Rambling

[dangermousie]

Am still jetlagged and getting up at an unearthly hour. Feeling very productive.

crumpeteer and I were just having a discussion about Murtagh, a character in Paolini's Eragon books. He is the only reason I have managed to keep reading Paolini's mess, where sense swims helplessly in the sea of adjectives and synonims for "said" and is sunk forever, never to be seen again.

Eragon pathetic Aragorn rip-off himself is horridly, bloodlessly perfect, and is conceited and always does right and is never tempted. I, however, am tempted to drown him, the boring, uncompassionate jerk. He is also not very bright. His heroic status is never under question which is good because it wouldn't stand any close examination. Murtagh, OTOH, goes evil under torture (horrible of him), has a fucked up background and no one to sing his praises. And he still manages to be more capable and interesting that Eragon. You just want everything to turn out OK for the poor abused guy. Hmmm.

Comments

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

My fear is that Paolini is going to do something completely stupid to Murtagh in the last book because I don't think he realizes that Murtagh is his best character. If he pulls one of these "Murtagh dies for Eragon to redeem himself" numbers I'm going to be FURIOUS, since I don't think Murtagh's actions are in that much need of drastic redeeming. Yes, he picked the wrong side, but again, under duress and not because life had been handed to him on a silver platter either. If anyone has an excuse to have a bad week now and then, it's Murtagh. If Paolini is going to make a character who has been severely abused in his childhood (you don't carry around massive scars like Murtagh has on his back without Daddy being a real jerk), it's not fair to end it for him on a "well, his life was crap and then he died" note. That puts all the blame on Murtagh, who appears more a victim of circumstance than anything else and who really tries to make the right decisions, when he really doesn't do anything worse than give in to obviously brutal torture.

Obviously, I'm fond of Murtagh. He's angry, he's alone, he's hurt and everyone has let him down his entire life. The really sad part is that even after he finds "good" people, they still let him down. I lost any hope of liking Eragon I might have had after his reaction when Murtagh got back. There was no joy over finding his brother alive, there was no compassion that he'd been tortured, there was no attempt to negotiate with him or understand his position, it was an automatic reaction of "how could you do this to meeeeeeee" mixed with pity, which is truly irritating because Murtagh doesn't need pity from Eragon of all people. Eragon should have understood from his connection to Sapphira that Murtagh finally had someone in Thorn that finally wouldn't let him down. He says as much to Eragon, who is, like always, not listening.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think if someone in fiction dies after a life of horribleness it's just terrible thematically. Also, I don't think Murtagh has anything he needs to atone for. But I have no confidence in Paolini because he so clearly disagrees. I can see a giant, Boromir-sized sign on Murtagh already.

Eragon cannot empasize. I don't think he is capable of understanding anything outside his immediate experience. He has no imagination. And yes, someone as severely abused as Murtagh better not turn out sacrificial scapegoat because he is certainly entitled to a break or dozen. Grrr. Love the icon, btw.

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

I'm hoping that Paolini will just make Murtagh change his mind and switch sides again, since he and Eragon actually are brothers (poor Murtagh, it just keeps getting worse for the guy, doesn't it). If not killed, I expect him to at least be very injured as punishment for turning to "the dark side", which is STUPID. I want no Darth Vader-esque self sacrifice from Murtagh. He didn't DO anything, yet Eragon ends up wandering around in Eldest saying that Roran was more a brother than Murtagh ever would have been blah blah blah. Well, stupid, had Roran come out of Murtagh's home life and been tortured for a while I'd like to see him all sunny and thrilled to see you. EEEGGGGGGGAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH.

Paolini just frustrates me and not in the good "oh, my favorite character is actually very bad, watch his downfall and redemption" type of way. Murtagh was already down, don't kick him while he's there.

On a purely physical note, I THRILL to see Garrett decked out in Murtagh's armor at the end of Eldest though. *shudder of pleasure*

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I wandered in here as I am reading Eldest and was quite positive that I recalled you disliking Eragon and loving Murtagh. I was certain you had ungenerous things to say about Eragon himself and wished to read other hatred of him. I am very depressed that I have been spoiled for things I figured out when Murtagh related his origins. Depressed because I called it so easily, notthat I spoiled myself.

And yet I shall persevere...for a no doubt brief Murtagh appearance.

I think I disgust myself...

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I hated the books, I hated everyone in it, I thought JRRT and Lucas should sue for stealing, but Murtagh had potential...

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

You forgot Anne McCaffrey...Ursula LeGuin might have a leg to stand on, too. If anything, it's even more obvious in book 2.

If Paolini realizes that Murtagh was the only decent thing he created in the series and the rest is garbage and learns from it, his next series might be worthwhile.