemption of Althalus

I've read this book countless times. I've also read the other Eddings' books. Personally, I think this is their best. The Eddings' have a knack for outdoing themselves, but this one was outstanding!

I've read several of the reviews that this book has gotten here and I can't believe some of the stuff they say against it! The only two main points that are continuously repeated lead me to believe that they simply didn't understand the complexity of what the Eddings' were doing and that they were simply looking for one long bloody battle.

1) It is much easier to write a bunch of descriptive lines about someone's battle prowess then it is to find a way to sneak around a fight.

Point: The main (hero) characters in this book wouldn't stand a one-on-one fight.

2) The depths of reality and thought that the Eddings' explore create a fanciful world that seems probable.

Point: Really *think* about some of the stuff that the kid comes up with, don't just read through it to get on with the story.

3) Redemption is "the act of delivering from sin or saving from evil". So the title is correct. This can be interpreted two ways:

A) Althalus, while not being `evil' in the normal sense, only does for himself. This is still considered `evil'.

B) Althalus is the reason and cause for the `redemption' of the world.

4) People seem to not like the way the magic is used. I don't understand this because the same people *praised* how they used magic in the other Eddings books.

Point: The only difference is that they use the Book as the source of it all.

5) Althalus spends 2,500 years with the Book. This isn't anything new to the Eddings', they did it for both Polgara and Belgareth.

Point: The more things change, the more they stay the same. Who cares if some of the cities didn't change their name? Someone pointed out that there was no change in the religious system, that is wrong. They must have been skimming though the book to have not noticed the countless differences the author's pointed out from when Althalus entered the House to when he left.

6) This book is *filled* with action of all kinds, including war. Althalus is a thief, not a fighter. He's not going to have detailed scenes where he twirls, strikes, and parries.

Point: This doesn't mean there isn't any action, it just means that he's a different type of `hero' then the standard `beat to a bloody pulp-ask questions later' kind.

7) The characters start out as 2D and grow as they learn more about themselves. They break their own molds. Yes, most of them fall in love. It's a part of life and it enhances the story rather then taking away from it.

Point: People need to stop comparing The Redemption of Althalus to the series that lasted through 12 books! This is a stand-alone, it's not going to get anywhere near as in-depth with characterization as those did! Give it a rest and realize just how well done it is to other stand-alone fantasy novels.

This is a great book, but that's my opinion. Why don't you go to your local library and check it out for yourself? If you think it's "tripe" then fine, but make the decision for yourself. I have recommended this book to quite a few people and have been thanked repeatedly for it.

I'm new to the world of fantasy literature. I am sorry that this book was the first one that I picked up. I read through the first chapter in the book store and decided to buy it. After a while, I found myself struggling to stay interested. There are too many underdeveloped characters. The Eddings seem to throw them at you all at once. Before you know it, you have no idea as to what is going on. I got as far as part two, then moved on to something else. Save your money.

This was the first book that I read after a couple of years out of the US and I was quite pleasantly surprised to find that one of my favorite authors, David and Leigh Eddings, had not disappointed me while I was away. This book was not only entertaining but just plain fun.

Now I must admit that there was a bit of repetition from previous stories written by Eddings. The plot is fine and some of the ideas behind the use of magic are great. The only problem is that Eddings doesn't seem to like branching out with characters. He's found a large handful of personalities and tends to include them in all of his books. On the otherhand, if you happen to like those characters from other books/series, then you will absolutely love the characters once again.

That brings me to my next point: the wit and conversation between all of these characters is great! I found this book to be so captivating not because of the plot (although that isn't half as bad as others might make it sound) but because the interaction of the characters is down right hilarious in parts (for those that are married, they should be able to relate completely). Overall, I don't believe that this book was ever intended to be a serious epic story as much as a simple yet entertaining story with awesome dialogue!

Althalus has really gotten alot of flack from the reveiwers, but it really was a pretty good book. While not quite up to Belgariad/Malorean standards, it had some enganging charectors and some interesting plot twists. While alot was along the same lines as Bal/Mal and Ele/Tam, there were enough new concepts to keep it moving and interesting. Gher, the little thief-boy, was an especially interesting charector. Really my only complaint was not getting to know the bad guys enough. In the Belgariad, while Torak was out cold for most of the series, he prevaded the whole thing... the masks on every door, the fragments of his writings... it seemed in Althalas that they intruduced the bad guys only to have them taken down a few pages later, and we never got to meet the main baddie himself. Well, all in all it was a pretty good read, especially for Eddings fans, but if it came down to a choice, I'd go Belgariad/Mallorean instead.

I hadn't even heard that the Eddings' were releasing this book i just saw it and bought it.. I have read every title that they have released on average about 6 times each and have been absolutely captivated by them. But I have to say this is not their best work. I did however like it enough to enjoy the book. As was put in another review of this book "it gave me a fantasy fix without the commitment of a series". A series would have probably turned out a little better, but with what was done I am pleased. Now if you are an avid reader of David and Leigh Eddings, as I am, then you will more then likely enjoy the book, if not you may end up a little disappointed. But who knows you may enjoy it and if you havent read the others you may decide to read them as well.

Many people on this page seem to think this is a bad book, but others a good one. I seem to be right in the middle. I like the characters, and I think that the idea of a goddess as a main character is an interesting idea, but I think that the House itself ruins the story. Through the House (and more specifically the Doors), the characters gain too much power over the plot. Instead of dealing with the problem of the main villain, Ghend, the characters just go back in time and cause the problem to have never happened. They can pop in and out of the world when and where they please because of the doors, so they can never lose. Even though the villains have the same power, they never really use it to an extent to balance out what the good characters do. The Doors just make the characters too powerful and take away severely from the story.

I have enjoyed every one of David Eddings books until I bought this one. I have also been able to read almost every book that I have came across from cover to cover (which is well over 200) and beside one other (Weasel's Luck part of the DragonLance Saga), I was unable to finish "Redemption." I felt as though this book is geared more toward children. Eddings failed to create a world that is imprinted into your mind along with forgetting to make an interesting plot as well. I was only able to struggle through 300 pages of the book, before putting it down for good. It usually takes me less then a week to read a book, I quit this one after a month. So, if you are looking for a novel as good as those in the Belgariad series, look elsewhere.

This is the first Eddings book I've read, but it certainly won't be the last.
The characters in The Redemption of Althalus are wonderful. Smart, funny, interesting with some great dialogue along the way. I loved the story, even more inventive than some of the other fantasy I've been reading lately.
I've had Robert Jordan recommended to me as one of the fantasy 'greats'. I couldn't wait to stop reading his books. The Eddings are masters of storytelling, much better than anything Jordan can turn out.
I recommend this to anyone that wants a fun, fast-paced, interesting fantasy read. Now, I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of the Eddings' work.

I'll keep this short and simple...like the book except that it was longer....i think. Anyhow, I love Eddings. I've read just about everything that I could lay my grubby hands upon (yay!! improper english!!!!). I found the book highly entertaining. Yes, it was predictable and the good guys seemed to be extremely powerful. But that sort of thing just doesn't happen in every book. It's usually the bad guys being the more powerful and by luck or pure strength of character that the good guys prevail. This book seems to do away with that notion. This is a more lighthearted fanatasy unlike the ones you would find in Jordan or Goodkind. In the end, I don't think the type of fantasy found in Redemption of Athaltus would suit me on a regular basis but it's great to read once in a while.

I loved the Belgariad. Still do. The rest of the books start to repeat the characters and themes. And this is just more of the same old, same old. Still a nice read, especially if you enjoy daja vu! At least this one has some new names (unlike the recent Polgara, etc). I'd love to see these folks try something new (maybe something without any anthropomorphic godlets?)

Eddings has been cherished for his best sellers in the Belgariad and Elenium series. But he does have the tendency to have a problem in The Redemption of Althalus.
He has a tendency to repeat characters. Dweia, or Emmy as Althalus calls her, seems a heck of a lot like Polgara, and Althalus almost like Belgarion, or Balgarath in nature. Besides that, the book DOES have a plot. And actually has some excitment compared to what others say. Sure, its no "Lord of the Rings," or "Harry Potter," Eddings, I beleive, is better than them all in Fiction.
Give the guy credit. You read his books, and even if they're bad, you'll buy the next one. He's that good.

