Random Buzzers Q&A with Christopher Paolini – Part 3

Written by Mike Macauley at November 16, 2010 — 501 Comments

Christopher Paolini recently sat down to answer hundreds of fan-submitted questions in a forum style interview with Random Buzzers. The questions varied from the obvious “when does Book 4 come out?” to the not-so-obvious, netting us dozens of fresh and exciting answers from our favorite author. We spent hours collecting and sorting the hundreds of questions and answers from this interview and will be offering them for viewing in a series of posts here on Shur’tugal! Part three of our compilation includes all questions surrounding the Inheritance cycle that were not geared toward specific books. Part three has provided us with arguably the most interesting answers of this Q&A series, including Christopher’s comments on more books set in Alagaesia (one which he refers to as “Book 5″), his favorite theory, lots of focus on Murtagh and his role in the future, fan fiction, hidden changes and deleted scenes, and more! Keep reading for part three for over thirteen pages of exciting answers from Christopher!

General Inheritance Cycle Questions

How did you pick the color of the dragons? Did you set out with a certain color in mind? I made Saphira blue because blue is my favorite color. In fact, I’m partially color-blind, and I see more shades of blue than most people. As for Thorn and Glaedr . . . If you’re going to have dragons in your story, it seems almost mandatory that you have a red and a gold dragon *somewhere*, don’t you think? Regarding the possibility of future movies and Christopher’s involvement. Thanks for the words of encouragement. You may rest assured, if ever there is another movie adaptation of my work, I’ll be as involved as possible in the process. Will you come to my city on your next book tour? Ultimately it’s up to Random House as to where I go on book tour. Did Angela in her past meet Galbatorix? Probably. You never know with Angela. Are there any revisions you would make to your past novels? Of course there are things I would change about my previous books. I think every author feels that way. It’s part of the process. Hopefully you learn and improve and your future works are better than your beginning works. Are there ever some characters or scenes you never meant to put in your books, like you just put them in there without thinking about? Lots of scenes have been unplanned. Pretty much everything with Angela the herbalist, for example. I was wondering what languages inspired your Ancient Language. I noticed in some places words are similar to Icelandic words, such as: Lethrblaka which sounds exactly the same as leðurblaka which means bat, thrysta sounds like þrýsta and translate to the same thing. Good eye. I based a good part of the ancient language on Old Norse, which I thought had a great sound and feel. All the rest of my languages (Dwarvish, Urgalish, and the nomad language) I invented from scratch. When you started writing the books, did you have a clear idea of how it would end? Every author works differently. Some work out the story as they’re writing. Others, like me, plot out the story before jumping into it. Personally, I write better if I know where I’m going. By several of the comments Nasuada made during book 3, she is disliking magic. Is she going to outlaw magic? Will this be the reason Eragon has to leave his homeland? Will the Elves have to leave as well? I think Nasuada is entirely reasonable to dislike/distrust magic. If I lived in a place where people could manipulate me and the world around me with a spell, I wouldn’t like magicians either. What can you tell about the circumstances around Galbatorix killing Shruikan’s original rider and taking the black dragon for himself? Or do you plan to keep that a secret just in case you feel like writing a prequel to the Inheritance cycle? Secret. Who gave Shruikan his name, his original rider or Galbatorix? I ask because I do not know how long the original rider was with their dragon before they (I say “they”, meaning the person because I do not think it was made clear what gender the rider was) were killed and because Eragon took a while to name Saphira. On a side note, how long after they hatch before they are named normally? Right after hatching? When the dragon is old enough to say no or yes? Galbatorix named Shruikan. Normally, though, a dragon would choose his or her name once they were old enough to understand the concept. And it wasn’t unheard of for a dragon to change their name over the centuries. Any particular reason you named Murtagh’s dragon Thorn? Seems odd that it’s already a rather common word, where as if I googled Saphira, Shruikan, or Glaedr they would instantly show inheritance links. Both Murtagh and Thorn are angry at the world, so it seemed only right that they would pick an angry name. Also, all of the other dragons in the Inheritance cycle have elvish/esoteric names, and that didn’t feel appropriate for Murtagh. Murtagh didn’t grow up speaking or hearing the ancient language. Thus, he wasn’t likely to choose a name from it. Around how many riders were there before The Fall? It got me thinking because if there were a plentiful amount, and some dragons grew to be extremely large, why wouldn’t there be more bones lying around? All I’ve heard of are Angela’s knuckle bones and Glaedr’s corpse (although I have no idea what happened to the corpse). Were all the bones stolen and traded amongst various thieves all over Alagaesia? Did Galbatorix and/or the Forsworn collect them all for some unspecified reason or merely out of disrespect? I actually wrote a scene in the first draft of Eldest where Eragon and Saphira stopped in the mountains in the middle of the Hadarac Desert on their way back to the Varden from Ellesméra. There they saw many of the bones of the dragons Galbatorix killed. However, because of issues of pacing, I ended up cutting that scene. Be assured, however, there are lots of dragon bones laying around in certain places of Alagaësia. You say that riders of various races and genders joined the Forsworn on their own or manipulated by Galbatorix, But was it always the rider who decided? Did their dragons just follow along? I would imagine it would have been quite difficult for a human to convince dragons to kill their own kind. What would the dragons have gained out of all of this? On a side note: Did you ever come up with names for all thirteen members of the Forsworn? I have named all of the Forsworn, but I may or may not end up putting all of their names in Book Four. As for whether it was the Rider or the dragon who decided to join the Forsworn . . . I think it was a combination. The Forsworn were twisted/evil/power-hungry/what-have-you. Because Rider and dragon are linked, if one starts to go bad, the other most likely will as well. What happens to one affects the other. If Murtagh were to swear an oath in the Ancient Language not to kill Eragon, but then was imprisoned by Galbatorix and was told to (Considering he knows Murtagh’s true name) which would prevail? Would he be torn apart in the process from the magic? I believe smoke would come out of his ears and, after a few seconds, his head would explode. Do they have a place that they call home, or do they just wander around Alagaesia aimlessly? Are they plentiful (Just an idea that if a Sorcerer summoned as many spirits as possible to do his bidding, that hinders other sorcerers from controlling the same spirits)? Do the good, or rather neutral spirits prefer to separate themselves from the more “evil” ones? When a Shade is born and has later settled on referring to themselves as one person, what is their personality based off of? Is it just evil with subtle characteristics of the original person? Or is it a blend of all the spirits personalities within the body? A Shade’s personality is a blend of the spirits’ possessing him or her and the Shade’s original essence. As for the rest of your questions concerning spirits . . . They’re a mysterious race in Alagaësia, and not much is known about them. It’s possible Eragon may end up discovering more about their nature, but I’d rather not reveal that here. How many Head Dragon riders have there been? There have been quite a few leaders of the Dragon Riders, but, since they’re incidental to the story I’m telling, I haven’t spent much time working out their histories. Did the dragons have a lot of lore, legends, myths, or some other tales? If so, have you thought of any and would you tell us someday? The dragons didn’t have much in the way of language or culture before they and the elves bound themselves to one another, since the dragons preferred to communicate with pure images and emotions. After the bonding of their two races, however, the dragons did begin to accumulate the sorts of myths, legends, and lore you mentioned. If someone revived the dead body of a dragon who’s Eldunari exists, could the eldunari reestablish control over the body again or would it be impossible because the link is already broken. If the body is truly dead, then no, it would be impossible. If the body was only *partially* dead (to quote The Princess Bride), then, well . . . maybe. It would depend on the skill of the magicians involved, as well as the skill of the dragon. Remember, you never know what may happen around a dragon. The “true name” for bird is Fethrblaka. So if I wanted to bend a specific bird to my will, could I use “fethrblaka” to control it like a true name, or would I have to find that specific bird’s own unique name? You could use “Fethrblaka” as a generic word to order a bird around, but it wouldn’t have the same hold on them as its true name. Thus, for example, if you order the bird to kill itself (however it might) the bird might refuse the order if given with a generic “Fethrblaka”. Use its true name, however, and the bird would truly have no choice. Has anyone ever attempted to tame Fanghur, the dragon-like creatures of the Beor Mountains? I suspect at least one person may have made an attempt after being denied a dragon perhaps. Probably, and I would guess they’re missing more than one limb. Why hasn’t Galbatorix made an attempt to control Fanghur? If he could break dragons’ minds, he could break Fanghurs’. Would they be too much of a hassle for him, far too costly for not enough profit? He doesn’t care about the Fanghur. From Galbatorix’s point of view, the Fanghur are pale imitations of actual dragons. It was stated that Saphira saw blues more vibrantly than other colors. Do all dragons see their corresponding scale color more than other colors? If so, what do black and white dragons see, just monochromatic? Hmm. . . I never actually thought about that. Although every dragon is somewhat different, and I would never want to categorically say that a dragon *couldn’t* do something, I would guess that all dragons have pretty much the same vision. As I said above, I’m partially color blind, and I see more shades of blue than most people. So, I had Saphira see the same way I do, which means that I can go around bragging that I have dragon sight. Why does Eragon neglect to mention important events to other characters just because he is confused by them? For example, why doesn’t he mention to anyone that the Ra’zac said Galbatorix had almost found “the name?” Even if he didn’t know what that meant, someone else might have, but he never told anyone! And why does he run away from Tenga? Eragon ran away from Tenga because . . . well, would you want to hang around a crazy guy who could kill you with a single well-placed (or misplaced) word? Tenga may have been skilled and powerful, but I don’t think Eragon would have learned anything useful from him without spending a lot more time with him, gaining his trust, and Eragon had to get back to the Varden as fast as he could. I always figured that Eragon *did* mention what the Ra’zac said to Saphira, and perhaps also to Arya. However, it’s not something the characters can do anything about, nor do they really know what the Ra’zac was talking about, so it seemed like it would end up being a rather pointless conversation. Also, given all the other things happening to and around Eragon, I don’t think he’s spent much time worrying about it. Could someone create a spell that would kill anyone attempting to manipulate a person by their true name? I like how you think about magic. You’re right, someone *could* cast a spell that would kill anyone who attempted to meddle with the ancient language. However, what if that person was Eragon himself? What if Eragon discovered the name of the ancient language? Such a spell could very easily end up destroying a friend or ally. Also, if the person you’re trying to kill just happened to be on the other side of Alagaësia, killing them would take so much energy, the effort would end up being fatal for the original magician. Favorite theory? For the record, my favorite fan theory so far is that Angela the herbalist is actually Galbatorix. Think about it — makes perfect sense. The problem is, if she’s really the villain, Eragon won’t stand a chance against her! Did you sort of model the elvin culture after an ancient china type culture? If not, where did you get your idea from? I didn’t consciously model the elves’ culture on any real world examples. The elves as I have them evolved from my own ideas and preconceptions of elves. And of course I was influenced by many of the fantasy writers I read growing up, such as Raymond E. Feist and Tad Williams, among others. You say that Galbatorix recruited 13 riders to become the Forsworn and turn on the other Riders. Did some of the Forsworn die during the Fall of the Riders or did all 13 survive to later die by various things such as Brom? That is a story that will have to wait for another day.

