| Inheritance Cycle | |
The covers of the first three books. |
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| Eragon Eldest Brisingr Untitled fourth book |
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| Author | Christopher Paolini |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Young adult, High fantasy |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Published | 2002 – present |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover and paperback) |
The Inheritance Cycle is a series of young-adult fantasy novels by Christopher Paolini. It was titled the Inheritance Trilogy until his announcement on October 30, 2007. Set in the fictional world of Alagaësia, the novels focus on a teenaged boy named Eragon and his dragon Saphira as he becomes one of the few remaining Dragon Riders, a legendary group who governed the land in times past but were almost completely destroyed by a Rider named Galbatorix and the Forsworn, who all betrayed their fellow Riders by being allied with Galbatorix. After the Fall, when all the Riders were killed, Galbatorix claimed the throne of Alagaësia. Galbatorix's greatest fear is that a new Rider will rise up and usurp his position as king of the Empire. Through the efforts of the rebel army, the Varden, a dragon egg is stolen from Galbatorix, and by a whim of fate, is thrust upon a young farmboy in Palancar Valley. The boy's name is Eragon. As Galbatorix attempts to capture Eragon and his dragon, Eragon begins a journey into the past, and the future, of Alagaësia.
The first book in the series, Eragon, was self-published by Paolini's family in 2002 and re-published in 2003 by Knopf; it was followed by Eldest in 2005. Both were New York Times bestsellers[1][2] and together have sold more than 12.5 million copies worldwide.[3] The third book in the series, Brisingr, was published on September 20, 2008,[4] and publication details for the as-yet un-named fourth book have not been set.[3] The series was intended to be a trilogy, but this changed as Paolini wanted to add more to the story.
In 2006, Eragon was adapted into a feature film of the same name, starring Edward Speleers in the title role of Eragon, as well as Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich, Sienna Guillory, and Rachel Weisz.
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Homeschooled by his parents, Christopher Paolini graduated from high school at the age of fifteen, but felt he was not yet mature enough for college, so he wrote Eragon in his spare time. After writing the first draft for a year, he spent a second rewriting it and fleshing out the story and characters, and then presented it to his parents. They had it self-published by the family publishing company, Paolini International, and Paolini then traveled around to various schools advertising his novel. By chance, the book was discovered by Alfred A. Knopf and was republished under Knopf in 2003.
Eldest was released as a hardcover edition in August 2005. A limited edition, featuring extras such as a brief history of Alagaësia, a double-sided poster featuring Brom's ring & Glaedr, and a sneak peek of Brisingr was released in September 2006. A paperback edition was released in March 2007. The deluxe edition of Eldest had an excerpt from the third chapter of the third book.
Brisingr - a word meaning 'fire' in the fictional ancient language - was published on September 20 2008, as announced on October 30th, 2007 on Christopher Paolini's website, [1]. Also included in the announcement, both by Random House and in an internet video by Paolini himself, was the revelation that the Inheritance Trilogy would now contain four books instead of three, thus resulting in the renaming of the series to the Inheritance Cycle. Paolini also announced that he would end the third book with the death of a major character.[5]
In the fictional land of Alagaësia, there was once an organization of people who governed the country and brought peace to the world. This group was known as the Dragon Riders– in the Ancient Language, Shur'tugal– for they rode Dragons, with which they had long since made a great bond. One Dragon Rider named Galbatorix had his dragon slain by the troll-like Urgals. Denied another Dragon by the council, Galbatorix was driven into madness and sought to destroy the Dragon Riders. With the help of Morzan, the first of the thirteen Forsworn, he stole a black dragon, whom he named Shruikan. He forced Shruikan to do his bidding, and, finally, with his dragon and the Thirteen Forsworn, he destroyed the Riders and their dragons. Since then, he has ruled Alagaësia as Emperor.
While an accurate time-line of various events is as yet unavailable, Paolini has hinted on an interview that based on Elain's pregnancy, we may infer the events from Eragon to Brisingr to have happened within a span of months. [6]
Eragon, a 15-year-old farm boy and the main character of the cycle, during a hunt finds a polished blue and white streaked stone, which magically appears, destroying a small patch of forest and scaring away his prey. He takes the stone back to his uncle's farm in hopes of selling it for food. Very little is known of his parentage, save that his mother was named Selena, and has not been seen since shortly after Eragon's birth when she begged Garrow to take care of him. After finding none who will buy the stone his family forgets about it. He is stunned when the stone turns out to be an egg, hatching to reveal a baby dragon, Saphira, who quickly grows in size and mental ability.
