Reviews
The author immediately starts with the plot, without getting lost explaining all the intricate information and different rules of this world he invented. We learn things when Eragon does, so it helps getting more and more passionate about the story.
I haven't read a fantasy book in a while and it was really nice reading about a different world building and new kinds of characters.
I LOVED the fact that there was a map and a glossary at the end of the book that you could obviously check if needed (I looked at the map a lil to much).
Special mention to the fact that it's only the second book i've read with dragons in it and so far i've really enjoyed how the author decided to approach the matter.
Can't wait to read the next one to learn how the story goes on and how Eragon will grow... i prefer characters with a bit more of temper, but that's just because i love a bit of impertinence.
The dialogues felt kind of strange and a bit “childish", but i guess that that's because the author was really young when he published this book and because Eragon is, in fact, a child.
Super nice parallel universe to dive into, just two issues:
it’s very long winded at times
at the same time people die within 2 pages and then it’s never mentioned again in depth
Eragon is a fun, nostalgic escape for the imagination. If I were reading this for the first time now, I probably wouldn't be giving so many stars. Its plot is clunky, and a lot of conflict development happens in contrived conversations that practically scream to the reader: "THIS IS EXPOSITION!" Characters are clumsily introduced then discarded to force those conversations. Reading as an adult, I didn't find it compelling, mysterious, or unpredictable the way I did 15 years ago. So, I'm not going to argue this is top-tier fantasy or that it's technically impressive. But I will say that it wrapped me in a warm blanket of a story. It felt familiar and cozy and relieving after reading some heavier books. To me, three stars is generally synonymous with "I recommend," but I'd qualify this one: I'd recommend this for new fantasy readers, for young readers, or for people who haven't picked this one up in a decade or two (happy 20th birthday, Eragon!) and want a little harmless nostalgia.
The book is a lovely edition in how it is constructed but I want my week back that I spent reading the darn thing. It is derived from my least favorite stories: Star Wars, the Belgariad, and the sappiest of the Pern books. After suffering through this book I have no desire to read the next in the series.
Reading this as part of a buddy read on Instagram with @bookstagram.buddy.reads! ❤️ Eragon was a really enjoyable read, mostly because of the nostalgia. The writing is really simple and easy to follow, but the conversation I found to be a bit clunky in places. Alagaesia is so expansive and amazing and I really look forward to exploring it more but please, please no more road trips 😭 how many ways can you write they rode for x days, resting and practicing at night? I will say I loved the mentor/student relationship Eragon has with Brom, he is the sassy firm hand that Eragon needs at times. Murtagh is okay in his own way, I guess? Broody ooh my history is so secret and such a mystery is kinda annoying, but I guess you can forgive him when he actually reveals his secret 👀 NOW ANGELA AND SOLEMBUM they need their own series! I looooove them so so much! I really hope we get to learn more about Werecats, because from the vibe I was getting it was like the cat form is their "true" form which is a cool twist on the were-animal trope. Something that I actually asked for more detail or insight into was the Helgrind, but luck has it that they left town immediately after we were introduced to it so that's great, thanks for that :^) hopefully we'll get to see more in the future books!
Needless to say everyone knows about Eragon. I've never read the book because of the dreadful movie based on it which made me hate it instantly. The first pages went on slowly and I continuously tried to put it down, but once you enter into the magnanimous world of Alagaësia the book started unraveling itself and its wonderfulness. Paolini claims to have started the book after realizing there were no good "quality writing fantasy" books and although I beg to differ I have to admit the thorough writing and dedication in the book are remarkable. Paolini weaves a world of new characters with such precision not done lightly giving birth to a great fantasy novel full of fights, magic and dragons. Overall, I was utterly impressed with the story and can't wait to start the next in the series. A great read for everyone regardless of gender or age.
3.65 Stars Very good start to the series and Saphira is a W dragon.
3,5/4 stars.
i think i'm being generous with 2 stars. there were parts where i was excited, but most of the book was pretty boring...and our main character didn't really accomplish his goal either? all the explanations of the world felt like straight up info dumps, which got very boring too. it's very eH, ya know?
The story itself was interesting and if I'll ignore all of the comments claiming that this is a rip-off of other fantasy books (which really it is) then I can say that I mostly enjoyed the story. However, I really disliked that it felt like so many characters with similar names were introduced and then they did one thing and then they were gone. I did not manage to follow that at all. Also the writing style was tedious at times, it seemed like the writer was attempting to copy literary writers which in all honesty does not work for a fantasy book. Albeit the first book is readable, I could not get through the second one because this literary writing style is amplified. I always read books I've bought but book two just wasn't it for me.
A hardcore fantasy with all that could possibly exist.
