David Eddings
Encyclopedia
David Eddings was an American
author who wrote several best-selling series of epic fantasy
novels.
, in 1931, Eddings grew up near Puget Sound
. In the Rivan Codex, he described a good day in Seattle as "when it isn’t raining up;" rain became a consequent feature in many of his novels. After graduating from 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 and an MA from the University of Washington
in 1961. He wrote a novel for a thesis at Reed College before being drafted into the U.S. Army.
After several years as a college lecturer, a failure to receive a pay raise drove Eddings to leave his job, move to Denver and seek work in a grocery store. He also began work on his first published novel High Hunt, the story of four young men hunting deer. Like many of his later novels, it explores themes of manhood and coming of age. Convinced that being an author was his future career, Eddings moved to Spokane where he once again relied on a job at a grocery shop for his funds. He worked on several unpublished novels, including Hunseeker’s Ascent, a story about mountain climbing, which was later burned as Eddings claimed it was, "a piece of tripe so bad it even bored me." Most of his attempts followed the same vein as High Hunt, adventure stories and contemporary tragedies. The Losers, tells the story of God and the Devil, cast in the roles of a one-eyed Indian and Jake Flood. It was not published until June 1992, well after Eddings's success as an author was established, although it was written in the seventies.
Eddings's call to the world of fantasy came from a doodled map he drew one morning before work. This doodle later became the geographical basis for the world of Aloria, but Eddings did not realize it until several years later. Upon seeing a copy of Tolkien
's The Lord of the Rings, in a bookshop, he allegedly muttered, "Is this old turkey still floating around?" and was shocked to learn that it was in its seventy-eighth printing. Eddings realized that the world of fantasy might hold some promise for his talents, and immediately began to annotate his previously forgotten doodle.
On January 26, 2007 it was reported that Eddings accidentally burned about a quarter of his office, next door to his house, along with his Excalibur
sports car, and the original manuscripts for most of his novels. He was flushing the fuel tank of the car with water when he lit a piece of paper and threw it into the puddle to test if it was still flammable.
On February 28, 2007, David Eddings' wife, Leigh Eddings (born Judith Leigh Schall), whom he married in 1962, died following a series of strokes. She was 69.
Eddings resided in Carson City, Nevada
, where he died of natural causes on June 2, 2009.
Dennis, Eddings' brother, confirmed that in his last months, Eddings had been working on a manuscript that was unlike any of his other works, stating "It was very, very different. I wouldn’t call it exactly a satire of fantasy but it sure plays with the genre". The unfinished work, along with his other well renowned manuscripts, will go to his alma mater, Reed College in Portland, Ore., along with a bequest of $18 million to fund "students and faculty studying languages and literature." Eddings also bequeathed $10 million dollars to National Jewish Medical and Research Center
in Denver for pediatric-asthma treatment and research. Edding's wife Leigh had asthma throughout her life before she died in 2007.
, Polgara, Belgarath, and their companions.
Sparhawk
and his comrades.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author who wrote several best-selling series of epic fantasy
High fantasy
High fantasy or epic fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy that is set in invented or parallel worlds. High fantasy was brought to fruition through the work of authors such as J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis, whose major fantasy works were published in the 1950s...
novels.
Biography
Born in Spokane, WashingtonSpokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, in 1931, Eddings grew up near Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
. In the Rivan Codex, he described a good day in Seattle as "when it isn’t raining up;" rain became a consequent feature in many of his novels. After graduating from 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
Reed College
Reed College is a private, independent, liberal arts college located in southeast Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1908, Reed is a residential college with a campus located in Portland's Eastmoreland neighborhood, featuring architecture based on the Tudor-Gothic style, and a forested canyon wilderness...
in 1954 and an MA from the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
in 1961. He wrote a novel for a thesis at Reed College before being drafted into the U.S. Army.
After several years as a college lecturer, a failure to receive a pay raise drove Eddings to leave his job, move to Denver and seek work in a grocery store. He also began work on his first published novel High Hunt, the story of four young men hunting deer. Like many of his later novels, it explores themes of manhood and coming of age. Convinced that being an author was his future career, Eddings moved to Spokane where he once again relied on a job at a grocery shop for his funds. He worked on several unpublished novels, including Hunseeker’s Ascent, a story about mountain climbing, which was later burned as Eddings claimed it was, "a piece of tripe so bad it even bored me." Most of his attempts followed the same vein as High Hunt, adventure stories and contemporary tragedies. The Losers, tells the story of God and the Devil, cast in the roles of a one-eyed Indian and Jake Flood. It was not published until June 1992, well after Eddings's success as an author was established, although it was written in the seventies.
Eddings's call to the world of fantasy came from a doodled map he drew one morning before work. This doodle later became the geographical basis for the world of Aloria, but Eddings did not realize it until several years later. Upon seeing a copy of Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
's The Lord of the Rings, in a bookshop, he allegedly muttered, "Is this old turkey still floating around?" and was shocked to learn that it was in its seventy-eighth printing. Eddings realized that the world of fantasy might hold some promise for his talents, and immediately began to annotate his previously forgotten doodle.
On January 26, 2007 it was reported that Eddings accidentally burned about a quarter of his office, next door to his house, along with his Excalibur
Excalibur (automobile)
The Excalibur automobile from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was a car styled after the 1928 Mercedes-Benz SSK by Brooks Stevens for Studebaker. Stevens subsequently formed a company to manufacture and market the cars, which were conventional under their styling....
sports car, and the original manuscripts for most of his novels. He was flushing the fuel tank of the car with water when he lit a piece of paper and threw it into the puddle to test if it was still flammable.
