Eragon: Chapter Fourteen: A Rider's Blade (Part II)

[pangolin20]

Kerlois: Welcome back to Eragon, everyone! Last time, Saphira convinced Eragon to go hunt down the Ra’zac, mostly by yelling at him, Eragon made preparations to go, and Brom accosted him.

Let me do the reader post, then.

On part I of Chapter 5, Chessy notes the following:

-The ivory that Eragon mentions as colour for Saphira’s claws might come from animals like “the toothed whales, walruses, warthogs, even elk”. I think that boars might be the most likely option here.

-Saphira ought not to be so hungry just after she hatched, as she “should still be absorbing her yolk”. And given that she has spent the time in her egg in stasis, she should not have needed energy… My conclusion is that the spell to bond her to a Rider was cast just before she would have hatched, which is certainly incompetent.

-She also notes that Eragon thinking of Saphira as “dangerous” is certainly not unreasonable, so…

IYES: 27

-She also notes that Brom ought to have told him that dragons are people by now.

Come to think of it, if Eragon has really been to Brom all this often, he truly should know all about dragons. Yes, I know Paolini did this so Eragon could learn about this later, but what would have been the difficulty of removing the mention of Eragon having talked to Brom very often? Also, their dynamic does not exactly suggest that Eragon knows Brom very well, so…

Forgot Your Own Canon Again?: 88

-Finally, I would like to recommend her improved bonding scene, as well as her improved version of Brom’s history of the Riders.

On part I of Chapter 14, Epistler asks why Saphira did not bother to try wiping out her tracks. That is a good question, as Saphira would have had the time to do that. True, something would be visible, because smoothing the tracks would also leave traces, but it would still be worth trying.

Ill Logic: 186

She also notes that it makes little sense for the Carvahallians to kill several oxen for hides, as they need the oxen for the fields. Another way in which Carvahall is written as larger than it is, I suppose.

This Cannot Be: 30

Let us go on with the chapter, then!

Let me first copy the last paragraph of the previous part, as I did not bother to comment on that then:

Brom scowled angrily at him, an ugly wound on the side of his head. A short sword hung at his belt in a brown sheath. The hides were in his hands.

1) Where have you been, Brom?! You have been gone for two and a half days, and now you are suddenly back again, without any explanation! Yes, I know CN has already belaboured this point, but I still find it weird to actually see him back again without any explanation.

2) So he still has the wound we saw earlier? And he evidently did not go to Gertrude or even try to bandage it by himself. Because apparently risking infection and walking around with a possible concussion was worth it if he did not have to go into the village.

With Leaders Like These…: 4 (including a point for not healing Garrow)

And also this:

Ill Logic: 187

3) I see he apparently has got a sword, too. So I think he has hidden that around his house and he fetched it in the meantime? I would hope he has maintained it well in the meantime.

4) Brom, why are you angry with him? You have had several days to guess what Eragon might done once he woke up, and you have guessed that Eragon is a Rider, so what other than hunting the Ra’zac would you expect him to be doing? You also approve of hunting the Ra’zac, so why are you so angry at him?!

Some Father You Are: 35

5) Good to see that he can only think of grabbing the hides to stop Eragon, instead of calling to him or something.

Edit:

6) And, what I just though about now, Brom could use magic to heal his wound! Then he would not have to go to Carvahall! As for why he did not do so… I guess that he either did not think it worth fixing (he actually says this later about another wound), or that he thought Eragon would be suspicious when seeing him without it. Never mind that going to Carvahall and getting it fixed up would be less suspicious…

7) Also, it seems that Eragon saying Brom with a bandage around his head was not supposed to be real, then? It is so unclear…

Eragon gets irritated at Brom’s intrusion. He wonders how Brom managed to “sneak up on him”, when everything was so quiet he was sure there was no one. Well, it might be that you are still not back to full health, so your senses are not as sharp as usual? Other than that, there was more than enough time for him to grab the hides and stand just out of view. The remarkable thing is that Eragon did not notice him just now, but even that is not all that strange.

He tells Brom to give the hides back. Brom responds with this:

“Why? So you can run off before Garrow is even buried?” The accusation was sharp.

Why indeed? Why jump immediately to the most bad-faith interpretation possible, which he knows to be untrue? Like, what kind of sense does it make to imply that Eragon needs the hides to “run off” by himself?

And yes, Eragon does leave before Garrow is buried; that way, he has a better chance at getting at the Ra’zac, and that will protect the village! He is not just dodging his responsibilities, Brom; you did! I hate you!

