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Summary: belongs in the category of fan fiction
Review: Eragon belongs in the category of fan fiction. No wonder reviewers are dazzled: so many fantastic events and wonderful ideas in one book. Tne only problem is that the events and ideas come from other authors. Christopher Paolini has systematically raided great fantasy writers, pilfering their ideas right and left, right down to the names he gives places and characters (though sometimes he changes a couple of letters). If you don't believe me, read Anne McCaffrey's DRAGONRIDERS OF PERN, Robert Jordan's EYE OF THE WORLD, and JRR Tolkien's LORD OF THE RINGS. The so-called professional critics who have given this book the nod should be ashamed. If they bothered to educate themselves about the fantasy genre, they'd recant the glowing praise they've given this book and bestow it on the ones who actually deserve it--the authors I've mentioned. This book has a beautiful cover, but what's inside is cheap imitation. Christopher Paolini may be excused due to his youth, but if he's intelligent enough to assemble such a long piece of fan fiction, presumably he can grasp the concept of stealing.
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Summary: I DIDN'T WANT TO PUT IT DOWN
Review: This is one of the best books I have read. In no time I was hooked. I highly recommend this book.Saphira and Eragon are my favorite characters because they are in the most action. Buy this book for you and your kids. I cant wait for the next one.
Rating:
Summary: Eragon
Review: I couldn't call SF/fantasy overused with a clear conscience. There are always new worlds to be explored and new levels of style and skill to be tapped into. However, you need a certain amount of individuality to make a fantasy hit with me, considering the huge numbers of novels available, and in this I find Eragon slightly lacking.Paolini's age is certainly remarkable, and I personally believe this contributed considerably to the popularity of his novel. Otherwise, Eragon is nothing new. Other reviews call it "the Lord of the Rings for the younger set" or mention its similarity to Tolkien's epic vision, but if I were to compare it to Tolkien it would only be with shock. I saw similarities to orcs in the swarthy Urgols, and the elves with their pointed ears, white horses, superior weapons and overall loveliness and grace. The names in the map, like Isenmere, ring a little too true for my liking, while the fact that the book culminates in a battle against the Urgols outside of the white mountain city is just strange. Add the race of dwarves and Snowfire, the fastest, most beautiful horse the land has to offer (Shadowfax?) and you have a blend that is certainly unoriginal, if not outright ridiculous. If fantasy still has thousands of novels to offer us, Paolini certainly shouldn't contribute he gets his act together. Philip Pullman said "I read like a butterfly and write like a bee; if my story [His Dark Materials series] has any honey, it is because of the nectar I found in the work of better writers. . ." But what he took was the "nectar," not the entire flower!
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Summary: The Lord of the Rings, for Kids!
Review: I am pretty picky about the books I read, but this one is a winner! It started out pretty weird, but by the time I got to the end of the second chapter I was hooked. Eragon is a book written in the calibur of Lord of the Rings (I don't consider myself to be exaggerating one bit), but not as violent, and better for younger audiences. I'd recommend ages 13+, not because of content (though there is some violence), but because younger kids might not be able to understand some vocabulary. I must warn, you, though, the end left me in suspense, and I can't wait for the next book in the Inheritance trilogy: Eldest.
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Summary: Flying the Skies Again
Review: For anyone who has flown with the "Dragons of PERN" this story adds to the thrill of being a dragonrider. It is written from a another perspective and deserves to be read. I have all of the PERN books and am pleased to add this marvelous story to my collection.
Rating: 
Summary: copycat
Review: While the story kept me turning pages I kept feeling as if I where reading a poor reproduction of Robert Jordan's THE WHEEL OF TIME. Similarities range from the shape of the land on the map to the capabilities of the main character. Too many typical fantasy words crammed into every sentence give the impression of a high school writer getting carried away on a free writing exercise. Nothing special here other than the authors age...and it shows.
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Summary: Tedious at first, but worth the effort!
