Eldest
Book 2 of Inheritance Cycle
Action & Adventure Animals Dragons Epic Fantasy Fantasy & Magic Fantasy Fiction; American Fiction General Juvenile Fiction Mythical Youth's writings Youths' writings
Publisher: Random House Digital, Inc.
Published: Sep 26, 2006
Description:
Amazon.com Review
Surpassing its popular prequel __, 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, __, 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
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.
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
Eragon
EHR-uh-gahn A Dragon Rider from Carvahall
Ra-zac
RAA-zack Evil creatures
Saphira
suh-FEAR-uh Eragon’s dragon
*Art copyright © 2004 John Jude Palencar
From School Library Journal
Grade 5 Up–Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have survived the battle at Tronjheim, but their challenges are not over. Galbatorix, the corrupt emperor, still rules Alagaesia and is looking for them. The magically bonded pair must help the rebellious Varden regroup after their leader is slain. Eragon helps deal with the resulting diplomatic complexities and then leaves for Du Weldenvarden, the home of the Elves, in order to finish his training as a Dragon Rider. Meanwhile, his cousin Roran must unite the small town of Carvahall as it is battered by Galbatorix's forces, including the nasty Ra'zac. The story alternates between Eragon and Saphira and their political maneuvering and Roran and his more traditional adventure over land and sea. Paolini provides a worthy companion to _Eragon (Knopf, 2003), though it does not stand alone (a summary of the first book will be included in the final edition). The plot–indeed, most of the fantasy conventions–is heavily inspired by Tolkien, McCaffrey, and especially George Lucas. The momentum of the narrative is steady and consistent: a problem presents itself and is neatly (and conveniently) solved before the next one arises, making it appealing to some adventure-quest fantasy fans and runescape.com players. Eragon's journey to maturity is well handled. He wrestles earnestly with definitions for good and evil, and he thoughtfully examines the question of good at what price.While there's nothing particularly original here, the book will find its fan-base.–Sarah Couri, New York Public Library_
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Product Details
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 736 pages
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers; Limited edition (September 26, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9780375840609
ISBN-13: 978-0375840609
ASIN: 0375840605
Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.4 x 2.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
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28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars Please don't Preach., September 27, 2006
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Maybe you can chalk it up to second book let down, but this was far weaker than Eragon, slow moving and verbose like there was a word count to fulfill. The part that bothered me was the attempt to say that the lowest bug and man were in reality of the same value. This on it's face may be likened to the beliefs of Hinduism, but that too is crushed by the assertion that anyone that is really enlightened does not believe in God. The book also states that one who is enlightened will not eat the flesh of another living being. It then goes on to give plants a low level of awareness, I wonder why the enlightened are allowed to eat at all.
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28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars The Heart of the Problem is at the Heart of the Argument..., September 10, 2005
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I have read quite a few of the reviews and felt I needed to respond to some of the criticisms back and forth. First, it IS true that Chris Paolini used themes that have been around since homo sapiens first sat at the campfire and exchanged tales and myths. Secondly, yes, there ARE limited themes to write about, simply because the scope of human experience is so universal. Thirdly, very few people opting to write in the fantasy genre can escape the extremely long shadow of Tolkien, who really set the bar high for all fantasy authors present and future.
That being said, there's yet plenty of room to wiggle about under such limitations. We know this to be true. Stories from "Beowulf" to the "Harry Potter" series have proven that even with familiar themes, a good story is simply...a good story. There are lots of fantasy authors--Lewis, Alexander, LeGuin, Zimmer Bradley, Anthony, Kennealy-Morrison, Salvatore, McCaffrey, Donaldson...even the Pinis (of ElfQuest fame)--who took these basic common threads of storytelling and created a vivid tapestry which allowed readers to see the things they wrote about as "real".
It IS a given that reading is a matter of taste and preference. For example, I happen to admire Thomas Hardy, but abhor James Joyce. But I can, in some way, find a merit for both because they gave me something to think about. Some have insisted that they find Mr. Paolini entertaining...ok, that's fine. Unfortunately, once the hype over this book has long faded (and it will), I highly doubt it will stand the test of time the way say, S.E. Hinton's "The Outsiders" has (She also published at a young age). And I doubt if these same fans will likewise read Paolini's books again with the same zeal 20 years hence.