Some Father You Are: 36

Eragon’s “temper flash[es]”, and he “bark[s]” that it is none of Brom’s business. Which it indeed is not. In the self-published edition, he wonders how Brom found him. In both editions, he asks Brom why he followed him.

Brom “grunt[s]” that he did not follow Eragon, as he was waiting for Eragon. Then he asks Eragon where he is going.

So I suppose that Brom was waiting outside Carvahall, saw Eragon go to the tree, and then went there to wait on him? Not that this is ever made clear.

Missing Puzzle Pieces: 200

Eragon says “nowhere”, and grabs the skins from Brom’s grip. Brom does nothing to stop him. Then we have this:

“I hope you have enough meat to feed your dragon.”

1) Oh my, Brom has discovered Saphira! Never mind that we could have already guessed he had guessed when he twisted Eragon’s arm to look at his palm in chapter 9. It simply is shown too far in advance for this to have the impact Paolini wants it to have.

PPP: 476 (could have been better at conveying this)

2) And the effect it has is different, too. Paolini probably was going for “oh no, Eragon has been found out”, but for me, at least, he gets “so now you finally act on this knowledge, Brom? That took you long enough.”

3) What kind of ridiculous comment is this? Like, does Brom really think that Eragon would try flying on a dragon that could not hunt for itself yet? Or that he would bring all his meat from Carvahall instead of trying to hunt for the dragon underway? It is supposed to be a “witty” remark, but instead, it just makes Brom look very silly.

Ill Logic: 188

4) I hate the way this scene is framed, like Brom is rightfully calling Eragon out on sneaking away. After all, a) Brom is the one who left, so Eragon ought to be the one doing the confronting, b) Eragon is doing this to pursue the Ra’zac, which Brom approves of, and c) this was Saphira’s plan, not Eragon’s.

5) Finally, why does Brom confront him over keeping Saphira hidden? True, it might not have been the best course of action, but the less people knew about her existence, the better. And how should Eragon have known that Brom could be trusted with the knowledge and would know how to help? That would also have gone against Saphira’s wishes, so should he have ignored her, then? This is completely unreasonable.

Some Father You Are: 37

Well, Eragon freezes, and in the self-published edition, he thinks “Hellfire… does he really know?” Because “hellfire” just fits so well into this world when we never about any kind of hell in this series. In both editions, Eragon asks what Brom is talking about. Brom crosses his arms and tells Eragon not to “fool with [him]”. Stop that, Brom. Why should he tell you the truth, anyway? Then we get this:

S: I know where that mark on your hand the gedwëy ignasia, the ‘shining palm’, comes from: you have touched a dragon hatchling.

K: I know where that mark on your hand, the gedwëy ignasia, the shining palm, comes from: you have touched a dragon hatchling.

1) So that was why Brom looked at Eragon’s palm.

2) Good to see a term for this. For the translation, “gedwëy” means “palm”, and “ignasia” means “shining”. And yes, as we will see later, the mark truly does shine under certain circumstances. Also, going forward, we will hear a fair bit of it, mostly when Eragon gets a nickname that refers to it.

3) This has me thinking… Can humans and elves (as they are the only ones who can become Riders at this point), still bond with older dragons? If, say, a dragon would hatch for a human, that human would have a heart attack and die, and the dragon was raised by dwarves, would the dragon still be able to bond as an adult? I do think so, but it might have been nice to have certainty.

4) Also, does the mark only appear on one’s palm? Let me check… Oh, the Inheriwiki (I ought to check that one more) says it could appear wherever the Rider first touched the dragon, and the reason it is specifically called “silver palm” is “because when they first see their dragon, they put their hand out to touch it.”

Hmmm, while I can see that, I think most of them would touch the dragon with their fingers too, because touching the dragon with the palm alone is quite awkward. Maybe the people present at bonding told the children to touch the dragon like that?

Manual Patch Job: 61

With Eragon, though, the only reason I can think of is that it was because Paolini wanted him to.

But Thou Must: 81

Anyway, Brom says that he also knows why Eragon asked the questions he did back in chapter 6, and he knows that “once more the Riders live.” Oh my. Again, we knew he knew this, so it falls flat. And I would barely say the Riders live again when Eragon only knows a sketch of them and has not received any kind of Rider training yet.

Eragon is so shocked that he drops the leather and the meat. He thinks that it has “finally happened”, and decides he has to get away. Yes, please leave Brom as far behind as you can, Eragon! Then we do not have to suffer through endless chapters with him!

He notes that he cannot outrun Brom in his present state, so he decides to call for Saphira. It takes “a few agonizing seconds” for her to answer, but then she acknowledges him. And why did you not keep a closer watch on him, Saphira? See, now Eragon has been caught because of you! Good going there!

