– What does Saphira tell Eragon about the dragons’ beliefs in Eldest? Compare what the dragons believe with what the dwarves and elves do. Why do the dwarves, the elves, and the humans all have such different mythologies? What do their stories tell us about each of their races? – Compare the different historic traditions of Alagaësia as they are explained in Eldest. Teamed with his telepathic dragon Saphira, trained by the finest men and elves, challenged by great obstacles, Eragon fights for the survival of all that is good and true in his battle with the cruel Empire. Should you wish to avoid spoilers, please read both books before this readers guide! Introduction The Inheritance BooksĮragon’s quiet life explodes with drama when he accepts the inheritance that is his: to become a dragon rider who can change the course of history in his embattled land of Alagaësia.
WARNING: This guide includes key plot points from both Eldest and Eragon. Which of these traits are most important in real-life situations? How was magic used? What emotions did the stories evoke? What do they remember of dragons in those early tales? Make a list of character traits exhibited by heroes and villains from folktales and myths. Who were the characters who fought for good, and who were the evil characters? Ask them to describe to each other scenes they remember from those stories. Ask the group to discuss folktales and myths they remember hearing or reading in the past. Using myth and folklore as a background, modern writers of fantasy set their stories in an imagined world or in a real-life setting where magical events take place. So, I’m feeling generous with my rating today.Fantasy is a form of literature that presents psychological realities in an imaginative or fantastical way. I could forgive a lot of issues for a bit of an adventure, a few days of escapism. I just so happened to be in the mood for elves, dwarves, and dragons. While I haven’t experienced anything more recent of his, I can only hope that he has improved since this first outing. Paolini’s first work proves that he has the chops, the skill necessary to write good fiction. And, the author hit all of the notes he needed to make for a somewhat decent work of high fantasy. There were real, physical consequences, which I love far more than magic being available just because. I can read a well-written novel of equal length by a great author, such as Brandon Sanderson, in half the time it took me to sloth through this work. A good editor would have used her red pen to slash 100-150 pages worth of words from this book. As is often the case with young writers, Paolini relied too much on describing irrelevant details instead of focusing on the narrative. The pacing made reading a bit more of a chore than it should’ve been. He was the only character that I was invested in. Aside from Murtagh, one of the secondary characters, no one grows. Story is how the characters react and grow because of or in spite of the plot. I’m okay with rehashing plots from existing fantasy works. It’s your classic hero’s journey that crosses vast swathes of land over many months, all culminating in an epic battle in the end. It’s like Star Wars meets Lord of the Rings with a dragon. There’s nothing particularly groundbreaking. An old man teaches him the ways of becoming a dragon rider, the secrets of a gifted few thought to have died out long ago. It follows a teen boy named Eragon and his dragon named Saphira.
And, I finally made a decision to read it as I dusted it off during my tidying journey.Įragon is standard fantasy. Like most books in my collection, it survived many shelves at the various places I’ve lived. But, it got lost in the steady stream of books through the college years. If I had read it 15 years ago, I may be singing a different tune. Adults who are a bit more well read will see its many flaws. Most readers will love the book if they devoured it at a younger age and it either introduced them to the joy of reading or the world of fantasy. If you’re going to jump into the big kids’ pool, you can’t be wearing your floaties when you do.Įragon is best marketed as a young adult novel. A good editor who could look a kid in the eye and tell him what was wrong. The problem was that Eragon needed an editor who was vicious. I applaud Paolini for his skills at that age. They said it was better fantasy than even seasoned authors were writing.Īt 15, most of us were not writing 500+ pages of epic fantasy. They told me it was written by a teenager. I remember friends and family telling me I must read this book. I remember when Eragon by Christopher Paolini blew up.