Eragon: Chapter Eight: A Miller-to-Be

[pangolin20]

Chapter Seven | Table of Contents | Chapter Nine (Part I)

Fumurti: Welcome back to Eragon, everyone!

Before we begin: MasterGhandalf noted that it makes little sense that Eragon doesn’t just use “Saphira” for the blue dragon.

Ill Logic: 100

S Ill Logic: 114

Of course, I guess that is because her name has to be last for the climax Paolini wants.

The Seams Are Showing: 36

S The Seams Are Showing: 38

This could be easily fixed if Eragon would first consider it, but then reject it in favour of a more “heroic” name.

Anyway, here comes Kerlois again.

Kerlois: A good day, everyone. Let us begin.

Chapter 9: A Miller to Be / Chapter 8: A Miller-to-Be

Yes, the Knopf edition hyphenates the title, for some reason.

We open sometime after last chapter, as dinner is served. The sun has set by this time. “A blustery wind” howls outside and shakes the house. Eragon watches Roran closely and “wait[s] for the inevitable.” But there is nothing awful going on here, not at all!

Look Away: 282

S Look Away: 289

When they are nearly done with the meal, “Eragon tense[s] and [sits] straighter.” Uggggh… Paolini is quite well at capturing this, I must say. I would only wish that there would be a moment where Eragon and/or Roran realises that all of this was severely messed-up.

Finally, Roran looks up and “[says] quietly” that he has been offered a job “at the Therinsford mill”, which he plans to take. The Knopf edition summarises the sentences after Eragon “waiting for the inevitable” into “finally:”, and it uses “Therinsford’s mill” instead of “the Therinsford mill”.

Garrow finishes “his mouthful of food with deliberate slowness” and puts his fork down. Have I already mentioned I hate Garrow? Because I very much do. Here, for example, why can he not eat his food quickly, so Roran can get clarity? He can probably see that Roran is nervous just fine, and he still does this.

He leans back in his chair, laces his finger behind his head “and utter[s] one dry word, “Why?”” Do we exactly need this drawn-out description?

Roran “rapidly” explains while Eragon picks at his food, obviously trying not to draw attention to himself. The Knopf edition deletes the “rapidly” part for some reason.

Garrow says that he sees. He says nothing and “stare[s] at the ceiling”. “No one move[s] as they anxiously await[] his response.” (The Knopf edition deletes “anxiously” here.) Good to see that Garrow just has to keep them in fear of his response. Absolutely nothing to see here, though.

Look Away: 287

S Look Away: 294

His response is “Well, when do you leave?” Roran asks “what?”. Garrow leans forward “with a twinkle in his eye.” I think that should be “in his eyes”.

PPP: 157

S PPP: 218

He asks: “Did you think I would stop you?” Yes, Paolini, I actually thought this. Before now, he has not shown any kind of willingness to let Eragon and Roran leave. Eragon said literally the previous chapter that they both know what “Garrow thinks about the leaving”, which implies it is nothing good. And Garrow’s reaction just before saying this indicated that he did not like this. But now he is suddenly fine with Roran leaving? Yes, I know this is in there to get Roran out, but there is still nothing to justify this.

PPP: 162 (Garrow being OOC)

S PPP: 223

The Seams Are Showing: 37

S The Seams Are Showing: 39

And what are we supposed to get from this? That Garrow does have their best intentions at heart, despite everything around it suggesting differently? That Eragon and Roran simply misinterpreted him? I do not know if Paolini meant this, but it feels gross nonetheless.

This Is Fine: 49

S This Is Fine: 54

He says that he had hoped that Roran would marry soon, and he says “it will be good to see this family growing again.” Since when did he care about this??

PPP: 163 (lack of set-up)

S PPP: 224

He says that “Katrina will be lucky to have [Roran]”. Garrow, none of the participants in a romantic relationship is the possession of another. Keep those ideas out of here, please.

Roran is astonished at Garrow saying all this, and then settles into “a relieved grin.” Yes, it is quite unbelievable, is it not, Roran? Garrow asks when he will leave.

