big rip off

[Emile]

Has anyone noticed how much of a rip off this book is, I'd like to argue the point with some people who don't believe me

[Eric]

I understand why some people call it a rip-off, but even though the story of Eragon is not original, I do like Paolini's writing style. I don’t usually read a book and judge the story on its plot or originality. Its how the story is told that counts, to me anyway. That’s all I'll say though. I hate arguing over books, you either like them or you don’t.

[Sarah]

I respect your opinion, but I really do not agree. I fell in love with the world of Eragon and the story really enchanted me. This is on my top list of favorite books and I am eagerly awaiting the release of the third in the trilogy.

I really don't think this is a rip off and I would recommend this book to fantasy/magic lovers everywhere. The characters are well developed and I like the fact that he has to learn a lot to get better at his magic; he starts off very weak. He's not some kid that finds out he has this almighty power within him without knowing it and releases it out into the world. xD

[Vicki]

I don't understand the vehemence of the some of the comments directed at this book. It's a fun book to read, probably could have used some heavier editing, but I enjoyed the story. I guess I don't understand why someone who hated it so much would continue to read it. It's a big book to get through, and there are lots of other books out there to choose from, so why force yourself to read something you're not enjoying and appreciating?

[Vicki]

I don't understand the vehemence of the some of the comments directed at this book. It's a fun book to read, probably could have used some heavier editing, but I enjoyed the story. I guess I don't understand why someone who hated it so much would continue to read it. It's a big book to get through, and there are lots of other books out there to choose from, so why force yourself to read something you're not enjoying and appreciating?

[Vicki]

Sorry about the double posting. I couldn't get it to delete the 2nd post.

[Travis]

While I agree with others that say labeling it a rip off is just not right...(something must have peaked your interest to buy it), I do not agree with the professional critic ratings that this book received upon release. They pumped this book so highly....and I'm sad to say, it's because he was 17 years old when he wrote it. Granted, It's a good book, and a good story, but there are hundreds just as good or better in fantasy/sci fi genre that never get a nod in there direction from the critics, therefore hurting their sales.

That is what bugs me.

[Violet]

i thought this was a pretty good book, although it DOES copy some ideas from other books. it's a typical fantasy book- warring sides, a tyrant, one unknowing hero on a dragon who's supposedly legendary. pretty typical, and not at all original, but it's still pretty good . . . maybe i'm being bias because of my obsession with fantasy books, but i liked it

[Amrita]

I agree, I loved Eragon. To Emile: I also respect your opinion, but you weren't exactly forced to read it, so I don't think it's a problem. I really think it's not a rip-off at all. I recommend this for everyone, but especially people who love fantasy.

[Penny]

You know, I've heard somewhere that there are no original stories or something like that. I think the thing that sets a book apart in its genre is the way the author tells the story, because it's true that many parts of stories overlap, especially if they're in the same genre.

[Enno]

How many fantasy stories and others are about a young boy who is ostracized in some way to find out he is the hero? It is a common theme. Many of them are now including the young girls which is good. Eragon is a good read and I am waiting excitedly for the 3rd, heard there is even going to be a fourth because he couldn't wrap it up. Don't know if its true.

[Iida]

When I read the first book I pretty much labeled it as very immature Tolkien with stuff added and deleted, but after reading the second book, Eldest, I had to change my views. Paolini clearly matures and grows as a writer but also as a person, and he reflects on this through the character of Eragon.

Yes, the book does repeat several clichés of fantasy books, but for a young writer Paolini is very good; he keeps the text clear, concise and easy to follow, and I couldn't detect any trace of him getting big-headed in the sequel.

[Missie]

i actually heard this si a pretty good book

[Mandy]

This book is so fricken awesome! Y'all are wrong. lol. Well you'll like it better if your a teen and can relate to Eragon, so may be you all are adults?

[Kelly]

personally, i can see what you mean, but if you're discounting books story and plot, well...that's the nature of a book.

