(9/25/2005)
There are many fans of Eragon. I am not one of them. Let me explain why.
Had Christopher Paolini attempted to publish this book the way most authors must seek to publish their material (through hard work, dedication, and talent), I highly doubt it ever would have been published. I have read all kinds of things from essays to opinions in order to gather facts about this book. I have yet to see an argument defend it with merit.
The dialogue is sloppily written, explaining things that should already be self-explanatory. '"Sorry," apologized Brom.' This is an editing nightmare. If one cannot tell that sorry is meant to be an apology, one should have one's head examined.
Long, random bits of detail make me ill. Thus this book should be enough to hospitalize me. Frequently Paolini describes elements he need not go into detail about. Now, being a descriptive, visual author isn't bad, what's bad is dragging a story down with obsessive unnecessary details.
Copying. Everything he wrote has been done, and it HAS been done better. The names he chooses clash in relation to genre, time period, setting, character, etc. He has blatantly stolen material from at least Tolkien, and what he has done to it is horrid. The plot line is unoriginal, and hardly interesting.
I cannot make you believe me, or listen to my opinions, but please, if you're of sound mind and sound sense, and thinking of reading this abomination, please set the book down, and do not waste your energy on it. It is not worth it.
Paolini as a young writer got away with far too much. The language in the book was, at times, unnecesarily flowery, or blatantly immature. Christopher Paolini digs back up the stereotypical 'graceful elf' and the overdone 'boy and his dragon' combination to create a truly disgusting massacre of words.
I am sorrowed by the popularity of this horrendous book.