This may be an unpopular opinion, but I actually like this part, and especially the Gil'ead part, considerably better than everything to do with Nal Gorgoth. There's just more of a goal there, and I am more interested in this than in Murtagh and Thorn hanging around a city for a long time.

Yeah, that part was reasonably entertaining. I entered with my expectations really low, so I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't as terrible as To sleep.

And why did this book exactly need to have a villain? I can frankly not see what it adds.

Because that's the only type of story Paolini can think of.

So I wouldn't say that she exactly sent him to kill the Riders. Also, she doesn't mention a single thing she actually trained him in, so, to me, it feels more like she's trying to claim credit for her actions.

She was right, honestly.