#David eddings

[haveyoureadthisbook-poll]

[avemakuta]

Kal is such a silly title for Torak to use. "I'm not only a God, I'm also a king!" It's like saying "don't call me President Smith anymore, call me President Smith, 2001 Jonestown High Pie-Eating Champion!"

[treefey]

So, not that I want an adaptation of the Belgariad (I feel like it would not be done well at all), but I keep thinking about some small tweaks to the Merel x Barak storyline that showcase what I love about their story and to not do spousal rape.

I love this story arc because it's bitterness eventually giving way to reconciliation and love. And it showcases angsty Garion's emotional intelligence, not as much as his unwavering faith in Pol x Durnik, but he can still tell his friend is hurting and wants better for him.

BUT the narrative always states that Merel is the problem. Silk says she is a shallow woman. Polgara kind of gloats when she knows Merel is pregnant with a son and says "you had to grow up" when Merel says she didn't realize how sweet Barak is. Of course, the "not even a locked door could keep you out" (paraphrased) line. Yikes yikes yikes on spikes. The implication that Barak cheated on Merel with a lady friend in Val Alorn is also dumb.

So, the fix is actually in the scaffolding of the story. It's obvious to me that Merel was treated as a bargaining chip by her family. Her obsession with duty is because it's how she was raised as a noblewoman. She didn't have a choice in her marriage, it was a duty. Sleeping with her husband is what she is supposed to do. Barak is so in love with her, and once he realizes their marriage is nothing more than a responsibility to her, he is deeply hurt. And maybe she tried and got bitter through his bitterness, or maybe she could never hide how angry and hurt she was that her parents basically sold her off once Barak had political power.

But the thing is, I think she does kinda like him. As soon as Garion comes to Barak with information about the plot in Val Alorn, her coldness drops. What we see is a woman with a great political mind, a quick thinker who urges Barak to stop wallowing in self pity and is 100% behind him when they talk to the king. And sure, she falls back on duty almost immediately, but I think that's to cope with the fact that deep down, she likes Barak and they've been so mean to each other for so long that neither of them can admit that they actually have feelings for each other. I don't think duty alone accounts for the way she backs him, the way she immediately stops being bitter.

Also Barak explicitly trusts her with managing their estate, something that is a big deal in a v sexist Cherek, and that's not lost on Merel.

So, on to the actual fixes. If Silk still says Merel is shallow, Garion should realize that she's a deeply hurt woman used as a political pawn by her family. Sendars don't do arranged marriages that we see, so Garion says something about how lonely she must have felt, and he sees that she relies on responsibility as armor because that's all she knows, her own feelings and desires are so deeply buried. She and Barak are both deeply wounded, and whenever one of them tries to thaw a little, the other is still all hard edges so they never make any progress. I'd advise just talking out the random probably hooker in Val Alorn, but if you wanna keep her, have Barak say he's married now, turn her down flat.

And instead of the locked door line, Merel should say something like "you didn't mind when I took my martial duties seriously your first night here. In fact, you were quite enthusiastic."

It's a very small change, but huge in the implications. One, Barak is not breaking in to have sex with his wife against her will. Two, while it's not the enthusiastic consent we are used to, it's willing consent. So maybe not great by most modern standards, but it's great in the world that's been built. It also kinda implies she initiated. Three, I think it could imply that Barak still loves her and she has some affection for him. That maybe they can get along long enough to have some fun, but then reality comes crashing down and their walls come back up.

Polgara is still amused by Merel's pregnancy, but isn't as smug about it. Then in Riva instead of saying Merel needed time to grow up, she says that the birth of a son tore down the walls they built.

The other thing I'd like to be addressed subtly is why their two daughters didn't thaw their attitude towards each other. The text states that Barak loves his daughters. So their births could have theoretically been a turning point. He's taken by wonder at both of their births, no matter the societal expectation that he needs a son. But Merel feels like she's failed in her duty, and she's afraid they'll be political pawns like her one day. (Barak would never let his daughters be married off unless they wanted it. But since they never truly talk, Merel doesn't realize this.) Merel recognizes Barak's gentleness with their daughters, and thinks kindly of him for it, but it's not enough to tear down those walls. So they are still stuck in this cycle of being standoffish to one another.

