#ashna reads the inheritance cycle

[sparklepirate]

Alright, final thoughts on Inheritance.

;-;

Eragon continues to be the guy of all time. I love him. He really displayed a maturity in this book that I think supersedes anything we've seen of him in all the previous books, and just like... His strength really is that he is compassionate and thoughtful towards everyone. Even Murtagh, now, too. He had the realization of how close he was to sharing his fate, sought to understand him, and that was ultimately what led him to realizing his true name had changed, tearing down Galbatorix's wards, etc etc. I don't know that I could properly articulate everything about him here, but Eragon definitely became the hero he needed to be by the end of the series, 100%. He is the only person who could've possibly thought of the final piece of magic to defeat Galbatorix. Even the dreams of starlings are equal to the worries of a king. Ahhh, it's so good. ❤️ I'm so proud of him.

On the other hand, Barst was some bullshit. Bro. Like, on the one hand, it was a very good climactic battle for Roran to participate in, and his triumph was the perfect culmination of his character- cunning in battle, cunning in strategy, the intelligence and charisma to sway everyone around him into cooperating and working together, sheer determination so intensely strong that he was able to crush and Eldunarí with his bare hands. His role was perfect! But Barst as a villain was kinda... Well, first of all, he came completely the fuck out of nowhere. He wasn't mentioned at all until they were already on their way to Uru'baen, and then he was only MENTIONED. They didn't hype him up enough before the actual battle in my opinion. And ONE human and one Eldunarí being enough to beat the QUEEN OF THE ELVES in hand to hand combat...? I mean, I guess that could work but... Ehhh... I dunno. It kind of felt like an excuse for Islanzadí to die, and Roran to triumph more than anything. It was cool, but it was probably the weakest part of the plot in my opinion.

That said though I think it's pretty safe to say this was my favorite book of the series. I'm having trouble recalling all the iconic shit (I took a pretty long break from reading about halfway through the book) but there was soooo much cool stuff in here. The Nasuada being kidnapped and being helped by Murtagh arc is GOLD, Vroengard was amazing, and all the battles were SO well written??? I need to study these books more closely just to learn how to write compelling fight scenes. Honestly, it's gripping stuff. I was on the edge of my seat, despite knowing how everything turns out.

Nasuada is amazing, Arya is amazing, Saphira is amazing, Roran is amazing, MURTAGH is amazing... I think I already liked basically every character in this series going in, but I somehow like them even more now that I've read it again. Everyone is so good, and interesting, and I want to be everyone's friend. I think the only character I liked less this go around was Orrin (sorry to my Orrin stan friend out there). That said, though, I don't dislike him, I think I just went from positive to neutral about him.

Orrin honestly just didn't get nearly as much screen time as I remembered? We only see him a handful of times throughout the book and each time the only thing he's doing is getting drunk and making an ass of himself, though... Idk, he also has a point? He has his own unique point of view, and his own unique experiences that lead him to his own ideas of how to conduct things, and it is definitely kind of true that like no one ever really listens to him or takes him seriously, despite being the King of Surda for w while at that point. I don't think there was a more graceful solution to the division of power/territory after Galbatorix was killed than what was decided upon, because like... Realistically, Orrin was never gonna be high king. He had good reason to assert for the throne, sure, but actually ascending to the throne? That is SUCH a far reach for power, unless the aim was to assimilate Surda in and have all of the humans under one crown. Nah, Nasuada giving up territory and ascending to the throne was the better choice, even if I do empathize with Orrin's point of view. It seems like Nasuada did as well, because even though she was persistent, she seemed to be gentle and sympathetic with him. He even had his line about like... "Why do you even want to do this?" "None of you would understand." Idk. Very interesting, but not tremendously notable compared to others, and he definitely was a bit of an asshole at times.

