A review by astoryandasong
Eragon by Christopher Paolini

He's got a wound that won't heal, an epic quest to fufill, and a magical object given to him by a beardy magic mentor...

Unfortunately, its not Frodo Baggins.

Reading this book was like some sort of fantasy Where's Waldo. Of course that's not unusual in fantasy- but Paulini doesn't really have the muscle to pull it off. Epic descriptions of somebody's clothes/really big sword don't push your story along. The story seems like the author sat down and went 'oh, and I better fit *that* in somwehere...'

But more frustrating are the flickers of real imagination from Paulini. The tensions of the relationships between rider and dragon are excellent.