Eragon

Someone else here at the forum has recommended it as well. I'll be reading it as soon as my library gets a copy. Of course I've got to find The Legend of Huma as well.
 
I've heard a lot about this book - a friend of mine who is a major fantasy fan says it is really good. Other than that, I've heard mixed reports, but on the whole it seems like it should be a fun read. The impression I get is that although it uses a lot of genre stereotypes, it doesn't hurt because the book is meant to be entertaining rather than weighed down with any heavier motives.
 
I glad some one else has read Eragon. I thought it was a great book, although I can see where some could call it cliche. But then I think it's more because there are so many fantasy books out where dragons often play a big role. All in all I thought that it was a great story and I am eagerly awaiting the sequel. What I found even more amazing was the age of the Author. Here he is writing novels while I'm still trying to figure out if the 'i' should be before or after the 'e'! Oh well, thank God for spell check.

gEEk
 
Sci-fi_gEEk said:
I glad some one else has read Eragon. I thought it was a great book, although I can see where some could call it cliche. But then I think it's more because there are so many fantasy books out where dragons often play a big role. All in all I thought that it was a great story and I am eagerly awaiting the sequel. What I found even more amazing was the age of the Author. Here he is writing novels while I'm still trying to figure out if the 'i' should be before or after the 'e'! Oh well, thank God for spell check.

gEEk
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It is amazing though isn't it, I mean 19! and writing as he does. I think it is a bit more original than you portray it to be, Few protagonist are as eragant or as rude to a dragon as Eragon. Nor do I think that other books quite show the relationship between the dragon and the rider as well. The dragons in this as few as they are do play a large part but they are few and the humaniods are many. also the dragons are smaller than the gigantic monsters they are seen as in other novels and games.
 
Only 19?? Egads - then it will be interesting to see how he develops as a writer.

I'm under the impression that a lot of modern writers are not usually published in the mainstream until they are either approaching or well established in middle-age. Theoretically, that brings maturity with it, not least having to scrape and push and really fight just to get published (allegedly). So published at 19...sounds like a blessing and curse. Someone to observe, I guess.
 
I said:
Only 19?? Egads - then it will be interesting to see how he develops as a writer.

I'm under the impression that a lot of modern writers are not usually published in the mainstream until they are either approaching or well established in middle-age. Theoretically, that brings maturity with it, not least having to scrape and push and really fight just to get published (allegedly). So published at 19...sounds like a blessing and curse. Someone to observe, I guess.
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Not to undermine the praise for Paolini but if Im not miss taken I believe his parents own a publishing company or something to that extent. Still He graduated high school at 15 and started writing Eragon and just finished at 19 after completely re-writing the first three chapters. To learn more goto http://www.randomhouse.com/teens/eragon/.
 
If his parents are in the publishing business then I have to say that I have absolutely no love nor interest in the author. I absolutely despise societal nepotism. It may be a fact of the world we live in, but I still have this strange ideological notion that we should succeed entirely on our merits, rather than according to our bloodlines.

That is also going to be some albatross around his own neck - perhaps one day he will try to rebel against that. Otherwise he will go through life not knowing whether he has any artistic credibility at all. To a writer that can be important.
 
I said:
If his parents are in the publishing business then I have to say that I have absolutely no love nor interest in the author. I absolutely despise societal nepotism. It may be a fact of the world we live in, but I still have this strange ideological notion that we should succeed entirely on our merits, rather than according to our bloodlines.

That is also going to be some albatross around his own neck - perhaps one day he will try to rebel against that. Otherwise he will go through life not knowing whether he has any artistic credibility at all. To a writer that can be important.
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While it may seem that the only reason he was published is because of his parents the truth of the matter is he does have tallent. Every person that I have spoke, who has read the book loved it. Proving that it was more then favoritism that got him published.
 
Hm, my earlier comments were a bit strong. I guess the trouble is, there are so many talented writers out there whose novels remain unpublished, simply because the market is so flooded. The fact that this lad got an easy entrance into the writing world is both his blessing and his curse - blessing in that he is finally published, but a curse in that his work will inevitably lack the life experience and professional polish that many other writers have to develop before eventual first publication of a novel.
 
