Eragon and Eldest Book Review

In all honesty, I was very skeptical about the story of Eragon. My first encounter with anything associated with it was a game I saw on the shelf at a video rental store that I was working at during the time. To say the least, it didn't really catch my eye. I still haven't seen the movie or played the game and have very little interest in doing so.

If not for my mother buying me the book, I'd never have read it. Of course since she bought it for me, I felt obligated to read it. The author, Christopher Paolini, hadn't heard of him either. Well, upon starting the novel, I was enraptured. Paolini, whom became a bestselling author at the age of of 19, is one of the brightest and most promising new authors out there. Anyone with such writing skill at such a young age deserves much praise.

While the story is creative, it's nothing really shocking to the fantasy world. There have been dragon riders in other stories such as The Dragon Riders of Pern and we're all familiar with elves and dwarves from The Lord of the Rings. It's extremely difficult not to take elements from some of the greatest stories in history that influence us.

The real art is in Paolini's use of the language, the deep character development, and his keen descriptions which let you become immersed in the world of Alagaesia. One of the my personal determining factors for how good a book or author is, is if I can't put the book down. A person shouldn't have to force themselves to read a story, but become part of it, hardly able to tear themselves away. Paolina has this skill and it's a skill that will most likely get even better with time and experience.

Eragon tells the story of a young boy and his adventures that follow after he finds a strange blue stone. The novel is filled with dragons, dwarves, elves, and human struggles and emotions. Eldest picks up where the first novel left off. Eldest doesn't conclude the story, but leads into the next book of the series. If you're a person that grows impatient, it may be best to wait until the entire series is released before beginning the books. Personally, I've always loved the anticipation of waiting for the next part of a series and the excitement when that book finally rests in my hands. (Though I think it embarrasses the people I'm with when I find a book I didn't realize was released yet and start jumping up and down with excitement in public...)

These novels are suitable for preteen, teenagers, and adults alike. They are comparable to the Harry Potter series in that they can appeal to many types of people of all ages. While of course there are some these books will not appeal to, I'd recommend them especially for the juvenile audience. There are many lessons throughout the books as the characters mature that young adults can benefit from. Forgiveness and responsibility are just a couple.

After reading Eragon and Eldest, I'm looking forward to the next installment of the series and to see how Paolini grows and develops as a writer.