If the logic is that magic is responsible for seeming contradictions and impossibilities, like geography that doesn't match up, then that makes magic more or less omnipotent and makes the story more or less unworkable. Galby a threat? Make his palace disappear with him in it. Wounded in battle? Just heal yourself instantly. Etc, etc. Any character to whom anything bad happens with that sort of magic at his or her disposal is just an idiot, because if you have arbitrary powers, there are always a thousand and one ways you could have used magic to make the problem go away.
Conclusion: Paolini Fails Logic Forever. In many ways.
Warm hugs and morally questionable advice given here. Prosey BitchfestI also really enjoyed the Inheritance Cycle when I first read it (Would have been at most 15 when I started reading the series) and even now I still like (although I am aware of some of the other flaws). Most obviously, even when I was reading them the first time I noticed the similarities to Star Wars and I absolutely hated the Elves (bastards, all of them). However, anyone who wants to like it is entitled to and should not feel ashamed about it.
Also Wryte said earlier "And while yes, there are books worse than Inheritance out there, they don't receive nearly the attention and praise that Inheritance does."
...Twilight?
I'm really not seeing why the hatedom for the Inheritance Cycle is still so strong, this site is rampant with bias when the series isn't even being hyped up or praised as it was when the series was new. The hype has died down now, but the hate hasn't.
I dislike Eragon for many reasons, but mostly because I find reading it an absolute chore.
Swordsman Troper — Reclaiming The Blade — Watch^^ Most of us only watched the movie to rip it apart.
Eragon had a solid Hate Dom long before that movie was even being pitched.
I like it. It has Dragons :D
Thats the entire point here. DRAGONSDRAGONSDRAGONSDRAGONSDRAGONS.
Its definitely entertaning reading for people who like fantasy.
On the subject of Paolini's You Fail Logic Forever : Magic needs energy. So unless you have energy neccesary to reach thousands of miles and crush a castle please do so.
A castle which might not have Galby in it.
As for starwars parralells... So what?
Yes, there's an entire version of the jedi order, and lukes basic story, but Paolini presents it an entirely different way, in a different setting, with different characters, a different plot and different magical powers, a romantic intrest, no Han, no chewie, no R2 and 3P0, and F***ING DRAGONS!
That's all the series needs to be its own thing. Plus, with a plethora of info on the world the story takes place in, the series is damn good writing.
edited 4th Apr '11 3:41:44 PM by badgertaco
TALOSTALOSTALOSTALOSTALOSTALOSHe took the plotline from Star Wars and the setting from various other fantasy works. I do not count the boring characters.
Totally original.
What he did make up by himself, however, is pretty bizarre.
edited 4th Apr '11 4:48:09 PM by snowfoxofdeath
Warm hugs and morally questionable advice given here. Prosey Bitchfest...so what?
Dragons!!
And honestly, though he isn't a good writer, he's better than most people who claim they could do better.
No matter what, he has to have some talent.
Plus, Star Wars sucked and I can't take Lordofthe Rings seriously since I learned about that one plot hole.
And this topic is still alive?
XDXDXDXD
My topics never die.
EVER.
Wait, what? Saphira is a cardboard-flat character that is more of a plot device than anything. Which is admittedly better than being a transparent Author Avatar, but still.
edited 13th Apr '11 7:52:52 AM by ccoa
Waiting on a TRS slot? Finishing off one of these cleaning efforts will usually open one up.Like I tell people over and over...
Reinforce, reinforce, REINFORCE
.
I'm trying to become published. And chronicling the journey
.
I like Naomi Novik's treatment. That Paolini got a movie before her is a crime against humanity.
Agreed. Dragons rock. They deserve better. Hence: read Novik.
What? The deal with the eagles? That's not a plot hole
(especially if you keep in mind that eagles are not jets).
I actually really liked the movie.
Upon further reflection, I actually do find most of the books too tedious to read. I tend to skip anything that isn't fighting or Murtagh. Which ended up being most of Eldest :<
Well anyway. Looks like the fourth book
has been announced (it's official, I checked on The Other Wiki as well). Title is Inheritance, it's coming out in November * .
The cover flap made me lol.
Galby will be overthrown but it's a pyrrhic victory and Alagaesia ends up fucked.
Well, hullo, Nate!
Yeah, the eagle thing in Lot R isn't a plothole. I agree it's funny to parody, but it makes sense in context. Eagles aren't a taxi service, after all, and Mordor is slightly larger than a postage stamp.
My tangents tend to derail conversations immediately, though, so I'll try to get back on topic...
My opinion on Eragon (the original book) is that it's very, very, very mediocre fantasy. At the very least, it's certainly not the worst thing ever written. (that honor would belong to the Maradonia Saga, or possibly Dragon Lexicon Triumvirate) And some aspects of the later books show that Paolini is at least learning from his earlier mistakes, which is more than can be said for a lot of initially poor writers. Brisingr, for example, had absolutely no plot (I'm desperately trying to remember what even happened in it... Eragon went to see the dwarves and Orik became king, and then he went to see Oromis for no reason, and then... um... another battle, I think? And Oromis died?), but the writing wasn't all that bad compared to some of the earlier stuff.
Mind you, I'm not saying they're masterpieces of art, as they certainly are not. I'm simply saying that the last book is probably going to be better than the first two, and there's a chance the writing may have improved further, bringing it into the realm of "acceptable but not all that great" writing as opposed to "the purple is spilling out of my ears".
edited 14th Apr '11 9:13:02 AM by Alynnidalar
- waves to Alynnidalar* (you an Imp too? Drop a line on my wall.)
You had to bring it up... didn't you? DLT... the flashbacks... no! I don't want to go back to the room! Oh da pills.... da pills are good....... zzzzz..z....
edited 14th Apr '11 9:25:33 AM by NateWinchester

^ I might be able to buy that. Saphira once turned a rock into diamond, elves do weird crap in the forest, dwarves have a real god.
I think it's not a good sign that all this has to be explained by Fan Wank, though.