Murtagh my beloved my BELOVED I'm honestly just gonna make a whole separate essay post about him because his shit is Complicated™️ but one little note it was such a small detail at the end but I love that he said to Eragon "Hey check in on Arya about killing Shruikan. It couldn't have been easy for an elf to kill a dragon." And Eragon hadn't even THOUGHT of that and Arya probably would've been the last thing on his mind but he still was just so thoughtful. He is thoughtful like his brother and he cares so deeply and AHHH!!! And actually I want to see him and Arya be buds. I think they would have a cool dynamic. And also I love that he never once hesitated to acknowledge Eragon as his brother and just wanted to be with him and finally Eragon also acknowledged him as a brother too that last scene with them was just so good 🥹

Also I love how Thorn's like only spoken line in the whole series (until November) is to boop Eragon on the forehead and say "Hi. Thank you for not killing my rider. :)" and Murtagh is just like "Yeah thanks for that. 😒"

Love how quick Saphira and Fírnen hit it off lol. They really played tag and wrestled for like five minutes and then were like "Alright we're gonna go fuck like now see y'all later ✌️" And Eragon's like "Is this??? Okay???" And Saphira's like "Pfft dragon's don't mate for life 🤷‍♀️" Their little romance was so cute.

CAN WE FUCKING TALK ABOUT QUEEN AND RIDER ARYA??? That shit is by FAR the wildest endgame decision Chris made because like. That. That's so fucking. Oh my god??? Like, one, poor Arya!! She just wanted to be a rider and have adventures! She probably would've either spent her time happy herrying eggs across Alegaësia, or she would've gone with Eragon to Mount Arngor, but you can NOT convince me that she would be particularly happy as queen. She's grieving the loss of her mother that she barely had a relationship with, and denied the other eleven leaders for a full week before they convinced her to do it!!! Girlie!!! You deserve to be happy!!! And, two, the obvious point of holy shit that is such an enormous power imbalance in favor of the elves. Like, there is a REASON the riders were separate in the first place!! And, you know, Galbatorix JUST died and now there is another rider/monarch and it's the ELVES who have historically been both the most powerful race, and the race with the best relationship with the dragons. And Arya is the ONLY RIDER LEFT IN ALEGAËSIA!!! Because Eragon is gone (and stubbornly convinced that He Shall Never Again Return Oh Woe Is Him) and Murtagh is... Also gone to an extent. He at the very least holds no political power. Basically everyone hates him, and those that don't can't do more than, like, pardon him, for whatever that's worth. I just can't see this not rubbing people the wrong way, and not coming to an eventual head. Nasuada and Arya are both great, but I just get the feeling there is going to eventually be some sort of conflict between them, no matter how much neither of them want it. I do think Arya is perhaps the least corruptible person, other than maybe Eragon but... I don't knowwww maaaan it's complicated!!

Also I regret to inform everyone that rereading the last little bit did make me ship Eragon and Arya a teensy tinsy itty little bit. Just a liiiiittle bit. Like idk the last fairth and the telling each other their true names and calling each other their true names and Eragon's grief at leaving and his vow to love her forever and her insinuation of maybe one day just got to me alright???

There were a lot of cool magic things in this book! Like the pocket space that the Eldunarí were kept in? Cuaroc's body? More shit that I'm forgetting? God I would just love, like, a magical encyclopedia or something idk. Lots of cool shit. And artifacts!! I want to learn about more magical artifacts.

Also at my Galbatorix stan mutual? I'm a certified Murtagh Girlie™️ and therefore obligated to hold a grudge but like. I do get it. He is a... Very competent villain.

Alright I think that's it for now but. Wow. Man oh man. There is a reason I love this series. I'll probably think of some more things to talk about later, and I'm gonna be participating in the Big Bang, and I'll probably post about The Fork, The Witch, and The Worm as I reread that but yeah!!! Can't wait for November!!

#can't WAIT for November!!! #ashna reads the inheritance cycle #inheritance cycle #eragon #inheritence #murtagh morzansson #saphira #murtagh thornsrider #nasuada #roran stronghammer

[sparklepirate]

Your honor, I love him.

