Eragon

 

by Christoper Paolini

In A Nutshell

“Sorry,” apologized Brom (page 116).

Synopsis

Luke Skywalker Eragon, a poor farm boy, lives with his aunt and uncle in Tattooine Carvahall, on the outskirts of the Empire.

Princess Leia Arya, who works with the Rebellion, has stolen the Death Star plans dragon-egg from the Empire. She is captured by Darth Vader Durza, a mysterious being with strange powers. Just before she is apprehended she sends the Death Star plans dragon-egg to Tattooine Carvahall, where it is discovered by Luke Eragon.

The Empire quickly arrives and kills Luke’s Eragon’s aunt and uncle, but before Luke Eragon is captured he is whisked away by a strange old hermit named Obi-Wan Kenobi Brom, who is later revealed to be one of the last surviving members of an ancient order of peacekeepers known as the Jedi Dragon Riders.

As they journey, Obi-Wan Brom gives Luke Eragon a lightsaber sword that once belonged to his father. Turns out Luke’s Eragon’s father was also a Jedi Dragon Rider, however he turned evil, betrayed the Jedi Dragon Riders, and helped wipe them out.

Along the way, they pop into the Empire’s base to rescue Princess Leia Arya, although Obi-Wan Brom dies, sacrificing himself to let everyone else escape.

Luke Eragon also meets up with Han Solo Murtagh, an affable rogue with questionable morals who kicks a hundred times as much ass as Luke Eragon. They then journey to meet up with the Rebellion and fight an epic battle that, with Luke’s Eragon’s help, ends in a decisive victory for the Rebels.

Why You Should Read It

For all its many, many flaws, Eragon is written with a certain boyish enthusiasm, and for a boring, generic fantasy title, you could certainly do a lot worse. It’s not a terribly bad novel, and at times the plot is actually quite exciting. If you don’t like to be challenged in what you read and can appreciate a mediocre plot, amateur prose, the Hero’s Journey, and you really like umlauts, Eragon might be for you.

Why You Shouldn’t Read It

Eragon is generic and derivative. Aside from the plot, which is taken almost scene-by-scene from Star WarsEragon borrows heavily from The Dragonriders of PernEarthseaJeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher, and The Lord of the Rings. There is nothing new to see here. Everything Eragon offers has been done elsewhere and many times better.

Eldest

  One Response to “Eragon”

  1. Are you saying that Eragon is a straight ripoff of the Men in Black movies??