Eragon (Inheritance, Book 1) (The Inheritance Cycle) by Christopher Paolini
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Book Reviews of Eragon (Inheritance, Book 1) (The Inheritance Cycle)
Book Review: 5 Stars
As I was reading through the reviews above, I would have to say that most of you are terribly wrong. This book may be slightly like The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars, but it is a totaly new section. Some people say that this book is like Star Wars because if you replace Eragon with Luke, the dragon egg with the drones, ect. ect. But that is just it. ERAGON ISN'T LUKE, THE DRAGON EGG ISN'T DRONES!! This book is totaly different yet slightly the same. People have to realize that every book since the Lord of the Rings has used Tolkien's idea about elves, and that is the way it is. Because no one can forget what an incredible idea that is. Now, I am 13 years old, and some of you old-timers may think that I know nothing about good writing skills and blah-blah-blah. But you don't have to be 40 to know what a great book this is and how inteligent and talented Christopher Paolini is. I have read this book 5-10 times and I think that anyone who has read it that many times will agree with me when I say that this book has totaly replaced Star Wars and The Lord of The Rings. (They are still there and are still great books AND movies) I have the Lord of the Rings movies. All three, directors cut too. I have watched them hundreds of times and I have read the books also, but I think that it is a good thing to have a more modern-languaged text.This book totaly pulled me into it. I sat on my couch, in my bed, at my desk at school, anywhere, and read this. My friends and family can tell you how absorbed I am in this book everytime I read it. And I mean EVERYTHIME. They can be talking to me and I won't even hear them. I cannot imagine my life without this book.
This book took me and made me realize what an author can do: an author can take you to a whole other world. And Christopher Paolini did that. He did such a great job! I could never ever even think about this book as being too descriptive, slow, or just plain old stupid, and not to mention being written by someone who doesn't know what they are doing.
As I was reading this book I was prone to skip chapters because I didn't want to face certain parts of it again because it was to real to me. The part when they are at Yazuac almost made me cry. And i have only cried onece about a book or a movie. And the part when they were captured by the Ra'zac outside of Dras'Leona makes me sick to my stomach. I can feel Eragon's pain when he is kicked by the Ra'zac, and I cry when Brom dies. This book left the most wonderful feeling inside of me. I know I will cry when I finish the third book because it will mark the end of a magical land that I have come to love through Paolini's words...
By ashleigh Drew (benjamin's daughter)
Book Review: Eloquent, graceful, smooth and well-done!
Summary: 5 Stars
I first heard about Eragon from the movie trailers, and I took my little bro to the theater to see the movie. Needless to say, I was shocked at how low the quality was of the movie. The story wasn't even cohesive! There was no connection with the traditional mythical style (which I can usually find in ANY movie. There were a few character archetypes, but there was no real amount of story to hold it together).
Then I picked up Eragon, the novel, in summer of 2007, with a very skeptical and critical attitude. At first I tried to make fun of some of the stuff there, saying that it's ridiculous. A boy finding a dragon egg? But really in my heart of hearts, I was liking the story. I was drawn in. The characters were very masterfully created.
Little note for those of you who say that Eragon has no depth: he has just the right amount of depth. It's because a guy is writing it that the guy doesn't have a TON of depth and the girl (Arya) has very little depth. It's because we don't know a lot about girls so we don't go too deep with them, but we don't like to reveal too much about ourselves, so a lot of women think that Eragon doesn't act like a real person. He does, it's just that he acts like a guy. But I digress.
His dilemma with the dragon and revealing it to the family is one I found both amusing and also tense, because that is TOTALLY how I would act in that situation. It brings quite a richness and balance to the first part of the story and leads you right where you think it will: a long, sprawling and exciting adventure.
This book, if nothing else, is a ball. If you like having fun with your reading, this is the place to go. Christopher Paolini, as I can definitely tell, had a wonderful time writing this book, and I know. I had so much fun reading it that he HAD to have a lot of fun writing it. This isn't as evident in the other books, which is one downside of those, but this one is just perfect in the amound of fun and excitement. Even in the intense parts, he leads you through with a snide or sarcastic comment that'll make you laugh just the right way. I also found that since he was never planning on getting this published, or even being read, he had some of those fun George Lucas-style "What the heck?" moments. Believe it or not, ye writers, readers like to read that stuff. Not lying.
Settings are described wonderfully but still briefly enough to keep the story going. Though many chapters were short and there was a brevity to the entire story (believe me, 450 pages goes a whole lot faster than you think it does), I never felt left out on where they were or what it looked like.
A definite must-read. Go for it. I'd recommend spending the $13.
Book Review: Eragon
Summary: 5 Stars
The Book Review Of Eragon
When was the last time a book made you wonder what it would be like to live in a fantasy land? How about riding a dragon or talking to a dragon? Well, Eragon is your answer. Eragon is a book of magic, mystery, and allows you to imagine everything that is happening. Written by Christopher Paolini, this wonderful, adventurous fiction book is recommended for kids ages 11-14. Everything all gets stirred up when a young farm boy, Eragon, is hunting in the Spine (a place where 15 year old boys shouldn't be). That is, he is hunting until he comes upon a polished blue "stone". But when the "stone" hatches into a dragon, Eragon becomes this dragon's rider. After weeks of practice, Eragon and his dragon, ( Saphira), become the last to brave ones to defeat King Galbatorix.
There are several different characters that all play a tremendous role. There is Eragon, whose road of the simple life as a poor farm boy just turned the other way when he is committed to being responsible for this dragon. Saphira, another very important, sweet, bright, character, is the dragon that Eragon is now responsible for. The last and surely least character is King Galbatorix. He is an evil King ruler who wants to own the whole land of Alagaësia. Dragons and their riders are sent off to defeat King Galbatorix so they still have freedom.