Roran “regain[s] his voice” and says that it will be when Dempton comes to get the sockets. Garrow nods and asks when that will be. Roran says it will be in “[t]wo weeks.” That would be the 18^th of December, then. Good to know.

Garrow approves of this, and says it will “give [them] time to prepare.” He says that it will be “strange” for him and Eragon to have the house to themselves. Not strange that Roran is gone, mind you. Way to be rude, Garrow. The Knopf edition uses “different” instead of “strange”. Garrow says “that if nothing goes amiss”, that should not be the case for too long. He looks over the table and asks if Eragon knew about Roran leaving. And what if he did, Garrow? Should he have told you immediately? Even if Roran did not want to?

Look Away: 287 (this does not exactly help with the “abuser” vibes)

S Look Away: 294

Eragon “shrug[s] ruefully” at this. He says he did not hear until that day, and that “[i]t’s madness.” Very nice to say that to Roran’s face, Eragon. In the self-published edition, Roran says “with an edge to his words”, that it is no more “madness” than some of the things Eragon does, and that Eragon is not “the only one who can take risks.” And what risks will you be taking, Roran? Yes, working in a mill is not exactly without risk, but in Roran’s eyes, it should pale before going into the Spine. Also, Eragon is only hunting in the Spine to get food for you, so it would suit you well to be less aggressive toward Eragon.

Garrow runs a hand across his face “and softly cut[s] off Eragon’s retort.” Because of course Eragon is not allowed to argue.

S Sparkly Damsel: 4

The Knopf edition deletes Roran’s remark, and just has Garrow running his hand across his face. In both editions, he responds “It’s life’s natural course.” No, it is simply a custom of your culture, you ignorant twit. ~Life~ has nothing to do with this at all. Okay, I should not have been this angry; I simply cannot stand this kind of argument, though.

Garrow stands up, and says that all will be fine, and “time will settle everything”. Well, if it would, this series would not exist, so… He tells Eragon and Roran to help with the dishes, which they do.

S PPP: 225 (missing comma)

Now comes a kind of timeskip, as we go to a summary. We are told that “the next few days” are “trying”. Eragon’s temper is “frayed.” From hearing that his cousin/brother is going to get married, might I add. I think I second the incest subtext here. Next, we are told that Eragon does not speak with either Roran or Garrow, “[e]xcept for curtly answering direct questions.” Really now? I think Eragon has some… issues. Not that there is any attention directed to this.

Look Away: 292

S Look Away: 299

I dread to think what his childhood might have been like, exactly. Eragon “[finds] it hard not to be surly.” I also second the notion that it makes much more sense for him to be angry because Roran is leaving him alone with Garrow. And he rightly might be so. True, Roran does not have to stay there, but he could at least try to get Eragon out of there, too.

Look Away: 302

S Look Away: 309

And, in that context, Eragon’s anger here is certainly justified. Roran, the person on who he has relied for years and years, suddenly leaves him alone with Garrow. But this story will not admit that child abuse is going on, so his anger seems irrational.

Sparkly Damsel: 13

S Sparkly Damsel: 14

This paragraph is also severely disjointed.

PPP: 164

S PPP: 226

Eragon notes that “[t]here [are] small reminders everywhere that Roran [is] leaving”. Garrow makes him a pack, “things [are] missing from the walls”, and a “strange emptiness” fills the house. “[A]lmost a week” passes before Eragon notes that “distance ha[s] grown between Roran and him.” I think that is a bad thing, then. We barely got a sense of their relationship before this, and they will be apart for the rest of the book anyway, so I cannot bring myself to care. When they speak, the words “[do] not come easily and their conversations [are] uncomfortable.” Here is a tip, Paolini: Maybe you could show all this, rather than have Eragon tell us this via summary. Then it might have more emotional impact.

PPP: 174 (show this!)

S PPP: 236

Now we are told about Saphira. Ah yes, Saphira. She is still there, too. She is “a balm to Eragon’s frustration.”

Paoclichés: 11

S Paoclichés: 14

Because of course she is defined in terms of what she can mean for Eragon.

