Eragon

I just finished re-reading Eragon for the third time. The first time I read it, I’d bought it to read with my 6yo son. Or maybe he was 7, I can’t remember exactly. We’d seen the movie and I thought it would be a good read together kind of book. If you haven’t seen the movie, or read the book, I’ll tell you know, if you have any inclination of doing either, read the book first. There is so much in the storyline and detail that are left out or completely butchered in the movie. It’s a good movie simply by itself. But when you compare it to the original story, you’ll be disappointed. I don’t know why it was so badly dismantled because for having been written by a teenager, it’s very detailed and well-written, IMHO. Not quite on the Harry Potter level, but good nonetheless.

Eragon is a farm boy of 15 being raised by his widowed uncle.  He has a cousin who’s a year or two older than he is named Roran. Eragon knows nothing of his father, and not much more than that of his mother, only that she was his uncle’s sister and that she gave birth to him and left him with his uncle only saying that it was for the safety of both of them. Alagaesia is a country ruled by a dictator king named Galbatorix. LIfe is not easy for anyone. There are rumors of a group of rebels who oppose the king and want to overthrow him. There are also legends of dragons, elves, dwarves and dragon riders. The legend is that when Galbatorix took the throne the elves and dwarves went into hiding and all of the dragons, save his, were killed.

Eragon is hunting in the woods and out of nowhere a polished blue stone lands near him in a small explosion. Times are hard and Eragon things it might be of value and tries to sell it in his village. When the shopkeepers find out where he got it, no one wants to touch it. Not long after Eragon gets the shock of his young life when he learns the legends are all true and he’s suddenly in the middle of a raging war, quite literally.

It’s a good read, exciting and engaging. I will say that the author is very descriptive and detailed in his writing and at times can feel a bit on the wordy side. But to his credit, he is creating a completely new world with different creatures, landscapes and languages, which I think he does very well.

Would I recommend it? Yes, especially if you like the dragonslayer type of stories. Heck, I’ve read it three times now!

Next up: :Eldest, the second story in the series. I’ve got to get thru two books before I can read the new one which I should have by Thanksgiving. Yay!