Much faster than I myself anticipated I would, I just finished reading the 3rd volume in
the “Inheritance Cycle” by Christopher Paolini. Mind you, this is why I love eReaders… I read the 3 volumes, each between 700 to 800 page, in a matter of about 2 month while I’ve only had the time to do this kind of pleasure reading while waiting for public transit and such situations. The eReader gives you the ability to use every spare moment as such. Anyhow…
The first volume, titled Eragon, I found a tad bit boring. The story went forward a bit too slow for my liking, and it was lacking some depth. The second volume, Eldest, was more interesting. Just a bit more. The third volume, Brisingr, is most certainly the best of the 3. It’s a lot more exciting, the plot finally finds its real direction and depth, there’s much better character development and altogether it’s fun to read. The only problem is that [although the 3rd book was released September 2008] the 4th and final volume won’t be out until November this year. I have no idea why there’s been such a huge time gap between the release dates of each volume of the series. So the 3rd volume ends at a terrible cliff-hanger, and now wait till the next one happens…. =P
The Inheritance Cycle in general isn’t one of my favourites in the genre so far, to be completely honest. However, it’s still one of the better ones, and worth a read if you have the time. I guess the main issue that I don’t enjoy about it, is the lack of originality. Influence from Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and many other big names in the genre is too obvious, it pretty much slaps you in the face.
I also have to mention that the movie that was based mainly on the first volume, Eragon, doesn’t really do the books any justice. Inheritance Cycle may not be the most amazing work of literature, but it’s a 100 times better than that trash of a movie they’ve made out of it, which doesn’t even visually resemble the descriptions in the text.
Of course my general view of the series may very well change [possibly improve] depending on how the last volume will turn out. If it ends up being as “good” as has been promised, maybe it’ll find it’s place among my favourites. 😉 So I guess I’ll just have to wait till November to find out….
Meanwhile though, I just started the first volume of “The Song of Ice and Fire” by George R. R. Martin. Yes, the same series that they’re basing the TV series “Game of Thrones” upon. The same one with so far 5 [and to be in total 7] volumes, each between 900 to 1000 pages. =D Huge undertaking, but I think I’m going to thoroughly enjoy this….
been able to wait to see it. On one hand it’s a very exciting prospect to see one of my all time favourite books as motion picture, on the other hand there’s always the worry that the movie will not do the books justice. It happens very often that the motion picture adaptation of awesome literature ends up being a pretty weak representation of the work they were based upon. So when the movie finally showed up in movie theatres, [and to my sheer delight, about a month earlier in Europe than in North America! =D] I turned my schedule upside down to find the time to go and see it, and last night I finally did. =)