The Female characters in this book were either vapid and silly (Andine/Leitha) or annoyingly cute and sarcastic (Dweia). The characters aren't really fleshed out...Eliar is basically a pig who eats alot...that's all we really know about him...the others are pretty shallow as well...I really think it is unoriginal and very unmoving...when all the characters in the book fall in love with each other and live happily ever after...it's too fake and too convenient....give me a book with challenge, struggle, betrayal....tragic love...heroic destiny.,..something that really grips you and gets you going....This book is the opposite...lovey dubey cute couples traveling together on a cliche mission to save the world. Please!!

As alluded below, this covers some of the same ground philosophically as some of the Eddings' other works, but I loved it. The true genius of the Eddings works are the characters and these characters are a true joy. Althalus is sort of merging of Belgariad and Silk with whole new elements of wisdom involved. I read it cover to almost cover in the British Edition and accidentally lost it on a flight before finishing the last fifty pages. Finally got the American edition and no difference except I liked the cover art on the British version better. Do buy this book, whether you have ready anything of theirs before or not. You will still enjoy the other books they have done as well given you read it for the characters and the wonderful things they do and say.

I am a big fan of the Edding's writing. I was overjoyed to see them publish another book. I started reading it and was immediately inthralled. I had trouble putting it down and enjoyed the play between the charachters. It was a very easy an enjoyable read. The Eddings truly pack a lot of bang in this novel. A truly epic story. I am sure you will end up loving Althalus and he companians as much as I did.

This has to be the most boring 700 pages I ever read. I regret devoting the time to reading it. I've read worse books, but this one was definitely boring. I hope their other books are better (for their sakes), but I won't read them! The characters are dull and one-dimensional, the dialogue is weak, the plot is boring, and there is never any sense of danger for the characters. The villains are easily defeated in a sometimes far-fetched manner. Althalus is in no way the exciting and dangerous rogue that the book-cover claims. In fact, the picture on the cover is his enemy, not him. I'm totally lost by the time travel sequence at the end - it doesn't make any sense whatsoever.

I've been sitting reading all of these past reviews stating that Althalus isn't nearly as good as The Belgariad or The Mallorean series. For those that have read the Preface in the Rivan Codex, Eddings states how he has made the basic "bare bones" for every one of his books. And if anyone has paid any attention whatsoever to the other "epic" fantasies of our time, the story lines are THE SAME. This in no way hints at plagarism.

Anyway, I'm disappointed that so many people think this book was not good. I've read it over and over. The world is different and there is a diverse character base that adds whole new dimensions to the story. For all of the die hard Eddings fans out there, this is a must read, along with Regina's Song which was also excellent.

I have also been a huge Eddings fan, and always reference Eddings' Belgariad series to all who want to be introduced to Fantasy. After all, Eddings was the first Fantasy author I ever read - and I've read no other genre since. That's why I am sad at having to agree with the negative reviews posted here. This truly was a terrible book... As I read it I kept thinking "this is bad", but I kept right on reading it, hoping it would get better. Half-way through it, however, I put away any expectations I had, and struggled to finish it.
I would never recommend this book to anyone. Specially not anyone who has never read an Eddings book. I want to give him a second chance.

A greater load of treacle/molasses/syrup I have rarely read. David and Leigh Edding's book "The Redemption of Althelus" has exactly three characters throughout, though the Eddings do change the physical description and names of characters so that it appears there may be more. These characters are `good guy', `good girl' and `bad guy'. I would have included `bad girl' but the only bad girl in the book, the Queen of Night, is in fact merely `bad guy' in drag.

All the characters appear to be recycled and repackaged from Eddings's previous books. The `good girl' goddess character Dweia is Polgara, only she turns into a cat rather than an owl. The tiny temperamental princess Andine (also `good girl') in this book is actually the tiny temperamental princess of Belgariad fame Ce'nedra, with a memory wipe and a makeover. The `good guy' preist Bheid has more than a hint of the Ulgo priest Relg of the Belgariad. The main character Althelus is a mixture of Silk and Sparhawk (down to the occasional use of the manly expression "neighbour" that Sir Sparhawk was so fond of), with a pinch of Belgarath for good measure. He gets to live forever just like Belgarath as well.

On a side note, Eddings appears to be obsessed with the topic of immortality judging by his continual dwelling upon this theme. I mention this not to criticize but to suggest that perhaps he should donate some money to immortality projects such as the Methuselah mouse project (do a google search), rather than rehash old plot devices ad nauseam.

The authors continue their environmentally conscious ways, indeed they up the ante even further, by recycling all the stereotypical expressions used by characters in previous books. The girls all say things "winsomely" or "archly" or even "flatly" if they're annoyed. They do a lot of flaring and snapping and murmuring as well. They enjoy saying things sweetly when they patronize the menfolk, which they tend to do every other sentence.

The characterization of the bad guys is paper thin, and in this book they appear to be even more hopelessly inept than usual. Despite apparently possessing all the advantages of the good guys - magic, teleportation, and time travel - they somehow manage to do precisely nothing with these remarkable tools, and instead approach the good guy and gals from front on and foaming at the mouth. The bad guys do this not because they are excessively stupid, although a couple of them are, but because they just don't get along with one another and apparently would rather risk death and destruction at the hands of their enemies and of their own tyrannical boss -the evil god of the piece - than cooperate and win. What a fantastically original morality tale!

Like previous works the characters all enjoy what I call the "boast and bond", in which they congratulating one anther on how clever they have been as a device to explain various plot movements, and to bond the characters together.

Let's face it, characters aside, it is the strong plots we enjoy from David Eddings, but the use of time travel and teleportation in this book appears to have tripped the authors up plot-wise, they pick a rather arbitrary and unsatisfying path through the maze of possibilities that the introduction of such devices entails. Rather than rethink their premise, they appear to have simply applied a thin layer of retroactive plot spackle to the numerous resulting gaps and hoped for the best.

Several passages of the book are repeated from earlier sections with superficial changes, indeed the buildup to the finale is merely a rehashing of the first part of the book in which the main character Althalus meets his protagonist. The Eddings then repeat the repetition in each instance by having characters boast about each encounter, and these repetitions of repititions each occupy a couple of pages. This amazing writing device probably saved considerable work, yet somehow fails to make this a better book.

The Eddings know the value of a happy ending and they don't disappoint. Virtually everyone is married off in the end, including a somewhat gratuitous marriage between supporting characters Sergeant Khalor and a central character's mother. This marriage was presumably included under the plot device known as `throw as many bones to as many dogs as you can'. The novel ends when Althalus, having lived for several centuries after the events in the book (there's that lovely immortality dream again) finds out that his goddess wife Dweia, otherwise known as `Em' is pregnant. In justification of my initial statement about the syrupy status of this book I shall now quote directly from the final sentence of the book:

"He took her in his arms then and held her with tears of joy streaming down his face. `Oh, I do love you, Em!' was all he could say."

A[...]

I've been sitting reading all of these past reviews stating that Althalus isn't nearly as good as The Belgariad or The Mallorean series. For those that have read the Preface in the Rivan Codex, Eddings states how he has made the basic "bare bones" for every one of his books. And if anyone has paid any attention whatsoever to the other "epic" fantasies of our time, the story lines are THE SAME. This in no way hints at plagarism.

Anyway, I'm disappointed that so many people think this book was not good. I've read it over and over. The world is different and there is a diverse character base that adds whole new dimensions to the story. For all of the die hard Eddings fans out there, this is a must read, along with Regina's Song which was also excellent.

I have also been a huge Eddings fan, and always reference Eddings' Belgariad series to all who want to be introduced to Fantasy. After all, Eddings was the first Fantasy author I ever read - and I've read no other genre since. That's why I am sad at having to agree with the negative reviews posted here. This truly was a terrible book... As I read it I kept thinking "this is bad", but I kept right on reading it, hoping it would get better. Half-way through it, however, I put away any expectations I had, and struggled to finish it.
I would never recommend this book to anyone. Specially not anyone who has never read an Eddings book. I want to give him a second chance.

