Eragon...Can it replace Harry Potter?

A student gave me Eragon to read, and I took it knowing that it has captured the imagination of so many teen minds. I have thought about reading it so often that I figured it was probably time!

When approaching this novel, I could not help but think about Harry Potter. While Paolini’s series is by no means the “new kid on the block”, I think a lot of people are just waiting for the next series that is going to become part of the vernacular the way that Harry has.

So, is Paolini up to the task? It took me a little while to get into it, but ultimately I did enjoy my reading experience. It answers just enough questions to make the novel satisfying, while leaving just enough mystery for one to be motivated to chase up book two.

Eragon is a young man (late teens?) who finds a strange stone in a deserted part of the country. It is little surprise to readers that this is in fact a dragon egg. Dragons were thought all but extinct, as the last remaining dragon is in the power of the evil king Galbatorix. However, the fact that the egg hatches for Eragon, places a huge responsibility on his shoulders – for it marks him as a “Rider”, one destined to fight for truth and justice. This puts him inevitably at odds with Galbatorix even before he really understands what is going on.

Eragon grows up and develops amazing abilities in this first book (which of course, all the teenage readers lap up), and while much of his hidden past is revealed, there is still so much more.

So will I read book two (Eldest)? Probably, yes. Is it the new Harry Potter? I am unsure. But it took a few books before I really loved Harry too.