Paolini's Writing gets Worse with Practice

[edward9]

I read the first three chapters of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars for sporking purposes. I was struck by how much worse the writing was. In terms of objective measurements like grammar and sentence structure it is worse than the Inheritance Cycle. The Inheritance Cycle seems to have had a copy editor and I cannot imagine To Sleep in a sea of Stars was copy edited. A copy editor edits into a certain style and just the use of punctuation defies any system I am familiar with. I am no expert but I have never seen punctuation patterns like that. For semi objective things like writing style and structure I think most editors and writers would find it worse than the Inheritance Cycle. As has been pointed out by others nothing of significance happens in the first three chapters other than introducing the main character.

What struck me the most is the degradation in an admittedly more subjective area. The story was really boring. I found it difficult and unpleasant to read too but it was really really boring. It was so boring I could not find much to spork. Everything is just too blah, empty, with nothing to it. It is hard to imagine so many words could say so very little. How do others find To Sleep in a Sea of Stars compares to the Inheritance Cycle? Am I the only one who thinks Paolini's technical writing skills have gotten noticeably to massively worse?

Comments

[baronleduc]

It's been years I didn't read Eragon/Eldest, and I don't have the books at the moment. So it'll be hard for me to compare Chris's writings between Eragon and TSiaSoS. I do remember the first time I've read Eragon, it was, at best, kinda pleasant. But it wasn't painful to read through, unlike TSiaSoS.

What I can tell you, though, is that I have barely, barely, made over one hundred pages into the Space Book, and its pretty much boring. There is no tension, no characters, no plot, no emotions. Nothing. Chris wrote alot of words, but it felt empty. Kinda remind me of my old writings. Urgh...

The worse part for me, is that everything is being told, not shown in his prose. So I do not feel what the character's feels when X happens, nor what Y is going to do instead of Z. It's drives me nuts. Like Paolini has written a movie script instead of a novel. Did he forget what type of media he's doing ?

The more I tried to read TSiaSoS, the more I've questions for the editor who read through this and thinks 'Yup. This book is going to be a very bestseller. Well done, Mr. Paolini! Good job!'.

So I'm gonna say that yes, Chris Paolini's writings are getting worse.

[edward9]

I agree with all of this.

But it wasn't painful to read through, unlike TSiaSoS.

I especially agree with this and am glad to see I am not the only one who noticed it. It is physically unpleasant for me to read and I do not think I have encountered that before.

There is no tension, no characters, no plot, no emotions. Nothing. Chris wrote alot of words, but it felt empty. Kinda remind me of my old writings. Urgh...

Seconded.

The worse part for me, is that everything is being told, not shown in his prose. So I do not feel what the character's feels when X happens, nor what Y is going to do instead of Z. It's drives me nuts. Like Paolini has written a movie script instead of a novel.

Yes, I felt this way to. It is like a report. This happened then this happened. Of curse, in a movie, we would be being shown by the actors.

The more I tried to read TSiaSoS, the more I've questions for the editor who read through this and thinks 'Yup. This book is going to be a very bestseller. Well done, Mr. Paolini! Good job!'.

I figure the editor and everyone else involved figured the Paolini name will sell and if it does not they can drop him.

[epistler]

I figure the editor and everyone else involved figured the Paolini name will sell and if it does not they can drop him.

That's probably exactly what happened. Editors, publishers and agents aren't stupid - just very very cynical. Most are perfectly happy to edit and sell books they know full well are irredeemable garbage, just because they're sure it'll make everyone a lot of money. And hey, if you're going to get rich by publishing some moron's lame fanfiction, might as well hold your nose and go ahead.

[baronleduc]

It is like a report

It's the worst report I've ever read.

My final report when I detailed my experience as an archivist in my hometown that I've written before I get my diplomae years ago was a Michael Bay movie script compared to TSiaSoS. I swear.