Dragons, magic, and an oppressive overlord. Sounds eerily similar to The Lord of the Rings, right?

To some degree, it certainly is.

But where Christopher Paolini’s Eragon succeeds are in the book’s heartbreaking moments, surprisingly relatable characters, and seat-gripping action. The expertise with which this story was written blew my fifth-grade mind; I would scarf down my chicken nuggets at breakneck speed and run to the nearest chair, struggling to find the page I was on.

Eragon follows the life of a young boy, aptly named Eragon, who must pick up the mantle of the legendary dragon rider after discovering a mysterious dragon egg. The omnipotent tyrant, Galbatorix, is seeking to destroy our protagonist and to finally bring the dragon riders to extinction in order to solidify his rule. Eragon goes on an epic journey, fighting back against the evil ruler, seeking to end his oppressive reign.

To this day, as a bleary-eyed sophomore, I find myself struggling to pick up a new book for the simple fact that they’re never as engrossing as Eragon. Its storyline is done so fantastically that other books can’t compete. Paolini’s dynamic writing style, mixed with complex and beautiful world-building, adds layers of depth and interest as we journey along with Eragon to discover his world.

However, the attention to detail is what I especially fell in love with.

Normally, I don’t particularly enjoy reading tons of descriptions; it can get boring and I’m not particularly interested in how blue the paint on a wall is. But this story’s detailing goes far above constructing its world; Paolini manages to create an entirely new language, explicitly describe magic and fighting styles, and actually develop strategies in magical warfare. I was inclined to keep learning about everything the author tells us. Can Eragon master magic? How powerful can he truly become? Will it eventually be enough, if ever, to defeat the king?

To add a cherry on top, Paolini’s writing style is just sublime. His seamless flow mixed with artistic direction perfectly showcases the complex world that he has created and we, the readers, can just bask in the beauty of Eragon.

I am continually inspired by Eragon, thanks to Christopher Paolini’s writing and storytelling. I wholeheartedly recommend everyone give it a thorough read.