Eragon (The Inheritance Cycle #1)

I came across the book at an old book house. I come from nothing, so I just asked the guy sitting there if I can borrow the book. It was not the first time I did that, so the salesman just nodded. Intrigued by the dragon on the cover, I picked the book and almost ran home with excitement. What to expect from a fourteen years old! As soon as I was through the first few pages, I was hooked. Little did I know about the writing styles, character building, and reader engagement. 

The Inheritance Book #1 Storyline

Book 1 starts with a Shade hunting three elves. One of them carried a stone of blue color. The shade strikes the two and the last one magically transport the stone to the only person she can think of. The story then accounts a young farm boy Eragon. While hunting he comes by a stone, which is no stone like he has ever seen, for it is actually a dragon egg. He thinks it is of value and brings it home, only to find that it is a dragon egg. Next thing he knows he is mysteriously chosen to be bonded with dragon Saphira. 

He raises the dragon, but discovered by evil ruler of the land Galbatorix, he has to flee Carvahall. The king sends his minions Ra'zac to search for the egg. They kill Eragon's uncle Garrow. Eragon teams up with the storyteller Brom, who gives him the Za'roc and insists on helping him. Brom tells him of Galbatorix, who with his thirteen forsworn killed all the riders. He teaches him sword fighting, magic and ancient language that is necessary to cast spells. On the way, they come by the city of Tierm, where Broms accomplice in stealing the dragon egg, Jeod lives. He is shocked to see Brom alive and more so shocked to see a dragon and a rider at his doorstep. He learns his future from Angela the Herbalist. Her companion Solembum gives him advice. 

Eragon and Brom track Ra'zac to the southern city of Dras-Leona. Although they manage to infiltrate the city, Eragon encounters the Ra'zac in a cathedral and he and Brom are forced to flee. Later that night, their camp is ambushed by the Ra'zac. A stranger named Murtagh rescues them, but Brom is gravely injured. Saphira watches over Brom as the night progresses, yet when morning comes they realize there is nothing they can do to save him. Brom gives Eragon his blessing, reveals that he was also once a dragon rider and that his dragon's name was Saphira, and dies. Saphira then encases Brom in a tomb made of a diamond.

Murtagh becomes Eragon's new companion and they travel to the city Gil'ead to find information on how to find the Varden, a group of rebels who want to see the downfall of Galbatorix. While stopping near Gil'ead, Eragon is captured and imprisoned in the same jail that holds a woman he has been having dreams about. As she is being dragged past she is revealed as an elf when her pointed ears are uncovered. Murtagh and Saphira stage a rescue, and Eragon escapes with the unconscious elf. During the escape, Eragon and Murtagh battle with Durza. Murtagh shoots Durza between the eyes with an arrow, and the Shade disappears in a cloud of mist. Having escaped, they run off. Eragon succeeds in communicating with the elf, whose name is revealed as Arya, and learns the location of the Varden. After some arguing, Murtagh decides to still travel with Eragon to the Varden but is still wary of them.

An army of Kull (Urgals who can grow up to 8 feet) reach Eragon right outside the Varden's entrance but are driven off with the help of the Varden, who escort Eragon, Saphira, Murtagh, and Arya to Farthen Dûr the mountain hideout of the Varden. When they arrive in Farthen Dûr, Eragon is led to the leader of the Varden, Ajihad. Ajihad imprisons Murtagh after he refuses to allow his mind to be read to determine if he is a friend or a foe to the Varden. Eragon is told by Ajihad that Durza was not destroyed by Murtagh's arrow because the only way to kill a Shade is a stab through the heart. Orik, the nephew of the dwarf King Hrothgar, is appointed as Eragon and Saphira's guide. Orik shows them a place to stay and introduces them to Hrothgar. Eragon also meets Ajihad's daughter, Nasuada, and Ajihad's right-hand man, Jörmundur. He also runs into Angela and Solembum, who have arrived in Tronjheim, and visits Murtagh in his prison. He is tested by two magicians, The Twins, as well as Arya.

Eragon and the Varden are then attacked by the Kull, as well as the rest of the Urgal army. Eragon personally battles Durza again and succeeds in stabbing him in the heart with Zar'roc, but Durza slashes a deep cut like Murtagh's on his back. He then passes out and is visited telepathically by a stranger while he is unconscious who tells Eragon to visit him in the Elven capital, Ellesméra.

Writers take;

When I read this book I had a high opinion of the author, which by the way I still do, for getting me through a difficult phase of my life. But as of now, I have much clearer picture. The Inheritance cycle has A LOT common with Lord of the Rings trilogy. The fantasy of the 15-year-old Christopher Paolini was not completely his own. As it is said that there is nothing new under the sun, it is so true for the plot of this series. The lead character, Eragon was not developed properly. Nobody is perfect, nobody can learn sword fighting in a few weeks and transition from hunting in woods to blasting kulls off with magic is not so easy as it sounds. But then again, what kind of fantasy if that where you cannot get what you want. At one side I feel like the series is lacking something special, on the other side, it has an edge to it. Eragon is a go-to for a lot of teenagers out there, so in that perspective, Paolini really has done a great job.