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Eldest

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Eldest
File:Eldest-usa.jpg
AuthorChristopher Paolini
IllustratorJohn Jude Palencar
Cover artistJohn Jude Palencar
LanguageEnglish
SeriesInheritance Trilogy
Genrefantasy fiction
PublisherAlfred A. Knopf
Publication date
August 23, 2005
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (Hardcover and Paperback) and audio-CD
Pages704 pp (hardcover edition)
ISBNISBN 0-375-82670-X (hardcover edition) Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character
Preceded byEragon 
Followed byBook III 

Eldest is the second book in the Inheritance trilogy, written by Christopher Paolini. It is the sequel to Eragon. Eldest was first published in hardcover on August 23, 2005, and was released in paperback in September 2006. Eldest has also been released in audiobook and ebook formats. Like Eragon, Eldest became a New York Times bestseller.

The story follows the continued adventures of Eragon and his dragon Saphira, centering around their journey to the realm of the Elves in order to further Eragon's training as a Dragon Rider.

The book includes a translation guide to the Ancient Language, a glossary, and a synopsis of Eragon, the previous book in the series. A deluxe edition was released on September 26, 2006, which includes a sneak peek at the third book, a fold-out poster of the dragon Glaedr by artist John Jude Palencar, a revealing excerpt of the history of Alagaësia, never-before-seen art by the author, including an image of Brom’s elf ring, and a complete and comprehensive list of people, places, things, and dwarf clans.[1]

Plot summary

This book begins with Ajihad's death and funeral, the disappearance of Murtagh and The Twins (they are captured by Urgals, and assumed dead), and the election of a new leader of the Varden - Nasuada, to whom Eragon swears fealty after some internal politics among the Varden's Council of Elders. Saphira says she can fix the Isidar Mithrim.

Meanwhile, in Carvahall, Roran is being pursued by Galbatorix, who has sent the Ra'zac and a unit of Imperial soldiers to capture him and thus lure Eragon out. After repelling many attacks, they manage to drive the army away, but Katrina, Roran's fiancée, is captured by the Ra'zac. They decide to leave Carvahall and travel to Surda. Roran earns the name "Stronghammer" because he defended Carvahall with a hammer given to him by Horst.

By that time, Eragon has decided to go to Du Weldenvarden to further pursue his training. Before that, Hrothgar invites him to join his clan, which Eragon accepts. On the way to Du Weldenvarden, they go to the dwarf city containing Celbedeil, a temple. Eragon finds his choice to join Hrothgar's clan made him an enemy of a dwarf clan The Tears of Anhuin, descendants of guards of a person whose clan was killed in the war against Galbatorix. Eragon learns of the Dwarf religion and their gods.

After many adventures on the way, Eragon comes to his destination and meets Islanzadí, the elven queen. It is revealed that Arya is Islanzadí's daughter. Eragon is introduced to another Dragon Rider, Oromis; the Mourning Sage or Osthato Chetowa: The Cripple Who Is Whole, Togira Ikonoka; who shielded Eragon in the first book. Eragon and Saphira begin their training with Oromis and his dragon Glaedr. Eragon learns how to read and fluently speak the Ancient Language, as well to use various magic skills. While Eragon's feelings for Arya increase, he continues to train under Oromis's wing and suffers repeated bouts of pain from the scar on his back Durza gave him. Nevertheless, he and Saphira grow steadily more powerful, but he is held back immensely by the pain from his scar. On a traditional elvish celebration day of the pact with the dragons, called the Blood-Oath Celebration, or Agaetí Blödhren in the ancient language, Eragon is healed of his wound and, as an unprecedented gift from the dragons, gains elvish qualities that enhance his strength and agility.

Meanwhile, Nasuada that learns the blessing Eragon bestowed on the child in Eragon was worded wrongly due to his lack of basic knowledge of the Ancient Language at the time, becoming a curse of sorts. Eragon too is horrified when he hears of this, and promises to try and nullify it. In the meantime the girl, Elva, serves as a sort of bodyguard to Nasuada against Galbatorix's assassins, such as the Black Hand, who are discovered in the Varden.

Nasuada has made a momentous decision and moved the Varden to Surda, and the threat of war with Galbatorix seems imminent. Upon hearing of this, Eragon immediately leaves for the battle in Surda, but not before receiving gifts from Oromis and Islanzadi. During Eragon's very long stay in Ellesméra and travel to Surda, Roran travels and meets Jeod Longshanks in Teirm.

Jeod, as a member of the Varden, helps Roran lead his group of Carvahall villagers to Surda and tells Roran and the villagers about Eragon and Brom, knowing this because Brom was his best friend. Eragon arrives to find the situation poised on the edge of battle. The armies of the Varden, together with the army of Surda, camp on a plain opposite the vast armies of Galbatorix.

