In the world of Alagaesia, there used to be dragons, and there were those that formed a bond with those dragons. Hundreds of years before the present day, one of these Dragon Riders, named Galbatorix, killed all the rest of the dragons along with their riders, and established a new kingdom. He spared 3 eggs, to hold complete dominion over the entirety of the dragon race. In the present, a human teen by the name of Eragon stumbles across a strange stone. He takes it back to his rural hometown in the kingdom which Galbatorix established previously. Eragon and his mentor, Brom, discover that the stone is one of the 3 last remaining Dragon Eggs which was stolen from Galbatorix. The dragon hatches from its egg and forms a connection with Eragon. Now Eragon is the primary target of the tyrannical king Galbatorix and his army. How will Eragon fight off these dangers ad save the dragon race from extinction?
This book is an incredibly immersing read. From the very first chapter up until the last page Christopher Paolini makes descriptive writing look like the easiest thing in the world. The settings are described perfectly, and you can envision everything that the story is depicting flawlessly. The amount of buildup to the final climactic battle makes the end result even better, and this is just the first in a 4 book series. The character development deserves strong praise as well. The way that Paolini depicts the characters in this story is flawless in execution and gets us to legitimately connect and relate with them. Simply put, their reactions to the scenarios presented in the book are perfectly natural. The progression of the story is truly where this book shines. The plot and the flow of the story line keep the book fresh, and there is almost no way of predicting what happens next. And to top it all off, the author, at the time of writing this book, was still a teenager. The thought of someone around my age being able to compose a book like this is stunning, and it truly speaks to his talent as an author. In short, if you're looking for your next big fantasy/adventure series to read, pick this up and give it a try. I promise that you won't regret it.
Reviewed by Michael F., 10th