When their son is born, she feels like she's finally fulfilled her martial duties. When she asks Barak if she did well, he finally reassures her that yes, she did great, he's not defensive and can't hold back all the years of tenderness and love towards his wife. And that tenderness is so obviously genuine that she believes him. And they finally repair their relationship.

(There's already enough characters in this series, but I feel like Barak chewing out his in-laws would be fun, like if they were there when he first saw Unrak and made a comment about how he must be happy Merel finally fulfilled her duty to give him a son and he flips out on them)

[lagunaaart]

the voices,,,the voices are telling me to reread the belgariad,,,

it's fine guys, it only took me 12 years to draw a full body reference of a core favorite character from my childhood

(can you guess my rook Hugo is basically based off this guy)

Old drawings of this fuck under the cut

[thelonebookman]

Just watched Conclave. Very good movie, beautiful, thoughtful, quiet but not slow. Enjoyed it a lot.

Amusingly, the thing I was most put in mind of (beyond Angels & Demons) was the election of the Patriarch in The Sapphire Rose in David Eddings' Elenium.

[troistetesdechien]

Source

[namedafterflowerstournament]

Botanic Tournament : Main Bracket !

Round 1 Poll N

Commentary by Adara's submitter :

This might be cheating because the flower was named after her but :D

TFW your cousin who you've known for a month creates a flower for you out of a stick and some grass and then it turns out to be a miracle medicine

Why this is not cheating, actually

(Buttercups)

[haveyoureadthisfantasybook]

vote yes if you have finished the entire book.

vote no if you have not finished the entire book.

(faq · submit a book)

[fairykukla]

I love to dream-cast live action versions of my favorite stories.

Here's one I've toyed with for decades, but I finally worked out some principal casting.

The Belgariad

Let's face it, you gotta get the right wizard. Why not look for someone who has played that part? Someone capable of being both the old wolf vagabond and also the fierce blue wizard?

Belgarath the Sorcerer: Morgan Freeman

Aunt Pol/Polgara the Sorceress: Tamara Taylor

She played Dr. Cam Soroyan on Bones, and I think she has the right combination of gentleness and terrifying power. I think shed be very striking with the white streak described in the book. Plus I want to see her and Morgan Freeman banter.

Now we need a "Sandy haired boy".

For Garion and Errand, hold open casting! Being close to two thousand years older than he is, it wouldn't matter what ethnicity he is. Only the golden hair is necessary, which is easy to achieve with dye or a good wig.

Durnik the blacksmith: Rahul Kohli

Barak the Bear: Luke Hemmsworth

Silk the Thief:

Oh no. Waaay too hard for me. He's one of those big favorites for me and I'm not sure I would be satisfied with just anyone. Do not give it to Bradley Cooper. A few years ago, I'd have considered Armin Shimmerman.

Oh. Oh no. Oh *shit*. How about....

Daniel Radcliffe?

Hettar the Horse Lord: Do an open casting, and look for an actor who can do equestrian stunts. I'd prefer to see an Asian actor in the role, since Weddings clearly was building high-fantasy Mongolians, but I'm open to anyone as long as he has a great legitimate connection to horses.

Ce'Nedra: open casting for her, too.

Lelldorin the Archer (not to be confused with Legolas): you know, I kind of want Henry Golding for this one.

Mandoallen (not to be confused with The Madalorian)

Oh, get me a beefy British actor who can be a D&D Paladin effortlessly.

Thoughts?

[mellowmagpie]

the beglariad inspired dungeon synth album is straight bangers

[spacedoutamazon]

I am thinking about ✨HER✨ 🥹

[miaeons]

can i get *any* adaption of the belgariad plz 🥺

[incorrect-elenium]

Aphreal voice over: This is Sparhawk. *cuts to a close up of Sparhawk’s face* He likes his personal space. And this is Kalten. *pans out to show Kalten hanging on to Sparhawk like a Koala to a tree* He also likes Sparhawk’s personal space.