On February 28, 2007, David Eddings' wife, Leigh Eddings (born Judith Leigh Schall), whom he married in 1962, died following a series of strokes. She was 69.
Eddings resided in Carson City, Nevada
Carson City, Nevada
The Consolidated Municipality of Carson City is the capital of the state of Nevada. The words Consolidated Municipality refer to a series of changes in 1969 which abolished Ormsby County and merged all the settlements contained within its borders into Carson City. Since that time Carson City has...
, where he died of natural causes on June 2, 2009.
Dennis, Eddings' brother, confirmed that in his last months, Eddings had been working on a manuscript that was unlike any of his other works, stating "It was very, very different. I wouldn’t call it exactly a satire of fantasy but it sure plays with the genre". The unfinished work, along with his other well renowned manuscripts, will go to his alma mater, Reed College in Portland, Ore., along with a bequest of $18 million to fund "students and faculty studying languages and literature." Eddings also bequeathed $10 million dollars to National Jewish Medical and Research Center
National Jewish Medical and Research Center
National Jewish Health is a research institute located in Denver, Colorado specializing in respiratory, immune and allergic research and treatment. It was founded in 1899 to treat tuberculosis, and is today considered one of the world's best medical research and treatment centers...
in Denver for pediatric-asthma treatment and research. Edding's wife Leigh had asthma throughout her life before she died in 2007.
The Belgariad and The Malloreon
The Belgariad is Eddings' first fantasy series; The Malloreon is the sequel. The books follow the adventures of BelgarionBelgarion
Belgarion is a fictional character and the chief protagonist in The Belgariad and The Malloreon, two fantasy epics written by David Eddings....
, Polgara, Belgarath, and their companions.
The Belgariad series
- Pawn of Prophecy (1982)
- Queen of Sorcery (1982)
- Magician's Gambit (1983)
- Castle of Wizardry (1984)
- Enchanters' End Game (1984)
The Malloreon series
- Guardians of the West (1987)
- King of the Murgos (1988)
- Demon Lord of Karanda (1988)
- Sorceress of Darshiva (1989)
- The Seeress of Kell (1991)
Books related to The Belgariad and The Malloreon
- Belgarath the SorcererBelgarath the SorcererBelgarath the Sorcerer is a book by David Eddings and Leigh Eddings.Set in the same universe as the Eddings' The Belgariad and The Malloreon, it is effectively one big flashback to the other series, although the framework story is set after the events of The Malloreon.The book opens shortly after...
(1995) (Prequel) with Leigh Eddings - Polgara the SorceressPolgara the SorceressPolgara the Sorceress is a fantasy novel by David and Leigh Eddings, and the twelfth in the setting of The Belgariad, The Malloreon and Belgarath the Sorcerer...
(1997) (Prequel) with Leigh Eddings - The Rivan CodexThe Rivan CodexThe 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...
(1998) with Leigh Eddings
The Elenium and The Tamuli
The Elenium and its sequel The Tamuli feature the Pandion KnightKnight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
Sparhawk
Sparhawk
Sir Sparhawk is the central character of The Elenium and The Tamuli, a series of fantasy novels by David Eddings. Sparhawk is a knight of the Pandion Order. He is the Champion to Queen Ehlana of the kingdom of Elenia. He is also Anakha - the One Whose Fate the Gods Do Not Know, and wielder of...
and his comrades.
The Elenium series
- The Diamond Throne (1989)
- The Ruby Knight (1990)
- The Sapphire Rose (1991)
The Tamuli series
- Domes of Fire (1992)
- The Shining Ones (1993)
- The Hidden City (1994)
The Dreamers series
The Dreamers series tells the story of a war between the Elder Gods and their allies and an entity known as the Vlagh.- The Elder Gods (2003) with Leigh Eddings
- The Treasured One (2004) with Leigh Eddings
- Crystal Gorge (2005) with Leigh Eddings
- The Younger Gods (2006) with Leigh Eddings
Standalone fantasy novels
- The Redemption of AlthalusThe Redemption of AlthalusThe Redemption of Althalus is a stand-alone fantasy novel by David and Leigh Eddings. Its main character is Althalus, a professional thief enlisted by the Goddess Dweia to save the world from the desolations of her evil brother Daeva and his henchman Ghend...
(2000) with Leigh Eddings, is a standalone novel about a thief who mends his ways.
Non-fantasy
- High Hunt (1973) - a story revolving around a hunting expedition that spirals out of control.
- The Losers (1992) - a story about a man struggling to rebuild his life after an accident.
- Regina's SongRegina's SongRegina's Song, written by David and Leigh Eddings, is a murder mystery novel, with some fantasy themes present as well. The story takes place in Seattle, Washington....
(2000) with Leigh Eddings - a thriller about a woman after the murderer of her twin sister.
External links
- Interview with David Eddings at sffworld.com
- Bibliography at SciFanSciFanSciFan is an online database for fans of science fiction and fantasy books.The site provides detailed bibliographies, linking books together into series' where appropriate and, in turn, grouping series by universe...
- Novel synopses, cover art, and reviews at FantasyLiterature.net