Michael Todd

It seems the author has regressed in both maturity and writing skill. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire Inheritance series, and this book is just not on par with that quality. There's many moments that feel as if they were written by a child trying to be quirky and different. For example, Murtagh, a battle worn and phycologically damaged soldier, makes dumb puns in serious moments. The scene itself doesn't call for humor, much less such generic, such witless lines like "Kittennap". The pacing is terrible, starting with a scene that never gets explanation, and then the protagonist literally is dumb to his own reasoning as to what was happening simply because it happened before the book started. Murtagh has all these past relationships with the kingdom that obviously weren't talked about in Eragon or the others, but seems as if you're just supposed to know them in this book, with one exception. Overall this book felt uninspired and absolutely clogged to the gills in useless filler, scenes that pass as important, but ultimately just lead back to the same disconjointed "quest" our mighty rider takes upon himself. Poor Murtagh.