Eragon's home is attacked by creatures called Ra'zac. His uncle, Garrow, dies as a result of wounds while Eragon and a mysterious old storyteller named Brom escape with Saphira to find the Ra'zac and avenge Garrow's death. Eragon and Brom are ambushed by the Ra'zac. A young man named Murtagh, later revealed to be the son of Morzan, rescues them, becoming Eragon's ally. Brom is fatally wounded in the attack by the Ra'zac; in his final words, he reveals that he was a Dragon Rider before the Fall and that he is an agent for the Varden. Days later, Eragon is captured and taken to prison in Gil'ead and Murtagh comes to his rescue. Whilst pulling off an escape, the duo also manage to rescue a female elf named Arya, about whom Eragon has been having disturbing nightmares.
Because Arya has been poisoned, they search for the antidote. They travel across the vast Hadarac Desert constantly pursued by slavers and an army of Urgals. They discover the lair of the Varden inside the hollow mountain known as Farthen Dûr, where Eragon is tested in magic as well as sword fighting.Later, Arya informs Eragon that he has passed. Then, forces of Galbatorix attack, and during the battle that follows, Eragon kills a Shade named Durza, but aquires a terrible wound. Whilst he is immersed in a healing sleep, he converses with a being who advises him to complete his training in the elven capital.
Following the battle of Farthen Dûr, Ajihad, leader of the Varden, is killed in a sudden surprise attack by Urgals. Murtagh and the Twins (The Varden's best spell-weavers) disappear during the attack, and are presumed dead. After swearing fealty to Nasuada, Ajihad's daughter and new leader of the Varden, Eragon then sets out on his journey to Ellesméra, the elven capital, accompanied by Orik (a dwarf). Much of the book is devoted to Eragon's training with the ancient Dragon Rider Oromis, known as the Mourning Sage, and his unsuccessful attempts at wooing Arya, who is dedicated to her mission and considers his feelings misplaced. Eragon finds out that Arya is the daughter of Queen Islanzadí, which makes her a princess. He also discovers that when he blessed the baby in Farthen Dûr, he really cursed her. Instead of shielding her from misfortune, a simple mistake in grammar caused her to become a shield to others' misfortunes. She has unnatural powers, and is compelled to put herself in the place of others who are about to be hurt. Meanwhile, Eragon develops confused feelings towards Arya, and although the differences between each other are greater than similarities, Eragon cannot help but have strange feelings. When undergoing his training with Arya and Orik observing, Eragon creates a fairth (an image on a slate) of Arya in a romantic light. When Arya sees the fairth, she smashes it on the ground, leaving Eragon confused and hurt. They reconcile in the end, yet Eragon's feelings are not diminished.
The spirits of the dragons heal Eragon's scar in a ceremony called the Agaetí Blödhren. Eragon wakes up the next day with elven qualities that make him much stronger and more agile. The scar on his back given to him by the Shade Durza when they battled in Farthen Dûr is also gone, as well as every single other scar he has accumulated throughout his life. It is after the transformations that Eragon pursues Arya once more, only to leave Arya no choice but to cease their friendship, no matter how much she explains to him that they cannot be together. This leaves Eragon truly devastated. While this is going on, Roran returns to Carvahall after learning of his father's death, and discovers that he is wanted by Galbatorix. Consequently, his presence is endangering the entire town, which has come under attack by the Ra'zac. He convinces most of the villagers to follow him in an attempt to reach sanctuary in Surda. Before they can make good their escape, however, Sloan (Roran's fiancée Katrina's father) betrays the town to the Ra'zac, resulting in the kidnapping of Katrina and the near death of Roran. Forced to leave without her, Roran and company cross the treacherous Spine and join up with Jeod at Teirm. They set sail in the 'Dragon Wing', a pirated ship for the southern coast, evading pursuit by the Ra'zac and the Empire.
