Eldest (The Inheritance Cycle #2)

[SarahKat, Buddy Reads]

This thread is to discuss Eldest, the second book in the Inheritance Cycle series by Christopher Paolini.

Pages: 704 pages

Length: 1 month (April)

Participants: Lorraine, Kristy

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

[SarahKat, Buddy Reads]

Are you ladies still planning to read this one this month and continue with Brisingr next month?

[Lorraine]

Yes we are. Thanks

[Lorraine]

Kristy. I should have asked you before. You want to make this read two months?

[Kristy]

This is fine. I plan to start this one this weekend and I'll read til I'm finished so I should be ready for Brisingr next month.

[Megan (sporadic hiatus due to law school)]

I finished last week! I think I normally struggle with Eldest because it feels much slower than the rest of the series as it sets a lot of things up, but this read kept me engaged throughout. There are certain elements that you can feel are borrowed from other works, and predictable sections, but overall, I enjoyed the reread.

(view spoiler)[The Eragon x Arya thing was a bit too annoying to me, though, and I got a lot of secondhand embarrassment from the way Eragon would not learn when to quit lol (hide spoiler)]

[Kristy]

I think I've reached around the quarter point. I've been listening and following along with my kindle bundle set, but the audiobook only has track designations with no chapters and the kindle doesn't have page numbers. I'm engaged with the story, but I agree that it does feel much slower than the last book. About to start "Drifting" chapter.

(view spoiler)[Eragon seems to be having to make a lot of political decisions about who to pledge his support to without a lot of information about those parties and their motivations. I'm also enjoying Roran's story with hiding from and fighting the Ra'zac. (hide spoiler)]

[Lorraine]

Kristy wrote: "I think I've reached around the quarter point. I've been listening and following along with my kindle bundle set, but the audiobook only has track designations with no chapters and the kindle doesn..."

Yes you are at about 25% (I have page numbers). Looks like Eragon (view spoiler)[ has a lot of confidence in his instinct. As you say, he does not have a lot of information to pledge his support. And Saphira too. He kind of not remember Saphira is just a young dragon, just like he is a young rider…<\spoiler> (hide spoiler)]

[Lorraine]

Megan wrote: "I finished last week! I think I normally struggle with Eldest because it feels much slower than the rest of the series as it sets a lot of things up, but this read kept me engaged throughout. There..."

Contrary to you, I have problems staying engaged with this book while I read book 1 in a few days. I’ve received book 3 yesterday, so I really need to find a way to go through book 2! 😁

[Kristy]

Lorraine wrote: "Megan wrote: "I finished last week! I think I normally struggle with Eldest because it feels much slower than the rest of the series as it sets a lot of things up, but this read kept me engaged thr..."

I've reached a point where I'm just not interested in this one and I'm having difficulty picking it up. I was discussing it with my husband. He read the series years ago and thought it was a case of "middle" book syndrome. LOL

I'm about to start the chapter Jeod Longshanks. I will say I'm more interested in Roran's adventures in this one than I am with Eragon's training. I really thought I would enjoy the section when he reached the Elves place and started training, but I'm just not. The poetry and unrequited crushes in the last part just weren't pulling me in.

[Megan (sporadic hiatus due to law school)]

That's fair- normally, like both of you, I find it to be slow and dull (completely agree with the "middle book syndrome" diagnosis lol). I think it was a mix of 'I haven't read it in a while' and 'I know how it's going to end,' so I had parts I knew I liked coming up, so there were parts to look forward to.

I also enjoyed Roran's journey more than Eragon's training, which, Kristy, you're right- that's a little disappointing because Eragon's training was highly anticipated.

[Lorraine]

Finished. I did enjoy Roran’s journey more than Eragon’s training, which I found too long for no reasons.

[Kristy]

I finished this one on Friday. It did pick up for me at the end though I think most of the twists (view spoiler)[Murtagh and the twins (hide spoiler)] were things that I already knew about for various reasons including the blurb for book 5.

I think that I was so down on the training portion in this one because of Eragon's injuries and the pain he constantly complained about during training. Then magically he was fine and could instantly beat Vanir and training was over, on to the next. Well, maybe add in the poetry and the unrequited pining too. LOL

I did continue to enjoy Roran's journey and the end. Hopefully that leaves me in a good place to pick up Brisingr though I may not pick it up too soon.