The Rivan Codex: Ancient Texts of THE BELGARIAD and THE MALLOREON. - Hardcover

Eddings, Leigh

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0345424026 ISBN 13: 9780345424020

Publisher: Del Rey, 1998

Synopsis

Ancient Texts of The Belgariad and The Malloreon

When David Eddings sketched a strange map one morning before work, he took the first step in an extraordinary imaginative journey that would last for years and result in a majestic saga of Gods, Kings, and Sorcerers--one loved by millions of readers the world over. Now David and Leigh Eddings take us on a fascinating behind-the-scenes tour of the extensive background materials they compiled before beginning the masterpiece of epic fantasy unforgettably set down in The Belgariad and The Malloreon and their two companion volumes, Belgarath the Sorcerer and Polgara the Sorceress.

Our tour stretches from the wealthy Empire of Tolnedra to the remote Isle of the Winds, from the mysterious mountains of Ulgoland to the forbidding reaches of darkest Mallorea. We will visit the time before Time when two opposing Destinies began the cataclysmic struggle for supremacy that would involve Gods and men alike, crack a world asunder, and threaten to unravel the fabric of the universe itself. We will see the origin of the Orb of Aldur and glimpse the final act upon the Sardion Stone.

Along the way, we will stop to greet old friends: Belgarath, the Old Wolf, disciple of the god Aldur; Polgara, his enigmatic daughter; brave Belgarion, the Rivan King; and his beautiful Queen, Ce'Nedra. Old enemies will be waiting, too: the maimed god Torak, evil incarnate; Zandramas, fearsome Child of the Dark; and the tragically corrupted traitor, Belzedar.

Rare volumes will be opened to your eyes. Sacred holy books in which you may read the secrets of the Gods themselves and of their prophets. Scholarly histories of the rise and fall of empires from the Imperial Library at Tol Honeth. The profound mysteries of the Malloreon Gospels.

Brimming with the adventure, romance, and excitement readers have come to expect from David and Leigh Eddings--including invaluable advice for aspiring writers on how and how not to create their own fantasy worlds--The Rivan Codex will enrich your understanding of all that has gone before . . . and whet your appetite for all that is yet to come.

About this title

Review

So you want to write a multivolume, bestselling epic fantasy? Here's the book to help you. The Rivan Codex was published to answer the many letters David and Leigh Eddings have received from students, teachers, and aspiring writers. It's a companion to the 12-book fantasy series comprised of The Belgariad (five books), The Malloreon (five books), Belgarath the Sorcerer and Polgara the Sorceress. In David Eddings's words, The Rivan Codex "may give the student of our genre some insights into the creative process--something on the order of 'connect wire A to wire B. Warning! Do not connect wire A to wire C, because that will cause the whole thing to blow up in your face." This is a collection of the groundwork David and Leigh Eddings laid for the Belgariad and Malloreon series. On this firm foundation they imagined and built their world in book after book.

There's a fascinating introduction, a personal history of Belgarath the sorcerer, Holy Books, Gospels, Histories, King Anheg's diary, and an afterword. Footnotes tell how the authors used and changed these materials in writing the books. And of course, there are plenty of maps (the starting point for all epic fantasies). --Nona Vero

From the Publisher

Truth to tell, I'd give anything for a new Eddings novel, a new world where David and Leigh can work the magic they did with The Belgariad and The Malloreon, The Elenium and The Tamuli. There's nothing like an Eddings adventure.
        But while the Eddings are busy inventing a new world and peopling it with heroes and vallains and just-plain-folks (skulking and otherwise), it's nice to peek behind the scenes and see what went into inventing the world of The Belgariad. It helps you appreciate why it does take so long to start a truly new series. And, as one of the first people to see the rough material of this book said--how did she put it?--it's actually very giving of Dave to share this much of the creative process with his readers. And as impatient as we all are for a new adventure, I think we've got time to sit and reminisce with old friends...

--Veronica Chapman, Senior Editor

Edition details

• Publisher: Del Rey
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0345424026
• ISBN 13: 9780345424020
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 394