Eragon returns to the Varden to help them in the approaching battle against Galbatorix's army, which he learned about by scrying. Before he leaves, Oromis gives him a bottle of enchanted faelnirv, a magical potion to give strength, a handwritten copy of the poem Eragon wrote for the Agaetí Blödhren, and the belt of Beloth the Wise, a thick belt covered with diamonds in which Eragon can store magical energy for battle. The queen of the elves, Islanzadí, gives him a new elven bow and a quiver of swan-fletched arrows, as his original bow broke while he was in Ellesméra. Upon returning to the Varden, Eragon tells Arya that he cannot diminish his feelings, but he can tame himself and promises to not moon after Arya. Arya forgives him, and their friendship is once again strong. Thanks to the timely arrival of Roran, Jeod, and the villagers, the battle is a victory for the Varden.
During the battle the Twins re-appear, killing many varden before being killed by Roran. Also, a new Rider appears and kills Hrothgar. The Rider then appears to be Murtagh, whom Eragon thought was dead. He was riding the second dragon hatched from the remaining dragon eggs, Thorn. He reveals that he is now Morzan's successor as Galbatorix's second-in-command. Murtagh and Eragon begin to fight, and Eragon is defeated, but he manages to convince Murtagh to let him go. Eragon offers to kill Murtagh and his dragon for the sake of helping the people under the rule of their king, Galbatorix, but Murtagh refuses it because he has been forced, by Galbatorix, to remain loyal to him in the Ancient Language, a Language that binds all and that cannot be reversed. Eragon loses the battle because he has lost too much energy in the battle before and was not expecting another Dragon Rider to come this late in the battle, also Murtagh seems much stronger and claims Galbatorix has taught him things to make him stronger than Eragon. Murtagh then reveals that they are, in fact, brothers, Selena being the mother of both, and Morzan being their father. He relieves Eragon of the sword Zar'roc, claiming it as his Inheritance. The book ends with Eragon promising to accompany Roran and free Katrina.
The story opens with Eragon, Roran, and Saphira traveling towards Helgrind, the mountain dwelling of the Ra'zac where Roran's betrothed, Katrina, is being held prisoner. While they are camping, Eragon mends the wound that was inflicted on Roran by a Ra'zac back in Carvahall.
They infiltrate the mountain, rescuing Katrina and killing one Ra'zac, but Eragon also finds Sloan, Katrina's father, imprisoned. Eragon decides to remain in Helgrind to kill the remaining Ra'zac. He tells Saphira to go back to the Varden with Roran and Katrina, while he kills the Ra'zac. Eragon decides that he will force Sloan to go to the elves with the permission of Islanzadi and will be kept from seeing Katrina. Unhappy with this, Sloan urges Eragon to kill him, but Eragon discovers his true name, and uses it to force him to go.
Meanwhile, back at the Varden, its leader, Nasuada, has been summoned by Fadawar to the trial of the Long Knives. Nasuada wins the trial, thereby gaining control of the tribes. Saphira arrives soon after without Eragon, and Arya, concerned for Eragon's safety and whereabouts, sets off in pursuit, while Eragon begins to journey back to the Varden. Arya and Eragon meet up in Eastcroft, and together they return to the Varden, where Roran and the villagers of Carvahall who had not settled in Surda have joined the Varden. Twelve elven spellweavers have been assigned to protect Eragon. It is in this book that Arya confesses that she did not always walk this Earth alone. Faolin, mentioned only once in Eragon and Eldest, is revealed to be Arya's 'love'. Yet, it is also in this book which shows that Arya starts to have uncertain feelings towards Eragon, although it is not said directly. Eragon's love and longing to be with her has not ceased; if anything, it has grown stronger and stronger. It pains him to be always so close to Arya, yet he cannot be with her, in the risk of loosing her trust and friendship, which was almost the case in Eldest. The relationship between Eragon and Arya is more of close friends, getting closer and closer every time they work together.
The next day, a small unit of soldiers from the empire, including Murtagh and Thorn, invade the Varden, who conclude that the army is only a small distraction and their real intention is to capture Eragon. It is soon discovered that the small army is enchanted to feel no pain, and they wreak havoc on the Varden Troops. With the help of the elven spellweavers that have been assigned to aid and protect Eragon, Murtagh is driven away and the Varden manage to destroy the enemy army, but with high causalities.
