Christopher Paolini recently spent a week answering fan-submitted questions, netting Inheritance fans over 13,000 words worth of questions-and-answers. That’s a lot of content to sift through! We’ve processed all 13,000 words and have pulled the very best facts revealed by Christopher, compiling them all into one organized, easy-to-read guide to confirmed Book 4 facts, Book 4 teasers, information on Book 4 and 5, prequels, and beyond.
Some highlights from our compilation include Christopher’s revelation of a fifth book; just how close Christopher is to finishing Book 4; hints at characters and their roles in Book 4, including Murtagh, Roran, Nasuada, Angela, “Wolf Eyes“, “Bladesinger“, and more; Inheritance prequels; life after Inheritance, including multiple already-plotted books; and more! You won’t want to miss this summary!
This post has been re-posted due to issues with the original post that were unable to be resolved, rendering the original post impossible to view.
*Any bit of information stated below in quotation marks is a direct quote from one of Christopher’s answers in his Q&A. Any non-quotation fact is a summarized version of a long answer given by Christopher in his Q&A. No information contained below was taken from anywhere but his recent Q&A.*
Book 4: Let’s start out with some answers to our most-asked questions!
- Christopher is getting “darn close to the end”
- Book 4 is named – and has been since Brisingr was finished – but the release of the title is done at Random House’s discretion and will likely occur sooner rather than later.
- The cover of Book 4 will contain the final emerald dragon. The artwork is done and Christopher has seen it.
Book 4 Teasers
- “It’s possible that Eragon may discover more about [spirits’] nature” in Book 4.
There are some “interesting bits” with Murtagh in Book 4. - Roran and Nasuada’s fates are completely different from their originally-planned fates.
- Some hints at Book 4 may be found throughout Eragon’s Guide to Alagaesia – mainly in the written sections.
- Brom’s body is safely tucked away within a diamond tomb, out of touch from the elements and any human interference. Is it possible he could be brought back to life? Christopher says, “It will be addressed in Book Four, but perhaps not how you expect.”
- “There is a lot more to Angela than meets the eye. If you like her, you’re in for a treat with Book Four. Angela gets several crowning moments of awesomeness therein.”
- Book 4 will shed some light on the limitations and powers of Brisingr’s – the sword’s – ability to catch fire.
- Galbatorix is the only other living Rider on Alagaesia. No surprises hidden in any more forests as far as secret Riders go!
- “Wolf Eyes” and “Bladesinger” will make an appearance in Book 4.
- Brom’s “seven words” will be addressed in Book 4
- Solembum’s riddle will be addressed in Book 4
- Brom’s sword will make some sort of an appearance in Book 4
- We will see an elven death (and the subsequent burial ceremony) in Book 4
On Book 5, Prequels, and Beyond
- “I may write a prequel book about the Forsworn and Brom and Galbatorix’s rise to power, but first, I have to wrap up Book Four! … I don’t have any immediate plans to write a prequel, but, if I ever do, it will probably be either the story of Brom’s life or a story set during the height of the Riders’ power.”
- “There will be lots more books. Most of them won’t be set within Alagaësia, but some might. … Book Five (as I think of it) would be set after the events of the Inheritance cycle, would be a single stand-alone book, and would feature both new and old characters.”
- “I’ve given a lot of thought to what I want to write after I finish Book Four. In fact, I have a number of books entirely plotted out that I’ve been waiting to write for several years now. Some are fantasy, some are science fiction, some romance, historical fiction, mystery, thriller, horror . . . you name it! I even have another book set in Alagaësia, although it won’t be my next project.”
- “Once I finish the Inheritance cycle, I’m not exactly sure what I’m going to do. I know that I want to take some time off and travel a bit, but I also have so many stories that I want to tell, I can’t imagine walking away from the computer entirely. I’ll just have to see what feels right.”
List of “No Comment” questions
What can we infer from “no comment” questions? They make for great theories! If Christopher is unable to answer a question and resorts to a “no comment” answer, you can be sure that the question is headed in the right direction. These are not to be taken as confirmations for – or against – the question being asked, however make good fuel for fan theories and speculation.
- Would Eragon leaving for Vroengard Isle count as Eragon leaving Alagaesia?
- Will the unnamed shadow from Eragon’s Guide to Alagaesia be addressed in Book 4?
- It has been hinted that dragons can be as large as mountains. Could this mean that there are still hidden wild dragons in Alagaesia?
- Would killing Galbatorix free Murtagh or kill him along with the king?
- Will we ever see more of the Ra’zac?
- Will we see more of Tenga?
Fun Inheritance Facts
- Angela “probably” met Galbatorix in the past. “You never know with Angela.”
- Christopher originally wrote a scene in Eldest where Eragon and Saphira came across many bones of the dragons Galbatorix killed in the middle of the Hadarac Desert. This scene was ultimately cut from the book. “Be assured, however, there are lots of dragon bones laying around in certain places of Alagaësia.”
- Everything concerning Angela and Elva was a deviation from Christopher’s original plot. Neither character was in Christopher’s original plot.
- There “may be” more Ra’zac and/or Lethrblaka over the sea on the continent they originated from.
- “I have a file full of deleted scenes . . . it’s over two hundred pages long at the moment.”
- Vampires in Alagaesia? “Yes . . . and no. That’s a subject for a future story.”
- Roran and Brom were partially based off of Christopher’s own father
Let’s clear something up: do dragons die when their Rider dies?!
“NO. A dragon does not have to die when his or her Rider dies. Brom was speaking in general terms when he said that in Book One. Most dragons do die when their Riders do, or else they go mad. But not all. OR, they choose to live on in their Eldunarí. Brom just didn’t want to say anything about the Eldunarí then. A more nuanced explanation of this was given by Oromis and Glaedr when discussing the heart of hearts with Eragon and Saphira.”
Could we have just one bit of information about Book 4?
“Beware of red-eyed rabbits.”
