Sorry for the delay all. I’ve been busy with various projects, but I’m returning now to give you much ado about nothing. I mean that from the bottom of my heart. The next two chapters of Inheritance are so many pages of nothing.
Chapter 5: Aftermath
Nothing of any importance happens in this chapter (I hope you weren’t holding your breath from the last time I said that). All that goes on is other people that we aren’t going to follow plan on securing the captured city. Eragon asks about Angela’s intentionally inflammatory comment to the visiting dignitary only to be told it’s a story for a later chapter. In fact, the only thing even worth commenting on in the chapter is when Eragon visits Katrina to tell her Roran’s ok.
“There’s no real news other than that. Roran’s fine; he said to give you his love.”
Her expression softened, but her worry did not entirely disappear. “He’s all right, then?” She motioned toward the ring she wore on the third finger of her left hand, one of the two rings Eragon had enchanted for her and Roran so they might know if one or the other was in danger. “I thought I felt something, about an hour ago, and I was afraid that…”
Eragon shook his head. “Roran can tell you about it. He got a few nicks and bruises, but other than that, he’s fine. Scared me half to death, though.”
Yeah, remember that ring from the previous book? The ring that many noted would be rather torturous as you could feel that your loved one was in danger but there was nothing you could do about it? Yes, that’s apparently working as intended.
Also, I noted Eragon conveniently left out the part where he totally could’ve kept Roran out of danger entirely if it weren’t for the fact that Paolini wanted to try to fool us into thinking Roran was going to die.
Eragon then goes to eat and the chapter ends. Yep. That’s the whole chapter.
Chapter 6: Memories of the Dead
Nothing also happens in this chapter (if you were holding breath, are you a vampire?). At least the chapter begins with an amusing observation:
“Galbatorix is mad and therefore unpredictable, but he also has gaps in his reasoning that an ordinary person would not. If you can find those, Eragon, then perhaps you and Saphira can defeat him.”
Ok, future me just came back from Galbatorix’s defeat (surprise!) and this doesn’t apply at all. Eragon finds no gaps in his reasoning that lead to his defeat. What does happen? Well, you’ll just have to wait patiently for me to get there. Future me is a notorious jerk that doesn’t reveal very much at one time.
So anyway, Eragon is reliving memories of Brom (who is dead, thus the chapter title). By the way, do you want to know how much nothing is in this chapter? Here’s an excerpt to gnaw on:
Eragon stared down his chest at his thumbs. He placed them side by side, to better compare them. His left thumb had more wrinkles on its second joint than did his right, while his right had a small, ragged scar that he could not remember getting, although it must have happened since the Agaeti Blodhren, the Blood-oath Celebration.
You’ve heard of navel gazing? Well, prepare yourself for thumb comparing! Thrill as he discovers that one thumb is more wrinkled! Gasp as he finds a scar he didn’t know he had on the other! Seriously, that’s so much nothing that it’s threatening to suck in and consume the entirety of Alagaesia, and not even Bastian could save them.
You know, I don’t mind when authors put in extraneous details that have no direct impact on the plot, but they need to be either world-building or character-building. This is neither unless being an easily bored idiot is supposed to be part of Eragon’s character.
Anyway, Eragon tries to contact Glaedr, who’s become withdrawn after losing his life partner. Arya shows up. She also tries and fails. The chapter finally has mercy on us when Albriech shows up to tell Eragon that his mother (Albriech’s mother, that is; not Eragon’s) is going into labor.
Danielle on 16 April 2012, 00:22 said:
This.
This is the most awesome thing I have EVER read in a Paolini book.
I’m still laughing….
BlackStar on 17 April 2012, 18:16 said:
Eragon obviously has too much free time. Instead of sitting around like a lazy bastard staring at his thumbs, he should be doing something productive. If he was supposed to be tired or trying to relax, Paolini should have at least had him decide to read or something. Something that would show that he has, y’know, a brain.
Kyllorac on 17 April 2012, 20:05 said:
So his chest sports thumbs?
Betty Cross on 17 April 2012, 21:52 said:
Eragon’s thumb comparison scene reminds me of when, in _Eragon, he’s looking at a knot on a wooden table and wondering what it says about his future. If the imaginary world had a form of divination that involved studying pine knots, it would be believable, but as it is it’s just … weird.
Nate Winchester on 26 April 2012, 21:52 said:
I hardly think so! What did he have to eat? I think the entire novel depends upon the composition of his meal.
Well… I think there might be SOME argument for this. We can discuss later.
Present you is too. [rimshot] Nah, you guys are all right.
Betty Cross on 9 May 2012, 08:35 said:
To me, the most awesome scene is in an earlier volume (don’t remember which) where Eragon and another guy take their pants off to compare their battle scars.