Eldest
No. 2 in the Inheritance series
by Christopher Paolini
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Alfred A. Knopf (New York): August 2005. Hardcover: 684 pages. ISBN-10: 0-375-82670-X Suggested retail price: $21.00 (US) Tags: dragons; dwarves; elves; Fantasy; magic; swords; war; Young Adult Tactical strength: [7/10] |
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As the second book in a trilogy, Eldest suffers from the typical middle-book problems. We know than neither the main character nor the primary nemesis can die, even if they do have an encounter. Also, whatever issue has caused the major conflict cannot reach any conclusion, and generally we see an inflammation of the crisis. To keep with traditional book format, the story will have to end with a major battle just to give the reader some payout for reading through the usual slow middle part of the story.
The parties around Eragon have a superior understanding of politics, and Eragon ends up swearing fealty to Nasuada the new leader of the Varden revolutionary forces. This tie to the Varden makes it necessary for Eragon to abandon his training to fly to the aid of the Varden. Eragon also accepts membership in the dwarf family of Dûrmgrist Ingeitum, which upsets several of the other Dwarf clans -- creating life-long enemies. But for the bulk of the book, Eragon spends his time training with the Elves. He works on refining his swordsmanship and learns new techniques about magic, especially by mastering the ancient language used for all magical incantations.
To give the plot a story arc that really moves, Eldest also follows Eragon's cousin, Roran, as he first defends his town from attack by imperial troops and then on a pilgrimage to escape across a mountain range and then by ship to Surda. Roran hopes to lead the villagers to safety and then go on a quest to rescue his fiancée Katrina from the Ra'zac -- evil bug-like creatures that serve the empire. Roran turns from backwoods farmboy to a desperate killer -- who happens to have some confused morals where he will steal boats but worries about paying for supplies.
Throughout Eragon's training, his back wound, which he received from the Shade Durza, repeatedly flairs up and causes him crushing agony -- to the extent that he blacks out. These episodes occur as many as three times a day. In route to the Elvin capitol, Arya promises that the elves will look into a solution for his pain, but we never hear any mention of a possibility of a cure. Then suddenly, he's cured of pain and physically transformed into a more elflike form. This shows that Eragon generally doesn't have to struggle much for his accomplishments. The pain he endured seems to serve as his rite of passge into the lore of the elves, but truly the pain and Eragon's progress remain unrelated.
In any fantasy, the world itself gets developed as a character. We want to learn more about the people and physical mechanics that function there. In Eldest, Paolini does an excellent job of expanding the reader's understanding of Alagaësia's history and the magic system that functions there. But when Paolini deals with explaining why elves remain agnostic and don't eat any meat, the tone gets just a bit preachy. The argument seems to go beyond explaining the customs of a people, and seems more like an attempt to push forward a personal view.
Overall, I have to say Eldest provides much easier reading than Eragon, but you still encounter some passages so clichéd that you groan out loud. Paolini's skill at storytelling encourages you to move quickly past the problems to find out what happens next. This second novel also has much better pacing, and Paolini does handle his battle scenes quite well. I would like to see more happening with the interpersonal relationships. We watch Eragon develop his physical and magical skills, but in spite of his repeated attempts, seems weak in interpersonal and political skills.
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