Excerpts
Here are excerpts mostly from Eddings, some from Tolkien, and a few from T.A. Barron.
Garion: "Why me?" (Belgariad/Mallorean)
Silk: "Why me?"
Zakath: "Why me?" (Mallorean)
Polgara: "Why me?" (Belgarath the Sorcerer)
Letters
Belgarath the Sorcerer
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Majesty:
Know that Aloria will permit no attack upon Riva. The fleets of Cherek, whose masts rise as this as the trees of the forest, will fall upon your flotilla, and the legions of Tolnedra will feed the fish from the hook of Arendia to the farthest reaches of the Sea of the Winds. The battalions of Drasnia will march south, crushing all in their paths and law siege to your cities. The horsemen of Algaria shall sweep across the mountains and shall lay waste you empure from end to end with fire and sword.
Know that in the day you attack Riva will the Alorns make war upon you, and you shall surely perish, and your empire also.
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Belgarath the Sorcerer
Part Four: Polgara - Chapter 32
She finally popped to the surface no more than ten feet from the struggling child, and with a few strokes, she had him.
"YES!" the previously silent intruder in my head exulted.
"Oh, shut up!" I told it.
Saturday: July 24, 2004
Belgarath the Sorcerer
Part Four: Polgara - Chapter 26
"How did you straighten her eyes?"
"Muscles, Old Wolf. Tighten some. Relax others. It's easy if you pay attention. Details, father, you have to pay attention to details. Isn't that what you told me?"
"Where did you learn so much about eyes?"
She shrugged. "I didn't. I just made it up as I went along. Shall we go to Drasnia?"
Sunday: July 11, 2004
Belgarath the Sorcerer
Part Two: The Apostate - Chapter 9
Have you ever noticed that? We base our assessment of the intelligence of others almost entirely on how closely their thinking matches our own. I'm sure that there are people out there who violently disagree with me on most things, and I'm broad-minded enough to concede that they might possibly not be complete idiots, but I much prefer the company of people who agree with me.
You might want to think about that.
Friday: March 21, 2003 - 9:53 PM (CST)
The Lost Years of Merlin
Part Three: Chapter 25 - A Staff and a Shovel
A few moments later we reached the spot. Here the river widened considerably, flowing over a bed of white stones. As I had hoped, the water, while still fast flowing, looked quite shallow. Beneath the boulders, the mud on both banks showed tracks of large, heavy boots.
"Goblinses," said Shim, observing the tracks.
"I'm sure the River Unceasing did not make it easy for them to cross."
Shim glanced up at me. "Myself, I hates to cross rivers. Really, truly, honestly."
I leaned against my staff, grasping the gnarled top. "You don't have to do it. It's your choice."
"How far will it goes?"
"To where Rhia is! Since those goblins think they have the Galator in their sack, they are probably heading to Stangmar's castle. I don't know if we can catch them before we get there, but we must try. It's our only hope, and Rhia's."
Saturday: February 15, 2003 - 6:58 PM (CST)
The Belgariad: Queen of Sorcery
Part Three: Nyissa - Chapter Twenty-five
Garion's mind exploded. He gathered himself with an awful concentration, pointed one hand at the wharf just beyond their own ship and said, "Be there!" He felt an enormous surge as if some vast tide were rushing out of him, and he reeled almost senseless against Mandorallen. The sound inside his head was deafening.
The slave, still writhing and covered with the oozing leeches, was suddenly lying on the wharf. A wave of exhaustion swept over Garion; if Mandorallen had not caught him, he would have fallen.
Wednesday: February 12, 2003 - 11:58 PM (CST)
The Belgariad: Queen of Sorcery
Part Two: Tolnedra - Chapter Eighteen
"What about me?" Ce'Nedra asked.
"You wanted to go to the Wood of the Dryads," Aunt Pol told her. "We're going in that direction anyway, so you'll stay with us. We'll see what Queen Xantha says when we get you there."
"Am I to consider myself a prisoner then?" the princess asked stiffly.
"You can if it makes you feel better, dear," Aunt Pol said. She looked at the tiny girl critically in the flickering firelight. "I'm going to have to do something about your hair, though. What did you use for dye? It looks awful."
