Book Review: Inheritance Cycle
I have always loved fiction books, for the simple reason that, they transport you to a world where everything is possible. A world of wizards, or maybe world after the apocalypse, or world of dragon and dwarf, the choices are endless. While reading the book, my imagination keeps on rolling and I see a world of possibility! Hence, my love for such books and movies landed me to see ‘Eragon’ movie first and then picked up the book. Though movie got some bad reviews and didn’t do wonders on box office, but I somehow liked the movie and ended up reading the book, Eragon by Christopher Paolini. After reading the first book, obviously you will start reading the entire series. I also did the same, but after some gap between first and rest of the books. Took more than 2-3 years to actually start with Book Two, ‘Eldest’ but once I started reading Eldest, I was more than eager to get my hands on Brisingr and Inheritance. Luckily, the author, Christopher Paolini, published all the book by the time I started reading second book so I didn’t have to wait for all the books to come out.
The story is simple yet the way Christopher describes the journey and portraits the character, makes all the difference. The 15 year old young farm boy, Eragon lives with his uncle and cousin in a world called Alagaësia where the Dragon used to live in peace with human, elves and dwarfs and this peace were maintained by Dragon Rider. Years before Eragon’s birth, there lived a dragon rider name Galbatorix who, after losing his own dragon, got evil and stole another dragon Shruikan and forced his with magic to serve him. He also ended the lives of every dragon and their riders with the help of his 13 followers called Forsworn. The existence of dragons was completely destroyed with only 3 dragon eggs left to save their extinction. These three eggs were in possession of Galbatorix out of which one was female dragon. Brom, who created the rebel group, Varden, stole the female egg and were looking for a rider for which the egg will hatch. During the transportation of the egg between Human and Elves, the team gets attacked and in a hurry the egg got transported to Eragon. Eragon who was still young and eager boy, didn’t know what it was. As soon as he touched the egg, it got hatched and Eragon, a young farm boy suddenly became the only dragon rider to dragon name Saphira and they both were destined to defeat Galbatorix and bring Alagaësia to its former glory.
Spoiler Alert: Those who have not read the entire series, be cautious to read ahead as some part of the story will be revealed as I review all 4 books.
ERAGON
The first book is the start of Eragon’s journey. He discovers the egg, but in return, his uncle, Garrow dies and brother, Roran is left behind in the village, Carvahall. The dragon, Saphira is hatched for him and the journey of Dragon Rider is what awaits them both. With the help of a local storyteller, Brom, Eragon is taken to Varden where he will be trained before his faith encounter with Galbatorix. As the dragon and its rider, Eragon and Saphira share a special bond and can talk with each other in their mind. Saphira, the majestic blue creature can talk with anyone through her mind. Brom teaches Eragon about the Ancient Language and history of all the different communities like dwarf and Elves. He also teaches him about the dragon, sword fighting and how to use magic. Brom gives sword Zar’roc to Eragon, which he takes from Morzan, one of the Forsworn after killing him. The reader learns as Eragon learns with Brom as they move along in their journey towards Varden through mountains and various parts of Alagaësia. On their way, in order to save the life of an Elf, Arya, Eragon suffers the death of Brom but gains a friend, Murtagh, son of Morzan, one of the strongest Forsworn. After reaching Varden at who reside in Dwarf village Tronjheim, Eragon meets Vardon leader Ajihad and his daughter Nasuada.
This happy world is soon affected when the army of Urgals attacks in Varden on the order from Shade, a person gaining power using black magic, Galbatorix’s right hand. The fight between Vardan and Urgals in Tronjheim comes to an end when Eragon kills the Shade with the help of Arya and Saphira.
ELDEST
Second book start post the fight in Tronjheim and the journey of Eragon as Dragon Rider continuous. Win to Varden comes at the cost of losing Ajihad and abduction of Murtagh. Nasuada becomes the succeeding leader of Varder and they precede their journey towards Surda to unite their force with the people of Surda. While this is taking place, Eragon has to move ahead in his teaching at Elf land of Ellesmera in Du Weldenvarden. After reaching Ellesmera, Eragon realise that he is not the only Dragon rider left. During the fall of Dragon rider, Oromis and his golden dragon, Glaedr fought their way to a safe place where they wait for rider to rise again and pass on the ancient teaching of Dragon rider. Eragon, excited in the beginning starts struggling with lesson, but as the day’s move on he becomes better in sword fighting and also his knowledge of ancient language increases. Even after doing well, his scar from the earlier fight with Shade stops him reaching his potential. During an Elvish Blood-Oath Celebration, the dragon magic does it works and soon Eragon is transformed into a superhuman being with the power of Elf and his scar is no longer there giving him completely new confidence and strength to fight Galbatorix.
