Inheritance & the Doctor

On May 28th I started reading a new book series. For years I had heard good things and the final book in the series was released last November. Well, being the last-to-get-into-anything-epic, I finally decided to start reading it.

I had purchased the first book for only $1.50 at the DI. It didn't take long for me to get lost in the mystical world of Alagaësia, with its beautiful landscape and vast array of characters. These characters told stories of when Dragon Riders once ruled the skies, the destruction and rise of the tyrannical Gallbatorix, the secretive Varden who opposed the new order, the magical elves of far away lands, and the dwarves who kept to themselves in the Beor Mountains.

Yes, this series is the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini.

I will admit, I finished the first book, Eragon, and was surprised by how different it was from the movie. I now know the main reason the movie flopped at the box office: It didn't follow the original story close enough. The book is SOOO much better!!! I easily became mesmerized by the story--especially when Murtagh entered. I will admit right now, he is my favorite character so far. I fell in love with him in the movie, and even more so in the book. I'm very excited to see where this journey will take him (I'm also scared in a lot of ways--NO SPOILERS PLEASE!!!)

Can you blame me?????





Anyways, I started reading Eldest (the second book) last week and I'm hopeful of finishing it tonight or tomorrow. I will admit, I struggled through the beginning of this book. For the first 120 pages or so, as Eragon is in the land of the dwarves, Paolini goes into incredible detail (not only just the physical, but all the history, etc.) and it almost overwhelms the senses (at least it did mine). On top of that, the story flips back and forth between Eragon's POV and his cousin Roran--who was left behind to essentially protect the village that Eragon fled in his haste to escape the Ra'zac. This is a new technique that was not used in the first book. For the most part, Paolini uses a limited third person POV... But it has expanded as the series continues. Paolini also has a habit of switching POVs at very critical moments, or "cliff hangers" if you will, and it reaches its intended effect: Drive the reader crazy and makes us keep reading!!

Needless to say, the book has grown on me and I am thoroughly enjoying it now. The amount of detail in this world that Paolini has created is simply amazing, and the way he entwines the history of the world into the story--revealing bits of it at a time--is simply awe-inspiring.

Now, obviously this post isn't JUST about the series; for I haven't finished it yet, therefore I cannot give my full review. Oh no. There is a reason for all this background detail...

I happened to glance at the end of Brisingr at the acknowledgements and I read the following statement (though it made no sense to me with regards to the story as of yet):

"Also, for those who understood the reference to a "lonely god" when Eragon and Arya are sitting around the campfire, my only excuse is that the Doctor can travel everywhere, even alternate realities. Hey, I'm a fan too!"

LOL!!!! How GREAT is that??? I never would have guessed Paolini--this AMAZING storyteller who is so incredibly young for a Bestselling author--was a Doctor Who fan!!! I suppose it is everywhere these days...

And I'm just fine with that.