Christopher Paolini, graduated high school at 15... wrote the novel Eragon around the same time...
wow

i just finished the book a few hours ago after literally 2 days of "can't put it down"!!! (=

anyone know if the author was homeschooled? it seems very likely... but then i might be wrong.

anyway, if you haven't read it yet then run to your library now ;D

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why is a raven like a writing desk?

Yeah that book looks crappy.. and yes.. I AM judging that book by its cover. Sue me.

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Member of the Minneassian Council

What's it about? Any information you can give on its subject matter, characters, etc.?

And I wouldn't be surprised. There are some writers over at the ISB that I think are both younger and more talented than I, but they might argue otherwise.

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Check out the following stories over at the Interactive Story Board:
The Never-ending Story Thread or visit the new webcomic version!
The Vision Cycle series
Featured Story: The Darkside Chronicles

My friend just finished reading that book, said it was one of his favorites.

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"Run Away!"

What kind of book is this? I may have to pick it up..

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MadQuack on Military school: Pro's: I get to shoot a gun. Con's: Everything else.
"I'm going to beat you until the laws of physics are violated!!" ! Maeve's Warcry

RIP -MaDaVentor-. You will be missed.

Incredibly generic fantasy. I hated the book, but the cover is cool.

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Snail racing: (500 posts per line)
-------@%

The Matrix: Unplugged

I'm a C4D b****!

I just checked the website, and read the first bits of the excerpt. I have to agree with Thrawn. Yeesh. I sincerely hope none of my works are and/or will be that... yeah.

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Check out the following stories over at the Interactive Story Board:
The Never-ending Story Thread or visit the new webcomic version!
The Vision Cycle series
Featured Story: The Darkside Chronicles

Read it. Hated it.

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Bliss is ignorance.

*blinks*
so what do you guys normally read if this is no good?
i found it to be far better than all the Forgotten Realms novels i've read and definetely better than stuff like Harry Potter (though i do enjoy those for a light read


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why is a raven like a writing desk?

I'll have to pick it up. Used to be an avid reader of Dragonlance, and the Sword of Truth novels, then book money dried up. Time to skip over to my library.

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There is no signature

Read House of Leaves, then give up reading entirely, as it would no longer be necessary.

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"Why did all the dinosaurs have to die?"
"Because you touch yourself at night."

so if i insult you, you wouldnt know it?

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"It's OK for us to randomly attack people!"
-BV

Timothy Zahn.

I read the Bible.

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"The Oracle told me I would die with my boots on. I've worn tennis shoes ever since." - Axis

Why is it important that he was 15 back then? Anyone with decent writing skills could write a novel. Im working on one, too.

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"I like pie alot.
Thats why i look like a pie.
With banana cream."

-Unknown artist

Because he actaully wrote the book, got it published and has sold nearly a million copies of the the book so far.

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I'm not an actor. I just play one on TV.

Terra: anyone can write a novel, maybe... (takes a LOT of dedication)
but not anyone can write a GOOD book, get it published, and sell a million copies.

also, how many people do you know who graduated high school at 15? (i thought i was rare to graduate at 16... hehe)

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why is a raven like a writing desk?

Have you ever read a book that sucked and then thought what a waste of your time that was.. That would be so depressing.. Why I don't read

I couldn't even read this whole thread!

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I felt like destroying something beautiful.

ok, so still no one has said *why* the book was bad...
obviously a lot of people liked it since it's selling so well and they're making a movie out of it.


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why is a raven like a writing desk?

Real Fantasy: "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R. R. Martin. Best fantasy series of all time. And that's because there are no elves or dwarves, and barely any magic at all (basically none at all in the first book). It's more like a historical novel, with real characters, than a "the party ventures forth and kills lots of things!" book.

I vaguely recall someone saying the book the thread is about sucked, but I wouldn't be so rash as to judge something I've never read. Though I do wonder how "real" a book a 15 year old could write, with such limited life experience.

matthew: i dunno about that... i mean, it's a FANTASY book.
if it were a non-fiction or such it'd be a valid question.

