Book Review Monday: The Inheritance Cycle series by Christopher Paolini

Amazon  Goodreads  Book Depository
Eragon: 503 pages
Eldest: 668 pages
Brisingr: 748 pages
Inheritance: 849 pages
TOTAL: 2,768 pages

Goodreads Blurb:

Eragon:

"One boy . . .

One dragon . . .

A world of adventure.

When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself. 

Overnight his simple life is shattered, and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic, and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds.

Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands."

Eldest:

"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 .

A wonderful fantasy book."

Brisingr:

Oaths sworn... loyalties tested... forces collide.

It's been only months since Eragon first uttered "brisingr", an ancient language term for fire. Since then, he's not only learned to create magic with words — he's been challenged to his very core. Following the colossal battle against the Empires warriors on the Burning Plains, Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have narrowly escaped with their lives. Still, there is more adventure at hand for the Rider and his dragon, as Eragon finds himself bound by a tangle of promises he may not be able to keep.

First is Eragon's oath to his cousin, Roran: to help rescue Roran's beloved from King Galbatorix's clutches. But Eragon owes his loyalty to others, too. The Varden are in desperate need of his talents and strength — as are the elves and dwarves. When unrest claims the rebels and danger strikes from every corner, Eragon must make choices — choices that will take him across the Empire and beyond, choices that may lead to unimagined sacrifice.

Eragon is the greatest hope to rid the land of tyranny. Can this once simple farm boy unite the rebel forces and defeat the king?"

Inheritance:

"It began with Eragon... It ends with Inheritance.

Not so very long ago, Eragon — Shadeslayer, Dragon Rider — was nothing more than a poor farm boy, and his dragon, Saphira, only a blue stone in the forest. Now the fate of an entire civilization rests on their shoulders.

Long months of training and battle have brought victories and hope, but they have also brought heartbreaking loss. And still, the real battle lies ahead: they must confront Galbatorix. When they do, they will have to be strong enough to defeat him. And if they cannot, no one can. There will be no second chance.

The Rider and his dragon have come further than anyone dared to hope. But can they topple the evil king and restore justice to Alagaësia? And if so, at what cost?

This is the spellbinding conclusion to Christopher Paolini's worldwide bestselling Inheritance cycle."

Review:

These are long books.  That was the first thing I noticed.  I got them in kindle format but when I looked at the little dots at the bottom, I thought "that can't be right!" but it was.  There were only a few sections throughout the entire series where I glanced down at that little row of dots and felt exhausted.  That kind of length has its advantages though.  For one thing, this series takes place over a few years and that's what it felt like while I was reading.  Some books do that title thing where they say "6 months later" or something like that.  Not in this series!  Some repetitive events were glossed over yes, and only the important ones were told in full length, but the way it's written, you can tell how much preparation went into the war and Eragon and Saphira's skills.

This is the perfect series for any high and/or epic fantasy lover.  It's almost written like the Lord of the Rings series.

As I mentioned above, the storyline was excellent.  It didn't escalate right away to fighting the ultimate bad guy.  There were small battles in the beginning gradually escalating as Eragon and Saphira became more invested in the war.  And there weren't too many big or small battles either.  It's the perfect mix.

The other thing I loved about the length was that you can really see the growth in both Eragon and Saphira (as well as some other prominent characters).  In the beginning, they were young, naive, and inexperienced.  At the end, well let's just say they are a sight to be seen (figuratively of course).

The world building was excellent.  The author included a map and ancient language translations that made it feel all the more real.  You can tell the author is really invested in this series.

I also loved the shifts in POV.  You could easily tell what characters thoughts you were hearing and they really helped the story.  If it was Eragon's POV all throughout, I have a feeling it would have gone from bad to worse.

The one reason this is a 4 star series and not a 5 star one is because some sections I had to force myself to read because I knew I had to get through them to get on with the book.  It was just dragging in some places.  Which led to me not being truly immersed in the story and not really connecting with the characters.  It's that second part that keeps it from achieving even a 4.5.

The Final Verdict:

A truly amazing series with impressive world building and lots of character growth.  The shifts in POV's were excellent and the lengths the author went to create this world are astonishing.  However, sometimes I couldn't help but check the bottom and see that I was only "this far and still have so long to go".

Quotes from the whole series:

“People have an annoying habit of remembering things they shouldn't.”

“Eragon looked back at him, confused. "I don't understand."
"Of course you don't," said Brom impatiently. "That's why I'm teaching you and not the other way around.” 

“Wise? No, I simply learned to think.” 

“First, let no one rule your mind or body. Take special care that your thoughts remain unfettered... . Give men your ear, but not your heart. Show respect for those in power, but don't follow them blindly. Judge with logic and reason, but comment not. Consider none your superior whatever their rank or station in life. Treat all fairly, or they will seek revenge. Be careful with your money. Hold fast to your beliefs and others will listen.” 

“The greatest enemy is one that has nothing to lose.” 

“It's amazing that a man who is dead can talk to people through these pages. As long as this books survives, his ideas live.” 

“Perhaps not one religion contains all of the truth of the world. Perhaps every religion contains fragments of the truth, and it is our responsibility to identify those fragments and piece them together.” 

“Life is both pain and pleasure. If this is the price you must pay for the hours you enjoy, is it too much?” 

“Mmm....she's doomed! You're doomed!! They're all doomed! Notice I didn't specify what kind of doom, so no matter what happens, I predicted it. How very WISE of me.” 

“Have I ever told you how glad I am we're not enemies? Eragon asked.
No, but it's very sweet of you.
Eragon to Saphira” 

“Shall we dance,friend of my heart?"
We shall, little one.” 

“Death is part of who we are. It guides
us. It shapes us. It drives us to madness. Can you still be human if you have no mortal end” 

“If he fancied her anymore," Saphira said to both Eragon and Roran, "I'd be trying to kiss Arya myself."
"Saphira!" Mortified, Eragon swatted her on the leg.” 

“I've never been helpless, I just have powerful enemies” 

“They may fight with us, but they don't fight for us.” 

“When you teach them-teach them not to fear. Fear is good in small amounts, but when it is a constant, pounding companion, it cuts away at who you are and makes it hard to do what you know is right.” 

“I am not who I was,' he whispered, gripping the edges of the column, 'but I know who I am.'...'And I won't give up.”