Sunday: February 2, 2003 - 2:30 PM (CST)
The Belgariad: Queen of Sorcery
Part One: Arendia - Chapter Six
But suddenly a half-dozen snarling Algroths were in the road in front of them, their arms spread wide and their mouths gaping hideously. They were huge, with apelike arms and claws instead of fingers. Their faces were goatish, surmounted by short, sharp-pointed horns, and they had long, yellow fangs. Their gray skin was scaly, reptilian.
Wednesday: January 8, 2003 - 11:50 PM (CST)
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Book VI; Chapter 2 - The Land of Shadow
&nbap;&nbap; It was the morning of the fifteenth of March, and over the vale of Anduin the Sun was rising above the eastern shadow, and the southwest wind was blowing. Théoden lay dying on the Pelennor Fields.
Saturday: January 4, 2003 - 10:20 PM (CST)
The Belgariad: Pawn of Prophecy
Part One: Sendaria - Chapter Nine
Then a strange thing happened. The elder of the two guards stared at Mister Wolf, taking in his silver hair and beard. His eyes opened very wide. He quickly muttered something to his companion, and the two men bowed deeply to Wolf.
"There isn't time for that," Wolf said in annoyance. "Convey me to your herd master."
"At once, Ancient One," the elder guard said quickly and hurried to open the gate.
"What was that about?" Garion whispered to Aunt Pol.
"The Algars are superstitious," she said shortly. "Don't ask so many questions."
Saturday: December 28, 2002 - 1:00 PM (CST)
The Belgariad: Pawn of Prophecy
Part One: Sendaria - Chapter Five
"Someone else is going to have to do that," Durnik said slowly. "I'm not sure what this is all about, but I am sure that there's danger involved in it. It appears that I'll have to go with you—at least until I've gotten you safely away from here."
Aunt Pol suddenly laughed. "You, Durnik? You mean to protect us?"
He drew himself up. "I'm sorry, Mistress Pol," he said. "I will not permit you to go unescorted."
"Will not permit?" she said incredulously.
"Very well," Wolf said, a sly look on his face.
"Have you totally taken leave of your senses?" Aunt Pol demanded, turning on him.
"Durnik has shown himself to be a useful man," Wolf said. "If nothing else, he'll give me someone to talk with along the way. Your tongue has grown sharper with the years, Pol, and I don't relish the idea of a hundred leagues or more with nothing but abuse for companionship."
"I see that you've finally slipped into your dotage, Old Wolf," she said acidly.
Tuesday: July 16, 2002 - 2:30 AM (CST)
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Book VI; Chapter 1 - The Tower of Cirith Ungol
An orc-voice rose in anger, and he knew it again at once, harsh, brutal, cold. It was Shagrat speaking, Captain of the Tower.
"You won't go again, you say? Curse you, Snaga, you little maggot! If you think I'm so damaged that it's safe to flout me, you're mistaken. Come here, and I'll squeeze your eyes out like I did to Radbug just now. And when some new lads come, I'll deal with you: I'll send you to Shelob."
The Tamuli: The Hidden City
Part One: Berit - Chapter Eight
He fell to his knees as the light that was Edaemus approached, but his God dimmed, assumed a human form, and reached out gently to raise him to his feet again. "That is not needful, my old friend," he said.
"Why, Edaemus," Aphrael said, "you're really quite handsome. You shouldn't hide from us in all that light the way you do."
A faint smile touched the ageless face of the Delphaeic God. "Seek not to beguile me with flattery, Aphrael. I know thee, and I know thy ways. Thou shalt not so easily ensnare me."
"Oh, really? Thou art ensnared already, Edaemus. I do but toy with thee now. My hand is already about thine heart. In time, I shall close it and make thee mine." And she laughed a silvery little peal of laughter.
Monday: May 27, 2002 - 10:20 PM (CST)
The Tamuli: Domes of Fire
Part Two: Astel - Chapter Eight
"This is all very interesting, Sir Sparhawk," Oscagne said, "but could you please explain it to us?"
"Kalten already knows, your Excellency," Sparhawk replied. "It would appear that we have just been visited by the Troll-Gods."
"Be careful, Sparhawk," Emban warned, "you're walking on the edge of heresy."
"The Church Knights are permitted to do that, your Grace..."
