Eragon

Eragon was a book that definitely took me aback. I was not expecting such a well written fantasy book, but I should have known it was good, because my friend Nate Delk told me it was. Nate is another avid reader and he suggested the book to me first, before many many other people suggested it to me. After about two years of waiting, I finally snagged a copy and read it as quickly as I could.

Let me take back that last statement a bit. I did not read that book, I devoured it. Within a few hours, I was nearly completed and I didn't want to stop. What an amazing read. The entire book feels like the climax, and though there are some parts that could be a bit better, it's a fantastic book for such a young writer. The visualizations become a bit difficult because some parts are described with great detail while others are simply brushed over, even though some of these may be as important as or even more important than the things that are described with great detail. Also, the passage of time is fairly difficult to track. Sometimes, a month may be no more than a paragraph, but other times, a few minutes may be described for many pages. I understand that it is a book and that some moments are not worth writing about, but it's just a bit confusing.

Basically, the story is about a boy who is chosen to be a "Dragon Rider" by one of the last dragon eggs left in the world. The Dragon Riders were wiped out many years ago by an evil rider called Galbatorix, and Eragon has received a dragon egg by accident from an underground organization that is working against Galbatorix called the Varden. The story is much better than I am making it sound, so read the book!

Eragon is a novel written by Christopher Paolini. It is the first book of the planned Inheritance Trilogy. The sequel is Eldest, which was released in mid-2005. The third book has not yet been published and the title has not yet been confirmed. Eragon is set in the land of Alagaësia and is a story about a farm boy named Eragon and his dragon, Saphira.

After receiving his high school diploma at the age of fifteen, the homeschooled Paolini started planning a novel which he would enjoy reading himself. After a month of planning out the trilogy, he started writing the first draft of Eragon, initially by hand, but after writing the first sixty pages he continued writing it on a computer. After a year of writing, Paolini finished writing the first draft of Eragon and commenced writing a second draft.

Paolini never intended that the novel be published. However, after finishing re-drafting the story he gave it to his parents, who decided to self-publish it. A further year was spent proof-reading and editing the novel, in addition to creating a cover and map of Alagaësia (both the first cover and the map were drawn by Paolini).

The following year was spent promoting the novel, touring across the USA. Paolini and his family gave over 135 talks at bookshops, libraries and schools. Many of these events were done with Paolini wearing a "medieval costume of red shirt, billowy black pants, lace-up boots, and a jaunty black cap". In summer 2002 the author Carl Hiaasen brought Eragon to the attention of his publisher Alfred A. Knopf after his stepson read a copy of the self-published novel. Knopf went on to acquire the rights to the entire trilogy. The novel was once again edited, and a new cover was drawn by John Jude Palencar.