Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that the idea that a teen wrote this will be fascinating to many children, and may inspire some to try their own hand at writing. The story includes some rather gory violence including beheadings, torture, and piles of dead bodies.
Families can talk about how to become a writer. What do you need to be successful? A big imagination? A big vocabulary? Some big publishers and publicity? You can also talk about the major motion picture. When your favorite books turn into movies are you excited? Or are you worried Hollywood might "get it wrong"?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Matt Berman
Young (he was 15 when he wrote this book) first-time author Paolini has gotten quite a bit of publicity for Eragon, the first of a planned trilogy called Inheritance, and it's easy to see why. The story is large in size (around 500 pages), epic in scope, and very engrossing. For a generation of young fantasy fans who love long, monumental, high fantasy, a teen author is icing on the cake.
It's not long, however, before they begin to notice the long-winded descriptions, the clichés and hackneyed dialogue, and the derivative nature of the plot -- straight out of Star Wars by way of The Lord of the Rings, with bits of other great fantasies thrown in here and there. That this is a great achievement for one so young is undeniable, and many children will love it. It certainly ranks right up there with other derivative, overblown fantasies written by adults, such as Terry Brooks's Sword of Shannara series. That Paolini is a major talent in the making seems certain -- but he's not there yet.
From the Book
The Shade howled in rage and stalked forward, flinging his sword at a tree. It passed half way through the trunk, where it stuck, quivering. He shot nine bolts of energy from his palm -- which killed the Urgals instantly -- then ripped his sword free and strode to the elf.
Prophecies of revenge, spoken in a wretched language only he knew, rolled from his tongue. He clenched his thin hands and glared at the sky. The cold stars stared back, unwinking, otherworldly watchers. Disgust curled his lip before he turned back to the unconscious elf.
From The Book
The Shade howled in rage and stalked forward, flinging his sword at a tree. It passed half way through the trunk, where it stuck, quivering. He shot nine bolts of energy from his palm -- which killed the Urgals instantly -- then ripped his sword free and strode to the elf.
Prophecies of revenge, spoken in a wretched language only he knew, rolled from his tongue. He clenched his thin hands and glared at the sky. The cold stars stared back, unwinking, otherworldly watchers. Disgust curled his lip before he turned back to the unconscious elf.
Plot Summary:
Soon after the strange stone he found in the forest hatches a dragon, Eragon finds that his life has changed forever; his home is destroyed, the uncle who raised him is killed, and he and the dragon, Saphira, are forced to flee the minions of Galbatorix's evil Empire. Accompanied by Brom the storyteller, Eragon discovers that he is the last of the Riders, who once kept the peace and were wiped out by Galbatorix.
While pursuing revenge against those who killed his uncle, Eragon learns to communicate telepathically with Saphira, and Brom begins teaching him the skills of fighting and magic. But soon Eragon realizes he is a pawn in a vast power struggle that is tearing the Empire apart, and that he and his dragon may be the ones to change the balance of power -- if only they can find out whom to trust.
Includes map, pronunciation guide, and language glossary.
Related Books:
Other Epic Fantasies with Kids Learning Magic
The Arkadians by Lloyd Alexander
The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander
The Dark Is Rising Sequence by Susan Cooper
The Wizard series by Diane Duane
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula LeGuin
The Riddlemaster Trilogy by Patricia McKillip
Sabriel by Garth Nix
His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman
The Ropemaker by Peter Dickinson
Summerland by Michael Chabon
Abarat by Clive Barker
The Tears of the Salamander by Peter Dickinson
Other Books Written by Kids
The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton
This Can't Be Happening at McDonald Hall by Gordon Korman
Druidawn by Miriam Darnell
Home by Kimberly Fuller
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ViolenceLots, some quite gory: beheadings, torture, piles of dead bodies, etc. Monsters, battles, capture by villains. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoBrom smokes a pipe. |
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