Eragon

Rating:
Summary: rip off? maybe... but refreshing and memorable.
Review: I understand the reviews of many who said it was a rip-off of this or that. I could easily see the authors influences.... however it did not take away from the reading enjoyment I had of this book. first I loved the Characters. They had more depth then most books written today, and were likable, interesting, but not very complex... which is refreshing. Even though the book seems as though it was written with a younger target audience ( possibly due to the authors age) It did not deter from the story. Bottom line: This is a great book for those who are looking for an easy read and not into analyzing every detail, and picking apart this or that. If you want to get lost in an interesting story on your vacation relaxing.... this one is for you. advice: Do not analyze this book. Do not look for grammar mistakes or look for "rip-offs" or influences. Just read it the way all books are supposed to be read.... for the story, and for the sake of getting lost in the adventure.

Rating:
Summary: To the people claiming Tolkien created Elves and Dwarves!
Review: I haven't read Eragon, but I do plan on doing so soon. However, this "review" is actually directed at all the ignorant people here that have the audacity to claim that Mr. Tolkien created Elves, Dwarves and Dragons. That claim couldn't be more incorrect and ridiculous. Elves and Dwarves are originally from Norse Mythology. And Dragons have been around for thousands of years!

To assure myself of this, I did a little research and what I found was truly shocking. I have learned that Mr. Tolkien COPIED the names Gandalf (the protagonist of his epic story) and Middle-Earth (the setting of his world) from Norse Mythology. So in turn, anybody has the right to "use" Elves or Dwarves in their work as much as anybody else.

I am not defending Mr. Paolini. I agree with the notion that he should develop his own material and refrain from further derivation of other fantasy novels. However, I do defend him in the sense that anybody can use Elves and Dwarves. Trust me he's not the only one. Below, I have provided two paragraphs which I cut and pasted from a Norse Mythology site which clearly states Mr. Tolkien took ideas from Norse Mythology and used it for his work.

In conclusion you people really need to wake up and get a grip. Mr. Tolkien was great, but he's not the fantasy novel god here. People shouldn't be compared to him in everything regarding fantasy. My advice to you is just enjoy fantasy to its fullest. Have a nice day.

Cut and Pasted Material Below:
"Many people are familiar with J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings or Wagner's The Ring of the Nibelung, but they are not familiar with Norse mythology to which both of these works are heavily indebted.

Tolkien was very well acquainted with Norse mythology, as can be seen by the use of it in his books. The name of one of his main characters, Gandalf, is found in The Poetic Edda. Gandalf is, in some ways, reminiscent of Odin, the leader of the Norse pantheon. Even the name Middle-earth, the setting for Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, comes from Norse mythology." (...)

Rating:
Summary: Delightful Read
Review: I love this genre and I found this a very easy, yet delightful read.

The novel is well written and crafted in the style of such books as the Pern series etc. I feel, however, it holds it own.
It is also admirable that it is written in such a way that a wide audience could read it. I am almost 30 (and female) but thoroughly enjoyed. I also think my younger adults could read this book. There is violence but no over or excessive language or sexuality. In my opinion, depending on your specific child, I could have started this book around a 4th grade level.

I am looking forward to the series continuing!

Rating:
Summary: i agree with all the other one and two star reviewers
Review: amazon has this great feature where you can select all the one star reviews. i did and was gratified by all the creative nd the original ways people said what amounts to the same thing.unlike the author of eragon the readers are creative and interesting. yeah the book has a greeat cover but that has nothing whatsoever to do with whats inside. you have to be really young or have lived in a cave to miss the fact that paolini copied and copied . plus he just doesn't have what it takes yet to write a good book. the hype is kinda difficult to believe on this one. a waste of money and a waste of time pretty much sums it up.

