so2 – rhizomatic architecture

Brisingr by Christopher Paolini
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was wondering what a four part story would look like. In a sense, this book is about the completing of Eragon and Saphira as rider and dragon. Before the last book, which must be climactic, the hero needs to find himself, find a ray of light and come to be on his own as a champion. His discovering his own weapon, his heritage and the weakness of his enemy all transpire in this book, which leads us to understand that books 2 and 3 in this series actually form the traditional middle piece.

Perhaps why he split the middle section into two books is that Paolini has created a very rich world as his setting. In fantasy books, most often is the setting (context) itself part of the interest, a kind of characterization itself of the world, which passively takes place in the adventure.

The dialogue is still direct. There is little character interaction to signify personality. The characters speak very rationally to one another, to further along the plot and the various relationships between one another. A very well written book, with very little roughness to interfere with our enjoyment of the story. I wonder that I like this series so much. I suppose the principles behind it in their pure relations of fantasy allow the fantasy to “come alive” by directly expressing what is of interest. Heroics, good against evil, status, and personal virtue in the form of great will power. I wonder how the last book will play itself out, if the characters are to show any increase in complexity, or if they are still to be vessels of the plot and the fact that they are all good guys and therefore must come to identify with one another in their goodness.

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Eldest by Christopher Paolini
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As the first book was obviously the boyhood tale of coming of age, this second book is obviously the “empire strikes back” of the group, so far (although there are 4 books). In this one, we get the hero and his dragon mostly learning about what they need to do, being recognized (in status) by their allies, as well as the coming union between him and his cousin.

Paolini writes simply. This is easy to read and a joy to dig through. His world is rich, and lush although his narrator is still merely a vehicle for explicating the world. (Eragon doesn’t really have a personality in much the same way that Luke Skywalker doesn’t have a personality.) In many ways though, this book is really a coming of age of a boy told in a fantasy setting but with a contemporary internet twist. Much of the magic serves many internet-like functions, such as Instant messaging. The concept of the use of energy here, as derived from one’s life or the lives of others as much as our own draining of life-resources on Earth. Moreover I found that Eragon’s teacher, Oromis’s belief system is a kind of secular tech. Belief in material reality not in spiritual God-nonsense. This is a little surprising but not all that unexpected. As technology plays a greater role in our lives more than ever, it makes sense that we would look up to those who master it… not only as a purely logical function but also as an application to life, a way of life, like the Vulcans and Mr. Spock. Of course Eragon brings more of a human element to things, but that’s something we need to be able to relate to him.

And of course, as a transition text, it ends on a strangely inconclusive note. The main conflict is over, but questions are left as being even more pressing. Good job with the basics of writing, Paolini, you’ve done what you set out to do.

Perhaps a simple characterization is necessary if the widest audience is to relate to Eragon.

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Eragon by Christopher Paolini
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was pretty predictable, and familiar. Still, it’s written clearly, the world is interesting, even if the characters seem pretty standard. There also seems to be a lack of character development, as they appear fully formed. Still, the interest was there. Strangely enough, I gobbled it up. There’s something oddly comforting about a world where things have named inscribed in the universe, and things can make sense. Pure escapism, when a world has a set hierarchy that is unquestionable. In this sense, fascism must be pretty comfortable.

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