*makes a note of George RR Martin*

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why is a raven like a writing desk?

I tell you guys what, pick up the HitchHiker's guide to the galaxy.
The ultimate collection you know the big book.
Read that

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Blue, no yellow, AHHHHHHHHHH

I hate fantasy. Especially generic fantasy. (For example, some could ague SW has fantasy elements). ESPECIALLY ESPECIALLY if there are any elves.

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Have a good one,
Freelancer

Right...
Anyone. Even after a novel is finished, that doesn't mean it's done. You need to get it published, and bought. A fifteen year-old with a successful first novel is amazing.

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I have become Death, destroyer of newbs.
Statavad-Gita 8:14

Hmmm...Fight Club...Masters of Doom...you know, something from that selection of over a million other books?

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"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity."

-Albert Einstein

[This message has been edited by SG1_129 (edited February 20, 2004).]

Read it. At least 3 times. Cover to cover. Good stuff.

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The Mega-ZZTer's Gaming Haven!

Bot Pack JO | Let's Roll JK | Bespin JA | Patch Enforcer JK/Mots | Pac-Man JK

Stop making notes and go out and get them. Without a doubt it is the best fantasy series around. Bar none. That's right. Bar none. I wouldn't recommend it though if you are easily offended as it can be rather graphic and vulgar in its descriptions about sex and violence. But this just makes it seem more realisitc

~ The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, and The Simlarillion by J.R.R Tolkien.
~ The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan.
~ The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind.

You can find the complete series (paperback) for each of these on ebay (Buy It Now) for around $30 last I checked.

I've seen Eragon around and will probably read it one day (it will be a few years before I have a slot in my 'to read' schedule).

I'm sure that George R. R. Martin is great (I've heard great things), but there are also hundreds of other great fantasy books that include elves, dwarves, and magic. The genre is fantasy after all. I'm planning to read some of his books very soon, and "A Song of Ice and Fire" is on that list.



Are his books more graphic than The Sword of Truth? If so, they'd have to be dominatrix novels and my virgin ears can't handle that. I was disturbed by some of the things that happened in SoT, though I must admit it was a great series (despite the fact that much of it seemed to be ripped straight from WoT). Since his books are on my list, I suppose I'll just try to read until I'm disturbed too much to go on.

By the way, anyone who plans to read The Wheel of Time...read the prequel last. If you read it first, you're ruining it for yourself.




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http://www.napalmdeathsquad.com

Yes, but they're not like full-on sex type stuff. He doesn't glorify it, he just doesn't fancy it up. He says exactly what happens in no-nonsense terms. There isn't a lot of it. Violence is more graphic but again, not to the point of glorifying it. Basically he straight-forwardely says what is going on, but doesn't dwell on it.

I thought SoT was good up until the Temple of the Winds (Wizards 1st rule was awesome), after that it went downhill quickly. Richard never seemed to learn how to use his magic, him and Kahlan got separated at the start of each novel and some of the plots were a bit dodgy. eg: Faith of the fallen: Richard cures a bunch of hard-nosed pseudo-communists by carving a statue? And don't get me started on Pillars of Creation: the book in which the main characters barely appear. But thats just me, your mileage may vary

*renames thread to "generic fantasy discussion"*
er, that can be taken the wrong way... =/

ehh, i'm headed to a used book store tomorrow and probably the library as well. i'm about to re-read Chronicles of Narnia (CS Lewis > j00)

oh and since we mentioned FR novels earlier my advice to everyone is:
keep away from Ed Greenwood! all the Shandil Saga books are just plain BLEH =/
i'm sorry to have wasted money on the first one.

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why is a raven like a writing desk?

