Eragon
| File:Eragon.jpg First edition cover | |
| Author | Davide Morabito |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | John Jude Palencar |
| Cover artist | John Jude Palencar |
| Language | English |
| Genre | High fantasy |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
Publication date | August 26, 2003 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover and Paperback) and audio-CD |
| Pages | 244 pp (first edition, hardback) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-375-82668-8 (first edition, hardback) Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character |
| Followed by | Eldest, Book 3 |
Eragon is a novel written by Christopher Paolini. It is the first book of the Inheritance Trilogy. The sequel is Eldest, which was released in mid-2005. The third book's title has not yet been confirmed. Eragon is set in the land of Alagaësia and is a story about a farmboy named Eragon and his dragon, Saphira. The book has been adapted into a film, which was released on December 15, 2006 in various countries. In the US the DVD was released on March 20, 2007.
Plot summary
Template:Spoiler Eragon, a 15 year old boy, lives with his uncle Garrow and cousin Roran on a farm on the outskirts of a small village, Carvahall. While hunting in The Spine, a local range of mountains, Eragon is surprised to see a polished blue stone appear in front of him. After failing to sell or trade his find, Eragon witnesses a baby dragon hatch from the "stone," which was in reality a dragon egg. He questions Brom - the elderly town storyteller - about the Dragons and the ways of the Dragon Riders. After this talk, Eragon names the dragon Saphira. He raises the dragon in secret until two of Galbatorix's servants, the Ra'zac, come to Carvahall looking for the egg. Eragon and Saphira manage to escape by hiding in the forest, but Eragon's uncle Garrow is killed, and the house and farm are destroyed.
Eragon becomes a Dragon Rider through his bond with Saphira. He decides to seek revenge on the Ra'zac, accompanied by Brom. On the journey, Eragon learns swordfighting, magic, and the ways of the Dragon Riders from Brom, who is something of an expert in these areas.
They travel through several cities, and Eragon is shocked by the way that the Empire is harming the land and its people. Finally, after obtaining information in the town of Teirm, Brom concludes that the Ra'zac reside in Dras-Leona, a city. There, Eragon, Saphira, and Brom are lured into an ambush by the Ra'zac. Although they are rescued by a stranger, Murtagh, Brom is gravely injured and dies shortly after — but not before revealing that he was a Dragon Rider whose deceased dragon shared Saphira's name.
The new company Eragon, Murtagh, and Saphira travel in search of the hidden leagues of the Varden, a strong rebel faction which Brom had mentioned on their journey. On the way Eragon has dreams of a beautiful elf, all of which feature her suffering great pain. Eragon is captured and imprisoned in the same prison that holds the elf. Murtagh and Saphira stage a rescue and Eragon escapes with the unconscious elf. During the escape Eragon and Murtagh battle with a Shade, a body controlled by spirits. The fact that a Shade is walking freely in the land deeply disturbs Eragon and he suspects that Galbatorix is planning something terrible.
After escaping, Eragon, Saphira, Murtagh, and the elf go in search of the Varden. After the elf did not wake after a week, Eragon becomes increasingly concerned and tries to reach her using a form of telepathy. He finds out her name is Arya and that she has been afflicted with a rare poison. She tells Eragon she has put herself in a self-induced coma, to slow the poison, but tells him if they do not reach the Varden within 3-4 days she will die.
Eragon and his party are pursued by an army of strong Urgals, named Kull, as they travel to the Varden's fortress, hidden deep within the Beor Mountains. When they reach the Varden, Arya's condition is very serious. She is given the antidote just in time and recovers soon after. Meanwhile, Eragon learns of the pact between the dwarves, the elves, and the Varden and how it was that Saphira's egg was magically teleported to the Spine. The group is at last able to rest, although an invasion by the army of Urgals is imminent.
When the battle finally begins, the Varden, and dwarves are pitted against an enormous army of Urgals. During the battle, Eragon faces the Shade, Durza, whom he had recently encountered. Eragon receives a serious disfiguring wound on his back during the fight. Durza is about to kill Eragon when Saphira and Arya create a distraction, diverting the Shade's attention long enough for Eragon to stab him in the heart (the only way to kill a Shade). After the death of the Shade, the Urgals have a spell lifted from them, and begin to fight among themselves. This gives the Varden a chance to counter-attack, routing the surviving Urgals. Eragon passes out, but during his unconsciousness he is contacted by a stranger who wants him to come to him for training.