Rating:
Summary: good story
Review: I thought the book was a fun read. yes it did have hints of Star Wars, Pern, and some other books; but I dont let that get in the way of an enjoyable story. I cant wait untill the second book comes out, hopefully it captivates me as much as the first

Rating:
Summary: Paolini: Still in AP English Class, not a Tolkien knock off
Review: Forst off, anyone who review this book as a Lord of the Rings knock off is not a true fantasty reader and LoR is probably the only book they've read (maybe Harry Potter~WOW). This book is mediocre at buts, Paolini has potential but he writes like he is still in his Advanced Placement Lang&Comp. class in high scool. I would also like to point out that he DIRECTLY lifted from Robin Hobbs Assassins trilogy, Paolini may as well have descriped the charcters as "witted", and "skilled." I also noticed a few pulls from the great George RR Martin far more than Tolkien. But who doesnt pull from Tolkien, dont tell me David Eddings write originals. As for the book, its what they call in Lit. a "Mary Sue," its like a fanfiction in which the author imposes hims self as the infallible protagonist stricken with unproventable tragedy. It is the most common type of amature writing, every true writer has done it. This will pass as it does in all practiced writers and the potential of this author will become a realty. Earagon is riddled with all those vocab word you took tests on in english and forgot and is inconsitent in tone. Despite its downfalls, while its far from original, the plot is strong and the narritive is fluid, though humanistic character development would have helped though. I dont blame paolini for his novels mediocrity as it could be expect, but rather the editor sacrificed characters and feeling for the bread and butter stereotypes that plauge the genre all the while forgetting the basics of correcting implausiblities. I would also point out that this is a CHILDRENS novel and should be treated as such and was not written for the same people that an Edding writes. For what it is there is promise and i was not too unbearable to finish. I recomed you borrow the book or check it out of the library, its not worth it to buy it.

Rating:
Summary: Where to start?
Review: Wow--it's not often I pick up a book that is as bad as Eragon. It's even rarer that I finish a book this bad. Given all the hype I figured I sort of had to finish this book, being such a huge fantasy fan.

This book is horrible. I've read a lot of what I consider "pulp" fantasy. Into this category I throw the Goodkinds, the Eddings, the Brooks, the Salvatores. I'd argue that Robert Jordan falls into this category as well (yes--I know you rabid WoT fans would skinm me alive for saying that but come on--what else do you call a series that has roughly more volumes than grains of sand on a beach, each with about a million pages ;-) ? My point is, while these authors may be pulp writers, their work at least is entertaining. Eragon is not. I didn't believe Mr. Paolini was 15 when he started writing this book after I finally finished it. I thought he must have been much younger--perhaps 9 or 10. It's REALLY that bad. I passed a kidney stone a few years ago and that was a pieceo f cake compared to getting throughh this travesty. STAY AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

Rating:
Summary: This book rocked!
Review: I started this book around nine o'clock at night and didn't put it down untill i had finished it somewhere aroud noon the next day. This is just one of those books that i just couldn't put down. If that doesn't tell you wht you need to know i don't know what would.

Rating:
Summary: Erm.. what can i say?
Review: I've read LOTR and all that but i wont put in any comparison into this review.

Those 2-3 star raters have probably summed it all up for me, but here are my opinions anyway.

Firstly, dump that Tolkien/Star Wars-esque writing/plots aside. The thing that bothers me so much is Paolini's writing. I hate the switches between 'modern speech' and 'ancient/mythic speech'. It's unbearable! First, Eragon starts off by speaking like a 20th century boy with all the short forms and all that. Then, Brom tries his best to speak archaic and wise. Paolini just can't pull it off properly!

There's just one simple rule. The speech is heavily affected by what year/era the book is set in. These kinds of mythic/old books can't have characters speaking like us right now right? I mean they were actually speaking middle/old english at that time! (if im not wrong) (.....)

It's really painful to see Paolini desperately trying to put the proper speech sentences into the characters. His teenage years are really affecting the book, that's alright, however his trying to involve them in a terribly disastrous way, and furthermore, the editing is a total flop.

Well.. that's all i guess.

Rating:
Summary: first book i liked
Review: Simply Amazing, Didnt think i would like it, amazed though, deffinatly buying inheritance(the Sequel) when it comes out (august)!!!!