Sunday: May 19, 2002 - 9:20 PM (CST)
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Book I; Chapter 5 - A Conspiracy Unmasked
There was a terrific splash, and a shout of Whoa! from Frodo. It appeared that a lot of Pippin's bath had imitated a fountain and leaped on high.
Merry went to the door: "What about supper and beer in the throat?" he called. Frodo came out drying his hair.
"There's so much water in the air that I'm coming into the kitchen to finish," he said.
"Lawks!" said Merry, looking in. The stone floor was swimming. "You ought to mop all that up before you get anything to eat, Peregrin," he said. "Hurry up, or we shan't wait for you."
Sunday: May 12, 2002 - 8:30 AM (CST)
The Tamuli: Domes of Fire
Part Three: Atan - Chapter Sixteen
"I see that hasn't changed," Sephrenia observed to Ehlana. "Does he still make these clumsy attempts at humor every chance he gets?"
"I've been working on that, little mother." Ehlana smiled.
"The question I was really asking was whether or not you ladies wanted to ride on into the city, or would you like to have us set up camp for the night?"
"Spoilsport," Ehlana accused.
"We really should go on down," Sephrenia told them. "Vanion's waiting, and you know how cross he gets when people aren't punctual."
"Vanion?" Emban exclaimed. "I thought he'd be dead by now."
"Hardly. He's quite vigorous, actually. Very vigorous at times. He'd have come with me to meet you, but he sprained his ankle yesterday. He's being terribly brave about it, but it hurts more than he's willing to admit."
Saturday: March 30, 2002 - 1:00 PM (CST)
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Book III; Chapter 6 - The King of the Golden Hall
"This counsel seems good to me now," said Théoden. "Let all my folk get ready! But you my guests—truly you said, Gandalf, that the courtesy of my hall is lessened. You have ridden through the night, and the morning wears away. You have neither sleep nor food. A guest-house shall be made ready: there you shall sleep, when you have eaten."
"Nay, Lord," said Aragorn. "There is no rest for the weary. The men of Rohan must ride forth today, and we will ride with them, axe, sword, and bow..."
The Tamuli: Domes of Fire
Part Two: Astel - Chapter Eight
"When do you do that?"
"At night." She shrugged. "The fish are terribly grateful. I think they're right on the verge of worshipping me." She laughed. "I've never been worshipped by fish before, and I don't really speak their language very well. It's mostly bubbles. Can I have a pet whale?"
"No, you've already got a kitten."
"I'll pout."
"It makes you look silly, but go ahead if you feel like it."
"Why can't I have a whale?"
"Because they can't be housebroken. They don't make good pets."
"That's a ridiculous answer, Sparhawk."
"It was a ridiculous request, Aphrael."
Monday: March 4, 2002 - 7:00 PM (CST)
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Book I; Chapter 3 - A Knife in the Dark
"Tell us of Gil-galad," said Merry suddenly, when he paused at the end of a story of the Elf-Kingdooms. "Do you know any more of that old lay you spoke of?"
"I do indeed," answered Strider. "So also does Frodo, for it concerns us closely." Merry and Pippin looked at Frodo, who was staring into the fire.
"I know only the little that Gandalf has told me," said Frodo slowly.
The Elenium: The Ruby Knight
Part Two: Ghasek - Chapter Seventeen
"Let's ride around it," Sparhawk said. "I want to see if anybody's been digging, and I definitely want to make sure that nobody's around. This is the sort of thing we want lots of privacy for." The cantered around the mound. It was quite high, and it was perhaps a hundred feet long and twenty wide. Its sides were covered with grass, and it was smoothly symmetrical. There were no signs of any excavations.
"I'm going up on top," Kurik said when they returned to the road.
Sunday: January 27, 2002 - 10:30 PM (CST)
The Lost Years of Merlin: The Wings of Merlin
Part Two: XIV - Snowfall
The man's face grew suddenly stern. "Now yer no longer funny." He lowered the spear, pointing it squarely at my chest. "An' no longer welcome."
"Who are you to turn me away?" I demanded. "I need to speak with your village elders, whoever is in charge. Someone with a grain of sense in his head.
His arms flexed as he squeezed the spear. "I am Lydd, guardian o' Caer Darloch." He jabbed the spear, gazing my tunic. "An' I am tellin' ye to leave."
