alt.fan.eddings Frequently Asked Questions Part 1
Vanan
Grammer, for the most part. I've removed a few more of the "personalizations"
that I've come across, and I've begun going through it line by line so that
each line doesn't cut off about four fifths across the page. I really doubt
I'll finish this tonight, as I've got a Macroeconomics final exam tomorrow
afternoon and that's just a bit more important. If anyone catches a mistake in
an area that I've obviously already gone over though, feel free to point it
out. I've also changed the two references to Kamion's GotW site.
Archive-name: sf/david-eddings-faq
Posting-Frequency: bi-monthly
Last modified: 1998/12/16
Version: 3.11
The alt.fan.eddings David Eddings
Frequently Asked Questions List
CONTENTS
I. About David Eddings
A. Biographical Information
B. Bibliography
1) Titles (includes U.S. and British ISBNs, and U.S.
Publishers)
2) German Titles
3) Finnish Titles
4) French Titles
5) Swedish Titles
6) Italian Titles
C. Miscellaneous Publishing Information
1) Omnibus Editions
2) _The Losers_: Copyright date vs. creation date
D. What are D&LE working on currently?
E. Are there any interviews with David Eddings on the Internet?
F. Where to Write to David Eddings
II. Frequently Asked Questions
GENERAL QUESTIONS
A. The systems of magic and worlds that David Eddings have
created don't always seem very logical. Why?
B. I've got this great idea about who should be in a movie.
C. Wouldn't it be great if there was a new book in the world of
the Belgariad/Elenium?
D. Will there be a movie/CD-ROM game based on the
Belgariad/Elenium?
E. Gee, has anyone noticed that the plots of Eddings'
fantasies are all kind of similar?
BELGARIAD/MALLOREON
F. Inconsistencies
1) Editing errors
a.) The infamous Chaldan/Chamdar misprint
b.) The wandering L's
2) Boneheaded errors
a.) The name of Brand's oldest son
b.) Gared/Geran
3) Illogical/inconsistent actions
a.) Durnik vs. Brill
b.) Asharak/Chamdar
G. Dryads (a.k.a. The Thread That Will Not Die)
H. Immortality (a.k.a. The Other Thread That Will Not Die)
I. What, precisely, does the mark on Garion's hand signify?
J. So, what exactly *is* on Garion's amulet?
K. The meaning of 'Bel' and 'Pol'.
L. Why isn't 'Durnik' called 'Beldurnik'?
M. Has anyone noticed the chess analogy in the titles of the
Belgariad?
N. What was Beldin's first act of sorcery?
O. Why can't Zedar get out of that hole Belgarath put him in?
P. Speaking of Zedar, don't you think his punishment was a bit too
harsh?
Q. What is the sex of Polgara's twins?
R. Who is the Wolf?
S. How did Polgara and Poledra merging help them remain unseen by
Torak?
T. Why are there so many differences between BtS and PtS?
ELENIUM/TAMULI
U. Inconsistencies
1.) Terms that can be confused
a.) Elene/Elenian
b.) Patriarch/primate
2.) Illogical gaps in the story
a.) Who exactly has touched the Bhelliom?
b.) Sephrenia and Aphrael's flying
V. Do the Elenium or Tamuli titles have any connections to the stories?
W. What God is supporting Zalasta's spells when he crashes Sephrenia
and Vanion's wedding?
X. Where do the renegade Styrics get their power?
Y. Why couldn't Sparhawk let King Wargun know that he was looking for
Bhelliom?
Z. Immortality (The Elenium Derivative)
AA. Will Eddings write more on Sparhawk and the gang?
THE ALT.FAN.EDDINGS NEWSGROUP
AB. alt.fan.eddings newsgroup; what is it, who created it, and when?
AC. Why does everyone have an Eddings alias, and how can I get one?
AD. What are the Silver Suggestions?
AE. Who runs the Trivia quiz, and when is it posted to the
newsgroup?
AF. What exactly is Klæl's Army?
AG. Where can a new user find information about this newsgroup?
AH. Are there any rules on this newsgroup?
III. Eddings Resources
B. IRC #eddings
C. Web pages
D. Other sites of interest
IV. Credits and Thanks
------------------------------------
I. ABOUT DAVID EDDINGS
A. Biographical Information
From _Contemporary Authors: New Revision Series_, Volume 35.
PERSONAL: Born July 7, 1931, in Spokane, Washington; son of George Wayne
and Theone (Berge) Eddings; married Judith Leigh Schall, October
27, 1962. Education: Attended Everett Junior College, 1950-52; Reed
College, B.A., 1954; University of Washington, Seattle, M.A., 1961.
Politics: "Unaffiliated." Religion: "Unaffiliated."
CAREER: Writer. Has worked as a buyer for Boeing Co., as a grocery clerk,
and as a college English teacher. Military Service: U.S. Army, 1954-56.
From the back dust jacket flap of _Belgarath the Sorcerer_
(published 1995).
David Eddings was born in Spokane, Washington in 1931 and was raised in the
Puget Sound area north of Seattle. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from
Reed College in Portland, Oregon, in 1954 and a Master of Arts degree from the
University of Washington in 1961. He has served in the United State Army, has
worked as a buyer for the Boeing Company, has been a grocery clerk, and has
taught college English. He has lived in many parts of the United States.
His first novel, _High Hunt_ (published by Putnam in 1973), was a
contemporary adventure story. The field of fantasy has always been of interest
to him, however, and he turned to The Belgariad in an effort to develop certain
technical and philosophical ideas concerning the genre.
Eddings and his wife Leigh currently reside in the Southwest, where they
work together on their best-selling fantasy epics.
B. Bibliography:
Note: Publisher listed is for U.S. editions.
"hc" = hardcover, "pb" = paperback.
"The Belgariad"
Pawn of Prophecy (1982)
U.S. ISBN 0-345-30997-9 (pb) Del Rey
British ISBN 0-593-02616-0 (hc) 0-552-12284-X (pb) Corgi
Queen of Sorcery (1982)
U.S. ISBN 0-345-30079-3 (pb) Del Rey
British ISBN 0-593-02629-2 (hc) 0-552-12348-X (pb) Corgi
Magician's Gambit (1983)
U.S. ISBN 0-345-33545-7 (pb) Del Rey
British ISBN 0-593-02632-2 (hc) 0-552-12382-X (pb) Corgi
Castle of Wizardry (1984)
U.S. ISBN 0-345-33570-8 (pb) Del Rey
British ISBN 0-593-02635-7 (hc) 0-552-12435-4 (pb) Corgi
Enchanters' End Game (1984)
U.S. ISBN 0-345-33871-5 (pb) Del Rey
British ISBN 0-593-02638-1 (hc) 0-552-12447-8 (pb) Corgi
Eddings' first fantasy series. Chronicles the adventures of a young boy,
Garion, as he grows to realize his amazing destiny. With his Aunt Pol and
Grandfather, he must travel through the Kingdoms of the Alorns and Angaraks,
making new friends and overcome deadly enemies.
The Belgariad: Part 1 (c)1982, 83 - published 1995, Del Rey
U.S. ISBN 0-345-40004-6 (hc)
The Belgariad: Part 2 (c)1984 - published by Nelson
Doubleday Inc., by an arrangement with Del Rey
U.S. ISBN 1-56865-038-8 (hc)
Two-volume hardcover omnibus reprint of the five volumes of the Belgariad.
Part One contains the first three books, Part Two contains the final two.
