Eragon: I Liked It

I first read Eragon in fourth grade, when I was young and impressionable and could like anything. I read both Eldest and Eragon innumerable times, and they were my undisputed favorite books. Shortly before Brisngr came out, I found Anti-Shurturgal. I realized that my opinions of the book were entirely flipped, and I hated the book I had waited years for.

Remembering how much I loved the first two books, I went back and reread the whole series again after a long break. Turns out, I still loved them, however, I was a bit more open to criticisms of them. I decided that they weren't necessarily good but I classed them under "fun." The books, no matter how much Purple Prose still had that unalienable fun factor that liked.

For the "too long; didn't read" folks, I love Inheritance very much.

edited 14th Jul '10 11:03:29 AM by BudZer

Alright, let me see if I can clarify this for those not understanding the Star Wars comparison. The following is a full plot summary of the first installment:

A princess bearing a Plot Coupon which is only hope of The Alliance is captured by The Dragon, but not before she manages to send the Plot Coupon to The Obi-Wan in hiding in a backwater region of The Empire. En route to The Obi-Wan, the Plot Coupon is intercepted by a farmboy with foggy parentage who lives with his uncle. The Plot Coupon leads the farmboy to The Obi-Wan, who explains the existence and lore behind a lost order of knights who once protected the realm before the rise of The Empire, when they were betrayed from within by the man who would become The Dragon. Shortly after meeting with The Obi-Wan, the farmboy's uncle is killed by agents of The Empire. With nothing keeping him in his ruined home, the farmboy sets out into the greater world along with The Obi-Wan, who has given him a special sword and begun training him in the mystic arts of the lost order of knights, of whom the farmboy is the first new initiate since The Empire's rise. The farmboy hooks up with a roguish character who quickly becomes his friend, The Obi-Wan dies to protect the farmboy (did I mention he was a survivor of the lost order of mystical knights waiting in hiding to train the next knight?), and the farmboy and rogue rescue the captured princess from The Dragon's fortress. The group beats a fighting retreat to join up with The Alliance, but leads The Empire right to their doorstep. A desperate fight to defend The Alliance's base ensues, during which the farmboy narrowly defeats The Dragon with the timely assistance of his friends. The farmboy is lauded as a hero.

Did I just describe the plot of Eragon, or the original Star Wars? This is not a case of "monomyth" at work. This is not "influenced." This is a xerox.

Don't get me wrong. Eragon was a charming book, so long as you knew it was written by a young author when you started reading it. I first read it when I was 17, receiving the book as a gift from my mother, who hadn't read it yet, either. Even then, it was very clear to me that the book was the work of a young author, and there wasn't one plot twist I didn't see coming five miles off, but so long as you kept the author's age in mind, the book had a sort of naive charm.

Them came Eldest. Eldest was better in some ways, worse in others. Eldest started to vary off the Star Wars xeroxed plot, especially with the introduction of Po V characters other than Eragon, whose forays into elven society became...difficult to keep reading very quickly, and these other Po Vs were welcome relief, as were the characters themselves because they weren't holding IdiotBalls nearly as big as the protagonist's. But the elves. Dear lord, the elves. Half the bloody book seemed to be about how wonderful and infallible elves were, which got very old very fast, and was never really contested or disproven in the text. On the contrary, it was supported by the text. And, once again, the plot twists were very easy to see coming, with the sole exception of the Deus ex Machina festival. And alright, I admit I was a little surprised when it was revealed that Ayra was the elven princess. Mainly because I'd forgotten that we weren't supposed to have figured that out yet.

And finally, we come to Brisingr. To Paolini's credit, he dropped the Star Wars plot completely by this book. Unfortunately, without it, the book had no cohesive plot tying the whole thing together. Brisingr read less like a novel, and more like an omnibus of short stories about the same cast of characters. The only things really tying the book into the rest of the series are the first and last few hundred pages. Everything in the middle is just sort of...there, and has no bearing whatsoever on anything seen up to that point or after. The crazy old hermit in the tower, for example, or the pair of female adventurers who wander in and out of the story in the same chapter. And Blodgharm, who got an entire chapter dedicated to his introduction, and then did nothing for the rest of the book but show up next to Arya for a brief scene at the end.

Inheritance began with a naive charm that made its flaws forgivable, and even made the book enjoyable as a fluff work, so long as you didn't get caught up in the Cliché Storm. But the series has not aged well, as its author has tried to make it grow up when the world within which it exists can only function as a youth's fantasy.

Although it has its flaws (Star Wars plot for the first, Purple Prose Up To Eleven for the second and Moral Dissonance for the third), I liked the series as a whole. Even though I don't really like the character Eragon, the series does keep you hooked, with other more likeable characters and good development and plot twists. I honestly think that most people who hate this book haven't actually read it, or at least given it a chance (see the Eragon, Twilight, Fandom and Hatedom thread). If you seek to dislike a series, it can hardly please you. Edit: Oh, also, the biggest flaw of the series IMO is THE GODDAMN ELVES.

edited 14th Jul '10 8:05:10 PM by NLK

I've only read the first two books, enjoyed the first, got bored by the point the second rolled around. I mean, I don't think they're terrible by any means, but they're not super special awesome either.

