the eragon books aka inheritance cycle
Don't get me wrong. I love the Eragon series. It's fun, it's creative, it's got DRAGONS.
I just finished Brisingr, and there's only one thing that continuously irritated me throughout the novel.
Yes, Paolini, you are like 20. Yes, you use nice words that I don't know. Yes, you have published three novels. But seriously. Could you learn to understand characters a little better?
Again, I love these books. This third one was so great to read (needed more Murtagh, though, he's the only character I really really love), but let's take a short glimpse at Eragon. Just who exactly IS he? I found it impossibly to discover Eragon's character in the book. Is he an angry kid? I suppose so. But then he'd spout off wisdom and wise words and sound like he's 80 years old rather than... 17? or something? What bothers me more though is how Paolini has increasingly been making Eragon some sort of superhumandemigod GARY-STU. Seriously, Eragon is becoming just ridiculous! He can take energy from anything, kill anything, and now he's got a perfect sword that was the best she ever made even though it was in less than a day and she used Eragon to make it. He can use magic so intensely, and it's just--ridonk. I understand that Eragon is supposed to be like this. He isn't just a human, he's a powerful figure and must have the power to defeat Galbatorix. but come ON. If he's gonna be that freakishly perfect in battle, give him other major flaws. Eragon knows how to bring peace about when necessary, knows how to get a dwarf to become king, knows how to gain the acceptance of nearly everyone he meets (this is an exagerration I know). I think I just dislike Eragon because it's almost impossible to identify his character in the novel. Just when you think he's a serious kind, he tries to joke, or laugh, and I felt uncomfortable reading it because I had thought Eragon was different. I don't know... Eragon is too perfect. Oh, so Ayra turned him down. So he gets angry a little. To me these are regular and could happen to anyone. With Eragon himself it just seems like lame attempts by Paolini to make his character more likeable, or something.
Roran is a great character, but same problem. I don't believe that he could do all he's done. Sorry, end of story.
Saphira and Murtagh are really the only chars I can't really complain about. OH! But Paolini, what was up with the way you wrote things as Saphira or Glaedr? Round-ears-two-legs? warm-air-wind? Like, seriously. They talk like humans, they would think like humans too. I've never heard Saphira talk to Eragon and be like 'ah yes the dark-warrior-woman-strong-heart-big-foot wanted to congratulate you' or something like that.
I really love the books. But Paolini thinks he can go too far with his characters and make them REALLY REALLY BORING. Also Arya. Like wtf she is the most boring female character I may ever have come across. Also, Angela is nothing but bland bouts of comic relief to try and prove to his audience that Paolini can be funny.
Again: I greatly enjoyed the book, haha. Will probably be rereading it soon. These are just things that have irked me throughout the series, mostly. Kay done.
I just thought of the Books of Pellinor and how much I love them! yayayay.