"The Malloreon"
Guardians of the West (1987)
U.S. ISBN 0-345-33000-5 (hc) 0-345-35266-1 (pb) Del Rey
British ISBN 0-593-01195-3 (hc) 0-593-01561-4 (pb) Corgi
King of the Murgos (1988)
U.S. ISBN 0-345-33002-1 (hc) 0-345-35880-5 (pb) Del Rey
British ISBN 0-593-01562-2 (hc) 0-552-13018-4 (pb) Corgi
Demon Lord of Karanda (1988)
U.S. ISBN 0-345-33004-8 (hc) 0-345-36331-0 (pb) Del Rey
British ISBN 0-593-01210-1 (hc) 0-593-01563-0 (pb) Corgi
The Sorceress of Darshiva (1989)
U.S. ISBN 0-345-33005-6 (hc) 0-345-36935-1 (pb) Del Rey
British ISBN 0-593-01204-6 (hc) 0-552-13020-6 (pb) Corgi
The Seeress of Kell (1991)
U.S. ISBN 0-345-33006-4 (hc) 0-345-37759-1 (pb) Del Rey
British ISBN 0-593-01207-0 (hc) 0-552-13021-4 (pb) Corgi
Sequel to the Belgariad Takes place ten years after the events of the
Belgariad, King Belgarion's son is abducted by dark forces. Belgarion and his
companions must recover the child before disaster occurs.
Belgarath the Sorcerer (1995)
U.S. ISBN 0-345-37324-3 (hc) 0-345-40395-9 (pb) Del Rey
British ISBN 0-246-13845-9 (hc) 0-586-21315-5 (pb) HarperCollins
Polgara the Sorceress (1997) Del Rey
U.S. ISBN 0-345-41662-7 (hc) 0-345-42255-4 (pb) Del Rey (Jan, '99)
British ISBN 0-246-13844-0 (hc) 0-586-21314-7 (pb) HarperCollins
0-002-24321-0
(trade pb)
A pair of prequels to the Belgariad and Malloreon series. The books are
presented as narratives by the title characters. As a side note of interest,
the trade paperback version of PtS was given a new illustration, probably in
response to the dislike expressed by so many fans when the book was first
released.
The Rivan Codex (1998)
U.S. ISBN 0-345-42402-6 (hc) _-___-______-_ (pb) Del Rey
British ISBN 0-002-24677-5 (hc) _-___-_____-_ (pb) HarperCollins
0-00-224696-1 (trade pb) (Jan, '99)
De Luxe Edition 0-00-224702-X (hc)
A compilation of the notes written by David and Leigh Eddings before they
began work on "The Belgariad". The De Luxe edition was limited to 250 copies
and signed by D&LE and Geoff Taylor, among other notable features. A number of
readers of afe own a copy, thanks to Castellan. If you want more details
regarding the book, visit his website at http://www.arrowstorm.freeserve.co.uk.
"The Elenium"
The Diamond Throne (1989) Del Rey
U.S. ISBN 0-345-35691-8 (hc) 0-345-36769-3 (pb) Del Rey
British ISBN 0-246-13345-7 (hc) 0-586-20372-9 (pb) HarperCollins
The Ruby Knight (1990) Del Rey
U.S. ISBN 0-345-37043-0 (hc) 0-345-37352-9 (pb) Del Rey
British ISBN 0-246-13731-2 (hc) 0-586-20373-7 (pb) HarperCollins
0-586-21503-4 (trade pb)
The Sapphire Rose (1991) Del Rey
U.S. ISBN 0-345-37474-6 (hc) 0-345-37472-X (pb) Del Rey
British ISBN 0-246-13347-3 (hc) 0-586-20374-5 (pb) HarperCollins
Fantasy series set in a new world. The church knight, Sparhawk, returns to
his home to find his Queen dying, and sets out to save her life, and overcome
the evil plots of a corrupt and powerful church Primate.
"The Tamuli"
Domes of Fire (1992)
U.S. ISBN 0-345-38327-3 (hc) 0-345-37321-9 (pb) Del Rey
British ISBN 0-586-21313-9 (hc) 0-586-21858-0 (pb) HarperCollins
The Shining Ones (1993)
U.S. ISBN 0-345-37322-7 (hc) 0-345-38866-6 (pb) Del Rey
British ISBN 0-246-13846-7(hc) 0-586-21316-3 (pb) HarperCollins
The Hidden City (1994)
U.S. ISBN 0-345-37323-5 (hc) 0-345-39040-7 (pb) Del Rey
British ISBN 0-246-13847-5 (hc) 0-586-21317-1 (pb) HarperCollins
Sequel series to the Elenium. Prince Sparhawk answers a plea from the Tamul
Empire to help them oppose dark magic and learns more about his unique
connection to the Bhelliom.
Novels (non-fantasy)
High Hunt (1973) Putnam
The original hardcover is long out of print. In 1992, Del
Rey reprinted it in paperback - U.S. ISBN 0-345-32887-6
In 1994, HarperCollins reprinted also reprinted it in
paper back - British ISBN 0-00-647593-0 (pb)
A sort of middle-aged rite of passage novel. GI returns from Germany and
goes on a mountain hunting trip with his older brother and a group of
mismatched guys. Tensions arise.
The Losers (1992) Fawcett Columbine
U.S. ISBN 0-449-90719-8 (hc) 0-345-38520-9 (pb) Del Rey
British ISBN 0-002-24138-2 (hc) 0-586-21759-2 (pb) HarperCollins
Dark tale of Raphael, the college football star who, after a tragic
accident takes up residence in 'Welfare City' in Spokane. He observes the
activities of his 'loser' neighbors and fights off predatory social workers,
until the arrival of his college roommate puts a match to the powder keg.
B.2. German Titles
-cont. by Daniel Peters
"I just happened to find this list of the German titles of the
Belgariad and Malloreon-Saga. As it is, I read them all in German
and in the "Bastei-Luebbe" version. The Knaur-Books were not
available for years. [Bastei-Luebbe and Knaur are German publishing
companies - ed.]"
BELGARIAD
Die Prophezeiung des Bauern (Knaur)
Kind der Prophezeiung (Bastei)
Die Zaubermacht der Dame (Knaur)
Zauber der Schlange (Bastei)
Gambit der Magier (Knaur)
Spiel der Magier (Bastei)
Turm der Hexerei (Knaur)
Turm der Hexer (Bastei)
Verwunschenes Endspiel (Knaur)
Duell der Zauberer (Bastei)
"The titles of the Malloreon are the same for the old Knaur and new
Bastei versions."
MALLOREON
Die Herren des Westens
Koenig der Murgos
Der Daemon von Karanda
Zauberin von Darshiva
Seherin von Kell
Denis Aumueller provided the following titles, all published by
Bastei-Luebbe.
ELENIUM
Der Thron im Diamant
Der Ritter vom Rubin
Die Rose aus Saphir
TAMULI
Die schimmernde Stadt
Das leuchtende Volk
Das verborgene Land
B.3. Finnish Titles
-cont. by Arto Repola
BELGARIAD
Kiven vartija
Ennustusten aika
Velhojen taistelu
Rivan kuningatar
Kohtalon tayttymys
MALLOREON
Lannen vartijat
Murgojen kuningas
Karandan paholaisherra
Darshivan velhotar
Kellin nakijatar
ELENIUM
Timanttivaltaistuin
Rubiiniritari
Safiiriruusu
TAMULI
Tulikupolit
B.4. French Titles
-cont. by Francis Cornet, with additions from Nick Boalch
all novels are published by Éditions Pocket in the
Rendez-Vous Ailleurs collection.
