David Eddings

David Eddings was an American author, best known for his epic fantasy novels. He was born in Spokane, Washington, on July 7, 1931, and was raised in Snohomish, a city near Puget Sound, north from Seattle. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree from Reed College in Portland, Oregon, in 1954, Eddings served in the US Army and worked in various fields before becoming an author. These included working as a buyer for the Boeing Company, being a grocery clerk, and teaching English in a college.

Eddings' writing career began with the publication of his first novel, High Hunt, in 1973. He later turned to the field of fantasy, gaining significant success with his works. His most notable series include The Belgariad and The Malloreon, as well as The Elenium and The Tamuli. These series are often considered as sub-series of greater series. In addition, Eddings co-authored The Dreamers with his wife, Leigh Eddings.

Eddings' personal life had challenging moments. In 1970, he and his wife lost custody of their two children and were sentenced to a year in jail in separate trials after pleading guilty to 11 counts of physical child abuse. These details did not resurface in media coverage of the couple during their successful joint career as authors, only returning to public attention several years after both had died.

Eddings' writing career was marked by best-selling series of epic fantasy novels. His wife, Leigh Eddings, was an uncredited co-author on many of his early books, but he later acknowledged her contribution to all of his works. After serving their sentences, the couple moved to Denver, where David found work in a grocery store. His first books, which were general fiction, sold moderately well. However, he achieved great success in the field of epic fantasy. Eddings once mentioned in an interview that he did not take orders from readers.

Tragedy struck Eddings' life when his wife, Leigh Eddings, died following a series of strokes on February 28, 2007. Eddings himself passed away on June 2, 2009, at the age of 77. Despite the challenges in his personal life, Eddings' legacy as an author of epic fantasy novels remains significant. His works continue to be enjoyed by fans of the genre, solidifying his place as a notable author in the field of fantasy literature.
The Belgariad Books
# Title Year
1 Pawn of Prophecy 1982
2 Queen of Sorcery 1982
3 Magician's Gambit 1983
4 Castle of Wizardry 1984
5 Enchanters' End Game 1984
The Malloreon Books
# Title Year
1 Guardians of the West 1985
2 King of the Murgos 1988
3 Demon Lord of Karanda 1988
4 Sorceress of Darshiva 1989
5 The Seeress of Kell 1991
Belgariad & Malloreon Books (with Leigh Eddings)
# Title Year
1 Belgarath the Sorcerer 1995
2 Polgara the Sorceress 1997
3 The Rivan Codex 1998
The Elenium Books
# Title Year
1 The Diamond Throne 1989
2 The Ruby Knight 1990
3 The Sapphire Rose 1991
The Tamuli Books
# Title Year
1 Domes of Fire 1992
2 The Shining Ones 1993
3 The Hidden City 1994
The Dreamers Books (with Leigh Eddings)
# Title Year
1 The Elder Gods 2003
2 The Treasured One 2005
3 Crystal Gorge 2005
4 The Younger Gods 2006
Standalone Novels
# Title Year
1 High Hunt 1973
2 The Losers 1992
3 Regina's Song 2000
4 The Redemption of Althalus 2000