Gather round friends it's time for a story.

Once upon a time there was a girl named Caitlin. She was in grade 6 and had a passion for reading. This was great as some of her classmates also liked to read. One day, while on the bus home from school, she noticed a grade 7 boy reading a book called Eragon. She had never heard of it before but thought it was really cool that someone was reading on the bus. She even considered bringing her own book on the bus home. However, some boys came up to the boy and threw his copy of Eragon on the floor of the bus, teasing him for reading and calling him a loser.

Thus, my friends, began my fear of telling people I was a reader. In my entire life, I have only told my family, one of my ex-boyfriends, and of course everyone on Goodreads that I was a reader. I have never told any of my real-life friends that I actively like to read, except for when John Green's books were really popular and I read some of them. I haven't invited anyone to my house since I purchased bookshelves over a year ago because I'm ashamed of my love for reading. All of this because of someone throwing someone else's book and bullying them over reading.

This was a totally useless story but this is why I have Eragon on my "couldn't pay me to read this" shelf. I can never look at this book the same.

I will always love Saphira!

Saphira is an amazing and enchanting character. She has a unique charm that draws me in and makes me unable to look away.

The moment I first laid eyes on her, I was captivated. Her beauty is not just physical, but also in her spirit and personality.

She is strong,勇敢, and has a fierce determination that is truly inspiring.

Her loyalty and love for her friends and those she cares about are unwavering.

I can't imagine a world without Saphira in it.

She brings so much joy and excitement to my life, and I will always cherish my love for her.

Nostalgia Canaglia


"Una parte di prodezza e tre di stoltezza."


It has been determined that Malkovich's overacting - in the role of Galbatorix - and the dubbing of Saphira performed by the courageous Ilaria D'amico are suitable for those trashy fantasy flicks on Italia Uno on Sunday afternoons. However, for intellectual honesty, it must be underlined that the starting point offered by Paolini was not overly solid.

This is a work where clichés are dispensed with the punctuality of a Swiss watch. More specifically, some characters and narrative passages are literally taken from other works and thrown in haphazardly without the slightest reworking.

Introspection is lacking; the worldbuilding is as flat as the electroencephalogram performed on a mummy.

The accessibility for the novice remains unquestionable, the only merit that binds me not to sink the blow: many of us, willingly or unwillingly, have passed through here. It's a strange concoction of elements that, while not entirely coherent or original, still manages to hold a certain charm for those with a soft spot for this kind of fantasy fare. The story may not be deep or particularly well-crafted, but it has a certain simplicity that can be appealing to some.

I cannot adequately express my complete and utter loathing for this book.

During the time this book was being published, I was working at a library and had access to a galley of the novel. I managed to finish it, but only to determine precisely how much Christopher Paolini, the so-called 16-year-old author-genius, had plagiarized J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of The Rings" trilogy.

If you're not familiar with the Inheritance books, let me enlighten you. In "Lord of the Rings," we have a main character Aragorn, while in "Eragon," it's Eragon. Aragorn's love interest is Arwen, the daughter of an elf king, and Eragon's is Arya, also the daughter of an elf king. The bad flying things in "Lord of the Rings" are Ringwraiths, and in "Eragon," they're Ra'zac. Moreover, there's a big fight in the troll dungeons in both.

I could go on and on. Suffice it to say, after reading "Eragon," I classified it as "Lord of the Rings" with a dragon. It's definitely not worth anyone's time, unless you want to amuse yourself by noting the numerous similarities between the trilogies.

Addendum: WOW! Thanks for all the comments. This is, by far, my most popular review. I'm glad others share my feelings about this pitiful excuse for an imaginative novel.

Addendum 2: If, like many others in the comments, you find fault with my apparent ignorance and wish to correct me regarding the fact that this series isn't a trilogy, please see comment #53.

Addendum 3: I can't even. I just can't. Do you know how many people have commented on the fact that this isn't a trilogy since I added Addendum 2 specifically addressing that? I've lost count. What does this teach us? It teaches us that people don't read. Let that sink in.

Traditional Book Review PLUS a Review of the Audiobook Narration!

Eragon is a captivating coming-of-age tale. A fifteen-year-old farm boy stumbles upon his destiny as a Dragon Rider, only to be thrust into a complex world of politics and war. The book's strength lies in its accurate portrayal of life lessons, even the painful ones. Eragon passionately defends his beliefs, only to learn through experience that the world isn't black and white. This is a universal aspect of growing up, with or without dragons.

If you think you know the book from the movie, think again. The differences are vast, making it feel like two separate stories in the same world. As a book, it's magnificent, suitable for the entire YA range. It's clean yet realistic, exploring the challenges of growing up and leaving home against a backdrop of dragons and adventure.

Story rating: 5 stars!

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The audiobook narration was mostly fantastic. The pacing was spot-on, and the narrator used just the right amount of emotion to convey the story's various moods. However, the dragon's voice was a bit of a letdown. While a growl is appropriate for a dragon, the lack of any feminine qualities in a female dragon's voice was a bit jarring. Still, it didn't ruin the overall experience, and we could still enjoy the story. Overall, the narration is one of the better ones we've heard, with a rich, enjoyable voice and good tempo.

