The Inheritance Cycle
by Christopher Paolini
Reviewed by Shravan
May 4, 2024
This series is really, really good. It flows extremely well, and there are plenty of twists and turns in this series. There is a load of detail, and so much imagery and description. What I think was really good about this book was the variety of characters in the series. There were elves, dwarfs, humans, and dragons. There were so many fantasy elements, such as a Dragon’s heart of hearts, mental communication, and magic.
Eragon, a simple farm boy, finds a random object in the woods. That was a dragon egg, and it hatched, revealing a little, sapphire blue Dragon. Eragon has to work to keep it secret, but the Dragon becomes several times the size of him. He enters reality, where magic is real, there are Dragons and their Riders, but is also fighting the forces of evil, attempting to rule the humans, the dwarfs, the elves and the Dragons. He discovers that he is alone. There isn’t another Dragon or Rider in the entire world, and it is up to him to save the world. He used to be a simple farmer, and now he has to save the world. He has to fight against Shades, armies and pain.
I really liked this series when I first read it, but it lost its appeal soon after. However, due to its easy to read nature , I would give this series an age rating of 8+ and a rating of 4.5 Stars. This sereis is great the first time, but not so much after that.
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Common Questions About The Inheritance Cycle
What age is Eragon appropriate for?
The Inheritance Cycle is best for ages 8-10 (Grades 3rd-5th). A farm boy finds a dragon egg, becomes a Dragon Rider, and has to take on an evil king — the fantasy world is loaded with detail (elves, dwarfs, dragons, magic, all of it). The books grow in length and complexity, so the later ones work better for ages 10 and up.
What order should I read the Inheritance Cycle?
Read in order: Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, and Inheritance. The story follows one continuous arc — Eragon goes from being a simple farm boy to a Dragon Rider who has to save the world. Each book builds directly on the last, so skipping doesn't work.
Should my child watch the Eragon movie or read the books first?
Definitely read the books first — get through at least the first 2 before watching anything. The 2006 Eragon film changed a lot from the book and no sequels were made, so the books are really the way to experience this story. Reading first lets your kid imagine Saphira and Alagaesia in their own way. A Disney+ series adaptation has been announced too — all the more reason to read the books now.
How many books are in the Inheritance Cycle?
There are 4 main books in the Inheritance Cycle: Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, and Inheritance. Christopher Paolini also wrote The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm (a companion book) and Murtagh, a full novel set in the same world. So there's plenty to keep reading if your kid gets hooked.
The Inheritance Cycle is recommended for ages 8 - 10 (Grades 3rd - 5th) with Lexile scores ranging from 710L to 1050L.