Inheritance Cycle

The Inheritance Cycle #1-4

by Christopher Paolini

The much-anticipated worldwide bestselling Inheritance cycle.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Young Adult, Dragons, Childrens, Adventure, Magic

880 pages, Paperback

First published November 8, 2011

About the author

Christopher Paolini was born in Southern California and has lived most of his life in Paradise Valley, Montana. He published his first novel, Eragon, in 2003 at the age of nineteen, and quickly became a publishing phenomenon. His Inheritance Cycle—Eragon and its three sequels—have sold nearly 40 million copies worldwide. To Sleep in a Sea of Stars was his first adult novel.

Visit Paolini.net and Fractalverse.net for the latest news about this project and follow Christopher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.

Reviews

[Duane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I made the mistake of watching the movie "Eragon" before I read any of the books. After reading just the first book you really realize what a hack job they did on the movie. Aside from special effects that really were quite good, the rest of the movie could have been put together in a much better way. I was captivated by these books more than I have ever been before. I couldn't put it down after I started reading, I would just get lost in the world of Alagaesia, that Eragon and his charasmatic dragon Saphira lived,fought and survived in. Christopher Paolini is a "fantasy world genius". I love the way he layered in many culturally different peoples ways of living and folklore along with their unique cities, towns and villages. It takes a brilliant,imaginative and intuitive mind to create a land the likes of Alagaesia the way he did. Not to mention that he started writing Eragon and graduated high school when he was but 15 years old. I would recommend this series of books to anyone that has an interest in fantasy stories, medieval times,sword fighting, dragons, elves/dwarves & magic/folklore of elves/dwarves, or anything relating to any of these topics. I could go on and on about how great all 4 books are but you need to find that out for yourself. :)

[Lee (the Book Butcher) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finished this Series in 2020. Was a highlight of a bad year! Since I'm more familiar with how Goodreads works I figured i would rate the whole series. Good shorthand label for the Inheritance Cycle is "lord of the rings with pet dragons".

Eragon (5 Stars)
took the world by storm! Fantastic Worldbuilding and great foreshadowing. introduced many common characters types and troupes but the dragon/human relationship was extraordinary. Catches your attention right away. suck you into the world!

Eldest (3 stars)
Expanded worldbuilding and character devolvement but that all this book has to offer good middle book adds depth to Alagaesia!

Brisingr (2 Stars)
Eragon gets a sword. Goes on a lot of D&D style side quests and prolongs the conclusion. some good but mostly could have done without this book in the series. Almost ditched the series after reading this fluff buster!

Inheritance (4 stars)
Dramatic conclusion to the series. King Galbatorix beaten a bit easily for my taste. Paolini had trouble wrapping it up!

the series as a whole was great escapism. All the fantasy elements one could want. Dragon/human relationship worth reading this series alone. Watched a young author develop his craft and grow. while handling superstardom along the way. not always producing the best literary results. Glad i read the series but torn on whether to buy it for my bookshelf!

[Daniel Fox · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some very marvelously delivered concepts, a good pace (in books 1-2), overall an interesting and ambitious feat for such a young writer.

Sadly, poorly finished, with some VERY roughly formulated sections that needed more. Over all, too long of a series (1 book to many). The end was especially painful. Paolini left me kicking the dust of Alegasia off my feet as he took such a long time getting around to the last page of the 4th book.

His next writing undertaking will qualify or disqualify him as a serious writer in my eyes. Is he a true talent? Or just a homeschooler who got a super lucky break?

[Florent Vallade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rare série de livre dont j’ai lu la totalité plus d’une fois. Attention : !Le film et les livres ne pourraient pas être plus opposés! (J’ai aimé le film c’est une petite madeleine de Proust)

Eragon se place très haut dans les séries fantastique de ce type (magie, dragons, épée et tout ce que l’on pourrait rechercher dans ce genre)

Alors oui, l’ombre de Tolkien se ressent fortement sur l’univers d’Eragon, mais les codes installés par le Seignejr des Anneaux sont souvent repris. Néanmoins Paolini reprend ces ingrédients de façon habile et il est aisé de rentrer dans l’histoire et s’attacher aux personnages. Ce dernier point est un gros point fort de la série, les personnages sont tous, dotés de magie ou non, fascinants à bien des égards.