No-Wave Feminism: 49

S No-Wave Feminism: 55

What Dragons?: 207

S What Dragons?: 207

The first points are because she is almost the only female character at this point, which makes this worse. We are told that he “[can] talk freely to her”, as his emotions are completely “open to her mind”, and she understands him better than anyone. Well, let us see just how long that lasts.

During the time that is being summarised (which the self-published helpfully notes are the “two weeks before Roran’s departure”), Saphira goes through “another growth spurt.” She gains “twelve inches” (30,48 centimetres) “at the shoulder, which [is] now higher than Eragon’s.”

What to say first here… I will go for the writing first. This passage is really awkwardly written. We do not need to be reminded that there are two weeks before Roran leaves when he have just been told that. True, the Knopf edition deletes the “two”, but it still could have been replaced with “During this time” or been cut altogether.

The second sentence is not much better, either. It has “the shoulder is now higher than Eragon’s”. And that does not work since “X is Y high at the shoulder” is a set phrase, and it does not lend itself well to sentences like this. I would rewrite this as “She stood twelve inches taller, and now her shoulder was higher than Eragon’s.”

PPP: 176

S PPP: 238

Also, is she really going through a growth spurt? I have frankly no idea how tall his shoulder height would be, so I will do a wild guess and place it at 140 cm (4 ft. 7.11 in.). We know that, at the end of chapter 5, she would have been 12 inches shorter, so that would be 3 ft. 7.11 in, or 109,5 cm. That means that she’s grown with an average of 0,857 in., or 2,177 cm per day. Going back in time, that would mean that she was (109,5 – 65,31) cm = 44,19 cm or 1 ft. 5.4 in. at the shoulder. That seems rather large for “a small cat” to me. So the logical conclusion is that she grew considerably faster in the past month than in these two weeks, and that she is not, in fact, experiencing a growth spurt. So say hello to yet another false claim.

PPP: 177

S PPP: 239

Also, 12 inches equals a foot, so why not say “a foot”? That would be clearer.

PPP: 178

S PPP: 240

Maybe it should not bother me this much, but still. It should not be that hard to indicate a growth spurt by indicating a bit more of her growth.

Anyway, Eragon finds “the small hollow where her neck join[s] her shoulders” the “perfect” place to sit. Good to see he is already testing her for steed.

He often sits there in evening, scratching her neck, and “explain[ing] the meanings of different words.” Okay, nice of him to help her learn his language. If only she could help him learn some things about dragons. Yes, that does bother me. Saphira seems to be learning from Eragon, but not the other way around. And because of her ancestral memories, she should be able to tell him quite a lot. But he does not ask.

Hell-Bound Partners: 91

S Hell-Bound Partners: 91

What Dragons?: 217

S What Dragons?: 217

The self-published edition adds that her vocabulary “expand[s] rapidly”, which is helped by “a perfect memory” and “the fact that he [can] send her mental pictures of exactly what he mean[s].” Okay, I can see her having a good memory, but I am not entirely sure about the last part. How would he send her “mental pictures” of abstract concepts, for example? Or how about sounds or smells? How would he convey these with pictures? Why not rely on senses other than sight to help her learn?

S Ill Logic: 115

Both editions note that “[s]oon”, she understands everything he says and that she “frequently comment[s] on it.” So, in summary, she became a native speaker of Eragon’s language within six weeks of her hatching. In other words, Rider dragons can apparently learn language tens of times faster than any of the humanoid races can. Forget about the elves; clearly the dragons are the most overpowered race!

Other than that, the wording makes this sound like Eragon is monologuing to Saphira, rather than having an actual conversation. I will not give it a point, as I am quite sure that is not what was meant. It still gets this, though:

PPP: 179

S PPP: 241

We are told that for Eragon, “this part of his life [is] delightful.” Not that we get any input from Saphira, mind you. Because only Eragon’s thoughts on this matter.

Hell-Bound Partners: 96

S Hell-Bound Partners: 96

What Dragons?: 222

S What Dragons?: 222

Then comes this:

S: He was intrigued to discover that Saphira was as real and complex as any person.

