ELDEST
Opening Commentary:
Once again massive spoilers ahead. Same advice as last time: get it at a library if you must. I shall henceforth attempt to provide honest commentary, and if I sounds somewhat cruel, know that is and never will be my intention. I tend to think very deeply about everything I read. One last warning: were I not such a completion-ist I would have quit about pg 50.
Good:
Details – Once again, the world is rich with descriptions
Realism – Pain and emotions are dealt with in depth. End battle was nicely described.
Title – Fitting and a bit more inventive than Eragon; I mean naming a book after the whiny central character is just plain laziness.
Neutral:
Plot pts – Katrina’s subplot is weak at best; Roran’s subplot is better but hardly strong
Use/Overuse of language – I understand a glossary and pronunciation guide is necessary, but honestly, it could be toned down a whole heapin’ lot and still be fine
Predictability – I didn’t need spoilers to know the big family secret that nearly shocks the armor outta hero boy.
Bad/Painful:
Aye – OMG, if I read “Aye” one more time I swear I’ll throw a hissy fit to make a 2 yr old proud!
Plot – Everything that happened could probably be summed up in two sentences. Roran guides the people of Caravell away from the evil king’s meanie soldiers. Eragon goes to the elves for training, finds out his friends are in trouble, leaves said training (with promise to wisened old master that he’ll return one day), rushes off to save fair friends, gets in a duel with someone he knows, and reunites with his cousin. The End. Whoops, I lied that’s three.
Pacing – BORING, is the only word that comes to mind. The story took, no lie, 620 pages to get anywhere near a decent fight. Recommendation: strong coffee or other caffeine supplement and a hard chair to read in.
Too much Detail – Eragon’s training synopsis: lose to Vanir, watch the ants herd aphids, fight, learn the ancient language, lose to Vanir, celebrate with elves, make fool of self, lose to Vanir, repeat.
Other POVs – one annoying thing about Eragon was the lack of a change; one of the annoying thing about Eldest is a change in povs – ya just can’t catch a break.
Clichés – Eragon’s still hero boy but this time he’s got a little magic RPG inspired belt thingy that’ll help him conserve his powers; certain son of evil one wants to be good but can’t
Grammar – I didn’t bother keeping track this time.
Closing Commentary:
Unless you have a good 20+ hours you’re willing to dull your brain on reading about aphid herding, don’t bother with the book. Do read if you have sleep troubles; that and a calc book oughta do you just fine. Find a nice person online to summarize the story and rent the movie in 6 years. P.S. people under 12 might like it though.
Originally posted by pinkfloydkor
yeaahmmm
well, the author has been a bit predictable
i thought about
Spoiler:
murtagh being the rider of the red dragon on the frontso mabye it is Arya
I'm not sure yet either. But I havn't exactly finished Eldest either, I'm only on like page twenty-one. It's actually seems like it is going to be a bit more promising. Bit being the key-word.
Originally posted by masterkit
I'm not sure yet either. But I havn't exactly finished Eldest either, I'm only on like page twenty-one. It's actually seems like it is going to be a bit more promising. Bit being the key-word.
oooohh
i see
well dont read the spoiler then!!!!
dont read it!!
itll ruin the whole book
I just finished reading this book and I did not like it. There were some great parts but over all there was too much bad for me. The end was about the only good part, and even still it was too contrive for me. Not to mention predictable. I would like to finish the trilogy however and hope that itl be better. I loved the first book, but this one was so damn boring. I cant imagine it as a movie, ugh.
Originally posted by Julie
ELDEST
Opening Commentary:
Once again massive spoilers ahead. Same advice as last time: get it at a library if you must. I shall henceforth attempt to provide honest commentary, and if I sounds somewhat cruel, know that is and never will be my intention. I tend to think very deeply about everything I read. One last warning: were I not such a completion-ist I would have quit about pg 50.Good:
Details – Once again, the world is rich with descriptions
Realism – Pain and emotions are dealt with in depth. End battle was nicely described.