I admit I used to think that this was the worst thing ever written, but it's certainly no The Eye Of Argon. It does annoy me to no end. Especially how it seems that everything is just a watered-down version of a better book I could be reading or a better movie I could be watching. It might be because there is so much potential there that just goes wasted.

I mean, Eragon is obviously a Designated Hero. But everybody fawns over him like he's all that and a bag of chips. There are more interesting characters that could have been the focus of the story, like Anti-Villain Murtagh and Hero of Another Story Roran. But their parts just seem ancilliary and just there to emphasize how special Eragon is.

Just to play devil's advocate, I would argue that Eragon is treated somewhat realistically as a Person of Mass Destruction. He's perceived as the only hope for long term survival on one side, and is most likely the center of the resistance's propaganda campaign (which, knowing the leader of said resistance, has to exist). He's also legitimately skilled, having mastered a years long curriculum in months (which is patently ridiculous, but the fact that he's done so does give him some in-universe legitimacy/competence). What else...as for Designated Hero, he IS in the middle of a war, and when he does kill soldiers, he usually at least thinks through his actions before hand (correct me if I'm wrong; I could easily be selectively not remembering certain incidents). However, he's a walking God, so the consequences of his actions are never as bad for him as they would be for, say, Roran, which gives any decision he makes less weight. The problem here is that the threats he faces are never that much worse than what Roran does (outside of the two shades and Murtagh). That being said, for all the What Measure Is a Mook? type criticisms I see of Eragon, I don't hear all that many for the numerous other characters who codified the trope. Maybe I'm just not looking in the right places, though.

All that aside, I really don't like Eragon as a character, just because he's so bland. A small amount of the soldiers he kills affect Eragon personally, but that's purely for the Wangst factor, which is just shameless on Paolini's part, and makes Eragon seem heartless half the time, and a wimp the other half. Paolini made a mistake with the power levels and either Eragon is way too powerful to make an interesting character, or his enemies are way too weak.

I actually like the Inheritance Cycle, and for me, the best thing about it is the whole world that Paolini created, watching it just draws me in.

That being said, it really annoys me, how much unfair flack the series gets, either because of so-called plot holes that can be explained if people would actually read the books, instead of the Trope page, or hate sites.

^ Like what? I think most of the criticism the books get is completely justified, not "unfair". What annoys me is the fans who pretend the series' flaws don't exist.

^^ Inheritance's plot holes are explained by the books, eh? Alright, the third book introduced the Eldunari, magic stones coughed up by dragons containing their consciousness that grant magicians immense pools of magical energy to draw on in battle. This closed the plot hole of how on earth 14 rogue Dragonriders managed to take down the entire order by themselves, except that in the same pages where the Eldunari were introduced, it was then immediately said that the other Dragonriders had way more of them then the Forsworn, often carried several of them with them wherever they went, and the Forsworn couldn't use but a few of them until Galbatorix spent the early years of his rule (following the defeat of the Riders) bending them to his will.

So how did Galbatorix and the Forsworn defeat the other Riders?

^ dont try to explain Eragon. It just is.

And what it is awesome

edited 16th Jul '10 11:12:43 AM by Heliumstick

The novels feature the tale of a farmboy who discovers a Plot Coupon sent to a wise old mentor by a captured princess, and has his uncle who raised him killed by the servants of the Evil Empire. The two set off for revenge. The mentor is a former knight, who teaches the farmboy how to use his mystical powers in about five days (not that his magic is much use until he becomes stronger) and gives him a magical sword that belonged to his father before buying the farm. Luckily, the farmboy meets up with a Badass Anti-Hero, rescues the princess, who is also a major player in the Rebel army, and joins the rebellion, becoming a key member before going to train with a half-mad old hermit in the forest. After this, he discovers that his father was the Empire's right-hand man and he's been betrayed by his own family.

-BZZZT- Oh, sorry, the answer was not in fact Star Wars.

edited 16th Jul '10 3:00:57 PM by GabrielGloom

Well, it's said that Galbatorix kept to himself for most of the time, was an expert at crushing minds (thus breaking others to his will), had help from a Shade, and, ost importantly, raided the Edulnari storage as soon as he came out.

^ Like what? I think most of the criticism the books get is completely justified, not "unfair". What annoys me is the fans who pretend the series' flaws don't exist.

I never said there weren't flaws in it, just that many of the flaws that people point out are often wildly exaggerated. It's things like that that annoy me.

^ Sniped me there. I was about to point that out myself.

edited 16th Jul '10 9:26:04 PM by Chaosjunction

I think I would like it better if it actually examined the ramifications of characters' actions instead of just using them for Wangst. As it is, the Varden are just painted as totally good guys instead of the morally gray resistance force they should be.

