"One dragon...
"A world of adventure.
"When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself.
"Overnight his simple life is shattered, and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic, and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds.
"Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands."
So, long story short, I went to review this book yesterday but had to stop when I realized that I'd forgotten to review another book that I'd finished a few months ago. Now, I'm back to reviewing after quite a bit of a hiatus. Many things contributed to this lack of posting, not the least of which was the words inside of this book... While the first few chapters were alright, I quickly reached a point that I could hardly stand reading it! Now, before I get angry comments from devoted fans, please give me a chance to explain my stance.
For several years I've been told from numerous sources how much I would like this book and I just never picked it up. The plot seemed okay, but the premise was not my usual cup of tea. Then, some time ago, I picked up Eragon at a book resale store...then it proceeded to sit on myself for months before I actually opened it. Thought it had taken me a while to get to this book, my expectations were somewhat high after all of the hype from bookstores and fellow readers.
As I said before, the first few chapters were okay, but my interest quickly diminished and I was extremely put off by the writing style. The novice abilities of the writer were made extremely evident in the blatant overuse of explanation and the constant inconsistencies in the formality of the language. (Not to mention, half of the book was written in internal dialogue! That's the cheapest way to create filler and description for a story.) It was as if Paolini wanted to make sure he answered any and all questions the readers might have about any of the characters' actions, so he felt he had to unnecessarily repeat himself and describe every little interaction to the point of exhaustion. Eragon didn't seem to know if he was a poor farmer or a hero-in-training. His mannerisms and language didn't always fit his character. One of the biggest problems I had with Eragon was that I just didn't care about him! He was too perfect and too good. He didn't have any flaws, which made him entirely flat. He was so similar to many of the old characters in some of the first children's literature. He always made the right choice, he preached good examples to others, and he was purely and entirely good. In other words, the character of Eragon was BOOOORING!!! There was no personality other than the flat one you would expect from a very basic character created to be an example for children rather than one they can relate to. Essentially, the only thing that makes Eragon different from Abbott's "Rollo" was that Eragon rode a dragon. He was just about as interesting and exciting as a character created purely with the intent to help children decide between "good" and "bad."
Before I get a hundred comments telling me that I don't know what I'm talking about when I discuss and critique children's literature, let me say that it was my minor and I've taught a Children's Literature course to college students where the head of the college's English department deferred to my knowledge of the topic. That is partially why I read this book--I like to read popular modern children's literature to compare and contrast and see how literature has evolved. I have to say that Eragon was a bit of a step back from a lot of other books I've read. Just because you graduated school early, your parents own a small publishing company, and you think you know what you're doing when you write does NOT mean you should. Sorry. That's the harsh truth. You may say that all of the book sales don't agree with my opinion, but just because Gossip Girl and books about farting dogs make sales does not mean it's literature that is worth our child's time. There are so many better choices that will captivate and enrich our children's minds and expand their horizons.
I hate to say it, but I'm not recommending this book. The only reason I finished it was because I cannot stand to leave a book half-done. With its flat characters and less than thrilling writing, I have to say something I've never had to say before: I won't be reading the rest of this series. It's just not worth my time.
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