A greater load of treacle/molasses/syrup I have rarely read. David and Leigh Edding's book "The Redemption of Althelus" has exactly three characters throughout, though the Eddings do change the physical description and names of characters so that it appears there may be more. These characters are `good guy', `good girl' and `bad guy'. I would have included `bad girl' but the only bad girl in the book, the Queen of Night, is in fact merely `bad guy' in drag.

All the characters appear to be recycled and repackaged from Eddings's previous books. The `good girl' goddess character Dweia is Polgara, only she turns into a cat rather than an owl. The tiny temperamental princess Andine (also `good girl') in this book is actually the tiny temperamental princess of Belgariad fame Ce'nedra, with a memory wipe and a makeover. The `good guy' preist Bheid has more than a hint of the Ulgo priest Relg of the Belgariad. The main character Althelus is a mixture of Silk and Sparhawk (down to the occasional use of the manly expression "neighbour" that Sir Sparhawk was so fond of), with a pinch of Belgarath for good measure. He gets to live forever just like Belgarath as well.

On a side note, Eddings appears to be obsessed with the topic of immortality judging by his continual dwelling upon this theme. I mention this not to criticize but to suggest that perhaps he should donate some money to immortality projects such as the Methuselah mouse project (do a google search), rather than rehash old plot devices ad nauseam.

The authors continue their environmentally conscious ways, indeed they up the ante even further, by recycling all the stereotypical expressions used by characters in previous books. The girls all say things "winsomely" or "archly" or even "flatly" if they're annoyed. They do a lot of flaring and snapping and murmuring as well. They enjoy saying things sweetly when they patronize the menfolk, which they tend to do every other sentence.

The characterization of the bad guys is paper thin, and in this book they appear to be even more hopelessly inept than usual. Despite apparently possessing all the advantages of the good guys - magic, teleportation, and time travel - they somehow manage to do precisely nothing with these remarkable tools, and instead approach the good guy and gals from front on and foaming at the mouth. The bad guys do this not because they are excessively stupid, although a couple of them are, but because they just don't get along with one another and apparently would rather risk death and destruction at the hands of their enemies and of their own tyrannical boss -the evil god of the piece - than cooperate and win. What a fantastically original morality tale!

Like previous works the characters all enjoy what I call the "boast and bond", in which they congratulating one anther on how clever they have been as a device to explain various plot movements, and to bond the characters together.

Let's face it, characters aside, it is the strong plots we enjoy from David Eddings, but the use of time travel and teleportation in this book appears to have tripped the authors up plot-wise, they pick a rather arbitrary and unsatisfying path through the maze of possibilities that the introduction of such devices entails. Rather than rethink their premise, they appear to have simply applied a thin layer of retroactive plot spackle to the numerous resulting gaps and hoped for the best.

Several passages of the book are repeated from earlier sections with superficial changes, indeed the buildup to the finale is merely a rehashing of the first part of the book in which the main character Althalus meets his protagonist. The Eddings then repeat the repetition in each instance by having characters boast about each encounter, and these repetitions of repititions each occupy a couple of pages. This amazing writing device probably saved considerable work, yet somehow fails to make this a better book.

The Eddings know the value of a happy ending and they don't disappoint. Virtually everyone is married off in the end, including a somewhat gratuitous marriage between supporting characters Sergeant Khalor and a central character's mother. This marriage was presumably included under the plot device known as `throw as many bones to as many dogs as you can'. The novel ends when Althalus, having lived for several centuries after the events in the book (there's that lovely immortality dream again) finds out that his goddess wife Dweia, otherwise known as `Em' is pregnant. In justification of my initial statement about the syrupy status of this book I shall now quote directly from the final sentence of the book:

"He took her in his arms then and held her with tears of joy streaming down his face. `Oh, I do love you, Em!' was all he could say."

A[...]

I was so anxious to read this new book. David Eddings is my favorite author, I've read the Belagariad more times than I can count. The problem with this new book is that it felt rushed. We didn't have time to learn to love (or hate) specific characters. The dialogue did get kinda bad (with the whole "daddy" thing). And I didn't understand why the bad guys were so dumb; why didn't they use the doors more to their advantage? I think Eddings would do best to continue writing multiple books in a series instead of trying to cram it all into a stand-alone book. For people wanting to purchase a book, read The Belagariad & The Mallorean for some truly wonderful tales!

Ho hum. Well, the start is very endearing and the idea of a talking cat is quite enchanting. However a book with Gods actively involved has one really serious problem... why bother? Why involve all the humans? Once 'the house' is in use the story becomes even more improbable, which is a real stretch for science fiction or fantasy. Looks like the Eddings family have other things on their mind and sticking it out to the end of the book was not a priority.

In a choice that only proves the Gods work in mysterious ways, the Goddess Dweia selects a thief, who has committed murder, as humanity's champion. ALTHALUS is proud to be one of the top ten thieves, a top five liar, and an occasional killer when the need is there.
His latest client, Ghend, a servant of the destroyer God Daeva, hires ALTHALUS to steal a book in a house at the edge of the world. He arrives at his destination, finds the book, and meets Dweio disguised as a cat. Dweio teaches ALTHALUS to read and use the book before the pair ventures back into the realm of mankind. The latest battle has just begun between good and evil with many dying on both sides, but the final victory resides with THE REDEMPTION OF ALTHALUS.
David and Leigh Eddings have been writing exciting epic fantasy for years, but THE REDEMPTION OF ALTHALUS is their finest hour. Readers will liken the work to that of Tolkien and Brooks yet see much originality in the fast-moving story line. Fans will believe in chattering cats speaking "humanese", magical houses, and goddess manifestations as everyday occurrences. This acceptance allows the audience to concentrate on the interpersonal relationships that turn this epic fantasy into quite an achievement for this writing duet.

Harriet Klausner

I must say that Yes! Eddings has done it again! Anyone even the slightest bit familiar with The Bellgariad or The Mallorean will once again be launched into a new and mystical world filled with magic and suspense. However, I must give this book 4 stars mainly because Eddings "style" is pretty predictable. You have the mystical object intended to kill the enemy, an evil God seeking the destruction of the world, and a diverse group of companions along the way. It basically follows the same outline of all his other books, so not many new surprises. Anyways, I am sure that all true avid readers of Eddings will enjoy this new addition to his GREAT collection (too bad it's not part of a series!).

When Belgarath & Polgara came out I bought them in HC first (I had more money then) and devoured them each in one sitting. I was expecting more from Redemption than what I got. The characters are derivative (did anyone else keep getting hung up on Khalad/Khalor?) and the dialogue tried to be sparkling and witty but somehow fell short. Nothing sticks in my mind from Redemption and yet the scene where Ce'Nedra first gives birth still makes me snicker.
It's rather depressing because we KNOW the Edding's are capable of much better writing than this. I will be buying this in paperback, perhaps it will read a little better without the fever pitch of anticipation.

Thank you! I have read & enjoyed Belgariad / Mallorean Series. But this was a light, enjoyable read. I know that many fans except the same EVERY Book but it is refreshing to read a light epic. Multi-Book Series tend to get bogged in description and this allowed more left to the imagination without losing any of the story. Enjoyable read.

Other reviews have really said it all. Horrible writing. Stereotyped characters that have the most trite and repetitive of dialog. Boring. Offensively stupid. Glaring plot holes. Ridiculously overpowered, unchallenged heroes. The list goes on and on. I'm ashamed that I read the whole thing. The last line made me throw the book, first against the wall and then away.

This book didn't strike me as anything close to David Eddings works. I hugely enjoyed The Belgariad and The Mallorean but this seemed more along the lines of mediocre fanfiction. If I had to make a guess, I'd say this was written more by Leigh, riding on the coattails of famous husband, David. Some slight David Eddings flavors here and there, but overall I thought it amaturish. How sad.

I loved the Belgariad, the Malloreon, the Elenium and even liked the Tamuli. That is why I give this book 3 stars, because although every character in it seems to be a version of someone in Garion's or Sparhawk's crew, I really LIKED those characters. (Though I got sick of the archetypes, and finally gave up in disgust, during the Younger Gods series.) The irritating thing about this book, for me, was the way they would all sit around in their House, plan out their maneuvers, and then things would go exactly as planned. There were a couple of notable exceptions to this, but even with those "plot twists" there was little suspense or uncertainty. Also, the time travel stuff started out pretty clear, but ended up kind of jumbly. Overall, a good book, and I would've liked to know what became of the younger characters in the epilogue.

