I just had a quick question, as it's been a while since I read the first three books and I don't really wish to read through them again just to know this answer. Was the whole mages being out of control thing foreshadowed at all in the earlier books?

When I was reading Book 4, I sort of felt like Galbatorix's plan to control the mages sort of came out of nowhere. From what I remember, I never really saw the mages being such a huge threat to society as a whole, which is a pity. I honestly think the ending would have been a lot stronger if there was more question about whether Galbatorix really was doing the wrong thing, or if he was just protecting the general populace.

However, I think the conflict with the mages was introduced way too late. On the other hand, my memory is shit and this was a theme throughout the books, in which case more respect to Paoloni I suppose.

 

There was the occasional mention of how people needed to learn to defend their minds from Du Vrangr Gata. It gave you the suspicion that they couldn't be trusted not to use their powers to their own benefit. Also the using magic to make lace showed how much of an effect magic users can have on things like the economy. But it wasn't really until the last book where it showed how the general public were afraid of the elves and magic users. Most of the talk before was of how the magicians were seen as invaluable by the soldiers.

 

All those curses and prophercies say he wont "return to algaesia", what if he is brought back or sent, or teleported.

Murtagh could very likly be stuck will cleaning up any messes left, as part of his redemption, to attone for all of his black deeds. So hunting down the bug monsters would the big one. What would happen if he discovered their true name for their species, could he make it so they are vulnerable to at least some forms of magic. Searching for brightsteal and any lost Dragon rider swords. Discover where the belt of belwoth the wise went to. Put an end to slavery.

Well as magic does need to be regulated, what kind of strictures will be made. Make it impossible for shades to be formed, or simply make that summoning spirits is impossible. PLace controls over dark magic, or the words of death.

Create a monitoring system so any dangerous magics could be caught. Help find all those with the potential for magic, and make sure they are taught the right way.

How will kull and Drawfs change from being dragon riders, Humans got magics and reading and writing. Will the Drawf end up creating a whole clan of magicians. Will the kull suddernly become all diplomatic.

 

Have you heard of this great thing called a question mark?

 

Finished the book a couple of days ago, at last. I was more or less reading this on autopilot whenever the scene moved away from Eragon.

I honestly expected Galbatorix to get eaten by Shruiken in the end- that the Eldunari would break or otherwise disrupt the hold keeping Shruiken obedient, and in the rampage that followed, he'd be killed by his own best-forged weapon(so to speak).

Alas. And then there's the crap with Arya becoming the next Rider- seriously? Fuck her if she isn't going to finally get up with Eragon. The nearest thing we get is their Dragons having a good ol time for a week or two, so what about that fact dropped way back in book 1 that whoever the Rider/Dragon picks for their (temporary) mate, the other is influenced the same, which is why Glaedr was out of the question in Eldest?

Angela was less than satisfying in most every scene she showed up in.

I think the best way to sum this up is as follows; when I finished Harry Potter, I felt like a void was left inside of me for a week that it was finally, truly, over.

I finished Inheritance, and I went 'Meh' and moved on to the next book without so much as a flicker of sadness.