A new countdown has begun! Christopher Paolini is teasing an upcoming announcement – presumably, the revelation of his long-promised “dragon book.” He’s never gone so far as to say it’s set in Alagaësia, but some of his recent teasers make us think it’s just that. He even started this countdown with an image of Thorn!
(This announcement has nothing to do with Fractal Noise, Paolini’s upcoming scifi novel set in the Fractalverse, releasing this May!)
So what’s going to happen on March 8th? Well, we’re almost certain a new Alagaësia book is set to be revealed. But what could it be?
Here’s what we know so far:
- It’s a book about dragons
- The cover will be red
- John Jude Palencar is illustrating the cover
- The book is roughly 190k words long, sitting in between Eragon (157k words) and Eldest (213k words) in length
With all of that in mind, let’s take a look at what the book could be:
Murtagh and Thorn
As of the end of Inheritance, Murtagh and Thorn left in self-exile, hoping to find themselves. They were spotted flying near Du Weldenvarden, but beyond that, little was known of the pair and their future.
The duo returned in The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm: Tales From Algaësia, a collection of short stories taking place after the Cycle. In his short story, The Fork, we see Murtagh investigating something important and dangerous in northern Alagaësia (Ceunon). What exactly he’s searching for remains a mystery and would likely be the plot of a Murtagh/Thorn novel.
It isn’t a stretch to imagine a book focused on the pair, especially given that Murtagh was the main character in the published short story.
Murtagh and Thorn have been fan-favorite characters from the start, and many in the community have called for the pair to get their full-length story. Is this Christopher answering our wish?
Book 5
For years, Christopher has teased a future fifth book in the Inheritance Cycle – what the community calls “Book 5.” The author has stated that it will be a standalone novel set in Alagaësia. Eragon, Saphira, and Nasuada will not return as main characters. Instead, the series will follow new/unnamed characters. However, Christopher still sees the book as a continuation of the same story, being heavily influenced by the events of the Cycle.
Fans of the Cycle will know that Christopher deliberately hid clues and left loose ends in Inheritance which set the stage for events in Book 5 and beyond. Many of the community’s most burning questions are set to be addressed. Christopher has even revealed that he secretly laid some of the groundwork for Book 5 in Brisingr and Inheritance, some of which has been discovered by fans, with even more remaining hidden.
You can find a full breakdown of everything we know about Book 5, including specific plot details set to be included, on our Book 5 page!
Tales From Alagaësia, Volume 2
Christopher Paolini released The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm: Tales from Alagaësia, Volume I in December 2018. The book is a collection of original short stories interspersed with chapters from Eragon’s perspective, showing the Rider’s trials and adventures as he begins to take on his new roles and responsibilities in a post-Galbatorix world.
In addition to Eragon’s narrative woven throughout the book, three distinct stories are featured:
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- The Fork, a short story following Murtagh’s adventure in the northern city of Ceunon
- The Witch, a short story exploring mysterious background of Angela the herbalist
- The Worm of Kulkaras, an Urgal legend introducing an ancient dragon, Vêrmund the Grim
Including Volume I in the book’s title heavily implies that future volumes are headed our way in the future. It’s been five years since the first released – is it time for a second?
Something else entirely!
With all of the world building Christopher has done, it’s hard to guess what’s in store.
Have a different idea? Leave your thoughts in the comments or join us to discuss the announcement on social media!