Yes it may have been incredibly cheesy and extra and it’s kind of a book written for middle schoolers and the title is literally “dragon” with the “e” changed to a “d”, but also I had a fun time reading it and it helped me out of a reading slump. I don’t think I’ll be reading the next book(s) unless I feel I need to sometime, but it was a good ride while it lasted.
eragon stans im sorry
i'll think on the rating but im giving it an average middling score
i tried to read this book so many times over when i was little and it was way above my reading level. im so happy that now revisiting it im able to finish the whole book
but
i didn't love it
it could be because i was reading it with split attention or because i was listening to an audiobook but towards the end, SO much information was thrown so fast
i also laughed because the story so iconically and to a t follows the hero's journey
someone said "there's nothing more i can teach you" and i was like alright so they're dead soon
there was also a bit of clunkiness on occasion with how the characters spoke. i'm not a fan of when characters who have their own normal speech patterns pull out long overly eloquent and deep lines. it feels a little shoved in for the sake of making a character feel wise when it (to me) just makes the exchange stick out as something odd.
i did learn that the author was 19 when they wrote the book. id be interested in maybe continuing the series because i am interested to see where the story goes and how the author's style may change
*a pro of the book is literally any time eragon and saphira speak to each other
It has been A MINUTE since I’ve read this book. Tbh the last time was probably in middle or high school. A delightful return to the world of Alagaesia - although there was a lot more traveling and just getting from point A to point B in this story than I remember.
Ik snap waarom ik dit boek vroeger zo goed vond :).
Korte hoofdstukken waarin veel gebeurt. Magie, draken… wat wil je nog meer? Het verhaal is duidelijk, het ‘probleem’ ook.
Een paar favoriete personages:
Brom, Eragon, Saphira, Angela, Solembum
Luke Skywalker in LOTR universe. Loved it.
I gave it only 3 stars because of the lack luster at the beginning of the book I understand that the development of characters and plots can be tedious but there comes a point were it just became boring and I struggled through the first time 200 pages until all the sudden the action exploded and from then on out I was able to somewhat enjoy the rest of the book. muscling through the the inheritance cycle will be hard but I hope it will improve.
Garbage. Poorly written, tropes galore, it is written by someone that is 15 and clearly feels like it. Steer clear.
So this is my fourth time reading Eragon, (Eragon, Eragon/Eldest, Eragon/Eldest/Brisingr...) this being my first time listening to the audiobook. To put it simply, Gerard Doyle is fantastic. His character voices and narration fit perfectly, and I loved the job he did. I'm actually going to continue on with Eldest now because he does them all. I obviously fell off for some years seeing that Inheritance was released 9 years ago, but what can you do... I'm sure there's a hundred reviews on here talking about how this all started when Paolini was fifteen so I'll just say--WOW. He takes so many things from others (in terms of influence) and handles them all so delicately that he created this wonderful, lush, dense lore that continues to grow throughout the rest of the novels. He was like a mini-Tolkien with his languages and flushed out geographic ideas. He created the Urgals and Kull instead of just recycling the typical Orcs and Uruk-hai. I found multiple points of similarity between Martin's 'Game of Thrones' dragons and Paolini's, and yet past those he once again branched off and created his own world and lore for them in a refreshing way. I think the training and wiseness from Brom most similarly matches the ideas of Obi-Wan and Luke Skywalker, including the necessary death of a mentor/father figure that thus propels the main character towards greatness. I suppose you could also easily argue that it is also like Gandalf/Frodo, however I think it's a harder argument to make that Frodo actually grew based off lessons from a knowledgable mentor (HE IS A HERO, JUST A DIFFERENT KIND!). Or, you could also point out Harry/Dumbledore--I'm sure we've all seen the memes about needing an old man mentor and a young hero to make a successful series--even though Dumbledore hid questionable important details from Harry, he still fulfilled that role. I'm sure there are also countless ideas and influences that he drew from the million and one dragon rider series that exist in this world. However, I first read this book in the sixth grade, so as an eleven year old I hadn't much experience elsewhere, and afterwards this was more my basis for that kind of story than any other. I understand that his writing style, and seemingly his incessant need to write bible length books, is not for everyone, but this has been a 5*/100% novel since the first time I read it. Now after finishing it for my fourth time I really still don't have any complaints. I love it and not just for the nostalgic feel, it's amazing.
My husband (then boyfriend) gave me the first three books of this series our first Christmas together. I'm not an avid Fantasy reader, but I do enjoy some of them. The Eragon series is pretty good. It wasn't quite as good the second time around, now that I know what happens. But it was still a good read. It is fairly evident that Paolini was heavily inspired by The Lord of the Rings both in content and style, but I think this book is different enough to stand on its own. More a homage than a ripoff that some people claim it is. Unfortunately, it also mimicked the loquacious, drawn out style of The Lord of the Rings. Parts of the story could have been left out entirely without detracting from the plot or character development. Conversely, unlike The Lord of the Rings, Eragon lacked any deeper meaning or symbolism. It was your standard adventurous romp with dragons and bad guys. Better than a lot of Fantasy books but not mind-blowing. Still, I give Paolini props for writing it when he was only fifteen. This review fulfills the "Book Written by Someone Under 30" category of the Popsugar reading challenge. http://www.popsugar.com/love/Reading-...
