Eragon in Retrospect - Is it Still Worth Reading? 

I can't believe you called Eldest the weakest in the series! Roran's story in that novel is probably my favorite part of the series. Watching him come into his own, fight for Carvahall and eventually escourt his village to the resistance was absolutely epic. He wasn't a chosen hero, he wasn't magical or special, he was just a man who stepped up when he needed to and became what his people needed. Roran Stronghammer alone elevates that book for me. And as a side note the final battle is probably the strongest in the entire series

I'm 78 and re-read the series after finding Murtagh at Walmart! Loved it.

I love the inheritance cycle ❤

Still cannot get over the Eragon / Dragon thing 😮

that quick side jab at "sword of truth" just earned you a new subscriber.

I'm so happy to see you cover this series! Fair warning, this is going to be a long comment haha. Like for many others, The Inheritance Cycle is a staple of my childhood reading journey. I re-read the entire series in 2020 and still loved it, despite seeing the flaws in it. Yes, it is derivative in many places, but like you said, that's not inherently a bad thing, and it is normal for stories to influence and inspire each other. When you get right down to it, many beloved stories are way less original than one might think, and I think people should relax a bit about that sort of thing tbh. Also, when I first read it I was 10, naturally didn't have all that much to compare it to and also hadn't seen Star Wars yet. So back then I didn't even notice this. I definitely struggled with Eldest and agree that it is the weakest book in the series by far. Now, I'm very lenient when it comes to Paolini and his love of worldbuilding infodumps. Partly because it is nostalgic for me, yes, but also because it is simply so clear in his writing how much he loves this world he has created, and he wants to tell you about it. So I kind of just like being along for that ride, it's like listening to someone tell you about their hyperfixation. But oh my, Eldest takes it too far. Every time we get to Eragon's POV, the plot simply screeches to a halt. It's such a relief every time we get to spend time with Roran or Nasuada instead. On the topic of Nasuada, she is my favourite character in the whole series, I love and admire her so much. And I am so impressed with how well Paolini managed to write her, especially at such a young age. He did a lot better than many older, more experienced (especially male) authors. To have a young woman of colour in such a prominent and proactive role in a fantasy series is still not something you get every day, much less as such a well rounded character. She is so tough and intelligent and duty-bound, but also allowed to feel the burden of her responsibility and have it be at odds with her personal feelings and wishes. I agree that the themes in this series are surprisingly mature. I was so surprised when the Urgols were fleshed out more, and I like what Paolini does with them over the course of the series (including Murtagh having to reconsider his prejudices in his own book). There are many things that start out pretty generic in book 1 but are developed more later on. There is a lot more nuance going on in the later books. And I honestly kind of love the magic system, specifically because of the whole "outsmarting-your-opponent" thing. It just makes for more interesting and original fights. On the subject of Eragon and Arya, while I didn't dislike Arya as a child, I didn't like the whole romance storyline at all. But only as an adult did I understand why, and now I really like how it is resolved in the end, even though I still find it a bit cringe in the beginning. Eragon's feelings for Arya are so juvenile, it's really this teenage crush that honestly gives me secondhand embarrassment lol. (Even more so because Arya is so much more mature than him; it's so clearly written as boy having a crush on a grown woman, especially in the earlier books.) But I love that this is basically acknowledged within the books, and that they don't get together in the end (which would have felt a little icky to me tbh). Like you said, Eragon stops putting Arya on such a pedestal and learns to value her as the person she truly is. While that means that he has to accept that they'll never be together, I feel that they are so much closer by the end of the series because of that. They truly see each other as equals. I find that way more satisfying than if they had gotten into a relationship that would have felt really weird and forced for a number of reasons just because the hero winning the girl at the end is how it usually goes. Okay, the final thing, I promise lol. I read Murtagh earlier this year and I LOVED it. Like, genuinely one of my favourite reads of the year so far. I wasn't sure going into it how I would like an entire BIG novel about Murtagh, but I ended up loving learning more about him and following him on his journey. I especially love how that book handles trauma. Both Murtagh and Thorn are shown to be victims of terrible abuse, both physical and psychological, and we see the effects of that. But it is never used to excuse their actions. They're not turned into perfect victims, and their own responsibilty and darker impulses are acknowledged in the text, by those characters themselves. Sorry this is so long, I have a lot of thoughts about these books haha.

