I think the biggest problem I have with Eldest is Roran. I just don't really like his character. The evolution of his character just seems inconsistent, especially between Eragon and Eldest. Perhaps the reason I don't like Roran is that there isn't much to work within the first book. Paolini doesn't give you a real good idea of who Roran is between the first and second books. In any case, Roran doesn't seem to line up. At times, he even becomes almost an unbelievable character, especially during fight scenes. Are his accomplishments realistic? I'm not doubting that one man could convince an entire village to follow him from one end of the Empire to the other, but his fighting style, felling almost two hundred men by himself with a hammer, seems improbable. I understand that people do crazy things for love, but Roran becomes completely different almost overnight as soon as the Ra'zac come calling. It's hard to believe some of the things that he does. I think that Roran has an important role to fill in the series and is an important character, however, I feel that his character is a little extreme and unbelievable.
Sloan is also a bit of an unreasonable character. He is never really defined as a person, other than he doesn't like Eragon or Roran, or really Garrow for that matter (as far as you can tell. Garrow is not a real clear character either). His hatred of Garrow's family is unclear, and it is never explained why he dislikes them so. His hatred of the Spine is clear, and it leads to problems with Roran. I have a hard time believing, however, that Sloan really believed that it was safer for Katrina if he cut a deal with the Ra'zac. Those kinds of villains always double cross (it's kind of a stereotype), and it seems from what you know of Sloan that he is smart enough to avoid the Ra'zac's trap. Fear does some strange things to people, I suppose. Sloan's hateful nature isn't ever really explained. He's just a bitter old man that can't be grateful or considerate of anyone but himself.
Another issue I have with Eldest is that Paolini doesn't do a very good job of explaining Carvahall's customs. The whole "blood price" with Roran and Birgit is very confusing. It's not entirely explained why exactly she has chosen to invoke the blood price, or what exactly that entails. Even in Inheritance, this side plotline was not really resolved clearly. I was never sure what exactly Birgit was going to do with him, it seemed to me in Inheritance that she was going to resort to a "pound of flesh" method because that's what Paolini made it seem it was going to be. Other customs, like the dowry and the inheritance and the difference between the two, are at times shady, and difficult to understand. Their marriage customs are never completely defined, and at times, can be confusing. Sometimes, it's hard to believe that minor breaches in etiquette could result in the whole village being at your throat. It makes it hard to believe that you have friends anywhere, least of all your neighbors who should be your friends. Also, some of these breaches in etiquette almost seem to be a matter of perception, and so the perpetrator might not have done anything wrong in his point of view.
Customs seem to be something that Paolini doesn't take time to really explain throughout all of the books. The elvish greeting and some of the aspects of the dwarven religion don't really ever make sense. Az Sweldn rak Anhuin invokes some kind of feud with Eragon, and it is a little unclear why. They obviously disapprove of Hrothgar adopting Eragon into Durgrimst Ingeitum, but wasn't that Hrothgar's decision? Shouldn't their feud be with him? Also, the dwarves seem to have a remarkable apathy when faced with Galbatorix. Politically, apathy towards a neighbor who seems intent on conquering is usually a bad idea. It seems like Paolini didn't want to have an "if you're not with me, you're with him" scenario, but the political apathy of the dwarves doesn't really make sense, even if this is the case. While politics are rarely straightforward, it's difficult to believe that the dwarves don't see that Galbatorix could conquer them easily, especially after their breach into Farthen Dur. I can understand their dislike of the Varden. The Varden bring with them trouble, many people that must be taken care of, and an air of authority that seems to conflict with and almost override their own monarch (Orrin also has this problem later). That being said, the dwarves' unwillingness to fight Galbatorix is unreasonable and causes many problems for Orik, Nasuada, and Eragon later (Paolini needed there to be some sort of minor conflict). Also with customs, it seems as if the major races, the humans (shown in the villagers from Carvahall), the elves, and the dwarves all have their own set of customs, but the people of the Varden don't.
I have to say though, that I really like the beginning of Eldest. Having the attack on Ajihad, the Twins, and Murtagh right at the start was a good idea. That really set into motion the events of the rest of the book. Starting with some good action fairly close to the beginning helped keep readers reading. It also gave Paolini the time to remind readers of past events, while moving current events forward. Eragon's training does slow events down a bit, however, it is important. In a way, this makes you almost forget that there is a war going on, and that, I think, is what Oromis needed in order to (mostly) prepare Eragon for upcoming events. Eragon leaving mid-training is almost a Star Wars allusion, as Luke Skywalker also leaves his training woefully early to run to the rescue of his friends. Both Oromis and Yoda try to talk their respective protagonist from leaving, and neither prevail. Oromis, unlike Yoda, is less reluctant to let Eragon go, however. Oromis seems to understand that there is no other way and that their time was always going to be limited.
With Roran's storyline, Paolini again steals a concept from the Belgariad. The Boar's Eye is remarkably similar to the dangerous maelstrom the Cherek Bore in Pawn of Prophecy. Both are very dangerous and make even the most experienced seaman balk. The Cherek Bore keeps people away from the countries of Cherek and Riva. The Boar's Eye also keeps people away from the island it "protects."
The first time I read Eldest, I'm fairly sure that I didn't see Murtagh coming back. That was a good twist that really pans out well at the end of the series.