K: Saphira was as real and complex as any person.

…This just locked me up for some time. I hardly know where to even start with this one. Here goes:

1) How could she not have been “real and complex”? How would she even be “less real” than a person? Would she be a hologram, then, or an illusion? As for “complex”, no, being less intelligent than a human does not mean being less complex. Simply being a living being guarantees complexity. This is frankly a non sequitur.

PPP: 180

S PPP: 242

2) Yes, Eragon only finds out about this now, after some five weeks. Never mind that he had mental contact with her all the while, and thus should have already known this! But no, he has apparently ignored this. I assume that accepting her as a person would have made him change his behaviour too much.

Hell-Bound Partners: 106

S Hell-Bound Partners: 106

Look Away: 312

S Look Away: 319

3) And I do not miss the implication that animals are generally not “real and complex”, either.

Use ‘Em As You Will: 27

S Use ‘Em As You Will: 27

4) Yes, I am aware that this is meant as praise, but it comes across very poorly to me.

Anyway. He says that her personality is “eclectic and at times completely alien”, but they understand each other “on a profound level.” Not that we get to see any of this.

PPP: 185

S PPP: 247

We are also told that “[h]er actions and thoughts constantly reveal[] new aspects of her character”. You know what, I just realised why this sounds so awful to me: it sounds like something that could come straight from a book report on Eragon, written by someone who is trying to hype it up. It seems like it is saying something, but it only lists the most generic information. Also, I can only see this written by someone writing out-of-universe, not as noted by Eragon.

Forgot the Narrator: 13

S Forgot the Narrator: 15

Oh, and this is about everything we will see of Saphira growing up, except for two more lines: a summary told by Eragon. Yes, that is it. What an absolute let-down.

PPP: 205 (for not showing anything from this period)

S PPP: 267

What Dragons?: 247 (you thought this would be shown?)

S What Dragons?: 247

I will also give it this:

Drop It Like It’s Hot: 12

S Drop It Like It’s Hot: 12

This is for simply skipping out on any kind of detail on this.

Anyway, Saphira catches an eagle (called it! so Saphira was not that safe at all!), but she does not eat it, and releases it instead. Her reasoning for this is that “[n]o hunter of the sky” should “end his days as prey. Better to die on the wing than pinned to the ground.”

First, I will give this:

No-Wave Feminism: 50

S No-Wave Feminism: 56

For, again, generic “his”, when this same series uses generic “their” just fine.

Second, regarding Saphira’s argument… It is fine as a personal philosophy, but as a general rule, it seems quite hard to implement, and it might have quite serious unintended consequences for the ecosystems they are in. Also, who does Saphira mean by “hunters of the sky”? Do insects like dragonflies count? Do swifts count? Do I count? Depending on the definition, the impact of the change would differ dramatically.

Third, Saphira’s ending sentence does not exactly work, as it discounts such situations as a swift eating a dragonfly in the air. “Better not to die as prey” and “better to die while flying” are not the same philosophies, and while I can agree with the former, I think the latter is very dependent on who you would ask.

Ill Logic: 101 (conflating two arguments)

S Ill Logic: 116

And why did Saphira catch the eagle in the first place, then? So she could be seen ~magnanimously~ letting them go? That is the impression I get from this, anyway. And yes, they were probably not harmed that much, but it was still completely unnecessary.

Look Away: 313

S Look Away: 320

Use ‘Em As You Will: 28 (for using the eagle to demonstrate a point)

S Use ‘Em As You Will: 28

We are told that their mind link is “reciprocal, so Saphira learn[s] just as much about him as he [does] of her.” Well, that is very little, then.

On to the next topic. Eragon’s plan to reveal Saphira is “dispelled” because of Roran wanting to leave and “Saphira’s own cautionary words.” She does not want to be seen, and Eragon agrees, “partly out of selfishness.” Oh, now there is some self-awareness? He explains that once her existence comes to light, “shouts, accusations, and fear [will] be directed at him”, so he procrastinates. My, he actually has a relatable motivation, and makes actual mistakes! Where is this coming from all of a sudden? The self-published edition notes that he is doing this “to delay the discomfort.”