David and Leigh Eddings invites us back into their wonderful imagination. Although this is not a continuation of their previous novels its stands happily on its own. The title character Althulas draws you in right from the beginning, how could you not be drawn with an opening discription like this.
"It would be sheer folly to try to conceal the true nature of Althalus for his flaws are the sruff of legend. He is, as all men know, a thief, a liar, an occasional murder, an outrageous braggert, and a man devoid of even the slightest hint of honour. He is, moreover, a frequent drundard, a glutton, and a patron of ladies who are no better than they should be."
One of the strongest elements in all Eddings novels, is the strong character developments of the secondry characters, there are no two dimmensional just to support the plot characters here!! All of the characters seem to leap of the page and demand to be considered in their own right.
bravo again can't recommend this book high enough! Now if only they would write another Elenium-Tamuli novel I would be totally happy!

Yawn... What, I'm done? This book was a real let down for me. I was hoping for something new - but the story is simplistic, and really not really all that interesting. I mean with a main character that is allowed unlimited resources, the ability to move through time and space to correct errors made in the past - and the complete absence of a villainous antagonist (come on Ghend couldn't connive his way out of a paper bag) made this a very simple read.
I really liked Eddings' earlier works but this once should have stayed on the self.

As a died in the wool Eddings fan, this was a disappointment. Fantastic storyline and brilliant merge of sci-fri with the time/space phenomenon. However there was some important things missing. The characters aren't individual, in fact there seemed to be 1 woman and 1 man, with a certain relationship between them (Hmm, interesting given the authors?). Its like the book was written using a set of humorous cliche's from previous books. There was also a sense that the adventure was all too easy, like a quick skim over the life of a god, not an in depth, visualise the sweat and blood of a make or break adventure.

I've read most of the Edding's books.
Characterized by quick and interesting dialouge coupled with easy to follow plost lines they're great when you want something cheerfull in your life.
HOWEVER.
This. Book. Stank. .... The first half of the story is nothing but a repeat of their other series and the last half is a direct repeat of the first half, this time with some minor plot changes. I found myself wondering why I was read the thing through... and couldn't come up with an answer.
Unless you like seeing the Good Guys thrash the Bad Guys then get married to each other.
*shudder*

I thought this book was GREAT! Now I have noticed that many people were less than satisfied with it, and many have compared it to The Belgariad, and it seems people who enjoyed the Belgariad think that this book fell a bit short. Well personally I only thought the Belgariad was "ok." I really enjoyed the Elenium, David Eddings' other series. I think the Belgariad was a bit more 'epic.' But I like this book becasue it is not epic, it is very lighthearted and fun.

My one complaint is the characters to seem to be recycled out of some of his characters from his other series, but I LIKE those characters, so it only bothers me slightly.

My absolute favorite character is the cat! She has a certain amount of wit that I can appreciate. This is only one book, which is kind of nice becasue normally I read huge long epic fantasy series where there are 12 books and they are all the size of dictionaries, this is a nice quick book that is great to pick up again and again when I need a break from my normal reading. I especially enjoy how funny it is, Lady Luck turns her back on Althalus in the very begining of the novel and it is great to see all the bad situations one person can get themselves into when luck turns the other cheek. I like how silly this book is!

So don't expect anything to epic, if you like David Eddings' writting style and characters you should find this a fun read!

My impression throughout was that David and Leigh sorted through their trash bin of discarded ideas and characters (leftover from their previous series'), and used them to cobble together one-more-book. It felt eerily familiar, almost-recognizable plots and characters that were not-quite-as-well-realized as in the Belgariad or Mallorean.
I completely agree with the review of January 11. Major dissapointment. I will hesitate before purchasing any future works by David and Leigh, which I regret as I greatly enjoyed the Belgariad.

I gave him another chance. I really did. The first few pages weren't bad. But it didn't get better and soon I was slogging through the completely predictable plot, groaning at the cardboard characters and their cookie-cutter dialog (the same lame jokes, arguments, and coy teasing over and over again) until I finished and reswore my vow to never read another word of Eddings again.
This book is a waste of money and trees.

This is the worst book of the genre that I have ever read and I enjoyed most of the other offerings by Eddings despite the fact that most of his stories all have essentially the same plot. I had bought all of his other books as they came out but that ended once I read this.

Well, considering that this book was written by David Eddings, I would have to start by saying that it is a good read. However, due to the length of the text, it dragged on a bit. Although it is very interesting at the beginning, (when we see the life of Althalus) the remainder of the book is hard to follow. Instead of a straightfoward plot, we are confronted with twists and turns that quickly become annoying. Ok, so the initial consept is great, but it was a touch overwritten.
As much as I am picking on it, I would have to say that it is all in all a good read. I recommend it to any Eddings fans, but only if you think you will be able to keep the plot sraight.

Being an avid Fantasy reader and book collector and a huge fan of David Eddings work I immediatly went and bought 'The Redemption of Althalus' since it was an Eddings book (can't go wrong with him can you?).

I was so disgusted with this purile effort that I immediatly gave the book away in disgust.

I simply ask - What happend David Eddings? Were you so comfortable with your success that you thought you could slip this past us on the sly? How on earth did your editors allow you to reach such a low - were they afraid of your previous success?

Go re-read the Belgariad instead - give this book a miss.

The Redemption of Althalus-David and Leigh Eddings.

Althalus, professional thief and occasional murderer (only when needed) is well known in the world for his humour and wit. This takes to his advantage when he is commissioned to steal a book. Not just any book, as he is led to believe, but the book of god (the creator). Well, one of them anyway.

The Redemption of Althalus is an adventure story of a thief (named Althalus) who goes on an epic journey to not only steal everything that's not nailed down, but to save the world from the clutches of Daeva (an evil god/ the destroyer/ god's brother). He is enlisted by Dweia (a good god/ the nurturer/ god's sister) to find a group of unlikely heroes to destroy the book of Daeva, defeat his minions and ultimately save the world from chaos.

It has an all-star cast of the good, the evil and crazy old men. David and Leigh Eddings did an excellent job to provide an epic fantasy of rather large proportions. Although it is similar to one of their previous series, the belgaraid, it is still an incredibly good book and worth a read. Eddings fans may be a bit disappointed, but the novel will thrill newcomers.

The Redemption of Althalus is definitely worth a read.

I got this book among 5 others for christmas and I was taken in by the "#1 International Bestseller" on the cover. I started to read it, and it seemed pretty good, and I kept reading, and it still seemed just pretty good. So I put it down and picked up something else.
The character of Althalus is interesting, but something just doesn't click here. I'm just not interested in what happens, and the lovey-dovey talk between him and his pet "cat" get annoying.

I have been a great fan of David Eddings, and I have truly enjoyed The Belagariad, The Elenium and The Tamuli series of books. However, since Leigh Eddings came along, I find his books becoming terribly childish, and having too much dialogue...the The Redemption of Althalus is of no exception (The other being Polgara the Sorceresss). Firstly, when someone goes to war, no way in hell will there be situations where teasing is so rampant. The dialogue "Be nice" simple gives me goosebumps, and almost every chapter has a character telling another to 'Be Nice'....gimme a break! And the villians seems so brainless. C'mon get real! Never have I put down a book without completing it...this one's the first!