I'm not sure I really like the end of the book. I feel like the last little scene with Eragon showing Roran that Katrina is alive in Helgrind could have been bumped to the beginning of the next book, or earlier (if only slightly) in Eldest. It leaves you hanging, but not really in a good way. I don't like that he leaves that end entirely loose, and even though he solves it at the beginning of Brisngr, I felt that the end of Eldest was a little disappointing.
Sloan is also a bit of an unreasonable character. He is never really defined as a person, other than he doesn't like Eragon or Roran, or really Garrow for that matter (as far as you can tell. Garrow is not a real clear character either). His hatred of Garrow's family is unclear, and it is never explained why he dislikes them so. His hatred of the Spine is clear, and it leads to problems with Roran. I have a hard time believing, however, that Sloan really believed that it was safer for Katrina if he cut a deal with the Ra'zac. Those kinds of villains always double cross (it's kind of a stereotype), and it seems from what you know of Sloan that he is smart enough to avoid the Ra'zac's trap. Fear does some strange things to people, I suppose. Sloan's hateful nature isn't ever really explained. He's just a bitter old man that can't be grateful or considerate of anyone but himself.
Another issue I have with Eldest is that Paolini doesn't do a very good job of explaining Carvahall's customs. The whole "blood price" with Roran and Birgit is very confusing. It's not entirely explained why exactly she has chosen to invoke the blood price, or what exactly that entails. Even in Inheritance, this side plotline was not really resolved clearly. I was never sure what exactly Birgit was going to do with him, it seemed to me in Inheritance that she was going to resort to a "pound of flesh" method because that's what Paolini made it seem it was going to be. Other customs, like the dowry and the inheritance and the difference between the two, are at times shady, and difficult to understand. Their marriage customs are never completely defined, and at times, can be confusing. Sometimes, it's hard to believe that minor breaches in etiquette could result in the whole village being at your throat. It makes it hard to believe that you have friends anywhere, least of all your neighbors who should be your friends. Also, some of these breaches in etiquette almost seem to be a matter of perception, and so the perpetrator might not have done anything wrong in his point of view.
Customs seem to be something that Paolini doesn't take time to really explain throughout all of the books. The elvish greeting and some of the aspects of the dwarven religion don't really ever make sense. Az Sweldn rak Anhuin invokes some kind of feud with Eragon, and it is a little unclear why. They obviously disapprove of Hrothgar adopting Eragon into Durgrimst Ingeitum, but wasn't that Hrothgar's decision? Shouldn't their feud be with him? Also, the dwarves seem to have a remarkable apathy when faced with Galbatorix. Politically, apathy towards a neighbor who seems intent on conquering is usually a bad idea. It seems like Paolini didn't want to have an "if you're not with me, you're with him" scenario, but the political apathy of the dwarves doesn't really make sense, even if this is the case. While politics are rarely straightforward, it's difficult to believe that the dwarves don't see that Galbatorix could conquer them easily, especially after their breach into Farthen Dur. I can understand their dislike of the Varden. The Varden bring with them trouble, many people that must be taken care of, and an air of authority that seems to conflict with and almost override their own monarch (Orrin also has this problem later). That being said, the dwarves' unwillingness to fight Galbatorix is unreasonable and causes many problems for Orik, Nasuada, and Eragon later (Paolini needed there to be some sort of minor conflict). Also with customs, it seems as if the major races, the humans (shown in the villagers from Carvahall), the elves, and the dwarves all have their own set of customs, but the people of the Varden don't.
I have to say though, that I really like the beginning of Eldest. Having the attack on Ajihad, the Twins, and Murtagh right at the start was a good idea. That really set into motion the events of the rest of the book. Starting with some good action fairly close to the beginning helped keep readers reading. It also gave Paolini the time to remind readers of past events, while moving current events forward. Eragon's training does slow events down a bit, however, it is important. In a way, this makes you almost forget that there is a war going on, and that, I think, is what Oromis needed in order to (mostly) prepare Eragon for upcoming events. Eragon leaving mid-training is almost a Star Wars allusion, as Luke Skywalker also leaves his training woefully early to run to the rescue of his friends. Both Oromis and Yoda try to talk their respective protagonist from leaving, and neither prevail. Oromis, unlike Yoda, is less reluctant to let Eragon go, however. Oromis seems to understand that there is no other way and that their time was always going to be limited.
With Roran's storyline, Paolini again steals a concept from the Belgariad. The Boar's Eye is remarkably similar to the dangerous maelstrom the Cherek Bore in Pawn of Prophecy. Both are very dangerous and make even the most experienced seaman balk. The Cherek Bore keeps people away from the countries of Cherek and Riva. The Boar's Eye also keeps people away from the island it "protects."
The first time I read Eldest, I'm fairly sure that I didn't see Murtagh coming back. That was a good twist that really pans out well at the end of the series.
I'm not sure I really like the end of the book. I feel like the last little scene with Eragon showing Roran that Katrina is alive in Helgrind could have been bumped to the beginning of the next book, or earlier (if only slightly) in Eldest. It leaves you hanging, but not really in a good way. I don't like that he leaves that end entirely loose, and even though he solves it at the beginning of Brisngr, I felt that the end of Eldest was a little disappointing.
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