Eldest (Inheritance, Book 2)
by Christopher Paolini
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Book Reviews of Eldest (Inheritance, Book 2)
Book Review: Eldest but not wisest
Summary: 1 Stars
When the very first line of a book is as nonsensical as "The songs of the dead are the lamentations of the living," you know you're in trouble.
So it's pretty obvious from the start that Christopher Paolini's second novel "Eldest" is going to be a disaster. But the biggest weakness of Paolini's book is not his stilted dialogue or numerous cliches, or even the slow-moving pompous slog of the seemingly endless elf training -- it's his cardboard cutout of a self-insert hero, Eragon.
"Eldest" picks up immediately after the end of "Eragon," with Eragon badly wounded, Murtagh missing, and the leader of the Varden murdered. But despite the rebels' turmoil, Eragon is told that he has to accompany Arya back to the elven city Ellesmera, to train as a proper Dragon-rider. When he arrives, Eragon finds that his new master is an ancient, crippled elf named Oromis, who has a lot to teach him before he inevitably expires.
Yup, Oromis has vast stores of knowledge to impart. And sadly, we have to see every step of it -- including yoga, ant-watching and hilariously homoerotic bath scenes.
Unbeknownst to Eragon, his hometown of Carvahall is being ruined by a band of Galbatorix's soldiers, and his newly-engaged cousin Roran may be their only hope. And our hero's truncated training leads to strange new changes in his body and mind, as he prepares for a devastating new battle against Galbatorix -- and a horrifying new discovery about Murtagh. Yes, you can probably see it coming.
Lofty elves, kings-in-waiting, humble farm boys, ghastly goblinesque creatures, mystical women, special swords, evil tyrants who are evil because they just are, wise mentors, and telepathic dragons in a variety of colors. Christopher Paolini never met a fantasy cliche that he didn't like. And rather than growing as a writer since his bestselling debut, Paolini seems to have regressed.
In particular, he starts writing like every schoolboy who ever wanted to be Tolkien -- his prose becomes bloated, sluggish and painfully smug, with dialogue that becomes more painfully wretched with each chapter ("I walk between the candle and the dark"). The story is wrenched out into three different storylines, two of which deal with the Varden's lace-making and Roran's engagement woes. Neither is terribly interesting, and the battle at the finale feels as though Paolini slapped it on to give it a suitably slam-bang ending.
Worst of all, the book's bulk is devoted mostly to Eragon's uneventful dragon-riding training with Oromis, which consists mostly doing yoga and watching insects, and occasionally whapping each other with swords. Yes, it's every bit as boring as it sounds. And the hilariously homoerotic moments with Eragon and Oromis only liven it up a little.
The biggest problem with Paolini's writing is that Eragon is portrayed as a noble, brave, compassionate soul with a brilliant destiny ahead of him. Well, frankly he shows no nobility, bravery or compassion, and even has the gall to whine to a dying elf about how his life is ruined because he has a back scar. And his abrupt transformation into an ultra-handsome half-elf late in the book does not make him any more impressive.
In short, he's a glaring self-insert, with all the dimension of a cardboard standee. Sadly the other characters aren't much better: Roran comes across as mentally unstable and the elf queen is too immature and whiny. Oromis has a certain fascination, but he's used mainly to glorify eragon. And the love interest Arya is glorified only for her looks -- which is all she has, since this book establishes her as snotty, cold-blooded and a smug anti-religious bigot.
Christopher Paolini had some promising ideas, but a ghastly hero and overblown writing turn those ideas into the painfully bloated carcass of "Eldest." Lightweight fantasy at best, but a painful salad of cliched preaching at worst.
Book Review: Don't click the 'No' button yet!
Summary: 2 Stars
**spoiler warning**
This particular review of 'Eldest' is divided into three sections: the part that I found enjoyable, disappointing, and horrible.
The ENJOYABLE part: As in 'Eragon', Angela the Witch and Solembum the Werecat remain interesting characters. In addition is the new character Elva, who is thrown into misfortune because of Eragon. All right...what else? The lustrous cover (with the evil-looking red dragon, yes) and the detailed map.
