You know there's a problem with a book...

[meganbmoore]

...when you spend the first 400 pages wishing the dragon would roll over in her sleep while on the road and crush the hero into smithereens.

If Murtagh doesn't show up soon in Eldest, I may scream.

Comments

[tigger-01.livejournal.com]

*stifles grin*
Um - I hate to tell you this, really I do... but Murtagh doesn't show up for quite a while. You've got a nice wait ahead of you. :)
My sentiments were exactly the same as you when I read Eldest - Eragon (and Arya, for that matter) annoyed the hell out of me - Murtagh was the only character I ever really liked. I think it took me like, 3 weeks to read it because I kept giving up every ten pages out of sheer and utter boredom.
Good luck!

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

wwwwhhhhaaaaa...

But I only have 200 pages left...

what's he do, show up in the last 5 pages, say "screw you blondie!" and punch him in the face?

Ok, that might make it worth it...

[tigger-01.livejournal.com]

*smirks again - is trying really, really hard to keep said mouth shut*
He doesn't show up till fairly late... I think. From what I remember. Which isn't much - because I was so relieved it was finally over.
And... I... you'll see. It's certainly... interesting.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Oh I can guess.

Paolini's age is extremely evident in the writing, and the inteactions in book 1 were very much ofthe "Eragon is right in saying this because things will happen to show that he's right and Murtagh is wrong" (read: I expect at least some degree of betrayal because Paolini's writing doesn't really allow for much else)

[ladysaotome.livejournal.com]

She'd be doing him a favor considering the way he acts around Arya...

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

*cringe*

That's just...painful.

Not in the "oh Eragon, you have such a hopeless crush" way, but in the "oh man, someone put him out of my cliche swamped misery, i beg you"

[ladysaotome.livejournal.com]

Exactly. He takes "blinded by love" to a whole new, horrible, level.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Yes. And it just keeps getting worse and worse.

If it were ENDEARING "blinded by love," it'd be one thing, but...

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

This would be why I've never picked up Eragon.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I vaguely recall the joyful days before I did.

It says a lot when almost everyone I know who reads it views everything as an endurance test to get to Murtagh.

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

Is it really worth it for one character, even if they're awesome? Especially when I keep hearing people making lists of everything that the series rips off?

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Sadly, no, it isn't, something I fear most of us realize even as we read. I suspect that knowing how young the author is keeps us hoping it'll get better as he gets older.

I think I'd like to see those lists you mentioned.

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

Well . . . why not wait until he's older, and then read the new stuff he puts out?

Off the top of my head, there's Dragonriders of Pern, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and Earthsea . . .

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I'd noticed Pern and LotR(hard to miss) but not Earthsea. Guess I see it, though.

I tend to be generous when it comes to things similar to Star Wars, though, as SW essentially IS the formula for the coming of age hero's journey.

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

True, but in my effort to find the list I vaguely remember through LJSeek, I came across several outlines of how it seems to follow the plot more closely than just Hero's Journey.