Reviews with content warning for Gore - Murtagh

the highly awaited return to alagaesia takes too long to find its footing. world and character-building are paolini’s superpowers in the original inheritance installments, but he spends so much time flexing those muscles in this iteration that you are several hundred pages in before there is any semblance of a compelling plot. everything up until then feels like a chore to get through with little payoff.

3.5 stars for the concept. there is a lot of depth to murtagh as a protagonist. points taken off for a lackluster story that doesn’t feel worthy of a return to this world after the epic conclusion of inheritance.

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lizziaha's review against another edition

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3.25

This book has a different tone than the original series and lower stakes. Because Murtagh and Thorn have essentially exiled themselves, they don’t have many close relationships, and other characters from the original series only make brief appearances. That being said I do love some of the new characters and I did especially love Alin’s arc. But this read more as a prequel than a fantasy standalone. There is necessary growth for murtagh and thorn, but I’m more interested in where it’s going to go than the growth itself.

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bisexualwentworth's review against another edition

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Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

Well, I finally did it. After a fun but frustrating reread of the Inheritance Cycle, I have at last read Murtagh.

Some spoilers for this book and the previous books to follow.

This book was published twelve years after Inheritance and more than twenty years after the initial publication of Eragon. In that time, Christopher Paolini has definitely grown as a writer. His descriptions are tighter and more vivid. Side characters are differentiated in ways that they weren't before. Murtagh's character arc is difficult and mostly well-executed. And unlike in the previous books, the ableism, in this case Murtagh and Thorn's internalized ableism around their PTSD, feels more like an intentional character choice and less like the author violently hating disabled people.

Elsewhere, Paolini has also learned how to write evil girlbosses. Yay?

And he seems to have developed a more nuanced understanding of cult members and survivors of trauma in the intervening years, though that understanding still feels incredible surface level.

While I know that there is an overarching thing that he's aiming for with further installments in this series, it felt to me like half of this book was just Paolini realizing that he'd broken his magic system in Inheritance and trying to find ways to deal with that. On the whole, I didn't mind this. Murtagh encounters challenges that can't be surmounted using the Name of Names. He realizes how limited his vocabulary in the Ancient Language really is. He finds creative solutions to his problems. I liked this.

What I did NOT like was the reveal that the new big bad had been the big bad the whole time and the reason why Galbatorix was the way he was. Maybe this is a personal taste thing, or maybe it's just down to the execution, but I was so excited when there was a new threat that was different from Galbatorix and so disappointed at the reveal that *gasp* it was Azlagur the whole time! It felt lazy to me.

The pacing was, as usual with Paolini's books, horrendous. I know that a lot of the side quest things (like the stuff with the werecat children) will be picked up again in a later book, but it was still very inelegantly done. Even if plots are ongoing, the main threads of a book should be resolved in that book. There was definitely a better way to weave things together.

And the one long chapter in Ilirea at the end to wrap everything up and attempt any sort of proper development of Murtagh and Nasuada's relationship? Silly. Ridiculous. Yes, better than the 200 pages of conclusion at the end of Inheritance, but come ON. Both characters deserved more than that.

Overall, this book is generally better than the previous installments on a craft level, and Murtagh is a more compelling character than Eragon, who also faces much harder personal challenges, but the pacing was so bad and the Nal Gorgoth section dragged SO MUCH and overall it needed some restructuring and reconsidering in places. Also, I didn't have any nostalgia making me like it more than I naturally would have (other than a general fondness for Murtagh and for Nasuada), and this made the rough parts even more difficult for me.

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loveat1stwrite's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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bethboo's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Murtagh, Murtagh, Murtagh! I was so happy to return to the world of Eragon, especially in the POV of one of my favorite characters. In this book, you get juicy glimpses into his very dark past, how his connection with Thorn happened, the horrors that baby dragon went through, as well as what he's doing now. Murtagh encounters a skull amulet with some strange magic woven into it. He's not sure what it means but he's going to find out. Thorn and him venture beyond the Alagaesia we all know and love, to protect what he loves.

