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luisros0499's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
kauffmanajoy's review against another edition
5.0
Another reread as I continue through this series. This one isn't my favorite of the series but in my biased opinion it's no slacker. Most people hate the detail Paolini goes into with these books. How he'll go on and on about random tidbits of info, and how that slows down the pace of the book. Would that normally be something that bothers me? Probably. But not in this series, and I guess that's just nostalgia for you!
badgoodbadguy's review against another edition
5.0
Book 1 was a fun if not flawed introduction to Alagaesia, Eldest however is a great read and I feel thoroughly embedded into the universe
ashsilvv's review against another edition
4.0
such a great plot twist at the end! i loved this book.
k8thi25's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
physicsphilip's review against another edition
1.0
Highly predictable, long, slow, mostly dull. You know something's wrong when the side-plots are more interesting than the main story. And one of the side-plots is about making and selling lace. LACE.
Before reading this book, I kinda lurched whenever something bad happened to characters in a story: it happened a lot and I pitied the characters for not having any room to lie down, have a rest and be themselves. I now understand why authors don't do this. Because otherwise, books get BORING.
Early on in the book, Eragon makes a long journey, several days (maybe even weeks; I can't remember). Each day is described in considerable detail. But does anything ever happen on this journey? No. It all goes tickety-boo. Which is fair enough - a book would seem unrealistic if everything that could go wrong did go wrong. But if nothing interesting to the reader happens, then why dedicate a hunk of pages to it in the book?
Paolini must have OCD with this or something, or maybe Eldest wasn't edited as tightly as Eragon. This problem persists throughout the book. Eldest could've been a much shorter, maybe even vaguely pleasurable read if Paolini didn't have to describe everything in this apparently wonderful and magical world he has created.
Fans will argue that this book "isn't like Star Wars because of the side plots". The side-plots felt very much improvised and unplanned - these supposedly good people ended up doing quite evil things! I can imagine Paolini sitting at a computer, going "Ah crap, what can I do now? I dunno, I'll leave it another couple of chapters and write some more filler in the meantime." The main plot is still very similar to Star Wars.
Other problems include purple prose, really poor dialogue (I remember one bit where there was a sudden, unexplained change in the style in which Eragon speaks in a conversation - I can only assume that at this point Paolini stopped for a break), and some frankly embarrassing romance.
Oh, and then there's the poem. That bit made me cringe no end.
Before reading this book, I kinda lurched whenever something bad happened to characters in a story: it happened a lot and I pitied the characters for not having any room to lie down, have a rest and be themselves. I now understand why authors don't do this. Because otherwise, books get BORING.
Early on in the book, Eragon makes a long journey, several days (maybe even weeks; I can't remember). Each day is described in considerable detail. But does anything ever happen on this journey? No. It all goes tickety-boo. Which is fair enough - a book would seem unrealistic if everything that could go wrong did go wrong. But if nothing interesting to the reader happens, then why dedicate a hunk of pages to it in the book?
Paolini must have OCD with this or something, or maybe Eldest wasn't edited as tightly as Eragon. This problem persists throughout the book. Eldest could've been a much shorter, maybe even vaguely pleasurable read if Paolini didn't have to describe everything in this apparently wonderful and magical world he has created.
Fans will argue that this book "isn't like Star Wars because of the side plots". The side-plots felt very much improvised and unplanned - these supposedly good people ended up doing quite evil things! I can imagine Paolini sitting at a computer, going "Ah crap, what can I do now? I dunno, I'll leave it another couple of chapters and write some more filler in the meantime." The main plot is still very similar to Star Wars.
Other problems include purple prose, really poor dialogue (I remember one bit where there was a sudden, unexplained change in the style in which Eragon speaks in a conversation - I can only assume that at this point Paolini stopped for a break), and some frankly embarrassing romance.
Oh, and then there's the poem. That bit made me cringe no end.
itshannahshardcovers's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
elehgbt's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5