Before the battle, four Kull offer to act as a bodyguard to Eragon during the fight. Angela the herbalist poisons the enemy's drinks and bread, killing many soldiers, and causing the officers to hallucinate. Meanwhile, Roran, Jeod, the people of Carvahall and Uthar Wynn[citation needed], the head sailor, take command of the new Empire ship, the Dragon Wing, leading it to Surda. They manage crossing a large whirlpool called The Eye of the Boar to shake off pursuing Empire ships, and arrive in time in Surda.

The battle begins, and Eragon is able to repel the opposing armies for some time with his new forces, but the tide soon turns. During the fighting, Roran arrives at Surda, and his group of villagers join themselves to the forces of the Varden. Then, with the appearance of the dwarves from the east, the situation changes again, until the appearance of an unknown Dragon Rider who kills Hrothgar, the dwarf king. Also at the same time Eragon feels two new, powerful, spell casters arrive on the field of battle and recognizes them for the Twins, thought dead. The Twins systematically start killing off the Varden's group of mages and sorcerers who are under Eragon's command.

But Eragon faces off with the unknown rider in both aerial and ground fights and ultimately unmasks his opponent, revealing Murtagh. Murtagh tells Eragon that the Twins had betrayed the Varden and taken him to Galbatorix. Galbatorix made Murtagh and Thorn, his red dragon, swear to try to capture Eragon; Galbatorix knows the true names of both Murtagh and his dragon, and thus is able to control them. Murtagh also reveals that Galbatorix is working to save the dragon race by capturing Saphira and having her mate with the third dragon hatchling, still lying dormant in its egg. He and Thorn prove to be more powerful than the battle-weary Eragon and Saphira, while Murtagh displays the great and terrible potency of his magic powers, using spells that would have killed a normal human. Murtagh decides to have mercy on them, but before leaving them, he reveals that Eragon was the youngest son of Morzan and Selena, and that therefore Murtagh is Eragon's elder brother. Murtagh takes Zar'roc away from Eragon, saying it should rightfully have been his, an inheritance from Morzan. Eragon decides that even though Morzan may be his parent, Garrow was his father and Roran is more of a brother than Murtagh.

In the end, Galbatorix's army is forced to retreat - although most of their troops surived -, mainly because of the sudden entry of the dwarf troops and Roran's killing of the Twins. But the Varden fear a second attack from Galbatorix's army. The second attack from the surviving Empire Army could cripple the Varden and Surda.

Movie Adaptation

There is a possibility that Eragon's sequel, Eldest, will be made into a film. When asked whether there would be a movie adaptation of Eldest at the premiere of Eragon, Christopher Paolini replied, "I think we'll know after opening weekend." Many critics have considered the possibility of a sequel in their reviews of Eragon. One critic said that 20th Century Fox's plans to adapt Eldest was "jumping the gun" and that "they will have a tough time convincing anyone but the most die-hard fans to return for another helping." Even some critics who gave the film positive reviews were skeptical towards the possibility of a sequel: "That the studio hopes to build a franchise on this, now that—that is expecting way too much."

According to an interview with Stefan Fangmeier:

"I'm not quite sure what is currently going on. My own personal perspective is that until we sort of figure out what happens in the third book. Evidentially, I asked Christopher (Paolini; writer of the Eragon trilogy)..., about that and he was not volunteering much of what was going to happen. I think it's very important to see where this ends up; how it's resolved. I think until you kind of have an understanding of what the third piece of that puzzle is, it's kind of hard to look at that second book, of course I read it, it's very much a transitional story element. I think one would be best off to write the third film first, and then, being happy with that, going back to the second one and doing all the set-up work that will pay off in the third. Then probably filming two and three together as they did with Pirates of the Caribbean; as one production."

"That means, given the time frame, it might still be another year before there are actually are scripts for both films and these things can move ahead. I don't know if Fox is waiting to see the revenues the DVD will create. I think they were modestly happy with the worldwide box office." [2]

Release details

  • 2005, USA, Alfred A. Knopf ISBN 0-375-82670-X, Pub date 23 August 2005, hardback (first edition)
  • 2005, UK, Doubleday ISBN 0-385-60790-3, Pub date 25 August 2005, hardback
  • 2006, Spain, Roca Editorial ISBN 84-96284-96-4, Pub date ? January 2006, paperback (Spanish language translation)
  • 2006, UK, Random House ISBN 1-84657-657-1, Pub date ? September 2006, Audio CD (forthcoming)
  • 2006, UK, Corgi Children's ISBN 0-552-55211-9, Pub date 7 September 2006, paperback (forthcoming)
  • 2006, USA, Alfred A. Knopf ISBN 0-375-84060-5, Pub date 26 September 2006, hardback (forthcoming deluxe edition: This version includes art by the author.)

References

  1. ^ Eldest - Deluxe edition at Amazon
  2. ^ http://www.movieweb.com/dvd/news/39/18439.php Interview with Stefan Fangmeier

Official

Interviews

Fansites

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