INHERITANCE CYCLE: ERAGON by Christopher Paolini

Most teenagers today, and going back till eight years ago, would know Eragon. I myself was only 14 or 15 years old when I came across it at my school’s library. While having thousands of other titles stacked in the shelves around me, the thing that drew me to that book was Saphira’s deep blue eyes. Keeping in mind not to judge a book by its cover (despite it being very attractive), I flipped it over and read the back cover. The words ‘dragon’, ‘elf’, and ‘magic’ were enough for me. And the next thing I know, I’m halfway through the book. Since then, I’ve read it three times—don’t judge. It’s nice to feel like a teenager again. Besides, I’ll explain myself later.

Like everyone who has read the book, I too noticed the similarities and ‘borrowings’ from different fantasy novels. To me, the book’s (in fact, the entire series’) similarities with Lord of the Rings slammed me in the face just several chapters into the book. I mean the mentioning of magic, dwarves, elves, and dragons are hard to miss between the two (though dragons aren’t really in LOTR, they are mentioned to have existed). But what makes Eragon standout are the subtle differences placed within the similarities.

The elves share the usual long life/immortality, speed, strength, and knowledge along with their pointed ears and slender bodies. However, Paolini’s elves have an added sense of slightly dangerous mystery. The dwarves on the other hand, are actually very similar to each other with their physical features, affinity to stone, and staunch loyalty to their clans.

However, one major difference that I find is the use of magic and the ancient-ness of the land. In LOTR, magic is a given presence that affects certain things whereas in Eragon, it consists of an actual presence and a spell casting ability. As for the ancient-ness of the land, Alagaesia gives off a much younger sense than Middle-Earth. I suppose this difference rises from the fact that history is a core element in LOTR while in Eragon the focus is more on the current happenings. Yes, the past is referred to in parts, but just the ones that are essential for the understanding of the storyline.

Being a fantasy-genre novel, it is almost impossible not to have the usual adventure, quest and journey with medieval elements added to it. But for me, the genius of fantasy novels lie in the ability of the authors to use the same archetypal component and weave a completely different story each time, as Paolini had with Eragon.