neoBrainformation

I recently read the last book of "The Wheel Of Time" series that has been released. Since the next book isn't due to come out until later this year (or even later yet), I decided to look for something else to while away my reading hours.

I went to our (not so-) local bookstore and, since they didn't have "The Inheritance Cycle" in book form, I bought a Nook and downloaded it from the "store." The first book in the trilogy (now a series, with the fourth book having recently been added (Nov of last year), is "Eragon"...the book that the movie is based on. I've finished that book now.

It certainly did not disappoint! As usual, the book far surpasses the movie, both in richness and content. While I understand that the movie must be stand-alone with a definitive conclusion, they changed quite a bit for the movie, much to the detriment of the total story. Were that they planned movies from the series, but apparently it's not to be so.

The differences in the storyline are myriad, along with the characters. Eragon himself is a bit more "adolescent," and makes mistakes almost throughout the book, consequently getting himself into trouble. Only at the last does he "wise up" a bit.

And Saphira...she is my favorite difference between the movie and the book. In the movie she seems almost submissive to Eragon. In the book she is much more aggressive and opinionated, even physically threatening Eragon a couple of times in order to "wise him up," as well as admonish him for some of his actions and words.

And bless him...Paolini even included some of my beloved "dragon humor"...laughter and all! The first time Eragon realizes that Saphira is laughing is priceless. She does not laugh as my dragons laugh, but the effects are the same.

A great read! I almost can't believe that Paolini was 15 when he wrote Eragon. Reading it puts my own efforts to shame, and I have to keep in mind that he had more than a bit of help in putting it all together. You should see the list of credits...everyone from teachers to librarians to editors and beyond. An impressive array.

I can't wait to read the rest of the series! I anticipate the series to get better with each book. The next book is "Eldest," with "Brisingr" and then "Inheritance" as the last book. If you are into the genre, I highly recommend the series. "Eragon" was exceptional!

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73 from Glenn - KG5UC

"Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it."
Mark Twain

Yes, sounds great Glenn.

I never realised how Paolini made Eragon's name up. He said that he "got lucky" with that one, because it came out of "dragon" but with an E on the front, which fitted his story perfectly. He said that he found the rest of his character's names much harder to think of, but I think he did quite well with them.

I actually thought that he was 14 when he first started making notes for the book, but whatever, he was young to've written in the way he did, but he said that after learning how to plot stories, it came quite easily after that. The most difficult part, it seems, was the old Norse language which he used for the elves. He said it took a while to think about that, but his idea was basically simple. It had all the components from his favourite books - Beowulf, Tolkien, etc., and he combined adventure, magic, romance - and a sword - to produce Eragon.

I can imagine the other stories to be good as well.

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Amor vincit omnia

Another for my list..

Eragon's a good story.

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Amor vincit omnia

Seriously, "Eragon" makes my own effort look meager by comparison. Of course, I have yet to do my editing. I'm also compelled to keep this novel as close to a true chronicle as I possibly can.

However, "Eragon" is very close to a chronicle. It follows Eragon and Saphira and their actions almost exclusively, with the exception of the Prologue. Of course, my Prologue (along with the Epilogue) isn't part of the chronicling either, but mine sets the scene for it. That, and I claim the novel as a chronicle.

I've started in Book 2 now. Though I haven't gotten very far, it promises to be at least as good. Time will tell.

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73 from Glenn - KG5UC

"Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it."
Mark Twain

I do wish I could read quicker..I like to digest the meanings..

I'd love to say something here, but can't. All I shall say is, that I'm sure you'll get chance to read Glenn's work Tomsk. Everyone will.

Glenn - YOU stop it (just told Tomsk to on another thread!). I'm positive that your effort isn't "meagre".

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Amor vincit omnia

pardon?...say what....?

I can't say, but I'm sure that Glenn's going to get his books published.

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Amor vincit omnia

ah yes, eragon... i did not find the movie that memorable [as i skip over battles...] but now that you put it that way, it sounds intriguing enough. i'll be going to the library to take one of this decades "masterpieces" back - i didn't even get through the set up, it was WAY beyond my patience...

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* I don't have a bucket list, but my fucket list is a mile long.

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I think you'll enjoy it, Hooch. It's very straight-forward and, after the Prologue, takes you directly to Eragon's discovery of the egg and right into the meat of the adventure. Quite different from the depiction in the movie, of course, and the storyline varies from the book...actually somewhat significantly.

