Rating: 
Summary: Eragon--Whew. Not one to curl up with
Review: Cheese and rice. Has anyone else out there read Eragon by Christopher Paolini? I'd read the hype, a 19-year-old with a publishing contract. I was curious, and when I ran across the book at a book store last week I picked it up. Anne McCaffrey, who's written two of my favorite children's fantasy books Dragon Song and Dragon Singer, said that she gave it full praise. She must have been on acid. In a word the book is ghastly. The book opens with "Wind howled through the night, carrying a scent that would change the world." Which is perilously close to "The wind wasn't the beginning... But it was a beginning." Immediate reference to an evil Shade (humm, three letters off Jordan's fade) a non-human that controls Urgals (descriptions similar to trollics). There are items that ring of Jordan--shades and urgals, evil banding together and showing up where it never has before, the mentor is a bard just like Thom Merrilin Eddings--a silver, oval marked palm, an orphan raised by relatives and not knowing his true heritage, not being able to stay because of discovery, the word and the will (he doesn't call it that, but his description rings of Eddings) McCaffrey--a dragon making the choice for rider, telepathic connection between dragon and rider, dragons classed by color On page 155 Eragon is having a conversation with his mentor. His mentor scolds him saying he should have used his magic to tell what someone in the town they were just in was thinking. This after warning him about the dangers of using the magic on 139. It's maddening and continual. It's like reading someone's unorganized notes. The contradictions are through out. This is just one example. There are MANY others. At the beginning Eragon is hunting in the Spine (more Jordan terminology, but closer in description his Misty Mountains, or Mountains of Mist). He is the only hunter who will go there. (Rand, Matt and Perrin) has a bow only he can pull (Rand). Anyway, he's a mighty hunter tracking a herd of deer, three nights away from home, he has a pack, a a knife, and a bow. But the next morning he also has a pan. Where did it come from. Yes I know it could have been in the pack, but that would have made it difficult to keep up with the deer. A pan isn't typical hunting gear. Camping? Yes. But he had no camp. He's following a herd which means travel rations. His family needs meat for the winter and has no money, but when he arrives home his uncle and cousin are eating chicken for breakfast. If you're poor, that's not what you're going to eat first thing in the morning. And on and on. I know that these items have been used by others and will be again. But never before have I read something that so clearly rang back to the original book. Language is a problem. To quote Nancy Springer, "When 'was' shows up, you have problems." Paolini uses was five or six times a page. Yes, every so often I stop and count the number of times he uses was per page. So far I've counted eight different times. He uses 'was' five or six times a page. He cops out on 'had/has.' Passive. Inadvertent POV shifts. He tells. He tells. He tells. He contradicts himself. He tells. This book is a mess, and it got published. You remember the movie Dances with Wolves? Wind-in-His-Hair says, "All we know about this man is he has a smart horse"? Well, I think this kid has smart parents and a publisher thought that they could hype his age. This book could have been saved if it had been edited. I get the feeling it wasn't. I really want to stop reading the book, but it's kind of like a train wreck. You don't want to look, but you just can't help it. Has anyone else read it? Did you like it? What was I missing? Okay, I decided I've been to hard on this kid. I've taken a look at the chapter endings and found out that he has a disability. Poor Eragon has narcolepsy. He falls asleep on pages 18, 89, 128, 142, 212, 220, 249, 272, 316, 323, 392, 478. (These are chapter endings mind you.) I know that gives me permission to put the book away, and I wish I could, but something makes me continue to read. Ok. If falling asleep isn't bad enough, I have found no fewer than seven times where he's knocked unconscious at the end of chapters. (Pages 80, 134, 263, 266, 292 and just when I was getting worried about the lack, page 491). I know, that's only six. I didn't really know how to classify the stupor leading to sleep on page 233. Now keep in mind this in no way includes the loss of consciousness in the bodies of the chapters themselves. I'm still only on page 301, and the book has 200 or so more pages. I wish I could put myself out of my misery and burn the stupid thing, but I must finish it. There has to be some reason the book has gotten so much press. Other than the smart parents, which I now find out self published the book prior to it being acquired by Knopf. Oh, by the way. Does anyone have the definition of epic fantasy? Mr. Palini claims to have written one, but I can't seem to find it.
