Rating: 
Summary: Normal Eddings fare, just less interesting
Review: I've read every novel written by David and/or Leigh Eddings, and this, the latest, is my least favourite among them all. Maybe I'm just growing tired of them, but more likely it is the fact that this is a simple repitition of the same forumla that they use throughout their novels, but without an interesting plot to back them up. The main problem with this novel is that there really is no conlict in it. Oh, sure, there are bad guys, and there is a threat, but what most of the novel describes is a group of compentant individuals, with many, many resources at their disposal, easily defeating their opponents. You don't get the feeling of triumph in the face of adversity. In fact, at times I was rooting for the bad guys as the underdogs. And tensions between the various good characters are resolved within the distance of 30 pages. The very title is a misneomer, as Althalus doesn't really get redeemed - sure, he begins the novel as a not-so-nice guy, but you don't really get a description of anything really wrong that he does (only a few comic episodes early in the novel), and by the time the first third of the book is over he has no doubts that he is the lead good guy and none of his past actions have any consequence whatsoever. This isn't a terrible book, by any count, but the reader is reduced to cheering along as the good guys go from one success to another, and suspense is never formed.
Rating: 
Summary: Not bad, really
Review: Althalus has really gotten alot of flack from the reveiwers, but it really was a pretty good book. While not quite up to Belgariad/Malorean standards, it had some enganging charectors and some interesting plot twists. While alot was along the same lines as Bal/Mal and Ele/Tam, there were enough new concepts to keep it moving and interesting. Gher, the little thief-boy, was an especially interesting charector. Really my only complaint was not getting to know the bad guys enough. In the Belgariad, while Torak was out cold for most of the series, he prevaded the whole thing... the masks on every door, the fragments of his writings... it seemed in Althalas that they intruduced the bad guys only to have them taken down a few pages later, and we never got to meet the main baddie himself. Well, all in all it was a pretty good read, especially for Eddings fans, but if it came down to a choice, I'd go Belgariad/Mallorean instead.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining Rehash of Familiar Theme
Review: The Eddings have put together another interesting book based on a successful theme expounded upon in twelve of their books (The Belgariad/Mallorean and the two books "written" by the two main, eternal characters). As I have all but one or two of their books, I have enjoyed their interesting, fantasy-genre books. They do allow a lot of "cutesy" dialogue and bantering among the characters that, in my opinion, detracts from the otherwise well-written dialogue. There is also a goodly number of words that could have been edited for the benefit of the reader: retelling of action by the characters that the reader has already experienced. It would also help if the "bad guys" would win a battle or two and increase the suspense and interest on the part of the reader to see how the characters are going to get "out of this one." It becomes rather "same" when the reader knows that the "good guys" are going to win--and rather easily. It is also rather cliche to use the vehicle that "bad guys" all hate each other's guts adn can't get along, making the job of the "good guys" all that much easier. Other than these detractions, the book was a good read.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the best I have read
Review: Well I have been a david eddings fan since the belgariad, he has a writing talent which surpasses all other writers. David can drag you kicking and screaming into the storyline, and take you on the ride of your life. This book shows that, it even made me cry. I think this is a well thought up book and it keeps your emotions going. I read it in one night as I was so addicted to it This book is definitely a masterpiece
Rating: 
Summary: Its Time For Something New!
Review: As a died in the wool Eddings fan, this was a disappointment. Fantastic storyline and brilliant merge of sci-fri with the time/space phenomenon. However there was some important things missing. The characters aren't individual, in fact there seemed to be 1 woman and 1 man, with a certain relationship between them (Hmm, interesting given the authors?). Its like the book was written using a set of humorous cliche's from previous books. There was also a sense that the adventure was all too easy, like a quick skim over the life of a god, not an in depth, visualise the sweat and blood of a make or break adventure.