This book really is a master piece you can simply read over and over with more details brought to your attention every time you pick it up. I would recommened this book for all ages. David and Leigh have created a single volume new fantasy world anyone would want to get lost in.
The overall story line is as usual a slightly more complex version of good vs evil with the good coming up on top, but the extra spice of the 'good' aren't really entirly saintly.
With the large amount of humour for all ages weaved through out this epic it is truly a superb book that has almost everything.
Everything thats is, except a sequal. Unfortunately all books have to come to a end, even ones such as the Lord of the Rings. But this book had the potential to go on for a few more volumes and that is what I would have like David and Leugh to have done with this book. I have read other Eddings novels his best work coming from his fantasy stories, such as the Elenium. But this book is far superiour to those 'novels'. As a big fan of the Lord of the Rings I was aprehensive about the movies and the directors portrail of only some of the story line and perceptions since that particular story has many different main story line to many different people, so does this book and I would like to have seen it as a movie in as large a scale as the Lord of the Rings movies if not bigger. I don't think I can rave as much about this book as I would like so I challenge anyone to read it and not find at least a whole chapter with a humourous joke or gripping, thread running through it. Thanks For Reading

I've had a look at a few of the reviews and I think people are being a bit nasty. Sure it's 'only' a one volume work. Yes, some of the characters are familiar if you've read Eddings' other works. But so what?? It's very funny, very witty and a great story. If you enjoy reading and re-reading the Belgarion and the Sparhawk series' then this, while familiar, is a great addition to your collection. I've read it around 11 times. I borrowed it from the library 5 times, then borrowed a friend's copy. A month later, she asked me if I'd finished it, and I explained that I'd read it another two times. She ended up giving it to me as a gift since I loved it so much.

The redemption of Althalus is many of the things you've enjoyed about Eddings' work, all rolled into one book. The characters are different. I find Althalus and Gher hilarious and there are many quotes that stick in your mind.

Definitely worth the time, effort and money.

I bought Redemption expecting the kind of fun I had reading the Belgariad and Mallorean series'. I was not disappointed. I have read some of the other reviews and was surprised to find so much criticism of the book. I found it entertaining and very absorbing. I read fantasy/sci-fi as way to escape from everyday life and this book did the same thing that Edding's previous books did. It gave me humor and someone else to think about during the whole reading. No, it wasn't Belgarath, Polgara and Belgarion, but it was entertaining and the same dry humor was there to keep me reading. If there is a follow-up book, I will gladly buy it and enjoy it.

While I have enjoyed Eddings previous work (Belegard saga), this book became too painful to finish reading. This has been mentioned in other reviews, and I am afraid I must agree -- this book is a tepid, unoriginal, and boring rehash of the plot, dialogs, and personalities of their earlier works.
If you are looking for a good rainy day book, buy the Belegard series instead - even if you already own it, re-reading it will be more pleasurable than torturing yourself with this book.
(This is public version of an earlier anonymous review)

Being a huge fan of David Eddings' novels I knew what to expect from this story. I got everything I expected both good and bad. The good ....the typical Eddings story of the common man (or woman)facing the strugle of good vs evil...the endearing quality of the authors characterizations....the relative shortness of this novel compared to his other trilogys...the acnowledgement of his wife as co-author. The bad...predictability.....the shortness. For fans either of the fantasy genre or the author this is a must buy. This is also a good buy for those NOT SO INTO THE GENRE it has more mass apeal mainly due to its shortness. WELL WORTH THE PRICE OF ADMISSION FOR ALL.

*EDITED (Because I'm no longer a teen having a love affair with any fantasy that crossed my path)*

This is a perfectly fine fantasy novel, suitable best for folks who haven't read a whole lot of fantasy yet. I say that because, while the story is interesting and fun, Eddings has *no shame* when it comes to using all of the cliches he can. If you've been reading fantasy for awhile, this book is incredibly predictable, including blindingly obvious character pairings, quite a few Deax Ex Machina solutions, and no effort at any pretense that the good guys might lose. However, that being said, if you're a beginning fantasy reader, the story is fairly engaging and the characters are rather likeable, even though they definitely fit the Eddings pattern to a T.

Looking for a good book to pass the summer away?
Look farther.
This book is a compilation of self-contradictions, weak characters, and a really, REALLY boring plot. The writing is essentially weak, the dialogue and descriptions are terrible.
The book sounded like it had potential, but it was one of the most worthless and unimaginative fantasy novels I've ever read. Save the time you'd spend reading this book and do something more interesting with it -- like smacking yourself on the head with a hammer.

I just finish this novel yesterday. It was my second attempt and this time I made it all the way through. The Redemption of Althalus is the most forgettable novel I have ever read in my life. The book is populated with undeveloped, boring characters, a dull storyline and absolutely no suspense at all. In addition, the way the final villains are dealt with just didn't make a lot of sense. I was VERY disappointed by this novel and I really hope and Eddings does better with his next one.

Okay, I'll be upfront with everyone who is reading this ... the main reason I'm writing this is to contradict the trend that seems to be forming in the opinions, that this book is poorly written, lacks plot, and is unoriginal. Well, to a certain extent, yes, it might be.
But for crying out loud, ITS A FANTASY NOVEL. People read novels to get caught up in the story, and like another reviewer mentioned, Eddings has a refreshing way of writing that keeps you relaxed and free. This book is just plain fun to read. It doesn't have the mind-wrenching plot twists of George R.R. Martin's "Song of Ice and Fire", it doesn't have the mammoth scope of Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time", and it doesn't have the innovative magic/belief system of L. E. Modesitt's "Recluce Series". What it does have is humorous, believable character interaction, and a refreshly simple and easy going storytelling style, yet retaining complex ideas of space, time, good and evil.
In short, ITS A GOOD STORY, and i LOVED the book. If you've read Eddings before, you'll enjoy it; if not, and you're looking for a fun read, you'll enjoy it too. If you are looking for plot complexity, mind-blowing proportions, and casts of thousands, go read Jordan's million page tomes. Don't get me wrong, i'm still reading the Wheel of Time, and its a good series to a certain extent, and i'll finish it, but there's one difference between Jordan and Eddings ... I actually REREAD Eddings :)

This is an enjoyable book. It is a fun read though can be a little tedious at times. Though, the character developement lacks a little, watching the interplay between characters opens them up. It seemed like a lot was crammed into the book, would have like to seen it in trilogy form, but it is enjoyable none the less. If you need the characters painted out for you; well you might have a little troule with this book. If you don't mind connecting the dots(which line up pretty straight), and understand people through thier interactions, you will enjoy the story. I found it an excellent book to fill the days between other books or coffee breaks.

Unfortunately I found this book extremely poor. In comparison to the Belgariad which first influenced my enjoyment of reading, to the Mallorean which I enjoyed almost as much, it seems that David Eddings is trying to rehash a succesful formula and pass it on without much thought. A number of the above reviewers feel that it may appeal to the die hard Eddings fan. I hope that this is precisely the people that it will not appeal to, it certainly caused me to struggle all the way through. Additionally people mention the humour and one liners. Good luck to finding a single element of humour in the book not already tried a hundred times in the preceeding stories

I never thought I'd say I was disapointed with anything Eddings has written,but I have to now. Story is just too drawn out as it is.Thought it could have been better if written as a series as other Eddings story's are.Was actually glad to be finished with it.

It's been a long time since I was truly sucked into a Fantasy book, despite that being one of the few genres I read... but this book accomplished it. Granted, it won't stretch your mind too far or make you reassess the meaning of life, but if you're looking for enjoyable, entertaining Fantasy, I'd suggest giving this book a chance. I genuinely laughed aloud in parts, had trouble putting it down so that I could sleep, and found myself disappointed when I realised that there wasn't any sequel.
All in all, this isn't the best Fantasy book I've ever read, but I don't think it deserves the bad reviews it's gotten. If you're looking for an entertaining Fantasy read, I'd recommend giving this book a look.

I don't have a lot of time to waste on this book, so I will make this short. There is nothing new here. There are no new characters, themes, or situations. This is simply a mule we've ridden before, but this time it is dressed up in horse harness. If you are a die-hard Eddings fan, this book MAY be worth the money. I am (or was) a die-hard Eddings fan, and I don't think this book was worth the money. If you simply have to have this book, wait until it is released in paperback.

I would have to say that I really enjoyed this book. Since starting to read Fantasy's, I have come to enjoy the 'series' of books. Whether there are only three (Dragonlance Chronicles) or nearing a dozen (Wheel of Time)...I have enjoyed being able to follow one or more characters on the journey through life. When I picked up 'Redemption of Althalus' I wasn't sure if I was going to like it because of it being a single book. After I was finished reading the book, I knew I would reread it again in the future. David Eddings made all of the characters enjoyable to read about and with. The witty remarks from all corners of the book made me laugh in many places. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes Edding's work or Fantasy in general.

