Intro

I love fantasy of all sorts but, in my opinion, there’s nothing better than high fantasy. The quests and dragons and elves and sword fights type of high fantasy, to be exact. And, weirdly enough, I haven’t had much luck finding YA fantasy that includes those classic tropes. Maybe it’s widely considered to be too cliché these days, or it’s not edgy enough to appeal to modern audiences.

While I can’t honestly disprove either of those things, it easily remains my favorite genre. I’ve played too much Dungeons and Dragons and World of Warcraft to ever hope to be saved.

Eragon is a YA fantasy that has a feel similar to that of Lord of the Rings and the Sword of Shannara, but with more modern elements, such as a much more diverse cast of characters than what’s found in most fantasy classics. It manages to be modern without losing the classic fantasy feel that has captivated readers for so long, and to do it in a fun, dramatic, and entertaining way.

So, let’s dig into it!

Eragon by Christopher Paolini Overview

Eragon has never expected any sort of grand destiny. His life working on his uncle’s farm is average and drab—until he stumbles upon a dragon egg in the woods, and the course of his life is forever altered.

It isn’t long after the egg hatches, bringing a young dragon that Eragon names Saphira into the world, that he learns that there are people out there who want the baby dragon for themselves—powerful people, namely King Galbatorix, the ruler of the vast Empire that controls much of his homeland. When the farm is destroyed and Eragon’s uncle is murdered by Galbatorix’s men, Eragon is forced to flee and leave his simple country life behind, plunging into the dangerous world of monsters and magic that lurks beyond.

As Eragon seeks vengeance on those who killed his uncle, he slowly comes to realize that his and Saphira’s destinies are far greater than he could’ve imagined, and that their actions could determine the fate of the Empire.

Personal Thoughts

As shown in the info box above, it’s got a hefty page count and is not a short book—and the books only get longer as the series goes on. And, as great as it is, it does have the same super slow pacing that a lot of high fantasy has. The travel scenes are lengthy, and there’s a lot of lore-dropping that might get tedious to some readers. But, if you like that sort of thing or are willing to sit through it, I assure you that it’s totally worth it in the end.

The world is easily one of my favorite things about the book, and I actually enjoyed the aforementioned lore-dropping, which I’m usually not crazy about. As I mentioned before, it includes all of the classic fantasy themes, and even many of the creatures as well, such as elves and dwarves, both of whom play a vital role as the series goes on. They’re both represented in the usual ways, with elves being more attuned to nature and dwarves being known for their blacksmithing and battle prowess, but also with unique twists and histories that make them feel fresh and original enough to be interesting. 

My favorite character in the book was definitely Saphira. Not only is she a dragon—which automatically means you’re cool, in my opinion—but she’s also just got a good, vibrant personality. She’s sweet, funny, and mischievous, and I’m sure you’ll love her as much as I do.

Outro

Well, that’s about it for this one. I hope that you’ve enjoyed this look at Eragon and that I’ve convinced you to check it out. If you’ve already read it, feel free to look into some of the similar books that I’ve listed below. Due to the hard time I’ve had finding other YA books with these same classic fantasy vibes, most of them aren’t YA—there’s a mix of young adult, middle-grade, and regular old fantasy in there—but they’re worth looking into if you’re interested.

Until next time, happy reading!

Books Similar to Eragon

• Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard
• The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander
• Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey
• The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks