Geeks Guide to

I have just finished reading my borrowed copy of Eragon written by Christopher Paolini. I'm going to be very honest, I am envious of this guy. He wrote the book when he was fifteen and published it at nineteen. He's twenty years old now, younger than I am by four years, and he's a published author of fantasy, no less. He's so well-praised that even his success is making waves here in the Philippines. My friend who let me borrow the book also just bought the second book entitled Eldest. My point is, this young guy is making some ultra-cool money by writing about something he loved!

I'm happy that he wrote this book whil he's still young. I think it was what helped him rise to fame. To see the kind of determination he showed in someone so young is exemplary. And the product of his efforts was impressive. But - -

Again, I would be honest. You can say I'm just jealous... but the book wasn't as great as I anticipated it to be. Let's just say, there were a few chinks in the armor of his great storytelling effort. I wasn't exactly pulled into his created world, Alagaesia. His descriptions, were fine, not to get me wrong. He richly evoked the scenery and the geography of his story. But when it's time for the people to talk, there's an amateurish flavor in it of wanting to impress rather than express. The dialogue didn't flow as naturally as I expected it to be. This was so pronounced in the beginning chapters of the novel that it was an effort to keep reading. Maybe it's just me, but I also think he can still improve on how to describe the physical features of his characters. Our first glimpse of the elven maiden, Arya, was a too conscious effort to describe her beauty.

And above all those things, reading the book feels like watching a movie. Paolini's ideas on his character's reactions, their movements as well as their speech felt acted out and predictable. Or rather, it was easy to imagine what he was describing because you've seen it already in some movie before. I think the word I'm looking for is stereotypical. I have heard that a movie is actually under production now, and at least the scriptwriter would have an easy time translating it to a script.

Nevertheless, the book is still good. Acceptable. For someone so young, it's amazing. It might not sound flattering now, but he's got a lot of time to improve. The important thing is he wrote something, pursued a dream and published the book. He's got two feathers on his cap, and there might be dozen more in his future. That's more than middle-aged wannabe writers out there can ever say.

Even if I think the book Eragon was just a passable attempt, I still congratulate this guy. He got published, even if he was turned down so many times. Hehe, I guess it's no small thing that they own a publishing company (haha! lucky him, ain't he?) and he had the means to self-publish. But after getting the book out, he also promoted it for years until the novel was noticed by a bigger publishing house and here he is. Probably earning dollars by the thousands.

Others (like me) aren't so lucky to have parents who own a publishing suit, but even more wouldn't have his determination. And it's mostly what defines success. It's what will get you from finishing a novel to that elusive dream of signing books at a jam-packed Barnes and Nobles.
Or Powerbooks, in my case.

Thanks, Christopher. You've just given me fodder for that dream I still hold on to (although more feebly every passing year) - - that I will be the first successful female fantasy author from the Philippines. But hey, if Eragon can handle a dragon and save Tronjheim, I can probably face up to the beasts that'll stop me from doing what i want to do as well.