I don't even have to review this book to show you how bad it is, just look at the ratio of reviews. At the time I'm writing this, the store.com has almost twice as many 1-star reviews as it does 5-star. This is the store, where even the most terrible books still have three times as many 5-star votes as 1-star.

Everything about this book is terrible. Stay away.

I loved the Belgariad, the Mallorean, and both Sparhawk series. I enjoyed The Losers and High Hunt. I even read the Rivan Codex! And I cannot believe how badly Eddings has let us down with this one. Dialogue attrition (he said, she said, he yelled) in this new book is absolutely shocking. "He grated out"? Please. Characters are one dimensional, and they have the same conversations over and over again. Poorly thought out, poorly written, and not worth the time it took to read. If you're an Eddings fan, don't bother.

I have NEVER quit reading a fantasy book but this is an exception. My first ever fantasy author was Eddings and I lived in the great worlds that he created but many years (and authors)
on I can't believe he could/would write such childism [junk]!.
The book starts off well, good plot/characters but it slowly goes downhill. I wanted to like this book so much 'cause of Eddings other great books but it was like wadding knee deep in thick mud.
Anyone who thought this book was even moderatly good is very very sad.

If you were looking for a Cliff's Notes version of the Belgariad & the Mallorean series's, here ya go. The names are a little different, and the lands are a little re-arranged, but it's the same story. More of a womanly touch though, I'm wondering if Leigh had a bigger part in this book whereas the Belgariad & Mallorean were primarily Dave's. Read the other 10 books and get a much better story than this sliced down version. Dweia = Polgara, Althalus = Belgarath, Eliar = Garion, Gher = Erriond, etc. etc. Grrr!

i have read over 600 different reviews and i would likr to say to the people that enjoyed his work regardless of whether it was his best or worse good on you, but the professional critics would not know what they are on about they are paid to do just that critise now these are peoiple who cant write their own work without trying to be to descriptive they are wannabe writers who need to take a look at themselves and grow up. redmemption of althalus my friends and i have read numerous times over the book has been worn out and had to be restitched evreyone keeps talking about his stereo types get over it the big picture is what the deal is it took him 2500 years to get out of the house but she was doing what we all need to get rid of the rubbish that we are told everyday ,his views on magic are a litle more beliveable than most other fantasy stories, basically this was also designed to be a book for younger first time readers as well to pull him into his work notice andine and eliar they are ordinary teenagers just like his target audience us older generation read them cause we know what to expecr and thrive on it twenty to one odds that if it weren't predictable then we would have our backs up over that "" he has changed his genre and in so failing to meet with the demands of his fans "" as one idiotic critic wrote about someone he endorsed a previous book for so in closing do not break down everything do not look for suspense it is merely just an enjoyable read for relaxing so good on ya eddings you have my full support

They should have titled this book "Best of David Eddings". It combines all of the best parts of Eddings' Belgariad, Malloreon, and Tamuli series. The hero Althalus, can be likened to a combination of Belgarath and Sparhawk, with the other characters following along nicely. It is typical of Eddings' lighthearted approach to an oftentimes too serious topic. An excellent read.

Although not as good as the Belgariad or the Elenium, it contains all you'd expect from an Edding's fantasy series; tempermentally assertive women (His Trademark!), lots of cute dialog and rapid plot development all in one nicely sized package. What a Bargain!!!

Unfortunatly, this book did not really live up to my expectations. I picked it up hoping for something of Belgariad/Mallorean quality, and, honestly, didn't get it. I didn't really get to know or like the characters, and after the first section, the plot went from interesting to disappointing. This book did have the benefit of having very talented authors, but even they do not have the ability to cram what could be a series as long as the Belgariad into one book.

Enjoyed the book, but David certainly follows a "winning" path. The similarities between this book and previous are numerous. If you enjoyed them, you'll like this one. If you're looking for something new and different, you'll be sorely disappointed.

The Redemption of Althalus starts out really slow, the 1st 100 pages were gruesome background information. Once Althalus enters the House at the End of the world & Emmy starts in on him it really picks up. Just like David Eddings other books you come to really like the characters and feel for them, relate in some way I suppose. All in all, this book is excellent, just be patient initially it gets so much better and you can hardly put it down. I hope there are more installments of Althalus, Emmy, & the others.

I'm impressed by the fact that the Eddings got their typical story into one volume. But in doing so, they sacrificed a lot of things that make their work so good -- most especially the details of complex and interwoven plots, and quite a bit of the snappy character interaction. It's not an awful book, by any means, and any reader who likes the Eddings's other work should read it. It's a good beginner's book as well. However, if you're looking for the best work by this pair, skip this one for now, because it definitely doesn't fall in that category.

I would have to say that this is one of the poorest attempts at writing I have had the misfortune of being punished with. Its hard to know where to begin. Shallow characters, rehash of old story lines and no imagination would sum up this non-epic. I wished I had read the reviews before buying this book. I could not read all of Althalus as the level of language is aimed at people under ten and I kept falling asleep.

David Eddings is one of my favorite writers and I have never been disappointed until this book came along. The names are awkward, the story is so convoluted it is almost impossible to follow, and the dialog and smart-guy comments come right from the pages of the Sparhawk books. No one can crank out a winner EVERY time, but David Eddings comes close. So we can forgive him this dog and hope for better next time.

Although it is well written as is all the works by this team, it is still a little predictable in its character progression. Still, I am riveted to the book and have not been able to put it down since I began. I always recommend the Eddings style and appreciate him and her both. My four stars are a honest opinion and it will be a re-read just for the joy of the book. Continue the great works it keeps me coming back for more everytime. It must, I have every SF book written by him and by them together.

So this book isn't up to par with some of Eddings other books, and neither does it compare to George RR Martin... but thats a whole other league! This book, is actually fairly enjoyable, and I would call it a "light" fantasy novel, but fun from start to finish.

I must say that I enjoyed the book quite a bit. It wasn't the David Eddings norm. But it was a story that reminded me of those told by the camp fire. Their wasn't a lot of majical fire fights or spectacular death scenes. It had a hero that was imperfect, a love story that was believable, and a resolution at the end of the book that was definate. The character interactions seemed to give me a sense of the author's and their relationships. I would recomend this book to anyone who likes a great story.

David Eddings is one of my favorite writers and I have never been disappointed until this book came along. The names are awkward, the story is so convoluted it is almost impossible to follow, and the dialog and smart-guy comments come right from the pages of the Sparhawk books. No one can crank out a winner EVERY time, but David Eddings comes close. So we can forgive him this dog and hope for better next time.

Although it is well written as is all the works by this team, it is still a little predictable in its character progression. Still, I am riveted to the book and have not been able to put it down since I began. I always recommend the Eddings style and appreciate him and her both. My four stars are a honest opinion and it will be a re-read just for the joy of the book. Continue the great works it keeps me coming back for more everytime. It must, I have every SF book written by him and by them together.

So this book isn't up to par with some of Eddings other books, and neither does it compare to George RR Martin... but thats a whole other league! This book, is actually fairly enjoyable, and I would call it a "light" fantasy novel, but fun from start to finish.

I must say that I enjoyed the book quite a bit. It wasn't the David Eddings norm. But it was a story that reminded me of those told by the camp fire. Their wasn't a lot of majical fire fights or spectacular death scenes. It had a hero that was imperfect, a love story that was believable, and a resolution at the end of the book that was definate. The character interactions seemed to give me a sense of the author's and their relationships. I would recomend this book to anyone who likes a great story.

I have read all of his books - some twice they were so good - what happened!! this book was terrible; no story , no characters, no suspense, no depth. It read like 5 different people had stuck it together in an afternoon with no care or attention. and what were all those battle scenes about - it just seemed to be lots of sarcastic remarks about killing masses of people. Then all the female characters were the same; devious and self centred.
I was thoroughly disappointed - I had to force myself to keep reading it to the end.

I loved this book. I felt that it was every thing the Belgarid was know for but it was eaiser to carry. the whole god theroy was unique and as far as I now never done before. the charcters were just as good as previous books and personally I would love to see this turned into a movie. If you like or love David Eddings then you like or love The Redemption of Althalus. Trust me all thoes others are wrong so there.