What was your inspiration for creating the character, Murtagh? Did you always think to have him play the role he has now, an opponent Rider? Yup, I’ve envisioned Murtagh pretty much the same way ever since the start. There are some interesting bits with him in Book Four, though. What was your inspiration for the Riders’ swords? Did you always imagine them that way or were they something different before and you just changed them? Again, the Rider’s swords have always been pretty much the same from the start. How hard are the eldunari? Are they like fragile glass orbs or a little harder? The Eldunarí are much harder than glass. More like diamond than anything else. However, they can still fracture if struck forcefully enough or at the right angle. How would Thorn’s body be different from his current body had he been allowed to grow naturally? Thorn would be smaller than Saphira if Galbatorix hadn’t interfered with his natural maturation. However, Thorn has a slightly chunkier build than Saphira. The Rider’s swords were apparently designed to not be affected by most magic. Does Rhunon know which spells do affect the swords, such as specific wards that would block the swords? If so, why has she not told Eragon or Oromis, who already knew they were going up against Murtagh wielding Zar’roc? Rhunön is smart (and old) but even she can’t anticipate every spell that Murtagh or Galbatorix or any other enemy might invent. Those she does know about, she already managed to circumvent with the enchantments she placed on Brisingr. The Gedwey Ignasia apparently shows up and whichever hand touches the newly hatched dragon first. But what if the rider touches the dragon with another body part, like an elbow or foot? Would the gedway ignasia appear there, or does it only work for hands? Yup, the gedwëy ignasia appears wherever you first touch a dragon. So, I’m sure there was some poor Dragon Rider out there with a silvery patch on some horribly awkward or embarrassing place. IF you HAD to compare Alagaesia to Europe, what year would it be (my guess it between 1200-1319, because you talk about plate armor <invented early 13th century> and Gun powder hasn’t been invented yet <1320>)? It’s impossible to pick an exact time analog for Alagaësia, since each of the races is at a different level of development. Even among the humans, some are living an almost cave-man like existence in parts of the Spine, while those in Dras-Leona or Urû’baen are far more educated and so-called civilized. What would a dragon do if they accidentally killed their Rider? Feel very badly no doubt. You stated that it’s possible to lie in the ancient language if you truly believe in what you’re saying. What prompted you to create these “holes” in the language’s rules? I was trying to be interally consistent with the ancient language. The “holes” you’re referring to seem to me entirely logical outcomes of the basic rules of magic as I’ve established them in Alagaësia. Do elves (and riders) really live forever? Barring violent death, disease, or sheer depression, elves and dragons theoretically can live forever. And we have seen elves older than a thousand years. Rhunön, for example, has been alive since before the dragon and the elves formed their bond. What would a Rider’s dragon do if the Rider suffered from amnesia and forgot about the dragon’s existence? Their dragon would probably work one of their inexplicable pieces of magic and heal his or her Rider. Failing that, I’m sure the dragon would care for the Rider however they could. Have you considered writing Domia abr Wyrda? At the moment, I don’t have any immediate plans to write Domia abr Wyrda, but it’s something I may do someday. If I do, it would be written in a first-person narrative, like the excerpts that have already been published in the limited edition of Eldest. Prequels? I may write a prequel book about the Forsworn and Brom and Galbatorix’s rise to power, but first, I have to wrap up Book Four! … I don’t have any immediate plans to write a prequel, but, if I ever do, it will probably be either the story of Brom’s life or a story set during the height of the Riders’ power. More non-Inheritance books? More Inheritance books? And yes, there will be lots more books. Most of them won’t be set within Alagaësia, but some might. In one of the books, when Galbatorix was lost in the “wilderness” after losing Jarnunvösk, his first dragon, his magic use is referred to as “black magic sorcery”. Is this the same sort of magic that Durza or Varaug would use, or something entirely different? Yes, it’s the magic that a Shade would use. Would Eragon still be outmatched by Galbatorix at this point in the story? Even by the end of Book Three, Eragon is still seriously outmatched by Galbatorix. Remember, Murtagh is now stronger than Eragon (because of the Eldunarí the king lent him) and Galbatorix is many times stronger than Murtagh. Where in the series did you deviate furthest from your original plan? Everything concerning Angela and Elva. Neither of them were in my original plot. Also, splitting the final volume into two separate books. And, something concerning Roran’s and Nasuada’s fates in Book Four, which are now completely different than they once were. If you could change one thing in any of the books so far, what would it be? Heh. I’d like to improve their quality, of course. Where did the idea of the eldunari come from? I have no idea. It’s been with me since before I started Eragon. For some reason, the concept has always felt *right* to me. Why are elf children so rare? Because the elves live for so long. If they had children as often as humans, they would quickly fill up the whole land. Will we ever encounter an Urgal village? Up until now, we have seen Urgals only as soldiers and heard about them through history books or anecdotes from Nar Garzhvog. Not in Book Four, although it’s something I’d like to write about in a future book. If Angela was Galbatorix, why wouldn’t she have already killed Eragon? [This question is in reference to a theory that Christopher has jokingly said is his favorite – the theory that Angela is somehow Galbatorix.] *If* Angela was Galbatorix, you don’t think that she would admit it to her most dangerous enemy, do you? Also, if she was the villain (and I’m not saying she is) she’d be so twisted and crazy, I wouldn’t dare predict what would or wouldn’t make sense to her. She just might find hanging around Eragon to be a perverse sort of fun. Is it possible, after a dragon has transferred its consciousness into its Eldunari, and the dragon’s body has died, for the dragon to die because a magician used too much of the dragon’s energy? If not, will the Eldunari just restart the process of “absorbing” energy for the next few years, until it is saturated once again? It’s entirely possible to kill a dragon in that matter. Every living creature in Alagaësia needs a certain amount of energy to survive. Take that away and they’ll die. If only a medium amount of energy was drawn from the Eldunarí, the dragon would be able to “recharge” as you mentioned. A note on fan fiction: You are certainly free to write a prequel or any other story that you want set within Alagaësia. However, you can’t sell it or otherwise profit from it, just as you couldn’t write and publish a book about Mickey Mouse, because the Disney company owns the rights to that character. In many fantasy worlds, metal, or at least certain types of metal, conduct and/or amplify magic… Is this at all true in Alagasia? for instance would metal armor heat up more from a magical fire than a normal one, or could a metal cable be used to reduce the amount of strain caused by doing magic over distances? Unless altered by magic, metal is metal in Alagaësia. Is Vroengard necessarily part of the Alagaesian continent (your map doesn’t show ocean depth, they could be on separate continental shelves…)? if not, would going there count as Eragon leaving Alagasia? Tricky question. No comment. You mentioned that among the other books you have already planned for after finishing Book, there is one that is set in Alagaesia… Is it set before or after The Inheritance Cycle? Or during, but either from a different POV or a completely separate story line that happens to be concurrent with The Inheritance Cycle? Book Five (as I think of it) would be set after the events of the Inheritance cyle, would be a single stand-alone book, and would feature both new and old characters. Were you ever inspired to edit a book slightly because of something a fan mentioned? If so, could you give us some examples? I have made a few tweaks to Eragon, Eldest, and Brisingr since they were published, but they’ve mainly been just typo corrections and/or subtle alterations to the ancient language to make it more internally consistent. Questions on Mental combat; As long as you’re completely focused on one thing (Like Roran’s love for Katrina), can no one invade your mind? If they cannot invade your mind, why could Oromis speak to Eragon when he was focusing on his big toe in Eldest? Was it because he wasn’t trying to invade his mind, just sending a message? (a): Yes. (b) That would work, but you would only be able to maintain the spell for a certain amount of time (energy constraints/patience limits) and, while it was in effect, you wouldn’t be able to do anything else, since you couldn’t *think* of doing anything else. When someone who attempts to enter (or just detect) the mind of a dragon who’s expelled their eldunari and still has their body, from where will the mind be located? The dragon’s mind would be detectable in both places. Think of an Eldunarí like a read/write solid-state backup hard drive. Could someone who’s become a shade have any chance at regaining their body back? Or are their minds lost the moment the shade was born? It might be possible to save someone who was possessed by spirits, but it would be incredibly difficult, and the experience would forever change the person being saved. How close are the symbols on the Zar’roc and Brisingr swords in Eragon’s guide to Alagaesia to what you had envisioned? The symbols are very close, but I prefer the version of the one for Brisingr included among the other glyphs for the ancient language in the Eragon’s Guide book. Do you read Inheritance fan fiction? I don’t read it myself, but I’m glad to know that people are having fun playing in Alagaësia. Did you sneak any hints about Book 4 into Eragon’s Guide to Alagaesia? A few hints, but mainly in the written sections. Eragon’s letter in Eragon’s Guide to Alagaesia mentions an unnamed “shadow”. Will this be explained in Book 4? Heh, no comment. How much time, if any, do you put into planning the books before you write them? A *lot* of time. Before writing Brisingr, for example, I wrote a fourteen-page outline detailing every major and not-so-major event in the book. That way, when I sit down to write, I know exactly what’s supposed to happen, and I don’t have to worry about figuring it out on the spot. You mentioned before in an interview that there would be complications between dragons and the rider they hatched for if they had been touched by another first. As Shruikan was bonded with Galbatorix through dark magic does that mean that if Galbatorix is killed then Shruikan would live because he did not share the usual bond between dragon and rider and would be a free dragon because the spells may be lifted? Good question. Keep in mind, however, that any dragon might live on past the death of his or her Rider. Most choose not to, but it *is* possible. In Shruikan’s case, it’s hard to say. He isn’t bonded to Galbatorix in the normal way, but he is chained by many spells and oaths in the ancient language, and his mind has undoubtedly been twisted by the experience. Is Angela a dragon? Angela a dragon? I like it. However, there’s a slight problem with the idea. Unlike in other fantasy worlds, in Alagaësia, if a person or a creature changes their shape (like a werecat) their mass remains the same. So, if Angela were a dragon, she would be a very tiny one. (Not impossible, mind you, only . . . rather peculiar. Which fits her character, I suppose.) It’s said that dragons could be huge and mistaken for mountains. Does this mean that there are still more dragons left in Alagaesia that are overlooked because their size imitates nature? No comment. How numerous are werecats in Alagaesia and where do they most often live? Not that numerous, and wherever pleases them. Since Eragon has admitted that without the dragon transformation Roran would be far strongest than he is wouldn’t Roran be nearly unstoppable if the same transformation happened to him? Roran is pretty much unstoppable now, don’t you think? I mean, look at what he did to all those soldiers in Brisingr! . . . You’re right, if he was as strong and as fast as Eragon, I don’t think anyone other than Galbatorix could stand up to him. What are the spirits consisting shades? And since magicians can control these spirits to create a shade why can’t they control them after they have formed the shade? Spirits are matrices of self-organized, self-aware, cohesive energy. In other words, they’re thinking balls of lightning. Or light. Or heat. Or however you want to define energy. When a magician summons spirits, he or she binds them with spells and with the strength of their will. If the spells are badly worded, or if the magician’s will falters, then the spirits can break free and take control. Once the spirits form a Shade, they’re immune to that sort of outside interference, since the spirits are now bonded to the flesh of the person they’ve possessed. If Eragon found the true name of a natural element could he be able to use it to destroy Galbatorix? Probably not. He already knows the names of many elements. Remember in Book One, when Arya names silver in the ancient language? (“Arget”) What happens if before a rider dies he transfers his consciousness to his/her dragon? Because the consciousness of a dragon and rider is one will that mean that if the dragon decides to transfer its consciousness to the eldunari the rider’s consciousness will also be in the eldunari? That’s a very, very interesting question, and one that deserves a story to examine it properly. (For the record, there *is* a way to transfer consciousnesses that’s proven to work in Alagaësia, but it has nothing to do with Riders.) How did you manage to come up with all those different names? Wordplay, historical names, and using the rules of my invented languages. Why is the series called the Inheritance Cycle? Will the Inheritance part come up in the 4th book? Because the whole series is about the younger generation (Eragon, Arya, Saphira, Nasuada, Roran, Orik, etc.) inheriting the roles and responsibilities of their parents. How do you decide which parts are taken out of the story? This one is easier: you take out all the boring bits. Or, at least, that’s what you try to do. If I put in every single detail about Eragon’s day-to-day routine, it would be incredibly boring. So, I don’t write about him opening every door, walking to every room, chewing every bite of food. You get the idea. Basically, if you can understand a story without something (description, dialogue, etc.) then cut, cut, cut. Are there more Ra’zac or Lethrblaka over the sea/where they came from? Maybe. How old was Oromis when he was killed? I don’t think an exact number of years is ever mentioned? Very old. Hundreds of years. About how old were “children” when they were first exposed to dragon eggs? Usually between ten and fifteen. Before puberty was preferred. P.S. The ages I gave were for human children. For elves, of course, it would be older, usually around twenty. Why was Varaug so much stronger than Durza? He was new and fresh and had more spirits within him. (Durza only had three or four, I believe; Varaug had dozens.) If a rider were to become a Shade, would his/her dragon be controlled too, or would they just go insane? And would they still be bonded to the rider or would it “break”? It would take more than that to break the bond between Rider and dragon. However, I think that the dragon would probably kill his or her Rider rather than allow them to spread evil through the land. Not a happy situation either way. Were there ever any multicolored dragons? Yup. And some neon pink ones too. I know you’ve been hard at work on the Inheritance Cycle for many years now, but I wonder if you’ve come across scenes or bits of dialogue that you love but just don’t fit this story? All the time. I usually go ahead and write them anyway and then cut them during the editing process. Or, I find another story to use them in, either in Alagaësia or somewhere else. And your professor is right; save everything. I have a file full of deleted scenes . . . it’s over two hundred pages long at the moment. Do you find you have to somewhat compromise your work to make it more “marketable” for the publishers? The only compromise I make is to soften some of the violence because I know I do have some younger readers. Other than that, I write what I want and I don’t let anyone else tell me what can or can’t be in my books. Since Brom is safely tucked away in the diamond tomb, could Eragon, given enough power from elundari, bring him back to life? Good question. It *will* be addressed in Book Four, but perhaps not how you expect. At the time of the Fall of the Riders, other than Galbatorix and the Forsworn, how many Riders and Dragons were there, approximately? I haven’t figured out an exact number, but it was in the hundreds, if you count the wild dragons as well. Alagaësia couldn’t support too many dragons, though. They would eat everything otherwise. I know that he’s Galbatorix’s slave, but he really is a good person. Considering what Galbatorix has done to him/forced him to do, would he join the Varden now if he was freed? I’m not asking if he does, only if he would. If Murtagh were freed now, I think he would just want some time alone with Thorn to make peace with everything that’s happened to the two of them. Would killing Galbatorix free Murtagh, or would it kill him, too? No comment. Does Murtagh still think he and Eragon are full brothers? Yes. Murtagh seems to be Alagaesia’s punching bag…all the worst stuff happened to him. Was he inspired by real people/experiences in your life, or is he just the hero with all the problems? What did inspire you to create that character? Are we supposed to feel sorry for him? Murtagh wasn’t inspired by anyone in particular. I think people should empathize with him — but not too much, necessarily. You’ll be happy to hear, there’s a lot more Murtagh in Book Four. Would you get in trouble for releasing titles/book info? Or are you just an anti-spoiler? Both. Angela: Is she currently, or has she ever been, involved in sorcery? I’m sure she’s tried her hand at it. (The character, that is, not my sister.) Do your religious views influence the writing of your books? Or are you just all, “hey, this is fantasy, anything can happen!”? The views of my characters are not necessarily my own views. I just enjoy placing my characters in interesting situations and exploring interesting questions. I know that your sister inspired you for the character of Angela. Were any other characters inspired by people that are close to you? If so which characters? Brom and Roran were partially based on my dad. And Eragon started out as a version of me. Other than that, I haven’t based characters on real people. Are dragons ever born incapable of flying? Maybe once in a very long while, but it would be incredibly rare. How old was the youngest rider when the dragon chose him/her? Not sure. Haven’t thought about it before. Are there any vampire like creatures in Alagaesia? Yes . . . and no. That’s a subject for a future story. When are elves considered adults? Depends. As with humans, some elves mature faster than others. They probably wouldn’t be considered a full adult, though, until they were at least sixty. If even then. Angela is my favorite character, but something doesn’t seem right (as far as her abilities go). First of all, I remember how she literally decimated Kull with the huthvir. Also, it is interesting how she managed to poison the Empire’s food during the Battle of the Burning Plains. Is she more powerful than she seems because of the potions she drinks or is there something you can’t tell us yet about her? There is a lot more to Angela than meets the eye. If you like her, you’re in for a treat with Book Four. Angela gets several crowning moments of awesomeness therein. What’s the funniest scene you wrote in any of the Inheritance books? Anything having to do with Angela and Solembum I think. Although Saphira getting drunk near the beginning of Eldest is one of my favorite scenes. Do dragon’s colors run in families? The colors do tend to run in families, just like hair color in humans. How old is Vanir? Youngish for an elf, old for a human. Older than Arya, though.