Le système de magie a été bien développé et est sûrement des plus intriguant à découvrir, tout a un coup et rien n’est sans conséquence. On découvre l’une des parties la plus adulte et dure au travers de l’apprentissage de la magie.

Alors si la saga n’a jamais vraiment apporté beaucoup de surprise et de grandes nouveautés, cela reste un univers complet, intéressant, bien équilibré et qui se laisse consommé sans modération.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was going to introduce this review by giving a quick synopsis of the series, but saying something like, “The Inheritance Cycle is the beautifully woven story of a boy and his dragon” was not something that I was interested in doing. So I’ll just say this: If you have ever read The Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, or basically any good fantasy novel, you are going to fall in love with this book before the end of the first page. I have long ago waged war against any form of what most call ‘spoilers’, but I call Satan, so I ll leave you with that – and, although I may not be the best at summary composition, I can still give you my full opinion (hopefully it’s valued). When I first started reading this series, I was completely blown away. Everything history has to say about dragons is completely negative, not one story incorporating the beast without some sort of protagonist vs. antagonist showdown (where the dragon is, undoubtedly, the one causing trouble). But finally, after a nice few years of trial and error, there was a good, quality fiction book where these magnificent creatures were displayed in the spotlight they deserve. Christopher Paolini’s writing is absolutely brilliant, with the character development and plot structure just as incredible. I really thought I had found my ideal book, my pedestal worthy center piece – that is, until Inheritance came out. The ending made me want to riot in the streets, and made me feel the need to demand retribution for why the author had to make such a blunder now, right when he was so close to finishing his masterpiece. I don’t want to elaborate on this, a most touchy subject for me (and one filled to the brim with spoilers), but I would just like any and all readers to beware. I’m still giving this series 4 stars, and they are still quite near the top of my list as some of the best books that I ‘ve ever read, so it will definitely be worth your time – trust me. I just advise against entering the last stages unprepared. I hope this helped your outlook on whether to consider these as worthy candidates for your shelf.

[Marija]

Eragon finds a strange rock in the woods. It isn't long before the 'rock' hatches and Eragon learns that he will be the next Dragon rider. This series follows him in his adventures doing that.

This series, along with Harry Potter, is what fueled my love for fantasy novels. When I read, I want to be transported, and the best way, for me, to do it is to give my brain unreal imagery. I can be Saphira, I can fight with the dwarves. It's so nerdy but it's honestly like medicine for my soul. Eragon also sparked a lot of dragon drawings, and currently I'm painting an elf (so it's affected my art as well).

Antony: Once again, I read these books because of my sister. I always loved Saphira, and I thought that the elves and their culture was really fascinating. The movie was so bad that Marija and I had to stop watching it about 15 minutes in because it was so wrong. It was just so wrong.

[Patti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely awesome books, but I am really tired of waiting for the next book. By the time the fourth book comes out I will have to read the entire series over again to remember what happened. Why make the fans wait soooo long? I don't get it!

[C.J. Daley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Below is mostly my review posted on Brisingr, Eldest and Eragon with some rehashing/added stuff...

So this is my first time reading Inheritance, (Eragon, Eragon/Eldest, Eragon/Eldest/Brisingr...) this being my first time listening to the audiobook too. To put it simply, Gerard Doyle is fantastic. His character voices and narration fit perfectly, and I loved the job he did. I'm actually going to continue on with The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm: Tales from Alagaësia: Volume 1- Eragon, now because he does them all.

I obviously fell off for some years seeing that Inheritance was released 9 years ago, but what can you do...

I'm sure there's a hundred reviews on here talking about how this all started when Paolini was fifteen, and how at the time of Brisingr, he had spent a decade with Eragon, so I'll just say--WOW.