LA BELGARIADE
Le Pion blanc des présages
La Reine des sortilèges
Le Gambit du magicien
La Tour des maléfices
La Fin de partie de l'enchanteur
LA MALLORÉE
Les Gardiens du Ponant
Le Roi des Murgos
Le Démon majeur de Karanda
La Sorcière de Darshiva
La Sybille de Kell
LA TRILOGIE DES JOYAUX (lit. Trilogy of the Jewels)
Le trône de diamant
Le chevalier de rubis
La rose de saphir
LA TRILOGIE DU PÉRIL (lit. Trilogy of the Peril)
Les dômes de feu
Ceux-qui-brillent (lit. Those who shine)
La cité occulte
B.5. Swedish Titles
-cont. by Patrik Montgomery
BELGARIAD
Stenens väktare
Profetians tid
Besvärjarnas kamp
Rivas drottning
Ödets fullbordan
MALLOREON
Belgarions son
Murgoernas konung
Demonen i Karanda
I Zandramas fotspår
Sierskan från Kell
BEL/MAL PREQUELS
Belgarath besvärjaren
Polgara besvärjerskan
ELENIUM
Diamanttronen
Rubinriddaren
Safirrosen
TAMULI
Kupoler av eld
De skinande
B.6. Italian Titles
-cont. by Marcello Manicardi
LA SAGA DEL BELGARIAD (published by Editrice Nord)
Il Segno della Profezia
La Regina della Magia
La Valle di Aldur
Il Castello Incantato
La Fine del Gioco
EPOPEA DEI MALLOREAN
I Guardiani della Luce
Il Re dei Murgos
Il Signore dei Demoni
La Maga di Darshiva
La Profetessa di Kell
EPOPEA DEGLI ELENE
Il Trono di Diamante
Il Cavaliere del Rubino
La Rosa di Zaffiro
EPOPEA DEI TAMULI
Le Volte di Fuoco
I Demoni della Luce
La Citto dell Nulla
B.7. Polish Titles
-cont. by Luna
Poland is still waiting on both The Hidden City
and Polgara the Sorceress.
BELGARIAD
Pionek Proroctwa
Krolowa magii
Gambit magow
Wieza czarow
Ostatnia walka czarodziejow
MALLOREON
Straznicy zachodu
Krol Murgow
Demon wladca Karandy
Czarodziejka z Darshivy
Prorokini z Kell
BELGARATH THE SORCERER
Belgarath czarodziej
ELENIUM
Diamentowy tron
Rubinowy rycerz
Szafirowa roza
TAMULI
Kopuly ognia
Blyszczacy
C. Miscellaneous Publishing Information
"The Belgariad" was published in the U.S. as a set of original paperbacks -
the only hardcover edition available prior to 1995 was a two-volume omnibus
from the Science Fiction Book Club. In 1995, _The Belgariad Part One_, was
published by Del Rey in hardcover. _The Belgariad Part Two_ should have come
out in late 1996, but the publication has been delayed. All of the British
editions of Eddings'
work have come out in both hardcover and paperback versions.
Eddings' two non-fantasy novels, _High Hunt_ and _The Losers_, came out in a
hardcover omnibus edition titled _Two Complete Novels_ from Wings Publishing in
1993 (ISBN 0-517-11908-0).
Despite the 1992 copyright date, _The Losers_ is actually David Eddings'
second book; it was written right after _High Hunt_ in the mid-1970's. He
wasn't able to get it published until he became a best-selling author of
fantasies.
D. What are D&LE working on currently?
David and Leigh are working on an entirely new world (Creating worlds is a
real fun hobby according to David). There will be new characters, a new quest
and a new "innovative magic system". A quote from the Del Rey's Polgara
scrapbook page (http://www.randomhouse.com/polgara) indicates that it will be
set at the end of the Ice-Age, or possibly during it. In a letter replying to
Castellan, Eddings verified that he is indeed working on a novel set in this
time period. It appears that he wants to work with a world less
technologically advanced.
In June 97, DE was quoted in the Polgara Scrapbook saying "Right now, I'm
working on a darkly comic political novel about the President's mistress, who
goes missing one day in possession of quite a few state secrets. Though I may
wait to publish it posthumously, because if offends everyone - which was of
course my intention."
Whether this work is complete or not is unknown as we have heard nothing more
about it since.
E. Are there any interviews with David Eddings on the Internet?
Del Rey's Polgara Scrapbook is an excellent source of information about
David Eddings, and each month leading up to the US publication of Polgara the
Sorceress, David sent a "letter" to the web page. It is well worth a read.
Also, the main Del Rey page at http://www.randomhouse.com/delrey/ may contain
future information about his new series.
On Wednesday 29th October 1997, David conducted an online interview on
AOL. It can be found on the Del Rey site, and can also be found on
Kamion's web page.
David also did an interview with Stan Nicholls for Interzone and Starlog
magazines, which can be found in various places on the Internet. It is from
some time ago, but contains lots of useful information. A copy can be found at
http://thor.cam.ac.uk/~cjw44/eddings/interview.html A more recent interview,
where Eddings discusses his new work can be found at
http://web.reed.edu/community/newsandpub/reedmag/eddings/index.html.
F. Contacting David Eddings
David Eddings does not have an e-mail address and, according to
everyone who has asked, has no intention of getting one. If you want
to contact him, you need to write a genuine, pen-and-paper letter, and
send it care of his publisher, Del Rey Books. Address it as follows:
David Eddings
c/o Del Rey Books
201 E. 50th St.
New York, NY 10022
U.S.A.
It is recommended one use the two-envelope method: Write your letter, seal
it
into a stamped envelope with "David Eddings" written on the front, BUT NO
ADDRESS. Then insert that into another envelope and mail it off to Del Rey
Books. They'll forward it. If you want a reply, you'll be a lot more likely to
get one if you include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
II. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
GENERAL QUESTIONS
A. The systems of magic and the worlds that David Eddings created don't always
seem very sensible. In fact, sometimes they're kind of silly, and it's
hard to think up logical explanations for how they work. Why?
Following is a quote from David Eddings, found in _Contemporary Authors:
New Revision Series_, volume 35.
"My current excursion into fantasy has given me an opportunity to test my
technical theories [of writing]. I made a world that never was, with an
unlikely theology splattered against an improbable geology. My magic is
at best a kind of pragmatic cop-out. Many of my explanations of how magic
is supposed to work are absurdities - _but_ my characters all accept
these explanations as if there was no possibility of quibbling about
them, and if the characters believe, then the readers seem also to
believe."
In other words, creating a logical, internally consistent fantasy world
was not part of David Eddings' agenda.
B. I've got this great idea about who should be in a movie...
Every newsgroup that covers any literary character or characters inevitably
gives birth to Casting threads, and alt.fan.eddings is no exception.
There are some things you should know before you suggest that Sean Connery
should play Belgarath. First, there are no plans to film ANY of Eddings' works.
Second, anyone that you can think of to cast in an imaginary film of
Eddings' works has already been suggested by someone else. Third, that
knowledge hasn't stopped anyone else from posting THEIR casting suggestions, so
why should it stop you?
Just don't be surprised at the moans of dismay from the old-timers.
It's also been suggested by one or two old-timers that it's a good idea if
you do want to restart the casting thread to give it a subject header that is
easily identified, such as "The Belgariad… the movie!" That way
those who have seen it 958 times before can spot it quickly and avoid it.
C. Wouldn't it be great if there was a new book in the world of the
Belgariad/Elenium?
It would probably be a good story if David Eddings wrote it, however it is
not going to happen. He has stated quite firmly that there will be no further
books in either of the worlds he has created so far. So, there will be no
"Sephrenia the Styric", "Poledra the Wolf" or "The Story of Talen and
Aphrael".
D. Will there be a movie/CD-ROM game based on the Belgariad/Elenium?
On the Polgara Scrapbook, David quite clearly states his position. There
will be no spin-offs of any sort, as he will not allow anyone to touch
something he spent twenty years writing.
E. Gee, has anyone noticed that the plots of Eddings' fantasies
are all kind of similar?
