David Eddings

"When ignorance is bliss, there's folly in wisdom."

David Eddings is an American author who has written several best-selling series of epic fantasy novels. David Eddings' wife, Leigh Eddings, is uncredited as co-author on many of his early books, but he has lately acknowledged that she contributed to them all.

David Eddings' first books (which were general fiction) sold moderately well. He later switched to writing epic fantasy, a field in which he has achieved great success. In a recent interview with sffworld.com, he says: "I don't take orders from readers."

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 into the puddle to test if it was still flammable.

On February 28, 2007, David Eddings' wife, Leigh Eddings (born Judith Leigh Schall), died following a series of strokes. She was 69

What genre does David Eddings write?

David Eddings is best known for epic fantasy series. He began writing general fiction but achieved his greatest success with multi-volume epic fantasy novels.

What are his major series and in what order should I read them?

Major series include The Belgariad (start with Pawn of Prophecy) followed by its sequel The Malloreon (start with Guardians of the West); The Elenium (start with The Diamond Throne) followed by The Tamuli (start with Domes of Fire). These pairs are linked and are best read in sequence. The Dreamers books form a separate series.

Are there standalone novels by Eddings worth starting with?

Yes. The Redemption of Althalus and Regina's Song are examples of standalone novels you can read without prior knowledge of his series work.

Did anyone else contribute to Eddings' books?

Leigh Eddings, his wife, contributed to many of his early books and was not formally credited on some; he later acknowledged her contributions to his work.