He takes so many things from others (in terms of influence) and handles them all so delicately that he created this wonderful, lush, dense lore that continues to grow throughout the rest of the novels. He was like a mini-Tolkien with his languages and flushed out geographic ideas. He created the Urgals and Kull instead of just recycling the typical Orcs and Uruk-hai. I found multiple points of similarity between Martin's 'Game of Thrones' dragons and Paolini's, and yet past those he once again branched off and created his own world and lore for them in a refreshing way. I think the training and wiseness from Brom most similarly matches the ideas of Obi-Wan and Luke Skywalker, including the necessary death of a mentor/father figure that thus propels the main character towards greatness. I suppose you could also easily argue that it is also like Gandalf/Frodo, however I think it's a harder argument to make that Frodo actually grew based off lessons from a knowledgable mentor (HE IS A HERO, JUST A DIFFERENT KIND!). Or, you could also point out Harry/Dumbledore--I'm sure we've all seen the memes about needing an old man mentor and a young hero to make a successful series--even though Dumbledore hid questionable important details from Harry, he still fulfilled that role.

I actually read a bitter sounding review under Eldest on here where they claim the opposite of what I am saying--ie. that Paolini does not do any of these things delicately/well and all I can say is that I'm genuinely surprised by that reaction. The main complaint I saw was drawing a comparison to Star Wars and almost calling these similarities blatant stealing. IE. "I am your father [Morzan]." And also saying that the reemergence of the twins and Murtagh was stupid/not earned. All I can say is that 1. I am a HUGE SW fan, as you can obviously see in my read books section, and I think that if your basis for disliking this book/series/author is that you think SW is the end-all for original ideas, you're just misguided. I mean right off the bat, just read Dune and see how many things are super close to some of the original SW ideas in A New Hope... 2. I have now read this book three times and each time I have loved the "surprise" of Murtagh coming back. Every single time. Sure, I also thought he was alive, but riding atop a new RED DRAGON? No, that hadn't crossed my younger mind at all. 3. If you dislike reading things that have any kind of similarities at all, I'm sorry to inform you but fantasy is not the genre for you at all. Find me something that doesn't pull strings from Tolkien, Lewis, Herbert, Martin and many others. I don't believe it can be done. Those similarities are the reasons WHY I love these kinds of books and genre. Originality would come at a cost. Probably the cost of that comfortability many look for in fantasy and that wouldn't work for me and many others.

I'm sure there are also countless ideas and influences that he drew from the million and one dragon rider series that exist in this world. However, I first started reading these books in the sixth grade, so as an eleven year old I hadn't much experience elsewhere, and afterwards this was more my basis for that kind of story than any other.

I know we've all seen/heard Paolini say things like "trying to write like Tolkien at his best" and various other stupid and pompous sounding things, but he was young and humility doesn't come easy for everyone. He had great success with these books at an early age, that could certainly do that to your head. And to be honest, it'd have been better for someone else to have said that for him, but I don't really disagree with it. I even call him a mini-Tolkien at the beginning of this review... (but lets be real...Tolkien was always at his "best")

I will say that I think Paolini is lucky that he had spent so much time working his characters in book two, because honestly without it I would not have given a single f**k about Roran getting married or trying to become a leader. Nor about them having a baby or Eragon healing a hairlip either... It's because of his earlier work and attention to detail that leads fans to desire more information about other characters and the day to day activities. The trouble with the dwarves even borders on getting too dry and he still (in my opinion) reels it in enough, and splits it with action, to save its enjoyability. I feel like he manages the same with the ending of Inheritance. The political magical stuff and the rebuilding isn't my favorite, but he cuts it up with a NEW DRAGON and NEW QUEEN OF THE ELVES? A great win in my opinion. Even though it's a bit of a stretch for this dragon to get a cover when he exists for so little.
The world of Alagaesia needs more dragon power.