Narration rating: 4 stars!

This book was just as good as I remembered it being when I was 12 and I read it for the first time.

Now that I am older, I think I understand things better. It's also good that I really enjoy epic fantasy now more than I did then.

I really loved the characters, especially Eragon, Saphira, and Murtagh. I found all of them to be well written.

What I liked about Eragon and Saphira was their bond between rider and dragon. It was not instant; it took time. But by the end, they have the best bond that they could possibly have.

I also really liked Eragon. He is the type of character I tend to like - the tenacious, strong, and never give up type. I really enjoyed how he was written.

What I liked about Murtagh was his strong will and his want to never be caged, no matter the consequences.

I really liked the plot. It started slowly but did not stay slow paced for long. After the egg was found, the plot really picked up.

I really liked everything about this book. I am finally going to finish this series that I never finished so many years ago. It's going to be an exciting journey as I re-immerse myself in this wonderful world of dragons and magic.

I can't wait to see how the story unfolds and what new adventures await Eragon and his friends.

Reread 2018: This book holds a special place in my heart as it is truly formative for me. I have delved into its pages numerous times. The very first time I read it, the series was still envisioned as a trilogy. Even now, I cherish it deeply for it was this book that ignited my passion for reading fantasy. It's no secret that it draws inspiration from other works. Objectively speaking, it may not be a masterpiece. If I were to encounter it for the very first time today, my regard for it might be considerably less. However, it has this powerful nostalgia factor that overshadows many of the flaws that I can identify while reading. (You can refer to my status updates during the reading process for more details.) I would still highly recommend this book to young, young readers who are eager to embark on a wild adventure story centered around a boy and a dragon. But for older teen or adult readers, it may not hold the same allure.

I have literally no complaints for this book!

I enjoyed it so immensely that I simply couldn't put it down. The audiobook on YouTube was truly a great asset as it helped me fully immerse myself in the story. I highly recommend listening to it as well!

When it comes to what I liked and disliked, well, I loved everything! The character growth and the development of their personalities were just outstanding. Each character was so distinct from one another. I adored watching Eragon transform from a simple farm boy into a great dragon rider. He experienced everything through arduous training, asking countless questions, and putting in a great deal of effort.

What I also truly appreciated was that this book focused on the plot rather than romance. There was just a tiny bit of something that could maybe be considered romance, but I wouldn't even really call it that. It was more like a fascination or something. Lol!

Also, Saphyra and Brom! Their pieces of advice were the absolute best. I wholeheartedly wished to have people like them in real life by my side. I was also really fascinated by Arya. I feel like I didn't get enough of her in this book, but I already know that she's going to be a total badass in the story.

I watched the movie a long time ago, even before I read this book. Now that I know what's really happening, I want to rewatch it. Seriously, I can't recommend this book enough. I know it's a popular series, but it is truly worth so much more!

Eragon by Christopher Paolini was truly one of my all-time favourite books during my growing-up years. And even though it has some obvious influences and clichés, it still holds a special place as one of my beloved fantasy reads.

Eragon might be filled to the brim with the typical clichés and tropes of the fantasy genre, especially those that harken back to J. R. R. Tolkien. However, it cannot be denied that the book itself is simply fantastic. The world that Paolini has created is extremely well realised.

The elements of worldbuilding, such as languages, cultures, history, and lore, are executed so masterfully. So, despite openly wearing his influences on his sleeve, Christopher Paolini did an amazing job of crafting a world and a story that is both wonderful and exciting to experience.

Eragon is our classic fantasy archetype of a farm boy who turns into a hero. He is deeply driven by a strong moral code and a great deal of compassion for those in need. His relationship with his dragon, Saphira, is truly heart-warming. They grow so close that they are like family, and their dialogue together is some of the best in the entire book.

We don't get to see a whole lot of the other characters in Eragon, but I would still like to briefly mention them. Brom is a great "wise wizard" character. He is kind and compassionate, yet he won't tolerate fools (I imagine that's how he would put it!).

It's a bit of a shame that we don't see a huge amount of Arya, but she is snarky and brave, which makes for a good introduction to her character. Murtagh's plot is a little predictable, but it is well done, and his character has a surprising amount of depth.

Speaking of surprising depth, the "boss round" villain of Eragon is a shade named Durza whom we meet right at the very beginning of the book. There is not a whole lot of depth to his motivations, but he is creepy as all get-out and makes for a great main threat for us to see Eragon pitted against.

Overall, Eragon is a typical travelogue fantasy story, but its world, Alagaësia, is wonderfully detailed and realised. It feels as though we have only just been introduced to the main characters so far, but future books may show more of their development and growth.

If you're looking for an easy read where the world and the people are fascinating and exciting to explore, Eragon is the perfect book to just dive right into.

View the full review at The Fantasy Review

3.5 stars!

