The Redemption of Althalus.

Althalus - Burglar, armed robber and occasional murderer - is commissioned to steas a book by a mysterious cloaked stranger named Ghend.  Althalus sets off to the House at the End of the World where the book is kept - after stealing Ghend's cloak; after all, winter is coming on.

At the House at the End of the World, in the same room as the book Ghend described, he finds a talking cat.  What he can't find once he's in the house is the door by which he entered.

By the time he manages to escape - with the cat, Emerald, in the hood of his cloak - Althalus can read.  He's read the Book of Deiwos, and discovered a tool mightier than the blunt instrument he once used to disable his victums.  But there is another Book, written by the god Daeva who is the evils brother of Deiwos, and who is trying to unmake the world.

Emerald is in fact the sister of the two conflicting gods, and her intention is to use Althalus to stop Daeve returning all of them to primordial chaos.  Althalus will teach her what she needs to know, which is how to lie, cheat and steal - 'Whatever works,' Emerald reflects - and in return she, more amazingly, will teach Althalus truth, justice and morality.

The existence of the world hangs in the balance in this fabulous and extraordinary story of The Redemption of Althalus.... the rogue destined to steal the hears and minds of readers.

Score: 4.328
Coments: 

An excellent, if somewhat typical Eddings novel. My only quarrel is the lack of a scene in which Eliar regains his sight, as his rather abrupt recuperation is contradictory to the long process of hooking him up to Leitha without an eventual sign of his return. I think Eliar parallels Berit, Bheid is much like Relg and Vanion, Andine is another Ce'Nedra, Leitha is both Adara and Kalten's girlfriend from the Tamuli, and Dweia is Sephrenia/Polgara/Cyradis, with enough Xantha of the Dryads to make this truly fascinating. Althalus is clearly a cousin to Belgarath, and Gelta is a mutant evil Mirtai. Lovely plot, though I'd like to see an illustrated version with the statue in Maghu. Very nice.

Althie, Althie, Althie. This book is brilliant i have read it sooo many times the best bit is when he is being discribed in the introduction and its true he could make the trees giggle and the mountains laugh right out loud

I have always loved Eddings Novels, but was a bit downhearted after reading this book.  Something was missing...
The story has too many loose ends, little bi-plots which go nowhere, or disappear out of sight.  Nonetheless, Althalus remains a grand fantasy novel - yet anbother one...

I enjoyed it thoroughly, it trulely was a stroke of genious. I didn't have any comlpaints with it although as i think of it there are quite a few similarities between previous characters but the book itself was, I think, far from typical.

This is the first David & Leigh Eddings novel I've read, and I'm still halfway through it, but I have found so far that the mix of subtle humor, tense action and great character interaction (particularally between Althalus and Emmy) work very well.

Excellent as all of the other books. One cannot help but become emotionally involved with the characters and as always the subtle humour is there. I would LOVE to see this or any of the others made into a movie.

A rather diasappointing piece of work here. It started of very well, but after Althalus made it to the house things started going downhill very fast as it became yet another tale of bumbling, incompotent villains and bright shining heroes who outwit said villains at every turn. There is not a single moment of suspense in this book, as there is never a moment where the heores struggle to overcome evil. Add this to two-dimensional characters with annoying and unbelievable diologue and we have a real stinker.

yet another exellent story, i got so into it that i almost forgot to sleep!!! david and leigh have a way of bringing all the characters to life you can almost see and hear them.

the book is more mature then the garion books, its booth good and bad.
I like Althalus more cus he is more as I said more mature.
When garion is like 25 he�s still i child.

Cardboard characters, unbelievably stupid villains, corny, cliched heroes, a predictable plot with more holes than swiss cheese. Add all of these together and you are left with The Redemption of Althalus, easily the worst piece of fantasy fiction ever written. What really bug me though is... when exactly did Althalus redeem hinself? Was it when he went back in time to swinle all those he missed, or was it when he slept with a bimbo goddess? Seems he was rewarded for his vices, not redeemed.

Anyway, a truly 'orrible book, unless you like pulp.

This was the first David & Leigh Eddings book and I loved it. Great plot and characters.

I loved the book. There were reminders of the Belgariad and the Mallorean in it, but that was really only ot be expected. I think that my favorite part of the book was the very last conversation between Dweia and Althalus. I think that my favorite character had to be Gher. He was so cute, and very intelligent. This is just an all around great book, but what else can you expect from David and Leigh?

