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Eldest: The Inheritance Cycle, Book 2 (by Christopher Paolini)

common sense media says

The epic saga continues -- and improves.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that, as is typical in high fantasy, there is plenty of fighting and bloodshed, though not as much as in the first book. Fighting and war, though sometimes bemoaned, are pretty much accepted as the way to solve problems.

Violence: Lots of battles and swordplay, some pretty graphic.
Sex: Not applicable.
Language: Not applicable.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Some drinking and drunkenness -- even Saphira the dragon gets drunk.

More on Eldest: The Inheritance Cycle, Book 2

What to talk about

Talk to your kids

Families can talk about Eragon's training and its parallels in Roran's trials. Does Eragon deserve Roran's blaming him for the village's troubles? Was Oromis right to withhold forms of magic that Galbatorix possesses? What are the parallels with the Star Wars saga? It can be fun to play Find the Matching Characters -- if Oromis is Yoda, who is Obi-Wan? Darth Vader? Princess Leia?

What's the story?

What's the story?

Eldest picks up where Eragon left off, at the end of the battle between the Varden, aided by Eragon, Saphira, and their friends, and the evil emperor Galbatorix's forces in Farthen Dûr. With barely time to mourn his fallen friends Eragon is first caught up in political intrigue among the humans, and between the humans, elves, and dwarves, and then sent across the empire to complete his training as a Rider with the elves in the vast forest of Du Weldenvarden.

At the same time, Eragon's cousin Roran is sought by Galbatorix, who sends soldiers and two of the vicious Ra'zac to Carvahall, Eragon's home. Roran leads the villagers in holding them off, but Roran's fiancé is captured and the villagers are force to flee across the mountains, pursued all the way, to try to make their way by land and sea to Surda, the stronghold of the rebels.

As the story flips back and forth between Eragon and Roran we get to see both of them grow in maturity and power, Eragon as a result of his training with the last survivor of the old Riders, and Roran in a trial by fire as the de facto leader of his villagers fighting their way across the empire. These parallel streams, of course, converge in a climactic battle which once again ends the book.

Includes map and language guide.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

ELDEST is considerably longer and more dense than its predecessor, Eragon, but it's exciting, dark, suspenseful, and imaginative. This is a considerable step forward in Christopher Paolini's development as a writer. Eragon and Roran are compelling characters, and the relationship between Eragon and Saphira can be touching.

It may take some of the younger fans quite a bit of plowing through to finish it, but Paolini's writing is, like his main character, growing more fluid and sure here, with almost none of the embarrassing clunkers that marred the first book. His dialogue, though still the stilted, formal speech beloved by authors of high fantasy, is less hackneyed and clichéd. This is the work of a growing young writer who is learning as he goes and gradually but surely getting a firmer grip on his considerable talent, like an inexperienced charioteer with a frisky team.

Book themes & details

Book Details
Author: Christopher Paolini
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Publication date: August 23, 2005
Number of pages: 704
Hardcover price: $27.95
Read Aloud: 10
Read Alone: 11

This review was written by Matt Berman
 
 

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What parents & educators say

12

Most useful reviews by all members

Timmo
kid, 10 years old
 
Needed to be shorter, but still very fun
This book describes Eragon's training and a major battle. The training part was fun, because I liked seeing Eragon learn new spells. The battle also was exciting. However, the story would have been better if it had been shortened, because there was a bunch of parts that got bogged down in uninteresting dialog. I found the first book more enjoyable, but this one was fun, too.