One of my closest friends recommended this book to me several years ago, and I've had the intention of picking it up ever since.

The beginning of the book had a really slow pace. There were tons of descriptions, but not much of a plot. The world-building felt as if it was attempting to imitate that of "The Lord of the Rings". For instance, "There is much more to that song, the 'Du Silbena Datia.' I have only recited one of its verses. It tells the sad tale of two lovers, Acallamh and Nuada, who were separated by longing for the sea. The elves find great meaning in the story." I don't know, but that sounds a lot like a song from "The Fellowship of the Ring" that Aragorn sings.

However, once I reached around 250 pages, the story started to distinguish itself and become its own unique thing, and I finally became interested in the plot.

My favorite part was definitely Saphira, Eragon's dragon. She was feisty and cool, and I adored seeing the interactions between Saphira and Eragon. As someone who is writing a book with dragons, I was definitely taking mental notes.

Overall, it was a good read, and I would recommend it to someone seeking a clean YA fantasy. Nevertheless, I don't plan to continue the series.

I just had a realization. The quote that I have in my bio is actually from a book that I have yet to read.

It's quite an interesting discovery. I wonder what the context of that quote is within the book. Maybe it holds some profound meaning or is a key passage that represents the essence of the story.

Looking at the image I have here, it adds a certain charm to this moment of realization. The gif shows some kind of scene or element that might be related to the book in some way.

It makes me even more curious to pick up the book and start reading it, to understand where that quote comes from and what the whole story is about.

I think it's going to be an exciting journey of exploration as I delve into the pages of this unread book.

I’m extremely happy that I’ve finally read Eragon! It has been a book that has piqued my curiosity for a long time. Due to its comparisons with Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, which I adore, I’ve wondered if Eragon would be another outstanding fantasy epic or a dreadful rip-off. I’m not entirely certain that it is either. But I did indeed enjoy the book and would recommend it to others.

I’ve vacillated between giving this three or four stars. I would have liked to give it three and a half, but since that’s not an option, I’ll go with three for now. I feel it’s a good, solid, and well-thought-out story. I had the sense that I could trust Paolini to have carefully considered all of the choices available to a character, and that he’d ensured the characters were making the correct decisions for them at that particular moment in time.

I thought there was a good character arc and a good build-up to the story. I liked the characters a great deal, but I’m not sure if I completely loved them or felt entirely invested. It took me a while to understand Saphira’s personality, but once I did, I liked her a lot. The fact that she reminded me so much of cats was a huge plus! It is a fantasy epic like LOTR, but it focuses on fewer characters, which I think hindered the story a little for me because I didn’t feel a huge connection with the characters right from the beginning. However, as I said, I did like them all and was curious about the outcomes and hopeful that the end would be happy.

All in all, it was an enjoyable and interesting read, and Paolini raises some good, thought-provoking moral questions. And while a few times I felt certain parts were a bit lengthy and sometimes a bit confusing, overall the writing style fit the story very well and was quite clear.

Regarding the “rip-off-ness” of the book, having dabbled in writing and other creative works myself, I find that I am very defensive for both Paolini and Tolkien. While I believe that plagiarism is a terrible injustice, I also feel that accusing someone of it where it has not occurred is equally sad. Therefore, I wanted to be very fair in my analysis. I don’t think it can be denied that Paolini’s races in Eragon are derived from Tolkien’s races. Paolini’s descriptions of elves and dwarves are incredibly similar to Tolkien’s – even the Urgals in Eragon are reminiscent of Urk-Hei. Whether these similarities are due to “thievery” or simply from “inspiration” and the understanding of elves and dwarves that Paolini grew up with, I, of course, cannot say. But I would like to think it’s the latter.

Also, while there are other LOTR similarities in regard to setting, style, and arc, I don’t think one can say that these were stolen because such similarities will occur when dealing with good and evil, an ancient era, and fantasy elements. Aside from these things, I cannot recall much else that was blatantly related to LOTR. The character of Eragon appears original, as does his journey, and the dragon as a character and plot point appears unique as well. Of course, there is the wise-old sage and teacher, but this occurs time and time again anyway.

So, I did enjoy the book very much and am looking forward to reading the next one. I enjoyed the book much better than the movie. And yes, I would recommend Eragon to fans of the Epic Fantasy.

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Sorry, Eragon. Just wanted to let it be known that the reason this book has been on the "reading" shelf for a while is that, well, A, it's very long, but also because I started to read Inkheart because I thought the movie would be coming out soon. So, my reading time was put towards Inkheart. However, now that I have more time to read Inkheart, but since I already know the ending of Eragon and I don't know the ending of Inkheart, my focus will probably still be on Inkheart for the time being as it will be easier to pick Eragon back up and know where things were left off. Well, that's my hope anyway.

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I started this a few days ago and am very curious to see what the book is like! I've heard so much about it. I wasn't totally impressed by the movie, but so far it seems that there was a lot of detail that was left out of the movie that is in the book. Anyway, I'm glad to finally be reading it!