I will say though one thing that rubbed me the wrong way was how Lord Barst was portrayed. Not only was he there simply to be killed my Roran (in my opinion) but he also was described for so much longer, and seemingly stronger, than Galbatorix himself was? I feel like with perhaps even a single Eldunarí he appeared more powerful than I even imagined Eragon to be... the main character, who not only had quite of few of the Eldunarí, but it was purposefully still said DID NOT have enough to outright defeat the Mad King. Barst has so much page-time that we see him kill perhaps hundreds of men, elves, dwarves, Kull, and werecats. Not to mention Islanzadí, a feat that I'm still not sure I believe Eragon should have been capable of? I understand that this was supposed to add the big-bad warrior feel to the climax because Galbatorix had to be defeated by either cunning or magic but still. That was my only major gripe.

I understand that his writing style, and seemingly his incessant need to write bible length books, is not for everyone, but this has been a 5*/100% novel since the first time I read it. Now after finishing it for my second time I still don't have any real complaints. I love it and not just for the nostalgic feel, it's amazing.

https://fanfiaddict.com/the-inheritan...

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Inheritance Cycle is composed of 4 books: Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, and Inheritance. This is one of those fantasy worlds that draws the reader in so well that they are left with a feeling of loss when it finally comes to an end. It is difficult to set any of them down until all 4 are finished. It contains plenty of surprising twists, but they aren’t presented in a typical cliff-hanger fashion. Rather than aching for an answer to a big question upon finishing one of the books, the reader simply wants the next book so that they can remain within the world that Paolini created. The only shortcoming is that the final confrontation between the protagonist and antagonist feels a bit rushed considering how drawn out the rest of the quest was. Even though there are numerous classical fantasy aspects to it (dwarves, elves, dragons, magic, etc.), there is enough individuality as well that helps it feel unique compared to other series. This is the type of story that can be read over and over, with new details to find each time that weren’t apparent before. Everything is connected miraculously well and the intricate web of stories cannot be truly appreciated in a single reading.

[Peter · Rating 2 out of 5]

I stayed with this story simply because I had already started it when I found my love of reading fantasy. I do like the concept of the story, even though as many others have said, that it seems to be a collection of other stories. That honestly doesn't bother me . He twisted them and made a story from his imagination using what has obviously influenced him. Again that doesn't bother me. What bothers me is how he explains himself before any character does anything . Over and over and it makes me want to throw the damn book across the room. Except that it's on my iPad or on my phone and that would be costly . Everything is G rated and that doesn't bother me since I knew that going in. On a whole this series just isn't for me.

[Matthew Martinez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this series at the beginning of the pandemic. Now, as a teenage boy, the Inheritance series was a key component to my maturing from 13-15. The book grew with me as the audience. Eragon goes from a young, hot headed child to a strong, mature, and inspiring man. Not only did Eragon and every other character grow, but I did as well. For that, I say thank you Paolini.

[Meghan]

Amazing

Absolutely breathtaking series. The world building was exceptional. I could go on and on but I don't have the words. I highly recommend the books!!

[Frans Vledder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inheritance / Erfenis. Boek blijft boeien omdat je het eind wilt weten. Wel wat langzaam. Mooi einde.

[AT Demeter · Rating 5 out of 5]

