Eragon, Eldest

[WhiteDragon47]

Anyone else big fans of the books by Christopher Paolini? The books are my favorites. The kid is truly a phenomenon (he finished Eragon when he was 17!); his storytelling style is, to me, as close to perfection as it can get. One can only imagine the help he's had on it, but I've seen books by more prominent and experienced authors, and those books don't even compare to Paolini's works. He's got enormous talent and imagination, and it's evident, no matter where you start reading the book. (You can open to a random page, and the aura and the talent just ooze from there immediately!)

But I still don't get it: Why is it getting relatively low ratings and massive flames? The discussion threads on Amazon.com are full of people who hate the books. Some of the things have merit, but others are just downright bewildering. Maybe I just need to read more fantasy literature, but I still don't understand the reasons for the hatred.

Okay, I'll have to hand it to some of them. The plotline is cliché: A farmboy comes from out of nowhere and becomes the sole savior of his world. But it's one thing to tell a clichéd story badly; Paolini did not. And perhaps it IS close to the Star Wars plotline (although I can't agree or disagree; I've never seen the films myself). Even though both books have obvious weak spots, I believe Paolini doesn't deserve most of the flames he gets, and I still don't understand why the general discussion surrounding the books is so negative.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

I don't think he has much of an imagination or much talent, he has potential though.
I've read the first two books and found them not only to be incredibly derivative (rips off, not even inspired by countless fantasy literature) but he uses flowery words everywhere and most of the time in the wrong context and for the wrong reason. The books are just really badly written.
Paolini is the sort of person that got it easy. His parents were publishers etc.
Writers generally have to work their butts off and then some young man comes along and because he's a 'prodigy' child he gets marketed extremely well and sells an enormous amounts of his books.

I also find him to be incredibly egotistical and naive to his own faults.
He annoys me greatly.
So, no. I don't like him. And yes, I have a bias to my dislike but before you say he's talented and imaginative read any type of fantasy literature and you'll see he plagiarised so much. I also suggest you watch the Star Wars movies.
Then you may change your opinion.

He has potential as a writer only if he acknowledges his weaknesses and tries to improve on them. Until then he will be a multi-million dollar wonder-boy hack.

[ProfessorAlan]

Count me in as agreeing with W4J on nearly all points.

[Ransom v. Unman]

Count me third...

[Gravity]

Fourth. The kid's a tyro. There's some raw material there, but he's years away from where he needs to be with it.

[Ransom v. Unman]

Problem with the "kid" is he's already in his twenties and well-established in his literary career.

I'm afraid it looks like a case of premature fame contributing to arrested development. It's an illustration of why rejection letters can be very, very good for you...

[Tarin]

Count me a fifth witness. I read the first one a few years back and was not impressed. Unoriginal plot, poor writing, flat characters. No thanks. The kid's a flash in the pan. A momentarily big flash, maybe, but he won't stand the test of time.

[Thebigguy]

I thought the first book was great compared to the movie which was to hours I could have spent sleeping. Wasn't much for the spiritism, and it was incredibly cleche' and the Tolkeinisms in the book was incredibly annoying, but the Art work on the cover was pretty cool. And there was some stuff like the chase in the chapel in the evil city was pretty unique and when the dragon was nearly swept away by the storm. But yes a lot of it was like watching reruns of your favorite Sci- Fi all whirled into one book.

[P.K.mama]

I might be one of the minority here but I loved the books. I too was disappointed in the movie as was my daughter. She had read alot before eragon but after reading it she found her passion for reading. I found my love for the books and have read them at least four times each. It is my comfort book. However I wish the character of Brom could have lasted longer. How about you?
I did find myself a bit jelouse when I found out about his age (had to pray alot about that lol). Here I am writing since I was five and still not published. It did ease a bit when I found out his parents were in publishing.

[Narrannik]

I have read both Eragon and Eldest, and considered them (particularly Eragon) to be poor and imature writing, but the fact remains- I finished both of them, and it sounds as if all of you did the same. So, they couldn't have been too bad, and the movie made them look a lot better in comparison. His writing had improved by the time Eldest came out, and he admits much of the writing he's done is unprofessional, so give his next book a chance.

Honestly, I think quite a few writers enjoy slamming the "kid" because of jealousy. He's a multi-millionare, at a very young age, and already has a cult following. We think our own writing deserves the popularity of his, and we can't help but compare. In our eyes, our writing will always be better than his, but let's not forget that to others we may appear just as cheesy as he does.

[tlm]

I haven't read the book but his story reminds me of S.E. Hinton (yea, I'm really old school). Anyway, Hinton was only 14 around when she wrote The Outsiders. It was a hit partly because it was advertised as being written by a teen for teens. They did keep it secret that Hinton was female for many years.

Anyway teens loved the books. I loved all her books. Then I reread them as an adult and realized that the writing of her first 2 books wasn't all that great. It just seemed good because I was young and had only been exposed to average writing at the time. Don't get me wrong, for a teen-ager she was quite good and she expressed the lostness and disappointment with adults that most teenagers feel. However, you can't expect greatness from those who still have a lot to learn.

I would expect this author to be the same. Perhaps I will read the books he writes when he is older.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Her writing was a heck of a lot better than Paolini's though.

[DraperJC]

I bought Eregon for my son and read it to him at night. We still haven't finished it. I think it's dreck. He's not all that fond of it.

On the one hand, you can't argue with success. On the other hand, you can if the writing sucks.

[Ransom v. Unman]

On the one hand, you can't argue with success.
Yes you can. I do it regularly, nay, constantly.

[Tarin]

the fact remains- I finished both of them, and it sounds as if all of you did the same.

I finish everything. It's a compulsion of sorts; if I start a book, I have to finish it. So the fact that I completed Eragon really isn't a credit to Paolini. ;)

[Thebigguy]

I have read both Eragon and Eldest, and considered them (particularly Eragon) to be poor and imature writing, but the fact remains- I finished both of them, and it sounds as if all of you did the same. So, they couldn't have been too bad, and the movie made them look a lot better in comparison. His writing had improved by the time Eldest came out, and he admits much of the writing he's done is unprofessional, so give his next book a chance.

Honestly, I think quite a few writers enjoy slamming the "kid" because of jealousy. He's a multi-millionare, at a very young age, and already has a cult following. We think our own writing deserves the popularity of his, and we can't help but compare. In our eyes, our writing will always be better than his, but let's not forget that to others we may appear just as cheesy as he does.

Preach it!

[Shell-Bell]

I'd have to say I'm borderline. I have read both of his books, and I'm looking forward to the next one... but he did break a lot of rules. For an aspiring writer who is trying to "go by the book", it is frustrating to see someone break so many rules and slide by--and SO successfully.

Plagurism is nothing to laugh at, but I didn't find any true plagurism in his work, no more than you'd find in any fantasy. I mean, after a while, it all starts sounding awfully similar--and I write the stuff. I have to reasure myself that while the story may have been told before, it hasn't been told from my view point...

Think about this: There wouldn't have been a Star Wars without Lord of the Rings or The Chronicles of Narnia... I believe the storm troopers rode their version of oliphants... ;)

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

True Star Wars borrows heavily from Lord of the Rings and Dune, but it does it well and doesn't steal (it creates it's own identity). Whereas Paolini seems to take fantasy staples (the most bland ones) and not change them the slightest. Sure there are many fantasy authors that do similar but I guess they're easier to ignore because a) they aren't anywhere near as popular and b) they're generally better written.

[tlm]

Though I haven't read any of these works, mostly because I am reading other stuff that might be a bit more helpful to my writing, I do watch a bit of sci-fi and my son was a great Stargate fan. I could barely endure the last seasons because I (a much older person) had seen--or read--it all before. I finally started playing a game of naming the book, movie, or author where the show's weekly premise had appeared before. The writers even wrote lines for the characters where they would make comments like, "this sounds like something from Batman." When they mentioned puddlejumping I almost choked on my coffee.

I guess what I am saying is that sci-fi writers seem to steal from the previous generation of writers all the time.

I totally knew what was going on in M. Night Shamalan (sorry for the misspelling) because, as a teen, I had read By the Waters of Babylon.

[tlm]

I sure messed up that last part. It should be, "totally knew what was going on in M. Night Shamalan's , The Village, because, as a teen, I had read By the Waters of Babylon."

Sorry for the confusion.

[vpwriter]

I've read them both as well. Nothing spectacular. I didn't like it all that much because it was such a smashed, squeezed, and bland compression of many of the most common elements in Fantasy writing. Three races comprised of the Humans, the Elves, and Dwarfs. Humans are the problem and also the most numerous while being not much more of a threat. Elves are superior in their grace, strength, and skill compared to Humans as well as being aloof and separatist. Dwarfs are strongest but fewest in number and act almost like liaisons between Elf and Human. Get the Pam and spray the cookie sheet.

[Storygirl]

Maybe I just haven't read enough in the fantasy genre...but I enjoyed the first book by Paolini. Wasn't quite as fond of Eldest...he took too long to get through certain parts of the book. Looks like I'm a minority...but I'm looking forward to reading the third book...and I'm #50 something on the hold list at the library. Obviously his writing is good enough to keep people reading! And uh...isn't that the TRUE test of what your writing is worth?

[Tarin]

Obviously his writing is good enough to keep people reading! And uh...isn't that the TRUE test of what your writing is worth?

IMHO, the true test is the test of time. And I really doubt Paolini will be remembered once he stops writing new stuff.

[Storygirl]

You DO have a point...I guess we'll just have to wait and see.