#'he began to giggle again feeling very silly' STOP that's SO CUTE #my little brother fr fr #I want to be his friend so bad #and Saphira's too of course #ashna reads the inheritance cycle #inheritance cycle #eragon #inheritance cycle spoilers #saphira

[sparklepirate]

What a whimsical little lad.

#and the line immediately preceding this #'You sound like a teapot left to boil' #absolutely scathing you get his ass Eragon #roast the shit outta that snail #ashna reads the inheritance cycle #inheritance cycle #eragon #inheritence

[sparklepirate]

YOU MINX SKSKSKSK

#This is just Galbatorix's depcition of him but STILL #also this is the most iconic scene in the whe book don't @ me 🤷 #this scene is burned into my DNA #ashna reads the inheritance cycle #inheritence #murtagh morzansson #murtagh thornsrider #nasuada

[sparklepirate]

Eragon telling Murtagh and Thorn to change their true names as if that's something that they can just... Do. Right now. On the spot.

As if Murtagh is just gonna be like "Oh shit really that's all it takes?? Aight cool let me just change my core identity real quick."

"Please, Murtagh, Thorn, will you not at least try what I've suggested? Have you no desire to resist Galbatorix? You will never cast off your chains unless you are willing to defy him." Like- Eragon- Buddy-

WHAT are they supposed to do RIGHT NOW? They were receptive from the very moment you brought it up. Was he like "Oh my god yes Eragon of course what a perfect flawless idea!!" No, he wasn't, but he was OPEN to it. He's being cautious and skeptical because he has to be- he's always had to be- but he's doing the VERY BEST he can do and saying "Yeah we'll look into it!" And you're like "Oh but won'T you PLEASE just consider it and do it right now??" Like??? What do you WANT HIM TO DO Eragon??

Also like- "Have you no desire to resist Galbatorix?" What do you THINK Eragon?? Do you think he and his dragon are mind slaves because they just looooove Galbatorix?? Do you remember him telling you they were fucking tortured??? Not only before the Battle of the Burning Plains, but afterwards too, when he LET YOUR SORRY ASS GO FREE? Do you not see "exploiting a technical loophole in his oaths to save his master's mortal enemy" as a form of resistance??? Eragon?????

#I love him but ge infuriates me sometimes #especially around his attitude towards Murtagh #like ugh I GET IT #but why do his empathy and critical thinking skills just fly out the window whenever he talks to Murtagh? #ashna reads the inheritance cycle #eragon #brisingr #murtagh morzansson #rant

[sparklepirate]

I love how needlessly dramatic this whole sequence of saying goodbye is like Nasuada asking "Will you at least come and visit??" And Eragon just being like "Yeah... Probably not..." As if he is NEVER ONCE going to be able to make the time to get away for the rest of her life. Or even saying that he'll never see ARYA again as if he will NEVER ONCE be able to leave for the rest of his effectively immortal life like bro. You literally can. There's no need for this. Go and visit your friends every once in a while there is nothing stopping you please I'm begging you.

#so dramatic #it's not like the prophecy is set in stone!!! #and even if it was it's not like THIS is absolutely the time he will leave and never come back smh #ashna reads the inheritance cycle #inheritance cycle #eragon #inheritence

[sparklepirate]

Just the way Essie is describing Murtagh here- dark, intense eyes, neat beard, pretty accent, trimmed nails, pretty *teeth*- like, Christopher Paolini WANTS me to think this man is hot. He DOES. Every description of his physical appearance in this series is just about how hot he is!!!

#also another reference to how cat like he is #conclusion: Christopher Paolini also wants me to think Murtagh is a catboy #ashna reads the inheritance cycle #inheritance cycle #murtagh morzansson #murtagh thornsrider #the fork the witch and the worm

[sparklepirate]

GOD it just sunk in that Eragon was only able to find his true name after realizing that he has grown and changed into a different person and Murtagh was ALSO only able to realize his true name changed after knowing that he isn't the same person he thought he was/the same person he was before the PARALLELS THE PARALLELS-

#love those boys #ashna reads the inheritance cycle #inheritance cycle #eragon #murtagh morzansson #murtagh thornsrider

[sparklepirate]

Alright, final thoughts on Brisingr.

