The Treasured One

September 27, 2004
In the bestselling Eddings duo's disappointing second entry in their Dreamers series (after 2003's The Elder Gods
), the four gods (one for each point of the compass) face a new menace in the Land of Dhrall. Neither omnipotent nor omniscient, head god Dahlaine, his brother Veltan and their two sisters aren't even particularly bright. The Vlagh, an evil insectoid creature that's trying to take over the world by producing an army of mutated snake people, goes south to carry the fight for domination to Veltan's realm. The dreamers (the younger gods) forecast the coming horde and provide enough information for Dahlaine and his siblings to prepare themselves. Indeed, the gods' preparations for one rather tedious, unexciting battle occupy the bulk of the book. This fantasy comes as a great letdown from the authors of the luminous Belgariad series (Pawn of Prophecy
, etc.). No true hero shines forth, and the gods' powerlessness makes them worse than cardboard cutouts. Filled with second- or even third-hand action, the story lacks urgency. The next volume desperately needs to be better in order to save the series. Agent, Eleanor Wood at Spectrum Literary Agency.

November 15, 2004
Defeated in their first attempt on human lands, the inhuman, monstrous legions of the entity known as the Vlagh turn their attention to the pastoral lands of Dhrall. In the Wasteland north of Dhrall, the Vlagh breeds hideous armies of batlike and spiderlike beings to overwhelm the land's defenders. Against the forces of evil stands an army of farmers and villagers, soldiers and heroes, gods and mortals, ready to risk their lives to save the world from darkness. The sequel to The Elder Gods continues the adventures of Longbow and his companions as they form an alliance with the gods of their world to fight against an army bent on global domination. This husband-and-wife writing team once again produces a winning combination of congenial characters, beastly villains, and top-notch storytelling. A good choice for most fantasy collections.

Copyright 2004 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.