Paolini's Halo

Eldest, Christopher Paolini's follow-up to Eragon, is now on the bookstore shelves. USA Today profiles Paolini. The journalist Carol Memmott writes,

After the success of Eragon, critics and industry observers asked: Is Paolini the "next" J.K. Rowling? Paolini says the comparisons are "a great compliment, but I don't write books like hers."

Some people say they shouldn't be made at all.

"Any kind of comparison to Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling is unfair," says Joe Monti, a children's book buyer for Barnes & Noble. "He has his own little halo and glamour separate from Rowling."

Comments

[Michele]

I confess I'm puzzled that Paolini has a halo - he's not a saint, just a very young writer who's had a reasonable amount of success... What very strange things booksellers and publishers say !