Despite the fact that my fraying garb and snow-matted hair made me look more like a vagabond than a wizard, I replied, "And I am the one called Merlin! I command you to take me to your elders."
Saturday: January 26, 2002 - 10:20 PM (CST)
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Appendix A; (V) Tales of Aragorn and Arwen
'For a moment Aragorn gazed in silence, but fearing that she would pass away and never be seen again, he called to her crying, Tinuviel, Tinuviel! even as Beren had done in the Elder Days long ago.
'Then the maiden turned to him and smiled, and she said: "Who are you? And why do you call me by that name?"
The Elenium: The Ruby Knight
Part One: Lake Randera - Chapter Eight
"God!" Kalten gasped in horror as he stared at the grotesquely mutilated thing.
"Talk to it Ulath," Tynian said from between clenched teeth. "I can't hold it here very long."
Ulath stepped forward and began to speak in a harshly gutteral language.
"Old Thalesian," Sephrenia identified the dialect. "Common soldiers at the time of King Sarak would have spoken it."
The ghastly apparition replied haltingly in a dreadful voice. Then it made a jerky pointing motion with one bony hand.
Saturday: January 19, 2002 - 6:02 PM (CT)
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Book VI; Chapter 3 - Mount Doom
Frodo was lying on his back wtih eyes open, staring at the cloudy sky. "Well, Mr. Frodo," said Sam, "I've been having a look round and thinking a bit. There's nothing on the roads, and we'd best be getting away while there's a chance. Can you manage it?"
"I can manage it," said Frodo. "I must."
The Elenium: The Diamond Throne
Part Three: Dabour - Chapter Nineteen
"Just what are you planning?" the abbot demanded.
"I'm going to pay a call on Elius. He knows what's been going on, and I think I can persuade him to share the information. We need confirmation of all this before you send the message to Larium."
"It's too dangerous."
"Not as dangerous as having Annias in the archprelacy, is it?" Sparhawk considered it.
Saturday: January 12, 2002 - 12:15 AM (CT)
The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Book I; Chapter 6 - The Old Forest
Frodo and Sam beat first upon the tree-trunk where Pippin had lain. They then struggled frantically to pull open the jaws of the crack that held poor Merry. It was quite useless.
'What a foul thing to happen!' cried Frodo wildly. 'Why did we ever come into this dreadful forest? I wish we were all back at Crickhollow!' He kicked the tree with all his strength, heedless of his own feet.
The Elenium: The Diamond Throne
Part Two: Chyrellos - Chapter Fifteen
"...He might have threatened you with unpleasant things, but we're going to do them to you. Save yourself a great deal of discomfort and answer my questions."
"My Lord," the man blubbered, "I can't—even if you torture me to death."
Ulath slid down from his saddle and approached the cringing captive. "Oh, stop that," the Genidian said. He raised a hand, palm outstretched, over the prisoner's head and spoke in a harsh, grating language Sparhawk did not understand but uneasily suspected was not a human tongue. The captured mercenary's eyes went blank, and he fell to his knees.
Friday: January 4, 2002 - 11:40 PM
The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
"Fair lady Goldberry!" he said again. "Now the joy that was hidden in the songs we heard is made plain to me.
O slender as a willow-wand! O clearer than clear water!
O reed by the living pool! Fair river-daughter!
O spring-time and summer-time, and spring again after!
O wind on the waterfall, and the leaves' laughter!"
Suddenly he stopped and stammered, overcome with surprise to hear himself saying such things. But Goldberry laughed.
"Welcome!" she said. "I had not heard that folk of the Shire were so sweet-tongued. But I see you are an elf-friend; the light in your eyes and the ring in your voice tells it...."
The Elenium: The Diamond Throne
The self-discipline which was so much a part of Pandion training usually made Sparhawk suppress any form of emotionalism, but, despite his best efforts, certain things sometimes touched him deeply.
About midmorning, Kurik called ahead. "There's a rider coming up behind us," he reported. "He's pushing his horse hard."
Sparhawk reined in and wheeled Faran around. "Kalten," he said sharply.
"Right," the big blond man replied, thrusting his cloak aside so that his sword hilt was clear.
