Murtagh

Title: Murtagh

By: Christopher Paolini

Length: 704 pgs 

Age Rating: Pretty loose, I mean there's the implications of war, and they do say relations end in children, so idk. Pre-teen? 

Rating: I was a bit disappointed but a solid 7/10. The rich world of Eragon holds up. 

---

I’m changing it up a bit for this review! I’m interjecting here, when I'm roughly halfway through to write down all my thoughts, and then obviously, I will come back at the end and let y’all know how they changed. So far, I have to say I am a bit disappointed. I understand with the war being over, there wasn't going to be a grand overarching story. It’s a spin off book that's meant to be singular, not the saga that Eragon was. However, this book just reads like side quest after side quest. I'm a bit bored. The characters introduced are nice, but due to Murtagh’s constant roaming and unwillingness to deal with people in general, there is no constant additional presence like Brom, or Arya. I consistently loved in Eragon when Arya would show up, call Eragon an idiot and he would think shes pretty. There's also none of the politics and, at least thus far, none of the varying cultures that I loved from the original series. I understand the lack of politics in part. Murtagh made it clear that it was not his role, but the rich cultures we were introduced to in the series I would have liked to see more of. I understand there is a search to find a witch with the bird skull charms and such, which is prompting all this, but even that feels side quest-y. It feels like he had nothing better to do so now hes just roaming and completing side quests. I'm glad we got additional content to the series, it just feels like it could have been more. Also (Spoiler, I guess) having Murtagh be in love? with Nasueda feels out of left field. At least the depth of his affections for her seems way more than anything that was mentioned in the original series. Granted, Eragon could have the observational skills of a rock, especially early on, but still. For it to be a large motivation behind his actions, especially with the resentment he holds for Eragon and Saphira. I hope the main overarching story does pick up, but even if it does, I don't find myself very invested in it. Eragon drew us in with the murder of Garrow and the flee from town. It just does not feel like there are very high stakes in this book and I'm halfway through. 

---

(Pg 591) I'm almost done. Like in the last 100 pages. (Spoilers) The big bad was a cult. I expressed this as the first time I've been legitimately disappointed there was a cult. Normally, I'm very excited for cults, but this really ties into the whole “video game side quest” feel I was describing before. I will complement the fact that we got something different than Eragon, and it's interesting that they have tied in the days of before, because realistically, Galbatorix was not the only evil in the land, he was just the most constant oppressor. However, having Bachel be the one who whipped Galbatorix into an evil frenzy and connecting it all as such is either genius for reconnecting to the main story and history, or really over explains a very simple concept. The witch is evil and old. She's interacted with riders before. I do like the fact that Murtagh did immediately lose to her. If Bachel is “so dangerous the riders of old feared her cult” then relatively new Murtagh should not be able to hold his own against her. Even breaking her control over him took a solid while, so if he's suddenly able to overpower her, I will call it light bullshit. Even Eragon had a four book training arc with multiple small time jumps, and even he needed help fighting the big bad of his series, as Murtagh repeatedly reminds us. I suppose there is a constraint, as we only get one “Murtagh” book to “Eragons” four, but the author made that choice. I fully believe the fandom would have loved at least a trilogy depicting Murtaghs adventures throughout the aftermath of the war, even if it is simply various video game side quests in written forms. The Eragon series introduced multiple rich cultures and histories and in my opinion, there is still more to explore there. 

---

Ok Folks! I finished the book! My main thought when finishing was - There could definitely be another book there. Like I’m just saying, the Murtagh series could definitely be extended and then display how Murtagh, who we know is experienced at court, helps Nasueda through the whole over arching big bad that I definitely felt was introduced. I walked away feeling like google was wrong for telling me that this was a standalone, because it is clearly setting up a series. Frankly, I’m a little unsurprised at the ending, the cave turned into a dungeon type battle, and I suppose I can live with the idea that Murtagh simply outsmarted Bachel. Even still he barely walked away from that. I give the book credit, for a book that long, it did not feel long. The only part that dragged a little bit for me was when Thorn and Murtagh being under Bachel’s spell and service. 

Additionally, because I feel like I’ve been a bit negative, (I tend to be with authors I love), really, my only critiques are centered around the plot and it not being as fresh as I expected. Which sounds more major than it is. The fantastic world with its cultures and the way cities seems set up before the characters get there, stand almost on their own. I loved the detail that sword work and dancing go hand in hand. The action scenes are well written and the magic still stands as the most well thought through system regarding magic that I've seen in written media. I like the window that is being provided into the “after” of the Eragon series. I for one, always wonder what happens in the after of the big battles, as re-building from evil dictators is never easy. I give credit for being able to keep that up, Paolini must have a massive binder keeping these details straight. Some franchises, that shall not be named, establish great lore in the original series and then promptly proceed to ret-con and destroy it in an extension of the series. Id recommend any original fans of Eragon read this book. I personally re-read Eragon for this book, but its really not that necessary. Also some of the illustrations in my copy of this book were amazing!