Customer Reviews:
 Breathtaking... May 29, 2008
turn the page (England!)
I'm not sure if that is a word that you would use to describe a book but these two are simply amazing. Many reviews have criticised they style in which Christopher Paolini writes but I personally think he is fantastic! I'm a very busy person and love reading so it is essential that I have a book that is gripping or I will not take time out to read it! These books certainly fill that criteria. The phrase "You cant put it down!" is taken lightly in the reading world to emphasise how good a book is but these two books you cannot actually put down. They are definitely up there with the likes of Harry Potter undoubtedly! I pre-ordered (yes call me a reading freak) I'll say that again pre-ordered the next one as soon as I could. I hope that sort of sums up how good these books are, GO OUT AND BUY THEM!!
Eragon and Eldest April 22, 2007
Mr. C. B. Haworth (UK and Russian Federation)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
These books are both excellently written, carrying the reader along at breakneck pace with the young hero Eragon and his steadfast dragon Saphira through the strange land of Alagasea and it's varying multitude of inhabitants. It is an engaging read and shows off the talents of Christopher Paolini to be amongst the best in this genre of books. If you like fantasy novels then these are a must.
Inheritance April 17, 2007
Sherminator (Newcastle England)
2 out of 1 found this review helpful
Without doubt the best books i have read since The Lord Of The Rings, I can't wait for the 3rd installment
Now, what are you waiting for? April 1, 2007
Belén (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
22 out of 22 found this review helpful
Has someone ever given you a book you just can't find time to read? That happened to me with "Eragon" and "Eldest". I liked the story, as summed up in the cover, but a lot of the reviews I had previously read about the series were awful, mostly criticizing the style of its author, Christopher Paolini, or saying that these book were just an imitation of others, for example the books in the "Lord of the Rings" series.
I must confess that I let those spiteful comments get to me, and I always found something else to read before tackling the books included in this box set. That is, until I watched the movie, loosely based on the book of the same name written by Paolini. It wasn't spectacular, but it had something special that made you care for Eragon, a young man like many others that ends up discovering a dragon's egg, and changing his destiny and that of Alagaesia.
"Eragon", the film, was a good introduction to Paolini's world, a world of magic and dragons, elves and strange creatures. All the same, I wanted more, so I went straight to the source. I picked up the book that had been waiting patiently for me and started reading. I read it in a day, without stopping, enjoying the fact that Paolini's story was much, much better than what the film had allowed me to glimpse, and that I was on holidays and could allow myself the luxury of reading the whole book without having to stop and go to work :)
Of course, reading "Eragon" was not enough, and immediately after finishing it I started reading "Eldest". Truth to be told, I liked it just as much or more. "Eldest" picks up where "Eragon" ended, and allows us to know what is happens with Eragon, Saphira and their friends, and what they need to do in order to survive the wrath of king Galbatorix.
All in all, I can say that I loved "Eragon" and "Eldest", and that I strongly recommend it to others, specially those that (disregarding their age) have lots of imagination. On the practical side, buying this box set is a good idea because it is cheaper, and will save you some time you could spend reading. Now, what are you waiting for?
Belen Alcat
PS: To Christopher Paulini --> Please hurry up with the last book in this triology, I really want to know what happens next :)
 The "eldest" story in the book February 25, 2007
E. A Solinas (MD USA)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Mix together equal parts "Star Wars" and J.R.R. Tolkien, then add a generous helping of Anne McCaffrey's dragon-riders and a few random shreds of Garth Nix.
Obviously originality is not Christopher Paolini's strong suit, since the dual-pack of "Eragon" and "Eldest" is brimming over with fantasy cliches. But the biggest weakness of Paolini's two books is not his stilted dialogue or numerous cliches, or even the slow-moving pompous slog of "Eldest's" endless elf training -- it's his cardboard cutout of a self-insert hero, Eragon.
The titular character is lucky enough to stumble across a strange blue stone while hunting. After failing to sell it, Eragon finds that it's actually a dragon egg, and the baby blue dragon inside selects him -- yes, him -- to hatch for and remain with forever. All the Dragon Riders were killed off by Evil King Galbatorix long ago, but for the weird old recluse Brom, who becomes Eragon's mentor. And Luke, I am your father... wait, wrong story.
When Galbatorix's men destroy Eragon's home and family, Brom and Eragon flee to find the mysterious rebels known as the Varden, and rescue the beautiful elf Arya who is haunting Eragon's dreams. But while Eragon and his dragon Saphira learn many things -- and make new allies -- the journey to the Varden brings them a terrible (and totally predictable) loss, and leads them to Eragon's first battle.
"Eldest" picks up immediately afterwards, with Eragon badly wounded and the leader of the Varden murdered. But despite the rebels' turmoil, Eragon is told that he has to accompany Arya back to her home city of the elves, to train as a proper Dragon-rider. But when he arrives, Eragon finds that his new master is an ancient, crippled elf named Oromis, who has a lot to teach him before he inevitably expires.
Unbeknownst to Eragon, his hometown of Carvahall is being ruined by a band of Galbatorix's soldiers, and his newly-engaged cousin Roran may be their only hope. And our hero's truncated training leads to strange new changes in his body and mind, as he prepares for a devastating new battle against Galbatorix -- and a horrifying new discovery. Yes, you can probably see it coming.
Lofty elves, kings-in-waiting, humble farm boys, ghastly goblinesque creatures, mystical women, special swords, evil tyrants who are evil because they just are, wise mentors, and telepathic dragons in a variety of colors. Christopher Paolini never met a fantasy cliche that he didn't like. And as a result, both "Eragon" and "Eldest" are dripping with Tolkien and Lucas-style trappings, right down to the hero's suspiciously Tolkienian name.
Paolini paints these typical sword-and-sorcery stories with rather stilted but promising prose, at least at first. "Eragon" has some raw rookie potential, and you can detect Paolini's enthusiasm as he explores his invented fantasy land, much the way many other teenagers have done after reading high fantasy and yearning to explore their own made-up worlds.
But things go way downhill with "Eldest" -- Paolini's prose becomes bloated, sluggish and painfully smug, with dialogue that becomes more painfully wretched with each chapter ("I walk between the candle and the dark"). The story is wrenched out into three different storylines, which creep toward a climactic battle that exists mainly as a slam-bang ending to the novel.
Worst of all, the book's bulk is devoted mostly to Eragon's uneventful training, which consists mostly doing yoga and watching insects. Yes, it's as boring as it sounds. And the hilariously homoerotic moments with Eragon and Oromis only liven it up a little.
The biggest problem with Paolini's writing is that Eragon is portrayed as a noble, brave, compassionate soul with a brilliant destiny ahead of him. Well, frankly he shows no nobility, bravery or compassion, and the many characters who gasp in admiration of him does not make him any more impressive. He's a glaring self-insert, with all the dimension of a cardboard standee.
The supporting characters are not much better -- Brom is too brief a character to make much of an impact, and while Oromis has a certain fascination, we hear too little of his past. And the love interest Arya is glorified only for her looks -- which is all she has, since her personality is chilly at best, snotty and autocratic at worst.
Christopher Paolini's not-terribly original fantasy series starts off with the flawed but readable "Eragon," before sliding down into the painfully bloated carcass of "Eldest." Lightweight fantasy at best, but a painful salad of cliched preaching at worst.
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