Rating: 
Summary: Fun but lacks originality - plot is from 1st Star Wars movie
Review: This is a decent book for the target audience of older children and preteens, who have finished the Harry Potter books and The Hobbit but might find Lord of the Rings too difficult. Its strong points are a good pacing and excitment level. But the big downside of it is the lack of originality. Alagaesia is very much a simpler version of Tolkien's Middle Earth, especially the Elves, Dwarves, and Orcs/Urgals. The noble Dragonriders who are telepathically bonded to their dragons are straight out of Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern; she must have been flattered by this imitation to have given the testimony on the back cover. But most important and most annoying is that the plot and characters are lifted straight from the first STAR WARS movie. Luke Skywalker was a young man of uncertain parentage whose uncle was killed by soldiers of the Empire, who turned to a wise Jedi Master and began his training in the ways of the Force and joined the Rebellion, until the old Jedi Master was killed and passed his powers on to Luke. Along the way Luke teamed up with a scoundrel who helped him rescue a beautiful princess from the clutches of the Empire. The movie ends with the Rebellion acheiving a great although not final victory over the evil empire, and Luke leaves to go to Dagobah to complete his Jedi training with Master Yoda. In this book, the sf world is changed to a Tolkien-fantasy world, Luke is renamed Eragon, Obi-Wan is renamed Brom, and Han Solo is Murtagh. If the second and third books of this trilogy continue to follow the Star Wars trilogy, the second book will start with Galbatorix's forces attacking a secret base of the Varden again, but Eragon will travel to the Mourning Sage in Ellesmera to complete his training; however he will get a warning that Murtagh and Arya are in danger and leave his training before he has full control of his powers. Book two should end with Eragon confronting Galbatorix and learning to his horror that he is Galbatorix's son, while Murtagh is captured by the Empire. But Eragon will rescue him early in Book three, then go back to the Mourning Sage who will die, and Book Three should end with Eragon defeating Galbatorix and the Varden defeating the Empire, and Eragon founding a new order of Dragonriders to bring peace and justice to the Galaxy (err, Alagaesia). Anyway, you get the point. But it's still a fun book, and younger readers won't mind the lack of originality as much as adults will.
Rating: 
Summary: Couldn't Put It Down
Review: ...I wanted to read Eragon so much I didn't want to put it down to do my homework. [That is NOT like me!] I think the author did a great job! My grandma gave it to me a week ago and I didn't put it down until five days later, when I finished it. All of my friends think I am nuts for reading costently and not playing, but they haven't read it. I could only say that a few books are equally good. When you read Eragon, in the middle you find yourself in suspenion and can't get out of it until the very end. I hope Eldest comes out soon! [Meanig in the next few days!] I was shocked at times, wishing the next event would have been more surprising at others. I thought it was cool that there was a glossery in the back! I've been trying to covince my friends to read it, but they are to stubborn. I know I must have said this a thousand times, but I LOVE this book!!!
Rating:
Summary: Exciting, Enjoyable, Leaves you wanting more...
Review: I am a very busy mom who rarely finds time to just sit and read...I picked up this book for my teenage son who is an avid fantasy reader thinking it would be great to support a young author...Well he loved it! He read parts of the book to me here and there which I really enjoyed. When he finished the book, I picked it up and could not put it down! It is wonderful, it leaves you wanting to know more about how the young Eragon will continue in his path. The book is well written and easy to follow...the glossary in the back is wonderful, helping you with pronounciation and meanings to ancient names and words. I found it spellbounding and am anxious for the next book to be released! Great Job Done Young Paolini!
Rating:
Summary: Not bad, but not great.
Review: Overall I thought this bought was OK. Thats about it. I agree with some of the other reviews that the action was off paced. Alot of unnecessary descripstions during inoppertune times. I will probably finish the series just to see if this young writer will develop more and how much he can improve through this series.
Rating:
Summary: Great writing, but Paolini brings nothing new to the genre.
