I am not a huge Eddings fan but you can't criticize all his books High Hunt and the Losers were quite decent but I do have to agree with the statements on repetition in the later books/series. To stomach the later books just remember to read the first set of books and skip the second set since it is just a rehash of the first overall with different names. Eddings even admits it when writing during both sets of books in each of the seconds series the question is asked again and again "doesn't it feel like we've done this before?". So what it comes down to is this boy or man for the basis of choosing what series will be best suited for you. If you want to watch the child grow to become a man then the Belgariad is for you but if you wish to travel along with the grizzled veteran then the correct choice is the Elenium just remember never read the second set of books for whatever series you choose and you will be able to have a much more enjoyable experience.
I have read both series and their followup series of books and in the end for me the choice of which to keep of the four sets was the Elenium the writing was a bit stronger and you don't have to waste time learning the correct path from boy to man. The fact that it doesn't waste a lot of time and manages to wrap it up in three books instead of dragging it on for an extra two factored in also. To me Sparhawk is the better lead and the background characters around him are a bit more flushed out. (Ze End: Takes a bow
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Just remember I'm not even that big of an Eddings fan my choice to beat the Belgariad back with a stick would be with the original dishwasher Wart from The Once and Future King by T.H. White now that was a series. Though aimed for a bit younger audience for something a bit higher on the reading scale volume one through three of The Legends Of Camber Of Culdi by Katherine Kurtz might be your pace. Or any of the books/series I'll toss below here in truly no particular order just as the pop into the old noggin hopefully you'll see something you might enjoy:
The Farseer Trilogy - Robin Hobb
The Flight Of Michael McBride - Midori Snyder
The Dreamstone - C.J. Cherryh
Dark Crusade - Karl Edward Wagner
Jirel of Joiry - C.L. Moore
Rusalka - C.J. Cherryh
Magician - Raymond E. Feist (The first was the best the rest are just good for skimming to check up on the main two characters.)
God Stalk - P.C. Hodgell
Hart's Hope - Orson Scott Card
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant - Stephen R. Donaldson
Swords And Deviltry - Fritz Leiber
The Elric Saga - Michael Moorcock
Prince Ombra - Roderick MacLeish
Frostwing - Richard A. Knaack
The Memory, Thorn & Sorrow Trilogy - Tad Williams
Running With The Demon - Terry Brooks
Now on to the topic at hand my five choices would be:
1. Andre Norton
2. Michael Moorcock
3. C.J. Cherryh
4. Mercedes Lackey
5. Philp Pullman
