Eragon Hate it? Love it?

[SpekterofDavid]

Ah Eragon my favorite series of books right behind lord of the rings. But what about others? I like the book for its simplicity and just plain fun mostly. It also is interesting for campaign ideas (But the Movie was beyond Abyssmal) What do you people think?

[PId6]

Shouldn't this be in Media Discussions?

[Thurbane]

Saw the movie, never read the books. The movie was OK, but not great. I know the book fans screamed blue murder that it wasn't faithful to the book, but...meh.

[Curmudgeon]

If you report the thread to the Moderator, you can get it moved to where it belongs.

As for the books, I found the lack of imagination most troubling -- especially the scene where he levels up as a Half-Elf Paragon.

[Delta]

Saw the movie, and I was seriously unimpressed. Don't know if the books are any better, but speaking of the movie, it was poorly written, the actors performance wasn't impressive and I felt like nothing actually happened that caught my interest for more than a minute at most.

[Thurbane]

Saw the movie, and I was seriously unimpressed. Don't know if the books are any better, but speaking of the movie, it was poorly written, the actors performance wasn't impressive and I felt like nothing actually happened that caught my interest for more than a minute at most.

But, but...Joss Stone!

[Fenrazer]

Okay, there are a lot of things that I dislike, but Eragon is still one of my favored series.

I thought that some of it was okay, but the way that Eragon has to be linked with a bakers dozen of some of the more powerful elves shows that he and Saphira are pretty much useless by themselves. I also dislike the way magic works for the most part. The Golden flower was cool I suppose, but its like the bastard child of Mini Me and Particle Man as opposed to the way the One Power works in the Wheel of Time series. Also I didn't like how the only race worth a gosh darn is the elves. Really? Nobody could take on an Elf in physical combat, magical combat, weapon forgery, etc? So pretty much Brom told you strait up that Eragon will have to transform into an Elf to be of any use. You can tell Paolini backed himself into a corner with a lot of things. Like how powerful he made Galbatorix, and as a result, book three was far to predictable when it came to him getting Gledrs heart of hearts. Also, it was awfully convenient that Saphira didn't mention hers. I know she quasi explains it, but it was definitely a last minute concoction. The romance thing is bleh. No story there. Also, there is never hinting at anything. If there is something groundbreaking to be learned it just sort of happens...and yet somehow its STILL predictable...like we all knew he was gonna get the Riders sword, and then the blacksmith who swore never to make another sword is all like..., "okay" and makes it anyway. You can use Paolinis explanation if you want. Bottom line is Eragon is right..."How is it any different?"...which it's pretty bad if the main character of the series even questions his own author. Lastly, though I am sure there are more aspects Im less than fond of, is how in Book two Rorin had a story...but then book three all he does is hit crap and impress people with it. Oh yeah, and he gets laid a lot. =-]

Sorry to be a Debbie Downer there Haha.

Some of the stuff I do like is the true name. I just think its stupid that it's all Elves Elves Elves with the language. I like how it can be changed as well, so its not really who you are, but its who you are. Pretty cool. I really like the Urgles, and their culture. Their stomach thing was pretty rad, and I liked the whole "Rok Rok Rok" laughter. I had that book on audio and mimiced it every time =-].

I wasn't sure if I liked it or not, Brom being his pappy, but I think the story would prove to be more interesting had Morzan remained his father, rather than "Oh...well now it's Brom." I'll still read the whole series. I like a lot about it and all, but I just wish the story spent its time developing rather than just sorta happening.

Now, time to go read some of Robert Jordans Wheel of Time =-]

Longwinded is how I like it...can you tell from my post? Haha

[Prime32]

Saw the movie, and I was seriously unimpressed. Don't know if the books are any better, but speaking of the movie, it was poorly written, the actors performance wasn't impressive and I felt like nothing actually happened that caught my interest for more than a minute at most.

Differences between the book and the movie. Yes, it's a long list which completely changes the personalities and motivations of major characters and removes others entirely.

Basically, some people like the books, some people hate them, but when it comes to the movie they set aside their differences and agree that the director should be shot with a hammer.

[Thurbane]

Differences between the book and the movie. Yes, it's a long list which completely changes the personalities and motivations of major characters and removes others entirely.

Basically, some people like the books, some people hate them, but when it comes to the movie they set aside their differences and agree that the director should be shot with a hammer.

That list, BYW, has some serious anal retentive issues. OK, some changes are major and detract for the fans, but some of them are just plain petty.

Hair and eye color? 15yo vs. 17yo? Really now...

[PId6]

I would just like to add that the movie was terrible, but the dragon was awesome. That is all.

[Fenrazer]

"To compare myself with a bovine would be both ridiculous and insulting"

- Saphira

Good character when the finally get around to doing stuff from her point of view. I like the names she has for things. He did a good job of showing how Paolini style Dragons think.

[Delta]

That list, BYW, has some serious anal retentive issues. OK, some changes are major and detract for the fans, but some of them are just plain petty.

Yeah, to be honest, I gave up on reading that list after a couple entries. I'm sure there's some pretty major changes in the story, but I really can't be bothered to find those out of the midst of "Oh, but in the book the sword has a golden pommel and he has a long white beard, but in the movie it's silver and he has a short grey beard!!!!"... this is ridiculous.

