"A wonderful fantasy"
Fifteen years old Eragon hunts deer in the nearby Spine, a
locale feared by the townsfolk of his village Carvahall.
As he about to shoot an arrow, an explosion occurs. He
checks and in the midst of where his prey was resides a
blue stone with white lines on it. The gem soon hatches
into a noisy sapphire blue dragon. Receiving guidance
from the village storyteller, the teen raises his new
companion that he names Saphira. King Galbatorix wants the dragon and its owner working for
him. His evil followers murder Eragon's uncle and go
after the lad. Eragon and Saphira flee. On the run, they
learn to fight as one and study magic in an attempt for
the lad and his dragon to become the first Dragon Rider in
a century. If successful with the first stage of their
quest, they will attempt to avenge the killing of his
family and free the Empire from the monarch and his
malevolent minions. Clearly paying homage to Beowulf and of course Tolkien,
Christopher Paolini provides a powerful epic fantasy. The
tale stars a delightful coming of age hero, a dragon, a
mentor, and an assortment of human and otherworldly evil
essences. Though adjusting to the proper names of places
and people can prove difficult (thank goodness for a
listing and a map), the fast-paced story line is action-
packed so that readers gain a strong novel that tells part
of the tale (sequels to follow). Lord of the Ring fans of
all ages will appreciate Christopher Paolini's terrific
tale and look forward to the sequel in the Inheritance
Trilogy. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted September 27, 2003
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