Once Upon a Bibliophile

SERIES- The Inheritance Cycle

AUTHOR- Christopher Paolini

RATING- 5/5

Just last night I closed the fourth and final of the original The Inheritance Cycle novels: Inheritance. With over eight hundred pages to read, it was a daunting task, even for a re-read, – when, for me at least, skipping is inevitable. Watching Eragon and Saphira sail away at the end of the novel certainly brings a sense of finality to the conflicts of the cycle, but with a companion novella and spin off novel already published and the promise of two more in the coming years, it’s obvious that our author isn’t ready to leave this carefully crafted world. I would find it hard to give up Alagaesia too, and even after spending so much time between the pages of these books, I’m still always surprised by the vast and detailed world you encounter there.

Christopher Paolini has been criticized over the years for “overwriting” his books, and though I understand that it is a lot of writing and some of the scenes are, if you ask me, slightly unnecessary, if you came here looking for a rant about how bad it is, you’re in the wrong place. Because you, my friend, have just stumbled on a blog post about my favorite fantasy, nay, perhaps even one of my favorite books of all time. I mean, it is only my second post. What else would I write about?

Plot

In terms of plot, the first book, Eragon, and perhaps even the whole series, seems somewhat classic:

Centuries before the events of the series take place, the Dragon Riders of Alagaesia kept the peace throughout the land. Blessed with immortality and bonded to their dragons with magic, the legendary Riders were revered by every race. But when the traitor Galbatorix turned on them and seized control over the human Empire, the Riders fell and the land and people suffer under a tyrant’s reign. When a poor farm boy named Eragon finds a dragon egg in the mountains of the Spine, he and his newly hatched dragon Saphira face a choice: join Galbatorix in his reign of terror, or join the rebel group The Varden and their fight for freedom. With Galbatorix closer than ever to gaining infinite power, the war reaches its peak. Eragon and Saphira must battle with change, power, danger, duty and love in this epic tale of heroism. Are they strong enough to beat the tyrannical king, or will the war they never wanted be their undoing?

I know it seems somewhat unoriginal, a typical fantasy coming-of-age story, but the author takes it much further than that. The premise may seem simple and the themes a little tired, but there is an unexpected depth to the later books which adds a much more unique and fresh tone to the original story. While really dramatic plot twists are few and far between, there are a number of scenes and characters throughout the books which turn the plot in a new, exciting direction- the Eldunari, Murtagh and The Mourning Sage among them. While the first book in the series focuses solely on Eragon, the last three books are seen from a number of different viewpoints, like the hero’s cousin, Roran; Nasuada, leader of the Varden; and sometimes even Saphira herself (though sadly not Murtagh’s). The series begins with a feel of teen adventure, but the later books mature with the author and begin to discuss deeper ideas and morals, as well as abandoning the themes of adventure for more mature content, of which warfare and identity are a large part. Eragon explores duty vs conscience and his own identity beyond his gifts, which I believe are important ideas to discuss. These more serious themes create a canvas for character growth and development. As a reader, I appreciate these changes of direction, as they add more depth to both the characters and the plot. While such ideas can seem heavy, the first book was slightly unoriginal because of lack of this depth, and the addition of more complex themes really helped to give the series a distinction from other novels.

Another thing I enjoy about The Inheritance Cycle is Christopher Paolini’s unique take on magic. Characters in Alagaeisa use magic by manipulating energy using the ‘Ancient Language’. That’s not the only thing though- Paolini also introduces the idea of mind reading and the concept that minds can be felt, and, sometimes, infiltrated. This adds a more unique aspect of danger, as our heroes now have to guard their minds as well as their bodies. I thought the magic system was, again, an exciting take on an unoriginal concept, that worked really well. I’d never read anything like it before the Inheritance Cycle.

Characters

The characters in The Inheritance Cycle are… numerous. There’s a lot of them, but most are only extras. Again, our author displays his talent for detail, with every character we come across described (both their looks and their personality) in almost excessive detail. Each one is a totally unique person and is described as such. A lot of characters appear only for a page or two, and so you are usually info dumped with any information about them, relevant or not. While this does become annoying and sometimes feels unnecessary, it also builds a vivid picture in your mind of everything our POV character is seeing. This is information we take in on a day to day basis, as of course would the characters, but I’ve never encountered a writer so determined as Paolini to show this in their writing.

