The Rivan Codex: Ancient Texts of The Belgariad and The Malloreon. David Eddings

      The Rivan Codex

      Ancient Texts Of The Belgariad And The Malloreon

      David & Leigh Eddings

       For Malcolm, Jane, Joy, Geoff and all the staff at HarperCollins.

       It’s always a genuine pleasure to work with you. With all our thanks

      DAVID & LEIGH

      

      Table of Contents

       Cover Page

       Title Page

INTRODUCTION

PREFACE: THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF BELGARATH THE SORCERER^*

I THE HOLY BOOKS

THE BOOK OF ALORN^*

THE BOOK OF TORAK

TESTAMENT OF THE SNAKE PEOPLE

HYMN TO CHALDAN

THE LAMENT OF MARA

THE PROVERBS OF NEDRA

THE SERMON OF ALDUR

THE BOOK OF ULGO^*

       II THE BISTORIES

       AT TOL HOPELB 5368

       THE EMPIRE OF TOLNEDRA

       UNIVERSAL WEIGHTS AND MEASURES^*

       THE ALORN KINGDOMS

       SENDARIA^*

       ARENDIA

       ULGOLAND^*

       NYISSA

       THE ANGARAK KINGDOMS

       III THE BATTLE OF VO MIMBRE

       BOOK SEVEN THE BATTLE BEFORE VO MIMBRE

       AFTERWORD

       INTERMISSION

       IV PRELIMINARY STUDIES FOR THE MALLOREON

       A CURSORY HISTORY OF THE ANGARAK KINGDOMS

       V THE MALLOREAN GOSPELS

       BOOK 1 THE BOOK OF AGES

       BOOK 2 THE BOOK OF FATES

       BOOK 3 THE BOOK OF TASKS

       BOOK 4 THE BOOK OF GENERATIONS

       BOOK 5 THE BOOK OF VISIONS

       VI A SUMMARY OF CURRENT EVENTS 5376-5387

       From the Personal Journal of King Anheg of Cherek^*

       AFTERWORD

       By David Eddings

       Copyright

       About the Publisher

       INTRODUCTION

      My decision to publish this volume was made in part because of a goodly number of flattering letters I’ve received over the past several years. Some of these letters have come from students at various levels, and to make matters worse, I’ve also received letters from teachers who inform me that they’re actually encouraging this sort of thing. Aren’t they aware that they’re supposed to wait until I’m safely in the ground before they do this?

      The students, naturally, ask questions. The teachers hint around the edges of an invitation to stop by and address the class. I’m very flattered, as I mentioned, but I don’t write – or grade – term papers any more, and I don’t travel. To put it idiomatically, ‘I ain’t going no place; I been where I’m going.’

      Then there are those other letters, the ones which rather bashfully confide an intention to ‘try writing fantasy myself’. I don’t worry too much about those correspondents. They’ll get over that notion rather quickly once they discover what’s involved. I’m sure that most of them will eventually decide to take up something simpler – brain surgery or rocket science, perhaps.

      I’d more or less decided to just file those letters and keep my mouth shut. A prolonged silence might be the best way to encourage a passing fancy to do just that – pass.

      Then I recalled a conversation I had with Lester del Rey on one occasion. When I’d first submitted my proposal for the Belgariad, I’d expected the usual leisurely reaction-time, but Lester responded with what I felt to be unseemly haste. He wanted to see this thing – now, but I wasn’t ready to let him see it – now. I was in revision of what I thought would be Book I, and since I was still doing honest work in those days, my time was somewhat curtailed. I wanted to keep him interested, however, so I sent him my ‘Preliminary