No sooner are Eragon and Saphira happily reunited after their time apart, however, when Nasuada orders Eragon to attend the election of the new dwarf king as a member of Durgrimst Ingeitum. She tells them that Saphira must remain behind, for if she didn't and Murtagh learned of it, he would crush the defenseless Varden. Eragon agrees, reluctantly leaving Saphira behind. Once again among the dwarves, Eragon is reunited with Orik, the new clan-chief of Durgrimst Ingeitum, and his new wife, Hvedra. An attempt is made on Eragon's life by unknown dwarves. This incident is investigated and is found to be the work of Az Sweldin rak Anhuin, who have shown hostility towards Eragon and Saphira. Orik presents this evidence to the clan-chiefs, banishing the clan-chief of Az Sweldn rak Anhuin, thereby winning the trust of the dwarves. In Tronjheim, Orik is elected the new king. Eragon and Saphira are then reunited, and at Orik's coronation she mends the Isidar Mithrim that she and Arya had shattered in rescuing Eragon from Durza.
Eragon and Saphira return to Ellesmera to complete their training. When they arrive at the hut of their masters, Oromis and Glaedr, Eragon becomes frustrated at the fact that neither of them divulged the knowledge they had that Morzan was his father. Glaedr tells Eragon that Morzan was never his father, and that Brom was. Saphira shows Eragon a memory Brom left to him, telling Eragon that he is proud of him. The next day, Eragon is told the source of Galbatorix's power: a "heart of hearts", or Eldunari, is a dragon's heart, which can contain their consciousness if separated from their body, and exist forever. Glaedr explains that Galbatorix controls hundreds of these, and these are the source of his power. They also discuss Eragon's need for a new sword, and Eragon visits Rhunon, a master craftswoman, who he asks to forge a new blade for him, but she can't because of her oath to never forge another weapon. Instead, after Eragon retrieves the materials necessary to make the blade, Rhunon has Eragon make the sword while she controls his actions. Eragon names the blade, "Brisingr". Whenever Eragon says 'brisingr', the word for 'fire' in the ancient language, the sword bursts into flames. This is thought to be because of either the fact that Eragon was involved with the forging of the blade or that "brisingr" is the sword's true name.
Eragon continues to be instructed by his tutors, and when the time comes to leave to help the Varden's siege on one of the Empire's cities, he is amazed to find that Oromis and Glaedr are fighting, too. Oromis explains that the time has come to oppose Galbatorix directly, joining Islanzadi in Gil'ead. Glaedr gifts his heart of hearts to Eragon and Saphira before they go their separate ways.
Eragon and Saphira join the siege, where they are reunited with Arya. Eragon and Arya race to find the leader of the city. However, the leader informs them that magicians know the city will fall to the Varden, and they just want to create as much terror and mayhem as possible, so they have set about trying to create a Shade. Horrified, Eragon and Arya attempt to stop the magicians, but are too late. The magicians managed to summon a Shade in a sacrifice's body. Eragon and Arya fight the Shade, which eventually falls to the duo. Glaedr's heart of hearts sends his experiences to Eragon; Oromis was killed and Gleadr is returned to his Eldunari while fighting Murtagh and Thorn, who are at this moment controlled by Galbatorix. Nasuada tells Eragon, after the battle, that the Varden plan to march to Belatona, then to Dras-Leona, then on to Uru'baen, where they will slay the king. Eragon feels lost, but is comforted by the fact that Galbatorix has one weakness: by separating him from the dragons' heart of hearts he will lose most of his power.
The books have been criticized for their derivative nature. The two most commonly discussed sources are Star Wars (due to numerous similarities in the plots[7]) and The Lord of the Rings (due to the setting, elven[8][9] and dwarven races,[8] the language[8] and character and place names). Even many positive reviews note that the work pulls strongly from the conventions of fantasy, in character, dialogue and concepts.[10][11]
The reviews of Eldest were similar. Paolini was cited as having developed as a writer from Eragon, but also noted were strong use of The Empire Strikes Back as source material, as well as The Two Towers and Dune.[12] USAToday also cited strong echoes of Star Wars in Eragon's plot,[8] while Entertainment Weekly writes that the plot closely resembles that of the The Lord of the Rings.[13]
On December 15, 2006, a film adaptation of Eragon was released. The movie, starring Ed Speleers, Jeremy Irons, and John Malkovich, was produced by 20th Century Fox. Stefen Fangmeier, a first time director, made his directing debut by directing Eragon. The screenplay was written by Peter Buchman. Principal photography for the film took place in Hungary and Slovakia. A DVD of the movie was released March 20, 2007. The film performed modestly at the US Box Office, but received overwhelmingly bad reviews, thus throwing the possibility of future films into hiatus.
Wikia has a wiki on this subject at Inheritance Cycle
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