Rating: 
Summary: His worst ever
Review: I just finish this novel yesterday. It was my second attempt and this time I made it all the way through. The Redemption of Althalus is the most forgettable novel I have ever read in my life. The book is populated with undeveloped, boring characters, a dull storyline and absolutely no suspense at all. In addition, the way the final villains are dealt with just didn't make a lot of sense. I was VERY disappointed by this novel and I really hope and Eddings does better with his next one.
Rating: 
Summary: This really goes on for WAY too long
Review: I found myself finishing this one not because I wanted to see how it ended, but rather after 500 pages I felt like "...I've already gone this far." Bit of background...I've read all of the Belgarion and Sparhawk novels, as well as The Losers, Belgarath, and Polgara so I know the style. Amusing but sometimes repetitive narration centered around lovable and interesting characters. I was very pleased to meet some new players, and I admire that they wanted to keep it to one novel this time, but concepts are not explored and characters are not developed enough in what could have been at least a trilogy. Instead of wanting more, I was left wanting the novel to just get on with it. This may have been solved with smaller doses (or episodes), because although I enjoyed it, it was simply played out after the first 600+ pages.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointed
Review: He should not write with (Leigh)! This is not his writing at all!! Very boring! This book could be written for a child's level. Don't waste your time or money, you will be disappointed.
Rating: 
Summary: The characters do seem familiar...
Review: Although I thought the book was excellent, I began to notice that every major character in the book was either identical to one, or an amalgam of two characters from previous books. Althalus strikes me as cross between Belgarath and Belgarion. Dweia is very like Aphrael. Those who have read the Belgariad/Malloreon and Elenium/Tamuli series will see the same thing. Nonetheless, the book is well written, I just think the Eddings should have tried to create totally new characters, not rehash existing ones from different series.
I wonder if they did that deliberately...?
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent book
Review: Despite what others have written, this is a very good book. Unlike MOST fantasy novels, the characters are not split up into different chapters. Ignore others - buy this book!
Rating:
Summary: The Redemption of Suckalus
Review: Others have pretty much said it all, so I'll just sum it up. I expected more from Eddings. Much more. While his works aren't ever original or earth-shattering by any means, you can usually count on them to be pleasant, humorous, and easy-going reads. Not so with this book. Poor writing, lack of character development, two dimensional characters, and repetitive dialogue makes this book easily one of the worst fantasy books I have ever read. Novels by the Eddings' are typically supported on the shoulders of excellent and amusing character interaction and dialogue, but this approach actually works to this book's disadvantage, as the characters are too shallow and two-dimensional to ever be interesting. They repeat the same jokes over... and over... and over. There are only so many times you can hear "Oh hush", "Why me?", and cutesy things like "Oh Althie I do love you so" before you want to throw this book into the furnace. And don't even get me started on the excessive use of the words "sort of" in this book. It also seems as if the Eddings' accidentally left the suspense out of the book. Characters are given godly (literally!) powers fairly early on in the book, and whilst the villains possess equal powers, they are brainless fools. Thus the book progresses, as the heroes cook up overly-complicated plots to pick off each bad guy, then execute those plans without any flaws whatsoever. Yawn. The book ends abruptly when the last bumbling idiot, er, villain is slain, without any sort of big battle or climax whatsoever. All I can say is, I want those hours of my life back.
Rating:
Summary: Not as bad as some claim
Review: The book is entertaining, and I think it is obvious that the same mind has created the story here as in the previous series. There is more content than I would expect from a single book, which surprised me. This could just as well have become another 5-book series. However, some of the bad points mentioned by other reviewers are quite valid. * To keep the reader interested there should be a balance between the main characters and their opponents, to make it less clear who will win (although the hero should always win in the end, naturally :o) ). The Eddings have made things a bit too easy for their heroes, and the fact that they always win, almost without any setbacks makes things a bit too predictable at the end. The single small setback is over in one paragraph, and only marginally elaborated upon later. * The storytelling is a bit rushed. As I mentioned above this could have become another series of books, but instead it has been compressed into one volume. If it had been allowed to grow freely, that would probably have improved the pace alot. * The dialog can sometimes be a bit too cheerful and unnatural, but that could also be an effect of the compression of the story into one volume. Finally, don't let the points above discourage you from buying this book. If you liked the previous creations by Eddings, then you are likely to like this book as well. I feel it deserves the rating (4) that I give it, even though it is far from a perfect 5.
Rating:
Summary: If you think the "Belgariad" was the finest work...
Review: ever written in the english language, you will probably like this book. If you are like me, and just enjoy the Belgariad, Elenium and Tamuli, you will find it a pretty thin rehash of the earlier works. Their view of human interaction is very one dimensional, and becoming somewhat trite. Still, it has its moments, and will keep you entertained for a while. I would really like to see the writers stretch themselves and take a few chances, and maybe NOT have the main female be so condescending, and the men be so doltish.
Rating:
Summary: The humor is still there
Review: I bought Redemption expecting the kind of fun I had reading the Belgariad and Mallorean series'. I was not disappointed. I have read some of the other reviews and was surprised to find so much criticism of the book. I found it entertaining and very absorbing. I read fantasy/sci-fi as way to escape from everyday life and this book did the same thing that Edding's previous books did. It gave me humor and someone else to think about during the whole reading. No, it wasn't Belgarath, Polgara and Belgarion, but it was entertaining and the same dry humor was there to keep me reading. If there is a follow-up book, I will gladly buy it and enjoy it.
Rating:
Summary: Tired rehash
Review: I agree with most of the reviews I have read that panned Redemption as being a rehash of much of what Eddings has previously written. The storyline is predictable, the characters 2-dimensional, and the dialogue at times abysmal. I personally would like to see the name Leigh disappear from the cover of future books, as I think she has been the cause of a severe dilution of talent that Eddings showed in his earlier works. Either hang up the ol' typewriter or get some fresh impetus into your story telling, David.
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