Review: Eragon (Inheritance cycle book 1) ~ Christopher Paolini

“Books are my friends, my companions. They make me laugh and cry and find meaning in life.”

― Christopher Paolini, Eragon

Eragon was like a fairytale for me, I read this for the first time when I was only 10-years old and since then this series has been one of favorite in the high fantasy genre. This book, although with a typical farm boy trope, introduces us to a world of magic, adventure, action and a bit of romance; which is still fascinating for me as a more experienced reader.

Eragon, the protagonist is a small farm boy in the outskirts of Alagaesia, in a small village called Carvahall, on mysterious night he encounters a huge blue gem like stone, this becomes the turning point in his life. He realizes that the gem is actually a dragon egg and soon bonds with it, making him the last free dragon rider in the whole of Alagaesia. He then starts his journey across Alagaesia, towards the rebel group hiding from the tyrannical King Galbatorix, who was behind the large-scale massacre of the dragons and the dragon riders. On the way he is met with a lot of challenges and hurdles but with the help of his trusty aid Saphira (the dragon) and with his enigmatic master Brom he starts his journey to become the only hope of liberation; from the reign of terror for of all Alagaesia.

The most important aspect in this book is how detailed the magic system is and how intricately it is explained as a pseudo-science. The ancient Language is something that governs the universe like some sort of universal master code. According to the book some species are born with magic and control the language dexterously like the elves while others have to have a chance experience in order to gain magic. The ancient language, for me was the first strict and rule based magic that I encountered, so maybe I am a bit geeked out about it, but the thing about magic with strict rules is that it helps you imagine yourself using the magic, although in eragon you perform it in a rather rudimentary method. It is by far one the most engrossing magic systems that I have come across.

Another reason that eragon is one my favorite book is because Christopher Paolini was only a 15-year-old teenager when he wrote this book. This is acts a inspirational story for me, as a teenager it gives me the motivation that I too can create a mesmerizing high fantasy novel. I see Christopher Paolini as a role model in this aspect. A teenager planning and writing a entire high fantasy series with such a huge fanbase is kind of a dream for me. I mean a freaking movie was produced based on his novel, this shows how much the people love this book.

Eragon is one of the best way to enter the high fantasy subgenre, apart from Tolkien masterpieces the inheritance cycle is the one of the only series that loved as child and still love it to this date.

Happy reading!!