The Diamond Throne by David Eddings

I’ve had David Eddings’ three-book series The Elenium on my bookshelf since about 1995, and for one reason or another have never gotten around to reading it. So when I was putting together a list of books for my 2017 Reading Challenges, I decided it was time to finally knock it off my To Be Read list. The series is comprised of The Diamond Throne (1989), The Ruby Knight (1991), and The Sapphire Rose (1992).

After finishing The Diamond Throne, I’m a bit disappointed. Not that it was bad, but it wasn’t as much fun or adventurous as any of the books in his Belgariad series. Where The Belgariad had colorful characters who grew as the story went along, The Elenium so far has been rather bland by comparison. The characters are interesting enough, but they come fully grown and in no need of development.

The plot is fairly straightforward but it meanders quite a bit. Queen Ehlana has been stricken with some kind of mysterious malady, and in order to keep her alive, twelve knights use their magic to encase her in a protective cube of crystal while a cure is found. The crystal will only preserve her while those who created it live, but sustaining it takes its toll, and time becomes precious. Sparhawk, the Queen’s Champion, needs to find out how to save her before the crystal deteriorates and before her kingdom is taken over by the evil Annias. As the story develops it becomes clear that there is more at stake than the fate of this one queen and her kingdom.

While the first book didn’t wow me, it did move along well and set up the next book nicely. I have hope that the series will get more interesting as it develops, since I know what Eddings is capable of.

The Diamond Throne by David Eddings
First edition New York: Del Rey, 1989
Print length: 435 pages