let us not forget how Eragon suddenly became a poet and got into yoga and meditation and whatnot just so we were all clear that he's totally not just another sword-swinging bloodthirsty maniac.

It was totally ridiculous. Elves shouldn't even have yoga! (I do yoga, and the first time I was reading Eldest, I was laughing internally at how inflexible Eragon was .) They're in psuedo-Europe. It's really puzzling how advanced the elves seem to be. The only reason that I didn't mind the vegetarian/athiest thing Eldest was peddling is because I was (and still am) the only vegetarian and athiest in the family. (There's one agnostic and one possible athiest.)