Happy Friday, everyone! I have decided to try and keep this up, for my own sanity mostly. This week’s Favorite Friday choice is David and Leigh Eddings’ The Redemption of Althalus, which was my all-time favorite book for quite a long time in my teenage years. This is also in part of my belated sadness in finding out about the passing of David Eddings  in 2009, which I was unaware of. You will most definitely be missed. This married pen-wielding duo had been writing since the 80s, only breaking up upon Leigh’s death in 2007.

The Redemption of Althalus follows Althalus (duh), an unscrupulous thief who, up until the beginning of the book, has had quite a lucky streak in his profession. After a couple of bad and botched jobs, Althalus is desperate and takes the first job offered to him: Go to an uninhabited house at the end of the world and steal a book. Upon arriving at the house, Althalus is quick to discover the house is not only inhabited by a talking cat called Emerald, but also that he is not allowed to leave. Upon this realization comes knowledge that he is to participate in the great war of the good gods against evil that is to span more than 3000 years- which he has to live through. Here we embark on a quest to find a team of fated “good guys” who all must play a role in helping the “light” gods, Dweia and Dweios, triumph over their evil brother Daeva. Going through time and space, will Althalus and his ragtag team of heroes win, or will the earth be consumed by Hell?

This is a standalone novel filled with cliches and fortunate occurrences for the “good guys” but in all honesty, I don’t mind. It is good clean fun written by one of the premiere high fantasy writers of the time. Who doesn’t like epic quests, fun powers, and goddesses masquerading as talking cats? Not to mention big tomes filled with the secrets of the world. If you are looking for a fun high fantasy read that is surprisingly quick despite its 800-page heft, you’ve come to the right place! Five waves for some heavy reading on a light day!

What is your current (or past) favorite that comes to mind?