Eragon

About a month ago I asked my local library to order Erikson's Malazan series.

Today I saw, on the "latest orders" list on the library's site: A Norwegian translation of Eldest.

Ain't no freakin' justice!
 
i find theese books far too predictable but its still a great read and i would recomend them
 
Yeah, I've just finished Eldest myself, and on the whole it is very enjoyable.
 
I've read Eragon, and I'm almost halfway through Eldest at the moment.
The whole thing's such a cliche (I mean, come on; "Saphira"? Really...). And his descriptions can be immature at times. But it is his first book. I have forgiven those aspects, and I find his plots are brilliant. A masterful storyteller.
Can't wait to see the film. Hope they don't mongulate it, like HP.

And I agree with those who state that the character of Eragon needs to be slapped thoroughly. He's so arrogant -- hardly a character I would side with. Makes me feel sorry for the dragon, lol.
 
I havn't read the books but I think I will have to now before the movie comes out in December and there is a rush at the library!

The trailer looks great and has really sparked my interest (see eragonmovie.com for movie stuff inc WAP service too!)

I see there is alot of comparison with LOTR but do you think it may be a bit of a LOTR for beginners? I mean, an easier read from the same genre.
 
I read a few excerpts online, and it seems to me he writes as bad as I did when I was fifteen: way too many cliches and not having his own writing style. It seems to me that he is so popular because his book got published at such a young age. His books do not explore greater themes and motifs, but so doesn't a majority of fantasy out there, so I forgive that. However, a prodigy he is not.

Otherwise, I too could have been a priodigy had I published my Science Fantasy a year ago: sure, it was cliched and didn't explore human nature a bit, but if he can be so successful publishing rehashes, so could I. And I don't consider myself a prodigy at the age of 16 for writing a lame book two years ago. He is a prodigy only because he was published at a young age, not for literary merit.
 
I have to admit that I did only read the books because I read about them in the newspaper, and about how young he was. I at this time was desperately trying to write my own first novel and get it published, and hearing this spurred me on, trying to get it published at an earlier age than he!...but alas, now I'm 19, with no published book, and just a deep throbbing jealousy of Mountain Boy (yes, that's what I call him... :D ) But I can satisify this by thinking to myself that he isn't a brilliant writer...
However, to come to his defence (shockingly...I can't even believe it myself!) he was young, he hasn't had the experience that older writers have, and despite the cliches (which is probably a result of reading those kinds of dragons/dwarves/elves books as he grew up) it is still a very good plot (although I do think the end of Eldest was a bit contrived).
Ah, I do believe I've just taken the first step on the road to recovery from this deep-seated jealousy! Well, until I see the film and realise not only has he got two published books but now he's got a bloody film! *mumbles grumble*
 
I’m split down the middle with this whole Eragon thing. On the one hand, the major publishers who picked him up obviously think they can make money out of his work, and at the end of the day you can’t argue with that. That’s really the trick to getting published these days and he’s obviously pulled it off. Fair dues to him. I’d do the same if I was in his position. I'd take every advantage life gave me to get my work into print.

On the other hand, I’m gagging on my own rage.

Usually I keep my snarling, knee jerk alter-ego on a choke-chain and never let him out to play, but just this once I’ll vent my knee jerk reaction. I apologise for what follows, and rest assured I shall swiftly punish my alter-ego for this. Ready? Here we go.

(Mild mannered Coolhand runs to a phone box and turns into Knee-Jerk-Rage Man)

ARRRRRRGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

This sickens me! Most of us writers have to walk the razor-blade strewn floors of publication in our bare feet for years, frequently with nothing to show for it. We fight for years to create something that will grab an Agent or a publisher and stand a little higher than the thousands of other submissions they received that day. We kneel before the publishing industry like little workhouse orphans twisting our caps between our fingers whilst whimpering “Did you like my book sir? I’ve been working on it for fifteen years? Can I ‘ave some money?” only to get a rejection letter saying something like “You typeface was 1mm out of acceptable limits” or “We don’t think titles containing the letter “F” sell anymore.” or “Today we were just in a really rejecty mood, y’know?” We toil, and slave and fight to try and get our one chance to shine. Most of us will probably never see a single sentence published out of a lifetime of work.

And then this dude comes along.

Firstly, his initial publication was down to Mummy and Daddy owning the company, and then setting him up with over a hundred appearances to flog the book. Call me a cynic, but publicity can sell anything and you’re pretty much guaranteed some sales with that kind of marketing and publicity drive.

Then he gets picked up by the mainstream publishing houses. Okay. Fair enough. They obviously see a product they can make money with. But the vibe I keep getting from those who’ve read the whole thing (and based on my reading little bits of it) is that if this book had gone through the usual channels of submission it would never have stood a chance. Phrases like “Well-written considering he was 15” or “Oooh, he’ll be brilliant in 10 years time.” all speak to the fact that the book ISN’T actually good enough right now to be on shelves on it’s own right. That if he had been forced to fight fair with everyone else, it would have been rejection time for our young prodigy.

Yes this is jealousy, yes this is sour grapes. Pure and simple. I’m not proud of it, I’m not condoning it. I know what I am and what I am is green with envy. But also legitimately irritated that someone could so blatantly jump the cue and sail past the rest of us poor hard working bastards with a smug little wave.

And now he gets a MOVIE??

A multi-million pound LOTR style EXTRAVAGANZA??????

GHAAAAAAARGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Bites own laptop in two and stomps off to sulk in a corner.)
 
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Haha I think you've just nicely summed up my feelings, Cool, thanks. If you hadn't have done it, I could feel a rant coming on as well.

Although the thing that always gets me is his age...ACKKK! It's sickening, I really wanted to publish something while at quite a young age (nigh on impossible, I know, but hell, I could have a go!) and then he just waltzes in and does it...and now I'm too old to beat him!
Yup, jealousy on my part as well, obviously!
 
And Sienna Guillroy is in his movie! It's just not fair! He's not even old enough to introduce himself as the author and attempt to hit on her in a clumsy, awkward fashion! At least I’d be old enough to do that, and then old enough to order my own drinks in the bar afterwards to drown the sorrows of rejection!

If it’s any consolation, HoopyFrood, anyone who picks your screen name will always know where their towel is, even if they didn’t get published at 15. ;)
 
Hehe I do indeed know where my towel is. As a good hitchhiker should!

Ack..Mountain Boy...Ack.

Ok, I should stop chewing on these grapes now, they're getting rather sour!
 
Anyone who thinks he's a prodigy should try reading Freda Warrington's Blackbird series. She finished the first two books (which are actually one mammoth volume split into two) and had them accepted when she was 16. All right, so she was a year older than Mountain Boy, but the quality of the writing is in a totally different league. She had the maturity to write for the adult fantasy market and get accepted (quite rightly). Did the media catch that one? No. Which is a shame, for I believe Freda was far more of a prodigy than Master Paolini.
 
Oh Freda is the new author recently added to our dear little forum, right? Accepted at 16! Ah, another person to make me envious! But it's a happy kind of envy, because she was accepted through her own talent and not because of parentals having their own publishing company. :D
Woo, Mountain Boy nickname is catching on! Hehe.
 
Cartazon said:
My husband was given this book as a birthday gift in November, from someone who doesn't read fantasy but had heard "good things" about it.

He couldn't go further than 20 pages.

Me, I couldn't get past the first.

"Wind howled through the night, carrying a scent that would change the world."

What the hell. What slush pile editor would look further than that before tossing the book in the reject pile?

"The weapon was thin enough to slip between a pair of ribs, yet stout enough to hack through the hardest armor."

Yeah, right. That's where I stopped. Then I flipped to the back and read the Author's Note. Ahah! It was published by mom and dad, and they spent a full year traveling around promoting the book in person, until eventually someone at Knopf took note and decided to take advantage of the marketing ball the Paolini's had already started rolling. The book sold not because of it's literary merits, but because of the novelty of a teen author made a nice gimmick.

Don't get me wrong: Paolini is a competent writer, and may develop into a good writer as he gets older, but his prose reads very much like a 15-year-old's prose and it just burns me to think how many already good writers are being overlooked in the marketing hype about Eragon. It's just not worth it.
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I completely dissagree, I understand you didnt like the book but thats just you. I loved the book/game and probably movie! Not everyone is gonna like this book but if you like sword fighting, dragon, and magic this is your kinda book. I saw NO resemblence to LOTR either
 
Hi Urmon! Welcome to the Chronicles! Hope you enjoy your stay here and I look forward to seeing your input around the site!

I suppose what many people do not like about the book is the fact that, although Paolini does have some talent (There are moments in the books that I do very much enjoy) his getting published relied more upon his parents and a great deal of their money being invested in marketing. Sure he needed some help in getting into the business (I know it's a very difficult area to break into) but it's unfair that he was able to do all this when there are many, many other aspiring writers who have so much talent but are unable to get the chance to get their big break. I think this is the biggest criticism people have of the books.

Also, of course, he was quite young at the time of writing, and this shows in the story.

But hey, each to their own of course. A story about dragons and epic battles between good and evil will always appeal. It's great that you enjoy them so much.
 
for me it's also a factor that he was accepted BECAUSE Of his youth. that is, they saw his age as a good marketting technique. i don't think that's fair to him, or to us, as readers, top give us a book just because the author was young and had parents who could help him market it. and im glad im not the only one who doesn't like the kid because of this! :) i do feel bad for him, though. as i've said before, i don't think being published that young, and getting this level of fame, is going to help him grow as a writer. it will, and has, from all accounts, give him an ego, and that's never helpful!

louise cooper was also published young. 17 i think. ok she's not an amazing writer, but she is good, and she definetly tells interesting, unique stories. not a dragon, a knight or a quest in any of them, (except the indigo series, that was a quest really) :)
 
id' seen the website before, found it very useful for thing to avoid! but not that page. that page REALLY brings it home about how much he copied! even the names . . . god!
 
Yeah, I know, it really sucks. But the saddest thing is that no one will call him on it because he himself stated that works are deriviative; and if anybody does, they will be the "big, bad jealous" dudes who pick on poor, innocent prodigy (who, must I add, was fifteen when he STARTED writing it; not when he ended it!).
 
I doubt he deliberately copied them...it's just something that happens when you've grown up with fanatasy. I remember I drew my own other world-y map once and I showed to to my sister and the first thing she said was "It's a lot like Lord of the Rings, isn't it?" I hadn't meant it to happen, but when there's so many famous pieces of work out there, they seem to sink into your subconscious!
Hmm, that's twice I've defended Mountain Boy. I'll have to have rant soon to restore the bitterness against him! :D
 
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