'Brisingr' continues best-selling Inheritance Cycle

By Taryn Lentes, Staff Writer

October 3, 2008 | 10 a.m.

“Brisingr," the third book in the Inheritance Cycle by fantasy prodigy Christopher Paolini, will not disappoint fans of the series. Nearly 800 pages leave room for several flaws, but they are nothing that was not present in the previous installments.

The past few years have given birth to a trend of highly anticipated books being celebrated with midnight release parties and awarding authors with a level of devotion among their fans that is usually reserved for rock stars. It is probably no coincidence that the most famous and popular examples of this phenomenon have all been fantasy series aimed at young adults, with wide crossover appeal to readers of all ages. Last summer was the release of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” while earlier this summer “Breaking Dawn,” the final book in the hugely popular Twilight series, was released. Notably, both of those books were the final installments in their respective series. “Brisingr" was originally intended to be the ending of Paolini’s expected Inheritance Trilogy, as well. However, deciding that the ending was simply too long to publish in one volume, Paolini has elected to extend the series, and a fourth book is forthcoming.

Although record numbers of fans snatched up “Brisingr” the night it was released, they did not receive the ending to the series as previously promised. This extension of the series is not surprising given Paolini’s tendency to be overly wordy and to focus more on philosophical discussions rather than adhering to an overarching plot within each book. In the first two books of the series, “Eragon” and “Eldest,” this style caused the pace of the book to drag a bit - especially in “Eldest.” Although it was an interesting read, Paolini barely inched the plot forward. “Brisingr” continues this trend, seeming to be made up of several sub-plots rather than one main direction for the story, each of which is described in what could be considered too much detail. Although it drags somewhat in certain sections, “Brisingr” is still an engaging read full of interesting characters and intricately woven mythology, but it is not the book for a reader with a short attention span who is expecting action every moment.

“Brisingr” picks up where “Eldest” left off, with Eragon, the last dragon rider, and Saphira, his dragon, attempting to take back their land from the clutches of the evil former rider, Gallbatorix. The Varden, the force Eragon aids, launch several attacks against Gallbatorix’s forces while Eragon attempts to navigate both physical skirmishes and political battles.

Eragon and Saphira are aided in their quest by humans, elves and dwarves, and if that sounds familiar, it is for good reason. Although it can be argued that all fantasy novels share a certain amount in common and that all heroes’ journeys will resemble each other, Paolini has always borrowed heavily from several different fantasy sources, most notably Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings.” Many of the names featured in the Inheritance Cycle are nearly exact matches to words found in Tolkien’s works, and everything from the description of the world to the language spoken by the characters shows at least some of Tolkien’s influence. Of course, Paolini did begin writing the series when he was only 15, and he was undoubtedly inspired by the fantasy novels he loved at the time. “Brisingr” works best in the moments Paolini is able to find his own voice and focus on the characters he has created rather than the complicated mythology that resembles other famous fantasy novels.

“Brisingr” does not work well as a stand-alone novel due to its lack of a central plot and its long portions with more battles involving words than swords. However, when taken in context as a part of the series, “Brisingr” is an enjoyable and revealing read that should have fans of the series waiting eagerly for the conclusion. Like the middle portion of any series, “Brisingr” serves to provide further insight into the characters introduced previously and offers clues to what will happen in the future. Hints into Eragon’s past are offered and insights into what is needed to defeat Gallbatorix are also revealed. Readers who enjoyed the first two novels will not want to miss this installment, and there is at least one revelation that should have fans talking.

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