2025 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss Murtagh, the fifth book in the Inheritance Cycle series by Christopher Paolini.

Pages: 688 pages

Length: 1 month (July)

Participants: Kristy, Megan, Lina

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

My hold on this one just came in and I just finished Inheritance earlier this week, so I'm planning to start this one next week, probably Tues or Wed.

I started two days ago and am now in chapter VI - it took me a while to slip back into the setting / world, as it has been forever since I read the Inheritance cycle - but now I am enjoying it.

This seems like something one can read after chapter 1:
(view spoiler)[ I really enjoy that Murtagh (and I guess also Thorn) - are both characters without a clean slate .. and have both been forced to commit a lot of horrible acts - which makes them very interesting characters. I am looking forward to seeing how they (and their relationship) develop(s) throughout this book. (hide spoiler)]

Regarding chapter VI:
(view spoiler)[ Werecats always seem like such interesting creatures. (Have you guys read the Fork, the Witch and the Worm?) - such a teeny tiny detail not to mention that the 'fish' is both super huge - and also super dangerous. (hide spoiler)]

Looking forward to your thoughts!

I'm currently about to start Part II Chapter IX Uniforms.

General observations - I loved Murtagh in the first book and longed for more of him in the subsequent books. I wondered if a book that focused on him would either endear him more or if I just wanted more of him because I only caught brief glimpses of his character in the other books. Curious how that pans out.

And yes, perhaps that's because they are starting "without a clean slate" as you put it, Lina. It makes for intriguing characters with hopefully the potential for a lot of depth.

Part I In general - Since I just read the previous books in buddy reads the past few months, I found Part I to be a bit repetitive, but given most readers probably read the last book over a decade ago and the first book over two decades ago, I can understand why some reminding would be necessary and even preferred by a lot of readers.

(view spoiler)[I really enjoyed Murtagh’s interactions with Essie, the innkeeper's daughter with the bullying story that he related to and his advice to her. (hide spoiler)]

Part II so far (view spoiler)[ I was a bit frustrated with the side track with the werecat, but that may have been Murtagh's frustration transferring to me for getting distracted from his planned meeting with Illena. It also could have to do with my overall frustration with books 2-4 feeling a little overlong for me with too much unnecessary detail and side plots. I'm hoping time will enhance the storytelling.

Overall, I find the werecats are neat creatures. I haven't read the collection of short stories since I just finished the 4th book last week.

I did love the chapter with the battle with Muckmaw and the story of how he came to be in the lake. Murtagh's horror over finding the battalion in the lake gave him that complex emotional depth and conflict over his past that I'm expecting to find with the character. (hide spoiler)]

So far I’m enjoying this one more than the last 3 books.

Currently reading Part III Nal Gorgoth Ch. VIII

I'm really enjoying the format of this book with the Parts focusing on Murtagh's experiences/adventures in each city/village that he and Thorn travel.

I think I may need to go back a reread the part preceding ch. XV A tangle Box (view spoiler)[I feel like I missed something. Murtagh was drinking with Lireth and reminiscing about his treatment/bullying when they were at school together, but then he woke up in the box with his abilities suppressed and Thorn went berserk on their a's - Not sure if I spaced out on some details or if the actions between are just inferred based on Murtagh's earlier memories ETA I did go back and read this section and I guess I missed when the floor gave way at the very end of the chapter. So I'm assuming since Lireth turns up later that he must have fled after imprisoning Murtagh or was hiding during the ensuing fight. (hide spoiler)]

I love the way Murtagh and Thorn just get each other.

I've just reached Part IV Oth Orum

I guess I spoke too soon since Part III location was a little longer. LOL (view spoiler)[ I really enjoyed Murtagh's interactions with Uvek the Urgal. However, I found his being drugged, imprisoned and tortured to be rather depressing. Poor Thorn and murtagh. As if they haven't already been through enough with Galbatorix, now they have this crazy cult leader forcing their hand. It made me sad. Hopefully the next part will have them kicking butt instead of feeling helpless. (hide spoiler)] I am still really enjoying this one.

Final Thoughts

(view spoiler)[
I loved that Murtagh renamed his sword Freedom. And I was so glad that Uvek encouraged Thorn to overcome his fear of confinement to assist Murtagh.

While on the one hand I appreciate a hero who shows wear and tear by the end, I didn’t care for the way Murtagh was unconscious between the end of the fight and the end. Since he’s the narrator, it made for a bit of an ambiguous or passive section where I wasn’t sure what happened. I was happy with the interactions with Nasuada, but wish there had been more with Thorn and Uvek in the final part.

I also didn’t like that it ended with so many questions especially with the werecat nappings and the “something wicked” that he was searching for throughout this book still being an unknown out there. It felt like the original purpose was just left hanging.

Overall, I really enjoyed the first parts of the book where he was having adventures in different places, solving small riddles and meeting new characters while adjusting to finding a new purpose in life after Galbatorix. I even enjoyed the beginning part of Nal Gorgoth, but I didn’t care for all the torture at Bachel and her people’s hands. It felt a little overkill for me. I already felt emotional for what Murtagh and Thorn suffered from Galbatorix, I didn’t need to read about it happening again. I did love the reminisces about his fencing instructor though.
(hide spoiler)]