Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Fantasy. 757 Pages. 5 stars
Synopsis:
One boy…
One dragon…
A world of adventure.
When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy as old as the Empire itself.
Overnight he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic, and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old story-teller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds.
Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands.
My Review:
This is the first book in Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle. I read Eragon as a young girl when it first came out. I recently decided to re-read the series since I enjoyed it so much then. I am certainly glad I have! The story is just as wonderful as I remembered it originally. There were little details that I did not remember that I enjoyed reminiscing in. The world-building is phenomenal. This is such an extensively crafted world. I can’t wait to see where Paolini takes it when he returns, for I would certainly hope he returns after all the work he put into such an elaborate universe. The characters are deep, round, and relatable. You love them and hate them and puzzle over them. They became my friends long ago and I am very happy to be reunited with them. The plot, of course, is intriguing. The story is well-paced and there’s a healthy balance of intensity and slower sections. There is no foul language and no explicit romantic scenes. There is violence, and some mildly graphic; however, it isn’t distasteful and I thought it well-restrained. All in all, I LOVE THIS BOOK!!
I adore this series; the depth, the length, the epic fantasy, the hero’s journey. It’s one of my very favorites and I cannot recommend it highly enough. The book has become, I believe, a staple in its genre. This is the kind of book I hope to write one day.
More:
Book 2 in the Inheritance Cycle is Eldest (5 Stars)
Book 3 is Brisingr (4 Stars)
Book 4 is Inheritance (5 Stars)
Book 5 is Murtagh
I have rated each of the above on Goodreads. I plan to reread them in the near future and will post reviews on each after doing so. Follow the links to find more info on the books.
This series must be read in order.