| Here's a great big fantasy that you can pull | | | | white veins. Brom, the village storyteller, |
| over your head like a comfy old sweater and | | | | has shown interest in it, so it is to him |
| disappear into for a whole weekend. | | | | that Eragon turns when it starts squeaking, |
| Christopher Paolini began Eragon when he was | | | | then wobbling, and then hatches into a |
| just 15, and the book shows the influence of | | | | majestic sapphire blue dragon. His decision |
| Tolkien, of course, but also Terry Brooks, | | | | to keep and raise Saphira starts him on an |
| Anne McCaffrey, and perhaps even Wagner in | | | | epic journey of Tolkienesque proportions that |
| its traditional quest structure and the | | | | is only partially told in the 500 pages of |
| generally agreed-upon nature of dwarves, | | | | this book. Eragon learns that the Empire's |
| elves, dragons, and heroic warfare with magic | | | | cruel and oppressive king will stop at |
| swords. | | | | nothing to get Eragon and Saphira to serve |
| | | | him. Training and traveling with Brom, the |
| Eragon, a young farm boy, finds a marvelous | | | | teen and dragon learn to work together in war |
| blue stone in a mystical mountain place. | | | | and peace, using a combination of traditional |
| Before he can trade it for food to get his | | | | fighting arts and magic. They encounter |
| family through the hard winter, it hatches a | | | | massive humanoid warriors with savage |
| beautiful sapphire-blue dragon, a race | | | | intentions and are befriended by Murtagh, a |
| thought to be extinct. Eragon bonds with the | | | | human warrior with mysterious ties to the |
| dragon, and when his family is killed by the | | | | Varden and the Empire. Eventually, they seek |
| marauding Ra'zac, he discovers that he is the | | | | refuge with dwarves who harbor the Varden, |
| last of the Dragon Riders, fated to play a | | | | who exist to free the Empire. Eragon does not |
| decisive part in the coming war between the | | | | approach the depth, uniqueness, or mastery of |
| human but hidden Varden, dwarves, elves, the | | | | J. R. R. Tolkien's works, and sometimes the |
| diabolical Shades and their neanderthal | | | | magic solutions are just too convenient for |
| Urgalls, all pitted against and allied with | | | | getting out of difficult situations. However, |
| each other and the evil King Galbatorix. | | | | the empathetic characters and interesting |
| Eragon and his dragon Saphira set out to find | | | | plot twists will appeal to the legions of |
| their role, growing in magic power and | | | | readers who have been captivated by the "Lord |
| understanding of the complex political | | | | of the Rings" trilogy and are looking for |
| situation as they endure perilous travels and | | | | more books like it. |
| sudden battles, dire wounds, capture and | | | | |
| escape. | | | | Was the mysterious blue stone that appears |
| | | | out of nowhere sent by accident or is teenage |
| In spite of the engrossing action, this is | | | | Eragon meant to have it? When a dragon, |
| not a book for the casual fantasy reader. | | | | Saphira, hatches from it, beast and boy |
| There are 65 names of people, horses, and | | | | connect (in much the same way dragons and |
| dragons to be remembered and lots of | | | | riders do in Anne McCaffrey's popular Pern |
| pseudo-Celtic places, magic words, and | | | | series) and face danger together. In this |
| phrases in the Ancient Language as well as | | | | story, Eragon is thrust into a new role as |
| the speech of the dwarfs and the Urgalls. But | | | | the first Dragon Rider in more than 100 years |
| the maps and glossaries help, and by the end, | | | | who is not under the evil king's control. |
| readers will be utterly dedicated and eager | | | | After the king's ghastly minions kill |
| for the next book, Eldest. | | | | Eragon's uncle as they search for the teen, |
| | | | Eragon and Saphira, mentored by the village's |
| In wunderkind (he's 18) Christopher Paolini's | | | | aged "storyteller," hunt for the killers and, |
| impressive epic fantasy, eragon, the titular | | | | in turn, find themselves being hunted. This |
| hero (who's 15) and Saphira, the dragon he's | | | | unusual, powerful tale, begun when Paolini |
| raised from a baby, set out to avenge the | | | | was 15 (he's now 19) and self-published in |
| murder of Eragon's uncle and soon find | | | | 2002 before being picked up by Knopf, is the |
| themselves pursued by the fanatical king | | | | first book in the planned Inheritance |
| Galbatroix. The fantasy bildungsroman has the | | | | trilogy. It's obvious that Paolini knows the |
| brave youngster learning about exile, magic, | | | | genre well--his lush tale is full of |
| love and his own destiny, and Paolini | | | | recognizable fantasy elements and |
| promises his saga will continue in two more | | | | conventions. But the telling remains |
| volumes of the planned Inheritance series. | | | | constantly fresh and fluid, and he has done a |
| | | | fine job of creating an appealing and |
| Grade 5 Up-Eragon, 15, is hunting for wild | | | | convincing relationship between the youth and |
| game when he witnesses a mysterious | | | | the dragon. It's an impressive start to a |
| explosion. At the center of the blast radius | | | | writing career that's sure to flourish |
| he finds a polished blue stone marked with | | | | |