If, as some argue, that this young man is a genius, then we must hold him to a higher standard than an "ordinary" person his age striving for the same thing. This means we must be so transported to the world he created as to simply not care if he "borrowed" some elements from the Greats (and even They "borrowed" from each other). In fact, we would smile and get on with the story. But if the story is poorly executed (and I believe in this case it has been), then these "borrowed" elements look like a crutch, an obvious tool to use whenever young Mr. Paolini's imagination got stuck. And that does both us and him a grave disservice.
Lastly, I want to emphasize to the reviewer who earlier stated that the negative reviews were obviously written by children...well for the record, I am 40 years old and it is MY belief that old or young, bad is bad and good is good. Age has little to do with talent or preference. The overall feeling is that many were simply let down by something that seemed so promising with the first novel. It is my hope that the author will read some of these reviews and listen to some of the critics, if only to gain some true perspective of where he stands with those he wishes to read his works. It does no good to have so little regard for your audience, that you choose ego over substance and originality. My fear is that if Mr. Paolini is not careful, there may BE no audience left to pay heed to his words.
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54 of 64 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars Solid, but easily forgettable..., September 25, 2005
A Kid's Review
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This "Inheritance" trilogy has inspired more animosity then I have seen in a very long time. Their is litterally a great divide here, with many hailing Paolini as the next Tolkien, while others say that he will be the downfall of fantasy literature. Personally, I think BOTH sides are giving him way to much credit.
Let's start off with the pro-Paolini crew. I honestly have to wonder if you have actually read any other fantasy novels out there. If you have, you will notice that Eldest is saturated with cliches which Paolini attempts to hide by calling his work 'archetypal.' The attempt at portraying true love is laughable at best with the protagonist litterally calling a girl "as beautiful as a flower." That type of stuff makes me cringe. It seems to me that Paolini doesn't get his writing from real life experience, but instead from the many different authors that he has read before. Without experience, the emotions of Eldest come out as regurgetated garbage. I do not need to delve to deeply into the storyline itself for that has been mentioned numerous times before. I will say though that Paolini has got away with plagiarism. He copied names of places and towns, people, and plots by tweaking them only slightly so as to get away with it. For an avid reader, he fails at sneaking that theivery by us. It stuck out with each new page that I read. I must also say that I am dissapointed that Paolini failed to add anything original to the fantasy genre. Everything he wrote about HAS been used before; everything. That takes the excitement from the book.
Another problem I have is Paolini's arrogance. In reviewing himself, he said "I strive for a lyrical beauty somewhere between Tolkien at his best, and Seamus Henney's translation of Beowulf." That is ridiculous. Plagiraism doesn't put you on the same plane as the one you stole it from. HIs arrognace can also be seen with the agenda's that he peppers into the book, such as the assertion that eating meat is barbaric and that the human race is a collection of bumbling idiots. To top it all off, he feels the need to use obscure words to make himself feel smarter then he really is. I have no problem with a big vocabulary, IF the words fit in the context they are used and if they help get a certain point across. HIs words just feel awkward and take away from the flow of the reading. In conclusion, I find Paolini to be a literary thief who hides and sells his book with his age, rather then any particular merits.
At the same time, I think the anti-Paolini groups are taking thier opinions way overboard. Sure the story is horrible and contrived and rittled with cliches, but you are all giving him way to much credit. I have read some reviews that say he will be the ruin of children's literature. To me, that's a bit extreme. I see the Inheritance trilogy as a fad fueled by the vaccum created by the last Harry Potter book. When this seriies is over with, it will be forgotten and a new writer will emerge. For all of you vehement anti-Paolini people, you are feeding right into Pailoni's niche and are, by some degree, the reason why his book is so popular. Debate and conflict is one of the greatest marketing tools available. I also want to add that some of these negative reviews are a bit exxagerated. It's a mediocre book, (at best), but you must take it as it is. Although I am discusted at how much Paolini stole, I must reluctantly commend him for getting som many young kids to read. He succeeded in that regard and I can only hope that it will inspire people to read books of a higher quality.
I must say that all this attention is a bit baffling. It doesn't seem like it warrants it in any way, from any viewpoint. I will read the last installment of the trilogy for the sole purpose of a closure to what has been a strange ride. As a positve, I will say that Paolini has imroved since Eragon, although his style needs a lot of fine tuning and work. The Inheritance Trilogy is a rebound for Harry Potter. If you are going to buy it, know what it is you are reading and take it as it is. Don't expect any powerful revelations or philosophical intrigue, but maybe that was intended. Until the next book, I sign off. Thank you for reading my review.
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