S Thanks for Explaining: 13

He also tells himself to “wait for a sign that it [is] the right time.” Again, relatable. The self-published edition adds: “None came, but he was patient.” Yes, we already understand that such a sign will not come, Paolini.

S Thanks for Explaining: 14

Cut to “the night” of 17-18 December, as Eragon goes to talk with Roran. He “stalk[s]” down a hitherto-unmentioned “hallway” to Roran’s chamber and looks in. An “oil lamp” stands on his nightstand, “painting the walls with warm flickering light.” The bed posts cast shadows on “empty shelves that [rise] to the ceiling.” No idea why Roran has so many shelves.

The self-published edition adds some more description of Roran’s pack being “slumped on the floor”, and of the “bed’s mattress” being bare. Both editions note that Roran is “rolling blankets” around his stuff. We learn this his eyes are “shaded” and the “back of his neck [is] tense”. He pauses, and then picks up something from the pillow “and bounce[s] it in his hand.” It is, apparently, “a polished rock that Eragon [has] given him years ago.” Well, good that we only hear about this now. He begins to put in in the bundle, but then stops and sets it on a shelf. A “hard lump” forms in Eragon’s throat, and he walks away.

And what is supposed to be the significance of this scene? Roran putting aside the rock that Eragon gave him is a symbol for him putting Eragon aside? We never saw the rock before now, or even knew about it, so that falls quite flat. And also, Roran is probably putting the rock back since he is planning to come back within a few months. I really do not see how this specifically is supposed to be symbolic of their break-up.

Connection Has Failed: 39 (I see what Paolini is going for, but it does not work)

S Connection Has Failed: 45

And the chapter ends here. Well, that was pointless.

I think I will sort this chapter ending under Other Ending. After all, it does not exactly end on a cliffhanger.

Other Ending: 5

S Other Ending: 5

For counts: this chapter has 882 words in the self-published edition, 136 more than in the Knopf edition, for a change of 15,42%.

On to the questions:

What has happened in this chapter?: Roran has been preparing to leave, and Saphira has learned how to use language. Also, two weeks pass.

What have we learned in this chapter?: Nothing at all, except that Saphira is ~complex and real~ and that she believes that “hunters of the sky” should die in the air instead of on the ground.

How does this affect the characters?: Well, not at all. Eragon is upset that Roran is leaving, and that is it.

Next time, something like a plot will take shape, and Corneille Noire will join us. See me in chapter 11!

		K	S
A Better Commando Name		10	10
All the Isms		7	7
Bullyay		29	30
	Murdered by the Convocation	6	7
	Perfection is Pure	3	3
Connection Has Failed		39	45
Hell-Bound Partners		106	106
Ill Logic		101	116
Just Drink the Poison		0	0
Look Away		313	320
Manual Patch Job		45	46
No Touchy		3	3
No-Wave Feminism		50	56
Petty Ain’t the Word For You		57	66
RVMP		42	43
Some Father You Are		25	26
Some Teacher You Are		0	0
Sparkly Damsel		13	14
The Perfect Sparkly Ways of Elfdom		140	140
This is Fine		49	54
Use ‘Em As You Will		28	28
What Dragons?		247	247
Backpedal Lip Service		8	7
Dead Herrings		60	80
Drop It Like It’s Hot		12	12
Forgot the Narrator		13	15
Get to the Point Already		8	19
Just Gonna Stand There		2	5
Missing Puzzle Pieces		196	197
Paoclichés		11	14
PPP		205	267
	Continuity Fluidity	76	95
Reaction, Please		46	46
Shine Bright Like a Diamond		4	4
Thanks for Explaining		3	14
The Seams Are Showing		37	39
Write It, And Keep It		167	167
Cliffhanger Chop		2	3
Mid-Scene Break		0	0
Other Ending		5	5
Protagonist Unconsciousness		2	2