[sarcasm alert] Gosh, you're kidding! Wow, what an insight! We'd have never
noticed if you hadn't mentioned it!
David Eddings has obviously developed what he considers to be a very
serviceable plot, well suited to the type of fantasies that he writes. And
since his many fans (i.e., us) continue to buy his books, he doesn't feel any
pressing need to develop a new plot. That Eddings is capable of coming up with
_different_ plots is evident from his two non-fantasy novels, neither of which
involves a quest for a blue stone. In addition, while the plots of Eddings'
two fantasy series are similar on the surface, there are many differences to be
found in terms of themes, character development, etc. There has been much
discussion of this on the newsgroup, and most people seem to agree that the
Elenium is much darker than the Bel/Mal, in terms of theme, issues dealt with
and the general mood of the story. And as Rumor has often pointed out there is
more adventure in the Bel/Mal and more political intrigue in the Elen/Tam. The
difference is, in fact, radical enough that a number of people have admitted to
being initially put off by the Elenium because it was different from the
Bel/Mal. For this reason, I usually advise a 1-2 month waiting period after
finishing one series before starting the other.
BELGARIAD/MALLOREON
F. Inconsistencies
Inconsistencies come in three flavors: 1) Editing mistakes, 2)
Sheer boneheaded errors, and 3) Illogical actions.
Editing mistakes are those errors that crept in during the printing
process. These generally consist of misspellings or incorrect character
identifications. Boneheaded errors are those where the writer simply forgot
that he has already named (or described) something, and later gives it a
completely different name (or description). Illogical actions are things that
happen that, based on other information in the story, seem REALLY stupid.
1) Editing Mistakes
Chaldan/Chamdar
At one point in _The Seeress of Kell_, the "bull-god of
the Arends" is identified as "Chamdar" rather than
"Chaldan."
The Wandering L's
Gethell/Gethel (the King of the Thulls) and Xbel/Xbell
(a dryad) appear at various times with their names
spelled either with one 'L' or two 'L's. In the case of
Gethell, the two 'L' version is used most frequently,
and appears to be the proper spelling. Xbel appears an
equal number of times spelled both ways, but since no
other dryads have double letters in their names, I'm
willing to assume that Xbel is the correct spelling.
2) Boneheaded Errors
The name of Brand's oldest son
Brand's oldest son is identified twice during the
course of the Belgariad as "Bralon." He reappears in
the Malloreon as "Verdan."
The name of the young prince who survived the slaughter of
the rest of the Rivan line by Salmissra.
In the Belgariad, when Polgara tells Garion the story
of the young prince's escape, she gives his name as
"Gared." When Belgarath tells an expanded version of
the story in _Belgarath the Sorcerer_, the prince's
name is "Geran."
3) Illogical Actions
In _Pawn of Prophecy_, Durnik easily dispatches Brill when
he finds him spying on the others. Later, we find that
Brill is actually an incredibly skilled fighter and
assassin, and there really shouldn't have been any way that
a simple blacksmith (even one with two lives) could have
caught him off guard.
Of course, the fun part about illogical action
inconsistencies is that the True Fan can come up with
explanations for them. Two possibilities that have been
discussed in a.f.e. are: 1) Brill didn't want to blow
his cover, so he allowed Durnik to catch him. 2) The
Prophecy of Light interfered.
In the Belgariad, it comes as a complete surprise to
everyone that Asharak, the Murgo merchant, is actually
Chamdar, the Grolim almost-disciple of Torak. In _Belgarath
the Sorcerer_, both Silk and Belgarath are aware that
Chamdar uses the name Asharak.
Vanan
Donal Fellows has a fairly comprehensive compilation of the endless Dryad
threads. To take a look, check out his hompage. (URL given at the end of this
FAQ).
Although to date I have heard of three possible explanations for this,
below is Rumor's explanation, the most comprehensive explanation I've yet seen.
Keep in mind that PtS was discarded when considering this question. The general
consensus is that Eddings wasn't thinking clearly when he wrote the section
where Polgara briefly writes about this subject.
It's really very simple (long, but simple): The dryad invariably has one
"human" X chromosome and one "dryad" X chromosome. When a dryad (female, of
course) and a human male produce a female child, the male has donated an X
chromosome, which still pairs with during mitosis and meoisis so that the child
can grow and produce eggs (not so strange - the Y and X chromosomes of humans
are extremely different and still pair in cell division, and in this case, it's
the dryad X that varies slightly from the human X). Now, in human females, one
X chromosome in _every_ cell of the body becomes inactivated after a few weeks
of
life. (It becomes super-condensed because a double-dose of genes would be too
much - it is then called a Barr body). In dryad female offspring, the human X
serves to determine sex of the child, and then is the one condensed in every
cell of the dryad's body (in humans, it is a random choice in the cells, but it
could _easily_ be forced in dryad cells, because the two X chromosomes are
slightly different, so one can be recognized as the human one and then
condensed). The simplest mechanism for this would be a protein or series of
protein reactions derived from the dryad X to inactivate the human X.
Thus, a female child develops via the dryad X. Because half of her genome
is human, dryads appear very much like humans. (The dryad half couldn't be much
different anyway, because all chromosomes have to pair in cell division).
Males: Child receives human male Y and a dryad female X. The male Y
chromosome codes for a gene product (TDF maybe - the testis (male) determining
factor) that inactivates portions of the dryad X chromosome that deal with
dryad physiology. This is entirely possible - on all chromosomes, areas of the
chromosome are regulated separately and turned 'on' or 'off' at the genetic
level by protein and DNA packing regulation. Thus, a protein from the Y,
normally meant only for some human purpose (such as TDF, which develops a male
into a male) could also bind to the dryad X or cause some sort of signal
cascade that deactivates the specific dryad genes - remember that the dryad X
is quite similar to the human X which can clearly be indicated by their stark
similarity to humans, so all the normal physiological genes needed from the X
chromosome remain active. So, there you go. Gene regulation and inactivation.
Simple, real, human genetics that can be applied to the dryad system, which
must be amazingly similar to ours if human males can actually manage to
reproduce with them.
Re: "Half-dryad" and "full-dryad" nomenclature
Or, why there are no full dryads
_All_ dryads are half-dryad because half their genome is from a human, in
which case, the definition for "dryad" becomes "half-dryad," and the word
"dryad" still is correct: Dryads are all half-dryads, but are still called
dryads, because there are no full-dryads.
An analogy: the word hypercholesterolemia. This is a disease in which a
person has one of _two_ genes defective for a certain receptor that allows
cholesterol to be taken out of the blood. That is to say, the person has one
mutant copy of the gene and one wildtype (normal) copy.
Hypercholesterolemia breeds true (it is genetic, so obviously...), but the
definition refers to a half-hypercholesterolemic, technically...
However, people with two copies are _not_ called hypercholesterolemic (ack,
bad example! Typing that is annoying! ^_^), because there aren't any. Two
copies of the mutant are lethal, so all "full-hyper'emics" are dead. Hence the
word, like dryad, technically means a half-breed, but that's _all_ it means, so
it is still the correct connotation. "Dryad" _means_ half-breed, and there are
_no_ "full-dryads." So, essentially, when Polgara refers to Ce'Nedra is a
half-dryad, it's still what we're all used to.
My explanation way above also explains how a female with only one dryad X
can have the same phenotype of a theoretical full dryad.
Re: Children of dryads, especially males.
Without a deletion, half the male children of a dryad would have all their
daughters (grand-daughters of the dryad) be dryads again; the gene causing
dryad-ness in females would resurface after a generation. So, deletion of this
gene by male children of dryads is likely possible, probably through an induced
inversion mechanism, although it deoesn't really matter.
