The Inheritance series(or Cycle as he chooses to call it) is finally complete. And what a ride its been.
To be honest, initially Eragon didn't appeal to me at all. With its ancient language, the elves and the dwarves thrown in all together, it seemed to me to be a weak copy of the Lord of The Rings.The orcs could be Urgals; there was a mad King ruling over Alagaesia just like Sauron threatened the land.
It was an enjoyable read for sure(I was, in particular, enamored with Saphira. She is the strongest character to me. And Arya with her aloof awesomeness enchanted me.) but the whole too-much-resemblance-to-LOTR had me just putting back and saying 'eh..'.
Eldest impressed me. Oromis, Glaedr, the world of the Elves...I'd never read anything like it. And now, more clearly, I could see the differences. Here, Elves were strong and beautiful just like the LOTR Elves but the whole 'they always speak in riddles' and the other little details like them being vegetarians made it stand out. It was thrilling to see just how much Eragon changed from the farm boy he was in Eragon to the warrior that he was at the end of Eldest.
In a manner, Brisingr didn't fulfill all my expectations. It wasn't the end for one thing. And parts of it were too wordy. Like Eragon and Arya's trek back from Dras Leona to the Varden's camp. While I enjoyed the whole make a ship and set it free, I wanted action ! Revelations like Brom being Eragon's father(it would have been lovely if Morzan had been his father ! The whole choice deal that Dumbledore spouts and that the heritage of the father doesn't pass onto the son. I mean, look at Murtaugh. He turned out fine.), the Eldunari and the fact that the whole 'Look under the Menoa tree' stuff spiced it up and made us ache for the ending.
And lo behold ! Inheritance lived up to most of its expectations.
(I feel obliged to add that while I wont be spelling out spoilers bit by bit, if you're gonna read the book and find out everything for yourself, Stop Reading. Now.)
Inheritance began with a bang and kept racing towards the ending. The book was absorbing; the storming of Belatona, Aroughs and Dras Leona(I felt a particular satisfaction that the priests of Helgrind died !) and the finding of Niernen gave hope and the sense of building up to what promised to be a good battle. Nasuada's subsequent capture forces leadership onto Eragon. The weight on his shoulders forces him to start moving and make the decision to go find the Rock of Kuthian and the Vault of Souls. I expected Eldunari but not the eggs(good to know Saphira's not as alone as we all thought! I wonder if that changed her true name ?). The section with Eragon finding out his true name didn't appeal to me but it was necessary for him. The interleaving of Nasuada's imprisonment and Eragon's foray into Vroengard was well written and didn't let me put my book down at all !
The book start's picking up after this; the battle is here, Urubaen is before them. Eragon faces Galbatorix but to be humbled in front of the strength he posses. It was a little sad imagining the sadness and anger that raged inside Shruikan.
It was nice to see that Murtaugh was able to change himself; to break away(even though they didn't get together in the end, they were very cute together!) and turn against Galbatorix when required.
The fight-of-the-century(or so we anticipated) turned out surprisingly simple(Harry Potter anybody?). When Galbatorix is experiencing everything he ever inflicted, Eragon and he duel and Eragon manages to kill him(simultaneously, Saphira and Thorn take on Shruikan and kick his ass and Arya kills him with the Dauthdaert.).
The last egg hatches(the Rider was just like I expected) and Saphira falls in love(or lust depending on how you look at it). Nasuada is crowned Queen of Alagaesia while Arya becomes Queen of the Elves. Eragon faces the prospect of rebuilding the Riders.
Remembering Angela's prediction that he would leave Alagaesia to never return, Eragon and Saphira bid farewell and set sail along with all the Eldunari and the eggs to become the Leader of the New Riders.
A LOTR ending rather than a Harry Potter one; it was bittersweet and beautiful. The love story that began to take shape in Eragon and tormented the character Eragon all through Eldest and Brisingr, receives a sort of conclusion. There is a chance of it becoming a happily-ever-after but its left to the reader. I thought it was a mature ending and anything else wouldn't have fit this Eragon(despite the fact that he left so many people behind).
Overall, the Inheritance cycle definitely deserves its place up there next to LOTR, Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl and what not. There are jarring notes(Eragon is not always likable), heavy passages and sometimes not very satisfying conclusions but there are also a lot of strengths to this series.
Christopher Paolini wrote this series for 12 years of his life(he began when he was 15 and now he's 28) and I must say he's done a bang up job fleshing out a whole universe(that is as rich as Middle Earth), an assortment of characters(he left Angela to be as mysterious as ever!) and a fantasy story that's for all times.