SUPERB!! I completed the series at the start of the year 2020, borrowing books 2-4 from a friend at church. (I already read the 1st book before then.) Could there be sufficient words to describe how awed I was by the story! What plot, what characterization, what well-fitted use of language and vocabulary, what action! I love fantasy and I love dragons so, yes, I eagerly leaped at the chance to read the series.
It’d be hard to say which were my absolute favorite characters but I will say that I adored Saphira a lot. Some of the conversations she had with Eragon were downright funny and had me laughing at times! I love how faithful she was to Eragon and how they both watched out for each other.
I also am fond of Eragon’s brother’s girlfriend. (I forget her name.) While I don’t approve of their getting physical before they got married (though the book never went graphic about that), I so admired her bravery and courage in the face of incredible hardship. I loved how loyal she was to Eragon’s brother and never ceased to support and encourage him.
Even though Angela’s a fortune teller, I liked her for her humor and her sometimes flippant ways. And she sure was a fierce fighter!
Oh, and let’s not forget that black princess in the story. (Again, I forget her name.). How can I not remember her stunning bravery even when she endured imprisonment, abuse, and unbelievably cruel hardship? I was blown away by her courage and the wisdom she showed in many decisions she made regarding the war and how to deal with enemies. And how she wisely did not scorn or reject a proposal by enemies of her father who desired peace with her.
And I mustn't forget Morzan. Oh my goodness, what a complex character he is! In one book he proved a good guy, then in the next a bad one, then in another he’s good again. But isn’t that how it is in real life? We all tend to be good or bad one day or the next. Even though he was spiteful at times, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him because he had a very rugged upbringing. And, of course, I’m not going to spoil the last book, but I will only say it satisfied me: the person he chose to become.
Well, that’s all I’ll say for now. But I’m sure you get the idea how wowed I am by the stories. I hope to get my own copies of the series someday - hopefully, I’ll find them at a thrift store where they’ll be much less expensive.
What else can I say? GO READ THE ERAGON BOOKS!!!

[Gerrit Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a series of four books in a fantasy world, not unlike Lord of the Rings, but with a constantly evolving plot that keeps you reading. It took me a few weeks to finsh the books and I was left wondering how it would continue. I am convinced the story hasn't ended yet.

[Josephine Rivera · Rating 3 out of 5]

With incredibly consistent writing and worldbuilding, Paolini provides a detailed world of dragons, elves, and dwarves in this series. Despite clear references taken from Tolkien, Saphira and Eragon’s battle and home must be respected for their unique coming of age and internal struggles.

[Hugi Freysteinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Góðar bækur fullar af spennandi sögum

[Stanislava · Rating 5 out of 5]

💜💜💜💜

[Anna Åberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic world that I've come back to reread several times the last 10 years. Very classic epic fantasy: dragons, evil kings, magic and kind-of a chosen one

[Daniel Berkson · Rating 4 out of 5]

For fantasy lovers who want a brain break. Entertaining

[Tyler Poole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read, ending was very long, drawn out, and left something to be desired. Overall, entertaining series I'm glad I read.

[Jordan Lewin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed these books, It fascinating to see Paolini's writing style evolve, and the second book was incredibly enjoyable due to this. The way the fantasy elements are incorporated are satisfying, a perfect mixture of rules and mystery - strength and wisdom.

*spoiler*
My one complaint is that Eragon never fulfilled him promise to Jeod to ride Saphira...

[Claude Bragg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classics. Would highly recommend anyone who read these when they were kids to reread. Simple and easy but definitely not without depth and super hard to put down

[Kaminsod · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the series, popularity of which I'll never understand.

The first book, Eragon, is fine I guess, but I don't feel like it's something special, even within fantasy YA subgenre. There are almost no new ideas, the pacing is super inconsistent and characters are very basic and blend.

But what bothered me the most about these books was the lack of selfbelieve from the author. When something weird happens in the books, author comes back to it multiple times, because he's clearly awere of the fact, that it's weird, and he will try to defend it and defend it and defend it again.

I always finish any series I start to read, because I want to be sure, that I'm not jugging it prematurely, but there is no series I struggled more with than Inheritance Cycle. Author tried to make the later books bit more mature and complex by adding some new POV characters, but those were just completely boring to me, so I liked every book less than the previous one.

I rate The Inheritance Cycle 4/10. It was just not for me and I don't understand the hype around it. But Christopher Paolini seems like a great guy and it seems like he is aware of some problems this series has, so I'll gladly check out his new books at some point.

[Jen Kaufmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

To say it bluntly and the way i feel it is; this is a series you wont ever forget!

I started reading eragon around the time the second part came out I think because I figured that the last part would have to come out soon. So I picked it up at the bookshop and started reading it the same night. And I just couldnt put it down. I was enticed with alagaesia and eragon and the idea of dragonriders; toss in a little bit of magic and youve got me captivated!