Actually, if a dryad X underwent auto-inversion in males across the
centromere of the X chromosome... the dryad X chromosomes would break up. Thus,
sons of dryads could only have male kids, and the dryad chromosome would be
_lost_ in that first generation.
Would anybody ever notice that particular orphans found near the Wood of
the Dryads only have male children. Probably not, actually. Medical records in
Tolnedra were probably sketchy.
The necessity for such a mechanism depends on whether a dryad is in any way
recognizable from a normal human. Suppose the gene is not normally deleted,
and a dryad-borne male is dumped into Tolnedra as an orphan (as per Aphrael's
theory). He has three children in his lifetime, two of which are female, and
thus both are dryad. _However,_ he doesn't know he's carrying the dryad genes
on his X chromosome (which is given to all female children), and so nobody
ever realizes they're dryad. _And_ if they're never bonded to a tree... then
they don't have an extended lifetime (we _know_, despite the dryad/tree
argument that tree age is the reason the dryads live so long. Xantha states
it). So, nobody ever realizes she's dryad, and nothing ever comes of it...
If this is the case, there's probably a lot of unclaimed dryads running
around clueless in Tolnedra. Personally, I prefer the deletion/inversion
theory, because it's simpler, neater, and wraps everything up just fine.
Occam's Razor, n' such.
H. Immortality (a.k.a. The Other Thread That Will Not Die)
We've already witnessed that Belgarath, Polgara, Beldin and the other
sorcerers have lived for centuries. So doesn't this mean that Garion will have
the same life span? What will happen to the Rivan line? Will Garion abdicate
when Geran is old enough to take over? And what about Ce'Nedra, won't she live
a long time, too, at least until her tree dies?
Everybody seems to have an opinion on this one. First of all, we never
learn if the sorcerers are, in fact, immortal or if they just have a very long
life span. And secondly, we never know if long life is part of the natural
order of sorcerers or if Belgarath was allowed to live for 7000 years because
the Prophecy needed him. There are two major schools of thought on this one.
The first is that the sorcerers are, in fact, immortal and will live forever.
The second is that the Prophecy's work is done and things will resume their
natural order, and the sorcerers will die in the normal course of time now.
Take your pick, because there doesn't seem to be enough evidence to prove
either theory.
As for the Rivan line, most people seem to agree that if Garion is, in
fact, going to live for a long, long time, he will hand over the crown to Geran
when Geran reaches a suitable age. Garion was never that thrilled to be a king
in the first place, and there doesn't seem to be any reason why he would want
to extend that role for several centuries.
And with regard to Ce'Nedra, there are two major schools of thought on
that. Some people believe that she will live as long as her tree (how long her
tree will live is a whole other tangent thread), while others believe that the
Prophecy tweaked things a bit so that Ce'Nedra will live as long as Garion
does.
I. The mark on Garion's hand -- is it symbolic of the Rivan line or
the mark of his being a sorcerer?
As with most of these questions, there are two schools of thought on this
one. Some people believe that the mark signifies Garion's place in the Rivan
line, and point to the fact that all the Rivan kings had the mark, even after
they went into hiding and never touched the Orb. Others believe it is the mark
of Garion's sorcery, and point to the facts that 1) we are told that all the
sorcerers had some sort of mark signifying their talent -- Polgara has her
white lock, Belgarath has a mark over his heart, etc. and 2) the mark on
Garion's hand throbs, itches or burns when he uses sorcery, and also has some
sort of connection with Polgara's white lock. It's also been suggested that
the mark simply served both purposes.
J. So, what exactly is on Garion's amulet?
(Thanks to Jonathan Yen for this answer)
We have no clue. Eddings only made one comment on what was on the amulet.
In _Queen of Sorcery_, Garion looks at his amulet and notices that it has a
strange geometric design. That's it. For some reason, Garion never bothers to
look at his amulet ever again. Why? Don't ask me.
So, of course, there has been speculation on what is on the amulet.
Various things have been said, like a wolf, the orb, the Rivan sword going
through a crown, and a circle. Because Garion ain't that dumb, I think he
would have noticed that his amulet had a design of one of these rather than
think of it as a strange geometric design.
Aphrael posed the idea that the design on Garion's amulet was in fact a
moebius strip. "Something about two things becoming one or maybe it was one
thing becoming two. I don't know...I was feeling weird that day."
Amy Sheldon thought it might have been a rune; a weird character that
stands for an entire word (like in the Chinese language). Of course, this
started up a whole lot of speculation of what the word was...
K. What is this Bel/Pol prefix business?
-cont. by Donal Fellows with parenthetical
commentary by Amy Sheldon
`Bel' and `Pol' both mean beloved and nothing more. It's just that `Bel' is
the male form and `Pol' is the female form. Beldaran is an anomaly, but
languages (especially English) are full of them, so you'd better get used to
it...
(NOWHERE in either the Belgariad or Malloreon does it state that 'Bel' or
'Pol' means disciple. Aldur added it to his original disciples' names,
presumably as a sign that they were his "beloved disciples", but simply adding
'Bel' to a name no more makes a character Aldur's disciple then adding 'Fido'
to your name would make you into a dog.)
L. Why isn't 'Durnik' called 'Beldurnik'?
How do you know he isn't? Everyone is used to calling him 'Durnik' (and
he's used to be called Durnik), so just because he's a disciple now, and
officially entitled to add 'Bel' to his name doesn't mean everyone is going to
start calling him a totally different name.
M. Has anyone noticed the chess analogy in the titles of the
Belgariad?
The titles of the Belgariad all have two parts to them. One part refers to
a chess piece or move (e.g. Pawn, Gambit) and the other part is a reference to
some form of magic, or magical person.
There is quite a strong connection with chess throughout the Belgariad.
The game between the LP and the DP can be seen as a complicated game of chess
involving the characters (some people have gone as far as associating each
character with a type of chess piece). It has also been speculated that the
strange geometric design on Garion's amulet is in fact a chessboard.
The Mallorean titles are slightly more obscure. They use the title of an
individual and the place where they are located. (e.g. Seeress of Kell)
N. What was Beldin's first act of sorcery?
There is an inconsistency between accounts in Belgarath the Sorcerer and
Sorceress of Darshiva. In SoD Beldin says he was angry with Belgarath but
turned his will onto a tree instead. In BtS Belgarath asks Beldin to move a
rock to his tower and Beldin translocates it instead. A possible explanation
for this is that Beldin didn't want everyone to think his first act of sorcery
was to do something as simple as moving a rock.
O. Why can't Zedar get out of that hole Belgarath put him in?
(By Jonathan Yen, with parenthetical commentary by Amy Sheldon)
Well, Belgarath mentions that sorcerers can't undo what another sorcerer
does because everyone thinks differently. But Zedar ain't stupid, and so,
should be able to think of another way to get out, right? So, Belgarath must
have thought of a pretty elaborate way to keep Zedar down there. However, one
should remember that Zedar is stuck in rock for all eternity, which means that
he has sufficient oxygen and food for all eternity also. Or, it means that
Belgarath made provisions for his well-being for throughout eternity.
Two possible solutions have been proposed.
a) Zedar is stuck in rock like how Relg goes through it.
b) Zedar is in suspended animation.
(It should be noted that this is unlikely, as it wouldn't be that awful
a punishment if Zedar didn't know he was trapped.)
P. Speaking of Zedar, don't you think his punishment was too
harsh?
No.
Q. What is the sex of Polgara's twins?
It is never said. In the prologue and epilogue of PtS, the twins are
mentioned many times, and are quite clearly not referred to by name or sex.
This is quite deliberate. The reason given is that no one can now come up with
any suggestion for stories about the twins, because absolutely nothing is known
about them.
