Eragon

Rating:
Summary: I LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: it is definitely the best book I have ever read! Anyone who likes Harry Potter or any other fantasy books will love Eragon!

Rating:
Summary: I fell in love...
Review: I fell in love when I read this book. I locve this book and I can't wait till the next one.

After Eragon finds the egg he keeps the Dragon for a while in his yard out of sight. One day he takes a ride on Saphira but while he is gone urgalls come and destroy his house and his uncle. His only living relative besides his brotherish person. This sets him on a wild goose chase across desert and woods to find the killers. He soon finds out he is meant to be a dragon rider. He takes on the superior role of trying to keep an elf alive while trying to figure out if he can trust some of the people he meets on the way. I recommend this book to readers of any age. If you can keep the complexity of the book sr\traight that is.

Rating:
Summary: Yet another commercialized disappointment.
Review: Forced dialogue, Poor characterization, and almost no emotional pull renders an otherwise good story into meaningless drivel. The glaze on my eyes didn't clear until after page 150. (Enough time to blink!) It always saddens me when good money is spent on something that is seemingly all hype and no substance.

Rating:
Summary: Very Good!!!
Review: A blue stone waits in the forest. Waiting for the right person to come and claim it but, it must choose carefully for its fate depended on the person. Soon the answer comes right into the forest: Eragon. Finding the stone he takes it home, only for it to not be a stone but an egg! Several days later the egg hatches into a beautiful blue dragon: one of whose race is nearly extinct. Named after another, the dragon is named Saphira. Eragon soon realizes that this dragon is wanted terribly by the Empire and his price of learning is the death of a very close family member. Together with the help of unlikely friends, Eragon and Saphira journey becoming one, becoming what Eragon's fate had always been: a Dragon Rider.
Though most people (probably adults) say that he copied other authors, you have to admit that he has done a great job for 15 (now 19) year old. I look forward to reading the rest in the trilogy

Rating:
Summary: loved it
Review: ok this book is possibly the best book for people waiting for the 6th harry potter book, people who have read all of the LOTR books and other readers who enjoy this genra. oh and all of the people who think that this book is copying LOTR are freakin wack in some ways this book does copy some ideas, but it dosnt affeact the story, infact it makes the book better.
the amount of susspense in this book make a page turner. bassicly what im saying is GO AND BUY THIS BOOK!!! SCREW WHAT THE ONE STARS SAY!!!

Rating:
Summary: Nothing new, why the hype?
Review: Story was okay, just not the best writing. Seemed like a typical fantasy with absolutely no surprises. There are a lot better fantasies out there--try the Book of Three or even Tamora Pierce before this...

Rating:
Summary: fantasy cliche does not mean bad book.
Review: I've heard the constant complaints that Eragon falls into the category that every other "wannabe" fantasy novel falls under. Although I will not argue with the fact that the book is primarily about a dragon and utilizes the ever-so-popular 2-page map at the beginning, I find that these fantasy clichés do not detract from the writing or the storyline.

I generally characterize the quality of a story by its ability to hook a reader and draw him/her into the story. I read this books from start to finish in two days, neglecting many other more important matters as I often do while reading a good book. To state the fact quite frankly, if you enjoy a good old fantasy novel and don't mind a few previously used fantasy elements, this book will leave you feeling quite satisfied.

Rating:
Summary: It's a good book.
Review: I am constantly amazed by those in the world who believe that everything has to be new and controversial. I love fantasy series and have read all of Tolkein, Brooks, McKiernan, and even Jordan (end the series Robert!!). I read the books because they are entertaining. Do I know what is going to happen? Yes. Is there going to be a completely new twist on the idea? Probably not in this genre, although the Runelords (David Farland) and Witch series (James Clemens) come close. It's rare.

This book has a hero, villain, troubling times, and a noble goal of protecting the helpless. The fate of the world relies on the shoulders of a reluctant hero. What else do you want? It is written well. You can read it easily and although there are a lot of characters, it is easy to keep track of them.

For people who are looking for an enjoyable read, pick this up. For people who are looking for an Earth-shattering revelation into the fantasy world, get a life.

Rating:
Summary: "Eragon" is still unshaped
Review: Every now and then, there's a massively hyped book that catches thwe attention of media and readers alike. Teen author Christopher Paolini's "Eragon" is probably the most-publicized fantasy since the Harry Potter series. Is it as good as they say? In a word... no. Paolini has raw, unrefined talent and an undeniable flair for writing, but he's bogged down by every fantasy cliche in the book.

Eragon is an impoverished lad living with his uncle in a secluded village, barely scraping by. That changes when he finds a strange blue stone in the woods. He tries to sell it, with no luck -- it's harder than diamond, and no one knows what it is. Then it hatches -- into a baby dragon. When Eragon touches her, he accidently burns a scar into his hand and forms a mental bond that allows them to communicate without speaking.

He raises the dragon in secret, naming her Sephira, until his farm is attacked and his uncle Garrow murdered by the evil minions of the ex-Dragonrider Galbatorix, who is now the evil king. Seeking revenge, Eragon gets the help of the old storyteller Brom, who is more than he seems. When the new Dragonrider (Eragon, of course) sets off with his new friends, he sets out to deal with Galbatorix...

Is "Eragon" an amazing fantasy? No. Is it bad? Again, no. The handling of much-worn elements is clumsy but hints that he has promise. Paolini's writing has a certain eagerness that makes his story somewhat appealing, but fails to overcome his inexperience. The storyline is one that has been done elsewhere; it's a fairly standard S&S quest-against-evil.

Nobody could accuse Paolini of being too innovative. Young, clueless hero raised by an uncle in the wildlands? Check. Wise old magical man who teaches the hero? Check. Ancient sword? Check. Dragons? Wise and fair elves? Evil magical villain? Stumpy, grumpy dwarves? Check. We've seen these all before, in fantasies ranging from "Lord of the Rings" to "Star Wars"; there's even a bit of Ursula Le Guin's "true names" tossed in. Arguably this could be seen as a more fantastical retread of Arthurian legend, but that doesn't make it original.

What boosts up "Eragon" is the writing. Paolini has a genuine flair for description of landscapes and places, right down to the raging storms and burned-out villages. His writing is still a bit raw (some is horribly awkward), but he has a talent for writing action scenes and a solid ability to bring up what things look, smell, sound or feel like. He also has the ability to evoke emotions when the characters feel them, such as Eragon's grief when he sees Garrow dead.

Eragon himself is a pretty typical fantasy hero, rather angsty and uninformed. He's likable, but not really compelling yet. Saphira is rather spotty; sometimes she's alien and intriguing, and sometimes she seems almost like a human with scales. Brom is your typical old wizard who knows everything, and Arya your basic fair elf maid love-interest. Unfortunately she isn't really given much of a personality in the brief time we see her.

Paolini has some raw talent and a pleasant writing style, which keep "Eragon" from being truly annoying. A mixture of the obviously derivative and the intriguing, "Eragon" is worth a look, but not yet any more.

Rating:
Summary: Familiar, but still good!
Review: I loved this book, and I've read many science fiction and fantasy stories. I took off a star, just because some of it was familiar. But the writing style was refreshing, the idea original, and the story was amazing! Some of it has been seen before, and yes, I'll admit, there wasn't much action either! But, for LOTR lovers, I'll remind you of the beginning of Fellowship of the ring! I could hardly get through the first book, but once I moved on to the second, it was great!