Eldest (Book)
From The Inheritance Encyclopedia
| Eldest | |
 Cover of USA first edition | |
| Author | Christopher Paolini |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | John Jude Palencar |
| Cover artist | John Jude Palencar |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Inheritance cycle |
| Genre(s) | Fantasy |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Publication date | August 23, 2005 |
| Media type | print (hardcover and paperback) and audio-cd |
| Pages | 668 pp (hardcover edition) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-375-82670-X (hardcover edition) |
| Preceded by | Eragon |
| Followed by | Brisingr |
Eldest is the second book in the Inheritance Cycle, 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 on March 13, 2007. Eldest has also been released in audiobook and ebook formats. Like Eragon, Eldest became a New York Times bestseller.
Also see List of Chapters in Eldest
Contents |
[edit] Overview
Eldest begins as chaos arises in the Varden, a rebel organization resisting the Empire’s rule, when its leader, Ajihad, is killed during a hunting operation by Urgals, a monstrous war-like race. Murtagh, a friend of the protagonist Eragon, and a pair of magicians called the Twins, are also assumed dead because of this operation. After Ajihad’s funeral, Nasuada, Ajihad’s nineteen-year old daughter, is elected into the office as leader of the Varden, to whom Eragon, the protagonist who is a dragon rider bonded to the dragon, Saphira, pledges his fealty to Nasuada. Deciding to continue his education as a Dragon Rider, Eragon and Saphira travel to the Elves’ nation of Du Weldenvarden, to their capital of Ellesméra. Before leaving Farthen Dûr, a hollow mountain among the Beor Mountain range, inhabited by the dwarves who shelter the Varden, Hrothgar, the king of the dwarves, invites Eragon as a honorary member of his dwarf clan, to which Eragon accepts. When at Ellesméra, Eragon and Saphira meet the ancient elven dragon rider who had survived the fall of the Dragon Riders, Oromis, who is mentally bonded to the dragon, Glaedr. From Oromis and Glaedr, the pair are further taught the regimen of the Dragon Riders.
To openly oppose Galbatorix, Nasuada moves the Varden to Surda, a country along the south of Alagaesia, the mythical world where the events of Eldest take place. Once at Surda, the Surdan kingdom allies the Varden against Galbatorix, the King of the Empire. One night, a young girl named Elva, who was enchanted by Eragon, saved Nasuada from an assassination attempt, revealing Galbatorix’s organization of spies within Surda, called the Black Hand, who sabotage the Varden’s war efforts. Later, while attending a council with other key figures of Surda’s government, Nasuada discusses the threat of an upcoming battle between the Empire’s army, led by Galbatorix and his dragon. In rebuttal, Nasuada mobilizes the armies and sends for help to the dwarves.
Meanwhile, another battle takes place in Alagaesia, but this time in the heart of the Empire, in the small town of Carvahall, where Eragon’s cousin and only remaining family, Roran, is hunted by Galbatorix who ordered the Ra’zac, a pair of hood creatures who had murdered Roran’s father to Carvahall with a squad of soldiers to to take Roran into custody to seek information on Eragon. For vengence over his father’s death, Roran persuades the villagers to attack the imperial soldiers, and after several battles, Katrina, Roran’s fiancee, is kidnapped by the Ra’zac. Unable to save Katrina, Roran mobilizes the villagers to a trek to Narda, then by sea to Teirm, where he meets Jeod who had previously assisted Eragon, and with Jeod’s help, pirates a ship and sets course to Surda, where he hopes to join the Varden.
As Eragon’s training progresses, Eragon becomes more powerful in both magic and fighting, along with numerous other physical changes due to the affects of the dragon’s magic which encountered Eragon during an elven ritual. Meanwhile, Eragon also falls in love with Arya, an elven princess and ambassador who had befriended Eragon, but Arya rejects him, and soon returns to the Varden. Eventually discovering the upcoming battle through magical means, Eragon abandons his training to aid the Varden in Surda.
As the battle begins, Eragon mightily fights, but as defeat seems imminent, the dwarf army and villagers of Carvahall arrive and fight againest the Imperial Army alongside the Varden, in which Roran plays a crucial role. Just as the battle falls into the Varden’s favor, another mystroius dragon rider, aiding the Empire, appears with his dragon and fights with Eragon and Saphira in both aerial and sword combats. Soon enough, the mystery Dragon Rider is reveal as Murtagh, who explains that the Twins had kidnapped him to Galbatorix, and when one of the two remaining dragon eggs hatched for him, he was forced into loyalty to Galbatorix. After Murtagh overpowers Eragon, Murtagh releases Eragon in mercy for their old friendship, but not before stealing Eragon’s sword and revealing that both share the same father; Morzan, the traitor dragon rider. After the Varden are victorious, Eragon and Roran reunite, in which Eragon promises to help Roran rescue Katrina from the Ra’zac.
[edit] Introduced Characters
- Elva, the cursed child Eragon had "blessed" in the first book. She was present for a short amount of time in the Eragon.
- Various elves, including Vanir, Queen Islanzadi, and many others.
- King Orrin, King of Surda, also an eccentric scientist
- Thorn, red dragon, bonded to Murtagh.
[edit] Places and areas introduced
- Surda, a country that resists the Empire
- Du Weldenvarden, the great forest of the elves and Ellesmera, its capital.
- The Burning Plains where the climax is held at the end of Eldest
[edit] Important parts
- Murtagh is introduced as the latest dragon rider at Galbatorix's side
- Eragon is given the physical capabilities of an elf
- Murtagh kills Hrothgar
[edit] Limited Edition
The limited edition of Eldest contains everything from the original and extras: A fold-out picture of Glaedr drawn by John Jude Palencar; A picture of Broms ring Aren drawn by Christopher Paolini; A sneak peek of Book III in the Inheritance Cycle; A complete list of people and creatures, places, and things; And a Brief History of Alagaesia (An Excerpt from the Preface of Domia Abr Wyrda by Heslant the Monk).
[edit] See Also
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