'Inheritance' cycle comes to a close

It’s not often that the denouement of a series answers the important questions, ties up all plotlines, and leaves the audience with a feeling of both joy, and profound loss. With the final installment of the “Inheritance Cycle”, Christopher Paolini has managed all of this, and then some.

  Dedicating twelve years (“nearly half of my life,” he writes in the author’s note) to spinning the story of Eragon, a mythical Dragon Rider, Paolini has spun a fantastical tale of warriors, elves, dragons, and evil kings. While those less fond of the fantasy genre would likely shy away from prevalent mentionings of magic and dwarves, the series has grown a large fanbase.

  The past three novels, “Eragon,” “Eldest,” and “Brisingr”, have paved the way for the climactic ending, detailing Eragon’s life in the magical kingdom of Alagaesia. The final installment finishes the journey to defeat the greatest enemy of the kingdom: the ruthless King Galbatorix.

  The plot meanders in needless side-plots at some points, but manages to keep itself suspenseful. Despite a length of over 800 pages, readers will be ensnared enough to finish the book within a week. The writing is beautifully descriptive and utilizes imagery, to the point where reading about someone taking an arrow through the back elicits a wince or two.

  The greatest feature of the book is also its downfall; it perfectly continues from where the last three books left off. While this does a wonderful job of tying up all loose ends (even some that didn’t make themselves known until during the story itself), it’s almost impossible to read “Inheritance” without having read its three predecessors yet. And, as all three are particularly weighty reads, a long weekend of page-turning is necessary for the full experience.

  There are a few instances where a subplot or a certain character is given more exposition and focus than really necessary, but it never detracts from the impact of the book.

  Overall, “Inheritance” is a mind-blowing work of fantasy, and should not be missed by anyone.

 

Open publication - Free publishing - More carlmont