Review: Eragon by Christopher Paolini

It's hard to believe Eragon was written by Christopher Paolini when he was just 15 years old. Paolini was home-schooled by his parents and after deciding to write a book that he would like to read; it was later self-published by the family. After promoting the book at libraries, schools and various other events throughout the USA, the book was finally picked up by a publisher and Eragon has now sold millions of copies around the world.

Eragon is the first book in the Inheritance series and 3 years after the book was published by Knopf, a movie adaptation was released (2006). Eragon is incredibly popular with readers although I was a little apprehensive about reading it just in case the fantasy element overwhelmed me. Boy was I in for a pleasant and shocking surprise!

I was hooked from the second chapter and I knew then that this was going to be a magnificent reading experience and an instant 5 star rating. I haven't been this excited or as surprised and gripped by a book from the fantasy genre since Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Having attempted to read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings when I was much younger and not being able to keep up with the numbers of creatures and the plot lines, I thought that fantasy was beyond my reading enjoyment. I definitely need to question that now.

For those who don't know anything about the book, it's about a boy - Eragon - who finds a dragon's egg which triggers a series of events and launches a dangerous quest full of danger and adventure. Set in Alagaesia, the novel's characters include: dragons, dwarves, elves, spell casters and many more residents of the Empire; however, the book is very readable and easily within reach for readers of all ages who haven't ventured far into the genre of fantasy.

I absolutely and thoroughly enjoyed Eragon, and couldn't recommend it more highly.

My rating = *****

Carpe Librum!