Brisingr

Christopher Paolini

The Inheritance Cycle #3

Summary: 

Oaths sworn . . . loyalties tested . . . forces collide.

Following the colossal battle against the Empire’s warriors on the Burning Plains, Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have narrowly escaped with their lives. Still there is more at hand for the Rider and his dragon, as Eragon finds himself bound by a tangle of promises he may not be able to keep.

First is Eragon’s oath to his cousin Roran: to help rescue Roran’s beloved, Katrina, from King Galbatorix’s clutches. But Eragon owes his loyalty to others, too. The Varden are in desperate need of his talents and strength—as are the elves and dwarves. When unrest claims the rebels and danger strikes from every corner, Eragon must make choices—choices that take him across the Empire and beyond, choices that may lead to unimagined sacrifice.

Eragon is the greatest hope to rid the land of tyranny. Can this once-simple farm boy unite the rebel forces and defeat the king?

Plot:

I thought this was a very good continuation of a series that I’ve enjoyed a lot so far. While it kept the beauty and mystique of Eragon’s homeland, Alagaësia, alive, it is filled with all the horror a country at war has to endure. It answered many of the questions that arose in ‘Eldest’, although the answers may not be what you expected (I’m trying very hard to not add any spoilers here...). Paolini’s writing stays constant throughout this series. He writes in an old-fashioned, but not hard to read, style that compliments and authenticates his stories. I would suggest trying to create a mental image of the action and setting while you’re reading. It makes the book incredibly thrilling when you have a picture in your mind of a sparkling blue dragon, sweeping, soaring and diving through the air.

Characters:

It was very interesting to see how Eragon adjusts to his newfound powers (not saying more, read Eldest to understand!), however this is overshadowed by the dynamics between him and the other characters. These relationships are constantly shifting, changing and growing, and it is fascinating to see. The evil characters are also brought to the forefront and we learn a lot about them during the novel.

Who should read this:

13+, the violence are quite graphic and sometimes even slightly disturbing. Strange and sometimes scary creatures are also seen frequently. I also know people who may find the magic used throughout disturbing, so if that’s an issue for you, be warned. If you liked the previous two books, you will probably like this one, although many fans say this was their least favourite. Definitely not one for people who want a light, quick read.

My rating:

While I prefer Eldest with all its beauty and magic, I definitely enjoyed this story. I’ve said before that I’m not a huge fan of violence, but in this case I found it necessary and I wouldn’t have enjoyed the book nearly as much without it. It made the book thrilling and very hard for me to put down. 4/5

Quote:

”Always you get into trouble when I am not with you.” (Saphira)

His (Eragon's) smile widened. “And when you are?”

“I eat the trouble before it eats you.”

Read my reviews for the other books in this series that I've read, 'Eragon' and 'Eldest' here, as well as the review for the movie based on 'Eragon'.