Eragon says they have been discovered, and that he needs her, and he sends along a “picture of where he [is]”. Saphira, to her credit, immediately takes off. Eragon then goes to stall Brom, by asking him how he found out.

Brom first stares into the distance and “move[s] his lips soundlessly as if he were talking to someone else.” Knowing why he does this, I am not amused. Brom then says that there were “clues and hints” everywhere and he “had only to pay attention”.

PPP: 477 (for the clumsy construction. This is exclusive to the Knopf edition, by the way, so again the revision introduced an error)

Brom says that anyone with “the right knowledge” could have found out, and he asks how “[Eragon’s] dragon” is. Eragon says that she is fine, as they were not at the farm when the Ra’zac came. My, it is almost like she saved your life by carrying you away, is it not? Not that he will apologise… Brom then brings up Eragon’s legs, and asks if he was flying. (When did Brom note that Eragon’s legs were hurt, then? When he dragged him back to Carvahall or when he saw Eragon walking just now?)

And this prompts another thinking session from Eragon. Let me do the one in the self-published edition first. Eragon wonders (in the narration) how Brom “ha[s] figured that out”. Because it is the only option that makes sense? Like, in this situation, the most likely options for Eragon getting hurt like that would be the Ra’zac poured their acid on his thighs or that he rode a dragon, and given that Eragon indicated the former did not happen, only the latter remains.

Eragon goes on, wondering where he could have learned that “dragon scales [are] so hard and sharp that they easily scrape[] skin”. First, as I just showed, he does not necessarily have to know that. Second, why is it strange that he knows this? Shruikan is still alive, after all, and Krovogon only died 15 years ago! This would not be exactly obscure knowledge, and Brom the storyteller could certainly know that.

Well, Eragon is suspicious, as there are “too many coincidences”. Brom had been waiting here “at just the right time” and “seem[s] to know so much”. Hmmm, the former can be explained by Brom waiting outside Carvahall, so that he knew where to go, and the latter… well, what do you expect from a storyteller? Eragon is certainly not wrong about Brom being suspicious, but all of his examples are off. For myself, I would cite the condition of his house, the sword he is carrying, that he did not bother to stop Eragon from going home, and that he was gone for two and a half days.

We now switch to italic thoughts, as Eragon thinks that the Ra’zac might have “coerced him into doing this”. That would be a quite smart tactic of them, and I like seeing Eragon think of this. He thinks further on this, thinking that Brom might be trying to slow him down, and to “reveal [him]”. He further thinks that they might want Brom to find out where Eragon is going so “they can ambush us”. He wonders again what Brom might want, and then wonders where Saphira is staying. Well, good to see Eragon not just take everything in stride for once!

The Knopf edition has everything in italics. Eragon wonders how Brom figured out that he was flying, and immediately thinks that the Ra’zac might have coerced Brom, and he thinks that they might be trying to lure them into an ambush. Well, that is much smoother. He wonders where Saphira is in this edition, too. In both editions, he reaches out and “[finds] her circling far overhead”. Alright, then. Then we have this:

Come!

No, I will watch for a time.

Why!

Because of the slaughter at Dorú Areaba.

What?

Brom leaned against a tree with a slight smile. “I have talked with her, and she has agreed to stay above us until we settle our differences.

First, let me note that the new edition changes “Dorú Areaba” to “Doru Araeba”. Thank you for that.

Now… Well, I barely know where to start. I think that I could best begin with the bit I just mentioned.

So, as a reminder, Doru Areaba was a large city on Vroengard that was the headquarters of the Riders when they were overthrown, and the place of the final battle. I think Brom refers here to the supposed genocide Galbatorix would have committed there on the dragons (an idea I have already thoroughly discredited). So first off, good to see that Brom thought it appropriate to use that to warn her away.

Look Away: 355

Further, I do not know why the mention of Dorú Areaba would deter her specifically… Oh, maybe it has to do with this notion from the Domia Abr Wyrda book:

Dragons spoke to each other through their minds, and when Galbatorix began to kill them, every dragon from around the world would have rushed to defeat him and, in doing so, ensured their doom.

I have not discussed this particular notion earlier, as far as I know, and I will not do so here, but suffice it to say that I doubt Galbatorix and the Forsworn could have withstood every dragon in the world.

So, in this situation, I guess he might mean that Saphira should not rush in, or else she will only make it worse? Never mind that he cannot do her much harm, and if Saphira simply took Eragon away from Carvahall, it would hardly cause more trouble than has already been done.