Of course there are battle scenes, but reading them is a far cry different than trying to follow one on the big screen. instead of a jumble of action that you don't know half of what's going on, the scene is laid out for you in words so that you can understand exactly what's going on and why.

I'm sure I didn't have to tell you the above. I found the first book very compelling, and the second is promising to be good, as well. After dealing with the 'politics' of the three races (man, elf, and dwarf), he is headed toward elf country to begin his training as a Dragon Rider...

As I said before, "Eragon" is very close to a chronicle. The second book is parting ways with that and switching scenes between Eragon and his adoptive brother, Rowan.

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73 from Glenn - KG5UC

"Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it."
Mark Twain

Yes, the film versions are often quite different from the actual books. In the case of Eragon though, I think both were OK, but over-all, I prefer books to the movies. The only exception was in watching the LOTR trilogy.

Pieces were missed out, and although I agree with what you once said, Glenn, about there not being time to include everything on film, I got a better understanding of the entire thing by watching at the cinema and on DVDs. I found the written stories quite hard-going at times, although if I re-read the books now, everything'd no doubt slot into place.

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Amor vincit omnia

I am roughly 3/4 of the way through the second book and I'm noticing something now that irritates me about some authors, to one degree or another. That something is the use of complex and detailed descriptions of scenes, especially those using long and unusual words.

I realize that some setup of the scenes and environment your characters find themselves in is necessary, but some authors take it to such extremes that I begin to suspect they're padding their word count. Paolini's books are relatively short and I think that he sometimes tends to over-describe. I have had too much action to convey in what I want to be one stand-alone novel. If I succumbed to such descriptions, I would have to make it a trilogy!

I get especially irritated with those authors who use large and unusual words in those descriptions. I think one of the worst authors for this is Stephen R. Donaldson, especially in "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant." I sometimes swear that when he decided to write it, he sat down with a Webster's Unabridged Dictionary and vowed to use every word in it! It's good, but confusing in places (OK, many places!).

Someone once questioned my use of such stilted and formal conversations in my writings. You think I'm bad...my 'stilted and formal conversations' pale in comparison to Paolini's (and many other Fantasy writers, as well)! I could give you copious examples of it. But that's alright...that's the way it's supposed to be in novels of this genre. They talk as one would expect a 'knight of olde' to talk, with formal speech and many an honorific.

I'm now at the end of the second book and poised to start the third. In spite of (what I think are) its 'shortcomings', it is an excellent story and an excellent read. I think I'll be downloading and reading the fourth book when I finish the trilogy.

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73 from Glenn - KG5UC

"Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it."
Mark Twain

Yes, some authors tend to spend a lot of time writing detailed and descriptive passages which - when used with long and rarely-used words can make them hard going. I think it depends on who the author is, and the story in question. I believe that a solid grounding is sometimes necessary to the plot, so that the reader has the picture in their mind, but all too often, you lose the whole gist because of these detours. I've found this particularly true of some sci-fi writers. No one sticks out that I can quote, but I've read them, and what might've been a cracking story ends up as a somewhat puzzling or boring read.

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Amor vincit omnia

And then there are authors who are the opposite in their writing style. While I won't read any more of his works because of my vehement disagreement with his political ideologies and philosophies, I have read many books by Orson Scott Card. His writing is generally "minimalistic," relying less on describing his surroundings and more on plot development.

Some years back I read something by Card in which he said he tries to keep sentence structure and word usage to a minimal level. I suppose you could call it the KISS principle. It was evident (to me) in many of his works, such as "Ender's Game" and others.

His style is not what I'm shooting for, but I do subscribe to at least the principle. I'm not trying to write tomes to be read in pursuit of a Doctorate; I'm writing stories to be read by any interested in the genre. Most readers should be able to form their own scenery in their minds without me creating it in excruciating and exceedingly complex detail.

Besides, in this particular novel with its intended purpose, I would have had to split it into at least a duology. So I went for a relative paucity of detail and developed the plot itself in its stead. I think I've ended up with a novel of acceptable length while including the information I wished to convey.

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73 from Glenn - KG5UC

"Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it."
Mark Twain

Well - you know what I think.

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Amor vincit omnia

i went to check out eragon and found a long line-up for it...



what's the problem with Card's political views? i loved Ender's game, but haven't read much else by him.

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* I don't have a bucket list, but my fucket list is a mile long.

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I wanna read Glenn's book..

I'm sure he'll be delighted to let you. Right - £20 up-front please. I'm acting as sales assistant on this side of the pond! : )

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Amor vincit omnia

will pay up..