(P.S- Thanks, Harsh for preordering and then lending it to me :D)
To be honest, initially Eragon didn't appeal to me at all. With its ancient language, the elves and the dwarves thrown in all together, it seemed to me to be a weak copy of the Lord of The Rings.The orcs could be Urgals; there was a mad King ruling over Alagaesia just like Sauron threatened the land.
It was an enjoyable read for sure(I was, in particular, enamored with Saphira. She is the strongest character to me. And Arya with her aloof awesomeness enchanted me.) but the whole too-much-resemblance-to-LOTR had me just putting back and saying 'eh..'.
Eldest impressed me. Oromis, Glaedr, the world of the Elves...I'd never read anything like it. And now, more clearly, I could see the differences. Here, Elves were strong and beautiful just like the LOTR Elves but the whole 'they always speak in riddles' and the other little details like them being vegetarians made it stand out. It was thrilling to see just how much Eragon changed from the farm boy he was in Eragon to the warrior that he was at the end of Eldest.
In a manner, Brisingr didn't fulfill all my expectations. It wasn't the end for one thing. And parts of it were too wordy. Like Eragon and Arya's trek back from Dras Leona to the Varden's camp. While I enjoyed the whole make a ship and set it free, I wanted action ! Revelations like Brom being Eragon's father(it would have been lovely if Morzan had been his father ! The whole choice deal that Dumbledore spouts and that the heritage of the father doesn't pass onto the son. I mean, look at Murtaugh. He turned out fine.), the Eldunari and the fact that the whole 'Look under the Menoa tree' stuff spiced it up and made us ache for the ending.
And lo behold ! Inheritance lived up to most of its expectations.
(I feel obliged to add that while I wont be spelling out spoilers bit by bit, if you're gonna read the book and find out everything for yourself, Stop Reading. Now.)
Inheritance began with a bang and kept racing towards the ending. The book was absorbing; the storming of Belatona, Aroughs and Dras Leona(I felt a particular satisfaction that the priests of Helgrind died !) and the finding of Niernen gave hope and the sense of building up to what promised to be a good battle. Nasuada's subsequent capture forces leadership onto Eragon. The weight on his shoulders forces him to start moving and make the decision to go find the Rock of Kuthian and the Vault of Souls. I expected Eldunari but not the eggs(good to know Saphira's not as alone as we all thought! I wonder if that changed her true name ?). The section with Eragon finding out his true name didn't appeal to me but it was necessary for him. The interleaving of Nasuada's imprisonment and Eragon's foray into Vroengard was well written and didn't let me put my book down at all !
The book start's picking up after this; the battle is here, Urubaen is before them. Eragon faces Galbatorix but to be humbled in front of the strength he posses. It was a little sad imagining the sadness and anger that raged inside Shruikan.
It was nice to see that Murtaugh was able to change himself; to break away(even though they didn't get together in the end, they were very cute together!) and turn against Galbatorix when required.
The fight-of-the-century(or so we anticipated) turned out surprisingly simple(Harry Potter anybody?). When Galbatorix is experiencing everything he ever inflicted, Eragon and he duel and Eragon manages to kill him(simultaneously, Saphira and Thorn take on Shruikan and kick his ass and Arya kills him with the Dauthdaert.).
The last egg hatches(the Rider was just like I expected) and Saphira falls in love(or lust depending on how you look at it). Nasuada is crowned Queen of Alagaesia while Arya becomes Queen of the Elves. Eragon faces the prospect of rebuilding the Riders.
Remembering Angela's prediction that he would leave Alagaesia to never return, Eragon and Saphira bid farewell and set sail along with all the Eldunari and the eggs to become the Leader of the New Riders.
A LOTR ending rather than a Harry Potter one; it was bittersweet and beautiful. The love story that began to take shape in Eragon and tormented the character Eragon all through Eldest and Brisingr, receives a sort of conclusion. There is a chance of it becoming a happily-ever-after but its left to the reader. I thought it was a mature ending and anything else wouldn't have fit this Eragon(despite the fact that he left so many people behind).
Overall, the Inheritance cycle definitely deserves its place up there next to LOTR, Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl and what not. There are jarring notes(Eragon is not always likable), heavy passages and sometimes not very satisfying conclusions but there are also a lot of strengths to this series.
Christopher Paolini wrote this series for 12 years of his life(he began when he was 15 and now he's 28) and I must say he's done a bang up job fleshing out a whole universe(that is as rich as Middle Earth), an assortment of characters(he left Angela to be as mysterious as ever!) and a fantasy story that's for all times.
(P.S- Thanks, Harsh for preordering and then lending it to me :D)
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