- Hardcover: 528 pages
- Publisher: Voyager; hardcover edition (5 July 2004)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0007157614
- ISBN-13: 978-0007157617
- Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 15.8 x 4.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 633,009 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk
The Treasured One is another lightweight, feelgood fantasy epic from David and Leigh Eddings. As book two of their sequence The Dreamers, it continues the story that opened in The Elder Gods.
The idyllic land of Dhrall, home of this fantasy world's gods, is still threatened by an unpleasantness lurking in its inland wastes. The Vlagh is an insect-like hive mind which in the great tradition of Dark Lords is constantly experimenting with magic genetic engineering, to spawn ever nastier and more venomous hordes of cannon fodder.
Although the forces of light are led by four somewhat naive gods, with elemental support from Father Earth, Mother Sea, and others, there is a snag. The gods are unable to kill. So the other four gods (whose 25,000-year shift hasn't yet begun) have been brought back early in the form of excessively cute kids whose dreams are not only prophetic but can unleash cataclysms like floods and volcanoes. Take that, Vlagh!
Further backup comes from overseas human mercenaries whose traditional enmities are cured by promises of much gold, and whose conversations are full of jolly military and nautical camaraderie. Unfortunately the southern homeland's utterly corrupt, repulsive Church--which has no redeeming features at all--hears about this gold and sends its own invasion fleet to Dhrall…
The narrative has a somewhat padded feel, with frequent flashbacks and recaps which explore the past lives of significant characters (farmer, treacherous churchman, military commander, pirates), retell events in the previous book, and even retell events in this book. We hear many times what happens when the Church invaders arrive, as character after character after character is told the story. Meanwhile, despite all the forces arrayed against the next Vlagh attack, a secret ally with more than godlike power is weaving her own cunning if slightly unscrupulous plan to help.
The Treasured One reads smoothly, raises the occasional smile with passages of friendly banter, contains no huge surprises, and is destined to sell very well indeed. For the Eddings' legions of fans, this is essential comfort reading to pass the long holiday hours.--David Langford
Review
Praise for David Eddings:
‘Fantastic escapism’ The Irish Times
‘Offers an absorbing storyline and some memorable characters as, once again, the author touches all the right fantasy bases, with warring gods, political intrigues, supernatural creatures and appealingly human magicians involved in a titanic war over the course of seven millennia. Eddings fans will no doubt snatch this novel off the shelves while readers new to the authors’
world won’t find a more appropriate place to begin exploring it.’ Publishers Weekly
‘There’s no denying Eddings’ offerings do entertain. This novel is for fantasy fans fed up with more fusty fare, or for anyone who likes mischief and merriment.’ West Australian
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First Sentence
During the course of my many cycles I've grown very fond of the mountains of my Domain. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
During the course of my many cycles I've grown very fond of the mountains of my Domain. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I first read my first Eddings novel many years ago and was instantly in love with the magical storytelling, the complexity and depth of the characters, the wit & humour, the dialogue and the craftmanship of that novel and every subsequent novel - I even named my son after one of the characters! I could visuliaze each twist and turn, country, conversation, interaction, fight, death, romance and character almost to the point of reality and I read each book with my heart in my mouth, desparate to get to the end and the next novel. Which is why I am so unbelievably disappointed with this novel and indeed the previous one! Repetitive storylines and parallel characters to other series, see through conclusions and oh so wordy... took me one week to read 1 series before, this novel took me 3 months as I lost the will to read it and finally it was relegated to my 'ahem' bathroom read! Uninpiring and boring, I'm only going to read the next one because it surely can't be any worse and I want to see if it rehashes the first 2 books in the same way this one did for the 1st! and please can we see women who capable and competent or even falible but just don't fall into any of the 3 categories of cute & cuddly or uber-amazon men hating good fighters or mystical, willowy and all knowing; oh and can the bad guys score a win for once - just for the pure hell of it!
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
After a dissapointing start with the Elder Gods, I was prepared to give the series another chance. I loved all of Edding's previous series, especially the Sparhawk books, but I really feel that these books don't even come close to the quality Edding fans should expect. Don't get me wrong - it's a good book.
