Advance Booking

LORD OF THE SKY

I am a little conflicted about this book. I love fantasy and this story about a dragon and her Rider appealed to me, but the narration bored me quite a few times.

Eragon is a farm boy, whose life changes when he comes across a bright blue stone while hunting. Within days, the "stone" hatches into a baby dragon, whom he names Saphira. Soon, the evil King Galbatorix's servants, the deadly Ra'zac, come hunting for the egg, and destroy Eragon's home and kill his uncle. Eragon and Saphira, along with the mysterious storyteller Brom, pursue them across Alagaesia, in a journey that will decide his future as the last free Dragon Rider.

The story was creative, but got a little boring, especially during Eragon's journey with Brom. Murtagh's arrival kicked up the pace, but the plot is too Star War-ish; there was a lot of deja-vu. Paolini wrote Eragon when he was fifteen, so I'm not being too critical (I remember the stuff I wrote at fifteen), but still, I had hoped for better editing. I loved Saphira though, I thought her voice was fleshed out well. She is wise, funny, and the best friend you can have. But somehow the story didn't grip me that much. Maybe it's because I read it a second time, but I don't remember being that into the story the first time either. I felt the writing was a little stilted, as if the author was trying too hard to pull a Tolkien. The movie is downright terrible, so bad I wondered if the makers had even read the book. I'd say the book is definitely worth a read, but it's one I'd borrow, not buy for a permanent place on my shelf.