3 Stars
Pros: Very easy reading/Interesting concept of Riders being able to communicate with their Dragons, thus deepening their bond and making the Dragon an actual character instead of just a ride for the Protagonist/The characters are very black and white, you know who are the heroes and who are the villians.
Cons: The characters were very one dimensional, there was no depth, no meaning behind their emotions, they just felt flat/ Things that are supposed to be big surprises are pretty predictable/ Eragon is of course a boy wonder, able to pick up and master absolutely anything he's taught.
Full Review:
In the Prologue, we witness an Elf being ambushed by a Shade and his minions. Just at the last second before she is captured though, she manages to magic away whatever it is she's transporting. We are then introduced to Eragon. He's a 16 year old, polite, do as he's told farm boy who lives with his Uncle and Cousin on a farm on the outskirts of a small village called Carvahall. There is mystery to his past, his mother having returned to the village, pregnant and of course, she died before Eragon could ever find out who his father was.
Life is routine and predictable for Eragon. They live off the land and only go to the village when the merchants come annually to sell their wares. It is shortly before this event that we meet Eragon, who is hunting in the woods. His hunt is, of course, interrupted when there's a flash of blue light, that scares the deer away and once the light fades, Eragon finds a large blue stone. Thinking that maybe he can sell it for some meat, he brings it home.
And of course, the stone is more than what it seems. One night Eragon is awakened by the sound of the stone shaking and rocking and then, it cracks and out comes a baby dragon. Eragon bonds with the dragon immediately, cause otherwise there would be no story.
He manages to keep the presence of the dragon a secret and meanwhile goes with his cousin to Carvahall to talk to the local bard, an old man named Brom, who has an answer for everything. Brom tells Eragon what he knows about dragons, but of course, it isn't long before others, mysterious dark strangers come to town asking about the mysterious blue rock. Eragon's secret is revealed and the strangers burn his farm and kill his uncle in their search for the blue stone. Eragon manages to escape Carvahall with the help of Brom and together, along with the dragon, whom Eragon has named Saphira, they embark on a mission of vengeance.
While they travel Brom teaches Eragon magic, swordmanship and basically everything under the sun. Eragon is a quick study and basically masters everything that he's taught.
Their goal, once they track down and kill the creatures that killed Eragon's uncle, the Razuac, is to then continue to the safe haven of the Varden, a group of rebels against the Empire. The King, and last Rider (dragon rider) Galbatorix, is a madman and the Varden are dedicated to stopping his tyrannical rule however they can.
All along there are Elves, Men, Dwarves, Urals (basically orcs) and Ergaon and Saphira. Though the book has its good points, and some surprises, by the last few chapters I was tired of it and wanted it to be over. In a way it felt like I was reading the screen play for "The Fellowship of the Ring" movie and not the book by Tolkien. I think my main dislike was that the characters just felt flat. Perhaps, since this is the first book of a series, there hasn't been enough time to flesh them out, give them backgrounds etc. And besides, if you want people to keep reading, you have to have a little mystery behind their characters. But for some reason, when Eragon was emotional etc, it just felt forced.
And of course, he's madly smitten with the Elf, Arya, whom he rescues. And of course there is a dashing young man named Murtagh who has a dark secret but is allied to Eragon and seems loyal and trustworthy. And of course there are the obstinate, stubborn Dwarves and their precarious alliance with the Varden and all the political strife you could wish for. In a way I felt like I was reading Tolkein's Lord of the Rings trilogy only meant for a younger audience.
I'll read the rest of the series but I won't invest money or too much time into it. I'm interested enough to see what happens but not so invested that I'm going to rush out and pick up the next book today.
I'd recommend this book to younger readers who want a taste of what the genre of Fantasy can be like. Though there are parts that are surprisingly grisly and gruesome, it tells an epic tale and one that is easy to follow. And also anyone who has an affinity towards Dragons, Elves etc.
Comments
Post a Comment