I finally finished the "Eragon" Series.
I'm gonna give this series a "meh" rating.
I liked the first one, I liked where it was going, but eventually it was dragged out WAAAAY too much.
This is going to sound silly, but the author didn't leave ENOUGH mystery at the end. He had to explain every detail of what happened. Usually I leave a beloved series with satisfaction that the main points were answered, but enough was left over that I still wanted more. When I finished this series, I was relieved.
I read that the author wants to write more about the fictional country he created, but I really hope he does new characters. And I'm not sure I want to read the books even then!
Also, I felt like the villain was too powerful. The entire last book everyone was sure that they couldn't defeat him, and in the end what they did was make him understand what he had done wrong. One of the things I enjoy about fantsy is that the villain is overthrown by the weak hero, because the hero has more love and caring for those around him. Usually the hero will give the villain a chance to change, then proceed to destroy him. In this book, the change was forced on the villain and it destroyed him. Where is the mercy in that?
Then there is my soapbox. The hero decides that he has an innate sense of what is right and what is wrong and that is what will guide him for the rest of his life. I'm sorry. I don't believe that outside of deity, there is such a person that won't eventually submit to the temptation of power. Without Divine guidance, that is. JRR Tolkien had Divine guidance in his Lord of the Rings series, it just was behind the scenes.
I seriously hate it when fantasy writers remove the element of deity from their books. Atheism just doesn't makes sense and sounds hollow. Especially in fantasy, where that is often the POINT. Tolkein and CS Lewis (from which most high fantasy is based upon) took ideas from Norse, Celtic and other mythology (as well as Christian, in Lewis' case) and they had gods of some sort. It wasn't necessarily Christian, but it was some sort of deity. Frodo couldn't destroy the Ring without help.
What I believe Paolini is trying to do is say that man can do everything. Unfortunately, I highly doubt that. Part of the reason I read high fantasy is to remind myself that I can't do it alone. I need help, just like the Frodo, Lucy, etc do. Mind you I am Christian, so be aware of my beliefs.
Also note, that the Harry Potter series had a form of deity. It was tucked beneath the story line and not talked about much, but Dumbledore mentions it a bit. If you don't believe me, go re-read the series. Especially books 6 and 7, especially that chapter in book 7 in the train station (my favorite chapter by the way). JK Rowling, just doesn't make an issue of it.
So, I probably won't be reading these books any more. I own a few of them, but I might give them away. They lacked the luster that a really good ALWAYS has. A connection to the hero.
