Just started The Ruby Knight

Just started The Ruby Knight, book #2 of The Elenium by David Eddings.

Don't you just LOVE having to deal with nefarious local church and royal politics while searching for a divine sapphire while a dark lord masses armies and spies? Not fun in the flesh, probably, but on the page the humor and intrigue is stellar.

(Please note that the cover art is terrible. That scaly creature is supposed to have nine fingers and two thumbs per hand as opposed to three standard claws.)