This is me rereading the series in English for the first time and?? Surprisingly? I liked it far more than I did when I was younger (or well, for different reasons) which is ASTOUNDING, to say the least, since most people are of the adamant opinion that you cannot enjoy this book when growing older (and reading more fantasy books) as if becomes apparent how much Paolini borrowed from other writers.

Well, that prediction did not come true for me (??? how you ask, and I say: I do not know)
Sure, the entire saga is the embodiment of the hero's journey, a phenomenon wildly known (mostly through the Star Wars Movies though that is far from the only franchise heavily relying on it) and either loved or regarded with distaste and boredom but - again - Eragon did not INVENT that particular trope. It's been around for a while so why is it that Eragon gets that much hate over it while other series suffer relatively less? Is it because it's so popular...? (Probably)
But there is so much more to it than that. The world feels LIVED IN, experienced through both Eragon's eyes and the reader's, the characters have depth to them the further you follow the story and I highly appreciate (and this is where my newfound respect and love for the series stems from) the way the book highlights struggles of war not all fantasy books (especially meant for a younger audience) pick up on: PTSD, nightmares over the ones you killed, the inherent question of WHY you should continue to fight even though it will cause suffering to your enemies and friends alike.

Eragon is by no means perfect and I fully understand why it might not please some people to see how much Paolini relies on old tropes but my opinion on the series is that of a rekindled love for the world, the characters, and the growth they all experience.