Eragon?

[Mythic Scribes]

Has anyone read Eragon? It was written by a teenager, and got a lot of press. Is it worth reading?

 

[Chilari]

I read it years ago, and I bought Eldest and read and enjoyed it, but I never bothered with Brisingr. Maybe I should, I do want to know what happens and how. I did enjoy reading Eragon - or I'd never have got Eldest. It's a little cliche-packed, but it's well written and just generally fun. Parts are predictable, and most of the characters are archetypes, so it's not exactly high literature, but like I said, fun, enjoyable.

The author is a few years older than me, so when I read Eragon and found out a 15-year-old (at the time) had written it, this gave me hope, but then my 16th birthday came and went and I'd still not written anything any good, and then I read forum posts which ripped apart the cliches and tropes and was generally rather rude about it, and I sort of went along with that, but I recently watched the movie and it's actually quite a good movie, so I'm considering reading it again. I just don't know if I still have the books. Will have to check when I visit my parents next week.

But yeah, I'd say so.

 

[Philip Overby]

Eragon seems to be almost universally reviled by a lot of people. It is kind of like the Twilight of fantasy fiction, I suppose. I bought it, read some of it, and it didn't really do anything for me. But, I really admire Christopher Paolini. I found him to be really inspiring in that he was so young but he sold all these books. I would say Eragon would be great for younger readers as an introduction to fantasy, the same way some of the Dungeons and Dragons books were for me. Most people, I've noticed on forums especially, tend to really rail on the kid, which I think is unwarranted.

I say find a sample of it on Amazon and read it, and if it seems like your bag, pick it up.

 

[Calash]

I preferred Eldest myself but Eragon was a good read as well.

The movie did not sit well with me. Felt to much like "Star Wars with dragons". The book, while basically the same story, did not give me this same feel.

Not that I don't like Star Wars...but that is another discussion

 

[Kelise]

I'm siding with Phil - it's pretty much twilight.

I read the first and part of the second but the quality isn't that good. It's amazing it's written by a teenager, and honestly, good on him for getting so far... but personally the books weren't for me. Maybe if I were a lot younger?

 

[Ophiucha]

For a fifteen year old, I would say Eragon is about as good as I could expect it to be. The fact that his parents were in publishing pushed him into fame, and hey, good on him. I don't care if people get famous for trite, really. I like bad books (and bad everything; where would I be if Bruno Mattei were not renown?). They aren't good, though, and I think we need to stop giving him slack for being young. He was young when he wrote the first book. He's 27 now, and Brisingr was as bad as the first one. And even Eragon was only started when he was fifteen. It was published when he was eighteen or nineteen, if my math is right. I guess it might just be because I'm nineteen myself, and nearly all the writers I know in real life are in the general 'eighteen to twenty five' range, but this isn't young enough to be excusable.

And I really, really hate his elves.

 

[Mythos]

I read Eldest first, on accident, and I really enjoyed it, but when I tried to read Eragon I got bored half way through the book. I may have been about twelve when I tried reading it, and I think one of the reasons I didn't like was because it felt too predictable. I've alway been a big reader, so this wasn't the first fantasy I ever read. It might be good for younger kids who don't read as much, and a lot of teens I know liked them. I haven't even tried to read Brisingr.

 

[Mdnight Falling]

eragon is DEFINATELY worth reading... The movie was okay but it left you wanting and they never made Eldest into a movie which just made it worse. But the series... It's good. that boy knew what he was doing when he thought that up. The story line is fantastic and very much believable. It was a good read, and I've worn out three copies of the book LOL

 

[Dagzar]

Eragon isn't worth it. When I was younger, around thirteen, I remember liking it, but as I grew older, my fondness turned to distaste. It also didn't help that I read an Eragon sporking that pointed out every single mistake the series made in great detail, which turned me off of it forever.

It's cliché, the characters are flat, and the plot is boring. Skip it.

 

[Meg the Healer]

I read Eragon a few years ago and it was okay. Parts of it were interesting, but parts were also inconsistent. I bought Eldest because a lot of people told me it was the better of the two books, but by the time I finished Eragon other projects started and I never went back to the series. When I heard he was making a fourth book, I was slightly upset, only because he stated that there was just so much more he wanted to tell that he couldn't fit it all into one book and complete the triology. But that was also going on when the Twilight 4th book was coming out and the HP movies were being split up - that it seemed to be on the band wagon of "there's just too much info - let me do this one more thing" and I felt it was becoming more about money and less about story.

Anyway, back to the point. For someone so young to be published - I think is a great inspiration for young writers (and even some of us older ones) that if you put your mind to it - you can get your name out there and be published. He may have had a leg up due to his parents, but it's still inspiring.

I would read it again and I would recommend it, but the series as a whole - I don't know.

 

[misaki]

I've read all 3 books and don't mind it. Upon reflection on the comments people made, it is true that it's like a Twillight (not in terms of plot). I don't think it's anything mind-blowing though and is a little cliched but I did enjoy Eragon and Sapphira's relationship

 

[Mdnight Falling]

I enjoyed Eragon. I haven't read Eldest and the third book though.. I did hear there's going to be a fourth book

 

[rolf]

Watched the film, it was OK, didn't read the book, but found the basics owed more than a nod to the Anne McCaffrey Dragonriders series, which in my opinion was superb and would make some great films.

 

[myrddin173]

Eragon is a good introduction to the fantasy genre. I read it first in fifth grade, and I have enjoyed rereading it since. However it certainly is not the best the genre has to offer. A major reason for that is the plot line in the beginning is basically Star Wars with dragons.

 

[Mdnight Falling]

There's a fourth book to the series coming out I still haven't read the other two that are out yet >.<

 

[Kate]

I thought the movie was ok - not great, not terrible and can hardly remember a thing about it besides that.
Haven't read the book but I enjoy the Paolini success story (even though it makes me twinge with jealousy sometimes). It's interesting to read opinions on the improvement of his writing over the series, or lack there of.

I wonder what the rest of his career will hold.......

 

[Mdnight Falling]

About the movie I remember it pissing me off cause it left out key stuff from the book... other then that I'd have to watch it to tell you anything LOL

 

[tallyho]

yeah, i enjoyed Eragon - the author reminded me of me lol. Thats perhaps a little to bold. But the idea of dragons - being quite a simple and used alot in fantastical works was very different to others of similar ilk.

 

[balthore]

Eragon was one of those books/movies you picked up when you wanted something enjoyable, but not something you really wanted to think while doing. There were no unpredictable plot twists and you could easily guess what was going to happen next.

There are times I enjoy stuff like that, and times when I want to pick up something that forces me to pay attention to the details or I might miss something.

Recommended yes...on my list of must reads...no.

 

[AvengerofOsiris]

I personally didn't like the books, but at the same time, I wouldn't criticize Paolini because I don't like them. Honestly, who cares if a book is derivative? I respect the guy for not getting a job as an insurance claims adjuster. I'd rather write an "unoriginal" book and make a living doing that than do a job any jamook with half a brain could do (which is 98% of all jobs out there). No offense to insurance adjusters intended, of course. I respect Paolini for what he's done, even if I don't think he's Tolkein reborn.