Comments RSS feed

Arya2792

Hey guys, does anybody eles have a sneaking suspicion that Islandzadi will die?
Eavcbs24

Is it possible that Eragon learns the true name of Galbatorix and is able to defeat him that way?
Rhodsym

mike will u ask cp this? will the riders ever regain there former glory and have hundreds of them again because in the first one horothgar says “the time of the riders has passed eragon they will never rise again-not even if galbotorix’s other eggs were to hatch” wich implies they will not wich makes me think wots the point of freeing the last egg then
Tori Gilbert

I have 5 theories
1 is Arya going to be the rider of the green dragon?
2 does the volt of soles have Eldunari in it?
3 is the first dragon and rider still alive and protecting the Eldunari?
4 will Eragon Saphira and Arya leave Alagaesia in search for more dragons?
5 is the rock of (what solemn said I can’t remember the name of it) where brom was buried?
discis

I’m just throwing something out there, but I don’t think this is actually what’s going to happen because CP is way too clever and creative for us to figure out what’s going to happen. Anyway, what if Nasuada marries Orrin (’cause it says somewhere she thinks about it sometimes) and they become king and queen of Alagaesia. As for the Green Rider, I really hope that it’s NOT Arya, because that would totally ruin it, I’m hoping the Rider is either someone new, Elva, or the girl who was with the woman that Angela cast the dragon knucklebones for and Eragon blessed. So, what does everybody think?
Brandon Higgins

HAVE YOU EVER FELT SORRY FOR MURTAGH AND THORN?

willgall_19

HAVE YOU EVER TYPED WITHOUT CAPS LOCK ON?

Brandon Higgins

HAVE EVER FELT SORRY FOR MURTAGH AND THORN?
Soccer-boyy

Hey Chris I got a question for you. when Ajihad told eragon that he want him to be the leader of the varden does that have anything to do with book 4. will eragon tell it to anyone.

willgall_19

well you forget the part where eragon does tell nasuada what ajihad said and he didnt say he wanted eragon to be in charge of the varden he said for eragon not to tell the varden fall into chaos… but nasuada did tell eragon in brisingr that she wants eragon to be in charge of the varden if she were to die…

haha99

wait one reason which could be another reason why roran is not the 3rd eggs dragon riger is cuz he is sort of meant to be king cuz MAYBE he is a decendent of palancar and they do not want another dragon rider as one so he may fill in as king, also Katrina was like “hry roran, u dont need those powers which eragon has, u just need yourself and me, nit all those powers so yea….. I think arya is gunna be the next rider

Thecarpetiswet

im telling u guys arya being the next rider is just too easy

Arya2792

I agree. Arya being the next riders IS too easy but Paolini has pointed most of the clues her way. And I guess it kinda would make sense for her to be the next rider. They need somebody experienced, powerful and most likely an elf. Plus the new rider would have to get along well with Eragon and understand a lot about riders. SO it does kinda make sense and it’s also what most people want to happen because I’m guessing her being a rider would make it more likely for the romance to ‘blossom’, if you get what I mean
I’m all for Arya being the next rider. I think it would be kinda cool.

