Third Book in Inheritance Trilogy is Released
November 25, 2008
Our world has seen its share of successful young adults. From gymnastic sensation Shawn Johnson to timeless Beethoven, there have been teens who have mastered their art at an early age. Christopher Paolini was only fifteen when he wrote the first draft of Eragon, the first in what would become the bestselling Inheritance Cycle. Eragon was followed by the release of Eldest, and most recently the third book of the cycle, Brisingr, selling 550,000 copies in the first day alone. At fifteen, Christopher Paolini created a story that older authors spent their whole lives chasing, a series that would eventually inspire young adults to read and explore their own writing talents. Such an achievement came through the hard work of his family and a little bit of luck. According to his official website, alagaesia.com, Paolini revised Eragon for an additional year before he gave it to his parents to read. Inspired and impressed by their son’s talent, they devoted themselves to self-publishing his novel and spent a third year preparing the manuscript for publication: copyediting, proofreading, designing a cover, typesetting the manuscript, and creating marketing materials. Paolini and his family then spent their time promoting Eragon at bookstores and libraries, until the novel attracted the attention of Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books. Eragon was then officially published August 2003. And so began the Inheritance trilogy, as Christopher Paolini and his novels became increasingly popular in North American as well as Europe.
Paolini’s latest release, Brisingr, was delayed from spring 2007 to September 2008 because the volume became much too large to publish alone. As a result, the Inheritance Trilogy will become the Inheritance Cycle, with a fourth book to be released at a later date. Brisingr on its own, however, is quite a literary accomplishment. Its dense pages unravel the story of Eragon and Saphira, the last free Dragon Rider. The pair holds in their hands the Varden’s hope of overthrowing the powerful King Galbatorix and allowing peace to finally settle over Alagaesia. Brisingr begins three days after the conclusion of Eldest, and explores the loose ends left behind. Eragon and his cousin, Roran, begin with a quest to rescue Roran’s fiancé from the clutches of the King’s minions, the Ra’zac. The plot continues to develop Roran more as another essential character in the novel, as Eragon attempts to attend to all of his responsibilities as a Dragon Rider. The following tale is full of adventure, family, sacrifice, and political negotiations as Eragon and Saphira attempt to salvage any scrap of peace and goodwill left in Alagaesia and the Varden. Paolini twines the events pertinent to the real world with the struggles for diplomacy and a life of purpose with the fantastic realm of magic and mystery. In doing this, Brisingr follows the growth of Eragon as the readers grow along with him, learning from his mistakes and figuring out what he stands for as a Dragon Rider. Elements such as Eragon’s parentage and background step into the main stage for discussion as he struggles with the realization that he may be the son of the traitor, Morzan. Eragon finally becomes affirmed in his position as a Dragon Rider through the unveiling of his true sword, making a place for him among the ranks of the historic Dragon Riders.
One of the most captivating parts of the Inheritance Cycle as a whole is that Christopher Paolini has allowed Eragon and Saphira to grow and mature along with his audience, and readers who have been reading Eragon since the beginning can experience a true coming-of-age story. Through relatable themes of loss, obligation, and sacrifice, the Inheritance Cycle has inspired thousands of young adults to read and shape their own imaginations. The latest book in the series holds true to this legacy, and finally brings long-kept secrets forth and prepares Eragon and his readers for the challenges to come.
By Allie Mooney, opinions editor