Rating:
Summary: Beneath the Eddings fans know and love
Review: I have read all of David Eddings' other books, and loved them. The Redemption of Althalus has an interesting plot, and the characters start out well also...the first two or three of them. They are all the same: just like Silk. Eddings had so much sucess with the sardonic, witty theif (he was always MY favorite character) that he decided to make EVERYONE in this book like him. But the effect is lost. The complex character interactions found and relished in his other books dissapear because everyone's got a sarcastic smart mouth. It got very old halfway through the book.The plot and the chatacters(before they all became so sarcastic) had potential. Eddings could have made so much of this book! But too much Silk sarcasm is just that: too much. The great thing about his other books was the way the wise characters(Belgarath, Sephrenia) and the quiet characters(Ulath)and everyone else interacted, only sometimes giving a well-timed witty remark out of occordance with their usual attitudes. It was refreshing! And there were one or two people that could always be counted on to give a good sardonic comment in any situation, but when all characters are fighting with one another for the honor, that's all that happens. It really got old. David Eddings can do better than this. The Redemption of Althalus is beneath his potential. If you are a fan of Eddings' older (and better) books, this one will dissapoint you. If you're really curious though, don't spend money on it; check it out at the library so that you can make a hasty return.
Rating: 
Summary: Childish
Review: I had read The Belgariad and found it good fantasy. The Elenium however was perhaps the most boring, childish fantasy novel I had ever read. That was maybe 7 years ago. When this book came out, I got carried away by the cover art and the blurb and bought it. Woe is me. It was the Elenium all over again. childish dialogue and pathetic description. The hero Athalus calls a woman/cat "emmy" and she calls him "althie" and they mock fight. All this while she is s'posed to teach him how to learn magic from a book. I stopped reading the book right then. True fantasy is Tolkien, Robert Jordan, and George R. Martin. Eddings is not in their league. Read the book and tell me if I am wrong.
Rating:
Summary: A Fine Tale, Despite the Critics
Review: I found the book very entertaining and enjoyable, myself, as opposed, it seems, to the rest of the world. I'm not one to delve into the way a plot streams or really interested if the authors forgot to name the main charachter's sister's neice who was mentioned on page 43 and is such a drastic oversite...(see other's reviews to read more of this silly type of tirade) I care about only one thing- was the book good? Did I enjoy it? Was I sorry to see the end come? Yes, to all accounts. A fine book, add it to your library, and enjoy. It's a story, not a revelation of mankind, and I liked it very much. Thank you.
Rating:
Summary: The best book in my life
Review: I have never in my life read a book so captivating than this, It pulled my heart strings - I felt the love between em and althalus deep in my soul. I would recommend this book to anyone
Rating:
Summary: Not like it used to be¿
Review: I thought "The Redemption of Althalus" a weak introduction of what I hoped would be a very promising epic fantasy. After the outstanding work with the Belgariad/Malloreon and the Elenium/Tamuli (epic series that I have been reading since high school in 1986), I have felt that Eddings had been going down hill. I felt Eddings fell short in "Balgarath the Sorcerer" and "Polgara the Sorceress". Even though reading both novels, I was intrigued by a number of revelations to the original series of the Belgariad and Malloreon, I felt the books lacked any semblance of intrigue and adventure that the original series held. Needless to say, two books summarizing the same series (albeit with different views and insights) was too much with too little (even with 600+ pages each...less would have been more!) Redemption fell far short of expectations. Rehashed scenarios, superficial character development (Athalus is no Silk, let alone Garion or Sparhawk!), and weak plot development made Redemption seem like a compiled déjà vu of old that left me wishing that I had a deity-cat that I could trade in for a dog! What happened to Eddings' characters like Silk, Belgarath, Berit and Talon? I truly hope that Mr. Eddings soon recaptures the lost glory he put down in the Pandion Knights or the trails of order of Aldur. I long for the adventures that brought forth the Word and the Will when Garion struck Ctucheck(sp) and commanded him to "Burn!"...One word that held volumes of emotion seven thousand years in the making! *Words to the author: Put out the cat, leave time travel to Start Trek, and don't waste words on chummy companion dialog when there's evil to be smote...write like we know you can!
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