But you are right. You can eaither like or dislike it. Nooen should be able to tell you what to think.

[Ammon]

I don't read books very much at all this was actually my first in a very long time, but when I herd there was a dragon in it I had to read it. I loved the story and the characters where great. I also loved how it explained things clearly, but still left things for you to imagine. I was really bumbed bout the movie though. When I watched it in the theaters I thought it was only like 30 minutes long cause of how fast it moved. I'd recommend to the producer to remake it into a mini series or at least make it as long as the Lord of the Rings movies were, so that way you get more of the story.

[Sella]

I don't think this book is a rip off. I thought it was written very well and was an enchanting book. I like this kind of fantasy, and even if it was unoriginal, which I don't think so myself, it was still exciting and good. The thing that was the rip-off was the movie, though. It changed and left things out so much and wasn't even good; it was a mild failing attempt to capture the charm portrayed in the book. With the rate they're going, they won't be able to make a movie of Eldest, and even if they do I am definitely not seeing it, as it will be a waste of time.

[Denae]

Oi.
First, CP was 15 when he wrote Eragon, though he was 17 when he first published it through his parents self-publishing (and 18 the second time, through Random House).
Second, yes there will be a fourth book. Yes, I thought the movie did fine, but was way too short.
CP does use a little originality in his work, though. I've read many (very many) fantasy novels, but never have I seen such a well defined and moving relationship as Eragon has with his magical counterpart, Saphira. Other stories have magical creatures that bond with humans, but they aren't characters themselves. Just props. Saphira is real, she has her own personality and things to say.
CP is 24 now, btw. Brisingr took a long time to write.

[Clare D' Lune]

I enjoyed it quite a bit. People say that its a rip-off and un-origanal, but it isn't really. After all, if I read the same books as you, and we both become writers, both or imaginations will have been built on the same books we read. So say that Christopher Paolini read the same stuff as Tolkien (someone above mention that Christopher Paolini's writing was a lot like Tolkiens) then their veiws on the fantasy would would be relitivly the same. For every fantasy book in the world, there's bound to be another like it.

[Erin]

Anyone who has read Robert Jordan and Orson Scott Card and Tamora Pierce can see a great many rip offs. If you like Eragon I highly recommend reading Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. Just remember that they were written first!

[Ruby]

ok here's a question for u guys, anyone who can give an answer is welcome too:

ok i saw the movie and thought it was a halfway decent story (the actors sucked though) anyway i was wondering if since the movie was ok would it b worth it to read the book? it sounds like all of u have read the book(s) so i thought i'd ask.

anyway like i said id really like ur guys opinion on this. thnx :)

[Ruby]

ok thnx...i was just wondering b/c several of u were saying it was a rip off to read it so...thnx again. :)

[Pandora]

I just wanted to add my two bits about Eragon. I have only read the first one and I did see elements of the Luke Skywalker Star Wars and the Lord of the Rings. I saw this as plus rather than a negative becasue it could be used as a selling point to the boys. Anytime you get boys asking to read a thick book is a book to cheer not criticize. Personally I'm not a fan of Harry Potter but, I am happy to see kids reading it. I think Eragon should be judge by the audience it is intended for which is teenage boys. On that score the book is working very well.

[[deleted user]]

Something I noticed about the books is that it's basically Star Wars in a Lord of the Rings settings. Look at it this way:

Eragon/Luke-both farmboys, both figure out they have a sibling who they didn't know they had, both figure out that their dads are evil, both are "the last of" something (dragonriders, jedi) both figure out that who they thought was their dad was really their uncle. both go to join a group (rebels/ varden) opposing an evil king/empire. both go off to get trained by one other last survivor of their kind. (yoda and i forget the elf guy's name)

Eragon/Lord of the Rings-elves, dwarves, LOTR type of setting/landscape.