I just love this book!!!!!!!It's so good!!!!!!
I'm going to read it again someday!!!!!!!!!!

this was the first Eddings book i read and it was Wickid from start to finish most books that long just drag on and on but this kept me hooked the whole way through

although the language is quite informal, it in turn makes the story far more human and easy to read, so you can concentrate more on the characyters and the plot more then the language. It's pretty enjoyable so far. very cool.

FFS Ziggy. What the hell are you talking about! This book is anything but bad and is hardly the worst fantasy book ever written! In fact it is far from it. What were you on when you decided to come here and start knocking this great book. Go somewhere else and insult people because it seems that apart from you and one other person here everyone else simple loves reading "supposed" pulp.

In my opinion this was a gem of a book. Traditional Eddings humour and nicely constructed characters gave this book a nice touch.

I haven't read the all book yet, but allready now I love the book.

*AHEM*

If I wanted a story about a bunch of horny teenagers easily thwarting stupid yet harmless villains with no real danger to themselves, I would have watched old scooby-doo cartoons, at least they hvae some mildly-exciting bits (the humour is marginally better too). Unlike this book.

i fell in love with the book as soon as i started i wish it was a series!!!!!

I loved the book and I really was suprised by the ending.

This is the first David and Leigh Eddings Book I've read. The deep plot was responsible for a lot of sleepless nights and missed meals and I nearly developed a permanent insomnia! I totally agree with Ray from N.Y. It's easy to get so attached to the characters. I too would love to see a movie come out of it, but Ziggy DOES have a few points there... I guess I just love that kind of thing....It's morally satisfying, although unrealistic, but that's fantasy, isn't it? 

This book is great! My only problem is the missing maps from some of his other books.

Yes Ziggy I can concede your point, but The Redemption Of Althalus is still a great read. I have read ALL of Eddings other books and this one is still a great novel. Plots that don't go anywhere just mean that as always there's going to be a sequal. The plot in Pawn of Profecey had a lot of holes in it but by the time Enchanters End Game came about they were all neatly tied up. I don't know if Eddings intends to put a sequal out for this book, but it sure looks that way to me. Villans ARE stupid who else would team up against two gods?? As for Cardboard characters.... there are a lot of similarities between Mr. Eddings characters but that's true of many authors. I could never get Garion,Sparhawk and Althalus mixed up. Eddings is the only author that has given me the feeling of visiting "old Friends" when I read and re-read his books. That counts for a lot.

I really enjoyed this book as i've enjoyed all of Eddings novels. Eddings will always be my favourite author but I think i've outgrown him, it's time to just enjoy the memories.

After reading alot of other books by Edding's, I must say this is a repetition of his other works. But its still a good read.

This is the first Eddings novel I have ever read. I was mostly a John Grisham reader and never did fancy fantasies. Well my friend Alison introduced me to the world of David Eddings and I must say I'm hooked. This book has kept me glued page after page with new surprises and of course David and Leigh's sarcasm throughout the novel. After Redemption of Althalus I plan on reading more of David and Leigh Eddings novels.

It managed to capture my attention for the length of the book, but the plot was fairly predictable once the "abilities" of the House become known. Furthermore, the characters are given a pretty superficial treatment despite the length of the novel, and the main character bears too much resemblance to other Eddings protagonists.

Awesome book!! I have read all of the Eddings's books, and I think they're awesome!! No one could mix up childlike Garion, emotionless Sparhawk, or sarcastic ALTHALUS up. Score one each for David and Leigh Eddings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I couldnt put this book down, it was soo great! I thought it was a little drawn out in parts but it was fabulous nonetheless.

This book was so boring I could hardly read it through. I especially hated the characters, they were bad copies of the ones in Edding's previous books. The plot was predictable and though there were a few good parts, this was the worst fantasybook I have ever read. THE REDEMPTION OF ALTHALUS SUCKS!!!

They really need to add a 0 to their scale. I have read and really enjoyed the Belgariad books (have read all his others but they were on so so) but this was pathetic. The cheesy quips/comments/pet names really started to grate after 100 pages and there was still 700 to go! I never once felt a sense of danger for the good guys and the "evil" guys were so inept I don't know why they even bothered trying to stop them. I think Eddings has been going downhill since he released the same story 5 times (Mallorean/Belgarath/Polgara/ Riven Codex are all the same as the Belgariad). This will be the last Edding's book I read.

