Eragon

Christopher Paolini

While hunting in the Spine mountain range, Eragon comes across a strange blue stone. He takes it back to his home at his uncle's farm. He discovers that the stone is actually a dragon egg when Sephira hatches. He also discovers they can talk telepathically. Then his uncle is killed and his farm is burned to the ground. The Ra'zac are trying to find him and Sephira and kill them.

While escaping from his small village, the local story teller, Brom, comes with Eragon and Sephira. Brom becomes his teacher and mentor. Brom is more than he appeared back in Eragon's village. Eragon is determined to get revenge on the Ra'zac for his uncle's death. Before he can, he has to travel across the land, avoid the king, learn how to be a dragon rider. Other join them to help Eragon as he grows into his new role. A dragon rider has a lot of responsibility. He starts as a young farm boy who helps his uncle and cousin. He finds himself in a situation where he has to help save his own kingdom.

Eragon is another of the many young adult fantasy sagas that have been available since the Lord of the Ring movies. It's good with a lot to it, although not stellar. There are elves, dwarves, were animals, dragons, shades, sorcerers, evil men, good guys (hopefully - it's too early to tell), There are long treks and near misses, magic comas, high keeps, and underground dungeons,

Christopher Paolini has a well developed world here. The long lived king is the only remaining dragon rider and is hoarding the power and the wealth of the country. He also has dragon eggs stashed so that no new riders can rise up and challenge him. Throughout Eragon the king remains a shadowy figure with a promise to play bigger role in the sequels to the novel.