[Prime32]

Yeah, to be honest, I gave up on reading that list after a couple entries. I'm sure there's some pretty major changes in the story, but I really can't be bothered to find those out of the midst of "Oh, but in the book the sword has a golden pommel and he has a long white beard, but in the movie it's silver and he has a short grey beard!!!!"... this is ridiculous.

I've seen reviews of the book complaining about the number of times Paolini describes Arya's hair colour. "We get it, it's black!" And yet, in the movie...

Also, it makes no sense for the sword to be blue, since it belonged to a guy with a red dragon and they're supposed to match. The sword's also supposed to be highly recognisable, and Eragon getting a sword which does fit him is supposed to be significant.

[Grumman]

I think they're bad. The main thing I got out of the movie was sympathy for Saphira for having to put up with Eragon.

[Mystic Muse]

Basically, some people like the books, some people hate them, but when it comes to the movie they set aside their differences and agree that the director should be shot with a hammer.

That isn't nearly cruel enough.

[Fenrazer]

Angela and Solumbum were wicked cool. At least in the books, where Angela is a commonly recurring character, and where Solumbum is actually a character =-]

[Mystic Muse]

I did enjoy Solembum as a character.

The name is both cool and weird.

[Morph Bark]

I loved Solembum's character. It made me wish his appearances were more significant (though not as frequent, otherwise he'd take away too much from the mystery he is).

Frankly, I disliked the movie. It seemed rather shoddy, like the old D&D movie. Except I liked that one simply because I didn't heavily link it to D&D back then and I was younger. For this day and age, I tend to have higher expectancies for a movie than one from a decade ago (or more).

I liked the first book, got it in two languages. Liked the second one too, but I quit the third one about 2/3rds in. It just got so... long. It started feeling like a chore to read. And this coming from someone who didn't think the same of the Wheel of Time series until the fifth book.

[Jacque]

Never read the book, but saw the movie. The whole movie is Star Wars IV over again but with metal swords instead of light sabers. I was very unimpressed.

[Escheton]

Yeah, it was written by a 12 year old that seems to have int and/or wis as a dumpstat.
The movie was made for the same demographic. As such, I agree it wasn't much good.

[Thurbane]

It seemed rather shoddy, like the old D&D movie.

Hey now, no need to get that nasty. There is no fantasy movie I've ever seen that has the suckitude factor of the D&D movie (never saw the second one). Marlon Wayans as Snails the thief makes Jar Jar Binks look like a well thought out and engaging character.

[Seatbelt]

I saw Star Wars. It was good. I didn't need to see it again with D&D paint.

[Fenrazer]

I loved Solembum's character. It made me wish his appearances were more significant (though not as frequent, otherwise he'd take away too much from the mystery he is).

Actually I'm pretty sure that every last one of his appearances were helluh significant, but played down. The problem is that Paolini just has no idea how to use mystery for crap.

[Delta]

There is no fantasy movie I've ever seen that has the suckitude factor of the D&D movie (never saw the second one).

Come on, Jeremy Irons lesson in "how I can out-act everyone in this whole damn movie with only my eyebrows" was hilarious enough to make that movie entertaining to me

[Lord Loss]

Hey now, no need to get that nasty. There is no fantasy movie I've ever seen that has the suckitude factor of the D&D movie (never saw the second one). Marlon Wayans as Snails the thief makes Jar Jar Binks look like a well thought out and engaging character.

I liked the D&D movie.

Back on topic, Eragon is great apart from the previously mentioned speciesism (which convinced me never to play a D&D Elf). SOLEMBUM FTW.

[Thurbane]

The series has a character called SolemnBum? I know it's written by a 12 year old, but...

[PId6]

I liked the D&D movie.

I've only watched the second one, and I've been told it's the better of the two.

I have no intention of watching the first one.

[Ossian]

Sadly, the movie sucked immensely. A poorly written D&D adventure, even more poorly translated into a film.

http://everything2.com/title/Compari...+and+Star+Wars

The reading is amusing though, go for it.

The books, I have not read them. They are three massive volumes written by a teenager who has an editor-publisher dad or something. Said teenager must have been a D&D aficionado, at the very least. We all ahve our "D&D novel" in the drawer, we just had the common sense of not listening to all those friends who said "you should really write a book with all that imagination you have", and stay with our normal job.

Writing is an art, and a difficult one. Perhaps one can write just for entertainment, which is really OK, but there is tons of fictions which promises to be really good before I even approach Paolini. Let me finish all Asimov, all Clarke, all Heinlein, all Vance, all Eddings, all Gemmell, then we talk.

The Eragon trilogy maybe really really good, but I just feel like taking my chances there and who knows, cheating myself out of the "best book of my life".

O.

[lord_khaine]

Yeah, it was written by a 12 year old that seems to have int and/or wis as a dumpstat.
The movie was made for the same demographic. As such, I agree it wasn't much good.

Before you flame him to much, do remember that he managed to write a serie that got published all over the world, i suspect thats more than you or me will ever accomplish.

yes, i can agree that the books are mediocre at best, and in some points plain bad, but that has more to do with writing being hard.

And of course he cant help but lose when we compare his writings with people who have 20+ years of experience on him, but that really doesnt say much.

[Thurbane]

I have no intention of watching the first one.

He speaketh wisdom, this one. Sorry to de-rail, but the D&D movie was truly, honestly and earth-shakingly awful. And that's quite a feat for a movie with a cameo by Tom Baker.

I will grudgingly agree that the only semi-decent thing about the movie was Jeremy Irons chewing up the scenery as an over-the-top BBEG...