Eragon (Book)

Paolini, C. (2002). Eragon. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN: 978-0-375-82669-6

Interest Level: Ages 11 to 18
Genre: Fantasy Fiction
Subjects/Themes: Magic, Dragons, Action/Adventure, Revenge

Plot: Eragon is a simple country boy living on the outskirts of the Empire when he comes across a strange blue rock.  To his amazement, the rock is actually a dragon's egg.  The egg hatches a dragon named Saphira who has scales as blue as the egg was.  Eragon raises Saphira in secret until the Ra'zac come looking for the egg and burn down Eragon's house, killing his uncle.  Seeking revenge, Eragon decides to go after the Ra'zac but before he can leave the village he is stopped by the storyteller, Brom.  Brom convinces Eragon and Saphira that they need his help and they all start traveling together.  Brom teaches Eragon about the Dragon Riders and how to work magic.  Their travels take them far from home when Brom is killed protecting Eragon.  Eragon continues his travels, gets captured, gets rescued, and helps to rescue an elf.  His travels then take him to the Varden, a group of dwarfs, elves, and humans who resist the Empire's evil ruler.

Personal Thoughts: A very well developed world and storyline.  The reader sees Eragon grow from a simple country boy into a Rider and then into a wizard.  He starts becoming an adult with responsibilities that he is just beginning to understand.  A lot of the of the time Eragon acts before thinking or understanding the consequences of his actions.  Luckily he has friends around who help explain the bigger picture to Eragon and help him deal or learn from the consequences.  While there is a lot of magic and fantastical things going on around Eragon, he and the reader learn that the reality isn't always so wonderful.  Magic is hard work and if your not careful you can kill yourself.  Dragons and the freedom of being a Rider aren't really that free and come with lots of responsibility.  A good coming of age story with lots of action and adventure.  The next two books in the series have a lot of the same qualities and I heartily suggest reading them.  Definitely a Must Read!

Series Info: Book One of the Inheritance Cycle
Sequel: Eldest (2005)

Awards:
Book Sense Book of the Year
Beehive Awards (Utah): Young Adult Books
BILBY - Books I Love Best Yearly (Australia) : Older Reader
Buckeye Children's Book Award (Ohio): Grades 6-8
Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award (Rosie Award)
Gateway Readers Award (Missouri)
Golden Archer Awards (Wisconsin): Middle/Jr. High School
Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona): Teen Book
Indies' Choice Book Awards: Children's Literature
Iowa Teen Award
Nene Award (Hawaii)
Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Awards: Grades 6-8
Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Choice Book Award (Illinois)
Rhode Island Teen Book Award
Sequoyah Book Awards (Oklahoma): Young Adult Books
Soaring Eagle Book Award (Wyoming)
South Carolina Book Awards: Young Adult Books
Surrey Schools' Book of the Year Award (British Columbia)
Teen Buckeye Book Award (Ohio)
Virginia Readers' Choice Award: Middle School (Grades 6-9)
Young Reader's Choice Award (Pacific Northwest): Intermediate

Other Books by the Author: Eragon's guide to Alagaesia (2009); Brisingr, or, The seven promises of Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira Bjartskular (2008)

Author's Website: Alagaesia Website