Cosmo Digital

Author: David and Leigh Eddings
Page Count: 424 pages
Review originally written 3-22-2003

Although there is a lot of truth behind the negative criticism the Eddings' receive about their books, for some reason I continue to read, and eventually buy, them. This is because they are quick and easy to read. One doesn't have to think in-depth about the plot or characters, for there is not much depth. What some people have called "cookie cutter fantasy".

This book is something completely different for the Eddings', a drama/thriller set in present day Washington, as opposed to the fantasy worlds of nearly all their previous books. However, even with all these different scenarious, characters, and plot, I found this book to be remarkably similar to the previous ones they wrote. In their books, the plot seems a secondary thing to the interaction between the various characters, and this is what the book focuses on. It is this interaction that is so similar to the previous novels. Some of the puns and witty conversations seemed as if they were pulled directly from previous books Eddings wrote.

Although this book was more of a thriller, even though that term is used loosely, there were just enough elements in it to put it into a supernatural or surrealistic category. This was seen mainly with the one twin becoming two. Other than that, however, the book was conpletely set in the secular realm.

Although the plot was somewhat focused on the murders that were happening, this was not the major part of the book. There was no mystery at all that the killer was Regina, and this fact was pretty much given away by the inside cover text. Nor did the subsequent trial seem to hold much seriousness. From the lighthearted tone of the book, I always assumed Regina would go free, and I was correct. This easy, light tone of the book and the characters within fully negates the Eddings' attempt at a serious, dramatic novel, if that was in fact what they were attempting to accomplish. Nearly all their previous attempts have some weird, quirky humor in them, and so it makes sense they would continue with the same formula for this book.

On the whole, this book was pretty good. More of the same, but that is what one expects from these authors.

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