i bought this book whilst on holiday because i'd run out of reading material. a friend had recommended eddings so i bought it. i was a bit dubious at first - a new author and all that. but after reading the first chapter i couldn't put the book down. i was so wrapped up in the story that once i'd finished i went out and bought The Shining Ones and The Hidden City. i am now a fan of eddings and have bought nearly all his books in the space of a few weeks.
Sir Sparhawk, Ehlana et al are so realistic that i sometimes feel like popping over for a cuppa. and the understated humour that runs through the trilogy made me "happy as pigs in mud" - to coin a phrase. the characters within these books are absolutely essential and not just for the story. the way eddings writes them makes them integral parts of a well oiled machine.
excellent reading material