Also, however he may have done it, Brom has prevented Saphira from intervening and now he can try to interrogate Eragon at leisure. And that is apparently worth threatening Saphira for. Not to mention that Eragon does not have to explain anything to Brom at all. I would actually expect these actions from a villain, and I think it is quite telling that Eragon thinks the Ra’zac put him up to this.

With Leaders Like These…: 5

Still, if Brom threatened Saphira, I think that would be all the more reason for her to rescue Eragon. And yet, she simply leaves Eragon behind with someone with unclear motives, and she waits above them until they have “settled their differences”.

By the way, what “differences” are there to settle? Brom wants to get information that he does not need from Eragon, and Eragon does not want that. It seems quite clear to me to whose side this should be settled! Oh, also this:

Some Father You Are: 42

Back on track, why does Saphira agree to this!? And she must have agreed to it from her own volition, because Brom is not exactly proficient in mentally forcing his will on people. There is simply no reason for this, other than that it is ~necessary~ for the plot. Saphira is just rendered completely useless here for no good reason, and I hate it. Why was this necessary?

Let me see…

But Thou Must: 82

This Cannot Be: 31 (you cannot convince me that this follows from the rest of the scene)

What Dragons?: 276 (+5)

Well, with that out of the way, let us go on. Brom gloats that Eragon “really [doesn’t] have any choice but to answer [his] questions.” I hate you so much, Brom! You clearly do not care about Eragon at all here, only about making him vulnerable so you can get the information you want from him.

Look Away: 356

Some Father You Are: 43

With Leaders Like These…: 6

He then asks Eragon to tell him where he is going. The self-published edition writes this as “Now tell me, Where are you going?” with a capitalised word in the middle of the sentence.

Eragon gets “bewildered” at this and puts a hand to the side of his head (or, as the Knopf edition puts it, to “his temple”). He wonders how Brom could speak to Saphira. Personally, I would wonder why she chooses to stay above me, but that is just me. Come to think of it, why is she flying above them so close to Carvahall? She could easily be seen!

Ill Logic: 189

With Leaders Like These…: 7

Does Brom want them to be spotted, then?

Anyway, the Knopf edition has the same thought, only italicised, which does not work well.

PPP: 478

Eragon’s head throbs and “[i]deas whirl[] through his mind”, but he keeps arriving at the conclusion that he needs to tell Brom something. And the Knopf edition completely cuts out the explanation Eragon gives.

PPP: 479 (Good job, everyone!)

Well, Eragon thinks that if he does not give Brom some information, “[he] might get Saphira to land in the middle of Carvahall or do something else equally as mad.” Because Brom can remotely control Saphira; that certainly is how this comes across to me. Saphira has a mind of her own, Eragon! She could decide for herself that landing in Carvahall is not a good idea! And I do not see how Brom would get her to do that, either.

He says he does not care if “everyone in Carvahall learns about Saphira” as long as he will not be there, but if he cannot get away… “things could go badly”.

Well, because of all this, he says to Brom that he “was going to find a safe place to stay while he heal[s]”. And why did we never see this, even though we are in his head?

PPP: 480

Brom asks what he would do after that. Eragon says the “question [cannot] be ignored”, and the self-published edition again gives us a think process that the Knopf one cuts.

PPP: 481

You cannot just cut this out! We need this context for the decisions Eragon makes! If you wanted to cut, you should have removed the prologue instead. Well, on to the think process.

Eragon wonders if he should tell Brom the truth, and goes “why not?” He thinks that Brom can only stop him. Um, Eragon, he has a sword with him, so he can easily do more than stop you! Eragon then thinks that, if Brom does stop him, he will simply go back to Horst’s, wait until Brom is not there, and then try leaving again. Right, because you will not have to answer all kinds of questions from the people there at all. And they will not at all be watching you in case you want to sneak out again. His logic truly has taken a dive here.

Hmmm, maybe I am being too harsh on him here, given that he is still injured and not thinking very clearly… but then again, just two paragraphs ago, his logic was much better and his condition has not worsened very much in the meantime…

He then thinks that Brom knows of Saphira, and wonders “what [he will] do, what [he can] do with that information”. If he is half as trustworthy as he is made out to be, nothing, but that is the problem, is it not?

Back to both editions, the throbbing in Eragon’s head grows worse. He says it is “impossible to think” (which I suppose is true in the Knopf edition, so kudos for fixing this), and nothing is clear anymore. He only wants to tell someone “about the events of the past few months” (a sentiment a can certainly sympathise with), and he feels bad that “his secret [has] caused Garrow’s death”. Well, not per se, as Brom could have prevented it, too.

