Book Review: Eragon

Eragon
by Christopher Paolini

Date Read:  06/30/2012
Rating:  ★ ★ ★ ★

I had a hard time choosing a rating for this book. The first 300 pages were very slow. It wasn't necessarily boring, but it wasn't that engaging either. I know that most first books start out slow as the characters and the world are built...and this is quite a fantasy world that Paolini had to create. But it was harder to get through those first 300 pages, nonetheless. But the last 200 pages were great. The action increased, the characters got more interesting. Things started clicking together. So I think to myself that the first 300 pages would only get a 3 star rating. The last 200 pages would easily get a 4 star rating. So which half should my rating on goodreads lean (since I can't give half stars)? I decided that because the book ended well and left me wanting to pick up the second book right now, that I would lean toward the 4 star rating. However, my real rating would only be about 3.5 stars overall.

Things that I liked about this book were:
1) The dragon. Saphira sure added a lot to this book. I really enjoyed her personality, and I loved watching her grow throughout the course of the book. I loved how protective she is of Eragon, and how much she enjoys battle.
2) I thought the mind speak was very unique. I like how it is only something that Riders and a few others can use, and therefore, it is actually a very valuable skill to have. To be able to communicate to each other in different battles like that was amazing.
3) Eragon's growth. He went from a helpless farmboy to a strong warrior by the end. Sure, he still has a way to go and a lot to learn, but he grew a lot over that long journey. I think losing some of the people he cared about helped with his growth, even though I hated it.
4) Arya and Murtagh. I loved Murtagh. Once he joined the story, it really picked up. He was unique and as the story went on, you found how deep he was. His past was interesting...[SPOILER: I never guessed that Murragh was going to be Morzan's son!! That was quite a twist that I didn't see coming, but gives so much more to Murtagh's character!] So I am excited to see more from Murtagh and I hope to see great things from him. Arya wasn't really in the book, but when she was I liked her strength and her resolve to fight, especially after what she went through.

Things I didn't like about this book were:
1) The pace of the first 300 pages. It was very slow. There was the first big conflict at the beginning and then the next like 50 pages were just traveling. There were a few things here and there like practicing sword fighting, etc, but it was mostly just traveling, and that is so boring.
2) The amount of people that Eragon had cared for that died in the book. [SPOILER: It was bad enough when his uncle died. But at least you weren't too attached to the character at the time it happened. But the reader gets very attached to Brom and I did not expect him to die. That one really upset me. I feel like Harry Potter, where everyone he loves dies. But i suppose sometimes the characters need it to get that strength to keep going and have something to fight for.]
3) There wasn't a clear conflict. Obviously King Galbatorix wants the riders and he had teamed up with the Urgals. But the main things was just that Urgals were chasing them. There was the Shaede, but I wasn't sure why he was chasing Ergaon for a while either. And with only 50 pages left, I had no idea what was going to happen..was it just going end without any fighting? I'd like a clearer battle.

Overall the book was good, and the ending was pretty good. The battle at the end was great and it's pretty clear that he is going to travel with Murtagh and Arya in the next book. I'm going to read the next book, but i wasn't as awed with the book as some people are. Though, I hear that the next book is the best. So I'm looking forward to it