Gr. 7-12. Was the mysterious blue stone that appears out of nowhere sent by accident or is teenage Eragon meant to have it? When a dragon, Saphira, hatches from it, beast and boy connect (in much the same way dragons and riders do in Anne McCaffrey's popular Pern series) and face danger together. In this story, Eragon is thrust into a new role as the first Dragon Rider in more than 100 years who is not under the evil king's control. After the king's ghastly minions kill Eragon's uncle as they search for the teen, Eragon and Saphira, mentored by the village's aged storyteller, hunt for the killers and, in turn, find themselves being hunted. This unusual, powerful tale, begun when Paolini was 15 (he's now 19) and self-published in 2002 before being picked up by Knopf, is the first book in the planned Inheritance trilogy. It's obvious that Paolini knows the genre well--his lush tale is full of recognizable fantasy elements and conventions. But the telling remains constantly fresh and fluid, and he has done a fine job of creating an appealing and convincing relationship between the youth and the dragon. It's an impressive start to a writing career that's sure to flourish. --Sally Estes Copyright 2003 Booklist

Gr 7 Up-Christopher Paolini creates memorable characters in a detailed fantasy world (Knopf, 2003) in this tale about Eragon, a teenager who is newly homeless and uncertain of his ancestry, but meets his destiny head on. The odd blue "stone" he found has hatched into a dragon. He and Safira are able to communicate telepathically, so even when they are parted during their high and low adventures with magicians, dwarves, inhuman monsters sent to do the evil king's bidding, elves, and simply crafty humans, they are able to work together as a team. Paolini has received some popular press because of his own youth, and indeed some of the details here are naive-Medieval common people certainly didn't retire to their own personal bedrooms!-but overall he has designed a well integrated epic, complete with a Latinate language, politically acute issues, and well-realized emotions. Narrator Gerard Doyle's extensive repertoire of voices provides a compelling atmosphere that will hold the audience's attention through Eragon's travails. His slightly British accent lends just the right storytelling texture, making the audio performance an extension of the story itself. In addition to fans of Tolkien and Bradley, this will appeal to listeners looking for psychological suspense accessible to teens and adults alike.-Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

In wunderkind (he's 18) Christopher Paolini's impressive epic fantasy, eragon, the titular hero (who's 15) and Saphira, the dragon he's raised from a baby, set out to avenge the murder of Eragon's uncle and soon find themselves pursued by the fanatical king Galbatroix. The fantasy bildungsroman has the brave youngster learning about exile, magic, love and his own destiny, and Paolini promises his saga will continue in two more volumes of the planned Inheritance series.(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved