Review: ERAGON by Christopher Paolini

Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Book 1 of the Inheritance trilogy

Genre: YA, epic fantasy

Book Description:

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 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. . . .

Source: Info in the Book Description was taken from the book's website at http://www.alagaesia.com/eragon.htm on 16/10/10.

FTC Declaration: This book was purchased with my personal money.

Review:
I've read this book sometime ago so this is a retrospective review. I was ecstatic when I discovered this book. And it was during those times when YA fantasy was in scarcity. It was a gem of a find! The story telling quality was compelling. Paolini is a born story teller and this shows through the way he string the words together and what comes out is a fantastical tale. The story itself though not exactly original was very interesting to my fantasy reader's imagination. I love Paolini's version of farm-boy-turns-hero spin-off. The world building was woven with convincing authenticity that I could very easily suspend disbelief. Plus it has all the elements of a good read, elves, dwarves, dragons and magic! The plot was twisty enough to keep me guessing about what will happen next right to the end. Then Paolini gives us a satisfying resolution in the ending. Emperically translated, I would rate this book as:
World building = 5
Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 4
Story itself = 4.5
Ending = 4.5
Plot = 5

This was a very entertaining read indeed! The movie did not do it any justice at all. The succeeding books did not compare either.

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries