Eldest

Welcome friend! Have you ever felt the trepidation of a big book? Oh this is so long, it will take a while? Then you start reading it and you forget how long it looked. It is super engaging and you are flying through it. Then, you make it to the last page and look at the book, “you were amazing! I had a great time” Then you put it away but keep thinking of it here and there. You have much to say about it but you aren’t really yet to put it all on paper.  Here is my attempt at Eldest, the second book in the Inheritance Cycle, the sequel to Eragon.

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Eldest – Review

Rereading Eldest was a similar experience to Eragon. I knew the world and yet in my rediscovery, I was discovering more than before, more than what I had remembered. 

Plot Overview: The Continuation from Eragon

The events of Eragon ended thus: With Murtagh and Saphira, Ergaon had taken refuge with the dwarves and humans under Farthen Dûr. Eragon had joined the Varden to fight against the Empire and on the way, freed Arya from her imprisonment. In his fight with Durza, he had glimpsed the creatures’ life story and felt its being. He had been left with a wound that would forever stay. 

Eldest opens to the same battlefield, three days later. Eragon is waiting for the return of the leader of the Varden, Ajihad, Murtag, the Twins and the warriors from clearing the tunnels from any remaining Urgals. As the party approaches, they are taken by surprise by a small group of Urgals that were missed. Aijahad is killed and Murtagh and the twins disappear. 

Eragon doesn’t have much time to recover from the loss of people he admires. The Varden is in disarray; a new leader has to be chosen. 

Character Analysis

Eragon’s Journey and His Supporters

Eragon, Dragon Rider – Coming out in his first battle against the Empire, Eragon is caught in the midst of politics. He gets the honor of joining the clan of dwarves and also swears fealty to the new leader of the Varden. He leaves for the elves’ homeland and on the way, he visits another dwarf city and learns of their customs, the meaning of being part of a dwarf clan. 

At Ellesmere, Eragon meets Oromis, the last remaining Dragon Rider. Coming to his aid in Further Dur, Oromis becomes Eragon’s teacher in dragons, Riders’ history, the world, sword fighting, meditation, and magic. Eragon loves asking questions and so does Oromis. The two get along well and engage in debates often about ethical, political and moral dilemmas. 

Eragon didn’t know anything about anything when Saphira hatched for him. He starts to gain a new understanding of his destiny. I really enjoyed his training, its rigorousness. I loved the scenes around meditation. It is in line with what I have read and experienced. Eragon’s  doubts of not living up to his destiny go away as he trains and embraces his purpose, understanding why he fights the fight that he does.

Eragon’s doubts about living up to his destiny fade as he trains and embraces his purpose. Saphira, his dragon, also undergoes an education. Their camaraderie, banter, and honesty strengthen their connection. They learn what they can do together, understanding their lives are intertwined forever.

Vanir, the elf who trained with Eragon in sword fighting, becomes an important character in Eragon’s growth. Initially unlikeable, Eragon wins him over with his skills.

I felt that this book was pivotal to not making Eragon understand what he was involved in but also the reader. Who are the Dragon Riders? Why do they exist? What is this bond between dragons and humans? It is amazing how much the world and history expand just by being in Ellesmera. Eragon and Saphira visit the Rock of Sorrow from the wars many millennia ago between elves and dragons. 

New Perspectives: Roran & Nasuada

In addition to Eragon, there are two new perspectives in Eldest: Roran, Eragon’s cousin and Garrow’s son, and Nasuada, the new leader of the Varden. I really liked how the three separate narratives seamlessly come together at the end, supporting or expanding my understanding of the other.

In the first book, Eragon had blessed a baby at Farther Dur. He is horrified to learn that he caused her more harm than good. He is remorseful and has to live with the intentional pain caused. In Nasuada’s perspective, we meet Elva, the girl who Eragon thought he blessed. She can experience other people’s pain and is compelled to stop them from harm. She is a creature touched by magic and with a very self-harming ability. She is growing fast to keep herself safe. Nasuada too is horrified to learn what Eragon did and takes Elva under her charge. Later when Eragon arrived, Angela gives him an earful about that. What I love about this piece of the storyline and many others is how real to life they are! 

One memorable conversation between Oromis and Eragon was related to the ceremony with the dragons when Eragon is forever changed with a great gift. Oromis asks Eragon how he feels about the gift, considering the change is permanent and he wasn’t really consulted. This goes well with Elva’s situation where she was also given a gift by Eragon, but it ended up being not what he was giving. What one may see as a gift may be a curse to someone who would not have given consent if asked. 