Caremal5

there is going to be a fourth and final book hopefully soon
Mysterygirl43110

LOL I’m ready for the next book after Brisinger… is there more to come or is this the last we will about Eragon and Saphira?
Caremal5

what if there are two new riders in book 4?. the second egg hatches for roran, saphira mates with the new dragon, saphira lays a new egg, the new egg then hatches for katrina and it is roran and katrina that we see leaving alagaesia and the lonely man sat crying on the beach is eragon because he is sad that roran and katrina had to leave alagaesia.

Thecarpetiswet

duuude tht is soo far fetched i cnt even think about it

The 14Deadsouls

How’s this for Far fetched – The new egg hatches for BOTH Roran and Katrina! With Two dragons inside! and that could be what eragon saw in his dream, and the inexplicable event caused eragon to go mad and flee Alagaesia!

But on a more serious note, Spine is not a dragon, Elva is Galbatorix’s Daughter, Angela is Galby’s mother, Brom might return in conciousness for a bit, Eragon kills Galby with some neat trick making Galby do something that kills himself (like Neo to agent smith in Matrix 3, yeah i know it’s lame…) The Dwarves City gets attacked and destroyed by some wild dragon called Smaug. Some Little people come and present Eragon with a ring that he could use to destroy Galbatorix but eragon declines and refuses to give them a lift to the Mountain of Fire. And then the WereWolves make an appearance…

Cheese

W…T….F… can it get any more random?

willgall_19

haha jesus christ man cmon
willgall_19

haha jesus christ man cmon

Zachary Champness

Maybe Eragon will take the man who he meets in Brisingr that seems to be able to see (correct me if im wrong)life light?around on saphira looking for eldunari

Willgall_19

why are you stuck on finding more eldunari we already know there arent any left people have searched… how bout trying to see where galby keeps the ones he already has… going on a wile goose hunt isnt where this story is going to go tho

Santafe4115

he said inheritece was about the children taking their parents place.

Arya? =Queen islanzadi dies

Willgall_19

arya already said no to the throne when she took her job as the egg carrier and has hinted that she doesnt want to be queen in another part too when she is saying that the elves would choose a different ruler if she chose not to rule…
Arya2792

I was thinking that too. Plus in one of the Q&As (not sure which one, I think it was Random Buzzers) somebody asks about elvish funeral customs and Paolini says we will get to know more of that in the next book so it seems pretty likely. I don’t want her to die though.

Aimee

just a thought… he says if the body is partially dead its possible n also that brom will be coming back but not in a way youd expect.. n that with dragons anything is possible. could glaedrs eldunari/soul content or whatever manifest itself in broms body which is basically kind of currently immortal seeing as it is encased in the diamond? x

Willgall_19

or maybe he will charge the diamond encasing brom with aren which is all of broms energy

tegan24

Guys, your all talking about how the spine could be a dragon (which i personally dont think is realistic, cause if my whole race had been wiped out and i was that big i reacon i would do something.)

BUT my main point of this post is why did old Galby send his army in there in the first place??
or is the whole thing of him sending his army in there just a myth to keep people out of the spine because he himself (galby) is hiding something in there.

…..just sayin

Willgall_19

i like how you think

Thecarpetiswet

y would galby be hidding in the spine?? wats he got to hide fromm???

willgall_19

i dont think that part is correct i just like how hes against the whole spine is a dragon thing
willgall_19

i dont think that part is correct i just like how hes against the whole spine is a dragon thing

Willgall_19

i like how you think

Dwarfhumo

If dragon’s colors run in families, are some more dominant than others? Given enough time, would every dragon eventually be one color? Or the majority?

Willgall_19

i dunno i guess i kinda think of it like eye color… some are dominant some arent but theyres still as many colors as there always has been some are just seen less
Willgall_19

i dunno i guess i kinda think of it like eye color… some are dominant some arent but theyres still as many colors as there always has been some are just seen less

Aaronntboss

So Galbatorix uses the same magic as a Shade… Hmm… I wonder, could he be a Shade himself? CP did say we would have to wait till Book 4 to find out more about him… Also, I have several questions about Shades: I’m curious if Duza’s spirits were trying to possess Eragon at the end of Eragon, and if they were, would he have become a Shade if Oromis hadn’t intervened? The question was asked if Riders could become Shades, but what would happen to the dragon if the Rider became a Shade, or to the Rider if the dragon became a Shade? Would they become a Shade as well, and if so would they undergo the same type of transformation humans (and presumably elves and dwarves) do?

Willgall_19

well he kind of answered that question but i dont think a dragon can become a shade because of their inability to use magic or to weave a spell connected with words and spirits dont just possess people for no reason… shades are made when a sorcerer loses control of the spirits hes trying to subjugate its not a random happening
Anonymous

Not sure that he’s a Shade himself, that may have been just one spell or at one time because I just don’t think CP would make him that powerful, he already has so many Eldunari, which would make him a Shade, in a way, I guess. I don’t think that Dragons apply to the rules of Shades either because they are just different beings entirely from Humans, Dwarves, Elves, and even the Urgals.

Willgall_19

oh and to anyone and everyone this may concern… if i argue with your theory or try to disprove it or disagree with it dont take it personally and dont hold back on mine i like being able to bounce ideas off of people and to listen to what other people think it opens my mind to new things… i appreciate being able to do this with other fans of a great series that i love and have read prolly 10 times at least all the way through
Flo, from Progressive

Hmmmmm….. I wonder what would happen if a dragon swallowed another dragon’s Eldnari? Would it then have two…? Probably not. Anyways, thaniks for everything, Mike! I’m ooking forward to a lot more interviews with CP.

WaxyPumpkin72

In Brisngr, Glaedr says that once a dragon pukes his Eldunari, it can’t be put back into place. If you want me to reference it, I can, but I don’t feel like it right now. If you ask and want me to though, I will, just in case you don’t believe me.

Willgall_19

haha pukes… but im guessin if another dragon swallowed it, it would just move through its digestive track and they would then have to poop it out… and i would be pissed of i was said dragon in said eldunari

Laxplayer

haha that would suck
WaxyPumpkin72

Lol. XD

I guess the word i should have used was “disgorged.” I think thats what he said in the book. haha

WaxyPumpkin72

@rahul: I replied to you post a few days ago, and I’d really like a response from you. So, I’ll just post what I posted before again:

Well, lets see here.

Searching on google books, the only time that Arya used the word Kuthian was on page 305 in Eldest. Quote, “As for the Rock of Kuthain… the name echoes in my head like a voice from a half-forgotten dream, familiar yet strange. I’ve heard it before, though I cannot recall where.”

So, the support you had for Arya saying it sounded Dwarvish is gone. :/

Now, onto Oromis. The only thing Oromis says about the Rock of Kuthian is this (from Brisingr, page 639): “I have never heard of any such place as the Vault of Souls, and while the Rock of Kuthian strikes a familiar chord in my memory, I cannot recall where I have encountered the name. I will search my scrolls for it, but instinct tells me I will find no mention of it in elvish writing.”

Thats all there is from Oromis about the Rock of Kuthian. So your support for what you said before is now void, in my opinion. Were there other reasons that you haven’t stated that may help support your theory? If so, please share.

Laxplayer

what was he trying to support?

WaxyPumpkin72

The fact that Kuthian couldn’t be a dragon, because Kuthian was said to be a Dwarvish name by Arya and Oromis, but neither of them ever said that…

Laxplayer

oh ok
Anonymous

It seems like I’d heard that to, maybe in an interview though? I’m not sure, and there’s no way that I can back it up at the moment, school work to do

WaxyPumpkin72

Well, if you do get the chance, I’d love to know where you heard it. I don’t like being unsure, I want to know yes or no.
Anonymous

I may have just ran it on a fan site or something, but it really DOES sound Dwarvish
WaxyPumpkin72

Well, if you do get the chance, I’d love to know where you heard it. I don’t like being unsure, I want to know yes or no.

Laxplayer

what was he trying to support?
Willgall_19

alright i remember reading this… its between you saying that the rock is an eldunari and him saying no… well reason 1 if the rock of kuthian was an eldunari then would it open and reveal a vault filled with souls? does that make sense? no… reason 2 eragon isnt goin to happen on a hoard of eldunari that all but been said in the book there will be another twist that has nothing to do with eldunari to help eragon im just gonna say the only eldunari eragon is gonna have is glaedrs…

HMMMMMMMMM

Kuthian was the name of the white dragon, and when Eragon speaks his name, It will be Kuthian’s rider’s name, so it will open his mind to him……

willgall_19

hmm the dragon whos name couldnt be spoken in this or any language as said in the books a few times… so no kuthian wouldnt be the white dragon

Rahul Deshpande

well….whatever you have searched about Rock of Kuthian is correct…i have to accept that….but Oromis did say that it was not elvish…and its clear that its also not related to humans so only 2 other races left in Alagaesia ( of which we have knowledge at present till Brisingr) i.e. Dwarves and Urgals…..

well…something strikes in my mind that i have seen Rock of Kuthian referred as Dwarvish….well…i will definitely search for it and will post it if i find it….or else you can stick with your theory of Rock of Kuthian…..

Willgall_19

no man ive read it somewhere too but for the life of me i cant think of where but im with you for some reason ive had the notion that it was dwarvish

Reagantich

It could be the name of one of the forsworn’s dragons. That would explain why two characters described it in a very similar way.

Bob

Maybe that rock of kuthian is an eldunari but nobody knows that’s what it is because they don’t know that there are eldunari.

WaxyPumpkin72

He said it was probably not elvish…. that doesn’t mean it isn’t. Also, other races could be werecats, grey folk, and dragons, not just dwarves or urgals.

Unless, of course, you think that dragons werecats, and grey folk aren’t important enough to count. :/
Mr. Giggles

AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
What if the Rock of Kuthian is Brom’s diamond tomb!?!?!?!

Laxplayer

wouldnt it be smart if christopher looked on here got all the ideas and didnt use any like a extreme twist

Willgall_19

i think it would be sweeter if he got on here and used all of mine so then i could have bragging rights haha

Laxplayer

haha i think everyone with like that haha

Aniquilador de Espectros

I think that the third egg has already hatched!