^I think the leader of the varden, Nasuada, is definitely painted gray in Paolini's mind, and I think he's trying to show that to the reader. He just never comes out and says it, which, compared to the rest of the series, is evidence of craft on par with Joyce and Tolstoy. And something his readers might be conditioned to ignore.

edited 27th Jul '10 9:18:19 PM by illegalcheese

I like this book series, I mean, the important parts of the plot were Star Wars-esque, but not every moment was a ripoff. The fun's in the little details.

Although it occasionally gets a little tedious. That said, I think I'll go reread it.

^ I agree that it gets a bit tedious at times (Like, really? We had to find out that the Varden were making lace to make money? And that there was an assassination attempt on Nasuada? Those subplots only lasted the chapters they were in!) But other than that, I like the series. I compare it as "Like Lord Of The Rings, but different".

HEY GUYS HEY GUYS

Do you have any fanfics you recommend? Besides the ones already on Eragon's Fanfic Recs page. And ones with lots of Murty, kthx.

edited 27th Jul '10 9:12:09 PM by melloncollie

Eragon, for the first two books, was Star Wars in LOTR setting. No way to deny that. But I still enjoyed it- yes, there was purple prose, and yes, the "perfect elves" begin to grate- but still, Paolini demonstrates the capacity for subversion. Eragon encounters a God- what happened to your "Outgrown Such Silly Superstitions" dogma, elves? Paolini likewise completely averts Faceless Mooks, which is a point in his favor, IMO, because I hate the trope. It dehumanizes the enemy. And, in any case, all Star Wars plotlines are pretty much gone by Brisingr, which is good. It's certainly not the best series, but it's...slightly above average, with Guilty Pleasure thrown in to make it enjoyable. Because, come on, he's riding a dragon. That has Guilty Pleasure written all over it.

Guilty Pleasure counts only if the books actually were a pleasure. First one totally was, but I thought Brisingr was really boring... Eldest too, I can't stand any parts that aren't violent.

Of course YMMV. I will say that there are some genuinely awesome parts. Just wish there was more of them.

Like I said, the Star Wars-y things were, while important, few and far between, with plenty of other things filling the space. (Like the Ra'zac and whatnot.)

BTW I thought the part about making money with lace was actually kinda interesting.

I read Eragon and Eldest when I was about 13 and rather liked them. Then somebody pointed out all the cliches and Purple Prose a few years later. Whilst I rate the series as tripe I actually think Paolini shows potential. He just needs an Editor, some original ideas and to find his own writing style. I can seem him looking back on Inheritance in 20 years as an Old Shame honestly.

^While I haven't read the books, you're probably right.

The problem is that people who have a major, early success like that probably aren't going to do all those things. Why should they try to develop, when they can stay on their current level and still get fame and the sort of money most people can only dream about? Heck, I wouldn't.

Alas, I think your correct there. Still we can hope, Fantasy needs all the good authors it can get. I walked into my local bookshop earlier, it occured to me it might finally be time to pick up a copy of Guards Guards (this is going somewhere honestly) and I was disgusted by the treatment of this whole genre. It doesn't even get the respect of "Sci-Fi and Fantasy" it all gets shoved into Sci-Fi, yes, even fucking Tolkien. And it's shoved in some corners, along with a carousel of manga, as if it's a single insulting section for people who like things they consider "unworthy", that don't deserve to be displayed with the rest of the books.

And it's not just snobby bookshops, it's so called "English Teachers" who refuse to embrace a diverstiy of tastes. I had an A Level English teacher who fucking LAUGHED when I mentioned the Lord of the Rings, she also said that Harry Potter didn't belong in an English classroom. And it goes beyond that, I tell people I like fantasy and they go "Lol, nerd" whilst they mince off looking smug because they like Wuthering Heights. It's omnipresent.

And you know who I blame? Authors like Christopher fucking Paolini. They reduce an epic genre, wrought from pure imagination that has the opportunity to explore concepts and themes in a manner no other work can to trash. It's stupid Cliche's, dirivitive plots, Mary Sue characters and the adherance to the idea that all fantasy fucking must have an equivalent to Tolkien's high elves. So, I don't so much hope Christopher Paolini writing matures to the point it can be taken seriously, I PRAY for it. Because he has the attention of the public, of critics in a way other fantasy authors do not. And yet he insists on writing Mary Sue fics about dragons instead of rasing the profile of a genre he claims to love. It's sad. And the worst part is, they they didn't have a copy of Guards!Guards!

I apologise for the rant, feel free to tell me I'm an idiot/mock my ideas/burn my house down.

edited 2nd Sep '10 6:22:13 PM by Wagrid

Don't agree with your ideas, but mostly cause almost everyone I know (save my big brother) likes fantasy, so I don't think that fantasy's getting patronized as a lesser genre because of authors like Paolini. Hammer Time