In short, a disappointment. Althalus read more like a child's rushed story than an epic fantasy novel. The dialogue was forced and simple, and the plot was rather unimaginative. The must frustrating part of the book was that every plan they team of heroes and heroines devised always worked without flaw. There was never any suspense created, and the book ended without fanfare and without climax. I would suggest that epic fantasy fans turn instead to Terry Brooks' latest Shannara works.

I agree with most of the reviews I have read that panned Redemption as being a rehash of much of what Eddings has previously written. The storyline is predictable, the characters 2-dimensional, and the dialogue at times abysmal. I personally would like to see the name Leigh disappear from the cover of future books, as I think she has been the cause of a severe dilution of talent that Eddings showed in his earlier works.
Either hang up the ol' typewriter or get some fresh impetus into your story telling, David.

One of the bad books that I read in my life unfortunately. Although I read Fantasy & sci-fi a lot, i never tried David Eddings before. This book made me happy about not trying him at all. Plot is weak, characters are weak, jokes are repetitive, far from giving a hint of smile and there is simply to many of them. Characters are acting like they are running a stand-up comedy show. i hope somebody WILL NOT make a movie of this book. I'll stick with LOTR.
I'll read the comments next time before I buy a book.

The Eddings team has outdone itself in this stand-alone world-builder. The smile starts at page one and widens into a grin along the way, lingering long after the last page has been read. Myself, I turned right back to the beginning and read it again...
Uncomplicated fantasy for those who like a fun read but don't want farce or comedy, the story of Althalus is a tale of living, breathing characters who each have their (quite enjoyable) faults. I won't spoil the fun by telling you the story; just read it, but make sure you have time to read it all - I couldn't put it down, and spent most of the night reading.

I was told by my brother to read this book and I kept stalling but finely relented ...

I shall always love him for it...this book is hysterically and just plain good fun...I have been reading since a young girl , I read all types of books but I keep this one close whenever I need a good laugh...

This book is one of the best books I have ever read. I loved to read as a child and got through more books than my parents put together, my mum being a librarian. I am only 14 but as I read this book I knew is was going to be the best book I would ever read. I can relate to the characters in so many ways, and found that I could relate it to life. It was the first book I had ever read by David and Leigh Eddings, and intend to read alot more. I was upset to see that so many people didn't enjoy it, but if you read what the story's telling you then you see it is not the same as any other books by Eddings. Please don't judge the book by what other people have said until you have read it yourself.

As I read through the book, I repeatedly noticed compounded elements from every one of Eddings' previous books. Phrases, characters, and plot have been transplanted whole and mashed into a book which, although having its good points, overall drags. Longtime readers of Eddings will be bored silly, as they will recognize every character and half of the dialogue.

Do not waste your money of this garbage! It is supposed to be by David and Leigh Eddings. It is not! It is only Leigh Eddings, and clearly she has no talent! I think David has been putting her name on with his just to be nice!

Let me start off by saying that I've been a fan of the Eddings' work for years. My uncle got me into them three of four years ago, and I've been reading and re-reading his series' ever since.
I loved Redemption, and read it all in one weekend. Some parts of it were fairly predictable, but nonetheless enjoyable. There have been enough fantasy books written that almost nothing is totally original, but I appreciated both the unique and the "rehashes" in Redemption.
As far as I'm concerned he's the best fantasy author out there, and you can see that Redemption is the true culmination of all his years of style development.
This book did try to cram a bit, but all things considered, it came out a masterpiece

and apparently he wasn't. I am confident that Leigh had the lion's share of involvement with this work and is trying to use her husband's fame to elevate sales of this abysmal book. For a first-time reader, DO NOT allow this poorly written excuse for literature to turn you away from David's earlier work, particularly the Belgariad and Mallorean. I have never before been in a position in which I have truly despised a book I bought for myself. Enough vituperations...you get the point.

Did anyone find this book a boring, pale, belgriad-in-one-book, predictable book? You can almost make a chart with plot lines taken from previous books, without one original idea...
I'm so sorry I read/bought this book!

It's nice to find a fantasy novel that's not too self important (read, Jordan). This novel had a nice combination of fantasy, science, and humor. It's difficult to find books of this caliber within a larger series. Jordan's series and even classics like the Dune series are almost moody in their self importance. In Jordan's case, the plot development is too slow. Eddings has a very good mix of character and plot development that is impressive. This book was a wonderful introduction to the authors and I look forward to reading their other works.

No, this one was not by far what I expected from it. A disappointment, that took to long to read through. After the first 100 pages, you think that it will get better, but it doesn't, at least not much. Ofcourse, the signals of an Eddings novel can be found, but as others wrote before: it is not very renewing,not sparkling and certainly not something you would expect from mister Eddings. I was glad that I finished it, to move on to something better.

The Belgariad/Mallorean are STILL my favorite books - after more than 10 reads! I read the excerpt of this new book - blech!!! This excerpt sounds like it was written by a 15 year old!!! Just try getting past the paragraph on slavery!!! It gave me a headache! I've read better from a Harlequin Romance!!!
I'm glad I didn't purchase this first - I'd have been sorely disappointed.

Read this book for yourself and decide...I have read this book from cover to cover 10 times and I will continue to read it over and over, again and again. Still can't put it down while reading it. And yes I am an Eddings fan and have read all of his books to date.

This is not your classic Eddings where he is just writing to fill up space as it seams sometimes in some of his other books...(ie long and drawn out trying to make 5 books out of one) This book gets right to the action, no beating around the bushes here to make it longer than it had to be. As a matter of fact I wish there was a sequeal to this one as there are carecters that I would like to see continued into another book or two.

Anyway give this one a try...you might like it even if you don't like Eddings other books.

I have read all of Mr. Eddings work, and this is by far the worst. He attempted to cram five books into one, and it didn't work. If you have read the Belgariad or the Mallorean, then you don't need to waste your time on this one. It is a rehash of plot and characters from the above mentioned series. Mr Eddings writing started to go down hill with the Elenium, but with this book he has hit the bottom. I only hope he can bounse back.

I usually liked Eddings work but this one is the worst I `ve ever read by him. It was like Eddings was trying to break my nerves. After tremendous effort I finally finished this book and I was totally disappointed. Hopefully the next book will be better.

As my first Eddingses book, I have no preconception as to how this pair of authors "should write," which is perhaps the cause of my high rating. Judged alone, I found this a humorous book with a not-so-virtuous protagonist and his journeys through land, time, and mind. It was refreshing to find literature with simplicity and a sweet ending instead of protracted plot and politics like the ones I have been reading. The poetic form that interspersed the text added a surreal quality, and was quite apropos.

This book provides the Eddings with a mechanism to link Garion with Sparhawk and that's about all. A House that can link anywhere to anywhere, anywhen.
This book has some original stuff, but it's nearly lost amidst all the repetition. However, after 18 books a lot of plot devices, characterisations and outcomes are going to be familiar.

After only 12 chapters, I find this book so coy it makes my teeth ache. From the beginning of the book, I felt like the author was trying to rush things so that we could get down to the story. The lack of details, like how hard it is to travel, saddling horses, weather, comments on social customs of the natives, etc. just add to this hurry. I think I'm going to add the authors to my not buy list along with Piers Anthony.

Okay, so it's not the best book Eddings have written. Okay, it has a few stereotypes. But it is still good entertainment. The Redemption of Althalus strives for Epic Proportions, but falls a few feet short. The characters are (like most of Eddings' characters) outlined with bold strokes, and you can foretell their actions after a little while. Just like most of the great legends.

After having read all of David Eddings other books and for the most part enjoying them, I found myself faced with the pleasure of reading the redemption of althalus. This book is by far my favorite of all of his books. the main character is an absolute riot to follow through his many adventures and his supporting cast is well developed and enjoyable to read about as well. It was a nice change of pace to finnally get away from Belgarion. Perhaps the best praise i can give this book is that it has quickly become my favorite from amongst the eddingses publications and i have thoroughly enjoyed them all.

Yes the charachters are the same, and yes the plot is not one of the most original. However, the book is enjoyable and would have been better recieved if the authors had just used the same familiar names from the previous novels. In all, read the book for fun after you borrow it from your local library.