Before he can complete his training, he is summoned to fight at the Battle of the Burning Plains, where he encounters another dragon rider swore loyalty to Galbatorix. Eragon losses against the newest rider on his Red Dragon, Thorn and learns that he is none other than Murtagh, Eragon’s elder brother. Murtagh takes Eragon’s sword Zar’roc claiming that it belongs to him, the son of Morzan. While Eragon is learning to be the greatest the dragon rider, his cousin brother, Roran is fighting to keep his village, Carvahall and its villagers safe from the attack of Raz’ac, who under the order of Galbatorix comes to take Roran. In order to save many lives, Roran and other villagers decide to leave the village and head to Surda to join hands with the Varden.
BRISINGR
The Battle of the Burning Plains was successful, but at the same time, many lives have been lost including that of Dwarf King Hrothgar. Eragon’s defeat against Murtagh leaves deep mark on him and his belief in defeating Galbatorix starts to fade away. Nasuada is still going strong with her and Varden’s fight against Galbatorix but she needs support of Dwarf and Elves. Only Eragon is the common link between them and human, hence he has a task to visit the house of Dwarf in Beor mountains to urge them to select Dwarf King and join Varden in their fight to Urû’baen, Capital of Galbatorix. In the parallel to what is happening with Eragon, his cousin, Roran is leading ahead in Varden army, winning one fight to another. Dwarf elects Orik, son of Hrothgar to lead Dwarf and join hands with the Varden. Later from Beor mountains, Eragon heads to Ellesmera to finish his training and also carving his own sword, Brisingr (means fire) which erupts in flame when Eragon speak its name. At Ellesmera, Eragon learns the truth about his father, Brom.
Oromis and Glaedr also shares a dragon secret with Eragon, the secret which is the source of Galbatorix’s strength and power so centuries. Eldunarí, hearts of heart is a dragon’s heart, which lives, even after the death of the dragon and shares his knowledge and power to the holder. Once Eragon’s training is complete, he and Saphira heads to join the Varden along with Oromis and Glaedr joining the hands of the Elves in their fight to Urû’baen. Before they leave for their battle, Glaedr hands Eragon his Eldunari. The book ends with the loss of Oromis and Glaedr and no victory for the Varden
INHERITANCE
The great loss of Oromis and Glaedr provoke Eragon, Elves, Dwarf and Varden to take fight to Urû’baen quickly and to the ultimate victory. Eragon still being young is challenged many times and his failure at some point triggers him to train more and have more power of magic. He keeps on fighting and leading Varden to win villages on their way to Galbatorix. There is some unspoken secret Eragon comes to know about Vault of Souls and convince Varden to release him from his duty for a while so that he uncovers something which might lead to win of the Varden against the great dragon rider. Eragon along with Saphira and Glaedr’s Eldunarí goes in search of Vault of Souls on the ruined Vroengard, home of The Dragon Rider. After reaching Vroengard, Eragon and Saphira discover that not all Eldunari is in possession of Galbatorix and the dragon’s egg are stored safely inside the vault of souls. Before the fall of dragon riders, senior dragon rider convinced many dragons to hide their eggs and Eldunarí away for the new rider to bring back the age of dragon riders. Soon, with renowned power and help of ancient dragons, Eragon takes the fight to the doorstep of Urû’baen. At Varden, Nasuada is captured by Galbatorix and is tortured to swear loyalty to him. Murtagh tries his best to keep Nasuada safe and sane, so that she doesn’t swore loyalty to Galbatorix. Nasuada realised that Murtagh was forced to swear his loyalty as never wanted to do that. Galbatorix is aware of Eragon’s plan to enter his castle and in his arrogance, he awaits for him to come and share his plan for a new world, the rise of a dragon rider and end of magic.
Eragon, a young farm boy who everyone thought has no chance to defeat Galbatorix learns his way and gain strength, knowledge, trust and more importantly good heart, and when faith is right in front of him, he is just tired and wants to end, wants Galbatorix to understand what he has done over so many years, how the life of an invisible individual like himself is changed and burden with the freedom of human, dwarf and elves. How the magnificent creature like dragons are on verge of extinction and how the world full of peace and prosperity is now full of slavery.
The end is what you can expect from a book like this, but obviously there is some twist which has a start of another great story yet it is an end of greater one.
The character of Eragon is similar to the teen of this world, eager, curious, careless yet when the difficult path is thrown his way, he doesn’t hesitate to walk on. In many ways, Eragon reminded me of Harry Potter. Though there are many things which make both of them a great character, the way hero rise to power but his humbleness keeps him grounded. Not to forget, they always get the help of people around them, who are fierce warriors and senior to them in terms of experience.
If you love dragons, world of fantasy, dwarf and elves, then Inheritance Cycle is for you. However, don’t compare this book with that of Lord of the Rings as they are separate in many ways and neither of the worlds is same or their battle. You will lose interest if you expect something like Lord of the Rings or even world like theirs!
Not all books with dragon, elves and dwarf are Lord of the Rings which is a legend in itself!
Inheritance Cycle, for the seeker of journey lead by farm boy and his path to be a greater dragon rider!