If the egg hatch now (in the point that the third book finished), the Dragon would not have enough time to grow and and become strong enough to confront Galby an Murtagh! Regardless his or her Rider, the Dragon would be to young and weak! We can see that by Thorn! If it wasn’t Murtagh, he would already be dead!

My theory is that the Dragon in the third egg felt that it was time to hatch, even without a Rider and, then, somehow, (because, with Dragons, everything is possible) he or she, atched and kept his/her existence undercover! And, i think, Arya will find this Dragon and become his/her Rider, because the Dragon haven’t been touched by anyone yet! And, if this happens, the Dragon will be Stronger than if he hatch in the begining of the fourth book, and with Arya being his/her Dragon, the story will be different!

I know that, theorically, the third egg is in the possession of Galby, but, like i said before, everything is possible with Dragons, and he could have managed a way to escape from Galby Castle, even before hatch!

What do you think?

Aniquilador de Espectros

And it’s too coincidental that Eragon has found a fragment of green egg in Eldest!
The Egg Has Already Hatched!

Laxplayer

i dont know dude that skectch but yea maybe but i bet galby put a spell that if he hatched he will know so idk

Thecarpetiswet

i think galby would put a spell lik tht, hes had hundreds of years to look and relook details lik this

Laxplayer

still but i dont think that it already hatched idk just cause
Willgall_19

and would galby have the last egg he is in possesion of somewhere that the dragon could just walk out into the wild? i mean cmon his egg isnt hatching unless its stolen or this dragon is wild… not to mention the fact that its already hatch for reason that ive explained way to many times to do so again
Aniquilador de Espectros

I’m not telling that the dragon was somewhere that he could just run away! Dragons can use magic cause they are magical creaturas and, like Saphira did with Brom’s tomb, nobody can explain how she did it and nobody could stop her! So, imagine that this dragon uses magic to escape, do you think that anyone could stop it? Even Galby? I don’t think so, nobody can! But, it’s just a theory!
Willgall_19

yeah you have a point but i dont think the egg galby has will hatch untill the end of the book if at all i think this new dragon is already hatched and will come into the story… we dont even know what color the last dragon egg galby has is it could be orange for all we know or hot pink… if i was a rider i think itd be badass to have my dragon be hot pink… because you know people would want to call you or your dragon a sissy but theyd be too scared

Anonymous

CP said in this interview, not sure which part, but that was just by happenstance, it has no real bearing, cause that was my theory also

Aniquilador de Espectros

Butn in a earlier interview, he said “no comment” to the same question! So, i think that he is “hidding” something about this!

Anonymous

Which interview was this? Can you provide a link? Not saying you’re wrong, I just wanna read it to see if I’ve read it yet
Willgall_19

no i read that interview too but its a really old on he retracted it pretty much by saying it was coincidental in this one
Anonymous

maybe he had a plan to use it, but the story took a turn in a different direction, never know when you’re writing

Thecarpetiswet

when did eragon find this last egg, i dnt remember

Willgall_19

well the part about the dragon already being hatched ive said and explained like at least 8 times below but its nice to see im not the only person noticing that it has to be like that due to the time frame the fourth book has
Willgall_19

well the part about the dragon already being hatched ive said and explained like at least 8 times below but its nice to see im not the only person noticing that it has to be like that due to the time frame the fourth book has
question mark

I have a theory on this. If you remember, when they sent a man to get the eggs, he got saphira’s and fled. I think that the green egg hatched for him. he fled and hoped to keep it a secret, since he didn’t want to get ‘involved.’ Then, Morzan found and killed him, and only then found out about the young dragon, who fled. If you think about it, it never says that that couldn’t happen. Murtagh *implied* that the egg hasn’t hatched, but if you think about it, it could happen. For one thing, he didn’t swear in the ancient language. And Christopher Paolini didn’t say that there weren’t any more hidden dragons, just riders. He also said that dragons didn’t always die with their riders.

willgall_19

i agree that the green dragon is already hatch but for many other reasons than this… i think what your saying is highly implausible

Soccer-boyy

that could be true because eragon found a broken green dragon egg.

Thecarpetiswet

Why hasn’t Galbatorix made an attempt to control Fanghur? If he could break dragons’ minds, he could break Fanghurs’. Would they be too much of a hassle for him, far too costly for not enough profit?
He doesn’t care about the Fanghur. From Galbatorix’s point of view, the Fanghur are pale imitations of actual dragons.

who is Fanghur???

Anonymous

The dragon-like creatures that live within the Boer Mountains. They attack with their minds.

Thecarpetiswet

oh ya i remember now thnks

Denmark111

Fanghur is those dragon-like creatures in the Beor-mountains. We saw them when Eragon leaved the mountains in Eldest.

Dawn

christopher paolini will come in france one day? (to meet his french fan ?) or we will be forget like always (the french)?
and thank,to ask me for my question about eragon’s debt

Denmark111

You know, he haven’t come to Germany, Italy, Spain, Denmark, and so on, just so you know it
Willgall_19

We would never forget the french, you guys practically invented our government… i thought you guys hated American’s though?

Laxplayer

can some one give me some names of other books that have dragon riders in them?
Laxplayer

what would be sick if eragon and saphira leave alageasia with arya and her new dragon, then arya and eragon have a baby and saphira and greeny have a baby and the dragon hatches for the kid and he goes back to alageasia and like someone else is ruling and the kid has to get rid of him, hence new series or continuaion

Willgall_19

thatd be real cool but at the same time its too perfect… we all have what we want to happen but the bad makes the good good

Laxplayer

i know it probably wont happen but i wish it would because i dont want this seies to end

Denmark111

That would be a quite allright way of doing things, but as you pointed unlikely.

Laxplayer

i wish it would happen though haha

Dragonman2011

will we see more of Vanir

Willgall_19

maybe a little in a battle scene or somethin but i think his character has run its course
Willgall_19

maybe a little in a battle scene or somethin but i think his character has run its course

Willgall_19

oh and im thinking now that the title of the fourth book is going to be “The Seven Promises Of Eragon Shadeslayer And Saphira Bjartskular” Sorry Christopher if i just spoiled it for you… well maybe sorry random house theyre the ones holding it back

Laxplayer

why do you think that is what it will be called?

Willgall_19

alright well where to begin… in the first part of this Q&A chris is asked what the second title for the 3rd book was because he had said before that the title was up in the air between two possibles, and he says i would rather not say until the fourth book is out… then ive read back even further and he has not only said that he knew the title before he started writing the fourth book but in another older Q&A he says he knew the title of the fourth book before the third book was released… the only thing is i dont think he realizes that at least in my copy on the copyright page there are two titles to the third book… it says and i quote “Brisingr, or, The Seven Promises of Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira Bjartskular” and i also just read somewhere yesterday that he didnt wanna discuss the other title of the 3rd book because it would spoil things… ill look for the sight i saw that on and post it… but i honestly think he answered that question not knowing that the publisher put the secondary title in there just on the copyright page… i know its not a one word title but obviously if he almost named the third book that why wouldnt he name this book that…

Willgall_19

oh and if you think of it as he named that book when he thought the third book was going to be the last then they told him it was too long and needed a fourth book so lets say he had the seven promises title first and then realizes he has to title it as a 3rd book to a four part series so he decides to keep the seven promises title for the last book off the series and just come up with a new name for the third… and i think there hasnt been seven promises yet so he was waiting to see where he was going to cut off the third book before he decided for good wether he would name the 3rd book with the seven promises title and find a new one for the final book or name the third book somethin else and save the seven promises title for the third book…

Laxplayer

i didnt realize that but good point, but it seems kinda long, also look at my newest post
Anonymous

I think you’re confusing the Title and the Subtitle. The Subtitle won’t be the next title, I’m not sure that it’s even legally able to because of copyright things and such. No, I think that he was referring to the original title of Book 3, which I think will go back to Empire, but that’s my opinion. I think there have been seven promises made too, but I’m not sure I can list them, but I’ll give it a shot:
1. Promise to Nasuada to be her vassal
2. Promise to Brom to keep the Riders alive
3. Promise to kill Galbatorix
4. Promise to make Murtagh pay for Hrothgar
5. Promise to Orik and his clan
6. Promise to rebuild Carvahall
7. Promise to avenge the deaths of Brom and Garrow

I think those are the promises, you can substitute in the Eldunari Secret, or any of the ones between the Elves and Eragon. Just my opinion
Willgall_19

if it was the subtitle it would say brisingr, the seven promises of eragon shadeslayer and saphira bjartskular and not brisingr, OR, the seven promises of eragon shadeslayer and saphira bjartskular… and its just a theory im not saying thats gonna be it… but its deff not a subtitle and as far as the promises go i wasnt sure ive never even paid hardcore attention to how many times hes promised anything the only time it stood out to me was when nasuada said your promises will be the end of us… but like i said its not the subtitle and none of the other books in the series have two titles in the cover
Anonymous

You’re right, it’s not the subtitle, I forget what it’s called, maybe an Extended title? I’m not sure, but it’s actually part of the title of Brisingr, but not THE title, if that makes sense. Mike, can you make sense of what I’m saying?
Willgall_19

no yeah your right im looking at it again and its what the library uses to catagorize it i cant remember the term of it either but i remember learnin about it in school its used by the library of congress tho… but still i dont know why none of the other books have it
Willgall_19

i still think something is different there… if its not the title of the new book i still think its the other title for the third book that he said he didnt wanna tell us in this Q&A…
Anonymous

The old title you mean? I Don’t see him breaking the one word title tradition, even for using it. I figured that the last book would keep the same “subtitle”, for lack of a better word, as Brisingr, maybe with something like, “The Fulliment of the Seven Promises…”
Denmark111

Have you ever read “The Hobit”? It has 2 titles too.
Anonymous

I haven’t read The Hobbit, but the way I look at it, if someone only knows one title, that’s the Main Title, the other is a secondary title
Willgall_19

well he broke tradition with the third book either way by having the second title anyway… its either a really weird coincidence and i dont think hes stuck on the one word title… i may be wrong but i think something is there
Anonymous

I’m not saying that there’s not, I just don’t see him breaking the one word Main title: Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr (or the Seven Promises of Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira Bjartskular) [I think that's an Extended Title maybe] I can just see him going back to the rumored title before the split, Empire. Just my thoughts
Willgall_19

maybe.. the only thing that throws a curve in empire tho is chris said in this interview the title will be “something that he (eragon) gets” and eragon is going to leave never to return again so i dont think an empire can count as something he’ll get and therefore isnt the title… unless chris is lying to throw us off
Willgall_19

im thinking legacy… because hes going to inherit the legacy of the riders
Anonymous

I think his family will receive the Empire because Roran will take his rightful place on the throne
question mark

Just for the record, dying thousands of years into the future could count as leaving, couldn’t it?
question mark

Just for the record, dying thousands of years into the future could count as leaving, couldn’t it?
Willgall_19

no yeah your right im looking at it again and its what the library uses to catagorize it i cant remember the term of it either but i remember learnin about it in school its used by the library of congress tho… but still i dont know why none of the other books have it
Thecarpetiswet

2 of thos promises hav already been fufilled soo ur gonna have to find different promises
Anonymous

A) CP never said if the promises had to be complete
B) Substitute in the Eludnari or his promise to protect Arya, etc.
Thecarpetiswet

when did he promise to protect arya?
Anonymous

He promised Islanzadi to keep her safe, or so I inferred, but there are numerous promises that could be substituted into that list.