I found this book to be truly disappointing. I found too many similarities between this book and Eddings' other books. I understand why he wrote the Sparhawk series after he wrote the Garion series. From what I understand he started writing the Garion series and came up with a bunch of what ifs. But with Redemption of Althalus I don't know what in the world the Eddings were thinking. Normally I breeze through an Eddings novel in an hour or two but it took me several months to finish this book because I didn't care what happened. If Eddings does put out an other novel I will probably still read it, but I might wait for it to show up at the library instead of purchasing it.

I saw this book while browsing at a local Borders store. I was craving for a fantasy book being that I had been reeled in by "The Lord of the Rings" and "Dungeons & Dragons." I usually do pick books by the covers, and this one managed to catch my attention. I read a little and I really had no idea it would be this good. I love this book. I still haven't read it, but it has so many interesting things I had never read before (even though I haven't read a lot of fantasy books). The house and the doors, Emmy the cat is really a cool character, Althalus is an awesome person, Eliar, Aldine, everybody has their own thing and it's great!
I can't wait to finish it, and I will be reading more and more David & Leigh Eddings books.

A great book! I love the books of David Edding!

This book is truly one of the best books that I have ever read, but mainly
because I love ancient thieves, and placed into perspective, Althalus is
extremely high classed as a thief. Others who say " I havent read all of the
book because of the stupid pet names " have no right to say that, because
until you've read the book you won't understand their significance, unless
you are the best fantasy reviewer you think you are, Leitha calling Althalus
Daddy is a cry of loneliness, and Althalus calling Dweia Emmy is a mark of
his wit and love towards the goddess. Anyone who disagrees, all I can say to
you is, don't become a fantasy critic, cos you'll get fired first review.

It was very predictable and the repeated use of certain phrases and Eddings'
fettish for "perfectly rounded arms" grated my nerves, yet I couldn't help
but love this book. I loved the characters especially and the seemingly
petty pieces of dialect actually made the book more enjoyable. I must say it
is very confusing to both love and mildly dislike a book at the same time.

Nadie escribe como �l

I've read the Belgariad and the Mallorean series also the"Pol","Old Wolf"(my favorite,I have an uncle just like Beldin!!,with out the "gift"unfortunatly!!),and the Rivan codex,six to go then...David an

Some people take life way too seriously, this was a great book, dare I say even the best so far, the only dissapointment I hade with it was that the story ended after only one book, I did like the fact that when you finished one of his others, there would be another book waiting for you to pick up to continue the story.

I think the book was excellent. The plot hung together very well, and the characters had personalities, they werent made of cardboard. if you don't like this book, Ziggy, what do you like? 'The three little pigs?'!

loved this book.

I have read all of the Edding's books, many times, except this one. Obviously I went straight out to buy it when it came out but I can't get past the first couple of chapters and this is the only one which I have this problem with. I have been completely in love with all the others from the very first paragraph but this one just doesn't grab me. Is it really worth me giving it one more try?

a great book if i eaver read one!!!!!

The best book yet. He really shon with a toaly different setting and humorous chacters.
Ziggy has no idea what he is talking about. I challenge him to a dule
James "Busta Verse" Robinson

It is an excellent book with a supreb story line and brilliant characters , once picked up your not going to want to put it down

this book rocks im pickin it up for the 3rd time just for the contrast in character styles of other writers. For example, how often does the thief get to be the good guy? Its about damn time in my opinion. I agree that it needs to be made a movie.

I read this book when it came out. It took me a while to even beging to care about the character. However, when I did, it brought back a lot of the things about Edding's work that I love. I do not care it there are plots so full of holes that you drive a Hummer through them. Eddings gives us characters that you care about. So what that they are a little like his other characters. Isn't there a little Garion, a little Ce'Nedra, a little Sparhawk, and a little Ehlana in us all?

I looooooooooooooovvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeee TROA. It's like the coolest ever. I think that I could read it forever. I love how Emmy/Dweia is so like a Goddess and yet isn't. I wish that D.E would write another book on their daughter/son.

This book was great! Though it didn't have as much complications to make it even better, nevertheless it was a wonderful novel!

I've read the book once and it is awesome! My friend was reading it and I wanted to so I bought it and read it. It didn't take too long because it was really really really good!