The first part of this cycle had me wanting for more. I was however a bit disappointed by the second part until Eragon was "transformed" into an elve; afterwards it got better again. as for the last two parts: I couldnt stop reading, yes the wait between the releases of the books were torturous but definitely worth it.

if youre into all books fantasy you should absolutely read these. even after years I still love the characters and the change they have gone through. I have rarely ever felt so connected with characters as I have in this series.

purchase these loveable works of art you will not regret it I can promise you that!!

[Jeffrey Yao · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written fantasy book. Although thicker than the typical teen novel, it certainly would appeal to young adult males. There is a lot of action in this book and it keeps the reader fascinated throughout. Pretty much each book ends with a MASSIVE cliffhanger so once you pick up the first book, don't expect to put it down until you finish the series. I read this series when I was quite young, and to this day, I still keep rereading it. The plot has so many complications and struggles that makes the reader think that it is hopeless, but Paolini thinks up fresh new ways to solve it and keeps the reader interested. What attracted me about this was that it was about dragons, and this book really shaped what genre I read in. Although not the most famous of novels, this is definitely a good read. It also is not just about fighting. There is an element of love and comedy to it also. The story is told from differing viewpoints: Eragon and his cousin Roran's. Although the first time you read from Roran's perspective, it may be a bit dull, but his story is as captivating, if not more, than Eragon's. If you like fantasy, you should definitely read this series.

[Eileen G. Mykkels · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read all four books, though it took quite along time - the first three I read happily as they came out, until, within the pages of the second book, I realized I was reading star wars meets lotr. I still read the third, simply to finish the series. I was thus disappointed to find that he'd changed his mind completely. The fourth book I did not read until nearly two years ago.
I find that Roran is the character I wished was the protagonist. He's the only character in the book that I still feel anything for at all. The rest of the series devolved into a contrived, sci-fi fantasy mash up mess, especially when, in the final book, Paolini starts making Doctor Who references. As a rule, I'm fond of Doctor Who, but I find that sort of thing to be disrupting to reader immersion and completely unimaginative.
All the same, it's an enjoyable one time read. I gave away all four books to a friend who enjoyed them. As long as they are loved, though it be not by me.

[Laura Maisano · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this series. It was well written and thought out, and I especially like that things didn't necessarily go where you thought they would. The characters were engaging and the world was fully established. Some parts dragged for me, probably because I care less about the Dwarves than I do the Elves but that's probably personal preference. It seemed like the author wanted to give them equal time on the stage if that makes sense.

The bittersweet ending was Tolkeinesque, without seeming TOO similar. I loved the mechanics of magic in this world and how well thought out it was. It made it both powerful, but limited enough that the characters had struggle. I definitely recommend this series.

[اية محمود Aya Mahmoud · Rating 4 out of 5]

ok,
so I watched the movie based on the first novel I liked it and I wanted more but then I realized that fans of the books hated the movie so I bought the books which costs a lot by Egyptian middle class standards.
I like the inheritance cycle a lot, you have completely fictional but totally relevant, you have a fictional language, you have dragons and magic and then you have a lot of great characters that are so well introduced.
the only thing that bothers me is the argument but whether God exists and why does he let bad things happen and reducing the power of prayer into a ritual believers lean on in the time of crisis, I'm a Sunni Muslim and loosely Sufi so I have to disagree.
other than that those four books are just great and I think every fantasy fan will enjoy it.

[Gary D. Powell Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read for anyone who loves magic and dragons.

I received the first book in this series as a gift from my daughter. She knew of my love for dragons, magic, and reading thinking that I would enjoy it. After reading the first book, I was lucky and the second was already published. I devoured the pages and eagerly waited for more. With Brisingr, I was not disappointed. Then came Inheritance, and I finally got to finish reading the story. I loved it, and as the author himself has stated, there will be more to come. Until that day comes, I will continue to enjoy these books.