R. Who is the Wolf?
This is thought to be, as with the twins, an attempt to keep a few
loose ends lying around in the world of the Belgariad. The wolf refered to is
the one found by Poledra in the Mallorean. He is now Geran's pet/friend, and
in the epilogue of PtS he is described as having rather more intelligence than
your average wolf.
Some of the various explanations are: he is just an ordinary wolf, it's just
that wolves are very intelligent creatures, he is an embodiment of the Light
Prophecy, enjoying his retirement, or finally, he is David Eddings himself.
S. How did Polgara and Poledra merging help them remain unseen by
Torak?
The first time Polgara and Poledra merge form into the SuperOwl(tm),
Polgara remarks that it was the inward turning of themselves that made them
invisible. But that cannot be the whole reason, for it should be possible to
someone to turn their thoughts inward without merging with someone else. The
turning of thought can be seen as creating a shield against searching thoughts.
The merging process in combination with turning inward enables them to remain
unseen from Torak. It is possible that the merging means they can create the
shield and be aware of events happening outside of their merged form. Whereas
the shield Garion and Polgara made was imperfect at the join, a combined form
could create a perfect shield.
T. Why are there so many differences between BtS and PtS?
It seems to be on purpose. In one of the letters to the Polgara scrapbook,
David speaks about this, and says not to bother pointing them out. In the
book, Polgara says that she has a different viewpoint and remembers things
differently to Belgarath. Now, given the fact David has put this in, it means
he knows there are differences and doesn't want to change them. It is more
realistic to think that Polgara and Belgarath cannot remember something exactly
when it's something that occurred 3000 years ago.
ELENIUM/TAMULI
U. Inconsistencies
1.) Some terms that may be confused and are occasionally mixed up by
the editors.
a.) Elene/Elenian
The difference is pretty simple. "Elene" refers to an ethnic/racial group,
that group which dominates all of western Eosia, in the nations of Elenia,
Arcium, Deira, Thalesia, Pelosia, Lamorkand, Cammoria and Rendor, as opposed to
the Styric or Tamul races. "Elenian" refers to the citizens of a particular
Elene nation, Elenia. Not all Elenes are Elenian, nor are all Elenians
necessarily Elene, since a rural Styric living in Elenia could also be
classified as "Elenian."
b.) Patriarch/primate
A patriarch is one of the 168 members of the upper level of the Hierocracy
of the Elene Church. A primate, from all indications, is one rank below a
patriarch. If the patriarch of a particular city or district is incapacitated,
the primate acts in his stead. I compare them to the Roman Catholic ranks of
cardinal vs. Bishop. The major difference is that patriarchs can vote with the
Hierocracy and primates can't. This is why it was so important for Annias to
buy support among the patriarchs.
2.) Illogical gaps in the story
a.) When Ehlana coaxes the Bhelliom to let her touch it, Bhelliom flatly
refuses and states that it has _only once_ allowed a
non-divine, non-Anakha creature to touch it, and that was when Ghwerig
first lifted it from the earth. Yet we know that Adian must have
touched the stone when he stole it from Ghwerig's cave, and it's
likely that the Thalesian kings who followed him touched it as well.
Aside from concluding that the ancient stone of power was developing
Alzheimer's, the only explanation seemed to be that Bhelliom deliberately lied.
There has been much debate about why. We know, of course, that the story
about instant death if one touched Bhelliom was false and that Bhelliom itself
could decide who got to touch it. Rumor believes that Bhelliom was very proud
and egotistical, and didn't want to admit that so many people had been allowed
to touch it.Other's agree and add that Bhelliom was afraid that this would be
seen as a sign of weakness and as its alliance with Anakha was still relatively
new, it still didn't trust even its own creature.
b.) In Domes of Fire, Sparhawk mentions to Sephrenia that Aphrael can
fly, and Sephrenia replies that she never actually saw Aphrael do it,
but she assumed that her sister could fly. But later, we learn that
not only has Sephrenia seen Aphrael fly, but she's even been brought
along on about four or five flights in the last three centuries.
Someone jokingly suggested that Sephrenia had never "seen" Aphrael fly
because she always had her eyes closed in terror. But otherwise, there has not
yet been a logical explanation for this one.
V. Do the Elenium or Tamuli titles have any connections to the stories?
The Elenium titles are all related to types of precious stones. The Tamuli
is the hardest. The closest anyone has come up with is that they refer to
cities. The only problem is "The Shining Ones" but that could refer to the
city of Delphaeus, as Delphaeus means both the city and The Shining Ones.
W. What God is supporting Zalasta's spells when he crashes Sephrenia
and Vanion's wedding?
At the end of the Tamuli, Cyrgon is dead and Klæl is banished. If Styric
spells are nothing more than requests to a God, how do Zalasta's spells work at
Sephrenia and Vanion's wedding when he has no God left to appeal to?
This one was argued back and forth a bit. This is the one solution that
seems that Edæmus gave the Delphae the power to act on their own when he
departed to prepare the way for their eventual journey. It seems logical to
conclude, then, that a God or other source of power could just as easily have
given Zalasta the power to act on his own. Where he got that power from is
another matter entirely. Rumor and Aphrael concluded that it was Klæl. As
Rumor pointed out, a God is of this
(i.e., Sparhawk's) world and has reason to feel threatened by a human with the
power to act on his own. But for Klæl, Zalasta was little more than a tiny
speck who meant nothing. He would never be able to destroy or contend with
Klæl. The only two entities from whom Klæl had anything to fear were Bhelliom
and Anakha. So it would be no loss for Klæl to grant Zalasta the power to act
on his own.
X. If the Elder Gods were all confined and the Younger Gods were all
good guys, where did the renegade Styrics get their power?
This is one of those cases of not enough information. There are two
possibilities here. Either the renegades somehow found another Elder God
besides Azash who still had power despite his confinement, or else not all of
the Younger Gods were as lily-white as we're led to believe. In the first
scenario, it could be that the Elder Gods could still grant spells to
individuals in their confined state, but because of their lack of worshippers
they were somehow cut off from being powerful enough to command Bhelliom. On
the other hand, it's been proposed that it's entirely possible that there was
resentment among the Younger Gods, and that there were one or two who would
actually grant spells to renegades. It's doubtful, however that the resentment
extended so far as to go along with Zalasta's plot to destroy Aphrael,
therefore necessitating Zalasta's alliances with Azash and Cyrgon.
Y. Why was Sparhawk so afraid to let Wargun know that they were looking for
Bhelliom when they ran into Wargun in Pelosia? Wouldn't Wargun have agreed
to at least let Sparhawk borrow the stone if he knew it was their only hope?
And even if not, wouldn't it be easier to steal the stone from Wargun
after he and his army captured it from Ghwerig than to fight the Troll
himself?
It seems that we have to go on the assumption that Wargun was an erratic
drunk who was not thinking rationally. Add to that the fact that he probably
wouldn't have believed that the Bhelliom had magical powers and could cure
Ehlana, and chances are, he wouldn't believe that Sparhawk had a valid reason
for wanting the stone. As for the question of letting Wargun help capture the
stone and then stealing it from him, it's important to note that time was of
the essence. Half the knights whose lives were supporting Ehlana's had already
died. And, as Rumor pointed out, it would take a while just to move an army
from Pelosia to Thalesia. Besides, chances are that Wargun would have taken
his own soldiers with him and sent Sparhawk to Arcium. Considering that the
most important thing in Sparhawk's mind was restoring Ehlana, he couldn't
afford to gamble on the whims of an erratic, drunken king.
Z. Immortality (The Elenium Derivative)
If Danae is going to be Queen of Elenia and she is immortal, will she have
to grow old and die like a normal person?