Coming to Roran, I was not expecting things to get so bad for him! The gravity of Saphira’s existence is felt by Roran for the first time. He learns how his father, Garrow, died and why Eragon fleed with Brom without explaining much. Roran is angry and when he realizes Galbatorrix is serious about capturing Eragon and would torture the villagers for information, Roran finds a power within him to stand up for what is right. He wants revenge for his father and finds a few other people who share his vendetta against the Ra’zac. He loses his beloved Katrina along the way and fluctuates widely in the eyes of the villages for his choices but he pulls through and becomes this formidable man who swings a hammer to kill. He has his issues with Eragon and it is obvious how much both of them have grown in the time they have been apart. While the first book did not delve long into their relationship, Roran was very important to Eragon before Saphira came. His actions were what they were for because of his age and I like the reminders are pivotal moments through the book. 

Through Roran’s perspective, there is commentary on finding purpose in the world when everything is hopeless. The villager’s perspective as they are forced to leave Carvahall and venture out into the cities speaks to how unimaginably hard it is to leave home and take on the journey of displacement. Their journey is awe inspiring and Roran shows himself as a beloved leader in the series. 

The characters are very well written. They are multidimensional people with their own regrets, agendas, ideas, vows and motivations. In this time of war and close partnership they influence each other and have to put aside their differences and grievances and keep going. Keep working towards eliminating the Empire. It is not an easy task. They are fighting a mad man who destroyed the Dragon Riders, who has magicians and Urgals on his side, but maybe not for long.

These characters’ intricate journey has a common merging thread – inheritance. Beyond the epic battles and personal growth, the theme of inheritance weaves its way through the lives of Eragon, Roran, Nasuada, and others. Even the common folk, like Horst and the villagers of Carvahall, carry their own burdens of inheritance. This exploration of lineage and legacy becomes a focal point, connecting the characters in unexpected ways.

Inheritance and Debt

I love speculating on the names of series and how a theme may be interwoven throughout a book. The characters discussed above helped me understand this theme. In Eldest, I saw many references to inheritance and how it is present in the lives of everyone, not just the powerful. For the common man who makes a living from his trades, like Horst, there is inheritance in tools, farm land and much more. Skills are passed down from father to son. When the villagers have to leave Carvahall, they have to leave many pieces of their inheritance behind. Roran may have succeeded in taking them on a journey but there are debts he will have to pay.

Eragon may not be Garrows’ son but he has inheritance from his adopted father. Eldest begins his journey to understand this. Similarly, inheritance from their true parents are of importance to Nasuada, Arya, Murtagh and, even Roran, who may have lost his farm but he has not lost hope.

World Building: Magic & Realism

I can’t emphasise how exceptional the world building is. Dwarves, Urgals, Elves, Dragons, Ra’zac, Shades,…  are done so well. They are fleshed out at the right time with the right amount of history and ceremonies. Travelling the world of Alagaesia and meeting different races opens Eragon’s perspective, easy to forget how young he is.

Emotions run high in this book! 

Eragon grew so much and there was a lot of pain along the way. His narrative feels like life. I was reading the account of a young man who happened to be chosen by a dragon to be her rider. He is just someone who grew up on a farm but has this big destiny entrusted to him. The only thing that he will do now is bring justice and peace to the world. Break free from the shackles of a corrupt and evil king. Along the way, there will be loss. A lot of loss. This is something that comes up many times in his training, and again in Roran’s perspective, war is coming which leads to much death and destruction. There will be consequences. People will die. Warriors, magicians, leaders… life is threatened. But that is just how it is. The way forward is through this fight. 

Weep for those who will die in the chaos that shall consume Alagaesia. And hope that we may win a brighter future by the strength of our sword and shield and my fangs and talons

Saphira, Pg 537, Eldest

Physical hardships are seen through all the main characters. Battles have not been kind to anyone, and much more is yet to come. Battlegrounds offer insights into how magic functions in real time, with a focus on the mental aspect of warfare. Christopher Paolini explores the implications of battles on soldiers and the Varden in general.

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This second book of the series is truly remarkable! To me, the title, Eldest, seemingly alludes to Oromis, the last Dragon Rider and the eldest of them all. It may also carry significance for Murtagh in relation to Eragon. 

As Eldest concludes, Roran and Eragon reunite after Garrow’s death. The question arises: will they join forces to locate Katrina and put an end to Galbatorix? The narrative unfolds further in the next installment, Brisingr. Stay tuned for my review next week.

Don’t miss the first book review of the series: Eragon.