He then gives up and says “tremulously” that he was going to hunt down and kill the Ra’zac. In answer, Brom says that it is a “mighty task for one so young”. Nitpicking, but would chasing and killing beings who can easily take control of people not be a “mighty task” for most people, regardless of age? I could not see Horst taking them on, for example, even though he is quite a bit older than Eragon.

Ill Logic: 190

We are told Brom says this in “a normal tone, as if Eragon had proposed the most obvious and suitable thing to do.” But Eragon thinks it is a logical course of action, so why does this indicate he does not think this?

Forgot the Narrator: 27

Also, I truly do not think it is all that outlandish. The Ra’zac have caused quite some harm, after all, it would be in the best interests of Carvahall if they could not come back, and Saphira is fast enough to chase them. True, it is not the most sound course of action, it will be a good deal more complicated than Eragon is making it out to be, and I certainly do not think it is a morally right course of action, but it is not an unreasonable one.

Ill Logic: 191

He goes on: “Certainly a worthy endeavor and one you are fit to carry out, yet it strikes me that help would not be unwelcome.”

1) Preventing the Ra’zac from doing more harm is worthy, but I would not describe killing them as “worthy”.

2) How can you determine that Eragon is “fit” to carry this out, Brom? He certainly is not at the moment! That aside, I think I would like something like “one you can accomplish” better.

3) Yes, Brom, Eragon does need help, but not from you! Begone!

He then reaches behind a bush and pulls out “a large pack”. He gets gruff and says that he will not “stay behind while some stripling gets to run around with a dragon”. In the self-published edition, he adds “Won’t happen”.

So… he is also doing this because he simply wants to be involved when there is a new Rider, no matter what the Rider or dragon might think of that? How very trustworthy he is.

With Leaders Like These…: 7

And then it is time for thinking again. The self-published edition goes first. Eragon wonders if Brom is really trying to help, “or is it a trap?” Okay, he is rightfully suspicious, but should he not be taking some action based on what he is thinking? Well, Eragon wants to believe that Brom will help him, but he is afraid of “[Brom’s] seeming friendliness.” What friendliness?? Threatening Saphira so he could interrogate you at his leisure? Gloating about it? Admitting that he is partially helping because he wants to be involved? Disappearing for several days? What is he talking about?

Anyway, Eragon says the recent happenings have made him wary, and he is afraid of what “his mysterious enemies” can do. He explains that they have found Carvahall, blown up his home, killed Garrow, and, as he is now certain, killed him too “if it had not been for Saphira”. Not that he will apologise to her… Also, did we really need all of this?

Get to the Point Already: 20 (yes, the Knopf edition is better here, but it still drags a bit)

Well, in the Knopf edition, Eragon wonders if it is a trap or not, then says that he is afraid of what the Ra’zac can do. In both editions, Eragon gives as counterargument that Brom “convinced Saphira to trust him, and they’ve talked through the mind touch”.

1) How has Brom “convinced Saphira to trust him”? Yes, she has agreed to stay out of their conversation, but as I just said, it certainly sounded more like a threat.

2) These two things are the same. Brom “convinced” her when he talked to her.

3) Why the phrase “mind touch”? It does not appear anywhere else in this series, so it feels quite out-of-place.

Forgot Your Own Canon Again?: 89

Ill Logic: 193 (+2)

So, since Saphira is “[not] worried” and she decided to go along with Brom, he decides to “put his suspicions aside” for the present. He says to Brom that he does not need help, “then grudgingly added, “but you can come.””

Never mind that Saphira “trusting” him should be quite suspicious in and of itself…

Ill Logic: 194

…he has allowed Brom into the party. So we will be stuck with him for quite some time to come.

Why Are We Doing This?: 70 (+5)

On the other hand, it means we will be finally going somewhere in a couple of chapters! And we will have more to talk about, too! So I am happy that we will finally escape the endless loop of Carvahall.

Brom says they had better be going, and “[h]is face blank[s] for a moment”. Then he says that he thinks “[Eragon’s] dragon will listen to [Eragon] again.” Grrrr. Just… like he has control over Saphira, and that he just thinks he can “make her listen” to Eragon again, I hate it. Oh, also, Saphira did listen to Eragon earlier, so he clearly cannot actually control her.

With Leaders Like These…: 8

So Eragon contacts Saphira, and she acknowledges him. He “resist[s] the urge to question her”, even though he certainly has every right to now. But no, we just have to go along with this.

But Thou Must: 85 (+3) (for now and for Eragon going along with Brom)

Eragon asks Saphira if she will meet them at the farm. She agrees, and asks if they came to an agreement. Eragon says “I guess so”, and Saphira breaks contact and flies to the farm. Eragon looks over at Carvahall and sees “people running from house to house”. He says that he thinks they are looking for him. Brom raises an eyebrow and says the probably are, so they might better go.

