In Defense of Inheritance Cycle

Christopher Paolini wrote the draft of "Eragon" when he was fifteen years of age. It received mixed to negative reviews, but the book became a bestseller. It spawned three sequels, forming the Inheritance Cycle. Were the critics unkind to the author? The idea (to write the novel) came to mind when the school term ended. He could have done the typical things that people his age did during summer, and it was unfair to suspect that his motivation was due to his parents owning a publishing company.

Alagaësia was ruled by a band of dragon riders, sworn to protect the land. Trouble began when Galbatorix, one of the riders, gone insane. His dragon was killed and the Council of Elders refused to replace him. Galbatorix conspired with Morzan, another dragon rider, and then gathered more riders to his cause. They killed those who refused to join them, sending Alagaësia into chaos. Does this storyline sounds familiar?

So what if it's based from another source?

Not a few readers would remind Alagaësia of Middle Earth, while geeks don't have any doubts that the premise was similar to “Star Wars”. This didn't affect the sales of the books, though. The critics may be too snotty, overlooking the fact that entertainment only matters to some readers. Paolini's influences weren't surprising at all, his young age suggesting what was hot in popular culture. And what if the dialogue was hardly memorable? Dan Brown has something to say on that matter.

Some books provide armchair traveling. Moreover, Paolini's motives (in writing the series) seem genuine.

It's too early to tell how the Inheritance Cycle will rank with other titles in the Young-adult and Epic fantasy genres. Nothing give writers greater satisfaction than seeing their works being published. And the book is public property once it ends up in the shelves. Many will debate on what a good book should be. It might polarize the (reading) public, but it's better than being overlooked. Ask Paolini.

List of dragons in literature

The Inheritance Cycle is one of the recent titles in the long list of dragons of literature. The European dragon has been featured in myths of many cultures, even appearing in the works of antiquity. (Books such as the “Argonautica” described a humongous lizard guarding the Golden Fleece.) The most renowned dragon from the Middle Age was an unnamed creature that Beowulf must slay to protect his kingdom. The 20th century produced different, if not interesting, depictions of the mythical animal.

Those who haven't read L. Frank Baum's works would be delighted to know the dragon in Oz, which was missing in its celluloid version. C.S. Lewis wrote about Eustace's experience in a desolate island (in “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader”), where he was transformed into a dragon. And the world of Earthsea was incomplete without the mighty dragon. It will be a long reading list, which will be a rewarding experience if readers are willing to sit back and let time fly fast.