The Ruby Knight (Book Two of the Elenium)

Unfortunately, the "middle child" syndrome continues its time-honored tradition here. Although there is some action, for the most part "Ruby Knight" is a place-keeper, marking the time between when Sparhawk figures out what he has to do and finally does it.
At the end of "Diamond Throne", it was revealed that the only thing that would save Queen Ehlana was the Bhelliom, a legendary sapphire of enormous power. Once it was a part of the Royal Crown of Thalesia, but was lost during the monumental Zemoch War several centuries earlier. Now Sparhawk has to track it down, dig it up, learn how to control it, and get it back to Ehlana, before the spell preserving her life fails, and those of his friends who are supporting the spell die with it.
So Sparhawk and Co. trek across the continent, fighting a few battles, meeting a few characters (some of whom will become important later, so pay attention), avoiding the Bad Guys (as led by Annias, the churchman who's seized control of Ehlana's kingdom and is looking to take over the Church as well, and Martel, Sparhawk's nemesis) and learning much more than they planned about the REAL history of their world. We finally find out what the heck is the deal with Flute, the Styric orphan Sephrenia adopts, but as I said, this book mostly exists to keep Books 1 and 3 from bumping into each other.

The Ruby Knight is certainly at a disadvantage - it is the second book in a series and it has a cliffhanger ending. The plot is an almost hap-hazard pile of different things that is hung on the repetitive storyline. Eddings even adds some horror-y elements, but the attempt fails - he reveals too much too soon.
What holds the book together? The crew of original, interesting characters that travels to find the Bhelliom (oh, yes, that's the entire plot; I just said it). Naturally, the characters do get stale after a while: we all know that Sephrenia is always mysterious, that Talen pickpockets anyone he meets, and that Kalten is going to lop off a few heads and then complain. I suppose that we have to take that with gritted teeth.
Marten is completely absent from this part of the trilogy, and so is the damork. However, we do get yet another generic supernatural creature to think of as the immediate villain: the evil, insectoid "Seeker" is constantly at the motley band's heels.
In all honesty, I read this volume just because I can't fathom starting a series and then not finishing it. This was not a reading experience that I might treasure.

In his sequel to The Diamond Throne, Eddings spends more time developing the characters as well as taking the reader on a whirlwind quest for Bhelliom. This book was one that I couldn't put down. I took it everywhere with me and read it until it was DONE. It left me wanting more. I recommend it to all you fantasy readers out there. I liked it much more than The Diamond Throne!

Definitely liked the first book better. This one kind of bored me and felt like it was dragging on too much. The characters are still fun. I hope for a good end to the trilogy with the next book.

To keep it short and sweet, it’s a good book.

This is exactly where it needs to be!!! in my library!!!

Amazing Author, and another amazing series!! Similar to the original series he wrote about Belgarion and Belgarath and Polgara! But different enough to be worth reading ALL OF THEM! I’m finally reading them for the second time!

One of my favorite authors. If you've read the Elenium I suggest following with the Tamuli which is phenomenal in the way it deals with characters I won't spoil.

Every bit as good as I'd hoped. Looking forward to the next in line

Best book ever xD