Genre: Fiction/Fantasy
Reading Level/Interest Level: (publisher
recommendation) Young Adult/ (my recommendation) Ages 12 & up/ Grades 5-10
Series: Inheritance (Book 1)
- Eragon
- Eldest
- Brisingr
- Inheritance
Similar Titles: Harry Potter and the
Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling, The Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan, Lord of
the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Dragon Riders of Pern by Anne McAffrey
For
having been written initially by a 15 year old, Eragon is an amazingly complex
tale about a 15 year old boy who mistakenly finds a dragon egg, not knowing
what it truly is. Once the dragon, Saphira, hatches, they are eternally bonded
and his life will never be the same. The evil king, Galbatorix, who has
destroyed the former glory of the dragon riders, seeks no less of a fate for
Eragon and Saphira, using his army of Urgals.
In
the ensuing melee, Eragon’s only remaining
family, his uncle, is killed and Eragon is forced to flee. He is spurred into
action by the mysterious, tale weaving Brom, who, upon facing his own
mortality, tells one last tale to Eragon that reveals they are more similar
than he ever could have imagined, as well as the dreams he has nightly about
the woman Arya, who transported the egg away from Galbatorix’s Shade, where
Eragon found it.
In
an effort to save Arya, who he later discovers is an elf, imprisoned by the Shade, Durza, and find the rebel camp of
the Varden, Eragon thrusts himself headlong into a world of magic, mystery,
treachery, and history as he battles to for the freedom of his people, the
memory of those he has lost, and the life of his dragon.
Also
a major motion picture, but read the book! There is so much more detail in
the book, and in the movie, you never really find out that Arya is an elf, or
that there are dwarves involved at all. While I like the movie for the dragon graphics,
I love the book for the rich detail it provides and any tween, teenager and
adult who loves fantasy stories will think so too!
This
is a bit much to chew for a younger tween, but a mature 12 or 13 year old who made
it through the last 3 Harry Potter
books can easily take on this challenge and enjoy it.
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