Forkwitch: Let's Talk About That Map

[torylltales]

Which map? This one, from the front of The Fork, The Witch, and The Worm.



I feel a mighty need to rant about that map. First, it looks like the product of 10 minutes in CorelDraw 6. Stylistically similar to the monochrome map of Alagaesia, but somehow colourising it just makes it look sloppy and rushed.

The big thing, though: Where is that river flowing from or to?!

The map labels it as the Edda River, which originated on the easternmost edge of the "distant" Alagaesia map. So... it's been running inland for long enough for Alagaesia to be regarded as "distant"? And instead of flowing towards the large bodies of water to the north, it flows UPHILL towards a mountain, skirts around the base of the mountain, continues flowing UPWARDS towards the hills and...  cliffs?... and then down through a forest, heading AWAY from another body of water.

THAT'S NOT HOW WATER FLOWS


But you know the worst thing about it? Look closely, it's easy to miss


Actually, that's a trick question. The worst thing about the map is on the next page over.





HE DIDN'T EVEN COLOUR IT HIMSELF

SEVEN YEARS TO PLAN THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF ERAGON & CO AND HE COULDN'T EVEN COLOUR IN THE MAP HIMSELF

It would have taken him half an hour to an hour at most in Photoshop, or even with actual pencils. WHY did Immanuela need to be involved, when one of Paolini's artistic strengths lies in colouring and shading?!


Before you even read a single word of the story, this is a clear warning, like a garishly-coloured beetle, of the laziness and carelessness that lies in wait should you continue.

Comments

[cavuy]

This also makes sense given Mount Argnor is supposed to be an outlier of the Beor Mountains, so unless the mountains extend much further east than what the old map suggests it looks like it should be where you put it.

Also, does Paolini still think of Alagaesia as a continent? If so what's the continental divide that makes this new land separate? If it's the same continent, then what is Alagaesia now? The whole 'distant' Alagaesia bit seems to be entirely manufactured to serve Angela's prophecy.

[gharial]

I don't think Alagaesia was every described as a continent. Only a "land". This area would have to a little bit more eastwards than I depict, because the lake/ocean at the north of it doesn't line up at all with the Alagaesia map (unless it's meant to be lake Eldor, which seems doubtful). I don't imagine it's all that far away though since we have the same river and we don't even see the end of the river on these maps, it's pretty long to start with and this is presumably nowhere near an ocean. Describing Alagaesia as distant still checks out even if the maps are pushed right up against each other though, as there's a big honking desert between this place and the human empire there. I do recall Eragon reflects that he's leaving Alagaesia when he first enters the desert in the first book. Or maybe he just says he's leaving the empire. I can't be assed to check. My point is if Alagaesia is taken to mean the human nation on the coast (which the original map actually suggests by giving it the same font as Surda, the Beor Mountains, Elfland and Hadrac Desert) than it can pretty easily be described as distant from here.

[cavuy]

I can't remember what was said in the books, but that makes sense. The Inheritance wiki lists Alagaesia as being a continent, but does not source it.
https://inheritance.fandom.com/wiki/Alaga%C3%ABsia