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.
Its 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 Ive received over the past several years. Some of these letters have come from students at various levels, and to make matters worse, Ive also received letters from teachers who inform me that theyre actually encouraging this sort of thing. Arent they aware that theyre supposed to wait until Im 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. Im very flattered, as I mentioned, but I dont write or grade term papers any more, and I dont travel. To put it idiomatically, I aint going no place; I been where Im going.
Then there are those other letters, the ones which rather bashfully confide an intention to try writing fantasy myself. I dont worry too much about those correspondents. Theyll get over that notion rather quickly once they discover whats involved. Im sure that most of them will eventually decide to take up something simpler brain surgery or rocket science, perhaps.
Id 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 Id first submitted my proposal for the Belgariad, Id 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 wasnt 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 Studies instead So that youll have the necessary background material. Lester later told me that while he was reading those studies, he kept telling himself, Theres no way we can publish this stuff, but then he admitted, but I kept reading. We were fairly far along in the Belgariad when he made this confession, and he went on to say, Maybe when weve got the whole story finished, we might want to think about releasing those studies.
Eventually, the two ideas clicked together. I had people out there asking questions, and I had the answers readily at hand since nobody in his right mind takes on a multi-book project without some fairly extensive preparation. My Preliminary Studies were right there taking up space, Id just finished a five-book contract, and I had nothing else currently on the fire. All this thing needed was a brief introduction and some footnotes, and we were off to press. (Just in passing I should advise you that my definition of brief and yours might differ just a bit. It takes me a hundred pages just to clear my throat. Had you noticed that? I thought you might have.)