I said:
If his parents are in the publishing business then I have to say that I have absolutely no love nor interest in the author. I absolutely despise societal nepotism. It may be a fact of the world we live in, but I still have this strange ideological notion that we should succeed entirely on our merits, rather than according to our bloodlines.

That is also going to be some albatross around his own neck - perhaps one day he will try to rebel against that. Otherwise he will go through life not knowing whether he has any artistic credibility at all. To a writer that can be important.
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Ok Brian, you just said that he should succeed on his own merits. Those who have read the book so far seem to have enjoyed it, without knowing that he may have family in the business. Just because they publish doesn't mean that they wrote it for him either. So, I'll slap your wrist and tell you to read the book itself before saying that you despise the author for something he has no control over. Lecture over :)
 
I said:
Hm, my earlier comments were a bit strong. I guess the trouble is, there are so many talented writers out there whose novels remain unpublished, simply because the market is so flooded. The fact that this lad got an easy entrance into the writing world is both his blessing and his curse - blessing in that he is finally published, but a curse in that his work will inevitably lack the life experience and professional polish that many other writers have to develop before eventual first publication of a novel.
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Sour grapes? Well, with reason. Since you've been butting your head against the publishing wall you see it from the other end - those that don't have that easy entry. However, this kind of thing is intrinsic in many parts of our lives, not just publishing - I see it every day at work. There are tons of people out there who live on 'easy street' without the effort us little peons have to put forth just to get to 'comfortable street'. I see 16 year-old kids with fabulous cars that don't even work - mommy and daddy provide everything. So, unfortunately we have to live with this kind of thing. We shouldn't let it make us into judgemental envy monsters. (That's what I call myself everytime I feel like yelling at my priveledged boss :D I like to try and keep it all in perspective. If calling myself names helps, then that's what I do.)

However, as my earlier lecture stated, in short, 'Don't judge the book by it's cover'. Authors' works should be judged on the works themselves. Period.

Ok, I'll get down off of my high horse now, sorry for the over do-goody post - I'll try to keep these to a minimum!
 
Heh, no, you're quite right about the lecture. I know already the world runs on the principle "it's not what you know, but who you know".

Struggle for success could be (allegedly!) character building stuff. And, not least, persons like myself try to boost their chances by trying to create a significant web presence.

For the moment there's a challange to be both lamented and enjoyed in the struggle to make it. But there's possibly something to be said about not getting success too easily.

Anyway - enough of my sour grapes, which, indeed, they are - and back to discussing the book in question. :)
 
I am smack in the middle of that book.
I will say one thing: It seems a bit derived to me. Like a combination of Tolkein and Ann McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern books.
 
thecripplewhoiswhole said:
I haven't read any of the Pern books so I wouldn't know and as far as Tolkien it's not all that similar to LOTR.
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It is not all that similar because it only borrows a few things from each source. The elves, dwarves, languages and poems have a lotr feel. The dragonrider business has a Pern feel and a few other things seem to remind me of other books. But together they do create something new. I am interested to see what Paolini will write after he finishes this trilogy.
 
technically the elves arn't Tolkien's and niether are the dwarves as for the languages I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that he created them him self except for one which was based on nordic.
 
Here's a rather interesting panel interview with Christopher Paolini, Phillip Pullman and Tamora Pierce: http://www.powells.com/authors/paolini.htmlA lot of the discussion revolves around writing fantasy fiction and may be of interest to the writers among us.
Here's a quote by Paolini which sort of addresses the accusation of being derivative:
as far as I can tell, my first novel was a way to explore the standard fantasy traditions that I enjoyed reading so much. It was a chance for me to play in this type of world. My second book and third book, as I see it, are opportunities to expand upon the original archetypes and try to bring a depth to the world that I haven't seen done or in ways that I want to explore personally.
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knivesout said:
Here's a rather interesting panel interview with Christopher Paolini, Phillip Pullman and Tamora Pierce: http://www.powells.com/authors/paolini.htmlA lot of the discussion revolves around writing fantasy fiction and may be of interest to the writers among us.
Here's a quote by Paolini which sort of addresses the accusation of being derivative:
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I posted this interview earlier this year here in the forums. I felt it was a wonderful interview and all three authors were very forthcoming and said a lot of interesting things.
 
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