Rating: 
Summary: Fantastic story! I want more!
Review: From the moment I started reading this book I literally COULD NOT set it down. I am a freshman in college who also works full time so I don't have much spare time. Yet I found enough time to finish this book in a little under 48 hours. Two nights in a row I was up far past 3am reading, only to get up and read in my classes. Yes, this book is THAT GOOD!When looking back, this story does not have any details that stand out among any other fantasy books. It actually seems to incorporate many of the stories I have read into one story. While I am sure this was unintentional, it does leave me thinking, "Have I read that somewhere before?" The story is about a boy named Eragon, who becomes the first Rider in centuries. A Rider is a man who has bound himself mentally with a dragon. All of the Riders have been killed off by the current King, who himself is a Rider, albeit an evil one. Riders live unusually long lives, so it seems that this evil king's reign will never end. Eragon's adventure takes him from his small shire-like home to large cities and into the depths of mountains. He runs into people who will lie, cheat, steal, and deceive to get what they want. All the while he meets people who would give their life for what they believe in. Along his way he meets elves, dwarfs, and humans who have not seen the outside world for centuries. Christopher Paolini's first novel is absolutely FANTASTIC! While, as I said, parts of it do remind me of other books; it is well worth a read. I would HIGHLY recommend this book to both new and experienced fantasy readers. Trust me; you will be unable to set this one down!
Rating: 
Summary: Loved it
Review: I really enjoyed this novel. I think for a first book by a teenager it is truly outstanding. The novel is an easy read and I had no problems keeping up with everything. Just an FYI; the book rights have already been bought and the movie expected out in 2005.
Rating:
Summary: The Best book I read in 2003
Review: It was extremely good. If you don't like it then you don't like fantasy. It was one great book. I don't think it is better than LOTD but what book is. It has the action, the adventure and the suspense. Don't forget that a 15 year old wrote this book. You can't call it bad, but you can call it great, and I liked it and i know other peopl liked it! Christopher Paolini has a gift and if you don't like the way he has used it you probably don't have his gift. It was good and that is that. I can't wait for the sequel to come out. A bunch of my friends read it and loved it...
Rating:
Summary: Great book
Review: Wow only 18! I would have given five stars if the phrase "tear you to pieces" didnt appear every 10 pages. A very astonishing accomplishment for a young writer. Note: This book isnt for those who arent accustomed to weird names for things like towns and swords beacause apparently everything in the book has a name with either and accent or an apostrophe in it.
Rating:
Summary: Those who can do.........those who can't criticize!!!
Review: I always find it so interesting that we live in this world of over rated critics. It is far easier for someone to criticize someone else's work than to be able to sit down and write a good book of their own. If the people who have criticized this book have this much knowledge of good writing (doubtful) then why haven't they taken the time to sit down and write a book themselves In this day of tough and competitive book publishing, do these ciritcs really thing that Knopf publishing is going to stick its neck out in publishing a book that isn't going to be successful? I commend Christopher Paolini for using his talents and staying the course. He is a credit to our teenagers in as much as most of them cannot even write a decent sentence let alone a book. And I am quite sure that many of the critics of his work have teenagers that fall in this category of being barely able to spell their own names, let alone have any imagination. Until they have tried to write a book I find they have little room to critizie. These critics would do far better in seeing that our education system is able to turn out more teen agers like Chirstopher Paolinin then tearing this young man's work apart. This is why my title says, "Those who can do, those who can't, criticize.
Rating:
Summary: Classically readable--- made me want more
Review: I realize that this book isn't perfect-- it is very obvious that he uses a lot of ideas from Tolkien (love the comment "I expected to see a hobbit" from one grumpy reviewer) and McCaffrey of the Dragons of Pern series. However, he adds just enough fresh ideas and a new storyline to a classic formula for fantasy fiction to be really, really good. His descriptive text and adult's awareness of what it is to come of age make it a really good read. I like that he gives credit at the end to the people who read over his text and copyedited, smoothed, changed and helped with his story. Another grumpy reviewer even gave him credit for having no typographical errors. :) This book reads quickly, gives appropriate hints where needed about relationships between people and situations, and then wraps up the details nicely when it's called for. I cannot wait for "The Eldest". Thanks for such an awesome book. By the way, except for Tolkien, some of McCaffrey's books, and the Harry Potter series, I usually cannot stand fantasy fiction because it drags on and on and on and assumes that you know everything there is about generations of people-- or worse, tells you about generations of people who are utterly irrelevent to the story. This book is different because it focuses on the story and blends in the past to make it work.
Rating:
Summary: Eragon does not drag
Review: In the beginning I was bothered by Paolini's style and clumsy explanations, but as I got further the story grew and I paid less attention to inconsequentials. I am looking forward to the next installment.
Rating: 
Summary: A book truly meant for its target market
Review: I made a mistake when attempting to read this book, and that mistake was failing to pay attention to its target market. Unfortunately, following on the heels of the highly readable Harry Potter series which is targeted at young adults, I was sure reading this book would not hurt. Unfortunately this book is targeted for young adults, but unlike Harry Potter, it should ONLY be read by young adults. I am a fan of several hardcore fantasy writers including George R MArtin, Terry Goodkind, Terry Brooks, Robert Jordan, and even "fluffy" writers like Piers Anthony - and many more I cannot even think of on the spot. I can guarantee that if you have ever read adult fantasy novels such as those by the aforementioned authors, you WILL NOT enjoy this book. This book was written by a teenager and it shows. The language is alternatively simple and overdone. It does not read well. I find the simple phrasing and overdone verbosity to be annoying and boring. After gracing my eyes with the graceful phrasings of George R MArtin there is simply no way this poor book can compare. I don't feel the need to delve into what others have said about the plot - it's all been done before. There is nothing new or exciting to this story - UNLESS you haven't read other fantasy. I ALWAYS finish my books. But this one, I simply cannot. With my strong background in fantasy, it is just too simple and boring. My poor mother, who purchased this book for me, cannot understand. She says to me, "But Lisa said it's better than Harry Potter!" Unfortunately, Lisa is her nine-year-old neighbor who has never read a fantasy book OTHER than Harry Potter. My recommendations in short: If you have never read another fantasy book, you will probably enjoy this book. If you have read ANY books by authors such as those I mentioned, STAY AWAY. You will not be pleased you spent the money. This book belongs with its young adult target market, where it is sure to be enjoyed, or with light readers who have never picked up a fantasy novel.
Rating:
Summary: This book is an innovative fantasy.
Review: As a nonfiction writer, when reading fiction, I want innovative fantasy and this book delivers just that.
I have not read a book that harbors the reader as much as this one since J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels.
If you enjoy reading books that will encase you completely with cogent characters and an efficacious story, read Eragon.
Rating:
Summary: This Book Is Good, But Not The Best
Review: This Book Does Use Other Stories For This One, But Combines Them So That It Makes It Good. Also, This Book Is A Very Good Start To Any Writing Career. God Bless,
Peace Out,
Read This Book,
Ready For The Sequal,
The Thing.
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