Review: A trusted friend recommended this book to me, or I'd have given up after the first chapter. So I continued to dredge on - thinking I'd need Webster's Dictionary at hand to decipher the abundant adjectives. Alas, I was hooked well before the 25th page, and I knew I'd be enjoying the rest of the book! Perhaps it took a bit of time for me to get Paolini's voice into my head, because after I finished the book, I returned to those ever-so-irritating first few chapters and re-read them with ease and enjoyment! I enjoyed the story and the plot twists, found the characters to be believable and interesting and often couldn't bear to put the book down! I found myself dreading the end of the book because I wanted the adventure to continue. I am glad that there is promise of a second volume, "Eldest - book Two of Inheritance" ... I look forward to it!
Rating: 
Summary: A bit over-rated (it's surely not the next Harry Potter....)
Review: I read the hyped up reviews and bought the book, but it's really your standard "sword & sorcery" epic. Great chunks of it are lifted from The Lord of the Rings--dwarves, elfs, a wise old wizard, a mysterious quest and so on. It's the same old drill. The lead character Eragon isn't remarkably likable, either. Seems to be self-righteous teenager. The book is fine as a diversion, but lacks the humor to make it anything out of the ordinary. It lacks the wit of Harry Potter, the mystery of The Da Vinci Code (great book!), or the true epic power of Rings trilogy. If you like this kind of banal quest fantasy, it's fine, but otherwise, look elsewhere.
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Summary: Leaves Readers Wishing for Next Installment
Review: BlueJeanOnline.com by Matt Starr, age 15 I have been hooked on medieval science fiction and fantasy ever since reading the Lord of the Rings, but not since that trilogy have I seen such a unique and imaginative fantasy novel as I have in Eragon. Author Christopher Paolini captures the wonderful essence of fantasy, putting on paper what others only dream of. Paolini creates a world full of such wonders that the end will leave readers wishing for the next installment. I have to admit that when I first picked up Eragon and read the prologue, I thought it would be a waste of time. The first few pages were filled with elves, magic, and death, and I felt that I was about to read a book by a Tolkien copycat. And I was right, in a sense. Throughout the book I saw various connections between Christopher Paolini's world and J.R.R. Tolkien's world: Urgals to Orcs, Isenstar to Isengard, Orthiad to Orthanc, and the list goes on. But then I realized Paolini didn't copy Tolkien's work; he simply branched off it. I also came to realize that many other authors have branched off Tolkien's work. Any Harry Potter fan will notice that those books contain many parallels to J.R.R Tolkien's books. And so I must apologize to Paolini for judging his book by its cover (or rather, its first few pages). After I realized this, I immediately started over. It wouldn't be fair to the author to say that this novel is just a ripoff of the Lord of the Rings. Eragon is the first book in the Inheritance trilogy. When a boy named Eragon comes to possess a polished blue stone in the forest known as the Spine, he thinks he has found something of great value. He hopes it might buy his family meat for the coming winter. Imagine his great surprise when a dragon hatches from it. Soon, Eragon realizes that he is now mixed up in a great battle that has lasted for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. With the help of his good friend Brom and the dragon Saphira, Eragon sets out on a journey to become a member of the greatest and noblest force that has ever existed - the Dragon Riders. When I finished the book, I knew right away that it would be a best seller. Young Christopher has a wonderful gift for spreading his love of fantasy to all. With battles between good and evil and friendships tested and challenged, Eragon should be recognized as one of the greatest pieces of fantasy literature Copyright 2003 BlueJeanOnline.com
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Summary: Eragon a great read for LOTR fans
Review: Readers who devoured the Lord of the Rings saga will find the plot and characters of this new fantasy very familiar--it follows the formula fairly closely, with an epic quest, a reluctant hero, a diabolical sorcerer villain, and a heroic stand against evil forces. There are even dwarves and elves. This is certainly an amazing debut by this young author, but it lacks the depth and richness of the Lord of the Rings. However, this series shows wonderful promise and is an excellent recommendation for LOTR fans.
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