Eragon: Christopher Paolini’s Farm Boy, a Blue Stone and a Dragon
Long ago, Alagaësia was a realm of peace, protected by the Dragon Riders. Now it lies under the control of the evil king Galbatorix. Eragon, the first book of Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle, follows a fifteen-year-old farm boy who, by sheer chance, becomes the hope of an entire nation.
Author: Christopher Paolini
Title: Eragon (The Inheritance Cycle, book 1)
Format: English paperback (Corgi), 544 pages
Scope: Epic fantasy: dragons, magic and rebellion against a tyrant king; followed by Eldest, Brisingr and Inheritance
Amazon: www.amazon.es/dp/0552552097 (ASIN 0552552097)
A Stone in the Spine
While hunting in the mountains known as the Spine, Eragon finds a huge polished blue stone and thinks he is the luckiest boy in the world. He has no idea that the gem carries an enormous responsibility. When a baby dragon hatches from it, he becomes the only person who can free Alagaësia from the oppression and slavery it suffers.
Sword, Magic and Enemies
Under the guidance of Brom, the village storyteller, his apprenticeship begins. Swordsmanship and magic are both essential for the struggle ahead. Thousands of adventures and surprises, new friends and many challenges await Eragon on his long journey. The evil Shade Durza, the Urgals and the loathsome Ra’zac will make things hard for him, but with the help of dissidents such as the Varden and the elves, Eragon faces the most feared situations with courage and honour to the very end.
A Novel Begun at Fifteen
Paolini started Eragon as a homeschooled teenager in Montana, and his family first published it through their own small press before a major publisher, Knopf, picked it up and turned it into an international bestseller. That story is part of the book’s appeal to young readers: it shows what a determined teenager can do. It also explains some of its weaknesses, which critics were quick to point out.
Familiar Roots
The influences are easy to spot. The farm boy with a hidden destiny, the old storyteller who turns out to be a warrior and mentor (Brom), the evil empire and the rebel Varden all recall Tolkien and Star Wars, and the elves and dwarves come straight from classic fantasy. What Paolini adds is the bond between Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, who speaks to him in his mind and grows from a hatchling into a proud, witty companion. Their relationship is the heart of the series.
The Inheritance Cycle
Eragon was followed by Eldest, Brisingr and Inheritance (2011), a long saga that grows darker and more complex as Eragon learns the cost of war. A 2006 film adaptation was poorly received, so the books remain the way to meet these characters. Paolini later returned to Alagaësia with further stories, including a novel about Eragon’s rival Murtagh.
Who Will Love It
Young teenagers discovering epic fantasy for the first time, and anyone who wants a long series with dragons at its centre. The English is accessible, which makes it a good choice for confident learners too.
Beyond the Farm
The journey also introduces a memorable supporting cast: Murtagh, the mysterious young swordsman whose loyalties are never simple; Arya, the captive elf; and the Shade Durza, the book’s most frightening villain. Their stories drive the rest of the cycle, and Murtagh in particular becomes one of its most interesting figures.
Why Read It Now
Paolini began writing Eragon as a teenager, and the book became an international bestseller; it was followed by three more volumes and, much later, by Murtagh, set in the same world. For readers who grew up with dragons and chosen ones, it is a generous, old-fashioned epic, and the first step into a long saga.
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