You know what half the book was dwarven politics but I ate that shit up.

The more I read these again the more I appreciate the nuance of Eragon's character. It's super rare for me to like a main protagonist as much as I like him, but he has so many things going on. He's heroic, but in a deeply existentialist way, which leads him to be a bit cruel/callous towards his brother. He is smart and a quick learner, both academically and on his feet, but he does and thinks some of the stupidest things sometimes. He was forced to grow up so fast, so while he often comes across as mature and self-assured, internally he is still just a kid, or perhaps a very, very young man, and that kid part of him still shines through sometimes. He does and will do what he has to do to help the world, but he is constantly surprised to find new avenues of guilt when confronted with various consequences of his actions, but he still presses on. He is still learning his place in life not only as a dragon rider and a hero, but just as a person in general, and I think that's so cool and interesting to read! And he's also dealing with the trauma of the everything that's happening to him, but doesn't quite yet seem to realize that he isn't alone in his feelings. He is a dork, and I love him, and I want to be his friend, and I want him to accrue a whole squad of older sibling figures to help him through his stuff.

Along the lines of trauma, I hope he and Roran get to talk about this stuff. They both have moments of berating themselves over being weak for having strong feelings about killing and participating in a war, and I wish they would talk to each other and realize they were not alone. ... Murtagh too but that's just wishful thinking. I'll just have to write that myself I suppose.

Saphira is also so good queen of my heart and my soul she is beauty she is grace if she were a human she would rip apart a rat with her bare hands and teeth and do a kegstand immediately afterwards with the blood still dripping down her face but her makeup would be FLAWLESS while she did it ❤️

This felt like the first book that really drove the point home of how close the two of them are, because this is the first time they had to be truly separated from each other. Every time they reunited and they were just so filled with joy and love I just 🥺

As always- Murtagh deserves better!!! He and Thorn!!! He is in this position because he was too compassionate for Eragon (being led to the Varden), and then Thorn (swearing fealty to save him), and no one really cares about him but he still hopes and he still loves!!! Obviously, like, being on opposite sides of the conflict no one is going to not try to kill him, they kind of don't have a choice, but... Damn. I won't say too much more about him until after Inheritance but like. Damn. Justice for my husband.

On that note, the absolute betrayal he must have felt upon finding out that Oromis and Glaedr existed. Granted, by him becoming a dragon rider it was already too late for them to help him, but still. It's just kind of a tragic circumstance that everyone was so powerless in this situation, and like... Being literally possessed by Galbatorix for a bit there was. Hmm. Bad. I'm sure we'll be dissecting THAT in the new book.

It makes me wonder how much of this situation could have been prevented if the elves and the dwarves weren't so consistently self-serving. I think that's what makes Nasuada such an effective leader in comparison to them. She will get shit done, and she will set aside pride whenever she needs to to achieve the best results. Now, she has her flaws, which I know are explored more in Inheritance, but I can understand her constant frustration with the other kingdoms refusal to help or share important secrets that could have helped them sooner/prevented bloodshed.

And as far as secrets go... I don't know. It's hard to gauge "should have" or "shouldn't have" with most of the things Oromis and Glaedr neglected to tell Eragon and Saphira (or anyone), but the eldunarí feels like the most cut and dry. I guess they weren't anticipating Thron hatching but like. If that's the source of Galbatorix's power... It might have been useful for literally anyone to know about that before now. Arya didn't even know, for god's sake.

Speaking of Arya, I like her way way more this read through!!! And I do not ship her and Eragon literally at all sorry I'm a hater ❤️

RIP Oromis though sucks that you died.

Onto Inheritance!

