Murtagh Throb Test

[torylltales]

There's a running joke among antis that Paolini has a bad habit of misusing – and over-using – the word 'throb' (and "crimson", "orb", and "thrust"). So I decided to search my ebook copy of Murtagh to see how he does.


13 throbs. Which is lower than Inheritance, if I recall, but higher than many other fantasy authors. And here's the list:

• throbbing embers
• A warning throb
• a throbbing headache
• the bone beneath the old cut throbbed '
• His veins throbbed
• His knee throbbed
• his right elbow throbbed
• His left knee throbbed
• the throbbing in his left wrist
• His eyeballs throbbed
• his throbbing temple
• The world throbbed
• a throbbing rhythm

UPDATE: by request, I searched for the phrase "sense of", as that's another one Paolini overuses. Brace yourself, people. It's...

...

84.

EIGHTY FOUR uses of the phrase "sense of".

 

I'm going to need a coffee before we start this spork. Or a wine. Or several wines.

 

GROUP SPORK NEWS

Snarkbotanya has asked me to remind you that she will be posting the chapter list soon for you to choose a chapter to spork. Keep an eye out for that, and get in quick with your chapter requests!

Comments

[epistler]

I don't know; it came up in a spoilery review I read. But let's just say it successfully neuters Galby as a villain even further, and makes Eragon's "victory" over the guy even more meaningless.

[pangolin20]

I've read through the entire book, by the way!

[ultimate_cheetah]

Are you serious? Damn. I better get to reading this then.

[torylltales]

That was quick! What's your review, in 5 words?

[pangolin20]

5 words... Pfooo. Let me try:

Weird, moderately good, disjointed, draggy.

[epistler]

It's absolutely infuriating.

[epistler]

I think perhaps best wait until after the group spork is finished, but I'll defer to Anya on this one.

[torylltales]

Not bad! I'd go with

Waste of time and money.

[mara_dienne459]

Yes, I was going to wait until after the group spork was finished. Which is, in my mind, a given anyway, as I still have to do the ForkBook, and my OCD demands Order even if my life is total chaos.

[epistler]

I still have to do the ForkBook

I've SO been looking forward to that!

my OCD demands Order even if my life is total chaos.

I don't have OCD but I do know what you mean. When things seem totally out of control and there's nothing I can do about it, I find taking care of the smaller things incredibly soothing. I have a to-do list app on my phone called Habitica (it turns doing your chores into a classic RPG!), and every time I tick off another item and get EXP, I feel better about things. Plus you can use the points you accumulate to buy accessories and pets for your avatar!

[epistler]

I've gotten a decent way in and yeah, it definitely seems to be trying to fix a lot of stuff with varying degrees of success. Unfortunately it often does so by glossing over certain facts (eg Murtagh seems to have conveniently forgotten all about the horrible cruel shit Eragon said to him on the Burning Plains and only shows animosity toward the little prick out of - sigh - whiny jealousy).

[mara_dienne459]

I promise that I will get to it :)

That also sounds like a fun little game. I should probably look into that. It might help me a great deal.

[ultimate_cheetah]

I agree with "moderately good" and "draggy". It was much better than To Sleep and Fractal Noise. I think it helps that Murtagh is a better protagonist than Eragon. Murtagh actually suffers.

[ultimate_cheetah]

I finished it. It makes the Riders look even worse. At least it actually shows Galby being villainous. Eldest would've been so much better if half the training scenes were cut and scenes with Murtagh in Uru-baen were put in instead. Did you get to the part with the Muckmaw yet?

[nofoxhere]

What on earth was that?!? Bold of you both to read and/or spork that whole thing.

[nofoxhere]

That's a lot of "senses of" things...and that's to say it's quite possible we might see multiples in one chapter. Yikes.

[nofoxhere]

Well gee, this sure sounds juicy. Gotta love how Eragon still gets a free pass for being a despicable bastard even in the Year of Our Lord 2023, though.

[pangolin20]

I do think that the "Murtagh suffers" aspect is a little too large; we don't need ten chapters belabouring the point. And after the previous books, I'd just want to see him heal, but apparently that's not in the cards.

[epistler]

It really helped me during a period of extremely severe anxiety. Now it's mostly just a handy to-do list, but I use it much more assiduously when I'm stressed out.

[epistler]

He had to plead/emotionally blackmail me pretty damn hard to get me to do it. I even ended up doing research to find out what the hell was up with the "knot" and the random nosebleed - talk about a bizarre learning opportunity.

[epistler]

And this could have been the perfect opportunity to acknowledge what an awful guy he is, too. Murtagh is by far in the best position to give an honest report of what the little prick is actually like, but nope. All his crimes and general douchebaggery go ignored and Murtagh even thinks fondly of their time together, as if Eragon didn't spend 99% of it treating him like shit!

[torylltales]

#NoRagrets

[torylltales]

it gives me a sense of foreboding...

[epistler]

#ManyRagrets

[oblakom]

Hi, guys! Long time no see. I... saw a Murtagh cover on Tumblr without the slightest idea of what it was and so I got suck back in this whole thing. And so here I am. Hi.
Butting in basically like an IC-character to use y- ahem,to ask you a favor since you are doing a spork: is there any way to get a free pdf of Murtagh?
I want to follow along but I don't want to drop money on it