The story of Eragon takes place in the magical land of Alagaësia. Alagaësia consists of The Spine, Beor Mountians, Du Weldenvarden, Surda, and Hadarac Desert. The story is also not a modern day story, but it seems to have taken place in the past. It is interesting in stories, especially in Eragon, when they are in the past because it is cool to see how their way of living is; like how they ride their horses, and how they respect their recourses a lot more than we do!
The theme of the book is friendship and the vivid description in the text clearly shows that. When Eragon find out that is Saphira dies, he lives on, but if he dies, so does Saphira, they really become close friends. They take every day together for granite because they really don't have a lot of time left together. They really need friendship to get on with this frightening commitment and they need to work as a team.
This book ends peacefully, that is if you forget about how they have a war (Galbatorix vs. Eragon and Saphira). I really liked this action packed book and I think anyone in the ages of 11-14 that like magic, mystery, adventure, and a little bit of twist all in one book would love it to! Who knows, maybe if you like this book, you might even consider reading its sequel, Eldest!
Book Review: Eragon a Must Read
Summary: 5 Stars
Eragon was an ordinary fifteen-year old boy living with his uncle Garrow and his cousin Roran in a farm outside of the small town of Carvahall. When a stone magically appeared during a hunting trip to the mysterious mountains, which are known as the spine, his life was about to change forever. Bringing the big beautiful blue stone with him, Eragon had no idea what this stone would turn into. After a few weeks had past, late one night the stone began to shake, squeak, and crack and a dragon emerged. Eragon was shocked. Fearing that his uncle would not allow him to keep the dragon because if the cruel king Galbatorix found out about the dragon he would kill them, Eragon decided to raise the dragon in secret. Quickly the dragon, which Eragon had named Saphira, grew. Eragon did not know that his ordinary life was about to end.
Eventually, the empire found out that the egg had been lost in the area and king Galbatorix sent two strange creatures to find it. When Eragon told Saphira about the strangers she kidnapped him and flew off with him to protect him. Despite Eragon's efforts to convince her to return to the farm so he could warn his uncle who was endangered by the strangers, Saphira would not return. Eragon was finally able to convince Saphira to return after they had spent a night in the spine. They were already too late. The strangers had already come. The house was already destroyed. Searching through the ruble that used to be the house, Eragon found his uncle Garrow who was still alive. Garrow was badly hurt however and Eragon had to get him to the town because the town healer might be able to help him. But when Garrow died Eragon determined to chase the mysterious creatures and seek revenge.
After Garrow died, Eragon decided to sneak out of the house he was staying in and begin tracking the strangers which were called the Ra'zac. When Eragon was collecting the things he would need for his journey he was meet by the town storyteller, an old man who was named Brom. Eragon thought that his plans had already ended because he had been found out, but Brom already knew about the dragon and had guessed his purpose for running away. He offered to help. Immediately Eragon thought that it was a trap, but he soon decided that it was not. Traveling with Brom, Eragon soon realized that he now had magical powers. With Brom's help Eragon began to learn how to use his powers, as they followed the Ra'zac. Where would his travels take him? What would happen? Eragon had no way of knowing what would come of his adventure but he was determined to get revenge and kill the Ra'zac. One of the best books ever written, Eragon is a must read.
Book Review: From a writer of signifigantly less fame
Summary: 5 Stars
The story was a wonderful read, very enjoyable and a strong representation for the genre. The best part, in my opinion, is it started with an original premise -- a young boy finds a dragon egg and is forced to deal with its sudden hatching. In many ways, this is also a coming of age story with strong moral grounding and moments of surprising depth.
A number of other reviewers have criticized this book for ripping off everyone from Lewis, to Tolkien, to McCaffrey and everyone in between. I did not find this to be the case. A writer who follows the path of other writers and writes from inspiration and admiration of those writers' styles is decidedly not, in my opinion, ripping them off. The wonderful thing about the genre that Tolkien and others created is that it is vast enough for a great number of stories inspired by myth, Tolkien, the others, or some combination.
As for elves, dragons, dwarves and the rest, they are no less cliche to me than creatures in the real world. Is a human a cliche? One may as well critique the human unconscious which seems to have patterned these things into our very dreams. I for one, and the big kid in me, love these creatures and I will never tire of them.
That is not to say that one should not strive for originality in story. But originality in story is entirely different from the clothing it wears. In my opinion, some of you out there need to remove the reality from your fantasy and just have fun. You cannot critique fantasy and mythic tales in the same way you would critique literature. Myth, by its very nature, is additive and inspirational -- not iconoclastic. Bly and Jung had it right. We are dealing in archetypes here. Get rid of characters like Gandalf, Dumbledore, Obi Wan Kenobe??? May as well say get rid of 'wise mentors' altogether.
I would say that what is tired is not this story, but the criticism mounted against it. If you read the reviews for Tolkien, Lewis, Nix, Alexander, Rowlings and a hundred others you will find similar critiques along with loud cries of 'derivation!' and even 'plagiarism!' It is obvious that a number of you achieved very high marks in Cynicism 101. What you seem to lack are the dreams and clarity of vision this writer achieved which led him to create something extraordinary, beautiful, and popular.
More a critique of the critics than of Eragon, I know. But someone has to clear the goblins out from time to time.
My best wishes to you all and to Mr. Paolini -- a tip of the hat sir. I wish I had started so young and full of promise. But it seems I must make my own struggling way -- goblins be damned.
Rob Fanney