Domes of Fire (Standard Kids) [Library Binding]

David Eddings (Author)

Book Description

Series: Standard Kids | Publication Date: October 1999

The first of "The Tamuli" trilogy which continues the adventures of Sparhawk. Having freed Queen Ehlana from the spell which threatened her life, Sparhawk returns to Elenia. However, Ehlana and Sparhawk's peaceful reign is not destined to last because unrest is brewing in the Tamul Empire.

--This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Magic, insurrection, rebirth and new gods and cultures propel this first volume of a proposed second trilogy featuring Sir Sparhawk, Queen Ehlana and other stalwarts of Eddings's best-selling Elenium trilogy. The distant Tamul Empire, endangered by civil unrest exacerbated by paranormal (or magical, depending on the point of view) incidents, begs help from Sparhawk, destroyer of the Elder God Azash and savior of the Elenes. Undertaking the long journey to Tamul, the knight, his royal wife, their daughter Princess Danae and assorted followers encounter unrest in each of the lands through which they pass. Incidents taking more or less the same form--rumors, supported by rabble-rousing orators, of ancient heroes reborn to lead the downtrodden--arouse Sparhawk's suspicion of godly or magical opposition to his cause. Arriving in the Tamul capital, Sparhawk and his cohorts thwart a plot against the emperor but find disturbing evidence that the Troll-Gods and other old enemies are at work. Eddings' likable, spirited characters are not deeply etched but they reflect his original touch nevertheless.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Hard on the heels of the Elenium trilogy, Eddings launches a new fantasy epic featuring the futher adventures of Pandion knight Sparhawk and his companions. Eddings is a first-class storyteller with a gift for easy humor and colorful characters. There will be considerable demand for this title.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Library Binding
• Publisher: Sagebrush Education Resources (October 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785722610
• ISBN-13: 978-0785722618
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,906,257 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

David Eddings was born in Washington State in 1931 and grew up near Seattle. He graduated from the University of Washington and went on to serve in the US Army. Subsequently, he worked as a buyer for the Boeing Aircraft Company and taught college-level English. His career as a fantasy writer, with his wife Leigh, has been spectacular.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Deja Vu all over again...and again...and again, April 20, 2004

By 

Justin Gaines (Northern Virginia) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Domes of Fire (Tamuli) (Mass Market Paperback)

David Eddings made a name for himself in the fantasy fiction arena with the release of his epic series the Belgariad, which had some very memorable characters, some interesting concepts, and spirited dialogue, but stuck pretty close to the staples of the genre - orphan boy finding out he is the focus of an ancient prophecy, gods fighting over a powerful talisman, wizards & sorceresses, etc. The series was a hit, and Eddings obviously liked the characters enough to bring them all back for the 5-book Malloreon series. Unfortunately for the readers, the series fell short of the standard achieved by the Belgariad.

Eddings then turned his attention to a new series, the Elenium. Like the Belgariad, the Elenium had some very memorable characters and some more interesting concepts. The series focused on militant orders of Church Knights who were trained in various forms of magic. Familiar concepts like gods fighting over magical objects, prophecy, and wizards & sorceresses once again featured prominently, but the series proved to be quite enjoyable. Once again, Eddings seems to take pleasure in the spirited dialogue between the main characters.

True to form, Eddings couldn't help but bring the characters from the Elenium back for another trilogy, or which Domes of Fire is the first volume. The Tamuli series is basically the Elenium all over again with a different evil god as the man foe. The storyline is very weak, and there is almost no sense of urgency to the series. It was a struggle to make it all the way through, since there really wasn't any motivation to do so. The whole series seemed to be thrown together just so Eddings could have his characters banter back and forth for three more books. By this time, the dialogue that was once fresh and clever is tired and stale. One can only read the phrases "Be nice" and "Isn't he a nice boy" so many times before they wear quite thin (long time Eddings readers will know what I'm talking about).

While I would recommend reading the Belgariad and the Elenium, I just can't say the same about the Malloreon and this series, the Tamuli. It is just repeating what has already been done to death. Hopefully Eddings will realize this and try something new soon. Otherwise there will be no need for me to bother reading his future works.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's only entertainment... but I like it., December 10, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Domes of Fire (Tamuli) (Mass Market Paperback)

It seems that all you have to do to enjoy a book by Eddings is turn your brain off. It's been some time since I read the Elenium, and I didn't have much expectations as it comes to this sequel, but yes, the man can still write. Some people here complain that the characters never encounter any real danger, but I don't see that as a bad thing. In fact, what I've been missing in many fantasy books is a certain sense of lightness. You can get tired of savage, breathtaking battles for the victory of the good. I mean, we all know the good _will_ win in the end! So why bite your fingernails off for nothing.

Eddings is a humorous writer, of course, but his language is great and makes me laugh very often. Also he has a certain understanding of human nature. This is not great art, but surely there's worse fantasy writers around. I'll be very delighted to read the rest of Tamul.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars It's downhill from here..., November 10, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Domes of Fire (Tamuli) (Mass Market Paperback)

Why does it seem like this whole series has so many gratuitous moments, like the monster vs. Zalasta scene? The characters start evidencing the not-that-funny one-liners that plague Eddings, but in this book they're not so bad - the rest of the series, however, will make your teeth ache with them. If you've read the Elenium (which was way better), you might want to read this just to find out what happens to Sparhawk and company. Don't. You can probably imagine a better sequel yourself.