Rating: 
Summary: Not a rip off!
Review: I am a huuuuuge LOTR fan,and while reading it, I did see SOME connections to the trilogy, but overall it has a completely different and completely wonderful plot! A quest to destroy an evil ring, and a quest to find one's destiny with the help of a dragon and old story teller, are two very different plots, both being good in their own way.
Eragon is such and exciting and great book! It has some really great characters, and there's always something happening, especially from the middle of the book onward. It actually makes you feel very alert because of the constant action.
And I suggest you don't judge it as an LOTR rip-off yet, because there are still two more books to go! It'll probably end up being TOTALLY different from LOTR.
This has joined the ranks of my favorite fantasies, LOTR and Harry Potter! I suggest you all read it to decide for yourself, instead of buying into all the Lord of the Rings copycat reviews. You won't be sorry.
Rating: 
Summary: My advice: read this book
Review: I have read a few reviews that complain that this book is too much like some other story you might be familiar with that takes place in Middle Earth. I have two things to say in response to that...one, Tolkien was so exhaustive in his efforts to create a working alternate planet, that it is virtually impossible to write a fantasy novel without drawing comparisons; and two, so this book is similar to one of the greatest books ever, how can that be a bad thing? Eragon is a wonderful story. I think the best praise I can give to it is that the world seems to have been created first and the story almost an after thought, because jsuta few chapters in and you find yourself almost another citizen. The Spine seems like a real place. This book was so good that I withdrew my usual stipulation of not reading a series book until the entire series is published. If you consider yourself a fantasy fanatic, I think you owe it to yourself to read this story.
Rating:
Summary: THE BEST!!!
Review: This is one of the best books in the world.It has a strong plot with a great adventure for ERagon and Saphira!I couldn't put it down, I finished it in 3 days of reading!It is a little like lord of the rings with the dragons and elfs and such but this book is far better!!
Rating: 
Summary: Good, but done before
Review: Christopher Paolini did write a book that copied the basics of Lord of the Rings, but it was a good book in its own right. I know as an author myself how hard it is to have completely inventive ideas, because as soon as I come up with one, it appears in the next Harry Potter book or Star Wars movie. However, there were some very obvious steals that never should have been made. One of my favorite lines in Tolkien's epic is "The time of the Elves has passed," since it symbolizes so much about Middle Earth in this time period. I was astonished and very disappointed to see in Eragon the line "The Time of the Riders has passed." Almost all of the characters can be matched up to one in Lord of the Rings, such as Brom as Gandalf (he speaks in riddles and blows smoke rings from a pipe). Also, Saphira can be the ring, since both sides are trying to get her on their side since she is so powerful. Many of the descriptions were very poetic, although there was definitely just a tad bit too many. Sometimes my brain wandered, although I believe Paolini realized this as I read an interview of his when he listened to the audio version of the book, and he said his jaw dropped when he realized how many details he included. I did enjoy the story, although it definitely followed a basic story plot line. Basically, this book is good to read but not to buy--borrow a copy from the library.
Rating:
Summary: Not entirely original, but enjoyable nonetheless
Review: I first became interested in this book when I heard that it was written by a teenager. Being a teen myself, I was extremely curious to see just how good this book was because I had seen many people reading it and had heard high praises for it. When I started the book, it started off a bit slowly but I was surprised with how smoothly the book flowed once the action began and how easy it was to follow, but throughout the reading I often thought to myself, "This is just like LOTR, except simpler." If you're looking for a fantasy book that has created a class of its own, Eragon would be the wrong place to look. It has many of the elements of fantasy that have already been used: dragons, elves, dwarfs, cities hidden in the woods and stone walls, etc. But by no means does that make it a bad book. It is thoroughly enjoyable and although you can pretty much guess what the outcome of the trilogy will be, it still keeps you wishing that you had the next book in your hands to continue in Eragon's journey.