Ouch Ziggy... IF you complain a little louder maybe someone will think to ask you, "why the hell you are here if you hated it so much?"

ehlana

I read this after the Mallorean but before the Elenium. I liked this book so much that I started reading it on a Saturday morning and finished at about midnight. Now that I've read the Elenium and Tamuli, I can tell that Eddings does three things with his books. He hides a god or a goddess in the party, he makes it to where his characters can travel great distances quickly, and he makes his characters live for very long times. The only fault I could find is that Althalus was just way too smart for the enemies.

Great book, I loved the detail and wording much I can actually
picture everything in my mind as I read along. I think its a really cool book
like a chat roleplay..

I love this book. I've read it three times already and my favourite part has to be the army of sheep. I hope that the Eddings's write another fantasy novel. If not I'll be content reading this book and their other fantasy series.

This book is AMAZING althugh by now i would expect no less from David and Leigh Eddings i can see Zippy is just one of those people who HAS to try to be cool and say everything else sux etc. because that is the only way he can get power and he thinks doing this is pushing himself above the rest of us!!!!! overall an amazing book and I'm glad i got into David and Leigh Eddings WHEN IS THE NEXT ONE COMIN????????????

IT WAS A WONDERFUL STORY FILLED WITH JUST THE RIGHT OF THINGS AND THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF EACH!!!!!

This is the first Eddings book I'd read, although admittedly I've read it twice! I have also read Polgara the Sorceress. I much prefered The Redemption of Althalus. I found it an enjoyable read that branched out into many different stories. The characters become friends to the reader as the plot develops, and it is sad when the story ends. Sometimes you just want things to go on! :)

The only DE book Ive ever read, and I love it! Ive jst finishd readin it 4 da 3rd time and I think its really good! I hope there'll be another 1 abt Dweia & Alth's baby, that would b way cool. All I wanna know is what happned 2 all the 'children'. they cud write another book (or 3) abt them 2. Hmm, thats all.

Ziggy is sooo wrong when it comes to this!
This book is one of David and Leigh's best and if you don't like them then...WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON THIS SITE? Althalus kept me entertained for hours. It was so funny!

Kai

Ever get a sense of deja vu abt dis bk???
yes e similarities are great btw these guys n e others(yea, think Belgarath) but heyy no1 can say its not gd! e emotional involvement was intense, u had to feel it! kay so e plot was kinda hole-y, but still D&L made it~! Cheers to a great book! =)

Though not the Best Fantasy Novel I have ever read, it is still quite an entertaining read with quite light hearted sequences and as the book is the Redemption of Althalus he is the only character with indepth character building.

Oh and Ziggy instead of whinging about cardboard characters do us all a favour and by a latex doll and begone.

One of the best�s fantasy books i ever readet, thanks for that

I thought this was one of his best works. The characters came alive and it was like you were there with them on their great adventure. 5.0 material all the way!!!

The Eddings are, by far my favorate reads. All of the books are great. Like the rest of their books. Redemption of Althalus, is a great read because. They know how to write a book, like a fan would write it. Not a critic. When I read the book, I did so as a fan. The same as I would, when I go see a movie. If you read this book as a critic. You may not like it. But if you are a fan. Then this book is a great read. It has everything in it. That makes all their other books so great. It's their stile of writeing, that I love. The interplay of the charaters, that I can see in myself. The pet names, the endearments. The small moments of doubt. Rather than crushing moments, of self pity. The only disapointment I had with this book was. How fast it ended. Other than that, I loved it.

This book is one of the best books i ever read, next to a game of thrones, clash of kings and a storm of swords but its still a good book i recomend reading other books i just said also

this was the first eddings book i read and it was thin and well i was not very impressed well not spell bound so i am with ziggey when hes says Cardboard characters, unbelievably stupid villains, corny, cliched heroes, a predictable plot with more holes than swiss cheese. Add all of these together and you are left with The Redemption of Althalus, but i do like the book because of this it was a nice book soft on the mind good read when you want a simpler way of thinking i dose remind me of a kn fue b movie and i love them so i give it a well loved 10

The Redemption of Althalaus was Great the best book

I think that this book is really cool! Everyone should red it! It is really similar to the Belgariad, but at the same time totally different.

It's sad for this rating to be so low from such an Eddings fan as myself, however, like some of the other critiques, I felt that his characters were predictabale and far to similar to the nearly archetypal characters from his Belgariad series. I own everything else (i think) that David E. has published and have loved them all, but this one wore thin.

Read this book last year, my 1st book of eddings and one year later (now) searching through the web and found this webpage. The novel is very good, hope to see another single novel type of Edding's Novel

thanks to you

Another hit by Eddings!

