Book Review: Eragon (Christopher Paolini)

Rating: 4 out of 5

This story is impressive for the fact that Paolini wrote it as a teenager. The literature is well-written and the story is very intriguing. There are many elements of fantasy that most enjoy, including dragons, elves, and dwarves.

When young Eragon discovers a large egg, he is swept away into an unexpected journey. While in his care, the egg hatches, revealing Saphira, an intelligent dragon who can communicate with Eragon. Together they embark upon a quest to stop an evil Lord who plagues the world.

I enjoyed the journey and magical elements within. There were very suspenseful moments, and other moments where you felt like you were really there, inside of Paolini's world.

This book loses a star for a couple of reasons; first being the awkward attempts at a romantic connection between Eragon and his female elven interest. It almost felt forced, and never really connected with me. The other issue I had while reading was that some of the description or verbiage went on...and on...and on. It almost forced me to drop the rating by another half-star, but the overall storyline pulled it back up into a solid 4. Paolini tends to overly describe parts in the book. For example, while in a dwarven cave, it felt like pages on end describing nothing more than the rocky walls. Then, there was the elven city. I enjoy when other species have their own unique language-it makes things unique, but pages of dialogue no one can understand is a bit much.

Overall, the creatures are intense, the battles are epic, and the story flows very well. A good read for those who enjoy dragon fantasies that will immerse you.