List of characters
Template:SpoilerMain article: List of characters in the Inheritance Trilogy
- Ajihad: (Ah-zi-hod) Master swordsman, brilliant tactician, and leader of the Varden. He was the father of Nasuada and was a good example of a King in Alagaësia — the exact opposite of Galbatorix.
- Angela: A powerful witch who supported the Varden and specialized in herb-based magic. She foretold Eragon's future in Teirm by using dragon knuckle bones. She remained in Teirm until she moved to the Varden to follow the commotion. She also had a werecat, Solembum.
- Arya: An elf who was the guardian of Saphiras' egg. She was imprisoned by Durza on behalf of King Galbatorix's orders and Eragon rescued her.
- Brom: Eragon's mentor. Brom played what is possibly the most important role in Eragon's growth. Earlier in life, Brom was a Dragon Rider fighting against Galbatorix, but in Carvahall he disguised himself as a storyteller. Brom later gets killed by the Ra'zac during an ambush while protecting Eragon, leaving Eragon to face the world of reality.
- Durza: A main antagonist in the book. He was a powerful Shade who controlled the Urgal army. He was killed by Eragon, with the help of Saphira and Arya, at Farthen Dûr.
- Eragon: The main character in "Eragon" and a dragon rider. Son of Selena, but raised by his Uncle Garrow in a farmhouse near Carvahall in Palancar Valley with his cousin, Roran.
- Hrothgar:The dwarven king. He dies in the Battle of the Burning Plain and carries a war hammer.
- Jeod: A merchant of Teirm, Jeod was Brom's old friend and also a member of the Varden. He secretly smuggled supplies to the Varden since farming is not possible in Farthen Dur.
- Murtagh: Son of Morzan, who was the first of the thirteen Forsworn (betrayers of the Dragon Riders). He became good friends with Eragon and traveled with him to the Varden's hidden stronghold.
- Orik: Hrothgar's nephew. He befriended Eragon and is his guide through Tronjheim and Farthen Dûr.
- Roran: Eragon's cousin and good friend.
- Saphira: Saphira is Eragon's blue dragon. She was the first dragon to hatch in a century. As an egg, she was kept in Galbatorix's possesion until she was stolen by someone in accordance with the Varden, and was eventually transported to Eragon.
Unseen characters
- Galbatorix: The primary antagonist. A corrupt emperor who ruled Alagaësia from the capital city Urû'baen with dark magic and his enslaved black dragon Shruikan. His most evil deed was burning down the only two libraries in Alagaësia, putting it behind many centuries in technology.
- Morzan: The first and the last Forsworn. He was also the father of Murtagh. He was killed by Brom, who took Murtagh's inheritance, Zar'roc (an elven made, red sword).
Criticism
The New York Times Book Review stated that the novel, "for all its flaws, is an authentic work of great talent."[1]
Eragon has been criticized for its derivative nature. The two most commonly discussed sources are Star Wars (due to a similar plot[2]) and The Lord of the Rings (due to the setting, elven[3][4] and dwarven races[3], the language[3] and character names). Even many positive reviews note that the work pulls strongly from the conventions of fantasy, in character, dialogue and concepts.[5] School Library Journal's review of Eragon was positive, yet lukewarm, noting that Eragon is overly simplistic in its resolution of plot issues[6].
Common Sense Media called Eragon's dialogue long-winded and clichéd, with a plot "straight out of Star Wars by way of The Lord of the Rings, with bits of other great fantasies thrown in here and there." The website did concede that the book is a notable achievement for such a young author, and it would be appreciated by younger fans, but still labelled it "overblown and derivative."[2]
There are also many similarities to the Dune series; a destiny to rule, unknown parentage and the little girl that is blessed by Eragon has a striking resemblance to Alia in Dune.
Eragon in other media
The book has been adapted into a movie and a video game.
Notes
- ISBN 0-375-82668-8 (hardcover, August 2003)
- ISBN 0-8072-1962-2 (audio cassette, August 2003)
- ISBN 1-4000-9068-7 (compact disc, February 2004)
- ISBN 0-9666213-3-6 February 2003
References
- ^ Liz Rosenberg. "CHILDREN'S BOOKS; The Egg and Him". New York Times Book Review.
- ^ a b Commonsense Media: Review of Eragon
- ^ a b c "More of the 'Rings' magic", USA Today 1/20/2004
- ^ Books 2005: The 5 Worst", Entertainment Weekly
- ^ Barnes & Noble Editorial Reviews
- ^ School Library Journal
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