I totally loved the book, it was one of the first I ever read and because of this book I read the Belgariad, Mallorean, and Ellenium.

This being the first Edding's book I have ever read I found it quite enjoyably and a great book with its light-hearted humor and creative setting.

Other than that, it was a reasonably enjoyable book that is a good pretext for me to continue reading Eddings' books.

I liked the book, even with its loose ends stupid villians. It just gave some brain work to do, figuring what the author meant with some of the loose ends. And atleast I could figure out a few of them.

Your getting sloppy Eddings! But it was still a good book.

Having read every other Eddings book, I wish I could say I enjoyed this, but it's just so predictable. Andine is almost identical to Ce'Nedra, the "intelligent thief" has already appeared in the form of Silk, and Leitha is similar to Taiba, except for her "witchcraft" skills. Predictable plot, predictable characters, and could someone please tell me how a supposedly powerful sorcerer such as Gelta or Koman can be beaten just by saying one word, or by jumbling numbers? If you've read Belgariad/Malloreon or Elenium/Tamuli, don't bother with this.

Pretty good book.

This is definatly another master peice by Eddings. I just wish he'd make these into movies. They'de be soooo popular!

Well said Ehlana. Ziggy, are you crazy or just high? What kind of person goes onto a review site just to complain? Did you even read the book or are you just pulling senseless garbage out of a hat?! David and Leigh Eddings' books are the best ones I have ever read! Do everyone else a favour and don't trash talk anymore books,okay?

I agree with Lisa. Ziggy, are you so full of sh*t that can't see that Eddings is way better than you will or can ever be? Do you not realize that these books are masterpieces? Are you such an unmitigated ass that you go on to a fan page to rag on the best books I have ever read?! I'll admit it, it is sort of drawn out, but it doesn't deserve that crap. I at least hope that you have the guts to write a retraction.

it was good

definitely one of the best eddings books. what disappoints me, though, is the stereotype female characters, leitha is a bit different from the others, but it's too much of clothes and hair and giggles.

That's such a good book!!  I didn't finish it yet, but it's sooooooooo nice!!!!  How they ( Emmy & Althalus) taking! When Althlus call Emmy, "Emmy" in the first time, and she like: "Emmy?!?"  Too bad that the book have no translation to Hebrew........... I have to read it in English because those stupid people who translate (to Hebrew) only the Garion books.. (But not the Rivan Codex!!).  Anyway, it's such great book!! I looooooove it!!

can any one phease please help, im reading the redemption of althalus and some one has slolen two pages from the coppy im reading page259/260 and911/912 thanks

ray

one of Eddings' best. great storyline and action. yet again, Eddings nails another great on home.

First Eddings book I've read, and the best book i've ever read.

Considering i have not read any other of Eddings' books i probably can't be any use by reviewing Althalus. However i've read it a zillion times over and over and cannot get enough of Althalus' wit, Dweia's tolerance and Eliar's expanding stomach... little things like that make reading this book easy. I've rated Althalus a 4.5, and i would rate a 5 however i've read Feists' book and i'm gonna wager that they're better... But Eddings is still bloody awesome and i'm still in love with Althalus.

Straight down the middle of the road. Flawlessly planned and executed, a faithful addition to the fantasy genre. Remember that - it's a genre we're dealing with here, and the book is written for an audience who are fans of that genre.

What I least expected from David and Leigh Eddings with this book was 'more of the same'.

it was sort of predictable but the characters were so life like and the book so good i found i could overlook its small flaws. and anyway no book is perfect. i loved this book and hold it at the same standered of lord of the rings.

I completely agree with Theresa (I too felt as if I was visiting "old friends"),

Anyways, yeah, great book, peace

My bookshelf contains The Belgariad, The Mallorian,Belgarath The Sorcerer,Polgara The Sorceress, The Rivan Codex, The Elenium, and The Tamuli. I have read The Redemption of Althalus, but it is not on my shelf. I enjoyed it, (sort of) but it didn't quite do it for me the way the others all did. Perhaps I should give it another try.

the best book of the year!!!!!!

This is the first ever time I have heard about David Eddings or Leigh Eddings or read the book.
I love this book!!!
I could read it again and again, The Redemption of Althalus shows that there is more to life than just seeing. I would give this book as much as it possibly could because it is just my type of fantasy epic.
I loved Elair and Andine but my favorite charecter was Althalus! It is regaurded as the same rating as the Lord Of The Rings.

Submit coments.