I had a lot of problems with this book when I read it. Okay, the Inheritance series is not the most original pairs of books in the bunch, but I at least managed to enjoy reading Eragon, and was interested enough to pick up this one.

There's a certain shallowness that comes out in this book that demonstrates clearly, Paolini's immaturity. Characters behave with teenage idealism and immaturity - particularly when it comes to romantic situations. It's not hard to tell what Paolini's political and religious outlook is from reading this book, and he presents it in the harsh grating quality that consists of internet blog arguments.

I find it difficult to buy Paolini's logical deduction in both magic and philosophy. Some of the reasonings seem almost backward. For example, the immortal elves have an obsession with avoiding offense to one another, because they do not wish to offend another. With lives so long, they hold huge grudges that span for centuries. However, I cannot buy that. Would not people who live centuries - if not millennia need to learn to drop small grudges as they are insignificant moments in the long expanse of time?

This sounds like nitpicking, but this was not my only point of contention.

However, to end on a positive note, the story is interesting enough so that I might pick up Brisingr when it comes out, though I doubt that I will be buying the hardback. In some sense, Paolini's work may grow better with maturity and balance. I feel he needs more experience outside of his own philosophy and greater depth to his characters beyond their shallow high school dramatics.