First off, who knew lil mormon boy Christopher Paolini had it in him, to write a back story so dark?? Like I though he'd you know make it a little easier to swallow....but no. The shit that happened to Thorn and Murtagh was sick and I was wading through tears every single time. Especially now that we get to see the inside of their heads and learn how eager and good they are.
Next, Murtagh is such a little rich boy and I LOVED getting to see how that affected his POV. Like he's constantly wishing for a bath, wanting others/servants to treat him as his courtly position is due, he's comfortable being in charge, and misses the food that comes with money. Its so crazy that he is so much more educated than Eragon, he knows much more of the world, but he was never trained in magic and knows much less than Eragon. Ughhhhhh What I would do to see Eragon all giddy to teach Murtagh a magic lesson!!

If Christopher Paolini doesn't return to this story I will kms

Nal Gorgorath was absolute horror, omg I almost threw up when they were imprisoned again. And the parallels with Nasuada in the Hall of the Soothsayer, OMGGG Like I can't deal with more bad things happening to these babies. Bachel was a good and spooky enemy. I'm excited to see what becomes of the big creature underneath the mountain...the country??
It's also cute that he has a brother that's an urgal now and he's all not-racist now and he understands family!!
AND NASUADA!!! HIMM STAYING???? HIM CRYING ON HER!!! HE SPILLED HIS TRAUMA AND THEY LOVE EACH OTHER!!!

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abby_can_read's review

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

📖
I had such a wonderful time reading this book. It was hard to put down. I loved this.

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shinybookvibes's review

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adventurous dark reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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yellowbinge's review

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adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The book as a meal: Tasteful jerky, but I am worried it might be poisoned as I chew ...

The book left me: Wanting more!!! Paolini, please continue writing!!!

Why did this call out me?

Stunning cover. I have read all the other books in the series and just HAD to continue. I couldn't resist diving back into the world of Alagaësia. Preordered the moment it was available.

Pick-Up-able? Put-down-able?

Thefirst 20-30% was slow and a little hard to properly get into and vibe with. At part 2 it picked up. From that point on I was looking froward to reading it at all times I wans't reading it (work, driving, socializing). I devoured the final 300 pages in a single day, and even conquered my car-sickness with my disgustingly high interest in the plot.

How is it paced?

Ups and downsfor each part. The first few go smooth and then it all goes to shit. Repeat. Part three is more intense and the shit lasts for a while. By shit I mean dismay for the characters, but absolute bliss for me. I would say medium pacing, but it slows a little becasue of how Paolini writes scenery in detail. Skim if you find this kind of writing boring

What about progression?

Starts slow, and picks up later. Most parts in the book follows the same format. It improves vastly as it goes on and you get sucked into the chaos and intruige.

Issues:

Too vivid and detailed desciption of scenery and places, drags the plot and happenings down

Wish it was just a little more dragon and less assholes

Is our main character stupid or just stubborn?

Good things:

The dragon feels, speaks, and reacts like an individual, almost person like. But still dragon enough to actualy feel like a dragon.

Stakes go sky-high and the tension has me in a chokehold

The vibes and atmosphere feels just like the first books. I feel right at home here

What makes this different?

The way Paolini writes dragons is just that different from other authors. The talk and think like individuals. They feel like relevant characters and not just a trope or another thing to ride. The world feels vast and every area has its own vibe. Our main character is very much a rogue, but not at all. It is simply circumstance that has brought us here. And of course, consequences do feel heavy. There is a lot of regret, remorse, and longing for a different outcome for our main characters.

How did it feel to read?

It felt like I was on a quest and my companion is telling me to slow down or else I get killed

What mood would i read this in?

The book is fitting right now where I live as it is still quite cold, and the landscape here feels like what it was in the book. Read in early spring / later winter

Better or worse than expected?

Much much better than expected. Paolini's wiriting has gotten so much better compared to the first four books in the series. I enjoyed this very much.

Where does this fall in my tier list ranking?

S tier all the way!!!!!!!!

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