In 2002, Christopher Paolini published his first novel, Eragon. He started working on this novel when he was sixteen. The book follows the farm boy, Eragon, who finds a dragon egg in the forest and is whisked away on an epic adventure to defeat the evil king, Galbatorix. Since then, The Inheritance Cycle has become an international bestseller with four lengthy yet engaging books. In 2006, Eragon was adapted into an ill-fated film, and is currently being made into a Disney live-action series. However, after the release of The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm, an additional book in the series, fans thought that the Inheritance Cycle was over for good.
All of this changed, however, when Paolini announced that he was returning to Alagaesia with a new addition to the world of Eragon. Murtagh was released on November 7th, 2023, following a fan-favorite character, Murtagh and his dragon a year after the events of Inheritance, where they are left to face the trauma and consequences of being controlled by Galbatorix. A new threat is arising in Alagaesia, and Murtagh and his dragon Thorn will have to face these dangers alone and conquer their fears to save the land they love.
If I had to choose, I would give this book four stars. The characters are extremely well-developed and believable, and Paolini does an amazing job at encapturing the trauma they are experiencing. The relationship between dragon and rider is one of the most charming things about The Inheritance Cycle. Murtagh and Thorn maintain that quality while still having a completely different and original relationship than the riders and dragons from the Inheritance Cycle. The new society introduced in Murtagh was fascinating and added a sort of dystopian element to the novel, and the villain, a witch named Bachel, was powerful and terrifying. Murtagh is a book with amazing character development, and it will not disappoint fans of the original series.
However, Murtagh still has its flaws. Christopher Paolini has shown one weakness throughout almost all of his books: they are too long. Murtagh can be slow and boring at times, and it takes a very long time to even arrive at the main setting of the story. There are a few parts that just seem to drag on way too long, and you just find yourself skimming through. However, this story is still very enjoyable, and as you reach the end you will feel very satisfied and excited for the next part of Murtagh’s story. Overall, Murtagh is the perfect book for lovers of high fantasy and dragons, and I would strongly recommend it.