PUBLISHED-
2003
ISBN – 0-552-55320-4
GENRE- Fantasy
SYNOPSIS- When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the
forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will
buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon
hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as
the empire itself.
Overnight his simple life is shattered, and he is thrust into a perilous
new world of destiny, magic, and power. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the
legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands…..
EXCERPT-
Wind howled through the night, carrying a scent that would change the world. A
tall Shade lifted his head and sniffed the air. He looked human except for his
crimson hair and maroon eyes.
He blinked in surprise. The message had been correct; they were here. Or was it a trap? He weighed the odds, then said icily, "Spread out; hide behind trees and bushes. Stop whoever is coming . . . or die."
He blinked in surprise. The message had been correct; they were here. Or was it a trap? He weighed the odds, then said icily, "Spread out; hide behind trees and bushes. Stop whoever is coming . . . or die."
.
.
.
Eragon slowly crept closer, keeping the bow ready. All his work
of the past three days had led to this moment. He took a last steadying breath
and—an explosion shattered the night.
The herd bolted. Eragon lunged forward, racing through the grass
as a fiery wind surged past his cheek. He slid to a stop and loosed an arrow at
the bounding doe.
K'QUETZALCOATL' says- And thus the new saga begins, or rather has begun years
before.
Eragon is the first
book of the Inheritance cycle, which was originally planned to be a trilogy. And
it has definitely got its inspirations from many a fantasy novel, not the least
from J.R.R Tolkein’s famed trilogy (I’m pretty sure you all know what I mean),
created a fan following of its own, and even turned few heads as a competitor
with Harry Potter. So for these very basic reasons I would suggest one to read
the adventures of Eragon in the land of Alagaesia.
It is the story of
the rise of a farm boy from humble origins to resurface and hold the mantle of
the famed ‘Dragon Riders’. Yes nothing new in the plot or even the actions to
give one a bombardment of adrenaline rushes (maybe because one cannot relate to
Eragon in this first part). But what Paolini masters in Eragon, and continues
in the other books too, is the portrayal of the complexity of the characters;
and even more so the twists in the tale is provided by the complexity of
relations (and I don’t mean only the love angle). The final battle is
wonderfully crafted though, which the movie hardly captures, and it is there
that the full action reveals itself.
Yes maybe it is
quite late for me to write this review, the book been reviewed millions of
times already, but why I do it now because only now that I have read it via a
literary critical angle (damn that angle), and get to realize that Eragon also
has much more than a typical movie flavor. It is a description of battle
between the reining dictatorship and the struggle of freedom and democracy,
with some elements from the American and Irish struggle clearly in mind. Also
unlike Tolkein’s middle earth folks where the entire community or kingdom was
important, Paolini presents a modern narrative via Alagaesia where family and
relations often supercede the old English (and thus middle earth) notion of
honor and duty.
Also for the
scrutinizing eyes the inheritance series gives much thought into the role of a
modern woman. The Elf warrior Arya, the rebel princess Nasuada, and the great
Dragon Saphira are an example of the modern woman as a warrior, diplomat and
equal companion of the male.
But these maybe are all forced interpretations
from my mind. For the FANTASY LOVERS, Eragon and its sequels also, are a one
stop for all your fantasy dreams. Be it the journey, the magic learning or the
battles and skirmishes all provide ample reading and some light comic relief
too. So go ahead and read it if you haven’t done it yet.
So keep reading
Boys and Girls!!
P.S. - Yes it does get stretched up between the pages sometimes,
but you have to bear with it for the real fun.
My Rating – 4 / 5 stars
PRICE – Rs. 266 (Flipkart Price)
I liked the series. but this first book , I LOVED !!
ReplyDeleteAnd of course you said right , it has a lot more to offer than just what people consider as inspired fantasy tale :)
Finally!
ReplyDeleteI always thought Eragon was a little too stretchy and I'm not alone in the club then...I usually am quick to identify with the protagonists and shed tears over them but Eragon seemed a little too cold and I willingly gave up halfway through the book when another funner prospective came up but I'm sure I'll pick it up soon!:)
Saphira is one of my favorite fantasy fiction characters, and shall always remain. Honestly, I got tired of the Inheritance Series after reading Eldest, and vowed never to pick it up again, but may be, just may be I will give my opinion a second thought.
ReplyDeleteGreat review!
You have to read the last book even if you skip the 3rd !
ReplyDeleteFor Saphira atleast :)