David Eddings passed away. Sadness.
I can still remember reading Pawn of Prophecy for the first time in high school. Adored it. I’d always liked fantasy but this I really liked. It felt more real than things like Lord of the Rings. There were still exotic names and monsters and magic but the people were cranky and sarcastic and funny and there was some actual romance (well, okay, really just hints in Pawn but still). I can remember waiting impatiently for each new book to come out through the Belgariad and the Mallorean, spending my carefully hoarded pocket money. It took a long time for new books to trickle through to the our local newsagent (the only source of books in town). I still have those books. And the Sparhawk trilogies. And others. I re-read the Belgariad and the Malloreon at least once a year, they’ve become comfort books even though, now, as a writer myself the experience is a little different.
So I’ll say, thank you, Mr. Eddings for many many happy hours of reading lost in your worlds and hopefully wherever you’ve gone is full of magic.