The Redemption of Althalus

作者 David著Leigh Eddings著
出版社 Random House
出版时间 2001年10月
ISBN 9780345440785
定价 67.20

内容简介

"Asthefirststand-aloneone-volumeepicfantasybythepopularEddingsteam(whoseseriesincludeTheBelgariad;TheMalloreonandTheElenium),thisheftysagaaboutGoodtrouncingEvilplumpsanengagingyoungreprobateherointothearmsofa--literally--divinefelineheroine.Aprofessionalthiefandoccasionalmurderer,AlthalusacceptsacommissiontostealasupernaturaltomeknownastheBook.WhenhearrivesatthemysteriousHouseattheEndoftheWorld,alissomeblackcatwithemeraldeyesturnsouttobethefertilitygoddessDweia.TogethertheyenlistaMissionImprobableteamtoout-sorceltheassortedvillainsmarshaledbythesorcererGhend,whoisbentonconvertingthismedieval-likeworldfromtheworshipofDweia'sgoodgod-brother,Deiwos,toawfulservitudeundertheirwickedsiblingDaeva.Plentyofderring-dospicesupthefirsttwo-thirdsofthisjollyromp,andsomezingyflashesofwithomeinneatlyonstuffyhumaninstitutionslikeoverorganizedreligionandlandedaristocracies.Unfortunately,theEddingsescan'tresistalengthytime-travelingreprise,whichdragsthestorydownintoso-soconventionality.ThoughtheEddingses'multitudinousfanswilllikelyfeelrightathomehereintheirsafelymagicalrealmofgood-naturedfun,thiscircleofwould-befaeriehasbeentroddensooftenthathereityieldsverylittledeep-rootedliterarygreenerytomunchonortosavor,stilllesstoruminateupon."--PublishersWeekly"GoodversusevilandepicquestsaretypicalthemesinbooksbytheEddingsduo,andthisoneisnoexception.Althalus,athiefandliar,hasbeenchosenbythegoddessDweiatohelpherwiththeongoingargumentbetweenhertwobrothers,Deiwas,CreatorofAllandLordofLight,andDaeva,DestroyerofAllandLordofDarkness.Daevawantstoplungetheworldintonothingness,anditisuptoAlthalustostophim.DweiasendsAlthalusonaquesttofindthedarkbookofDaevasoitcanbedestroyed.Alongtheway,fivespecialcompanionsjoinhim.Withtheirhelp,heisabletowinthebattles,butthewaritselfactuallycomesdowntoaconfrontationbetweenhimandGhend,Daeva'spuppet.Atthefinalconfrontation,GhendrefusestoturnagainstDaeva,andconsequentlyispulledthroughamagicaldoorwayintonothingness,takingtheevilbookwithhim.Althoughagoodbookandafunread,Redemptionisabitofadisappointment.Thecharactersallseemlikeduplicatesofthoseintheauthors'Belgariadseries,withAlthalusbeingBelgaradandtheothersinsimilarvisages.Thenameshavechangedbutthecharactersandthebasicstoryhavenot.LibrariesthathavetheBelgariadseriesintheircollectionsmightnotneedthisone.NeverthelessthoselibrarieswithmanyfansoftheEddingswillwanttogivethisbookatry.VOYACODES:3Q4PJSA/YA(Readablewithoutseriousdefects;BroadgeneralYAappeal;JuniorHigh,definedasgrades7to9;SeniorHigh,definedasgrades10to12;AdultandYoungAdult).2000,DelRey,726p,.Ages14toAdult."--VickyBurkholder,VOYA"Inexplicablydownonhisluck,thenotoriouslysuccessfulthiefAlthalusacceptsemploymentbyamysteriousstrangerwhowantshimtostealabookfromtheHouseattheEndoftheWorld.WhenAlthalusreacheshisdestination,hemeetsagoddessintheformofacatanddiscovershistruemissioninlife--tosavetheworldfromthemachinationsofadeitybentondestroyingcreation.Theauthorsofanumberofbest-sellingfantasyseries,includingthe"Belgariad"andthe"Mallorean,"havecreatedastand-alone,one-volume"epic"fantasythatfeaturesacastofengagingcharacters,somefancifulplottwists,andalight-heartedatmospherethatshouldappealstronglytofansandfirst-timereadersalike.Librariesshouldconsidermultiplecopiestofilltheprobabledemandforthistitle.Highlyrecommended."--LibraryJournal

作者简介

Mythmakersandworldbuildersofthefirstorder,theEddingsesspintalesthatmakeimaginationssoar.ReadershavethrilledtoTheBelgariadandTheMalloreon,magic-filledmasterworkschroniclingthetimelessconflictbetweengoodandevil.Butwiththosesagasbroughttotheirtriumphantconclusions,fanswerelefthungryformore.Nowatlastthewaitisover.WithTheRedemptionofAlthalus,theEddingseshavecreatedtheirfirst-everstand-aloneepicfantasy...ItwouldbesheerfollytotrytoconcealthetruenatureofAlthalus,forhisflawsarethestuffoflegend.Heis,asallmenknow,athief,aliar,anoccasionalmurderer,anoutrageousbraggart,andamandevoidofeventheslightesthintofhonor.Yetofallthemenintheworld,itisAlthalus,unrepentantrogueandscoundrel,whowillbecomethechampionofhumanityinitsdesperatestruggleagainsttheforcesofanancientgoddeterminedtoreturntheuniversetonothingness.OnhiswaytostealTheBookfromtheHouseattheEndoftheWorld,Althalusisconfrontedbyacat--acatwitheyeslikeemeralds,thevoiceofawoman,andthepowersofagoddess.SheisDweia,sistertoTheGodsandagreaterthiefeventhanAlthalus.Shemustbe:forinnotimeatall,shehasstolenhisheart.Andmore.Shehasstolentimeitself.ForwhenAlthalusleavestheHouseattheEndoftheWorld,muchwiserbutnotadayolderthanwhenhe'dfirstenteredit,thousandsofyearshavegoneby.ButDweiaisnottheonlyoneabletomanipulatetime.Herevilbrothersharesthepower,andwhileDweiahasbeenteachingAlthalusthesecretsofTheBook,theancientGodhasbeenusingthedarkmagicofhisownBooktorewritehistory.Yetallisnotlost.ButonlyifAlthalus,stillathiefatheart,canbringtogetheraragtaggroupofmen,women,andchildrenwithnoreasontotrusthimoreachother.Boldlywrittenandbrilliantlyimagined,TheRedemptionofAlthalusisanepicfantasytobesavoredinthereadingandreturnedtoagainandagainforthewisdom,excitement,andhumorthatonlytheEddingsescanprovide.

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