Anonymous

I have an interesting theory about the last Rider. I think it’s going to be Arya because she’s already denounced the throne by becoming the Elf-Friend, or the egg carrier, (At least I think that’s what the book says) so she can’t exactly assume the throne if Izlanzadi dies. I think what Arya inherits is the mantle of Elven Rider, and the way the elves used to be, before the dragons. Ruhonon (sp?) is always complaining that the elves are to nice at this time, and it would satisfy the prophecy too.

A really sick, twisted way to look at it could be that it’s Nasuada and Murtagh on the boat and Eragon on the Isle of Vroengard, and they’re taking all of the eggs leaving Eragon alone because Saphira died after laying the eggs. I’m a sick SOB, sorry all

Laxplayer

i dont think chris would do that, idk why just cause

Anonymous

which one the second one? I don’t think he would either, that’s just something I’d do in a sick fanfiction

Laxplayer

yea the second one

Willgall_19

for real tho people… brom and galby are siblings=sick twist

Laxplayer

nah dude no way

Aditya Nair

is Galbatorix a shade? i mean is he a more controlled form of one.

Willgall_19

ive already wrote about it below if you wanna read it… it explains a lot

Braxtonb

It seems like one way or another after reading this interview that brom’s grave will be revisited and eragon will make in ATTEMPT to bring him back to life possibly.
Braxtonb

I think the role of the dwarf tribe that got banishhed will have a major impact on book 4. Any one else think so?

Thecarpetiswet

not really…

Braxtonb

Wha makes you think so

Jshields1493

they may join galby
Willgall_19

yeah chris said in one of the chapters eragon is captured and being tourtured and is dying but hes not in the empire… so the first thing that came to mind was he got captured by them…

Thecarpetiswet

i think tht there are more dragons then the books let on, they say tht at the begginning wild dragons were everywhere but after the war wild dragons started to disappear and dragon riders started to blume. but has any1 thought tht some dragons went away? (and by away i mean the land beyond Alagaesia) maybe thts wat the prophecy about eragon being drivin from his home land meant, maybe he was forced to leave, Alagaesia so search for more dragon eggs?? think about tht!!

Laxplayer

omg i didnt even think of that, good idea!
Anonymous

But the prophecy also says he’s never to return, so even if he did get a dragon egg from another land, he couldn’t deliver it, but I guess he could use the teleportion spell that Oromis taught him to send it back. Good theory

Thecarpetiswet

maybe since there is this new dragon rider in the land, tht when eragon went to this new land he just decided to stay. i mean i new if i was eragon i would be so stuck up with the war tht i would have just stayed in this peaceful land until he wad needed. i have sum other theories of y he might stay but this 1 is the best

Anonymous

I think that he’s going to go back to Vroengard and start the Riders over, but he will never leave the island permanently, he can go to the main land to visit Roran, who I think is going to be the next king, Nasuada either becomes part of the Riders, part of Rorans court or dies. My theory for Roran is because the people of Palancar Valley are decedents of the mad king Palancar, who is the rightful heir to the throne, and I don’t think Nasuada will stop him from taking it

TimD.

vroengard??? i dnt remember tht place
Anonymous

It was the island of the Riders. That’s where the Riders strongbase used to be before the Fall

Thecarpetiswet

i got multiple questions: what did the Menioa tree(the tree that the bright steel was found under) take from Eragon in exchange from the bright steel? if the cover of book four is green, then there must be a new dragon and there for a new dragon rider, so how will this new dragon rider get a sword? i dont think they will get it the same way as eragon did. i had more quesions but i forgot them

Laxplayer

i was thinkign the same think, but the thing about the sword wasnt eragon gonna get a green one that he didnt like from that family? maybe they get that one. and i think the rider will be arya because they dont have the time to train an unexperienced one

Willgall_19

there was enough brightsteel for a bunch of swords reread where eragon hands rhunon the brightsteel she says theres enough for several swords if memory serves me right

Laxplayer

your on your game, i keep forgetting this details haha
Thecarpetiswet

i thought of tht as soon as i posted it, but the question still stand, how will this new rider get a sword?? and i dnt think its gonna be arya tht would be too easy, i will be very upset with chris if it is her

Willgall_19

i agree with the arya thing it makes it worse because everything so far points to it being arya… not saying that i would be upset if it was arya but it wouldnt be as much fun… and i dont think the new riders sword will be a huge problem im thinkin its gonna be an elf weather arya or not just for balance reasons so itll prolly already have a sword good enough to stand up to the job even tho it wont be a “riders” sword
Emerald

Tamerlain. Duh.
Thecarpetiswet

who????
Soccer-boyy

i agree it’s not ayra. but maybe the dwarves under oriks lead will be put in the spell and the next dragon rider will be a dwarf

http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/EVQL6WFGWEFJBZ4TJ7UJXBPD54 ayaz

hey i just thought of it and wanted to discuss it. I think there are good and bad spirits right? What would happen if “good” spirits took over a sorcerer. Could there be such things as a good shade?

Laxplayer

idk if you got summoned by someone and they told you what to do would you want to be nice to them?

Willgall_19

that and i dont think spririts and humans have the same ideas of good or bad or right or wrong… read what arya says about them when her and eragon are confronted by free spirits… i think they get upset when being trapped into a body form and stay mad untill someone sets them free

Laxplayer

another point

Emerald

Maybe it will turn out like a classic ghost story. Someone dies, but becomes a ghost because they have unfinished buissnuss. Maybe Broms a ghost, because he didn’t compleatly train Eragon. So Eragon goes to the vault of souls, the only place where the living can talk to the dead or something, and meets Brom’ ghost. Brom and like 20 or 30 of his spirit buddies can possess/ reanimate Broms body, which is preserved in the diamond tomb. Then shade Brom can help defeat Galbatorix. The other spirits might agree to help in exchange for sorcery being outlawed when the win.

Your Mother

Eragon shade(hence vault of souls)=Major ass kicking

Willgall_19

your mother’s a shade

Laxplayer

nasuuada is kinda mean to eragon and it is cruel what murtagh did to oromis and glaedr

Willgall_19

and read the part where eragon is telling nasuada and arya how oromis and glaedr… he says galbatorix killed them through murtagh and thorn… he was in control not murtagh

Willgall_19

and how is nasuada mean to eragon?

Laxplayer

well like she pretty much uses the guilt trip to him, like sending eragon without saphira to the Beor Moutains

Willgall_19

she did what she had to… he needed to go and saphira needed to stay and eragon was throwing a fit (for a good reason) but in his position he is going to have to do things he doesnt like and to put everyone in danger just so he could be by saphiras side would have been selfish
Laxplayer

i know what you mean, but just think if you were in his position, i would have acted the same way as he did

Rahul Deshpande

Well…galbatorix was controlling Murtagh’s body…and moreover..he was binded by the ancient language by Galbatorix….so dont blame him…most of the fans here like him…and you can count me in that…so its not entirely his fault and may be he was also angry at Oromis that he didnt showed up to him earlier…as he could have helped Murtagh and thorn…

Laxplayer

no i agree im a murtagh fan also, and yea you got a point

Laxplayer

what do you guys think the Meona Tree is gonna want back from Eragon?

Willgall_19

she already took it we just dont know what she took yet…

Laxplayer

how do we knew she took it, maybe that is what he wanted everyone to think, and also ive been asking people this who do you think the new rider will be and why?

Willgall_19

well ive given it a lot of thought and the only thing im pretty positive of is it will have to be arya because theres not enough time in this fourth book (from how long chris has said it should be) for anyone else to get enough training to be of any help to eragon (and why put one in the story then) in an older interview someone asked why arya had advanced training and chris said that oromis have her a lot of the same training that a rider would have or something similar because she had a very important role… and im pretty sure the dragon has already hatched and is either in hiding or just in the wild and hasnt been found yet (again because of the time frame we have in the fourth book, and a small dragon wont be big enough to make a difference in the story) and will somehow be found and the elves will use theyre magic to make the bond between it and arya which chris has said is possible after birth and i think because it will be willingly done by both parties it wont be as twisted as shruiken and galbys…. every bit of that is only an educated guess tho he could throw in a small twist and blow that all away

Laxplayer

i dont like the idea of wild dragons
Rahul Deshpande

well..christopher said arya had received bit of training from Oromis is because she had the responsibility of Saphira’s Egg…nothing more than that….
Willgall_19

yeah she pretty much knew the secret that oromis told eragon galbatorix might not even know with using the energy from everything around you instead of your own to cast spells… if thats a guarded secret then name one thing that eragon knows now that she doesnt…
Rahul Deshpande

well…Arya knows the spell of using energy from things around you….she used it when she made a boat which can fly till eternity in the chapter “shadows of the past”….and this was the question asked to Christopher in one of the Q&A rounds conducted by Shurtugal.com…..and Christopher replied to it….
Willgall_19

thats exactly what im saying so other than that secret what else does eragon know that arya doesnt… she prolly even knows far more magic than he does so she wouldnt even need training if she was the next rider she would be better off than eragon is now right from the start
Anonymous

Me and you are just going at it tonight mate, all in good fun though, right? I think that if Arya is going to be a Rider, she will be the one to grab the egg from Galbatorix’s throne room, or she’ll find a wild dragon. I can’t see them using “black magic” to make it grow, but I CAN see Glader giving away some of his energy and knowledge to the fledgling so that he CAN help in the fight. Just my opinion

Braxtonb

maybe thats why eragon leaves alagaseia because the menoa tree asks

Laxplayer

ahh good point

sirsimon

It is possible Paolini could annouce book fours completion just before christmas, can u imagine what a great christmas gift that would be? Paolini announcing book four is complete and could be out on May 2011?