Sure it was wonderfully written for a 17 yr old, but it's way plagiaristic. Truth be told i actually like it when i read it, it is an entertaining story, but one day it may ring too many bells to be entertaining. and I have to say I hated the movie, at the beginning if you look when Roran and Eragorn are play fighting, it looks like Roran is wearing BLUE JEANS! I'm pretty certain THOSE didn't exist in Alagaesia.(sorry if I spelt that wrong)

[[deleted user]]

oops, i didn't notice the whole second page when i posted, so i'm sorry that i just repeated some of what you said,Pandora "Kat", I hope it didn't look like I just ignored what you just said about Star Wars and LOTR, because I didn't mean to ignore anyone, I just didn't even know you had posted! XP

[Pandora]

Well, as I said I only read the first book. I didn't realize CP had copied so much of the Star Wars story. I might have to revise my opinion. I thought he was going to go to some new places with the story. It is one thing to use a previous story as a jumping off point but, quite another to copy the plot.

After the summer I guess I will have to check out Eldest but, if is that close to Star Wars I may not be enjoying it as much as I had hoped.

[Ashley]

All the similarites Ruth pointed out are things that are common to a lot of Fantasy. The whole farm boy turns hero and trys to defeat a evil king thing is very common. It would be the first thing I would think of when writing a Fantasy book. Also, elves and dwarfs are also common to a lot of Fantasy books. I don't Paloni was copying anyone. If i wrote a book it would probably come out looking something like the last book I read except for with my own writing style and character personalities.

[Pandora]

I not so sure. If the similartites are that Luke and Eragon are both farm boys out to destory an evil king fine. But, if we are dealing with unknow evil father, lost siblings, and the whole Jedi knight thing then it sounds like copying.

As for elves and dwarfs yes many fantasy have them but, they are not always the same. The question is how similar are they to JRR Tolkin's elves and dwarfs. It happens with robots in Sci-fi. Big differnce between Asimov's robots and Philip K. Dick's robots.

Still, I do appreciate that it is giving the boys something to read on thier Summer Reading List. But, I was hoping CP would be more original.

[[deleted user]]

Well, in the second book he has a storyline going on for Roran which is original, though a little more boring than the main story line. So the second book isn't a total waste, after all, I was just talking about the main stuff, there are good details that fill it all up.

[Mack]

It's not just the overuse of genre cliches and the blatant ripoffs that Paolini uses in the Eragon books that bother me. It's his prose style. Good God, I got a chapter into Eragon and just couldn't stomach anymore. Oh, the purple prose, it burns me.

"I agree, I loved Eragon. To Emile: I also respect your opinion, but you weren't exactly forced to read it, so I don't think it's a problem. I really think it's not a rip-off at all. I recommend this for everyone, but especially people who love fantasy."

Also, this is argument is pointless. She wasn't forced to read it. So that means she can't think it's a ripoff? So, since she wasn't forced to read it, she's not allowed to say she didn't like it? I don't see what the point is in saying she wasn't forced to read it. You're not the only one who has said that, either, so everyone, please, what is the point in this argument? I'm not seeing it.

[Kelsey]

Okay, well pretty much every sci-fi/fantasy book has something in common with other sci-fi/fantasy books that have already been written. Orphaned hero goes on a journey, overcomes obstacles, collects companions, and saves the world/defeats evil. I don't necessarily think that it's a rip off. I think that Paolini tells the story of Eragon very well, and it is an interesting story, regardless of how similar it might be to other works of sci-fi/fantasy.

[Kris]

I beleave that Eragon was a great book, good plot amazing detail i feel its one of the best books wrote for a long while i both enjoyed it and felt that i was in the story great book very well written i give it a 10/10

[Dusty]

Emile,

I've heard a lot from those who would disagree with you, but I've not seen your response - your argument as to why it is a rip-off.

I liked the book very much, but am interested in your point of view.

[Allison]

I can see how some people would say that this book is not original, and I agree with them to a certain extent. However, it seems to me that the story is not completely new, but it combines several of the best elements of many different existing tales. For example, the basic plot line is rather obviously based on the hero cycle, or the heroic journey. Another popular story that incorporates this is Star Wars. As for many of the other familiar components, it's a fantasy novel. Elves, dwarves, dragons, etc. sorta come with the territory. Also, it was written by a teenager. What do you expect?