The Eddings retain their dry humour, and frequently amusing conversation - although some phrases are repeated too often, and it begins to stand out. The pace is great as usual, and the books moves along fast enough to hold your attention, and the authors handle passage of time very well, and always accord each event with the right amount of attention. But it deosn't feel as mature as the last ones, and seems to be a book more aimed at children with the writing style and characters employed. And some of the events and plans are a little to elaborate and far-fetched (I mean, come on - a desert of fake gold?) A problem Eddings has with characters is the female ones - they are always very similar in one way or the other! Its not so noticeable in the other books, but it is in these. Woman are always smart, secretive, make 'clever' remarks, are usually quite condescending to men. I asure you - if you look you will find most of these traits in nine out of ten female characters. The male characters are much better, although some of them are too constantly good, clever, honest (insert good virtues here) to be real or to be able to empathise with. To be honest I though some of the evil characters were much better than the good ones, but the bitter commander Narasan is a good character as well.
The book is good, and I am still looking forwards to the third one, but I really feel this series is a dissapointment. If you are a new Eddings reader, take my advice and read the Belgariad or the Elenium first - some of the best books I have read.
The Eddings retain their dry humour, and frequently amusing conversation - although some phrases are repeated too often, and it begins to stand out. The pace is great as usual, and the books moves along fast enough to hold your attention, and the authors handle passage of time very well, and always accord each event with the right amount of attention. But it deosn't feel as mature as the last ones, and seems to be a book more aimed at children with the writing style and characters employed. And some of the events and plans are a little to elaborate and far-fetched (I mean, come on - a desert of fake gold?) A problem Eddings has with characters is the female ones - they are always very similar in one way or the other! Its not so noticeable in the other books, but it is in these. Woman are always smart, secretive, make 'clever' remarks, are usually quite condescending to men. I asure you - if you look you will find most of these traits in nine out of ten female characters. The male characters are much better, although some of them are too constantly good, clever, honest (insert good virtues here) to be real or to be able to empathise with. To be honest I though some of the evil characters were much better than the good ones, but the bitter commander Narasan is a good character as well.
The book is good, and I am still looking forwards to the third one, but I really feel this series is a dissapointment. If you are a new Eddings reader, take my advice and read the Belgariad or the Elenium first - some of the best books I have read.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
This new series from David eddings is a very poor effort. He has made blatent use of "cut and paste" from previous books. There are lots of examples: A child godess who gets her way by kissing people. An archer who never misses (albeit an intellegent one) a large red bearded warrior, to name but a few. You get the distinct impression that the publisher has pushed for another series and the best Eddings et al can do is to re-hash old characters and put them in s slightly different setting. I'm being generous in giving this series 1-star. If you are an ardent David Eddings fan, I would advise you not to buy any book in this series (so far, I have bought all 3 in the hope they get better and they don't) because you will be extremely disappointed.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
The Treasured One
This book(trilogy) just dosnt seam to go anywere well below the standerd set in the Belgarath/Belgarion series here's hoping there next work isnt as repetitive as this.
Published 1 month ago by isleth
Caution!
This is a review of "The Dreamers" series overall.
I'm an avid Eddings fan and have been for a couple of dozen years. Read more
I'm an avid Eddings fan and have been for a couple of dozen years. Read more
Published 9 months ago by T. Lewcock
Going through the motions
After growing up with the Belgariad and rushing to buy the Elenium I stayed away from Eddingd for a while because there's such a thing as too much of a good thing. Read more
Published on 18 Sep 2009 by Sir Bob
Never thought I wouldn't complete an Eddings' series
I thought this book was extremely dull. Being brought up on the great Eddings books of the past I was extremely disappointed with the first book. Read more
Published on 4 July 2008 by Mr. Ricky Chan
Very interesting opinions here
Barely half way through. My first eddings novel (found in hotel). I may be unfair as its not the first in the series but that does not excuse the writing style. Simply put ... Read more
Published on 8 May 2008 by Dave Siddons
The Treasured One: Book Two of the Dreamers
I was uncertain what to expect by David and Leigh Eddings book "The treasured one", because I have only read book two of the dreamers. Read more
Published on 9 Jan 2008 by Darren shan
Dreadful - couldn't force myself to finish it
This is even worse than the first book in the series, the Elder Gods. The plot is very weak, with a number of chapters repeatedly rehashing the events of the first book from... Read more
Published on 20 Jun 2007 by Dust
Whoops I did it again
I am a huge Eddings fan .. went out and bought this on the strength of reputation hoping it was better than the last one .. it wasnt .. Read more
Published on 7 Jun 2006 by Chris Evans
Repetition, repetition, repetition
Although I have loved Eddings work since reading the Belgariad years ago, I am really frustrated reading the 2nd book of the series. Read more
Published on 28 May 2006 by Adrian Parker
To offset the total biased, bad reviews out there...
1 star? Are you kidding me? Honestly, if people are giving a book like this 1 star, and some of the drivel other writers churn out higherm than there is something seriously... Read more
Published on 5 April 2006 by Stephen
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