Laxplayer

that would be sick, who do you think the new rider will be?
Anonymous

it would be cool, but judging by the release dates of the other books, May 2011 would be too early. The others were published August , August and September, every three years. If ther is one that can be said of Paolini, he is consistant.

Willgall_19

completely agree… im guessin around a year from now

Zstreng

I think the Vault of Souls is where Galby keeps his stock HoHs. It was said that if someone destroyed them, then Galby would be just be the strength of a normal rider. I think this is more likely than Eragon finding a ton of HoHs. What do you all think?

Laxplayer

what are “HoHs”?

Anonymous

Heart of Hearts aka eldunari

Laxplayer

oh ok in that case i agree with you, who do you think the new rider will be?

Anonymous

Idk. Though I feel that it would be almost anticlimatic if arya was the rider
Laxplayer

maybe orik because he would be first dwarf dragon rider, but i think arya will be
Willgall_19

i do too but as of right now i dont see how it could be anyone else unless there is a new character introduced…
Denmark111

I hope he will introduce a new character. It would just be to wierd to have her being a rider. She is pro enough without that tittle.
Donatello

So far most of what he has written has been fairly predictable, but he has pleasantly deviated from his ‘Star Wars’ storyline a bit in Brisingr. He has either set up Arya, Roran, or that swordfighter girl (the one Angela had Eragon bless) to be the new rider. The one thing I hope he doesn’t do is go blatantly predictable by making the Vault of Souls something that Eragon discovers on a trip to Vroengard (and only be full of Heart of Hearts) That would make JK Rowling turn over in her grave. And I hope that I am not correct in my assumption that his ‘tons of other books’ are going to be about young riders attending Vroengard academy. That kind of thing has been done to death.
Denmark111

It could certainly be nice if it were that swordfighter girl.
Hess

I agree. And regardless of Eragon’s vision, I think that we are in for a twist. In my opinion, most of the theories for who will be the next rider, and that whoever it is will HAVE to coincide with the vision that Eragon had, are contrived. This is why we are not published authors, people. Paolini says never give up and this and that, but lets be real about it.

Also, when you consider who all we know that has been a rider, the majority of them have blood relationships. Murtagh, Morzan, Eragon, Brom. In that respect, I see no reason why Roran couldn’t become a rider, so long as Paolini addresses all of the “but why’s” that are posted here. There is a way to work out being a dragon rider and having a wife (and for those of us who are married, we know that sometimes the two are actually fairly similar tasks in some instances, hehe). There is a way around Eragon’s vision. It is just up to Paolini to provide enough explanation so that the things that have happened in previous books remain consistent with the way that the events unfold in the book to come.

Furthermore, while to assume that the actual Spine is a dragon is a little bit silly in my opinion, and would require a great amount of explanation and awesome semantics to make meaningful to me, the whole idea is not altogether unimaginable. With how close dragons are interwoven with the nature of magic in Alagaesia, I doubt that a dragon could up and starve to death. In fact, if a dragon were so hungry that they barely had the energy to move, what would they do? They would sit down! And after time, they could be covered in eroding soil, foliage, etc. Bears do it. It’s called hibernation. And bears aren’t even magical. Doy.
Soccer-boyy

i think it will be a new caracter

Willgall_19

no galby has found a way to take the hoh’s into himself and they are part of him now… kind of like a twisted form of a shade but hes in control the whole time and how it made his mental powers so much stronger… and why murtagh didnt have any objects with him when he was fighting eragon because galby has done the same with him

Zachary Champness

no he dint do it to murtagh oterwuse it cange his true namw and galbys hold over hhim will be broken

Emerald

I don’t think that the eldunari will be destroyed. If anything happens to them, then it will probably get inspired to use magic and kill Galbatorix.
Alagaesia123

But remember that Galby has still had years to think of new names and ways of manipulating magic and that he had a knack for guessing new names, so even if he lost the HoHs he would still be quite powerfull

Mia

I really can’t wait for book 4 to be released! But I’m am starting to get worried that I’m going to hate it, just because my expectations are so high right now!
And I think Murthag and Eragon will kill Galby together, but Murthag will also die…..
Laxplayer

4 things would ruin the book, eragon not with arya, eragon leave the land forever, spine=dragon, and wild dragons
Braxtonb

When does part 4 of the interveiw come out??

Laxplayer

idk but how do you ask quesions?

Anonymous

you had to go on Random Buzzers and ask questions either last week or two weeks ago, something like that

Laxplayer

ah man i missed it, but thanks for the help

WaxyPumpkin72

The rock of Kuthian is the Eldunari of a dragon. I’m guessing Kuthian was either one of the Forsworns dragons , or the first Eragon’s dragon, Bid’ Daum.

If it is a forsworn’s dragon’s eldunari, it would explain why Arya thought she had heard it before, but wasn’t sure. The only reason that people can say the name is because no one knows that its a forsworn’s dragon.

Rahul Deshpande

well…i am not sure about your theory of Kuthian being a dragon as Oromis and Arya both said that Kuthian sounds Dwarvish…so how can a rider name its Dragon in Dwarvish and moreover the dragon to accept any dwarvish name..

Willgall_19

i completely agree with rahul it opens the vault of souls when he speaks his name so why would it be a giant eldunari… and i dont think it would be very creative at all for eragon to find a giant eldunari everyone seems to be stuck on eragon somehow becoming stronger than galbatorix… its not going to happen if anything galby is goin to be either stripped of his power… but i think theres going to be a huge twist that no1 can guess

Anonymous

I agree. Plus, it has been stated that Eragon cannot overcome Galby, he must outwit.think him. Very Harry Potter vs. Lord Voldemort kinda thing

WaxyPumpkin72

Would you mind referencing where its said that Kuthian sounds Dwarvish? I seem to have forgotten…

Rahul Deshpande

well…i currently dont have the books with me as i am not in my hometown…it is either in eldest or in Brisingr when Eragon visits oromis may be in the chapter ‘Souls of Stone’ or ‘Hands of a warrior’

WaxyPumpkin72

Well, lets see here.

Searching on google books, the only time that Arya used the word Kuthian was on page 305 in Eldest. Quote, “As for the Rock of Kuthain… the name echoes in my head like a voice from a half-forgotten dream, familiar yet strange. I’ve heard it before, though I cannot recall where.”

So, the support you had for Arya saying it sounded Dwarvish is gone. :/

Now, onto Oromis. The only thing Oromis says about the Rock of Kuthian is this (from Brisingr, page 639): “I have never heard of any such place as the Vault of Souls, and while the Rock of Kuthian strikes a familiar chord in my memory, I cannot recall where I have encountered the name. I will search my scrolls for it, but instinct tells me I will find no mention of it in elvish writing.”

Thats all there is from Oromis about the Rock of Kuthian. So your support for what you said before is now void, in my opinion. Were there other reasons that you haven’t stated that may help support your theory? If so, please share.

Willgall_19

and my theory of the sword that galby will wield is the origional eragons sword… from what murtagh said to eragon in the battle of the burning planes something along the line of saphira will be the mother of her entire race and he wants to start up a new order of the riders… and from what i know about galby i think he would like to favor himself as the first of the new order so it would make sense that he would want to wield the sword of the first ever rider… i just dont think him wielding broms sword has any symmetry or meaning to it.

Rahul Deshpande

well..you may be right…but to support the theory of Galbatorix using Brom’s sword is that Jarnunvosk his first dragon was of Blue color.

Willgall_19

im really starting to think that brom and galby were siblings or cousins… i dunno why but i thought of it the other day and i just read a previous q&a and someone asked if galby had any siblings and the answer was yes but theyre all dead now and i know thats putting a lot of theory on not much of anything but i think it would be an amazing twist and explain morzans treatment of brom if galby treated brom favorably and morzan looked up to galby…

Willgall_19

i agree with the whole you cant tell how long the dragon will be in the story just because he doesnt know the name yet… but another thing im almost positive of is that the dragon has already hatched and as of now is riderless… theres just not enough time in one book for the dragon to hatch and grow to a good enough size to be worth much in the plot, that is unless there is a really big twist that hes gonna throw in or he plans on time lapsing this book… but if the green dragon will adopt a rider or will stay riderless i wont even try to make a guess… i think it could go either way very nicely and if he chooses to have a rider willingly it could be a way better bond than what galby and shruikan have… but i just cant see the dragon hatching for someone somewhere in the beginning of the book and growing large enough to help at all… that is without said “twist”
Sorenson

Whats the average size of a werecat in their cat form?

Laxplayer

i just guessed the size of a regular size cat
Rahul Deshpande

well…CP said the size wont change after changing form….so for the size of werecat you can search of CARACAT on google…

Willgall_19

yeah cp said thats how he invisions a werecat in a previous interview… i always envisioned them with a lot fluffier hair like a caracat but with that big furball houscat hair

Anonymous

Angela the new rider! No one has seen the colour of her magic…It might be green!…wat say u ppl?

Willgall_19

i don’t think it works well Angela is already a powerful character… and i think she has her own story that is gonna unfold more i think shes far older, wiser, knows a lot more than we’ve seen so far, and is gonna play a decent sized role in this story…

Thecarpetiswet

i think angela is gonna be the one to kill galby, i mean think about it, she is the most powerful, mysterious character introduced to the story. and i dnt think tht eragon is ever going to be pwerful enough to take him on full force.

Random_haha

i think angela was once a rider and her dragon died. You know how angela said she was a lot older than she looked, but that it was because she sometimes had to eat her herbs and stuff? well, think about it! Also, when Angela and eragon met, in Eragon, and eragon tells her brom’s name, then angela says something like “oh that one!” or something, so she knows who brom was, and also oromis knew her….. why would solombum hang with her else wise?

