David Eddings, born in 1931, was an American author celebrated for his best-selling epic fantasy novel series, often created in collaboration with his wife, Leigh Eddings. After studying speech, drama, and English, and serving in the U.S. Army, Eddings pursued a career in academia before transitioning to full-time writing. His early literary efforts included contemporary adventure stories, but he found significant success in the fantasy genre. His most recognized works include The Belgariad, The Malloreon, The Elenium, The Tamuli, and The Dreamers series. These novels, frequently featuring detailed world-building and character development, established him as a prominent figure in modern fantasy literature. Eddings passed away in 2009, leaving behind a substantial literary legacy and a significant bequest to his alma mater, Reed College.

Born in Spokane, Washington, in 1931, David Eddings grew up near Puget Sound. He demonstrated an early aptitude for drama and literature, excelling in oratorical contests and theatrical performances during his academic years. After graduating from Reed College with a BA in 1954, where he wrote his first novel as a senior thesis, he served in the U.S. Army. He later earned an MA from the University of Washington in 1961, submitting another novel for his thesis. Eddings then worked for Boeing, where he met and married Judith Leigh Schall, who became Leigh Eddings. For much of the 1960s, he held a position as an assistant professor at Black Hills State College in South Dakota.

Eddings' writing career took a significant turn following a period of incarceration related to child abuse charges, during which he completed the first draft of his debut published novel, 'High Hunt'. Published in 1972, this contemporary adventure story explored themes of manhood and maturation. After his release, Eddings and his wife moved to Spokane, where he worked in a grocery store while dedicating his spare time to writing. He continued to develop various unpublished manuscripts, many of which were adventure or tragedy narratives. His novel 'The Losers', though written in the 1970s, was not published until 1992, long after he achieved widespread recognition.

Eddings' path to fame was solidified with his foray into epic fantasy. Inspired by the enduring popularity of J.R.R. Tolkien's work, he began developing his own fantasy worlds, starting with a doodle that evolved into the detailed country of Aloria. His initial concept for 'The Belgariad' was a trilogy, but his editor advised expanding it to five volumes to accommodate booksellers' preferences and his own financial benefit. The first installment, 'Pawn of Prophecy', was released in 1982, and the series achieved considerable popularity. Eddings continued to produce fantasy novels regularly throughout his career. From 1995 onward, his novels were often credited jointly with his wife, Leigh, reflecting a collaborative writing process that he stated had been in place from the outset.

David Eddings' later years were marked by personal events, including a house fire in 2007 that damaged his office and destroyed his car. His wife, Leigh, passed away in February 2007 after a series of strokes. Eddings himself died in June 2009. His brother revealed that in his final months, David had been working on an unfinished manuscript that deviated significantly from his established style, described as a playful engagement with the fantasy genre. His literary manuscripts and a substantial bequest of $18 million were left to Reed College to support language and literature studies. An additional $10 million was bequeathed to the National Jewish Medical and Research Center for pediatric asthma research, a cause close to his heart due to his wife's lifelong struggle with the condition.