Eldest

Bibliography: Paolini, C. (2005). Eldest. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

Genre: Fantasy

Reading Level/Interest Age: 13-16

Reader's Annotation: After their success at the battle of Tronjheim, Ergon and Saphira travel to the elven capital Ellesméra to continue their training. There they discover a secret that not even King Galbatorix knows about.

Author: Born on November 17, 1983, Christopher Paolini was homeschooled in Montana where he wrote his first book at the age of fifteen. The book reflects Paolini's own reading interest and was self-published by his parents before being picked up by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers in 2002. After its enormous success, Paolini completed two additional titles and decided to add a fourth, turning the trilogy into a "Cycle."

Plot Summary: "Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have just saved [the Varden] from destruction by the mighty forces of King Galbatorix, cruel ruler of the Empire. Now Eragon must travel to Ellesméra, land of the elves, for further training in the skills of the Dragon Rider: magic and swordsmanship. Soon he is on the journey of a lifetime, his eyes open to awe-inspiring new places and people, his days filled with fresh adventure. But chaos and betrayal plague him at every turn, and nothing is what it seems. Before long, Eragon doesn’t know whom he can trust.

Meanwhile, his cousin Roran must fight a new battle–one that might put Eragon in even graver danger." (jacket flap)

Critical Evaluation: Paolini was older when he wrote this second volume in the increasingly inaccurate Inheritance trilogy, and it shows. His use of language is a bit improved so that I didn't find myself cringing quite as much as I did when reading Eragon; however, his storyline is no more original in this novel than it was in the last. There are no surprises here; it was possible to see the truth about his mother coming several hundred pages before Eragon himself learns of it, and his training sessions in Ellesmera seem totally pointless. Eragon didn't learn a thing from them. The conclusion to that whole episode seems like nothing more than the author's own wish fulfillment. If there are bullies picking on you, just get yourself some dragon magic and you'll be able to kick their butts and earn their respect in a flash without having to grow at all as a person. Still, the companion plot with Roran, while also cliché at times, kept me reading. Roran is a much more complex character than Eragon, and his tasks require the real leadership that Eragon lacks. With some good editing, this story might not have been so bad, but as it stands, it is sure to appeal only to loyal fans. Still, I think I will end up reading Brisingr, the third offering in the cycle.

Curriculum Ties:

Book Talk Ideas:
• adapt the scene where Eragon and Saphira meet Oromis and Glaedr
• paraphrase some of Eragon's training scenes
• describe some of Ellesmera
• try to show the multiple perspectives and plots that are happening simultaneously

Challenge Issues: violence, use of magic

Challenge Defense:
• Explain library selection policies
• Provide reviews of the book from reputable sources
• Explain library challenge procedures
• Offer challenge form

Why was this text included in this project? After I read the first one, I wanted to see if the second was any better.