noveleater
teen, 15 years old
 
The thing about this book is- well, it's kind of hard to say if I liked it or not. It was almost like a copy- cat of all of the great, original fantasies that I can never look at the same way ever again. (These includes The Lord of the Rings, Lord of the Flies, The Chronicles of Narnia, Ender's Game, His Dark Materials, The Hobbit, the list is a lot longer then this, these are just a few of them, don't get mad at me if I've missed any that you've loved, I know, there are MANY!) Any way, Paolini's book almost feels like he tries too hard to write a fantasy for young adults. These books suffer from many things, too many pages, to much to remember from past books, over- long descripctions, and to many LONG- LONG- LONG words like: monosyllabic page 249, seclusion page 71, belligerent page 615, who knows what any of these words? Not me! (Thank gosh for Websters'!) LOL (no grandma, not lots of love, laugh out loud) The book dragged on for too long! I mean the huge, and I mean HUGE battle really made the book worth reading. I think that Roran is a very good role model, yes he does not ask permission to marry Katrina, but who would be able to pluck enough courage to ask him?!?! He doesn't try to be cool, he tries to be as human as possible. Some of the violence can be laughable (espically looking at wounds like Roran, if you were bit by a Ra'zac, you wold not have a scrape, you're arm wouldn't even be there! The plot fallows Eragon training in Ellesmere with the elves. The book does have a few twist, one being so large I slammed the book down onto the floor with surprise! I don't know if this book was good enough for me to want to read the next one, only because I'm not ready to spend months slaving over one book (more like a volume) and a dictionary! Read and enjoy!

a_ulziikhuu
parent of 13 year old
 
Perfect for tweens and teens and adults intreseted
I love this book! There is just the concern about sex where it mentions that Katrina, Roran's fiance, slips inside his bedroom and remains there for the night. And it's not mentioned in the least bit, which is disturbing.

jellybean11
kid, 12 years old
 
great for lovers of fantsy!
i love this book. it's awesome!

SithLordBeast
teen, 13 years old
 
eh
@ Heq073198 Jeez man chill out. Its all opinion, and guess what, you think ur all smarty everything now, well ur not. So chill out and take ur finger off caps lock. And you said I need the correct punctuation, well this is the internet, not school. So why even use it? Stop hating and chill. And let's stop arguing cause I agree with your new review.

Moeluver
teen, 14 years old
 
loved it!
Good, a little to many politics, tho there r even more in the third... kinda violent but if u can't handel that its kinds sad. I finished it in a day!

HorseRider999
kid, 13 years old
 
Can't get enough!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This book starts Paoilini's trademark different point of view style of writing, telling us of Roran's adventures in Carvahall. Eragon's training with Oromis is extremely interesting, tying up loose ends of different types of magic and Galbatorix's past from book one. Overall, FANTASTIC!

Zara360
teen, 15 years old
 
Okay for mature kids, Great for teens to adults
Paolini has done it again give has given us a great book!!! There are epic Battles, saying farewell to a cuple main characters, saying hello to some new ones and cliff-hangers!!! but most of all Eragon is one step closer to defeating Galbatorix. There is, one part how ever the one part I didn't like. Ronan and Katrina (his fiancé) get a little to "social" (if it can be called that) which really didn't need to be put in there. When all is said and done It's a great book and part two of the epic saga!

sweetiemarch
parent of 13 year old
 
I and of course my daughter read this book and yet again (like Eragon) really liked it! It is more bloody and seeing the side effects killing has on Roran can be pretty disturbing if you are younger than 10. All in all it is a great book with a great ending that is worth all 600 something pages, but make sure that you have Brisingr after you finish cause it does leave you hanging! If you liked Eragon you will LOVE Eldest! Oh and for the sexual material, you just have to be mature about it because most of it can be harmless unless if you think the worse! :D

KScottA
teen, 16 years old
 
The pacing has much to be desired, but I really loved this book.
I really loved this book. The writing has definitely improved, and as the story unfolds, I am more and more falling for Paolini's world. It still feels like Middle Earth, but Paolini has his own mythology and languages. His world is similar to Middle Earth, but it has its distinct differences, to be sure. This book was overlong, I think, but regardless of the length, I enjoyed every minute of it. It does start out a bit slow, in my opinion, but it ramps up quickly enough. The battle and twist at the end are incredible, truly shocking. There were several times where Eragon would try to win Arya's heart, and he does this so awkwardly, and so frequently, I squirmed in my seat on so many occastions. He just wouldn't give up! It reminded me much of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and The Order of the Phoenix. Many people hated these scenes in this book, and while I didn't find them pleasant at the time, in fact I had to close the book I was so frustrated with Eragon, it made the reading experiance that much better. When a writer gets me to squirm, that's when he/she is getting me involved with the characters. Among all of the flaws in these books, Paolini has created incredible characters. In my review of Eragon I gave that book 4 out of 5 stars. My actual rating for it would be 3.7, but since I couldn't put that, I simply rounded up. This book, however, earned itself a genuine 4 out of 5 stars.

