The Inheritance Cycle (AKA Eragon Series)

[Wylder Treejumper]

So. We got in an argument about this in the How to Train Your Dragon thread, so I figured It should have it's own.

What do you think of the series?

[Cornflower MM]

It's good! I love it! Although (Spoiler Alert!) TYhe way the book ends? B.A.D.

[Edraithel]

I love the series, it's really good I hated the movie though, they got so much wrong!

[Rainshadow]

  I watched the movie and loved it.  Then I read the books (up to Brisingr, because Inheritance was still being written at the time) and rewatched the movie.  The movie was terrible.  Although I did like how they depicted Saphira.  She looked cool.

[Edraithel]

What bugged me about Saphira was she had feathers and the writer describes her leathery wings so beautifully in the first book.

[W0NWILL]

I don't like it. Before you all chase me out with pitchforks, hear me out.

The only reason the Eragon series is so popular is because it's got dragons. People tend to look at the dragon and ignore any of the flaws in the story. Eragon was flat and uninteresting and a typical, cliched fantasy story, but 'ooh, look! Dragon!'.

Just my opinion. Feel free to chase me out now.

[Edraithel]

I thought the writer was good at describing a vivid image, I know that's not the only thing to a story but Eragon's struggles and story interested me and the elves were, in my opinion, fleshed out very well. I particularly loved the time when Eragon was in the elven kingdom. The inheritence series is not my favorite fantasy series and I do believe other authors (like tolkien for one) have written better plots and had deeper meanings to their stories, but all in all it was an enjoyable read.

[Wylder Treejumper]

I thought the book was good when I read it, but then I bought the series. I soon realized that the more I read it, the worse it got. Eragon did very little, the story was essentially controlled by the Eldunari, the big battle was horribly anti-climactic, most of the characters were flat, and half of the intricate sub-plots he is so good at were never finished.

He used too many words and not enough meaning or plot. Also, his research is atrocious.

As to the movie, one word. TERRIBLE.

[Rainshadow]

  I wanna talk a bit about the movie... well, more like kinda complain.  I'll put it in spoilers, though, so those who haven't read the book or seen the movie don't have the story ruined.

Eragon, the movie

  So, first off, THE ELVES DIDN'T EVEN HAVE POINTED EARS.  Seriously, dudes, you coulda given them pointed ears.  Or at least made them look less human.  Would it have been that hard?

  Second, Brom.  He should've had a beard.  He wasn't supposed to show Eragon his mark until he was dying.  And he should've been killed by a knife through the ribs.  I mean, seriously, a spear?  How is that like a knife?

  Third, Arya.  BLACK HAIR.  WHY IS SHE A GINGER?  WHERE ARE HER POINTED EARS?

  Fourth, Murtagh.  Why is his scar on his chest/stomach?  Dude, it was on your back!  And why was he in a wooden cage when they reached the Varden?  He was supposed to be in a nice, furnished cell with books and being fed well and pretty happy!

  Fifth, Angela.  No.  Just... no.

  Sixth, Solembum.  Where was he?  Hrm?  He had an important role in the series, and they just cut him out?

  Seventh, Jeod.  Or, really, that whole storyline.  Where was Teirm?  Yes, sure, they went into a village and Eragon met "Angela" while Brom purchased (really?  Purchased?  Dude, you made it!) a saddle, but Teirm was a bustling city!  Where did it go?  Did it disappear?

  Eighth, Katrina.  Uh, where was Katrina?  She plays a big part in the other books, so... where was she?

  Ninth, Saphira.  HOW DID THAT DRAGON GROW UP SO FAST??  I could understand them sorta fast-forwarding through the months where she grew, but really?  Throwing her into the air, seeing a flash of light, and all of a sudden she's a fully grown dragon?  How does that even make sense?

  Tenth, Horst.  Really?  Really, Horst?  Are you sure your sons were drafted into the army?  Are you sure about that?  Are you sure they aren't just at the forge?

  Eleventh, Garrow.  Uh, sorry, but he wasn't dead when they got there.  He was still very much alive, and he was brought to Carvahall so he could be healed.  He died there, not being burnt to a crisp.

