I recognize that Paolini is no Tolkien, but he definitely has a bright future. His stories pull the reader into the story before they even know it. For me, this is a light, fun, and exciting. Not exactly intellectually stimulating for a young adult, but still fascinating.

*NOTE: Many people complain about Paolini copying from other books. I can see how they would come to that conclusion; I also see many similarities, especially to Star Wars. However, I still let myself enjoy the story, accepting it for what it was, a nice book to be read on a rainy day with a mug of hot chocolate. Your children will love it, thought I would warn you of some reference to a form of atheism, vegetarianism, and other such beliefs. In the books the main character becomes a vegetarian; you may have to explain this concept to your children. When I first read Eragon, I was 14 years old. I was enthralled by the book, and eagerly awaited for more. Eldest came out, and I didn't mind it, but I thought Eragon was better. Brisingr is MUCH better than both of it's predecessors! I highly recommend it, IF: you like a book being descriptive- I do, and if you like thick books. This was a pleasant rainy-day-read for me. Some parents may want to check it out first as it has some elements of spirtuality from different beliefs, as well as vegetarianism. Nothing wrong with being a vegetarian, but your child may have some questions and you will want to be ready for that. Also it can get pretty gruesome- human sacrifice, lots of battles, etc. It was a great read, and I can hardly wait for the final installment!

I was very shocked by the violence at 17. Be forewarned.

My 14 year old daughter read it first - maybe I should have screened it, because she gave me daily updates on the gory violent events, which seemed to make a big impression on her. I just finished it myself, and frankly I had to skip over some of the gorier stuff. Not my preference! However, the story line is great and I can't wait for book 4 of the series. If you read it, be prepared for detailed bloody personal combat and some protracted political maneuvering which may get boring.