A review by paintedpolarbear
Eragon by Christopher Paolini

adventurous hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I remember this series being the Twilight of dragon rider fantasy in its day. On reread it seems most of the criticism is overblown. The book suffers chiefly from the author being 19 and self-published, and its low points are more missteps than flaws. The most cringeworthy moments sit at the uncomfortable intersection of casual ableism and Disney-inspired bioessentialism: those who look beautiful are good people, and the ugly are evil. Foul deeds deform looks. Besides that, I found the characters' constant mistrust of Murtagh the most annoying, as it was the most obvious example of predjudice in the whole narrative. 

At its core, though, Eragon is a sweet coming-of-age story about a boy maturing into a wiser, more levelheaded man, who knows the value of empathy, patience, and looking before you leap. What happens to those who gain power when they are unprepared to wield it? A single thoughtless action could be devastating in ways no one can defend against. 

With great power comes great responsibility.