Reading order
| # | Title | Year | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eragon | 2003 | Buy |
| 2 | Eldest | 2005 | Buy |
| 3 | Brisingr | 2008 | Buy |
| 4 | Inheritance | 2011 | Buy |
| 4.5 | The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm | 2018 | Buy |
| 5 | Murtagh | 2023 | Buy |
Eragon finds a mysterious blue stone in the forest that turns out to be a dragon egg. When it hatches, he becomes the first new Dragon Rider in over a century. The evil King Galbatorix, himself a Rider who destroyed the others, wants the dragon. Eragon and his dragon Saphira must flee and eventually join the rebellion against the Empire.
Christopher Paolini was fifteen when he started writing Eragon. His parents ran a small press and published it themselves in 2002. After aggressive self-promotion, including Paolini touring schools in medieval costume, the book caught the attention of author Carl Hiaasen, whose stepson had bought a copy. Hiaasen recommended it to his publisher, and Knopf acquired it in 2003.
The Inheritance Cycle wears its influences openly. There’s Tolkien in the elves and languages, Star Wars in the mentor’s death and the hero’s journey, and Anne McCaffrey in the dragon-rider bond. Critics noted the derivativeness, but young readers didn’t mind. They wanted dragons, magic, and epic battles. Paolini delivered.
The series grew more complex as Paolini matured as a writer. Eldest and Brisingr expanded the world’s politics, introduced moral ambiguity, and developed the magic system. By Inheritance, Paolini was dealing with the consequences of revolution and the difficulty of building something new after tearing down the old.
Murtagh (2023) returned to the world after a decade, following Eragon’s former friend and enemy. A Disney+ television series adaptation is in development, giving the story a second chance at visual media after the poorly received 2006 film.