Heq073198
kid, 13 years old
 
PEOPLE GET SMART THIS BOOK IS GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!
This book is not overlong! What do you want? Diary of a Wimpy Kid, because that's just about as short as it gets (AND AS STUPID)! And you don't know what monosyllabic, belligerent, and seclusion mean? C'mon, y'all, remember your Greek morphemes. I find it extremely annoying when people say some scenes in books are unnecessary. I don't think the author would put them in for no reason. Yeah, some of it is hard to remember, but the synopsis at the beginning helps. If you want NECESSARY read the World Encyclopedia. BUT I do think Paolini over-embellishes his books a bit. Yeah, he has good descriptions, and all, but almost unrealistic descriptions, even for a fantasy novel. All fiction books are unnecessary to read. WE CHOOSE TO READ THEM. If you hate it, why do you read the entire series? Eragon offers Arya all of "his love" and she cruelly rejects him. Yes, polytheism and atheism. I think Paolini wants to show that Eragon is terrified by the situation he is in, and he wants to believe in something bigger than himself so he feels safer. I do wonder if Paolini is religious or not, it's hard to tell. Violence is definitely a major element in The Inheritance Cycle and definitely is something parents should look into. @SithLordBeast I don't know why we used to argue if we agree with each other... But anyway, I'm glad there's no more fighting.

bookbug
kid, 12 years old
 
not for under 10.
Eldest is better than eragon by only a little bit...... eragon tries to win Arya's heart ( and fails ) quite often. lots of description of the blood - oath celebration ( good description ) which is my favourite part!

CP3bigplay
teen, 16 years old
 
Eldest
This is the sequel to Eragon and Books 2 in the Inheritance Cycle. Eragon, after defeating a force of Urgals, must move on the the elves' forest to complete his training as a legendary Dragon Rider. He fights along the way. He struggles to learn, but is persistent. He keeps going to learn new spells and techniques. He, along with elves and the Varden, are the only forces willing to take down the evil king Galbatorix and end his reign. Eragon is pitted against danger and near death in this amazing, thrilling book.

hrhphd
kid, 12 years old
 
Anyone who liked the first will LOVE the second!
I LOVED IT!

 
Polytheism and Atheism
Besides the frequent depiction of violence, one thing to be concerned about in the Inheritance Cycle (particularly book 2) is the focus on polytheism and atheism in the characters (Dwarves and Elves) that the main character spends time with.

BeyondBD
teen, 16 years old
 
Not my standards
Improves!? Ha! It falls much shorter from its starwars rip-off of the first book. I still like the series though.

logan.malf22
teen, 15 years old
 
Great for mature kids or early teens to adulthood.
Just like the first book I give it an all out five stars. The topics in this book are slightly more mature than the last one and requires more maturity. Their is a reference to "mating" about midway through the book but nothing serious happens, it just requires a little more maturity to not bring this to the wrong connotation.

MovieReviewGuy
teen, 14 years old
 
SPOILERS!! Good for 12+
There is, like Eragon, some violence, however, it isn't that bad. Also, in one part, Roran, only about 17 years old, is lying naked in his bed. It mentions his girlfriend coming in and lying down with him, and her hair brushing his chest, and the part ends. They wake up and they both are naked (implying sex) though some readers will entirely miss this. However, it does become apparent in the next book when she is pregnant. There is mention of cursing, and b*stard is used a few times, but that is it. Also, there is a moderate amount of drinking, and various characters (even the dragon Saphira) do become drunk from excess drinking. There is also some mention of people smoking pipes. Great book; even better than the first! Good for 12+

Linkin Park ...
teen, 16 years old
 
Even better
Even better than the first but there might be too graphic of violence and drinking than smaller children should read

alien2010
kid, 12 years old
 
great!
this is an awesome book! if your a fantasy and adventure lover like me. this book might be a bit violent for kids aged 10 and under. whether you read it or listen to it on audio tape Eldest is fab - tastic!

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