[crazygriffinlord]

An Unhinged Games of the Hunger of Writers of the Fantasy Genre

This might get a bit edgy!

The Bloodbath:

As the tributes stand on their podiums, the horn sounds. Stephen King, J. R. R. Tolkien, Micheal Moorcock, Lewis Carroll, Raymond E. Fiest, Patrick Rothfuss, Piers Anthony, Margeret Weis, and Neil Gaiman run away from the Cornucopia. David Eddings grabs a sword, Robin Hobb, a shovel, J. K. Rowling, a trident, and Anne McCaffery runs away with a lighter and some rope. Lloyd Alexander grabs a backpack, not realizing it is empty. George R. R. Martin severely slices Tracy Hickman with a sword. Ursula K. Le Guin scares J. M. Barrie away from the cornucopia. Terry Brooks finds a canteen full of water. Terry Pratchett and R. A. Salvatore work together to drown Brandon Sanderson. C. S. Lewis strangles Robert Jordan with a rope.

Day 1:

Patrick Rothfuss thinks about home. J. K. Rowling receives fresh food from an unknown sponsor. George R. R. Martin, Terry Brooks, Robin Hobb, and Anne McCaffery hunt for other tributes. David Eddings discovers a cave and R. A. Salvatore discovers a river. Piers Anthony overhears J. M. Barrie and Stephen King talking in the distance. Neil Gaiman collects fruit from a tree. J. R. R. Tolkien, Terry Pratchett, Lloyd Alexander, and Margeret Weis raid Raymond E. Fiest's camp while he is hunting. C. S. Lewis overhears Ursula K. Le Guin and Micheal Moorcock talking in the distance.

Night 1:

Lewis Carroll screams for help. R. A. Salvatore forces Micheal Moorcock to kill Lloyd Alexander or J. K. Rowling. He decides to kill Lloyd Alexander. Robin Hobb receives clean water from an unknown sponsor. Stephen King thinks about winning. Terry Brooks tends to Raymond E. Fiest's wounds. Piers Anthony looks at the night sky. George R. R. Martin, Patrick Rothfuss, and J. R. R. Tolkien attempt to start fires, but are unsuccessful. Margeret Weis accidently detonates a land mine while trying to arm it. Terry Pratchett goes to sleep. Neil Gaiman convinces Anne McCaffery to snuggle with him. Ursula K. Le Guin begs for J. M. Barrie to kill her. He refuses, keeping Ursula K. Le Guin alive. David Eddings thinks about winning. C. S. Lewis falls into a frozen lake and drowns.

Day 2:

Lewis Carroll, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Piers Anthony hunt for other tributes. David Eddings fishes. J. K. Rowling scares George R. R. Martin off. Ursula K. Le Guin goes hunting. Neil Gaiman and Stephen King fight R. A. Salvatore and Patrick Rothfuss. R. A. Salvatore and Patrick Rothfuss survive. Terry Brooks searches for a water source. Micheal Moorcock is pricked by thorns while picking berries. J. M. Barrie and Raymond E. Fiest split up to search for resources. Robin Hobb sets an explosive off, killing Anne McCaffery, and Terry Pratchett.

Night 2:

J. K. Rowling receives medical supplies from an unknown sponsor. Terry Brooks cries himself to sleep. Robin Hobb climbs a tree to rest. Robin Hobb climbs a tree to rest. Micheal Moorcock begs for George R. R. Martin to kill him. He refuses, keeping Micheal Moorcock alive. J. R. R. Tolkien and Piers Anthony talk about the tributes still alive. R. A. Salvatore tries to treat his infection. J. M. Barrie lets Ursula K. Le Guin into his shelter. Lewis Carroll tends to his wounds. Patrick Rothfuss loses sight of where he is. Raymond E. Fiest questions his sanity.

