A comparison of dragon riders

[doomotter]

You'll have to forgive me since it has been a while since I have done an essay like this, but with my sporking coming up I really wanted some practice, so I thought I would do something that has really been on my mind lately. I hope you all enjoy

Comments

[dinogrrl]

Yeah, this series definitely handles the concept of a bond between a human and a sentient dragon rather well, and also how difference cultures would treat such a bond. A ton of thought clearly went into what ramifications this would have on the world, which I think is what's impressed me most about the series.

It also shows what happens when a bond between a dragon and human is a bad one, and when a dragon refuses to bond at all, which isn't something you see terribly often in dragon rider stories except as passing mentions.

[pipedreamno20]

I absolutely adore the way the "bond" is treated in that AU. Based on friendship rather than a "deus ex touch-ina", and how human's and dragon's differing minds are gonna come up against each other and how that's treated in different cultures and species and I love love LOVE all the dragon characters and their dialogue, I have not felt so excited about a story in so long I can't help but gush over it sometimes. Tem's great because it eschews the so-commonplace mental bond with telepathyTM powers and the troubling power of the link causing each to feel emotions and/or desires not their own (coughMcCafferycough). Here? Laurence and Temeraire are their own people yet even so I reckon they'd have the strongest bond of loyalty and partnership born of learning and growing together over the course of their lives not just being best buds after getting a Gedway Whatever or during a mass hatching and getting chosen by a new baby dragon. Tem didn't even 'choose' his captain by normal means. He just asked why Laurence was frowning, sparking their

[w3rew0lfgirl_99]

It is too bad Saphira and Eragon do not have an actual bond. If she grew up in a more natural way that would help. Dogs and Cats reach their adult form in a year. What if a dragon takes about 3 years and did not become instantly intelligent? What if dragons acted a little more on instinct like raising a baby talking alligator?

I wonder if it would have been more beneficial to the story if he had hidden her for 6 months to a year before the adventure began. Lets say the family was truly poor and had lost their farm land. Maybe they were living in a shack in the woods off the grid with just a little vegetable garden. What is Eragon and Saphira were hunting to provide the family with food. I can imagine Roran asking Eragon how he is so sucessful at hunting. Maybe Eragon was going to tell them but never did...brainstorming.

[w3rew0lfgirl_99]

Doomotter I would love to hear part 2 of the tactical use of dragons in the two series! : )

[with_rainfall]

Thank you for the recommendation! I'm reading the Temeraire series at the moment, and you're right, it makes Eragon and Saph seem even more like puppets.