This is the part where I talk about how this chapter could have been improved.
Unfortunately, my answer is just 'cut it.'
These past few chapters have been completely worthless. They do some worldbuilding, but that worldbuilding never actually comes up. This entire sequence could have been cut and replaced with Eragon and Arya flying to Elf Land on Saphira. It would have been much more efficient and might have actually been entertaining.
Maybe they could have gotten chased by the mysterious red dragon rider, who proves himself super powerful and nearly defeats both of them. Thus making his presence less completely out of nowhere. Then Eragon could ask Oromis about him, and there could be a plotline about trying to find out who the mysterious dragon rider is.
Then we get the reveal with Murtagh, and there is some actual build up to the damn thing.
In essence, to fix these chapters would require nothing less than a full-on rewrite. This is the core problem with Eldest. It takes a thousand words to say what should have been revealed in one sentence. There is no restraint on the author's part. Paolini wanted to do worldbuilding, so he slapped together worldbuilding without ever once stopping to consider how it fit into the narrative.
no subject
Unfortunately, my answer is just 'cut it.'
These past few chapters have been completely worthless. They do some worldbuilding, but that worldbuilding never actually comes up. This entire sequence could have been cut and replaced with Eragon and Arya flying to Elf Land on Saphira. It would have been much more efficient and might have actually been entertaining.
Maybe they could have gotten chased by the mysterious red dragon rider, who proves himself super powerful and nearly defeats both of them. Thus making his presence less completely out of nowhere. Then Eragon could ask Oromis about him, and there could be a plotline about trying to find out who the mysterious dragon rider is.
Then we get the reveal with Murtagh, and there is some actual build up to the damn thing.
In essence, to fix these chapters would require nothing less than a full-on rewrite. This is the core problem with Eldest. It takes a thousand words to say what should have been revealed in one sentence. There is no restraint on the author's part. Paolini wanted to do worldbuilding, so he slapped together worldbuilding without ever once stopping to consider how it fit into the narrative.