The DISAPPOINTING part: The maturity of the characters. Eragon, Roran, and Murtagh all change - but the change is abrupt. It is hard to feel sad for Ajihad when he dies or feel amused by Eragon's feeble attempts at romance. Roran, who was once as immature as Eragon, suddenly becomes a tough and harsh leader.
Then there are the names. Of course, fantasy readers are accustomed to hundreds of names - but in this particular trilogy, the names are UNNECESSARY. We don't need to know about these countless villagers of Carvahall or the members of the Council of Elders. We don't need to remember the names of all the elves and dwarves we encounter. But if Paolini thought names necessary for - let's say, to make the book more realistic, then it's fine. It's not that a terrible issue.
But here we go on to-
The TERRIBLE Part: I was at first delighted to find that the book was large. When I had read less than a third of the book, however, I felt thoroughly dismayed at the bulk of the book. The book is filled with unnecessary descriptions of forests, houses...all kinds of places. Yes, we know how the elves live in forests, as the dwarves live in caves. So can we please move on?
Then came the terrible writing. First there is the vocabulary - words on the SAT vocab list appear every few sentences. Even worse, they appear in conversations. Even when Paolini doesn't use such words, the dialogue contains sentences like "Brom was of the same opinion." -pg 202. Why not "Brom thought so, too." or anything as simple? I wouldn't mind so much if something like this appeared few times, but the book is filled with such conversations.
And of course - the storyline. Why not compare this book to Star Wars?
Eragon is Luke Skywalker, Morzan is Darth Vader, Brom is Obi-Wan Kenobi, Oromis is Yoda, King Galbatorix is Emperor Palpatine, Roran is Leia, etc. The revelation about Morzan being Eragon's father was so obvious that I nearly laughed aloud at that part. Murtagh becoming an evil dragon rider and Roran getting a huge part in the book was to be expected, too. Nasuada becoming the leader of the Varden, another war to fight, etc...I expected them to happen. Why? Because I watched Star Wars.
There is the LOTR issue, too - the elves and dwarves are very very very similar to Tolkien's. The Urgals=Orcs and the Kulls=Uruk-hai is also kind of pathetic, as is Ra'zac=Nazgul, although the original monsters in LOTR were much more fearsome and believable. Oh yes, there is the part where Nasuada gets the Urgals' help - but this book needs at least ONE original idea, doesn't it? I mean, the link between Eragon and Saphira is NEVER as apparent as those in the Dragonriders of Pern series by McCaffrey. The magic words come from Earthsea by Le Guin.
Although this book contains a few interesting ideas, it is impossible to give it praise. The incomplete writing, the insane copying of others, the flat characters that never feel sad about loss...and the supposedly "revelations" that are, in fact, not revelations at all.
Where will the trilogy go from here? Oh yes, Eragon lost his sword, so he's going to look under the Menoa tree. He will help the Varden, develop a romance with Arya, and rescue Katrina with Roran. He might get defeated by Murtagh or Galbatorix and seek the advice of the Werecat. But he'll eventually win anyway, and become a true leader of all Alagaesia.
Even if the trilogy doesn't end this way, Eldest was terrible enough.
Book Review: Awesome book! Don't listen to other reviews!
Summary: 5 Stars
Eldest and Eragon are both wonderful reads that I recommend to anyone age twelve and up (or younger, depending on maturity) who loves fantasy. I must say that, before I continue, there are quite a few people out there that are not afraid to heartlessly show contempt towards Christopher Paolini. How can someone critisize an author who started writing Eragon when they were FIFTEEN? I'm around the age of 15 myself, and I cannot possibly imagine a single boy in my grade writing a story, even for a project, that was over five pages at most. I can't even imagine the majority of them READING, let alone WRITING! In addition, I find myself QUITE qualified to say that Eragon and Eldest are gifts to the world of fantasy books. And I have to add that I have, in fact, read more then two books (see another review to see what I mean). In fact, I read forty books in this highly hectic summer, and in my advanced language arts class most people haven't read three books this summer. Three! I am ashamed to admit that I only read forty books this summer, and other people are flaunting reading three. And that forty is only what I'd never read before; not including re-reading, which I do a lot. And, of course, I forgot to mark down a lot of books, so I most likely read about 60. I'm sorry- I got carried away. Let's get back to Eldest...
