Is Eragon really just a rip off of Lord of the Rings and Star Wars, or is it worth reading?

Question

I've been considering reading the first book, but I've heard really mixed reviews. Some of my friends say they're great, others say it's basically a rip-off of Lord of the Rings and Star Wars. I watched the movie and I thought it was a bit lame and clichéd, but I don't want to judge the book on the movie alone. From what I do know about Eragon, it does sound very similar to Star Wars (farmboy nobody living with his uncle finds out he's the last member of a group of ancient, magical beings who were betrayed and wiped out; he is mentored by an old member of said magical group and eventually joins the underdog rebel forces to fight against the evil emperor guy who murdered his uncle) with a Lord of the Rings type setting, complete with unpronounceable names, Orcs and hot elf chicks. So, is Eragon really that clichéd, or is it good? Would appreciate your opinions thanks (preferably from people who actually read the books).

Hazel · Accepted Answer

Eragon is very similar to Lord of the Rings. But it still has a story and characters of it's own. I personally really liked it. There is a lot of description which tends to bog down some areas and at times it's a little slow moving, but overall I thought it was pretty good. I read the entire series and I didn't find it overly cliched. It did feature a lot of common fantasy tropes but it didn't bother me.

I wouldn't base my decision off the movie, that was one of the worst book to film adaptations I've ever seen. And it's nothing at all like Star Wars. Drawing parallels between the two would be a huge stretch.

I'd actually recommend it to people who enjoyed Lord of the Rings because of the similarities. It's similar enough to where it has the same sort of feel to it, but different enough that it still feels like a story of it's own.

Michelle · Answer

Don t base your thoughts off of the movie. It was horrible. I enjoyed the book series very much. There are a couple parallels with Star Wars but it does have its own story. It is worth reading to form your own opinion.

Ollie · Answer

I don't think it is too noticeably similar to Star Wars - you can find a few parallels but only if you're looking for them. As for Lord of the Rings, it takes place in a similar world e.g. elves, dwarves etc. But I still think it's very worth reading, a great series of books!
Also, remove the film from your mind completely - in my opinions it was one of the worst film adaptations ever made, it did not do the book justice whatsoever!
But yeah, read them.

? · Answer

I thought it was a combination of Star Wars and The Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey. I didn't enjoy the book. I thought the writing was amateurish and the whole book was simply a collection of cliches that Paolini had taken from far superior sources.

However, I think you should read it and make up your own mind. It's not exactly a complicated read and if you don't like it you don't have to read the others in the series.

Anonymous · Answer

eragon has nothing to do with star wars, however said it dos has not red it. And i personally think it is way better than the Lord of the Rings. you would have to be stupid not to reed it

? · Answer

Anyone who thinks they're alike has never read the books. No, I don't find them to be similar.

medzthemedik · Answer

Ugh, it is so cliched, uses overdone fantastic elements, and is written middling-well. Waste of time.

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Is Eragon really just a rip off of Lord of the Rings and Star Wars, or is it worth reading?

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