In any case, most readers in this genre are not looking for a completely original story. Most people want something interesting, something to take them away from this mundane realm and show them even a small part of a more fantastical one. Besides, when something is totally original, it flops because it is so different that people have a hard time understanding it, let alone relating to any part of it. There has to be some element of similarity to previous works (or reality itself) for the work to garner any love from readers.

[Mack]

"Besides, when something is totally original, it flops because it is so different that people have a hard time understanding it, let alone relating to any part of it. There has to be some element of similarity to previous works (or reality itself) for the work to garner any love from readers."

I heavily disagree with this statement. There are plenty of readers who are thirsting for something completely original. Now, if one were to argue that NOTHING is completely original, then, okay, that's true to an extent. But not being able to understand something or relate to it because it's just TOO original? That...just doesn't make sense and is insulting to the intelligence of the general populace.

"Also, it was written by a teenager. What do you expect?"

Plenty of teenagers can write better than what Christopher Paolini wrote in Eragon, imo, and saying "oh, it was written by a teenager" does not excuse it from being less-than-good. If that's the excuse you want to go with, then why was it published at all? If his okay-but-not-excellent novel was published, then why not lots of other teenagers' mediocre novels? Couldn't we just say, "Oh, well, these books aren't that great because they're written by teenagers. What do you expect?" Sorry, but I expect better of a book that got published on a large scale, written by a teenager or not.

[Brigid ✩]

i agree. the book didn't deserve to be published just cuz it was "good for a sixteen-year-old" or whatever. age shouldn't matter. if this book was written by an adult, nobody would care.

If I were to get a book published right now, I would want to be judged like an adult. If that means people telling me "This sucks!" well then so be it. I don't want to be patted on the head and told, "Oh, well you're a good writer for your age." It's ridiculous.

[Cindy]

I think I am in the minority in that I liked the Roran storyline a whole lot more than the one involving Eragon. Roran was an interesting character with a real dilemma. But I just couldn't stand Eragon or his dragon by the end of the book. I was hoping the other dragon would eat him already.

[Tiffany]

I love this book. I don't think that it was a rip off at all! I apsolutely Loved Paolini's description!

[Elizabeth]

For me it was way to similar to the Lord of the Rings.

First of all Christopher Paolini's elves are way to much like J.R.R Tolkien's elves- did he have to make up a new languages for them?

Eragon=Aragorn
Couldn't he think of a more original name?
Both go to a home of the Elves to train. Aragorn to Rivendele, Eragon to Dû Weldenvarden.

Ra'zac=Nazgûl both ride flying beasts, both have hissy breath, both have faces you can’t really see, both wear black.

Brom=Gandalf
Both old men, both have staffs, both have greater strength then there companions know. Both die (even though Gandalf comes back its still too much a similarity).

Murtagh=Boramir
They're companions both think they’re good at first.

Tronjheim=Mori
Both great cites of the dwarves, both underground.

Urgals=Orces
Besides the change in name, they sure act and look the same.

Arwen=Arya
The romance between Aragorn and Arwen and then the romance between Eregon and Arya. Both a man and elf romance. Both have one person who doesn't want to marry for some reason, Aragorn doesn't want to marry Arwen because he doesn't want her to become mortal. Arya doesn't want to marry Eragon because she thinks shes too old and an elf.

Zar’roc=Narsil
Both broken swords, fixed for the hero.

