Book Review: Inheritance by Christopher Paolini, Book 4 of the Inheritance Cycle

Inheritance by Christopher Paolini
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

One star. Really? But I checked, and one star doesn't mean "the worst book I've ever read," or "terrible bit of literature." It means, simply, I didn't like it. Which I didn't. At all.

It's a bit anti-climactic to dislike this book so much. I loved the first three books in the Inheritance series, but the last couple hundred pages left such an utterly disgusted taste in my mouth that I can't even say I'd be bothered to read it again.

It starts off well; Paolini effortless and ruthlessly follows his plotlines to their inevitable end. After the climax, however, he spends the next couple hundred pages floundering around, introducing new romances and hinting at an event worth the title, only to have his characters stand around in the end with their hands up the air exclaiming, "I don't know what to do!" It's a travesty.

If it were a comedy series, I could see having such a parlor trick of an ending, but this sort of ending does no justice to any of the characters. I find myself wishing that Eragon had actually died, rather than the ending Paolini chose. I kept thinking to myself, "and this is where the plot is going to turn in said direction, cleverly thwarting tricky prophecy with wording or some such," only to be sorely disappointed. It is one thing to dislike an ending because it is unhappy, or because you preferred things to go in such-and-such a manner. It is entirely another to be frustrated by what appears to be a case of writer's block passed off as literature.

In his note at the end of the book, Paolini said that he would be moving on to other characters and other stories, though he would likely return to Alagaesia in the future; Mr. Paolini, I sincerely hope that you do, because I would rather have a surprise finale in a few years than to have your wonderful series fall flat at the end. My deepest regards to Christopher Paolini, and I hope he takes my review not as a personal affront, but rather as an exhortation to better writing.

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Book Review: Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card (Serpent World #1)

Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Like two points moving toward convergence, the book starts off slow and gradually crescendos to a collision. Brings interesting ideas to the table regarding the ideas of time travel and causality. Unfortunately, the limits of logic are stretched to a wearyingly thin line, making the reader as befuddled as the protagonist when trying to puzzle out the logic of how time travel does or does not function.

Though I liked the story well enough for its own sake, it seemed to me that more emphasis was put on the how and why of mechanics than on character development. The story concept was interesting, on the whole, but I feel as though I've reached the end no more attached to the characters than I was when I picked up Pathfinder at the library because it was written by Orson Scott Card.

All in all, a mind-stretcher with an interesting premise, but lacking in the texture and flavor development necessary for fulfilling characters. I will be interested to see if any future additions to this series fill in the gaps. 3 out of 5 stars.

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