This Mass Market Paperback Book item from Del Rey was reviewed on 23-Oct-2008. Search ISBN:0345367693 offer from Abebooks or used books from Alibris. The Diamond Throne Reference Book. Classifications : General Fantasy Science Fiction & Fantasy 4-for-3 Books Store Custom Stores Specialty Stores Books General Science Fiction Science Fiction & Fantasy 4-for-3 Books Store Custom Stores Specialty Stores . Click the following link to view the cover of The Diamond Throne. Related topics: General. Fantasy. 4-for-3 Books Store. Custom Stores. Specialty Stores. Books. General. Science Fiction. 4-for-3 Books Store. Custom Stores. requestid: 2f9fdd01-5101-45f4-8b77-662fd03530dd
requestprocessingtime: 0.1291250000000000
salesrank: 221185
numberofitems: 1
packagedimensions: 11067050420
1) Mass Market Paperback Book The Diamond Throne by Del Rey. The Diamond Throne (1989) is the first fantasy novel of the Elenium series. At the dawn of time, a dwarfed and misshaped Troll named Ghwerig dwelt in a cavern beneath the perpetual snows of northern Thalesia. This ugly creature spent decades creating the Bhelliom, a sapphire blue gem in the shape of a rose, and infusing it with the power of the Troll-Gods.
Then the Younger Goddess Aphrael of Styricum stole the rings that controlled its power. Later the hero Adian of Thalesia stole the Bhelliom itself and incorporated it into the Thalesian crown. But this crown was lost over five hundred years ago.
In this novel, Sparhawk returns to Cimmura after ten long years of exile in Rendor. He almost gets a chance to dispose of Krager, but is interrupted by a courtier, who gains himself a case of the boils by his yapping. Eventually Sparhawk reaches the inn run by the Pandion Knights, leaves Faran in the hands of the knight porter, and is admitted into his room by the eldest -- and maybe the last -- Pandion squire.
Sparhawk inherited the responsibility for Kurik from his father. The Pandion Preceptor, Vanion, questions whether he should let the squire retire to his farm and family, but Sparhawk is very reluctant to bring up the subject with Kurik for fear of hurt feelings. Besides, Kurik has been keeping Sparhawk alive for a good long while and intends to keep doing it for the foreseeable future.
While removing his watersoaked clothing, Kurik briefs Sparhawk on the latest news. He tells Sparhawk of the illness that befell Queen Ehlana and the magic that keeps her alive, yet trapped upon the throne within a diamond casement. He also brings Sparhawk up to date on the machinations of the Cimmuran Primate Annias and Prince Regent Lycheas.
The next morning Sparhawk attends court and quickly establishes his justification for returning from exile. Since he is the hereditary court champion, the queen is obviously in danger, and he has a signed and sealed order from the queen to return to Cimmura, all objections are crushed handily. Naturally, his enemies still want to get rid of him.
In this story, the Elene Church is nearing a crisis point, for the Archprelate is old, senile and unwell. Primate Annias now has control of the Cimmuran court treasury and is buying all available votes in the Hierocracy that will soon elect the next Archprelate. Obviously he has aspirations for that position.
Annias is the power behind the throne of Prince Lycheas, a whining, ineffectual fool. Annias has hired Martel -- an expelled Pandion Knight -- to neutralize the Church Knights while he is making his bid for the Archprelature. Martel has tried several times to kill Sparhawk and will try again. Martel also has other plans to keep the Knights busy.
Sparhawk confers with Vanion and Sephrenia -- the Pandion instructor in Styric secrets -- and learns more about Ehlana´s illness and the time limits on the magic. They decide that he should travel to Borrata to consult with the medical faculty at the university. Sephrenia will accompany him to describe the symptoms and they also will take Flute, a young Styric girl who does not speak. However, Flute can accomplish amazing thing with her panpipes.
This story differs from the Belgariad/Malloreon series in at least one respect: Sparhawk is a tough character who hides his noble feeling beneath a rough exterior. He is much like his horse Faran, who delights in biting his handlers. In fact, Sparhawk and Faran seem to be able to read each other´s mind; naturally, that is impossible, but still . . .
Highly recommended for Eddings fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of working knights, sardonic friends and high magic.
