The Hidden City by David Eddings

The Hidden City by David Eddings
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Previous books in the series:
Domes of Fire
The Shinning Ones

It took me a year or so to read this book. It wasn't bad, but the whole series is just... dated. It is a mediocre classic fantasy book, displaying a lot of the features that have been the focus of writers to improve on in the last few decades. The plot was often predictable, the characters felt shallow at times, and the bad guys were just bad. It was in all ways a 3 star read.

So why did I read it? I just like a good classic fantasy from time to time. The escapism that draws fantasy readers is still there, even with the concerns. Keep expectations low, and go on a little journey to save the world with Sir Sparhawk and friends. Just don't take a year going about it.

The Shining Ones by David Eddings

The Shining Ones by David Eddings
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have been trying to move forward in this David Eddings series for months, but with travel and the ease of audio books, this ebook just never got any attention. I'm at the end of the year and trying to finish up what I can, so I finally made it a priority to finish.

This installment of the Sparhawk series is very similar to the others. The characters are shallow, the plot is shallow, but overall the book has just enough to keep me reading. It isn't that it is a bad book, it is just predictable and dated. It is similar to how a nice house from the 1970s, if preserved, might still be a serviceable home, but would be missing a lot of features we expect in 2018. Will I finish this trilogy? Probably, some day. Am I in a rush? No.

One more thought, or pet peeve, is how there are gods and people with extraordinary gifts always around to help solve problems. It is a bit cheesy. The only thing that keeps that from ruining the book is that they don't seem to really test the limits of the divine capability to short cut the bad guys. Good thing, I guess.

The Sapphire Rose by David Eddings

The Sapphire Rose by David Eddings
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a great ending to this series, not because it was amazing from a literary sense, or the most intriguing finish ever, but because it was consistent. It carried on the best things about this series in a satisfying ending that both answered the key outstanding questions, and at the same time it set the table for another series.

What were the best things? Here are couple points I really liked:

--Sparkhawk, as a character, is a solid base to build around. While it would be a fair criticism to say that he didn't experience as much growth as a main character should, his stability was almost a basis for the plot, much as the setting is. And where his character lacks growth, he provides entertainment, with a mix of action, comic relief, and straight talk with other characters.

--Deity. The religious features of this series is really what brought me back to reread it after so many years. Yes, it addresses and speaks about the daily religious observances that may grow tedious for some, but in a setting where those being worshiped are also characters. And then by tying that relationship into the magic system we get a perfect recipe for a fantasy series.

I wouldn't call this a must-read, but if you have a free weekend, and want an enjoyable, if not predictable, classic fantasy, this series is the one.