Rating:
Summary: Great book - Cannot wait until the next one!
Review: Eragon is a fascinating story of a sixteen-year-old farm boy that comes upon a magnificent blue stone while hunting for food for his family. Unsuccessful in his hunt, Eragon wanders back to his hometown, Carvahall, trying to sell the blue stone for some meat. When his trade is refused, he takes his stone back to his house. That night it hatches into a baby dragon! He attempts to keep the dragon secret, but is somehow found out by an evil adversary.
Soon enough, Eragon finds himself on a magical quest with the aid of his dragon and an old "storyteller" named Brom. They are on a hunt to seek revenge on the evil that has taken something from Eragon. Something that he had a great affection toward. Throughout their journey, Brom teaches Eragon of his purpose on ALAGAËSIA. Eragon learns how to harness his new powers with Brom's help. With Saphira (Eragon's dragon) and Brom, Eragon learns of what he must do to stop the evil running through the land.
This book is a real "page-turner"! With the exciting plot line and great character development, I couldn't put it down. Christoper Paolini creates an excitng story filled with engaging battle scenes and great descriptions of the landscape. It seemed like I was traveling with Eragon and felt his emotions through the entire story. I especially enjoyed flipping to the maps on the inside of both covers to follow Eragon's wandering path through ALAGAËSIA.
I cannot believe a fifteen-year-old could write such a gripping tale! He excellently portrays Eragon and shows how he matures from a farm boy to a young man who learns a great deal as his adventure progresses. Paolini shows that all the choices Eragon makes will affect him (positively or negatively) in his future. Paolini is a mastermind and better hurry up writing the next book in the trilogy. I cannot wait!
Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT!
Review: Eragon is one of the most creative books our family has ever read. We are dying for book 2! This year,the best books we have read and bought for our family are ERAGON, every book LEMONY SNICKETT has written, HOLES (Lewis Sacher), Harry Potter, and DRUM,CHAVI,DRUM! (Cuban author,Mayra L. Dole). These books range from picturebooks to Young adult, but I must say that everyone in our family, from young to old, appreciated each one for its creativity and skillful writing.
Rating:
Summary: DON'T LISTEN TO THE ONE-STAR REVIEWS
Review: DON'T LISTEN TO THE ONE-STAR REVIEWS. THEY ARE ALL LIES. THIS BOOK IS UNBELIEVABLE AND WRITTEN VERY WELL. MAYBE CHRISTOPHER PAOLINI TOOK A COUPLE OF IDEAS FROM THE LORD OF THE RINGS, BUT IT'S HIS OWN STORY. READ THIS BOOK. IT IS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE!!!
Rating:
Summary: Gripping fantasy
Review: Eragon is a young human teenager in a land of magic, Elves, Dwarves and Dragons. When hunting deer, Eragon is surprised by a sudden explosion and the appearance of a large magical crystal within a ring of fire. His main concern at first is that the deer he has been hunting is startled and escapes him. Little does he know that this polished crystal ovoid is really a dragon egg. Inside, Saphira has been waiting for centuries to choose whom she will hatch for. Whomever she chooses may become a dragon rider. Dragon riders are humans or elves who receive a special bond of love and magic from a dragon. Upopn choosing him as her rider, the dragon hatchling Saphira confers magical abilities on Eragon. He is found and aided by the old man Brom who was himself once a dragon rider and a fierce warrior. Brom trains Eragon in the ways of combat and magic, hoping to strengthen him before the king can find and destroy him.
The wicked ruler of Eragon's land is a former Dragon rider gone bad. The King has killed all the dragon riders who would not serve him. His minions who have been hunting the missing dragon egg which was Saphira, now hunt both Eragon and Saphira in order to try to capture them. The king will either force Eragon to serve him and to help maintain his oppressive and heartless rule, or he will kill Eragon and Saphira.
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