Aphrael makes it clear at the end of the Elenium that she knows she will
have to play by the normal rules in her incarnation as Danae. As much as she
may be tempted, she isn't about to upset the Elene population of Eosia by
remaining a child for several centuries. So it's likely that at the appropriate
time, Danae will fake a nice, peaceful, painless death and move on to her next
incarnation.
AA. Will Eddings write any more on Sparhawk and the gang when he is
finished with _Polgara the Sorceress_?
No
THE ALT.FAN.EDDINGS NEWSGROUP
AB. alt.fan.eddings newsgroup; what is it, who created it, and when?
-Cont. by Aquarius
a.f.e. is the home of Eddings fanatics worldwide. The newsgroup has a high
level of traffic, several hundred posts a day, up from only a couple dozen only
a few years ago. The control message sent to alt.config came from Bob Snyder,
on behalf of Lydia Leong. The date was 17 May 1992. The reasons given for the
creation of the new group was that the existing place for discussion about
Eddings,rec.arts.sf.written, had a lot of flame wars about whether Eddings was
a good writer or not. It was felt that fans' questions were being lost as a
result of these flame wars. Interestingly, alt.fan.eddings was created with the
idea that it should also be a home for discussion about the Belgariad MUSH as
well. A fuller history of the newsgroup, and a full copy of the control message
can be seen at
http://www.members.tripod.com/~afecodex/
AC. Why does everyone have an Eddings alias, and how can I get one?
This popular habit was started around the summer of 97. There had always
been a few people using aliases, but more and more people started using them
until it was decided that some sort of system was needed to ensure that no two
people took the same alias. Teut monitors who has what alias and any questions
regarding aliases should be directed to te...@thebusstop.demon.co.uk. Teut
maintains a site listing all aliases currently in use. It can be found at
http://www.thebusstop.demon.co.uk/alias.htm
AD. What are the Silver Suggestions?
The "Silver Suggestions" are alt.fan.eddings' guide to good netiquette and
is posted, twice a month, by Itagne (or rather, his daemon Mordja). They are a
collection of statements which people should aim to follow when posting to
alt.fan.eddings. Newcomers are encouraged to read them, as well as the FAQ,
before posting for the first time. They include Aphrael's Three Commandments,
as mentioned in the main FAQ. To see the on-line copy of the Silver
Suggestions, visit http://www.greenbeak.demon.co.uk/afe/silver-suggestions/
AE. Who runs the Trivia quiz, and when is it posted to the newsgroup?
Simon Nickerson runs the AFE Trivia Quiz. A new quiz is posted once every
two weeks and everyone is encouraged to enter. Looking in the books for
answers is positively encouraged. Please don't post the answers to the
newsgroup, instead mail them to trivi...@iname.com. For further information,
refer to the guidelines set out in the Trivia Quiz posts, or the web page at
http://www.sigma.demon.co.uk/quiz.
AF. What exactly is Klæl's Army?
Klæl's Army was a rather innocuous looking thread about how the Arcerans
(aliens that Klæl brought over to fight in the Tamuli) could forge weapons in
the highly explosive atmosphere they lived in. It developed into a highly
complex and incomprehensible discussion about biology. Very quickly, it
became an in-joke to refer to it when any complicated thread was started, no
matter the subject. It has
returned this year and if anything, is even more complicated. Klæl's Army has
now joined the Dryad and Immortality threads into the history of
alt.fan.eddings.
AG. Where can a new user find information about this newsgroup?
Itagne (ita...@greenbeak.demon.co.uk) runs the AFE Daemon Catalogue which
can automatically send you various information packs about this newsgroup. To
get the Newbie pack send a blank email to afe-d...@greenbeak.demon.co.uk
with a subject of "get -newbie". For a catalogue of all the documents send an
e-mail to the same address as above with a subject of "get -cat". Please
ensure that your return email address is *NOT* disguised as you will not get a
reply. The catalogue can be found at one of Itagne's afe related sites
http://www.greenbeak.demon.co.uk/afe/dispatch-daemon/ along with a variety of
other files that the new user (or a returning old user who never read the
documents in the first place) might find of interest.
AH. Are there any rules for this newsgroup?
There are no formal rules. Most people seem to agree that this is a pretty
pleasant newsgroup with friendly people and low spam and troll ratios. But
there are three things we can all do to make sure things stay friendly and
relaxed. They are called the Three Commandments.
1.) Thou shalt not flame without malicious provocation.
Pretty self-explanatory. If someone says something that upsets you or that
you disagree with, tell them calmly, in polite language, and without resorting
to name-calling or personal attacks.
2.) Thou shalt not profane the works of thy authors David and Leigh
Eddings.
So maybe you didn't like _all_ of Eddings' books. Not everybody does. But
don't come out with belligerent statements like "This book sucks!" Instead,
state in intelligent, mature language that you had problems with this
particular book or series and explain why. Maybe there is even someone else
here who can offer you a new perspective on it that will make you appreciate it
more.
3.) Thou shalt not utilize foul or offensive language.
This one follows pretty logically from the other two. What is meant by
"foul or offensive language?" Basically, if you wouldn't say it in front of
your parents or other respected adults, or in the presence of particular
racial, ethnic or gender groups, don't say it here.
Vanan
A. IRC #eddings
Thanks in large part to the efforts of Ian Hutcherson and Rumor, afe has
its own channel on IRC. #Eddings channels are certainly welcome to be formed
on any net, but the one that seems to be the unofficial one is on Espernet. The
following information describing how to connect was contributed by Kamion and
describes how to connect to #eddings on Espernet.
First, you need an IRC (Internet Relay Chat) client. This enables you to
access IRC servers, which operate like your news server in distributing
messages among all the people using it, but in a matter of seconds rather than
minutes or hours so that it's possible to chat more or less at random without
the bandwidth restrictions on the newsgroup.
The most popular IRC clients by computer seem to be:
PC: mIRC - can be downloaded from the following sites:
UK: http://www.mirc.co.uk/
USA: http://www.geocities.com/~mirc/
South Africa: http://www.mirc.co.za/
Australia: http://mirc.eon.net.au/
among others.
Macintosh: IRCle - can be downloaded from the following sites:
USA (CA): http://www.ircle.com/
Australia: http://www.ozmac.com/
among others.
X Windows: Zircon - can be downloaded from:
UK: http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Programs/Zircon/
Acorn's RISC OS:
LIRC - http://isa.dknet.dk/~tolsson/files/lirc.zip
IRClient - http://willothewisp.demon.co.uk/software.html
iXRC = http://www.quadworks.co.uk/sub/products/ixrc/
There are lots of others.
http://www.yahoo.com/Computers_and_Internet/Internet/Chat/IRC/Software/
has a fairly good selection if none of the above suit you.
Once you've downloaded and installed your client, you need to configure it
to connect to Espernet, which is a group of IRC servers that all co-operate to
allow anyone using one of them to talk to anyone using any of the others. The
way you add a server depends on your client. In mIRC, for example, you click on
File / Setup / Add. You will then be prompted for
some information. The only important and/or obscure bits of this will be the
server and port number. You should ideally choose the server that's
geographically closest to you; you may pick a port number at random from those
that are available (or your client may allow you to enter several ports between
which it will choose each time you connect - check your help files for more
details).
The official list of Espernet servers, geographical locations, and ports
can be found at http://www.esper.net/, and at the time of
writing runs as follows:
chocobo.esper.net
Sacramento, California, USA
5555, 6666 - 6669, 7000
dragonfire.esper.net
McLean, Virginia, USA
5555, 6666 - 6669, 7000
dream.esper.net
San Diego, California, USA
5555
dwango.esper.net
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
5555, 6660 - 6670, 7000
excalibur.esper.net
Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
5555, 6666 - 6669, 7000, 8000
weyr.esper.net
Salt Lake City, Utah
5555
If you want, you can also connect to irc.esper.net, port 5555 (and possibly
others); this will connect you to a random server. However, I recommend
choosing one manually because, while you presumably know your geographical
location, irc.esper.net does not. You will not necessarily be connected to the
most appropriate server this way.
