The Redemption of Althalus
category: fantasy, author:David & Leigh Eddings
original copyright 2000
read in December 2011
Agamedes' opinion: 5 out of 10
I made the mistake of putting it down. Which gave me time to think: this book is a load of rubbish...
It was easy reading, though nothing much was happening. As long as I kept on reading -- with my mind in neutral -- I was happy with the book. It was only when I stopped to think, that I realised that I was not enjoying it.
That was about a third of the way in. By half way I was struggling. Lightweight froth, ridiculously weak plot, too much talk and not enough action.
Page 279 of 693 and I have given up.
Redemption is a moralising child's fable. Where the child should be a tweener girl with religious inclinations and a leaning towards simplistic romance. Perhaps that child would enjoy the book. As a parent I would prefer my children to not read such nonsense.
The two main characters start to kiss. This is getting a bit hot, thinks the man. Perhaps we shouldn't, says the woman. Okay we won't, says the man. And that's that.
If you think that that's a bit... childish?... then you really don't want to meet the cat... She's soooo cute and cuddly and how could anyone possibly resist her... Fine for a while but eventually grates on the nerves.
Then there's the moralising. It's not too long but it's regular.
One character will suggest something. Another character will explain that that's wrong, immoral, not nice. The first character will agree. It's not character development, it's morality lessons for the reader.
Perhaps the authors have not heard that authors should show rather than explain.
On the positive side: This is, "A new single-volume epic". I appreciate that. I am rather sick and tired of fantasy books that just have characters from previous volumes carrying on with previous actions. If an author doesn't know how to end the story -- perhaps they should go back to authors' school.
If you believe that The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is essential reading for every child then your children should also be forced to read The Redemption of Althalus. Perhaps Redemption also includes someone being sacrificed. On the bright side, the characters in Redemption are not as creepy as those in the Wardrobe. They are simply so nice, so clever, so always correct and so good... that they make you cringe.
Enough.
Perhaps, too much.
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