Then again his names, his on the left, J.R.R Tolkien on the right:
Imiladris>Imladris
Vanilor>Valinor
Ardwen>Arwen
Ceranthor>Caranthir
Bierland>Beleriand
Narda>Varda
Isenstar>Isengaurd
Melian>Melian
Mithrim>Mithrim
Isidar>Isildur
Turin>Tûrin
Eragon>Aragorn (comparison in pronunciation)
EHR-uh-gone>HER-uh-gorn

[[deleted user]]

I really liked this book..but i agree it is very similar to many other fantasy book comparing it to lord of the rings ( its like the grandfather of fantasy) is a little unfair i'm sure you could get almost any fantasy book to somehow relate to lord of the rings although the names above are interesting.

being a fantasy reader it is hard to come across "original" ideas a lot of books i read i could easily say they are a rip of this book or this one... i think maybe he just took some idea from the books he read while he was young a put his own little spin on it he was only 17 at the time... i think it was a very good effort not every one can read books like lord of the rings .. and eragon was meant for a younger audience.. i wouldnt have been able to do it ... just wish he made the follow up books as good they let me down a lot

[Allan]

Emile wrote: "Has anyone noticed how much of a rip off this book is, I'd like to argue the point with some people who don't believe me"

I agree. I cannot believe he even got published. If we all had parents with influence in publishing, I guess we could all get published and promoted into a bestseller. Remember, what is popular is not usually what is good.

[Paula]

Elizabeth wrote: "For me it was way to similar to the Lord of the Rings.

First of all Christopher Paolini's elves are way to much like J.R.R Tolkien's elves, and did he have to make up a new languages for them?"

Great comparisions! I started out liking the story, but then the story just seemed to be a 'Lord of the Rings' wanna be. The tale started to irritate me. I did complete the book, so I can't say it was a 'throw the book against the wall' bad. For me, 'Eragon' was a more 'been there, done that story'.

The high praise rised my expectations and in my opinion 'Eragon' did not warrant the kudos.

[Elizabeth]

Melanie wrote: "I really liked this book..but i agree it is very similar to many other fantasy book comparing it to lord of the rings ( its like the grandfather of fantasy) is a little unfair i'm sure you could ge..."

Lord of the Rings was a follow up to the Hobbit. Which was for a younger audience as well. And Christopher Paolini himself said that one of his greatest influences was J.R.R Tolkien. I just think he could have come up with a lot more of a original idea for his own book, maybe he just needed to wait a few years and think about it some more. After all J.R.R Tolkien's Lord of the Rings took almost twelve years to finish.

[Elizabeth]

Paula wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "For me it was way to similar to the Lord of the Rings.

First of all Christopher Paolini's elves are way to much like J.R.R Tolkien's elves, and did he have to make up a new lan..."

Thanks Paula, I think you and me agree. For me also it wasn't a 'throw the book against the wall' bad since I finished it and the other two in the series. And I am still kind of looking forwards to seeing how Christopher Paolini is going to wrap everything up.

[Brown]

http://everything2.com/title/Comparis...

not to mention the LOTR stuff.

your status'
told [ ]
told hard [ ]
leo toldstoy [ ]
stone told steve austin [ ]
cash4told.com [ ]
knights of the tol republic [ ]
no country for told men [x]

[Paula]

Brown, I didn't consider the Star Wars angle, but yes those are interesting and telling comparisons. I've only read 'Eragon', so I don't know if the series get more original. I have so many books that I need to read, so it's hard to continue with a series that I consider a rehash of other well thought out tales. I was interested in a few of the characters, though.

[Brown]

it didn't get more original, no.

[MizziQ]

I think that he just did what everybody else does. There have been books about elves before. It may have been predictable to some people. But many people enjoyed the book and those who didn't can forget about the time they lost and move on. I don't care if something is the same as long as it is intresting and it makes it time well spent.

[Brown]

the thing is, he did what everyone else does but stole names, ideas from several other books and cobbled it together into one fan-fiction he got published by his parents.

[[deleted user]]

Well, the way i see it, all the books/stories mentioned in this discussion have something in common with each other. I can think of at least a dozen stories that have Lord of the Rings-like characters/events.; the same with Star Wars. But, just like all the other writers before him, Paolini comes up with his own ideas to throw into the mix.