August 18, 2008

Eragon

Rating:
Awards:
Author: Christopher Paolini
Narrator: Kerry Shale
Category: Fiction
Publisher: Random House AudioBooks
Release Date: 2006
Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins
Abridged

An Overview:
Eragon is a young man who lives with his uncle and cousin. While hunting, he finds what seems like a precious stone. After a few days, he is surprised by a dragon hatching out of his beautiful blue gem!

Eragon names his dragon Saphira and secretly raises her, aided by his telepathic with her. When the Ra'zac come looking for her and kill his uncle, he decides to go on a quest to avenge this wrongful death. He is joined by Brom, a storyteller from the village. As they travel, Saphira trains him as her Dragon Rider and Brom teaches him swordplay, magic, the Ancient Language, as well as tales about the long gone Dragon Riders.

Along the path, Eragon makes new friends to help him achieve his goals Murtagh rescues them from an ambush and travels with him when Brom is killed. Murtagh and Eragon head toward Gil'ead, but are attacked before they arrive while captured,

Eragon is drugged and begins to experience bizarre dreams about a similarly imprisoned woman. While escaping, he finds the unconscious woman and discovers that she is an elf. Durza, a Shade, attacks the group as they leave and Murtagh successfully shoots him with an arrow, turning him to mist.

Once they are free, Eragon is able to communicate with the elf by telepathy. He learns that she has been poisoned and needs to be taken to Varden for the antidote. Arya, the elf, gives them detailed information on how to get to Varden, and they change courses for both the elf's sake and in order to throw off the trail of their attackers.

Once successful in bringing Arya to her people for healing, he learns that Murtagh's arrow had not killed the Shade, which could only be killed by stabbing him in the heart. When Galbatorix invades Varden, Durza again faces Eragon in battle. This time, with the help of his friends, he is able to properly kill the evil sorcerer, immediately fainting, during which time the battle turns in favor of the Elves. While unconscious, he is contacted telepathically by "'The Cripple Who is Whole" to invite him for further training. This will take place in the next book, of course.

I must confess that the reason I bought Eragon was because the author, Christopher Paolini, was homeschooled. Once I started, I listened solely on the merits of the book. I can't wait to listen to Eldest, the next in the series.

The Narration:

Audiobook reviewed by Sarah Gross