Day 3:

J. K. Rowling practices her archery. Raymond E. Fiest receives clean water from an unknown sponsor. Piers Anthony and George R. R. Martin work together for the day. Micheal Moorcock and Robin Hobb hunt for other tributes. Terry Brooks attacks Ursula K. Le Guin, but she manages to escape. David Eddings explores the arena. R. A. Salvatore receives clean water from an unknown sponsor. Patrick Rothfuss collects fruit from a tree. Lewis Carroll chases J. R. R. Tolkien. J. M. Barrie accidently detonates a land mine while trying to arm it.

Night 3:

Lewis Carroll is unable to convince Ursula K. Le Guin to not kill him. Piers Anthony attempts to start a fire, but is unsuccessful. Raymond E. Fiest, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Robin Hobb discuss the games and what might happen in the morning. J. K. Rowling and R. A. Salvatore run into each other and decide to truce for the night. David Eddings defeats Terry Brooks in a fight, but spares his life. George R. R. Martin passes out from exhaustion. Micheal Moorcock is awoken by nightmares. Patrick Rothfuss dies trying to escape the arena.

Day 4:

David Eddings scares R. A. Salvatore off. Ursula K. Le Guin searches for a water source. George R. R. Martin thinks about home. Robin Hobb hunts for other tributes. Terry Brooks kills J. R. R. Tolkien with a hatchet. Raymond E. Fiest attacks Micheal Moorcock, but he manages to escape. J. K. Rowling picks flowers. Piers Anthony receives an explosive from an unknown sponsor.

Night 4:

Robin Hobb fends Ursula K. Le Guin, Piers Anthony, and J. K. Rowling away from her fire. George R. R. Martin, Raymond E. Fiest, Micheal Moorcock, and R. A. Salvatore sleep in shifts. Terry Brooks bashes David Eddings's head in with a mace.

The Feast:

Piers Anthony, J. K. Rowling, and Terry Brooks decide not to go to The Feast. Ursula K. Le Guin, Micheal Moorcock, and R. A. Salvatore get into a fight. Micheal Moorcock triumphantly kills them both. Robin Hobb steals Raymond E. Fiest's memoirs. George R. R. Martin falls into a pit and dies.

Day 5:

Robin Hobb cannot handle the circumstances and commits suicide. Micheal Moorcock kills J. K. Rowling as she tries to run. Raymond E. Fiest receives medical supplies from an unknown sponsor. Terry Brooks receives medical supplies from an unknown sponsor. Piers Anthony practices his archery.

Night 5:

Terry Brooks fends Raymond E. Fiest, Micheal Moorcock, and Piers Anthony away from his fire.

Day 6:

Raymond E. Fiest questions his sanity. Micheal Moorcock attacks Terry Brooks, but he manages to escape. Piers Anthony dies trying to escape the arena.

Night 6:

Terry Brooks passes out from exhaustion. Micheal Moorcock tends to Raymond E. Fiest's wounds.

Day 7:

Terry Brooks camouflauges himself in the bushes. Raymond E. Fiest receives medical supplies from an unknown sponsor. Micheal Moorcock receives a hatchet from an unknown sponsor.

Night 7:

Terry Brooks thinks about home. Micheal Moorcock shoots an arrow into Raymond E. Fiest's head.

Day 8:

Terry Brooks bashes Micheal Moorcock's head against a rock several times.

The winner is Terry Brooks!

[nerdknowledgepool]

Aldur? I hardly know her! (I'm grieving, therefore legally allowed to make the same joke twice in a week.)

[joncronshawauthor]

he Echoes of The Belgariad: Eddings’ Influence on Modern Fantasy

Once upon a time, as all good stories start, in the small town of Spokane, Washington, a man by the name of David Eddings put pen to paper and began to weave a tale of prophecy, magic and, most importantly, a farm boy named Garion. A tale that, unbeknownst to him, would shape the course of modern fantasy literature. This tale? “The Belgariad.” The Chosen One Now, I know what you’re thinking.…