Inheritance's redemption

[derrick_mace]

Despite half-sleeping and leaving at the last quarter of the movie when I rented it, as well as using my favorite audio tracks while reading through Eragon, *gasp* Eldest, and Brisingr, I couldn't help occasionally shutting the book, my eyes with it, and biting on my lip until it bled.
I understand all the writers' concerns, and I loved the Epistles

Comments

[vehemence]

Maybe because I never watched Star Wars

.......... :|

If you fix the characters, motivations, add some flavor, whether it be cultural or personal you come out with a classic example of a High Fantasy epic.

Erm no.. characters + motivations + 'flavor' = the most basic outline of a story

If you think that's a high fantasy epic, I would say you need to actually go read some high fantasy epics. After you watch Star Wars. Good luck with your re-spicing of this horrible book though..

[derrick_mace]

"characters + motivations + 'flavor' = the most basic outline of a story"

That's absolutely true, but I have another reason to do this: I want to find some plot space that would make the Inheritance cycle more worthy of it's "praise".

"If you think that's a high fantasy epic, I would say you need to actually go read some high fantasy epics."

Actually, I don't think it's a high fantasy epic. I think it's a cliche story, a self-insert with very poor (if any) character development, rigid plot and illogical motivations...plus no exotic flavor at all and "copy paste" everything from races, languages and even crafts (Sword-making in Japanese is different from European style, as far as I know). I'm trying to find a reason, may it be fan-made or not, which can make this story worthwhile.

[vehemence]

Eh, the only people who praise Eragon are people who have no taste, so who cares.. just ignore them. So basically you just want to totally rewrite Eragon? I think that's a waste of time. CP would never read it and even if he did, he's too arrogant to take anything out of it, assuming your version comes out better than his. You might be better off just writing something completely original you know? If we choose a piece of poo to symbolize Eragon.. even if you like re-sculpt the poo.. it's still poo.

[kippurbird]

Now, personally, I don't think there's anything wrong with liking the books. I mean they're rather fluffy and brainless. You can read them and not think and while a bit slow at points it can be a good story. It does just need some tweaking. His big problem is that his world's seams are very easily seen. What I mean is that you can see exactly where he took something from, which if you are conversant in fantasy writing and/or science fiction, can be irksome as he doesn't translate the ideas into something different. He just plops them down without making them special for his world.

As for elves, I don't think people here hate them, they just hate Paolini's version of the elves because they are unoriginal, an author's spokespeice on what he thinks are the best ways to live and are contradictory in their beliefs, their culture not being very well thought out.

Personally, in my stories, I've based my elves off of the ones in Pterry's Lords and Ladies, but made them my own. This is the one thing that Paolini doesn't do, he doesn't

[kythyria]

"rather fluffy and brainless"

So true. They're a pleasant way to spend a few hours (I read really fast, so I like doorstoppers), provided your brain is out of gear. Putting it back in gear, however, unleashes torrents of fridge logic, such as is repeatedly demonstrated on this very site. In fact, venusrain created a wiki just to store the insane speculation.

[kevias]

I've been thinking (not very seriously) about rewriting Inheritance myself. The basic stuff is fine. It's a zero-to-hero romp through fantasyland with an Evil Empire, courageous but outmatched Rebellion, and Elves and magic. It really shouldn't be as screwed up as it is

[derrick_mace]

"The basic stuff is fine. It's a zero-to-hero romp through fantasyland with an Evil Empire, courageous but outmatched Rebellion, and Elves and magic. It really shouldn't be as screwed up as it is

[othellia]

Holy entry tags, Batman!

But umm... yeah. Whatever you want? Personally, I take lessons from Paolini about what not to do, and parodies are always wonderful, essays as well... but if you're going to put in all the effort and creative thought to actually seriously fix his work, why not use that time to jump-start your own stuff?

Also. Ditto what vehemence said about characters, motivations, and flavor. And ditto what everyone else said about seeing Star Wars; if nothing else, the series is the father of the modern blockbuster.

Sorry if I seem a bit harsh. I'm always busy with my original stories, so it seems like it'd be nice to have time to waste on other projects.

[derrick_mace]

I understand you, but this project is stuck in my mind.

"Once you begin thinking of dragons, you can't stop--It makes you insane, that's why I became a published author at eighteen"-

I can't type that without laughing.

[derrick_mace]

Of course it won't, but it'll be a half-baked story at least worthy of a few minutes. If anything, this edit will be a justification why I spent the money for the books--If anything else, I'll enjoy messing around the world and trying to tweak it into something worthwhile.