After you've filled in the nickname you want (and, if you want, an
alternative should your first choice be taken) press "Connect", or the
equivalent on your client, and you will (I hope) be connected to your chosen
server. You'll see a welcome message of some description, and then either you
will be presented with a list of channels (the IRC jargon for a chat forum) or
you will see a vaguely unfriendly-looking command prompt.
In the first case, look for #eddings in the list with which you are
presented. Click on it, and press "Join" (or similar).
In the second case, or if you can't find #eddings in the channel list (in
which case you can probably press something like "Cancel" to get you to a
command prompt), you will need to issue an IRC command. These can be
recognized by the fact that they start with a slash (/). The particular
command you need in this case is "/join #eddings" (without the quotes).
There may not necessarily be anybody on the channel when you arrive. This is
quite normal. Just wait a while, or try a different time of day. In my
experience, late evening and the early hours of the morning UK time are quite
popular, though, given the fact that AFE posters and lurkers are distributed
all over the globe, other times may well be popular too.
If you need any further help, you should be able to get it from #eddings
itself.
B. Web pages
EDDINGS HOME PAGES:
Donal Fellow's Eddings Page
http://r8h.cs.man.ac.uk:8000/eddings/
Eddings trivia, voting on items of interest to Eddings fans, and
links to other sites. His site also contains a copy of the a.f.e. Recommended
Fantasy Author List.
Paul Farris' Eddings Page - "The Vale"
http://valhalla.vossnet.co.uk/p/paulf/eddings.htm
Contains Paul Farris' original Eddings FAQ, and well as links to other
sites and lots of other useful stuff. U.K. fans should note that Paul's FAQ has
the ISBNs of the *British* editions of David Eddings' books.
Sparhawk's Eddings Web Site
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Vault/1424
Guardians of The West
http://thor.cam.ac.uk/~cjw44/eddings
Maintained by Kamion, this contains many excellent features, including
Eddings in the Real World. It also has some good links to other Eddings web
sites. Be warned this contains many advanced HTML features and may only be
used with some of the later browsers.
Aphrael's Isle
http://www.microserve.net/~aphrael/eddings.html
This site concentrates on the Elenium and Tamuli series, which makes it unique
in itself. It has a very good character list.
The AFE Codex
http://www.members.tripod.com/~afecodex/
More about alt.fan.eddings rather than Eddings' himself. It has descriptions
of many of the regulars on AFE and also contains a
history of the newsgroup.
The Happy Bunny Sanctuary http://www.sigma.demon.co.uk/
Contains the Trivia Quiz and also a graphical display of the Rivan line
family tree.
The Eddings Web Ring
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Vault/6498/Eddings_Ring.html
This collection of web sites is a link to18 different sites.
Aquarius' Site http://www.kryogenix.albatross.co.uk/afe/
This site contains the fanfic archive, the nvFAQ and the AFE Code decoder
and creator. It also gives an explanation of afec, and contains a copy of the
afec FAQ.
C. Other sites of interest:
The Recommended Fantasy Author List
http://www.sff.net/people/Amy.Sheldon/listcont.htm
Listing of fantasy authors recommended by readers of the alt.fan.eddings
newsgroup. Contains descriptive listings on more than
150 authors, forthcoming titles, book news, and numbers of recommendations.
Del Rey homepage
http://www.randomhouse.com/delrey/
Del Rey is Eddings' publisher in the U.S., and their site often has news
about his upcoming work. They also publish quite a few other fantasy authors,
and you can find sample
chapters and all kinds of goodies there.
CREDITS AND THANKS
(Amy Sheldon)
Special thanks and my eternal gratitude to Paul Farris, Donal Fellows, and
Jonathan Yen, who let me use information that they had already gathered and
pounded into useable form. I am grateful for their hard work, and their
graciousness in allowing me to swipe^H^H^H^H^H utilize their efforts.
And, of course, I could never forgive myself if I forgot to thank Anthony
Chan, who 'waaaay back in 1994 began the grim task of
hacking together an Eddings FAQ (he eventually gave it up and decided to do
something a bit easier - complete his medical
degree.)
Thanks also to:
Daniel Peters, for the original list of German titles, and Denis Aumueller,
who sent the titles of Eddings' other works and added ISBNs.
Raul de Vincenzi, Geoff Hunter and Ginger941, who provided help with ISBNs,
as well as a few encouraging words.
Joy Green, who provided the descriptions for _High Hunt_ and _The Losers_
Arto Repola, who provided the Finnish version of the titles.
Francis Cornet, who provided the French titles and ISBNs.
Patrik Montgomery, who provided the Swedish titles.
Marcello Manicardi, who provided the Italian titles.
And, of course, Kalten, who provided the best commentary I've received on
this FAQ since it came out (unfortunately, much of it isn't
suitable for a family publication...)
Aph's thanks:
Amy Sheldon, for entrusting me to take over the maintenance of the FAQ and
for having it so well written to begin with so that all I had to
do was add a few things.
Rumor and Peta Young, for their parts in hammering out some of the theories
I've added to the FAQ.
Ian Hutcherson, for all his work organizing the #eddings channel.
Sarabian's thanks:
Aphrael and Amy Sheldon, the previous two FAQ maintainers, for making the
job of doing an update so easy. Having such an excellent base to work with
made the job so much easier.
Vanan, for getting the whole update moving and also for setting up the IRC
channel for discussion about the FAQ.
Kamion, for provided some excellent information especially regarding the
foreign titles. Both Vanan and Kamion had HTML versions of the FAQ, but
special thanks must also go to Ian Hutcherson for creating the original version
and setting up the Geocities site.
Aquarius, Rumor, Charles Meigh, Simon Nickerson, Itagne, Daniel Peters,
Dominic Wynn, Aslade, Ce'Nedra, Bernadette Crumb(aka Taiba), Anna Davies and
Kalten, all for providing valuable information, being
excellent reviewers and finding all my mistakes.
And many, many more people on alt.fan.eddings for thinking of the questions
and making my job simple by providing the answers.
Dave's thanks
Amy Sheldon, for putting in all the work towards creating the document in
the first place and for maintaining it for so many years.
Aphrael, for writing the majority of the Elenium/Tamuli section herself.
Sarabian, for creating the FAQ addendum and thus making this a great deal
easier as well as for helping review and edit the final document.
Kamion, for contributing the IRC helper section, among many others, and for
going a long way towards recovering the FAQ from its MIT autoposting status,
and for reviewing and editing the final document.
Itagne, for contributing various additions and corrections to the FAQ,
especially additions to the foreign titles section, and for continuing to find
the most blatant mistakes that the rest of us missed.
Vanan
many other defects, AOL also doesn't know how a document will appear once
posted. If anyone has the time (and ability) to clean this up, I'd appreciate
it.
Vanan
Jaycey
It's not that bad... <searches in vain for something really
terrible>. If you *do* mean the layout, it'd take about 10 minutes;
happy to do it.
Jaycey... {:->
--
Andrew J. Shore,
Guardian of AFE and Last Defender of the Rights of Dragons.
aka Jaycey on AFE, Contention-among-dragons, various others.
"Do not meddle in the affairs of Dragons - for you are crunchy, and taste good
with ketchup!" - Uni of Warwick lamppost
Jaycey
Just a thought:
Is it me, or is the "Half-dryad versus Full-dryad" explanation
totally incomprehensible unless you already know what's going on? :)