So far I'm up to the Temple of Winds in the SoT series, and man if he doesn't explain what happened in the sex scenes, there's no way you can be more graphic. Some of the things that were in the Blood of the Fold and the Wizard's First Rule might as well have been classified all out glorified sex scenes. I mean spiked phallus demon raping women...no way to make that seem like anything other than what it is. Oh and btw, LotR books SUCK. *yawns, awaiting the flaming towers of doom which will fall upon him.* Yah yah yah, they were a decent enough concept, but like many things, poor execution. I'll cite examples as to why after the first flaming arrow flies.

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There is no signature

I am not launching a flaming arrow at you, I'm launching a magicalflaming arrow. J.R.R. Tolkien was a master of the english language. More than that he was a linguist. He, literally created language for the different species and cultures found in the 6 books of Lord of Rings [yes 6, it's not a trilogy, FotR is two books, TTT is two books and RotK is two books]. So I disagree completly. But by all means explain your position, I welcome it.

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TI-MAH!

*Lunches Flaming Arrow*

Bring it on!

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"No good can ever come from staying with normal people"
-Outlaw Star
"Some people play tennis. I erode the human soul"
-Tycho, Penny Arcade
"I'm a Cannabal-Vegitarian. I will BBQ an employee if there is no veggie option"
-DX:IW

[This message has been edited by Noble Outlaw (edited February 20, 2004).]

I'm 16 and writing a novel that is part fantasy. These points have been duly noted. I'll try to get it right...

I'm 15, male, and love watching twinkies get naked. Hosstesssssssss.

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Someone wrote this over one of the urinals: "The joke isn't on the wall; it's in your hand." - BV

*smacks Rod-Nog reapeatedly with a spiked mace*

That's just disgusting.

*smacks Rod-Nog some more*

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I'm not an actor. I just play one on TV.

Did I say he wasn't a great linguist or didn't know his grammar? No, just that he sucks at writing. Far too much boring background, which only the hardcore Tolkien fans deny. He doesn't even present it in the right way. He gives you big chunks at a time instead of feeding you the history of Middle Earth in many spoonfulls. And don't try to tell me I "Haven't really read the books". I've read them twice...well up to midway through RotK. Then I just got fed up with it. The books weren't even meant to do anything but put elven out in the public's eye, either. Great motive for writing.

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There is no signature

ehh, Tolkien invented fantasy literature the way we see it now.
if there had not been Tolkien there would not be D&D... and if that were so the world would be lost forever

but if you have trouble reading LotR then you're going to commit suicide trying to read stuff like A Tale of Two Cities, anything Jane Austen, and pretty much anything older than 100 years. (which is usually 10x better than contemporary literature)

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why is a raven like a writing desk?

It's not a question of whether I can or canNOT read it, it's a question of if I want to or not. It's so frelling boring, like it was soaked in boodong dren or summat.

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There is no signature

You have to realize that history is necessary for this book. He created a whole frelling world here. The history also gives you connections to the characters, allows you to see the world through their perspective, and helps you follow their thought process. Unless you're referring to the Simarillion, I doubt that may people say that he gives "too much boring background". The background is presented when it is most needed, at times when the history is referred to by the characters. That way he can give you the history in a natural way instead of acting as the omniscient narrator. He wanted the story to be told by the actions of the characters, not to be recited by him.

As for the **** about it only being for getting elven out, what the hell it that? So he made up the elven language, why do you care? Does it offend you that Tolkien decided to make a new language for the heck of it? He made these books for the stories, not for the frelling language. He has some characters speak it every once in awhile. So? How does that suddenly make it the purpose for an entire series? The story was about the struggle between light and dark. Of friendships that could surmount any obstacle. Of love between those worlds apart. Of the binding together of enemies to fight a common foe and the bonds thereby formed. Of learning to trust those you once lost hope in. How you somehow saw these things superceded by a ****ing language he happened to make to fit the story, I have no idea at all.


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"No good can ever come from staying with normal people"
-Outlaw Star
"Some people play tennis. I erode the human soul"
-Tycho, Penny Arcade
"I'm a Cannabal-Vegitarian. I will BBQ an employee if there is no veggie option"
-DX:IW