Christopher Paolini. Eragon
Knopf  $28.95  ISBN 0-375-82668-8  497 pg.
Reviewed by Allison, Age 15

The stone had given him nothing but frustration and anger, and now it would not even let him sleep! It ignored his furious glare and sat solidly, occasionally peeping. Then it gave one very loud squeak and fell silent. Eragon warily put it away and got back under the sheets. Whatever secret the stone held, it would have to wait until morning.

When 15 year old Eragon the farmhand discovers a large blue polished stone in the mysterious mountain range known as the Spine, his life is forever changed; the stone cracks open and a baby dragon, bright blue in colour, emerges. When he touches her, a silver-hued mark appears on his palm. A bond is created between dragon and boy, making Eragon one of many legendary Dragon Riders and is granted specific magical powers. Knowing that the corrupt King Galbatorix will kill any rider that does not swear fealty to him, Eragon hides the dragon he has now called Saphira. This proves to be a danger to more than just him! The King’s men come in search of the dragon, burning his house down and killing his uncle. He, Saphira and Brom (his companion and mentor) flee their home known as Carvahall in search of the Varden; the group of humans, dwarves and elves devoted to overthrowing the evil King Galbatorix and his sinister Dragon Riders known as the Forsworn. Eragon must hone his powers and must make his way to the Varden, despite the series of hardships and oddities that await him.

Aided by a map within the book, readers can follow along with Eragon and Saphira on their daring adventures. A glossary in the back of the book is yet another reader-friendly feature.

Christopher Paolini’s captivating debut novel Eragon is a brilliant fantasy aimed at audiences 13 years old and up. This is a book for lovers of fantasy and newcomers to the genre alike. This novel is an awesome start to the lengthy career that is bound to follow.

Eragon is a book that I would gladly read again, and again. The in-depth character descriptions are realistic; and I fell in love with each and every one of the characters, from the crooked butcher, to Eragon’s enamoured cousin, Roran. Christopher Paolini first started writing Eragon when he was my age, and he has inspired me to continue with a career in literacy.

I give Eragon five blue, scaly stars out of five because this fantastical story kept me turning the pages well into the night. An excellent read.