Now here's a character we haven't talked about all that much. Which is fair enough since he was only really in the first book and didn't do all that much of importance. Honestly, though, Brom was one of the things I disliked the most about Eragon. I found him utterly insufferable, in fact.
As we all know, Brom's personality and behaviour are basically lifted wholesale from the character of Belgarath, last seen being a patronising jerk to Garion in David Eddings' Pawn of Prophecy. Likewise, Saphira is basically just the infinitely obnoxious Polgara from the same book, wearing a dragon suit. Both of them accordingly treat Eragon like a complete idiot and mock him for not knowing things he has no way of knowing because nobody bothered to tell him. It was honestly a bit hard not to feel sorry for the kid, even though I found him equally obnoxious because of the constant whiny self-righteousness.
Either way I couldn't stand Brom. Not only does he constantly lie to his own son for no reason, but he actually has the hide to yell at him for asking questions, at one point shouting "you demand answers with an insolence rarely seen!" Because... Eragon dared to be curious about something? The fuck? I'm actually now wondering if this is why later on in the series Eragon becomes completely apathetic about learning new information and doesn't ask questions about anything - Brom taught him that asking questions and being curious was bad and wrong.
Brom keeps very important information to himself for no reason whatsoever, everything from being Eragon's father to the fact that he used to be a Rider. He conceals information even when knowing it would keep Eragon alive, or help to motivate him. He didn't tell him about the Eldunarya. He didn't tell him about Murtagh. He didn't teach him proper healing spells, as a result of which Eragon couldn't fix his broken wrist and later couldn't heal Brom either. (Both of which he's later able to do with perfect ease).
On top of that, what does Brom teach his little protege? What sort of example does he set for the ridiculously naive and ignorant kid? Well, the lying aside, he also brutally beats him every night under the guise of "teaching him swordplay", constantly yells at and belittles him, gets him shitfaced drunk, implies that it's okay to bribe people, and openly steals from someone, after which he acts like this was a very clever and justified thing to do.
Might I add, in one of the plot summaries (I think at the beginning of Inheritance) the narrator claims that Brom taught Eragon "much about honour". When? Because what I saw him teaching him was that it's okay to lie, steal, bribe, cheat and assault people, and that avoiding killing your enemies makes you an idiot. Is this series set in Opposite Land or what?
What makes this even more hilarious is that Eragon then goes on to follow his dear departed dad's good example, as he himself goes on to lie, cheat, bribe and assault people, and never spares anyone no matter how much he outclasses them. So... mission fricking accomplished, I guess. Nice work, Brom - you successfully taught a once naive kid how to be a complete asshole, just like you!
PS: If anyone was wondering whether I'm actually going to do as I said I would and spork the sequel to Touched By Venom, the answer is still yes. In fact I've written eleven pages of sporkage so far, and am just waiting until I've made more progress before I start posting. Sadly, the misandry only gets worse in the sequel. I made a point of ranting about it at some length.
As we all know, Brom's personality and behaviour are basically lifted wholesale from the character of Belgarath, last seen being a patronising jerk to Garion in David Eddings' Pawn of Prophecy. Likewise, Saphira is basically just the infinitely obnoxious Polgara from the same book, wearing a dragon suit. Both of them accordingly treat Eragon like a complete idiot and mock him for not knowing things he has no way of knowing because nobody bothered to tell him. It was honestly a bit hard not to feel sorry for the kid, even though I found him equally obnoxious because of the constant whiny self-righteousness.
Either way I couldn't stand Brom. Not only does he constantly lie to his own son for no reason, but he actually has the hide to yell at him for asking questions, at one point shouting "you demand answers with an insolence rarely seen!" Because... Eragon dared to be curious about something? The fuck? I'm actually now wondering if this is why later on in the series Eragon becomes completely apathetic about learning new information and doesn't ask questions about anything - Brom taught him that asking questions and being curious was bad and wrong.
Brom keeps very important information to himself for no reason whatsoever, everything from being Eragon's father to the fact that he used to be a Rider. He conceals information even when knowing it would keep Eragon alive, or help to motivate him. He didn't tell him about the Eldunarya. He didn't tell him about Murtagh. He didn't teach him proper healing spells, as a result of which Eragon couldn't fix his broken wrist and later couldn't heal Brom either. (Both of which he's later able to do with perfect ease).
On top of that, what does Brom teach his little protege? What sort of example does he set for the ridiculously naive and ignorant kid? Well, the lying aside, he also brutally beats him every night under the guise of "teaching him swordplay", constantly yells at and belittles him, gets him shitfaced drunk, implies that it's okay to bribe people, and openly steals from someone, after which he acts like this was a very clever and justified thing to do.
Might I add, in one of the plot summaries (I think at the beginning of Inheritance) the narrator claims that Brom taught Eragon "much about honour". When? Because what I saw him teaching him was that it's okay to lie, steal, bribe, cheat and assault people, and that avoiding killing your enemies makes you an idiot. Is this series set in Opposite Land or what?
What makes this even more hilarious is that Eragon then goes on to follow his dear departed dad's good example, as he himself goes on to lie, cheat, bribe and assault people, and never spares anyone no matter how much he outclasses them. So... mission fricking accomplished, I guess. Nice work, Brom - you successfully taught a once naive kid how to be a complete asshole, just like you!
PS: If anyone was wondering whether I'm actually going to do as I said I would and spork the sequel to Touched By Venom, the answer is still yes. In fact I've written eleven pages of sporkage so far, and am just waiting until I've made more progress before I start posting. Sadly, the misandry only gets worse in the sequel. I made a point of ranting about it at some length.