Review: The current spotlight reviewer of this book (Ivy, I think) took the words right from my mouth, as said in the title. Chris is an excellent author, he has a good narrative and a knack for description, but needs to tone down the drama in the book. The prologue was excellent: I found nothing wrong with it. But after that, the book begins to get tedious and boring, for it is very predictable and all-too-familiar. Although I haven't read Tolkien's work (and I don't plan to) from the many reviews and my own brother, it is obvious that this resembles LOTR a lot. The usual quest situation, evil man in power, devious lieutenants called Shades, and thousands of brutal, expendable soldiers (Urgals.) The characters were also not very interesting. The book's storyline is painfully set to follow the natural fairy tale procedure, so there really is no suspense since you know that any supporting characters won't die and such. Sometimes you can see how they will escape the current situation. The only scene and characters I found interesting were the fortune-telling witch and her Werecat (which I forget the name of.) However, the book picks up in the end, and mainly the last few chapters are the reason I gave it three stars instead of one, arguably the best part of the book. Also, Paolini's hooked me in with the mysterious character introduced in the last few pages, although I have a feeling he'll be a letdown. Anyway, it's definitely not the best fantasy book there is, and Paolini adds too much grandeur and mystery in the book that we're drowning in it, but I guess I'll buy his next one.
Rating:
Summary: Best book in the universe and no dought about that
Review: This book was written in a great way. The author keeps you imprisined and you can't get away. I fell in love with the caractors right away.I don't know what it is, but Christopher Paolini had me reading this book all night from 7p.m. to 6a.m. just to find out how it ends. Because of that I was late for school and got a F- on my test because I all i did was write my name and then I fell asleep and I slept, from 9a.m.-12p.m., utill lunch. But I didn't care because I finished the best book ever.
You may think this book was predictable, but it wasn't compared to other books. For example in The Lord of the Rings Frodo was obviously going to deystroy the ring, Aragon was going to become king, and eveyone would live happily ever after. And also, people say this book is just like the Lord of the Rings well most action fantasys are, but who cares as long as it's a good book. Superb work Christopher Paolini! I give you an A+! Keep it up!
Rating:
Summary: Eragon a great book for all ages
Review: I read this book a few weeks ago and I was surprised by how good it was. I was so into it that I read it in 5 hours. I can tell that is was influenced by tolkien and many other great fantasy writers. People may say that it has all been done before but most fantasy books have similar plots and details while this book took a normal topic (dragons) and turned it into a great story that was very in depth and fun to read. The characters all had their special traits and they all fit in well with the storyline. The bottom line is that this book will keep you guessing until the very end
Rating:
Summary: Fast moving - but very familiar
Review: Granted that this author is young and his writing style has not been fully developed as some other authors. I can think of some other authors who's early works are more stilted and whose plots are just as "tired" as this one. Also, many of parts of the book are painfully reminiscent of other authors: Tolkien, McCaffery, and possibly Lackey or McKiernan. But overall, who is to say that for a first time book that it was all bad? I think that if Mr. Paolini stays with writing that he will mature in hiw writing style and have a fruitful career. There are so few ways to deal with "fantasy" plots that there is going to be repetition of ideas between authors. Overall, this book was a nice diversion. A classic? No. Very few fantasy books can be categorized as classics. Is this book going to be on my top 10 list of all time? No. But is good enough that I am looking forward to his next book so I can see how he can deal with his version of this fantasy plotline.
Rating:
Summary: Eragon
Review: First, I must say that I have never written a review at Amazon, but I just couldn't resist this one and I actually haven't read the book! My 14 year old son did. A boy that I normally would have to make him sit down and read in 30 minute increments, read this book in record time without me having to say a word. This book granted me my fondest wish, to have my child sit down long enough to read without it being a hassle, (and I might add he enjoyed this book very much!) So whether the writing or the content would pass muster with an English teacher or a professional writer doesn't matter, I'm just happy to have my son read!!!! Also, considering the boy who wrote the book, was just that, a boy of 15 at the time, I have to be quite impressed and give him high praises. I think writing a book of that magnitude deserves nothing less. Now if he'd just hurry up and finish the second of the trilogy so I can get my son reading again........
Rating: 
Summary: from a 15-yr-old
Review: i agree with the other reviewer who didn't like the female characters. sorry, but i want more out of life thn to be beautiful and be rescued. this book is lame, and most of it is a rip-off anyway from other authors. some reviewers say i should like it because i'm a teenager but i don't.
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