#ashna reads the inheritance cycle #brisingr #inheritance cycle #eragon #murtagh morzansson #saphira

[sparklepirate]

Looool I love Eragon Mr. Bigshot over here sauntering up to Arya like "Hey we haven't sparred in a while! C'moooon. You won't be able to beat me so easy this time 😏" and just immediately being put in his place because she smiled at him while they were sparring and he got too distracted to defend himself.

Also most unrealistic part of the entire series is that this happened and Eragon didn't immediately die of fluster and horny

#making my bisexual ass feel things anyways #and I don't even like Arya like that #ashna reads the inheritance cycle #inheritance cycle #eragon #arya drottningu #inheritance

[sparklepirate]

Okay, I'd like to throw my hat in the ring about Murtagh's surname because I have some thoughts and feelings.

I know a lot of people are gunning for Murtagh changing his name in order to sever his connection with his father, and I think that's a fantastic idea! I really hope Paolini does that in this upcoming book! Changing his name can be so powerful in forging his own identity and taking control of his life and his image and frankly, as a trans person who has in fact changed my own name, I think that is so sexy of him.

But I've seen a lot of different contenders for what his name should be and I'd like to contribute one I haven't seen yet but really like? So far I've seen

Murtagh Selenasson: I like it a lot! I think there's something so powerful about a man in this culture taking on the name of a woman, especially in as deliberate a nature as this, and honoring the legacy of his mother. That said though, this probably would be my favorite, but if I remember correctly didn't he feel abandoned and betrayed by his mother leaving to give birth to Eragon, like she thought only one of her kids was worthy of being raised in peace and it clearly wasn't him? Obviously the situation in reality was more complicated than that, but I wonder if those feelings of hurt still linger, and if it would occur to him to take on her name in spite of that. I give it like a 8.5/10.

Murtagh Tornacson: Honestly, no complaints about this one at all! Honoring the man that was more of a father to him than his own father! Very sweet! 10/10, except I personally prefer...

Murtagh Thornsrider: I haven't seen this one around (and if it HAS been floating around, come talk to me 👀), but I really like it? It feels the most like staking entirely his own identity, completely free of his past and any other implications except for that this is truly who he is now. He is a rider, and he is his own. It also is honoring the one figure in his life that was there for him throughout the whole of his very darkest days, and the person he is absolutely the closest to. He seems to be on the path of mending his relationship with Eragon, but Thorn could probably be considered his only true family at this point. Plus I just feel like it rolls off the tongue. This is what I'm gonna be using in fic if I ever decide to post any.

#thoughts? #ashna reads the inheritance cycle #murtagh morzansson #murtagh and thorn #murtagh thornsrider #murtagh tornacson #murtagh selenasson

[sparklepirate]

Eragon, baby, no. You just have PTSD.

#someone give this man a hug stat #ashna reads the inheritance cycle #brisingr #eragon

[sparklepirate]

Smartass.

#no he's obviously not just going to say like #'Oh yeah here is my super large and identifiable scar!' #but still #I can just FEEL him smiling and winking at the camera #ashna reads the inheritance cycle #inheritance cycle #murtagh morzansson #murtagh thornsrider #the fork the witch and the worm

[sparklepirate]

Also quickly rocketing to the top of scenes I desperately want to see in the Disney show that is (maybe, hopefully) being released one day is Saphira, Eragon, and Glaedr flying through the storm on the way to Vroengard. Both being tossed and buffeted around by the winds and then flying so far above the storm that they see all the stars and the curvature of the Earth. That would be so far down the line, but it would be so cool to see on screen if done right...

#ashna reads the inheritance cycle #inheritance cycle #eragon #Inheritance #saphira

[sparklepirate]

Dramatic, Han Solo-ass. I love him.

#literally the most iconic line in the entire book don't @ me #YoU KnOw WhY bitch shut up and come kiss me. Her. Me. Both of us. #ashna reads the inheritance cycle #inheritance cycle #murtagh morzansson #inheritence

[sparklepirate]

Eragon suffering from a teenage boy's insatiable desire to just climb things.

#ashna reads the inheritance cycle #inheritance cycle #eragon #inheritence