Eldest and Eragon both have intense plot lines with highly believable characters. And unlike other books, in which everyone lives happily ever after, and everything turns out perfect, Eragon and Eldest are stunningly lifelike because things go wrong. Plot twists, a bad surprise for Eragon, failures, deaths, mistakes, Eragon's failed attempts to woo Arya... all of these things make them seem real. Other people may say that Paolini's languages make things confusing, but I say that the languages make it fun. They also show how much effort and thought that Paolini put into his stories. The languages also put depth into the story, which is another great element.
Another review says that adults catch things that children don't, which is basically saying that children aren't as smart as adults. Putting the insult aside, most people who will read the book are thirteen and up, so they would be teenagers, and children. In addition, when does someone become an adult? When do you distingush between two people and say that one is an adult and the other a child? Leagally you become an adult at 18, but if you have someone who's 18th birthday is in a day, and someone who's 18th birthday was the day before, then who's to say that the older one is more mature? Did they suddenly turn into an adult when they slept? No. The transition from youth to adult is a PROCESS. So someone doesn't suddenly become an adult; it is a long transition! And how can they say that children don't like long books? Short books bore me; not long ones! Short books usually are too small for good plot development, so they are mediocre stories. And besides; they are over all too fast! I was wishing that Eldest wouldn't end; not that it would! And how can someone praise J.K. Rowling who writes 800 page-long books and knock Paolini who writes 600+ page books? And everyone praises Rowling on her characters. But, I, as someone around Harry's age, must say that their emotions aren't always correct for their age group. A review writer, entitled as they are to their opinion, says that the emotions of Paolini's characters aren't deep enough, and that people their age wouldn't have those emotions. They also said that becaue Paolini was so young that he "wouldn't know about these things". I, on the other hand, want to point out that since Eragon is near Paolini's (and my) age, then Eragon's emotions are perfectly normal and are to be expected at his current age.
In conclusion, Eragon and Eldest are both great books, and you should definitely read them both!!
Book Review: The End Result = good always wins over evil
Summary: 4 Stars
I just finished reading "Eldest" and enjoyed the development of an enlightened spiritual state in the characters. The idea of using the living beings in the environment as a source of power to enable change, (i.e. a logic based magic system), the presentation of a situation where the bad beings have a more efficient form of magic because of 100 years more practice than the good beings, & then using this to produce a cliff-hanger, causes me to speculate about how this occurred and about how the contest will be won.
The facts as presented concerning magic:
With the proper awareness, life-force can be used to change creation
The complexity and speed of the change determine the amount of life force needed; i.e. increasing complexity and speed use proportionally more life-force
Language has been used to structure the life-force changes and thereby make controlling them easier
Song is used to make complex changes easier and faster
Life-force can be acquired from living beings other than oneself, the extraction of which may require replenishment if the life form is to survive
Facts that will be presented concerning magic:
Karma exists, all that you be, (think, say, do etc.) comes back to you
o Bad beings devise ways to delay their Karma or get someone else to carry the burden for them, (i.e. selling one's soul causes you to be a stand in for the evil one's Karma)
o Good beings devise ways to speed up their Karmic return. The ultimate goal is to have your Karmic return become instant and immediate, (the end result of having instant Karma = whatever an evil one does to you happens to them instantly and immediately / it cannot go anywhere else or be taken by any other being)
This knowledge of Karma causes good beings to adopt a well known Mahayana Buddhist principle as the foundation of their magic or spiritual practice
o From: "For a Brilliant Life" Shinjuku (Tokyo), Japan July, 1991
o No matter what the reason
o One must never kill another person
o One must never kill oneself
o The wisdom of Buddhist teachings begins and ends here
o By: Daisaku Ikeda
To Continue To Be Forgiven Always Remember
o Forgiving a living being,
o oneself or others,
o is a charitable act.
o Virtue is its own reward.
o Virtue is its own punishment.
