Eragon Options

[Selena]

I tried to watch to movie but I had to bit my lip to keep out from crying out in dismay. They slaughter the book.
Well I think so, how about you?

This post has been edited by Selena: May 26 2007, 11:43 PM

[P-girl]

Well, to be honest, I never read the book. But the movie was.... Mwah, if it wasn't for Saphira and Jeremy Irons, it would've sucked.

[melgirl1778]

the movie was good, but it shouldnt be called eragon because it was so different then the book. But my friend who didnt read the book lived the movie.

[*Stella*]

same here! i read the book before and didnt like the film..
my friend didnt read the book and likes it

[B-loommy]

same here! i read the book before and didnt like the film..
my friend didnt read the book and likes it

Yeah!! Same hir no one at my school read the book so they liked the movie!! The film was soo difrend from the book!!

This post has been edited by B-loommy: May 27 2007, 7:15 PM

[Lexi]

I would have to say the book. They cut a lot of things out from it when they produced the movie.

[Riliana]

they do that to alot of the movies and books these days

[Ranma]

I didn't read the book, but I found the movie to be corny and Cliche. I was kind of bored watching it...
The kid who wrote the book is young, and he doesn't have a very broad imagination [judging from the movie anyway. You seem to think the book is much better]

[P-girl]

Well, my first experience with the book was my friend saying it was ripping off left and right..... and to be honest, I'm not that big of a fantasy-fan (Reading-wise)

[musaenchantixthe...]

they totally ruined it. it was nothing like the book. i like the book better then the movie
they do the same thing with the harry potter movies.
they never follow it like the book.

[Ranma]

Yes, but atleast the harry potter movies were good and fun to watch. I almost fell asleep watching Eragon.

[MorriganAensland]

[rant]

The problem with the series is the author's obsessions about many things. For one, he's been home-schooled, and no doubt has more than a few fantasies in his life that were never shattered. Hence, he never learned how to pick up the pieces, nor deal with failure. Why else do you think he had his parents publish the story and QUIT THEIR JOBS rather than find someone who would actually edit it?

Second, the story just has too many echoes of Star Wars and Lord of the Rings without adding much of its own to it. One of the parts of the second book I actually liked was the stuff going on with Eragon's cousin and having to assume a leadership role... although how a villiage was able to handle a crack military force for that long is quite unrealistic. If you're going to have nods towards previous stories, make then just that: a brief acknowledgedment of what helped you get where you are and GET ON WITH YOUR OWN DAMN STORY!

Eragon himself also ends up being quite the goddamn Gary Stu. I mean, automatically healed of all those wonderful physical defects and able hard-pressed to beat in combat? Wonderful. How about giving him a lightsaber and making the transition to ultimate Wish Fullfilment complete.

Also, what the hell is up with the fact that when there's a tragic scene, someone is ALWAYS SHEDDING A SINGLE, SHIMMERING TEAR!

I read parts of the Belgariad, and liked it. The various groups of protagonists all had blatant flaws that everyone else pointed out, either being too headstrong, or too down-to-earth, or too closed-minded. Even Garion himself stumbled around on his own two feet enough that it was enjoyable Magic also was not treated as a cure-all, with inherit flaws and putting an emphasis on willpower. Eragon's started with an interesting flaw, but it gets swept away with "Yeah. Don't say 'Boulder, get off me.' Say 'Boulder, try to get off me, but don't overstress me'. Strips the usage of magic in the story of all vestiges of strategy and tension.

The Empire also tragically seems rather... unimpressive. Galbatorix has been letting second-rate subordinates do all his dirty work, the military faces problems from the required Noble and Incapable of Doing Any Wrong Resistance, and is incapable of expanding. Forget worrying about Eragon, I'm wondering how that damn kingdom hasn't crumbled away to nothingness due to the lack of any possible growth.

And don't get me STARTED on the goddamn elves! Oh, they're so pretty! They're so strong! They have magic! They live practically forever! They're always right in regards to every situation! Eragon has a "Will they or won't they" subplot going on with one! They live an idealistic lifestyle while being total douches to everyone else! How about I call in Dio Brando and kill you all with his awesome, time-freezing, steamroller-dropping powers of doom and cool? At least Tales of Symphonia's/Phantasia's elves were shown to be just as bigoted as humankind, the protagonists growing to loathe them for their douchiness, and eventually say "Screw you guys, I'm going to do something productive with my time!"

And lastly, I find myself staring straight at that dreaded prophesy Eragon got from That Darned Cat (the creature, not the movie). We know it's going to happen, and we know there's going to be a lot of unnecessary angsting along the way. Cry me a river, prettyboy.