While not on par with his other works. This is a pretty good story he seems to bridge Belgariad with the Elenium fairly well. Dweia is like Flute which is very obvious but Althalus to me seemed like Ba young Belgarath. Very good work I hope he writes more in this universe.

This book was actually quite good. I know nothing about the authors; I was just browsing in the library when I found it. Anyway, this book was pretty good. The reviewer who gave it 1 star had some points, but it wasn't THAT bad. It's not deep or original, but is an enjoyable read with quirky characters that you'll regret to see end.(It convinced me to buy it - very rare for me. If I know that a library has a book then I almost never buy it unless I *really* liked it. After all, it's just right there in the library, waiting to be read. Why buy?)

I thought it was a little slow in the beginning, kind of tough to get into. But once it gets moving the characters are wonderful and there are twists of the plot that keep you guessing through the whole thing. Its a lot like "The Tamuli" (also by Eddings) that way.

I'm sorry, but the Eddings' latest is not up to their usual standards. It starts out very nicely but then becomes bogged down in a very long and rather boring war. I was very, very dissappointed since they are among my favorite writers.

Despite the creation of what is to Mr.Eddings a new universe, the plot, the characterizations, the dialogue all are reminiscent of his previous works. It is time for Mr. Eddings, now joined by his wife, to stop mining an increasingly barren field and strike out in a truly original direction.

This is the first book I have read by David Eddings. I purchased the book at an outlet for five dollars. What a waste of money. The book starts out really great with the thief and his adventures. Everything falls flat after he meets a mysterious stranger. Eddings never develops his characters beyond this point. I got three fourths through the book before I decided to just stop reading.

This is a phenomenal book. Not since David Eddings' Belgariad/Mallorean series have I enjoyed a fantasy book this much. Plus it is in one volume, so, while hefty, it is manageable. Highly recommended for any fan of the age-old, good vs. Evil.

Lazy, childish, a complete waste of my time. While it's easy to say Althalus is not as good as Belgarian etc, Eddings has almost lost me as a fan - The next book will have to deliver the goods. Enough of the cute/naughty/pouting Gods and kiddy humour. If I hear 'yes dear' or 'yes pet' one more time I'll scream. Stay away from this book. Rubbish, how could his editors let this one through?

I really wanted this book to be different from the last several that the Eddings's have written. No such luck. The book started well, but rapidly went downhill. The characters were boring, and I really just wanted them all to die, the universe would have been better off withouth them. In all avoid this book

...A thief that tries to steal a magical book from the house of Deweia, goddess of life, but ends up learning how to use the book's magic and falling in love with Deweia. Althalus has gone out in the world after 2,500 years in the house and has to stop Ghend, a worshiper of the devil, from destroying the universe. Along the way Altahlus makes both friends and enemies.
David and Leigh Eddings makes the story flow by putting in humor, dialogue, and descriptions. The Redemption of Althalus is a book full of emotions and I would recommend it to anyone who likes to read fantasy novels.

I am SUCH a big fan of Eddings work too. I've read everything he's written and found it totally enchanting. But this book just reads like he took his two other major series and smushed them together. I feel like I've already met all the characters before
Perhaps he's just run out of creativity and material but I've never been so disappointed.

Simply put, if you are a David Eddings fan then you will of course enjoy his book. It is a good story, just like all his others. I don't see why people are complaining so much. The old saying goes: "If it ain't broke don't fix it." I don't see why so many people complain about his books. If they don't like it, then don't read it. But fans of the genre will find everything to like here in this story.

I absolutely loved this book! Granted, it does someewhat ressemble their other books, but it is wonderful nonetheless!
It's one problem is that the battle is somewhat (really) boring, but the whole doors/House at the End of the World/quest thing was fun!
Unlike the Belgariad, You don't actually know what's going to happen, what they're looking for, or how they're going to accomplish it. Not that I didn't like the Belgariad...
Still, a good book, worth a careful read, and many rereadings!

I was a big fan of David Eddings through the Belgarion Series, but I believe that he will never live up to that level again. This book was very weak in it's story line. It had no build up to the end of the book. The characters are shallow. I wouldn't even recommend reading this book at all.

I hae read almost everything by the eddings. This was a major disappointment. I will never be taken in again by the eddings. This book is not worth the money spent. It is not worth going to the library to read. I am a serious fantasy reader and I have read most of the fantasy books published. This one is terrible.

I had read and loved all fantasy books by David and Leigh so far, and I was thrilled when I heard a complete new story was in making. "The Redemption of Althalus" is a stand-alone novel, and it's also a outstanding book! I will not go into any details, since I don't wish to spoil any surprises for people who haven't yet read it, but I will say that it once more truly captures that traditional niceness and character warmth that we have come to love so much in the authors' other work. The story was gripping, exciting and the humour was sharp and witty. I really liked the characters and the touches of philosophy were in one word brilliant! I webmaster a site (The Eddings Codex) dedicated to the books of David and Leigh Eddings, and after reading "Althalus", I immediately updated it with information and illustrations about the new book.
Meanwhile, enjoy reading, for if you loved the Belgariad-Malloreon and Elenium-Tamuli books, I'm sure you'll love Althalus!

I have never read any of Eddings previous books. I was given the book by a friend who I am very grateful to now. Redemption of Althalus has become one of my favorite books. Once I began, I couldn't put it down. I read while I was at work and befoe I went to bed. I will eventualy read it again =)This book is awesome and you won't be disappointed by it. Enjoy!

Save your time. Save your money.
By 50 pages into it and on through the end, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't identify with a single character.
Little plot. No tension. No danger. No subtlety.
Run, reader. Run for your life.

Yeah.. it's a cool book... if u r a fan of deddings,
sure... its great, but ifur not, may seem a little...
strange... but overall.. pretty good...
personally, i think d belgariad series are much
much better

There really isn't a lot to say about this book. I never really achieved a sense of ownership, or belonging to the story or the characters.
Weak character development, convenient plot hole fills, and an overall lack of suspense or jeopardy work together to make this tale a colorless, pithy novel.

All I can do is to share my opinion and not judge others opinions. I liked the book, I am a fan of the Mallorean and Belgraid series. I liked this book, although it wasnt the same as the others, it had a new twist but intersting perspectives. I liked it. I say buy it, but get a used one so incase u dont like it, it would have only cost you a few dollars.

I thought this was a terrific stand-alone novel, It was funny, different and creative while still fitting into the normal fantasy struggle between good and evil, and I could see a lot of relations to other characters from the other collections of books.

All I can do is to share my opinion and not judge others opinions. I liked the book, I am a fan of the Mallorean and Belgraid series. I liked this book, although it wasnt the same as the others, it had a new twist but intersting perspectives. I liked it. I say buy it, but get a used one so incase u dont like it, it would have only cost you a few dollars.

I thought this was a terrific stand-alone novel, It was funny, different and creative while still fitting into the normal fantasy struggle between good and evil, and I could see a lot of relations to other characters from the other collections of books.

Great book great characters all around a fun read. Easy to read and fun to loose yourself in the story and the environment. David makes you feel lile you are in the story with Althalus and the others.

I want to start by saying I loved the book, the characters and the plot. It was fun and drew me in from the beginning until the conclusion. If you liked anything David or Leigh Eddings wrote you will like this. If you haven't then you should, they are one of the best in the genre. Just my two cents worth.

After reading several other books by the Eddings', I wasn't sure what to expect with this one volume epic. However, I was not disappointed! As I don't enjoy reading the dark fantasy of Tolkein (although I do enjoy the movies) this story is light hearted and enjoyable.

Ill keep this short not to waste more time. This book ...! It starts well and is interesting at the begining but the story deteriorates quickly! I am suprised it was published! Stay away from this book.

Yes, I know that the book was panned by the critics! SO WHAT! I've always enjoyed David and Leigh Edding's style of verbal and mental games! The stories are good, the prose, enjoyable! What's not to like? The theology?

A surprise to me, after reading and re-reading the Belgariad books. I was prepared to hate it, as it did not have the same characters, but instead I found myself wishing the book wouldn't end. Loved it!