Eragon is the main character, impulsive and headstrong. I find him annoying, at best. I can’t find the words to explain what about him annoys me, maybe the fact that he’s always so serious. Of course, war and suffering are no laughing matters, but a joke or two now and then wouldn’t kill you, would it? Of course, The Inheritance Cycle isn’t and never will be a lighthearted book, but that doesn’t mean I don’t wish the main character were a little more…lovable. The kind of character you root for not just because they’re doing the right thing but because you want them to succeed.

I won’t judge a book by its protagonist though, as there are loads of other characters that are more likable. Wise Nasuada, contemplative Oromis, selfish Elva, mysterious Brom and, of course, the must-have Arwen/Eowyn combo that is Arya. However, the shining star of the cast is Angela. Based and named after the author’s own sister, Angela is one of the more frustrating mysteries to be found in The Inheritance Cycle. While with most characters Paolini adds an excess of detail, Angela is one place where these rules are ignored. The only rule this character obeys is that there are no rules. She’s an enigma. Her origins are not known, nobody knows who she is, where she came from or what race she belongs to, and she is by far the most interesting and entertaining character in the whole series. I forgive the author for frustrating us with lack of detail because I doubt Angela would be half as interesting if we knew anything about her. Her debut was in ‘Eragon’, as a herbalist in Teirm who proclaims that all toads are frogs but not all frogs are toads. Since that moment she pops up all over the narrative, providing humor and a fair bit of confusion wherever she goes. This quote seems to sum her up pretty well:

” I suppose I won’t see you for a while so farewell, best of luck, avoid roasted cabbage, don’t eat earwax and look on the bright side of life”

In contrast, my second favorite character is the dark and tortured Murtagh. Morally grey and brooding, Murtagh is the ‘true hero’ of the story- though I will say no more than that. A good person at heart, (or should I say hearts?) Murtagh is initially an ally before being forced by Galbatorix to carry out his evil deeds. Murtagh is also one of the only characters who does things for selfish reasons. He puts himself first and foremost, and doesn’t mind doing anything he can to survive. A little ruthless perhaps, but then, aren’t we all, in a way? He’s an anti-hero, and unashamedly so, often reflecting on the cruelty of fate and how there is nothing he can do to escape apart from survive. Despite his hard-hearted front, he’s almost the most human of all the characters, with a traumatic backstory that sometimes clouds his view of the world and a desire to prove himself above all else. He tells Eragon:

“When you teach them-teach them not to fear. Fear is good in small amounts, but when it is a constant, pounding companion, it cuts away at who you are and makes it hard to do what you know is right”

Conclusion

Christopher Paolini’s writing may not be described as easily readable, there’s a kind of poetry to his prose that paints a graphic picture in the reader’s mind. Combining unconventional vocab choices and vivid descriptions, Paolini creates a story unlike any seen in fantasy for a long time. The obvious amount of time and effort that has gone into creating the books is immense. Several imagined languages run through the series, each utterly unique and always consistent. There’s a story behind everything. Every plant, every animal is important. It’s a story that comes alive in front of you. Reader, there is a world between these pages of the like you have never seen before. It’s a masterpiece.

My only criticism is this: it’s long. Because of the amount of detail in each book, combined with the already lengthy plot, the novels are quite a substantial read. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. When you read at the rate I do, you’re actively looking for books that will keep you occupied for more than a few days. However, it does take quite a while to find the flow of the story, and once you do, there are countless subplots that distract you from the original premise. There are several scenes that I skip when re-reading, simply because I feel as if they do not help to move the overall plot forward, even if they are important to an individual character’s story or necessary to form a logical plot. This may be because I can be quite an impatient reader at times and regularly skip over parts I don’t like when re-reading, but I would warn you that you have to be dedicated to reach the end. It can be quite easy to give up at times when there isn’t any immediate danger or sudden twist to recapture your attention, but it’s worth it, so keep reading.

I would reccomend to anybody and everybody, though it probably isn’t suitable for younger readers. It may seem like a herculean task, but it’s totally worth it.