Great video as always man. When you're a kid who hasn't been exposed to all it's influences, it's great stuff. Not a story I'd enjoy today but one I'll always deeply respect as my first taste of epic fantasy.

I did my reread last year, and I still love it. Murtagh made me feel all sorts of things too. There are some things I don't like but it's beloved in my heart

I'm really passionate about the Inheritance Cycle. It's my favourite ever and i find it to be immensely underappreciated. The growth of the characters mirrors the growth of the writer and it gives me hope for my writing and world building as well. I just wish more people would show love to these books. They have led me into the fantasy genre and for that I am foreve thankful and loyal.

As someone who has ground out copies at book signings, I can tell you you are right to point out how difficult it is, but you are severely underestimating how much assistance he received from his parents.

I got most of my sucky writing out with Trigun fanfiction 😂 it's cool to hear the real story behind Paolini's early success. He was one of my writing heroes when I was a teen because he got his books published so early. Also it makes me feel more confident about my plans. One of my goals is to try and hit a bunch of book conventions/festivals/street fairs next year. Which means I have to figure out my elevator pitch 😅

I haven't read these books in years, but they were my introduction into fantasy. I read the first book in 04 when I was 19, and I re-read each book as the new ones were released. From there I went on to wheel of time, and I've been a fantasy reader ever since. I'm afraid to read Inheritance again because I have such fond memories of the series. I've read sooo much good fantasy since then, and I really don't want to change how I feel about it.

Going to start Malazan because of you! :)

You are always so self deprecating, humorous and take pains to discuss books at length that deserve an honest analysis and understand the value of guilty pleasure books at the same time ! I'm the same age group as Paolini and my book i wrote was basically a Golden Eye and the first Mission Impossible movie rip off 💀 and I was positive it would end up in the NYT list just as soon as I was discovered, so there ! As for eragon I was into it myself but grew out of it. And then I haven't gone back but I might give it a shot, while I'm halfway through Oathbringer !

What a coincidence, that the Book Guy has just uploaded the Eragon review. I've got the Inheritance tetralogy recently.

Ahhh yes, another Book Guy video! I've never read Eragon, and honestly I don't think I ever will. At best I might put it at the end of my TBR pile that I have no expectations to finish it during my life time. But, I do know a bit about it. My father read the books and always talked highly about them. He gave a copy to my cousin (which was older than me, a teenager at the time) and he told me recently how that was really important for him on how he fell in love with reading in general and fantasy. I do remember liking the movie, but I was too young to know better, I guess ahah

I''m so excited to hear about your books! Will they be available internationally?

I am one of those who read Eragon but never carried on to the other books in the series. I will have to take another chance on it 😌 Thanks for the video, awesome as always! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Having suffered through the entirety of Sword of Truth, I am delighted to start Wheel of Time to see how much SoT derived from it

Eragon was one of my first proper fantasy series. Super fun to revisit this series w this video ☺️

Eragon...Dragon daaaaamn in our faces 😂

Great video man! loving the positive vibes as always!

This isn't counting the reveal of the map of the world that Alagaesia resides. Big difference with Sapphira and C-3PO is Sapphira actually can fight while C-3PO runs like a coward. One could easily miss C-3PO as he runs past you but hard to ignore a dragon who is willing to breath fire on you or consider you a snack. Sapphira is one of the biggest differences in the series because she becomes one of the major characters where the droids (C-3PO and R2-D2) are side characters who show up for information dump or comic relief. It also helps to show that the Riders of old had to understand all peoples so they could protect them better. Same thing happens with the Elves and he gets a deeper understanding of the magic that connects Sapphira to Eragon. The adoption of Eragon by Hrothgar in book one is crucial in Eldest and the connection to Orik. Urgals NOT Urgols You bring up how well Paolini does with the races but you bash Eldest which is huge on the Elves and the history of the Riders. You should have included Orik in the male side when you were comparing the characters of male vs female. I'm really beginning to wonder if you have a strong distaste for dwarfs. You are forgetting or ignoring that the rebellion became known as the Varden which was established in Eragon. Sorry, I can't finish your video. I got too frustrated with your review of the Inheritance Cycle that I can't trust you to do Murtagh justice.