Eragon hesitates, because he wants to leave a message for Roran. “[R]unning off without telling him why” does not seem right to him. Well, that is a very nice sentiment from him!

Brom assures him that it “[has] been taken care of” (you are very determined to get him underway, are you not?). He “left a letter for [Roran] with Gertrude”, that explains a few things, and in that letter, he also “cautioned him to be on guard for certain dangers”. He asks Eragon if that is satisfactory.

1) When did Brom leave this letter? This morning? And how did he manage to avoid being seen? Was Gertrude not at home?

Missing Puzzle Pieces: 201

2) I would like to note that Gertrude can indeed read this letter. (She is the only literate person aside from Brom in Carvahall at this point.)

3) This letter sounds incredibly vague and unhelpful. What did Brom exactly explain, then? And why could he not warn specifically against the Ra’zac, with explanations of what to look out for? The entirety of Carvahall might be in danger, and he cannot be bothered to help them?

Ill Logic: 192

Look Away: 357 (it does not matter in the end, but still!)

With Leaders Like These…: 9

4) I think that Roran should be the one to judge if it is “satisfactory”, Brom.

5) For something else, I just realised that Saphira being forbidden to help gets this, too:

Sparkly Damsel: 19

Eragon indicates that it is satisfactory, and he wraps the skins around the meat and “start[s] off”. We are finally going somewhere!

They carefully stay out of sight until the road, and then they walk faster, eager to get away from Carvahall. And that is also the last we will see of it this book. Good riddance. Eragon ploughs ahead, “his legs burning”. He can think better now that he only has to concentrate on walking. He tells himself “firmly” that once they reach the farm (or “get home”, as he puts it), he will not go any further until he gets some answers out of Brom. He hopes that Brom can tell him more “about the Riders and whom [he’s] fighting”. Hmmm, I would not say that he is “fighting” anyone at the moment; that is to come in the future.

Soon, they reach the ruined farm. Brom scowls at the sight, and in the self-published edition, he even curses. Eragon is “dismayed to see how swiftly nature [is] reclaiming the farm”. Just how swiftly? See for yourself:

S: Snow and dirt were already piled inside the house. All that remained of the barn was a rapidly eroding rectangle of soot. Wind had scattered the debris, concealing the violence of the strangers’ attack.

K: Snow and dirt were already piled inside the house, concealing the violence of the strangers’ attack. All that remained of the barn was a rapidly eroding rectangle of soot.

Well… let me go through this.

“snow”: No problems here, as it has been snowing the past several days.

“dirt”: Where did that come from? I guess it might come from Saphira being busy there, but it seems to imply that dirt piling into the house is just something that occurs naturally. So… does the dirt then fall from the sky or something?

This Cannot Be: 32

Why Are We Doing This?: 71

“barn is a rectangle of soot”: Well, first I would like to know how the burn has burned down so completely. Like, are there no pieces of wood that survived? None at all? Also, why is this “soot”? Like, soot comes from incomplete combustion of carbon compounds. Only wood does not exclusively exist from carbon compounds, so there ought to be quite some ash lying around. This is not obscure knowledge!

I guess the ash might have been blown away or something, but I doubt that everything would be gone only three days later.

This Cannot Be: 34 (+2)

Why Are We Doing This?: 73 (+2)

“wind has scattered the debris”: Yes, there was a strong wind the day before, so I guess the lighter pieces could have been carried off. The same cannot be said of the main part of the house. An intact cupboard, for example, will not be carried off by a stiff wind. And, because the main part of the house is the part that has been most visibly destroyed, I do not know how this “conceals the violence”.

Well, that was… quite weird. It truly does not read to me like it was written by someone with any idea how fires actually work. (And this will keep on, also with other subjects.)

Saphira comes flying to them, and Brom’s head “snap[s] up” at the sound (not certain when he lowered his head, but I will accept it). She then “[dives] past them from behind, almost brushing their heads.” Brom and Eragon stagger because of the air displacement. So why did you decide to fly so low over them, Saphira? They are both not the most secure qua footing, so you could have knocked them over! And there is plenty of room!

Best Partners Ever: 189

Ill Logic: 193

We get a note about how Saphira’s scales “glitter[]” while she flies over the farm and “land[s] gracefully”. The self-published edition notes that Eragon “[cannot] help but admire her beauty”.

Well, Brom steps toward her with “an expression both solemn and joyous”. His eyes “are shining”, and a tear rolls down his cheek into his beard. He stands there for a while, “breathing heavily” while he watches Saphira and she him. Eragon then hears him muttering and goes in to listen.

And this would just work so much better if we knew by now that he was a Rider, so we would have the complete context for why this is so emotional for him. Thankfully, I have read the rest of the books, so I do have that context. I would just love to see more be made of this. It has been fifteen years since Brom has last seen a dragon, and now he sees the first new dragon that has hatched in Alagaësia in a hundred years! And he might even see the resurrection of the Riders! It would all be nice to explore, but sadly we will never get very much out of it.

PPP: 481

For now, let us have a look at what Brom is muttering:

S: “So… it starts again. But how and where will it end? My sight is veiled; I cannot tell if this be tragedy or farce, for the elements of both are here… Has chance blindly thrown her dice again? Or is there some foul weaver of designs hunched in a corner and bringing such things to pass? However it may be, my station is unchanged. I…”

K: “So… it starts again. But how and where will it end? My sight is veiled; I cannot tell if this be tragedy or farce, for the elements of both are here…. However it may be, my station is unchanged, and I…”

In other words, nothing definite. Let me go through it, then.

“it starts again”: Maybe this is somewhat nitpicky, but the Riders have not stopped being a thing in the meantime. Yes, Krovogon, the last regularly bonded dragon, died fifteen years ago (or so we are supposed to believe by now), but the framework of the Riders did not stop existing. He might also refer to the Riders, but them “starting again” is not yet a given. I personally would have written “they are back again” here.

“how and where will it end?”: Interesting to see that Brom’s first thought is of how this new order of Riders will end. Well, he has been through the destruction of the previous one, so I can see it. As for the question itself… I have a good idea of how it might end, but as to where it would end… well, can a phenomenon that affects an entire country even be said to end at a specific place?

“tragedy or farce”: Well, let me talk about this for a bit. I am quite certain that this bit is a reference to the quote “history repeats itself twice: first as tragedy, then as farce” (quoted from memory). And I can see why Paolini wanted to use this, when Brom talks about the Riders starting again. But I do have some issues, considering its origin and the context it comes from.

So I see this quote is derived from an 1852 work by Karl Marx called The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte. Here is the (translated) quote with some additional context:

Hegel remarks somewhere that all great world-historic facts and personages appear, so to speak, twice. He forgot to add: the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce. Caussidière for Danton, Louis Blanc for Robespierre, the Montagne of 1848 to 1851 for the Montagne of 1793 to 1795, the nephew for the uncle. And the same caricature occurs in the circumstances of the second edition of the Eighteenth Brumaire.

So this was a comparison of the French Revolution and the rise of Napolean Bonaparte with the Revolution of 1848 and Louis Bonaparte, who had just staged a coup when this was written and soon crowned himself emperor, too. (Correct me if I got something wrong here.)

I certainly do not think it is an inappropriate quote to use in this series, considering the similarities we will see between the overthrow of the Riders, and the inevitable overthrow of Galbatorix. The thing is, though, that it should not be one of the characters saying it, as there is no way they should know this quote!

Forgot the Narrator: 28

PPP: 482 (someone should have noticed this!)

The way Brom uses it does not make very much sense given the context of the original quote. Why would Brom be questioning whether it is a tragedy or a farce? How does he even know that history will repeat itself? It would indeed be a farce if they repeated all the mistakes from the past, but this is the point to prevent that from happening! Like, this is not something his sight should be “veiled” on, it is something he can work on!

Ill Logic: 194

To be a bit clearer: if history does repeat itself here, there is no question that it will be a “farce” (someone truly should have learned from the Riders, after all). If history does not repeat itself, this quote has no place here. And Brom seems to be assuming that history does repeat itself, so 1) why does he doubt what it will be, and 2) why do you assume history will repeat itself? Are you not supposed to prevent that from happening?

Well, let me go on.

“elements of both”: First off, this is clearly not in the original quote. That said, where does Brom see elements of “tragedy” and “farce”? Is the tragedy supposed to be in that the Ra’zac blew up his house and killed Garrow (which he was also partly responsible for by not bothering to try to heal Garrow)? But how is that indicative of future tragedies?

And where is the “farce” here? In that Saphira is named “Saphira” (which was how the dragon Brom was bonded to was called)? But Brom, you were the one who suggested that name. Like, I get the feeling Brom thinks that there is some kind of greater power behind this, but he has had a quite large hand in it himself, too.

