The Ruby Knight (1990)

Still loving it...still the expected amount of resolution to the acutal story line. Here's hoping he doesn't leave me hanging after The Saphire Rose!

I miss Flute. (I totally figured that out way ahead of time by the way!) ( )

Exciting, interesting. It'd help if David Eddings didn't write the same book over and over, though. ( )

The knight Sparhawk's quest for an ancient jewel to save the Queen's life continues in the second volume of the Elenium. In a company of ten, the quest is hindered by politics, unexpected events, the flesh-devouring servant of an evil god, and deformed trolls. As always, David Eddings delivers a rich world and like-able characters along with a healthy dose of humor. ( )

ELENIUM

A slightly shorter continuation of the story - everything a middle trilogy book should be.

Having found the cause of the Queen's illness Sparhwak and cohorts most now travel the continent seeking the illusive gem they require to enact her salvation. With each month that passes another of the supporting knights dies, and sephrenia carries and ever increasing burdon. Being the light fantasy that this is, I haven't bothered keeping an accurate track of passing time, but i suspect they're getting very close the limit now - although the goddesses intervensions make this a little tricky to determine.

Otherwise much as befor e- random events occur to prevent the smooth journying, and in the lack of coincidence we expect from Eddings the characters involved crop up again later. Meanwhile our various heros in their unchanging attitudes swap light hearted banter and casually kill and dismember various people who try and stop them. Apart from women who seem sacrosanct, even if their infected with a mad god/demon thing.

If you enjoyed the first one, this is much the same, and although the quest is prolonged a little, there is a sense of events moving up to the climax in the next book. ( )