Always enjoy hearing your takes Cronk! I'm certain that if I had read these books as a teenager I would have loved them. But I read the first book at 24 and didn't finish the series 😅 maybe I'll give it another try!

Your intro is so dope haha. I think fans of Eragon should check out The Belgariad. Such a fun, cozy and hilarious series with witty banter and touching character relationships.

Yes, I have read both Fractalverse novels. And yes, I would like to watch you review them. One of the highlights of my trip to Dragonsteel 2023 was getting to meet Christopher Paoloni. Ironically, I have not read any of his Inheritance Cycle, but thst is what he was there promoting. Murtaugh had just been released, and he was sitting at a table, surrounded by stacks of the hardback. I felt like a fish out of water waiting in line in my Fractalverse T-shirt, holding my 2 Fractalverse books. But he was pleasant, complimented me on my shirt, and asked me what my favorite part of the Fractalverse was.

I would love to see your opinion of the Fractal-verse. I enjoyed To Sleep in a Sea of Stars for what it is, but I love how you break things down for us!

oh now this is a compelling video idea. The title instantly got me hooked on the concept and made me want to know the content of the video. Now I'm stuck thinking about ranger's apprentice, percy jackson, even the raymond e. feist books. I love them as a kid, but would it be worth digging them back up?

Always enjoy your videos. I’m not sure I’ll give Eragon another try, my sister loved it and forced it on my multiple times. Though I will keep it in mind for my kid when they’re ready 😊

I’m almost done with “to sleep in a sea of stars” and I’m a fan.

This was my first fantasy series and I have now reread the series twice more both times when the short stories collection and Murtagh were released. Loved it then and loved it on reread and they are immensely readable. Love this series love them.

You hit on my opinion of the Inheritance Quartet perfectly at the end - they are GREAT as baby's first fantasy novel! Which is what they were for most of us at the time. Not only for the genre but for the life lessons you mention too - dismantling the friendzone myth & showing Urgals to have different cultures within their race, as you mentioned, but also chronic pain! I never did read the last book and you've got me wanting to, but they could never make me hate Eragon. (Except the name. That, I do hate.)

Great video. Ive been very back and forth with them too.

I really enjoyed Eragon, it was my entry into fantasy and I've reread it a lot as a teenager uo to thr realease of the Inheritance. Murthag I haven't read yet, but I enjoyed the Fork, the Witch and the Worm

omg I vaguely remember loving those books 😅

The inheritance cycle was the first epic fantasy book I read. I loved it, but still haven’t read the last one, only because everyone has been taking so bad about it and I didn’t want to ruin my experience of the the series

My brother's had this book. But I wasn't into reading then. I need to barow them from the library and see if i like it. ❤

When I started reading a lot as an adult I read a lot of tom Clancy novels. I was at a bookstore with some friends one day and saw Eragon right up by the counter. It was a new book and I picked it up and read the back, I thought fantasy huh? I wonder if I would enjoy that type of book. So I bought it and it started my journey into fantasy novels. Loved that series as an entry point.

Love your intro!

Man, I remember reading Eragon in 4th grade. I was so excited for the movie. My mom took me to see it in theaters, and it was terrible.

I had a good time reading the inheritance cycle at a time of my life where I needed some sort of escape and just unwind so it’s got a special place in my heart. I remember watching star wars as a kid so the plot didn’t really stick with me enough to realize the huge similarities between the stories 🤣 Had I read it at another time and age, things would be different.

Loved the inheritance cycle, my first fantasy series of course. Huge star wars fan as well

I know you're the book guy but you're really missing out on Kurosawa's films - check out Seven Samurai and Ikiru at the very least!

I haven’t read it, but my 9yo daughter read the original trilogy and Murtagh as well. She loved it. I don’t even know whether it was suitable for her age.😅

I read Eragon as a youth and the series and loved the story and world! I was so disappointed with the film adaptation though and it really did a disservice to the service.