Title – Fitting and a bit more inventive than Eragon; I mean naming a book after the whiny central character is just plain laziness.Neutral:
Plot pts – Katrina’s subplot is weak at best; Roran’s subplot is better but hardly strong
Use/Overuse of language – I understand a glossary and pronunciation guide is necessary, but honestly, it could be toned down a whole heapin’ lot and still be fine
Predictability – I didn’t need spoilers to know the big family secret that nearly shocks the armor outta hero boy.Bad/Painful:
Aye – OMG, if I read “Aye” one more time I swear I’ll throw a hissy fit to make a 2 yr old proud!
Plot – Everything that happened could probably be summed up in two sentences. Roran guides the people of Caravell away from the evil king’s meanie soldiers. Eragon goes to the elves for training, finds out his friends are in trouble, leaves said training (with promise to wisened old master that he’ll return one day), rushes off to save fair friends, gets in a duel with someone he knows, and reunites with his cousin. The End. Whoops, I lied that’s three.
Pacing – BORING, is the only word that comes to mind. The story took, no lie, 620 pages to get anywhere near a decent fight. Recommendation: strong coffee or other caffeine supplement and a hard chair to read in.
Too much Detail – Eragon’s training synopsis: lose to Vanir, watch the ants herd aphids, fight, learn the ancient language, lose to Vanir, celebrate with elves, make fool of self, lose to Vanir, repeat.
Other POVs – one annoying thing about Eragon was the lack of a change; one of the annoying thing about Eldest is a change in povs – ya just can’t catch a break.
Clichés – Eragon’s still hero boy but this time he’s got a little magic RPG inspired belt thingy that’ll help him conserve his powers; certain son of evil one wants to be good but can’t
Grammar – I didn’t bother keeping track this time.Closing Commentary:
Unless you have a good 20+ hours you’re willing to dull your brain on reading about aphid herding, don’t bother with the book. Do read if you have sleep troubles; that and a calc book oughta do you just fine. Find a nice person online to summarize the story and rent the movie in 6 years. P.S. people under 12 might like it though.
I disagree with almost all you had to say. Eldest is probably my favorite book, EVER. I found it much more interesting then even LOTR.
1) Use/Overuse of language? Huh? Have you ever read any big time Fantasies such as LOTR? Eldest use the best amount of "ancient" languages. I got confused in LOTR so many times with all the names and all the words, but in Eldest I found myself knowing what each place is and they really mostly use the language for spells.
2)Predictibilaty? Really, this is MY experience, and I had no idea Murtagh would be his brother.
3)Aye? What are you talking about? In all old time Fantasies they use words such as "Aye" or "Nay"
4)Plot? Ok really, your going over the line here. ANY book can be summarized into 2 sentences. I can summarize LOTR in 2 sentences, and LOTR is 1200 pages. A group of different races form up to make a fellowship to destroy a ring that could destroy their world, and thus they have to travel through many dangers in order to destroy it.
5)Pacing? Your going further from the line. I only found the Roran parts a little bit boring. I found the parts where Eragon tries to settle out his relationships with Arya exciting. I also found the parts where Eragon trained exciting. I found knowing more about the Dragon-Riders exciting.
6)Too much detail? I'm not going to say anything about this, it's just too stupid.
7) Point of View changing? Go read the Baeltimore Trilogy. Dang, thats not what its called... Bartius... I can't remember, i'll tell you later. It has up to 4 Point of View's and many people really like. Point of Views make everything exciting, as it creates suspense to go back to the next Point of View and also explains more than one plot at the same time.
8) Super RPG belt thingy? I really didn't get you on that one. It has been known for a long time that energy can be stored in gems. Therefore Eragon got gems which he can put energy into, and then absorb the energy back. I see nothing "SUPER" about it. It doesn't create energy, it just stores it for later.
My Closing Summary:
Listen to people who actually LIKE Fantasies. Because Julie clearly just stated her dislikes that are almost everything that Fantasy lovers LOVE.
This book is great, and you should get it anytime possible. I spent long hours just reading it without end, and the suspense and the feeling you get when Eragon finally comes back to face the final battle, fully powered now by his training? Incredible.