Brisingr

The much awaited release on the 20th of September sent avid readers racing for their copy. The three year wait is apparently due to the dreadful response to the film version of Eragon, the first book in the then-trilogy-now-cycle.

Brisingr begins only a few days after where Eldest left off, and immediately plunges back into the same vivid scenery and emotional background, drawing the reader back into the fictional land of Alagaësia.

In regard to the title, Paolini commented that; “Brisingr is one of the first words I thought of for this title, and it’s always felt right to me. As the first ancient-language word that Eragon learns, it has held particular significance for his legacy as a Dragon Rider. In this new book, it will be revealed to be even more meaningful than even Eragon could have known.”

The plot immediately races ahead, delving deep into Paolini’s writing abilities. In comparison with Eragon, it’s clear just how vast an improvement Paolini has made. The vocabulary is just as rich, if not richer, the landscapes awesome and inspiring, and characters burst off the page into the imagination.

Complete with the same-style dragon on the cover, Paolini’s map of Alagaësia and a welcome synopsis of the first two books, which allows busier readers to slip back into the text without lapses of prior knowledge, Brisingr is just as brilliant as its forerunners.