This is MorriganAensland, local hate-monger... and I am... COMPLETELY JUSTIFIED!

[unrant]

[Asher Omega]

{Explanation time}

the Author's Parents own the Publishing company so they didn't quit their job per-say. and I do agree with the entire "no hardships" rant, but then again every time I find it in the book store its always in the right place "Young Adult". which means age 11-16. and when Eragon was written he was like 14 years old. Eldest wasn't finished until he was 21. and yes I have read both. I promptly read HP Lovecraft to get over the sickly sweet transformation to demi-god state. thank HP for huge blind albino mutant penguins.

{/Explanation time}

[MorriganAensland]

Actually, I recall something in Time saying that Paolini's parents did quit their job before making the publishing company. Then again, that was like 3 years ago, and my memory in some regards is shot.

And Lovecraft and all those Cthulu things are great. However, I'll stick with remembering that moment in Getter Robo Armageddon where Ryoma killed a bunch of innocent civilians since they were trapped inside a giant monster and had already been assimilated. Everyone else refused to attack due to moral reasons, but Ryoma knew what had to be done since there was no way for those people to be saved... and promptly and remorselessly killed every single on.

Gory, emotionally depressing, downright disturbing for a character who was already known for going berserk, and at the same time you can't help but empathize with Ryoma because he's stuck doing the deed nobody else has the guts to.

And besides, Cthulu and all those Lovecraftian monsters lost all scare power over me once I started reading Hello Cthulu. In short, it's a webcomic where the Elder Gods go to Hello Kitty land as their staging point in world domination, only to realize they're powerless there. Dagon, for one, ends up opening a seafood shop.

[Asher Omega]

that means you really haven't read them recently, or fully understood what HP was trying to convey. as for Hello CthuLHU, I tried reading it but I prefer Goomi's Unspeakable Vault (of DOOM) keeps the idea, but adds some very good humor to it as well. and I know Goomi misspells the names, he's stated its a parody so he goes by the parody laws.

Edit: on the Getter robo monster thing: ho-hum the whole assimilation thing has been done and gets old. Lovecraft's horrors are something that can't be seen. and since you're a troper (and I admit to being one as well) you might want to check the listings for Lovecraft and Cosmic Horrors. favorite one (at this moment) is "Did you just Punch Cthulhu?"

This post has been edited by Asher Omega: Jun 13 2008, 6:38 AM

[Riiana]

I actually loved the book but I don't really like the Movie for some reason, they kind of made it different from the Book. But hey a lot of this happens now adays.

[P-girl]

Okay, now I've actually read the book. And while it doesn't seem to warrant the rage and hatred that some people have for it, it is boring, clichéd and Eragon is a twit. This is the first time I actually say the movie is better, even though it's only because I think Jeremy Irons is an acting GOD and manages to act really good even with the drivel he's working with.

[MorriganAensland]

@Asher I'm thinking of devising the trope "Dude, are you supposed to be Cthulu", for instances where a Cosmic Horror might be very powerful, but doesn't have any intention to bring nothing but death and destruction. Eternal Darkness's Mantorok and Guilty Gear's Dizzy, for instance.

ANYWAYS, having just Wiki'd it and read the synopsis (aren't I a stinker?) the Lowered Monster Difficulty for the Ra'zac seems to be in full swing. The same goes to the Shades in question.

And why the HELL does the Varden condone flogging? Physical punishment is a sign of an oppressive government. Always has been, always will be.

And Jeremy Irons is a good actor. It's like how Raul Julia's performance ALONE made the live-action Street Fighter movie worth watching.

[Asher Omega]

@Morrigan: Interesting concept, but I'm not quite sure if it'll get the wiki magic. there aren't that many of those around. the physical Embodiment of Magatsuchi (Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne) might be considered but then again it really ambiguous like that.

I never saw the movie, and I've read the first two books. I don't hate the series, I'm just disappointed in it. Magic is seen as a form of Cure-All. it can do mysterious things. it has no boundries. which I find rather childish. a good book series is one that sets boundaries for itself. with out boundaries, there's nothing a character can't do. I've been re-reading a series that puts a lot of emphasis on limitations and boundaries and thats the Dresden books. Magic can't exist with technology and magic has to follow some (read as Most of them) laws of physics. its a lot better read than Eragon. although it is a mature read.

[DemonEclipse]

I own all three books and I have to say, if it wasn't for the fact of Saphira, I might have well smacked my head against the wall when I watched the movie! I know that they couldn't put everything of the book in, but they left out what should have been in there, and half the things weren't how they were described. Even though the books are big, I still sit and read them. Hopefully if they make an 'Eldest' movie, it'll be better then the Eragon movie.