Eragon, By Christopher PaoliniChristopher Paolini wrote this amazing book when he was just eighteen years old. His main character, Eragon, starts the story at the age of fifteen. Eragon’s adventures begin when he finds a strange blue stone in the mountains and it hatches into a dragon named Saphira. A simple farm boy, Eragon is unprepared for his role as the last Dragon Rider. But when his family is murdered, he sets out to revenge their deaths. Unknowingly, Eragon sparks events that will shape the future of his country. He rescues a beautiful elf. He clashes with the Ra’zac. He learns to harness magic. And Eragon eventually fights an epic battle allied with the rebel Varden against the evil king Galbatorix. This is an exciting book that all fantasy readers will enjoy. Paolini’s first book is detailed, and the characters have depth and personality so that the reader comes to feel deeply for their hardships. Written in a simple manner, it is obvious from the foreshadowing that the tale will get more complicated with later books. The only drawback is the sometimes obvious drawing from classic stories like The Lord of the Rings. Common fantasy elements, however, do not make Eragon less of a good read.
Review by Maureen Inouye, Indigo Editing, LLC
