Dang it, Christopher Paolini!

Dang it, Christopher Paolini!
Originally uploaded by AdiaMichelle

Ok, Christopher Paolini.

I get it.

I get the hype.

I wasn't ready to give you a ringing endorsement. You definitely were on my "eh" list of authors. When people asked about you, I said, "He's good for 15," or "He's still pretty young." Eragon and Eldest were just ok. Eldest was actually pretty dreadful, with the exception of Roran's story and character development, as another blogger (whose name and blog name I didn't pay attention to) pointed out. I stuck with you, though, because I enjoyed the story enough. Not completely, but just enough.

Brisingr, though, Mr. Paolini, has me cheering out loud. I'm gasping, crying, and pumping my fist. I'm captivated. What in the heck did you do between Eldest and Brisingr?

I'll tell you what you did: you got better. You saw what wasn't working, you ditched it, and found what did work, and you got better. I don't know who you talked to, what books you read, what people you observed, or how many hours you spent practicing, but you took a giant leap forward in your skill as a writer and storyteller, and I'm inspired by you. Good work, and thank you.