The Rivan Codex: Ancient Texts of the Belgariad and the Malloreon
lore reference reference 1998 Belgariad Universe
Record
| First published | 1998 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | reference |
| Canon status | lore reference |
| First-edition ISBN | 9780345435866 |
Synopsis
The Rivan Codex is a 1998 nonfiction companion volume to David and Leigh Eddings' Belgariad and Malloreon series, gathering the background material the authors developed while planning those books. It includes three essays by David Eddings alongside invented lore covering the creation myths and holy writings of the world's various religions, as well as its economic and cultural diversity, down to details of currency, trade, and systems of measurement. One widely discussed essay lays out what Eddings calls the underlying formula of epic fantasy, breaking down its recurring ingredients: an animating theology, a heroic quest, magical talismans, archetypal roles such as the hero, wizard, heroine, and villain, a band of supporting companions, a romantic interest, and figures of government. The volume also incorporates source material that fed into the later novels Belgarath the Sorcerer and Polgara the Sorceress, giving readers a look behind the scenes of the series' construction.
Where it sits
- Universe: Belgariad Universe
- Series: not part of a registered series (standalone work within its universe)
- Author: David Eddings
- Author: Leigh Eddings
Notes
- Out-of-universe worldbuilding/background compilation, not a narrative work.
Neighbouring works
Publication order and internal chronology are tracked as two separate orderings and are never conflated: a book's place in one says nothing about its place in the other.
- Publication order, within Belgariad Universe (standalone work): position 13 of 13: previous Polgara the Sorceress (1997)
Sources
← Belgariad Universe dossier · All universes
Part of the Library. Fields without an identified source are omitted, never guessed.