“has chance thrown her dice”: This would be a nice concept to expand on. So some people, at least, conceive of “chance” as a woman who sometimes throws dice? That would make for some good worldbuilding…

“some foul weaver of designs”: Well, good to see that Brom is thinking of Umaroth in at least one edition! Not that he will actually do something with this thought…

“my station is unchanged”: What does he mean with this? Like, I guess he means that he still has the same position as before he met Saphira just now? Oh, I think he means that whatever unseen forces may be influencing him, he still can act of his own accord. And that makes more sense in the self-published edition. In the Knopf one, he goes from talking about “is this tragedy or farce” to “my station is unchanged”, which… does work a bit, as “however this may play out, I can still act”, but it is not as fluent.

Well, Brom’s monologue is cut short as Saphira breaks eye contact and “proudly approache[s] them”. Because she is not allowed to be at all suspicious of someone who just used (what she thinks to be) the near extermination of her race to threaten her.

Sparkly Damsel: 20

Oh, and Eragon gets the same point, too.

Sparkly Damsel: 21

Eragon walks past Brom, pretending he did not hear Brom mutter, and greets Saphira. We are then told that something is different between them, “as if they [know] each other even more intimately, yet [are] still strangers.” Why? What has changed between them, then? Yes, Eragon has lost Garrow, but would that really have such a strong effect on their relationship? I simply do not understand what Paolini is going for here.

PPP: 483 (this should be clearer)

He rubs her neck, and they touch their minds, which causes Eragon’s gedwëy ignasia to tingle (?). Saphira is very curious, and she says she has only seen Eragon and Garrow before, and Garrow was badly injured, so she is interested to see Brom. Might be nice to see something like this from the dragon’s perspective… Regardless, Eragon says that she has seen people “through [his] eyes”. The self-published edition notes he says this “half humorously”. Um, why? What is humorous about that? I simply do not see it.

Saphira says that is not the same (and, of course, she would not be able to taste their smell the way she could in-person). She comes closer and turns her head to “inspect Brom with one large blue eye”. She says “critically” that humans are truly “queer creatures”, and keeps staring at Brom. I would love to see why she thinks this, but alas, we will not get that. Brom keeps still as Saphira sniffs him (she actually does!), and then extends a hand to her. Saphira bows her head and lets Brom touch her on the forehead. Then, we get this:

With a snort, she jerked back and retreated behind Eragon. Her tail flicked over the ground.

What is it? he asked. She did not answer.

I guess that she did not like Brom touching her after all, and that is why she pulls away from him? It would be nice to have some clarification…

Missing Puzzle Pieces: 202

I do note that they handle this quite well. Brom then turns to Eragon and asks “in an undertone” what Saphira’s name is. Eragon says it is Saphira, and a “peculiar expression” crosses Brom’s face, and he grinds his staff into the ground so hard that his knuckles turn white. Well, it is something alright for Brom to see that Eragon has named the dragon he is bonded to after the dragon Brom was bonded to. Eragon gets a bit insecure at this reaction, so he quickly adds that it was the only name she liked out of all the names Brom gave him.

Yes, that seems approximately accurate (I did want to check this). He says that he thinks it fits. Well, I think Saphira should be the final judge in this, given that she is the one who has that name.

What Dragons?: 277

And here I would like to stop for the moment, as I am now halfway through this chapter. Until next time!

Comments

[epistler]

(including a point for not healing Garrow)

Hell, why didn't he heal himself come to that?

it is specifically called “silver palm” is “because when they first see their dragon, they put their hand out to touch it.”

Correction: it has to be on the palm because it's a complete ripoff of the silver palm mark Garion had, which was caused by his having touched the pommel of a magic sword. At least the movie had the sense to change it to a pretty cool looking spiral scar.

With a snort, she jerked back and retreated behind Eragon. Her tail flicked over the ground.

Just like Toothless when Hiccup touched him for the first time! Except there it made way more sense.

[pangolin20]

Correction: it has to be on the palm because it's a complete ripoff of the silver palm mark Garion had, which was caused by his having touched the pommel of a magic sword.

Kerlois: Uuggghh. If you are going to rip something off, Paolini, at least have the decency to make it make sense in your world.

Just like Toothless when Hiccup touched him for the first time! Except there it made way more sense.

It would make sense if she does not entirely trust Brom, but we have been assured she does, so why bother to put this in?

[epistler]

If you are going to rip something off, Paolini, at least have the decency to make it make sense in your world.

You can say that about an awful lot of what's in this series. Plagiarism will do that to you.

It would make sense if she does not entirely trust Brom, but we have been assured she does, so why bother to put this in?

Especially so since Brom is absolutely NOT trustworthy.

[kirito210]

Everyone's been wondering why Brom didn't bother trying to cure Garrow, and I think the answer should be pretty obvious:

He didn't do it because Garrow's death was a canon event. If Brom had saved Garrow, he would have broken canon; and we all know what happens when you break canon, don't we?