Review Detail

I know you've been waiting ages and ages to get your hands on the sequel to Paolini's wildly successful book Eragon. But before you read it, do yourself a favor. Read Eragon again. Or, at the very least, skim the last part where Eragon meets up with the Varden. You'll be glad you did.

So much happens in just the first few pages that readers will almost find themselves reeling in shock unexpected deaths, battles, pronouncements&Paolini doesn't wait around.

A great deal of the book is taken up with Eragon's trip to Ellesmera and his training with the elves. His continuing infatuation with Arya causes some issues, as does Saphira's unexpected feelings for&hmmm, I'm not going to tell you who because it would give away a big surprise in the book. Sorry. Just read it.

I was happy to see that Paolini returns to Eragon's past as we follow his cousin Roran's story. Galbatorix is now after him as a link to Eragon and Roran finds strength that he didn't know he had. The villagers follow him and he comes to be known as Stronghammer.

They are reunited at the end of the book and the set up for the next book is laid out. I can hardly wait for it, and I'm sure all the other readers out there feel the same way. It's rare that a series worthy of being called an epic comes out in today's publishing market.

I know I haven't said much about the story in this review, but I don't want to give away any of the surprises in the story and there definitely are some big ones. I recommend this for fantasy lovers age 12 and up, though younger readers will certainly eat it up as well (I know my nephew did). However, I don't recommend this book as a standalone read. You need to start at the beginning with Eragon for things to really make sense and fit together.