This was a bit of a nostalgic one - last time I read was 2009 I think. The best thing about this book is Saphira . The sass she displays and it perfectly counters Eragon who is like moody for 80% of the book. I can’t believe I’ve forgotten so much of what happens in the book. I think I enjoyed this more in my youth since I gave it a 5 star before. Nevertheless it was quite a nice read. I did hate tho how Brom kept so much hidden and the excuse they gave didn’t sound too legit that annoyed me. Anzway good read. BOOK 6 of the BOOKLING BOOK club. Rem review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Absolutely brilliant! i ve read many reviews about how eragon is not an original story and how it is based on LOTR. Yes there are a lot of similarities but that fact doesn t deprive the book of its own creation. paolini gives us a well comstructed world with great characters. In my humble opinion Eragon is easy to read and the reader quickly bonds with the characters and the plot. It is a fine epic fantasy story worth reading. i totally recommend it to everyone.
More interesting than the second book.
I will not rate it because I feel like I didn't read it. Listening to it is not the same. I liked it and I want to read/listen to the sequels.
Highlights
It’s amazing that a man who is dead can talk to people through these pages. As long as this book survives, his ideas live.
"First, let no one rule your mind or body. Take special care that your thoughts remain unfettered. One may be a free man and yet be bound tighter than a slave. Give men your ear, but not your heart. Show respect for those in power, but don't follow them blindly. Judge with logic and reason, but comment not.”
“Consider none your superior, whatever their rank or station in life. Treat all fairly or they will seek revenge. Be careful with your money. Hold fast to your beliefs and others will listen." He continued at a slower pace, "Of the affairs of love .. . my only advice is to be honest. That's your most powerful tool to unlock a heart or gain forgiveness. That is all I have to say."
“I’d offer you a chair, but I’m sitting in the only one.” - Angela
“My heart died a while back.” - Eragon
“From now on you’re going to have to think. There’s a reason why we’re born with brains in our heads, not rocks.” - Brom
229-230, love Saphira in this part 😂
“I’ve had cheerier meals at funerals.” - Eragon
“It’s amazing that a man who is dead can talk to people through these pages. As long as this book survives, his ideas live.” - Eragon
“People have an annoying habit of remembering things they shouldn’t.” - Brom
“Now get that oversized lizard of yours to land.” - Brom
“Is there some secret I’m not supposed to learn until I’m old and wise?” - Eragon
“Those who love pain and suffering of others. They wear many faces and go by many disguises, but there is only one name for them: evil. There is no understanding it. All we can do is pity and honor the victims.” - Brom
“Because you can’t argue with all the fools in the world. It’s easier to let them have their way, then trick them when they’re not paying attention.” - Brom
Shaking of the pain, he cleaved open an Ughal's skull, mixing brains with metal and bone
“What wisdom can I give people that they haven't already learned? What feats can I achieve that an army couldn't do better? It's insanity! I should be back in Carvahall with Roran.”
Saphira took a long time to answer, but her words were gentle when they came. “A hatchling, that is what you are. A hatchling strug- gling into the world. I may be younger than you in years, but I am ancient in my thoughts. Do not worry about these things. Find peace in where and what you are. People often know what must be done. All you need do is show them the way - that is wisdom.
“I mean, what is expected of me in Tronjheim? You and the elves have plans for me, but what if I don't like them?" A hard note crept into his voice. "I’ll fight when needed, revel when there's occasion. mourn when there is grief, and die if my time comes... but I won't let anyone use me against my will."
"Good night," said Eragon. He lay next to Saphira, his arms under his head. She curled her long neck around him. like a cat wrapping its tail around itself, and laid her head alongside his. One of her wings extended over him like a blue tent, enveloping him in darkness.
Good night, little one.
A small smile lifted Eragon's lips, but he was already asleep.
She withdrew from his mind with a gentle touch and whisper. I love you, little one. And I you, he said. She curled into a ball next to him. lending ber warmth. He sat motionless in the dark, wrestling with his disquiet.
“Keep in mind that many people have died for their beliefs; it's actually quite common. The real courage is in living and suffering for what you believe."
“Always the scholar, aren't you?" asked Brom.
Jeod shrugged. "Not anymore. I'm afraid I've degenerated into a bibliophile.”
“What is the worth of anything we do?”
“The worth is in the act. Your worth halts when you surrender the will to change and experience life. But options are before you; choose one and dedicate yourself to it. The deeds will give you new hope and purpose.”
“But what can I do?”
“The only true guide is your heart. Nothing less than its supreme desire can help you.”