The first word that comes to mind when thinking about this book is "Meh." It wasn't terrible, and I really see where a young adult could read it, and find it immensely enjoyable; the prose is accessible, the pacing is decent, and the characters are at least superficially likable. There's a good deal of drama, mystery and and strangeness... If you haven't read a fantasy book put out in the last 50 years.
If you have, you see pretty much every turn of the plot coming from a mile away. Paolini, unfortunately doesn't create anything new with his world, instead giving us a synthesis of all the old fantasy mainstays.
I will give him credit though; he does a decent job of cleaning them up, and packaging them for a new generation, and for younger readers who might be put off by the writing style and mature themes that run throughout most adult fantasy novels. If you haven't experienced much of the fantasy genre, or if you know a dragon loving kid, This is just the book you want. More experienced fantasy readers, however, won't find much to hold their attention
In his defense, he wrote it when he was 15 and was self published at 17. I still think it's a "meh" book, but I have to give props.
ReplyDeleteYeah but it's no Outsiders and that was written at the age of thirteen. ;)
ReplyDeleteI definitely think the author has some promise, but I have to wonder if praising him for mediocrity at such an early stage in his career is going to stunt any later attempts. :\
ReplyDeleteI hope not, I could see Paolini going on to some really great things, but he's not there yet.