Just finished David & Leigh Eddings The Younger Gods. The Eddings used to write classic myth stuff, usually several books long and it kept you wanting more. Unfortunately this present series isnt up to their previous highs, to be honest I wouldnt suggest anyone buying it unless you fancy being disappointed or you are a writer yourself. These books tell you how not to write rather than how you should.

While this one is better than the rest of the 4 book series it still has a very formulaic approach and dispite some glimmers the irritations weigh it down. Some areas repeat themselves three or four times in a row using the different characters who were there so the first person discribes a fight and then the second gives their interpretation, which is slightly different, and then the third...

Overall thoug the problem is far more basic, these series normally start off, like LOTR, with the good side facing enourmous odds agaist them and its only through hard work and chance that they can hope to win. Even though you may know thats going to happen its not guaranteed.

In this case it is guaranteed that the good guys are going to win from the start, they are gods after all, they could have done so by the end of page 1, paragraph 1 in the first book. The enemy are weak to the point of being helpless dispite their advantage in numbers and are easily dealt with, there is no risk and thus no real excitement.

TBH I expected it to be even worse than it is following on from the earlier books, it does improve a bit but not enough. Its one series that the publisher should never have printed.

No matter how many goblins you have, if they cant even hope to scratch the dragon what you will end up with is mass, boring slaughter.

Avoid the Wheel of Time series if you haven;t already been sucked in, Robert "unit shifter" Jordan got carried away there.  

"The Black Magician Trilogy" by Trudi Canavan are bloody good, and pretty much everything ive read by Barbara Hambly is worth a look.