I really liked Roran, idk why but I enjoyed reading about him more in the later books haha. And I LOVED THE DWARF ELECTIONS gosh

I have not read these, but I did read _To Sleep in the Sea of Stars._ It is quite good---not remarkably good, but good nevertheless. I can recommend it. PS. I was quite literally a farm boy as a child. Cows and all. The monsters never came to destroy my village. 😟

The inheritance cycle is my favorite book series. Everyone says he stole from Star Wars and LOTR. This is a cop out. Every book since the 1800s or earlier has been inspired or you can draw similarities to some other works. Still to this day. I read this series at least three times a year. I have read all the Star Wars, LOTR (including the hobbit), Bound and the Broken (horrible), songs of chaos (great), harry potters (alright), dragons of pern (decent), and many more. None compare to Inheritance Cycle. Just my two cents

Decided to listen to these books earlier this year. I didn't know the Star Wars and Lord of the Rings comparisons going in and it surprised me. Overall I enjoyed it but there were some parts that I thought was a slog. His training for example. And while I liked the mature way the book ended and Eragon's decision, I think it fell short. I would definitely recommend this to a younger audience and I probably would have loved this more as a kid. Haven't gotten to Murtagh yet but I am interested to see how the authors writing has improved over the decades.

6:08 *Ernest Cline has entered the chat

Even reading it as a kid, I kinda knew it wasn't that great, lol. It was a good gateway into better writing though.

Literally finished murtagh a few days ago - I stopped about 30 pages from the end and it took me ages to finish it off. I think I'm a bit too old for it now 😅

I have been waiting for this!!!!🤩🤩🤩🤩

I really hope you check out the dungeon crawler carl series it is one of my favorites and more people need to know about it.

All i remember from my childhood is watching the shitty movie. Had no idea there were books until recently. I’m 27 now but thinking of giving it a read

I really enjoyed reading this as a teenager learning English, but the books definitely had their flaws, but I do think they are worth reading for younger people, as they're not bad books

Just stumbled upon your channel and really dig it-subbed. Will you do Andrzej Sapkowski and Rafael Sabatini maybe? (Sabatini's writing was ahead of his time like by 500 years, good god his books are fun)

I'm rereading this series this year and yeah, I still love it. I agree with you that the Eldest is the weakest. Also, I never liked Roran and so far this opinion hasn't changed (I still have to reread Brisingr and Inheritance). I feel so many people don't appreciate the worldbuilding, language, and unique concepts this series has. I always loved the bond between the Dragon Riders and their dragons, and the magic system. And yes, the Inheritance aged like a fine wine - the diversity is something I didn't pay attention to previously, but now I can see how great it is. Thanks for this great video!!

I love Eldest ❤

What have you got against the Golbraith books?

welp guess im going to pop on the audiobook and recheck the series out of all the authors i looked up to as a youngster this is the one that fell the least from grace, though it might have been a publishing house decision to use an ai generated book cover

❤

Yes, yes it is. Every book is worth reading, even if it's a slog to get through. I've only read the first one though...so many books, so little time.

Second

6:41 that’s literally a Ben Shapiro book btw

Hmm, was it ever worth reading? I guess if you were a kid when it was new. I don't why an adult would bother reading them for the first time.

Read the first book when I was 12 or 13, but I didn't really like it and didn't continue the series. I found it too derivative of Star Wars.

I didn't mind seeing spoilers about eragon, but why are you spoiling Star Wars?? Lol jk😂

first

Era gone

Game of Thrones is based on the dragonbone chair so itself is a ripoff

The way I see it, if your going to have a good vs evil story, you should stick to that, you can't expect me to sympathize an enemy who was previously absolutely evil. Wrt this divide being along racial lines, when you have an 'evil race' its purpose is to embody all the evil traits of humans. So there can be a conflict based solely on the good vs evil struggle, its not a nuanced story it isn't supposed to be. People get tired of this type of story, that's fine. I just think if he wanted to have a morally ambivalent setting he should have just started a new, more adult series.

I read it.Though it was overhyped and rather boring . Later I heard It written by some young kid who was lucky enough to have relatives who worked in the book distribution industry. This was pre-internet, so he would never had a chance without' knowing the right people '. Meh.

Honestly? It sounds boring. But the Lloyd Alexander books are boring and I once loved those.

Star Wars also copied a lot of Dune