Instruct: Classify Amazon reviews into positive or negative sentiment
Query: Not as bad as some portray...

As a long time reader of fantasy and science fiction, I'm not sure I understand the complete disgust some of the reviewers are feeling concerning this book. For me, Eragon is a good fill in as my post-LOTR:RotK-high wanes, and I anxiously await the next installment in Jordan's Wheel of Time series. I've read Tolkien, McCaffery, Lackey, Tad Williams, and many others. The fact that many elements are obviously taken from these greater works didn't take any enjoyment away from my reading. Not an epic, I agree, but not a waste of time. For those people who have found books of a Tolkien-esque scale intimidating in their size and vocabulary, I think this is a good start to get into the genre. If you are well aquainted with fantasy novels, this is a nice Saturday afternoon read when you just want to read something for the fun of it.