  Twelfth, Roran.  Dude.  Dude, no.  Don't join the army.  Go work at the mill.  Go, dude.  You have an invisible girlfriend to come home to.  Don't go and kill yourself.

  Thirteenth, the Hadarac Desert.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but an entire desert just doesn't disappear.

  Fourteenth, the Urgals and the Kull.  Are you sure these aren't just mercenaries with war paint?  What happened to the ram horns?  Where is the grey skin?  Why aren't they freakishly tall?

  Fifteenth, the Twins.  Excuse me, but they were spies, so I do believe they needed to be in the movie.  Yes, please add them in.  Thank you.

  Sixteenth, Dras-Leona and Helgrind.  It must have been an enormous country and a very mountainous plain for both the city and the hideous black mountain to be hidden from view the entire movie.

  Seventeenth, Galbatorix.  ...Why is he a wimp?

  Eighteenth, Durza.  Okay, yeah, they maybe kinda sorta got the appearance and the personality down, but that last battle...  UGH!

  Nineteenth, Gil'ead.  Ahahaha... the movie was kidding about this, right?  Surely they knew that Eragon was captured and drugged inside there.  No?  OH, COME ON!

  Twentieth, the Spine.  Er, correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't the Spine look more like a mountain range?  And shouldn't it lead to Teirm?  Or maybe the ocean?  Anything?

  Twenty-first, Farthen Dûr and Tronjheim.  Um, where were they?  All I saw were caves and tunnels.

  Twenty-second, Isidar Mithrim.  Had the dwarves not found the gigantic rose sapphire yet?  'Cause, y'know, I think it'd be hard to miss an enormous red gem above an enormous city that apparently were both not in the movie.

  Twenty-third, the final battle.  No.

  Twenty-fourth, the meeting between Eragon and Ajihad.  Where was that lovely meeting in Tronjheim with the leader of the Varden?  Oh, you wanna just have a quick chat while walking down the hallway?  Okay, you've already messed up the whole movie, why not just ruin it a bit more?

  Twenty-fifth, the final scene.  Uh, where did that random dragon come from?  And why is Galbatorix freaking out about it?  Is it Thorn?  Is it Shruikan?

  And twenty-sixth, Eragon.  Granted, he may look slightly pleasant to my eyes at least, but come on.  BROWN HAIR.  BROWN EYES.  DON'T GIVE BLUE EYES AND BLOND HAIR.  NO.  There are way too many things to complain about with his character (the acting, for one), but I'll try not to further waste time.

[close]

  There's definitely more that I missed, but those were the ones I could think of.

[Cornflower MM]

Rainy, I agree with you on...

Agreeing with Rain

Fifth. Seriously? The first time I watched, I thought, Hey! They cut out ANGELA?!?!?!? NO WAY!! She one of my favourite people! The second time, it was like a smack to the face. I thought, what? That's Angela? No. Angela's short, rather dumpy, dark hair, and she DOES NOT wear that....Thingy. What happened to her obsession with frogs and toads? Anyone?
Seventeenth: Yeah. Galbatorix doesn't look like he's described in the book # 4. Not even. And he's so dang ....WIMPY! He disgusted me. Eurgh!
Twenty-second: I was looking forward to seeing the Isidar Mithrim! I mean, it's a giant sapphire rose. And, it's just such a cool idea! But they couldn't put it in...Or they were just too lazy. PRODUCERS, YOU SUCK!!!!!!!!!!
Twenty-Fifth: Rainy, please don't get mad. That random dragon? That was Shruikan. Why that dragon would deal with having Galbatorix sitting on him, and walking over him, and having to act like a throne, I've no idea.

[close]

[Rainshadow]

25

  Hrm, well, if that was Shruikan, he was rather small...  And why would Galbatorix be so dramatic about tearing the tapestry and seeing the dragon?  It is his dragon (sorta), after all!

[close]

[Cornflower MM]

26

I dunno.....Guess they thought it as good way to end. Who knows? *Shrugs*

[close]

[Wylder Treejumper]

My over all rating of the book series? 2 stars out of five. It had a sweeping plot, but poor execution, too much plot constructs, and a downright sucky ending.

The movie? Mybe a half star. It is so bad it doesn't even deserve a summary of problems. Besides, they did it for me ^
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