Product Description: Darkness falls...Despair abounds...Evil reigns...Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have just saved the rebel state from destruction by the mighty forces of King Galbatorix, cruel ruler of the Empire. Now, Eragon must travel to Ellesmera, land of the elves, for further training in magic and swordsmanship, the vital skills of the Dragon Rider. It is the journey of a lifetime, filled with awe-inspiring new places and people, each day a fresh adventure. But chaos and betrayal plague him at every turn, and Eragon isn't sure whom he can trust. Meanwhile, his cousin Roran must fight a new battle back home in Carvahall - one that puts Eragon in even graver danger. Will the king's dark hand strangle all resistance? Eragon may not escape with even his life...
Amazon.com Review: Surpassing its popular prequel Eragon, this second volume in the Inheritance trilogy shows growing maturity and skill on the part of its very young author, who was only seventeen when the first volume was published in 2003. The story is solidly in the tradition (some might say derivative) of the classic heroic quest fantasy, with the predictable cast of dwarves, elves, and dragons--but also including some imaginatively creepy creatures of evil.
The land of Alagaesia is suffering under the Empire of the wicked Galbatorix, and Eragon and his dragon Saphira, last of the Riders, are the only hope. But Eragon is young and has much to learn, and so he is sent off to the elven forest city of Ellesmera, where he and Saphira are tutored in magic, battle skills, and the ancient language by the wise former Rider Oromis and his elderly dragon Glaedr. Meanwhile, back at Carvahall, Eragon's home, his cousin Roran is the target of a siege by the hideous Ra'zac, and he must lead the villagers on a desperate escape over the mountains. The two narratives move toward a massive battle with the forces of Galbatorix, where Eragon learns a shocking secret about his parentage and commits himself to saving his people.
The sheer size of the novel, as well as its many characters, places with difficult names, and its use of imaginary languages make this a challenging read, even for experienced fantasy readers. It is essential to have the plot threads of the first volume well in mind before beginning--the publisher has provided not only a map, but a helpful synopsis of the first book and a much-needed Language Guide. But no obstacles will deter the many fans of Eragon from diving headfirst into this highly-awaited fantasy. (Ages 12 and up) --Patty Campbell
Meet Author Christopher Paolini Christopher Paolini’s abiding love of fantasy and science fiction inspired him to begin writing his debut novel, Eragon, when he graduated from high school at age 15.
"Writing is the heart and soul of my being. It is the means through which I bring my stories to life. There is nothing like putting words on a page and knowing that they will summon certain emotions and reactions from the reader. In my writing, I strive for a lyrical beauty somewhere between Tolkien at his best and Seamus Heaney’s translation of Beowulf." --Christopher Paolini
Paolini talks more about the series, and about what inspires him in this video clip. Watch the video (high bandwith) Watch the video (low bandwith)
The Eragon/Eldest Boxed Set
Want to learn more about the series? Check out our review of Eragon: Here's a great big fantasy that you can pull over your head like a comfy old sweater and disappear into for a whole weekend. Christopher Paolini began Eragon when he was just 15, and the book shows the influence of Tolkien, of course, but also Terry Brooks, Anne McCaffrey, and perhaps even Wagner in its traditional quest structure and the generally agreed-upon nature of dwarves, elves, dragons, and heroic warfare with magic swords. Read more
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Learn the Lingo Our quickie pronunciation guide will help you get to know some of the names and places in the Inheritance series.
Ajihad
AH-zhi-hod
The Leader of the Varden
Argetlam
ARE-jet-lahm
Elven word to describe Dragon Riders meaning "silver hand"
Arya
AR-ee-uh
A powerful elf who is both beautiful and a master swordswoman
Disgusting and Perverted Clone of Tolkien! "Eldest," second in the "Inheritance Cycle," is nothing more than a glorified clone of the excellent author J.R.R. Tolkien, who actually wrote well for a change. Christopher Paolini is NOT a good author and he writes demonic books that seem okay on the outside but are dark with evil on the inside. Satan uses books like these to corrupt people, and especially children, and we should be wise enough to stay away from evil fare such as this. Beware--this book will bring harm to whoever reads it! Maybe not in ways you can tell, but certainly in eternal ways!
Good Buy Pretty good buy,in condition as described,3 days after first day of estimated arrival date is when it arrived
Even better than the first book If you like fantasy fiction, this is a great series, and Eldest is even better than Eragon. The story really pics up in this one. Of the three books so far, I liked this one the best.
Love it! I am absolutely surprised that the first three reviews seen are negative! I love the story that Paolini wrote. He may not be Tolkien or JK Rowling but he's still very young and quite talented.
Listen, I'm not trying to have a life-affirming epiphany here, I just want a good story and Paolini delivers. He may struggle with the language when trying to be prosaic, using obscure words when simple ones would do. However, it's a small thing and the story more than makes up for it. His writing is good enough to make me willingly suspend my disbelief and get lost in the story.
Eldest Review This is a great book. I listen to it on my CD player on the way to work and on the way home. The descriptions are awesome...you can just imagine what the characters and locations look like. I would definitely recommend this book. I can't wait to read Brisinger!
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
Christopher Paolini’s abiding love of fantasy and science fiction inspired him to begin writing his debut novel, Eragon, when he graduated from high school at age 15. 
Our quickie pronunciation guide will help you get to know some of the names and places in the Inheritance series.