Methods by which the bad beings could increase the speed and complexity, (i.e. efficiency), of their magic, (ability to change creation or create):
Change the dragon so that it becomes an energy storehouse, much the way a camel stores water
Use the life-force of the amassed armies to enact complex changes quickly, killing large numbers of the soldiers in the process
Use the energy of the souls of the dead to cause the changes, causing these non-corporeal beings extreme suffering, (since they are not mortal and cannot die); access to this type of energy source usually implies extreme evil, such as a "Deal with the Devil"
Methods by which the good beings could increase the speed and complexity, (i.e. efficiency), of their magic, (ability to change creation or create):
Use of the sun as a life-force source, the disadvantage of this is that it is exhaustible, i.e. a finite source
Use the central creative force in creation as a life-force source, the advantage of this source is that it is infinite. This source is better know as, The Incomprehensible Mystic Law of Cause and Effect, Allah, and/or God; depending upon your perspective. This is why good always wins over evil.
The end result of this is good beings who do no harm, defeat all evil (with the warning that, "The judgment you render is your own!"), heal the sick, raise the dead, walk on water, feed the multitudes, and gradually by example, teach all beings The Way.
Book Review: Maturing nicely, author and hero alike.
Summary: 4 Stars
This book continues the story begun in "Eragon", the first book in Paolini's Inheritance trilogy. Again we follow the adventures of young Eragon as he blossoms into youthful manhood and begins to polish off his skills as a magician and as a dragon rider. To further this end he decides to travel to Ellesmera, the heart of the elven lands, to seek training and council. He has been rendered somewhat crippled by his battle with Durza, the Shade, and as a result begins to feel a bit unhappy about his current situation as a warrior. Meanwhile, in Carvahall, Eragon's cousin, Roran, is attempting to carve a life out for himself after the death of his father and (what he believes to be) Eragon's fleeing. There are a number of Raz' ac on the hunt for Eragon, and more specifically, for Saphira's egg that had been found there earlier that year. Roran must summon up the strength to do what is in the villager's best interest, even if it means deserting their home. Likewise, Eragon must summon up the same strength if he intends to get stronger and heal his wounded soul.
Eragon begins to flesh out as a hero, what with his burgeoning love for Arya that he cannot reconcile himself to in the beginning. Plus with the new challenge that comes from his injuries he must learn patience, which as most know if a difficult lesson to endure. His studies in Ellesmera span many different fields, from physical endurance of yoga like activities to meditations and language under the guidance of Oromis, an elder elf, to swordsmanship taught under the tutelage of Vanir, a younger elf with a grudge against Eragon. Many of these activities are designed to expand his mind as well as his body, and Eragon relishes in much of the learning. One thing he can't understand is his growing love for the elven Princess Arya. On the one hand he knows it is his destiny to act as savior for his and her people, on the other hand she is as foreign to him as someone from another planet, and he finds her ways and manner much harder to relate to than someone of his own blood.
Likewise, Saphira is taken under the wing (no pun intended) of a teacher, and what's more to everyone's surprise is that the person whom she is studying under is another dragon, an elder dragon whom the Elves have kept hidden named Glaedr. She begins to blossom under the constant teaching, learning what it really means to be a dragon, and what fate ultimately has in store for the dragon riders and the fight against the evil king Galbatorix.
Paolini's skill as a writer shows much promise with this addition into his resume. The story is intriguing, especially in how he revives certain characters that we thought had gone missing or dead in the first book, and the narrative style is fluid and keeps your attention. My gripes with it are much the same as they were with the first book, that the grammar utilized is a bit naïve in areas and overachieving in others. There are times when Paolini used wonderful "two dollar" words that I wouldn't expect to appear in this genre (young adult) and then times when he wimped out and made poor choices and used random, everyday words. I think he does this to appeal to young adult and adult alike, but it comes off inconsistent, as though he does not have a large vocabulary and has to rely on a thesaurus constantly. It comes across more in the dialogue than anything, his descriptions are lush and vivid, but when he writes any amount of dialogue for different characters it sometimes seems strained or, quite simply, the wrong language to be coming out of a "fantasy" characters mouth. While this maybe a bit irritating it does not sully one's enjoyment of story, which I found enthralling. This is definitely a must read for any fan of the fantasy genre, adult or child alike.