-Arthur W. Jordin¤ 2) Mass Market Paperback Book The Diamond Throne by Del Rey. The Diamond Throne (Book 1 of the Elenium)
OVERALL SCORE: (A-/B+)
READABILITY: (A-), PLOT: (B+), CHARATERS: (A), DIALOGUE: (B-), SETTING: (A+), ACTION/COMBAT: (B-), MONSTERS/ANTAGONISTS: (A-), ROMANCE: (C+), SEX: (Light), AGE LEVEL: (PG13)
This is a very entertaining fantasy story, by one of the best fantasy writers of today, while it may not be quite as good as his "Belgariad" or "Malloreon" series, it comes close.
The main character is Sparhawk, a militant knight, who is erasable and direct, (kind of like John Wayne playing a paladin). He and a group of Church Knights, his squire, a young thief, and a styric mystic, embark on a just to save the beautiful young queen, who has been poisoned by the evil Prelate. God´s get involved and things get complex for poor SparHawk!
CONS:
Some of the characters actions aren´t logical. They are very quick to kill minor character without much provocation, but major ones they let live when they should kill.
¤ 3) Mass Market Paperback Book The Diamond Throne by Del Rey. With a book that´s 400+ pages, you would think that there would be some depth to the plot of ´Diamond Throne´. But no - it´s just ´go out and find this thing´. The villains in the book are too simple. They hatch the simplest plots, which are always intercepted or reasoned out within a matter of pages. And the reader sees the villains´ schemes a mile away, though it usually takes a room full of characters to reason them out in the book. And those plots usually get thwarted in a page or so. All ambushes are easily seen or defeated. I expected some grand fight, a large battle, or a complex task that had the hero doing different tasks that led to a cure in the end. However, in this book, all he does is go from one place to another asking the same question - ´do you have the cure?´ Also, every good guy in this book wants to kill Annais, and they have proof that he gave the poison to Ehlana, but nobody actually kills him or brings him to trial. If Eddings wanted to keep Annias around for the next book, he should have come up with a good, reasonable way for Annias to escape justice. Instead we get a token excuse for not killing him, which seems like it was almost put in there as an afterthought. By comparison, the part in the end with the meeting of Sparhawk and Martel is much better, as the reason for not fighting is a good one.
The reason I gave it even 2 stars is that Eddings does do a good job in describing the scene. There is adaquate detail in his book to make the reader feel he/she is there.¤ 4) Mass Market Paperback Book The Diamond Throne by Del Rey. This was the first fantasy book I read as a child. I remember sitting at my mother´s bright red kitchen table and reading this for the first time. The very first page grabbed me. It was the description of the rain and the smoke; the beauty of the writing entranced me. I went on to read all about Sparhawk, Flute, Sephrenia and Kurik, and they became as close to me as any family. I still carry them fondly around in my head. The Elenium is David Eddings´ finest work-and I´m glad I read it first. It´s here that his stock characters come to life as vivid, breathing people-it´s here where the setting is real and the danger is omnipresent.
As I read his other books, it was difficult not to draw parallels between corresponding characters-Sephrenia and Polgara, anyone? But in The Elenium, David Eddings did it right. It´s not high literature, but it´s a fun story, and it´s compelling. If you haven´t read it yet, you should take with you to the beach or on your next road trip. Have it keep you company at the airport. You´ll have a blast-I know I did, and I still read the occasional fantasy because of this book.¤ 5) Mass Market Paperback Book The Diamond Throne by Del Rey. This was the first David Eddings book I have read so I am probably going to be a little biased. I loved it! This book seemlessly blends action, romance, drama and comedy. I was left in stiches by the things that were written and caught up in a world filled with intrigue. I won´t be able to capture with words what this book is about, so I won´t even try. Aside from the fact that this is obviously a fantasy novel, I really connected with the characters and felt like I really understood them. By the time I had finished reading this book, I was left hanging, wanting, waiting for more. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would REALLY recommend this to ANYONE who was thinking about reading this book.¤ 6) Mass Market Paperback Book The Diamond Throne by Del Rey. Sparhawk, Pandion Knight, and Queen´s Champion have returned to Elenia after ten years of exile, only to find young Queen Ehlanda trapped in a block of ensorcelled crystal. As Sparhawk sets out to find a cure for Ehlana, he discovers that only he can defeat the evil plots that threaten her rule....¤ Page Updated: Robert N. Goolsby, 20-Nov-2008, 03453676939780345367693, 930-290-2X0-730-660-070-8 
The Diamond Throne, Book, Image © Del Rey
|