Anonymous

guyz can someone just remind me of how angela looks? her general physical appearance..hair etc…I think she will be the next rider! it will be the perfect twist i feel!

Cobyjj

short, with brown hair and a wit sharp as it is odd. thats what oromis said when describing her.

Willgall_19

and im pretty sure she is described in the first book when eragon first meets her in her shop next to joeds house

Willgall_19

i know this kind of contradicts what i said below a little bit but its also a little different from two souls sharing a body… both times eragon fights murtagh hes employing the help of the dragons and its believed that hes using the dragons eldunaris to do this… but what if its kind of a twist on a shade but galby has found a way to remove the dragons being from the eldunari and made them part of himself and murtagh… maybe hes found a spell that can keep them under his control… if he just entered the mind of every eldunari untill he could gleen their true name from all of their memories which he had plenty of time to do as stated in eldest when oromis is talking about his absences from time to time devoting himself to some task that was unknown… then all he would have to is devise a spell that would remove the dragons being from their eldunary without killing them, and then pretty much use a spell like the three spellcasters used to make varoug, obviously with some key differences in the spell… but either way it insures that he will never be seperated from his power, and addresses why when he broke each one to his will it also augmented his mental attacks and capabilities, and why when eragon brushed up against murtagh’s mind it felt like he had scores of conscious’ in there, and why the guy that got injured and got special sight said murtagh’s power was shining through him and eragon asked if he could see where they were and he said they were near at hand but they werent…

Emerald

When Eragon fought Murtagh in 3rd book, Murtagh uses an object to heal Thorn’s wing, though.

Rahul Deshpande

well…on the VOS..i think it will have souls…and Eragon will somehow convince the souls without sorcery(cause he doesn’t have the knowledge of it yet)…..to make him a shade and with multiple intelligence and his own current powers, Eragon may succeed in defeating galbatorix and his army……i think the story will come to a point where Eragon will be forced to take this step…and Angela will help him through this….

Thecarpetiswet

eragon can barely drive of murthag with 13 elves so how in gods name do u guys expect him to defeat galby???

Rahul Deshpande

if you have read my post completely then you can understand that i said after becoming shade eragon can defeat Galbatorix and not at the moment…cause at the moment Glabatorix is very powerful

Willgall_19

i dont think eragon will ever be half as powerfull as galby is there will be a different way to defeat galby a better twist

Denmark111

Personally, I think we all are taking the name a bit to literally, but it’s just a thought.

Willgall_19

Before the announcement of the title of Brisingr, you said that there were two names you and the publisher had been discussing… Any chance you could reveal the alternate choice?
I’d rather not say. The other title we were considering wasn’t as good as Brisingr. Perhaps I’ll discuss this once the series is finished.

This was one of the top questions and answers… and i could be wrong but i dont know why he didnt just say it because im almost positive its on the copyright page of my hardback edition its says: Brisingr, or, The Seven Promises of Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira Bjartskular… sooo am i wrong or is it just one of those things he doesnt even know the publisher did?

i moved this from the first part of questions because i figured people would be getting on this one now
Willgall_19

What happens if before a rider dies he transfers his consciousness to his/her dragon? Because the consciousness of a dragon and rider is one will that mean that if the dragon decides to transfer its consciousness to the eldunari the rider’s consciousness will also be in the eldunari?
That’s a very, very interesting question, and one that deserves a story to examine it properly. (For the record, there *is* a way to transfer consciousnesses that’s proven to work in Alagaësia, but it has nothing to do with Riders.)

and im pretty sure eragon asks either oromis or glaedr this ? and the answer is somwhere along the lines that two souls and or conscious’ couldnt live in just one body and it would be “an abomination”
as for the would the transfer into the eldunari with the dragon is a null ? now… but the way christopher answered is making me wonder if a dragon could disgorge an empty eldunari or there is some kind of way to make an object that serves the same purpose as an eldunari and another creatures being could be transferred to it so they could live on after their body is dead and gone…
Willgall_19

the spine is a dragon is a decent theory but i think that a dragon as large as the spine would completely ruin the story there would be no fight left… the vault of souls are souls not eldunari the story has already addressed the eldunari and their role in the story so i doubt theres a mass of them lying somewhere either… i dont think eragon will ever come close to the power that galby has i mean chris has put him so high up there for a reason he held oromis, gleadr, murtagh, and thorn up so high in the air that they could barely breath and from who knows how great of a distance he was away… i think it would be way better if the story came down to a david and goliath story or brains over brawn, rather than eragon searching for and finding a way to overpower galbatorix… i have too many theories on how but i believe that galby and eragon wont be fighting at all with magic past a certain point and it will be like the big hairy oxhide armor wearing weapons master for the varden said this war will be decided by steel on steel… as for the name of the final book im thinking its gonna be inheritance but thats a wild guess… and as for the leaving at the end of the book i think the elves are going to leave with either wild dragons that have come out of hiding or saphira and the last male dragon whoever that may be greeny or not and eragon will be leaving with them so that humans inherit alagaesia and will no longer be governed or ruled by an immortal race or being therefore going along with the inheritance theme again… and as for what tenga and galby are looking for its not the true name of the ancient language first off because we know the true name liduen kvedhi or however you spell it and on top of the fact it wouldnt make sense because when the origional race of beings linked that language to magic it almost completely wiped the entire race out (which i believe these beings are what now are refered to as spirits in the book) so being able to manipulate it wouldnt do anyone any good even galby wouldnt have the resources to have enough effect on it if it wiped out an entire civilization… i believe they are searching for the true name of energy or life force because if one new that they would have absolute power over any and every living thing in the land let alone the fact that they would be able to amass unfathomable amounts of energy with a simple spell that took very little energy… just some stuff to think about

Willgall_19

oh and i read a theory that tenga might have been galby… cool theory but eragon has talked to tenga and therfore knows his voice so when he was in glaedrs mind during the part where galbatorix is talkin with oromis eragon would have immediately recognized it as tengas i dont wanna sound mean and i love this site but a lot of you need to think through stuff before you blurt out a theory that has a huge hole in it or contradicts something thats already been blatantly stated in one of the three books already out… not saying that i havnt heard a lot of viable theories that have piqued my curiosity to a great amount… i also think a great twist to the story would be to find out that brom and galbatorix were related in some way… could be the reason that morzan treated brom so badly, i mean if morzan looked up to galbatorix and galbatorix favored brom then morzan would obviously be at least a bit jealous… and brom had many secrets… not that im saying its practical but it would make a really intresting twist beyond the possible next rider and dragon

Willgall_19

oh and another thing that i find interesting is that in one of the books it talks of the fight between vrael and galby and i got the impression that the only reason galby won is because of an underhanded blow… and then it goes on to state that he was far more powerful than every other rider when he began his war on them so that makes me wonder how powerful vrael was or what secret he alone knew or was passed down from each leader of the riders to the next… but i never see it brought up anymore and i dont even know if christopher even remembers writing it or what signifigance it has at all

Laxplayer

arya is nw rider, her dad was dragon rider with a green dragon? what you guys think
Glaedr

All these questions and answers are great…but can we get a release date???

Laxplayer

idk but im waiting and im getting tired of waiting haha and i wanna know the title, but at the same time i dont want him to hurry cause then he might ruin it so yea…

sirsimon

While I like the idea of dragons from the wild coming to aid Eragon, its a rather strange deus ex machina, I want Eragon to fight and defeat Galbatorix and his minions with his allies by his side, facing the thing that has been plaguing the land and destroying it.

I dont want to read the final battle, only for Eragon to be knocked down by Galbatorix, only for an entire army of wild dragons to appear, its too much like the army of the dead from Lord of the rings, return of the king.

And when Brom said all dragons are dead, he kinda meant it, since Brom wouldnt lie and I doubt any dragon still alive would evade his detection

But I do find the spine being a dragon an interesting idea, but it makes no sense, no dragon can remain that still for all those years, and how can mountains be scales, when they are made of stone and when you pierce a mountain side with a sword, you make a dent, not cut into the flesh of a beast twice the size of a country. The Spine dragon would have to been about thousand years old even before Eragon I was born in that its tail is the size of a mountain range.

Interesting, but puzzling.

I’d like to know what the green dragon will be called, it probably will be bloody brilliant if Paolini has taken two maybe three years to think of his name
ssAruoYnIckiD

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD I just wanna know the title of Book 4 already!!

I’m dying over here

Denmark111

Nice saying

Anonymous

Honestly? I respect Christopher much more (as a writer and as a person) afer reading these buzzers. Thank you for the extra information!
Cobyjj

Hey i dont know if this was in this interveiw but in one of them, i think the question was something aboutgiving us sommething that would make us want bbook4 more and the answer was beware of red eyed rabbits… check out page 259 of brisingr… i think chris did a little forshadow and might have said how one of the characters miht die… hmmm
Cobyjj

Hey i dont know if this was in this interveiw but in one of them, i think the question was something aboutgiving us sommething that would make us want bbook4 more and the answer was beware of red eyed rabbits… check out page 259 of brisingr… i think chris did a little forshadow and might have said how one of the characters miht die… hmmm

Cobyjj

might*

Cobyjj

hard cover.. its when hes going to help elva if that helps

aaa

yea i saw it but idk what it can mean

Cobyjj

i was thinkin that it might be the reason of the death that chris has been talking about

aaa

hard cover or soft cover?
Willgall_19

i really dont. i think he was making a joke about a part in book three when eragon asks why angela knits her own yarn and she replys with something along the lines of where else would i get a sweater with such and such ward against mad rabbits and he thinks shes joking and she says many great magicians have died after being bitten by mad rabbits… i certainly hope he doesnt kill of a character with something like that it would probably ruin the book for me because i cant think of a way that he could make something along that line fit into the story let alone make it sound good and interesting

Cobyjj

if you think about wouldnt it be the perfect way to assasinate someone from galbatorixes point of veiw? who would suspect that a little rabbit jumping bye yyou was gonna try to kill you?

had

OK… just thought of this but what if Angela and Tenga had kids or something it would acoount for somethings and this child/children can make an appereance

Anonymous

awesome!!!! I can’t wait for Book 4. These interviews have rejuvenated my passion for the series!!! ;D
Thanks Christopher and THANKS Mike for all this amazing info! XD

~*Evarinya*
NJ

Murtagh is the best! He’s my favorite :l
MBeauregard

In regards to the whole inheritance movie thing, I’ve always thought that it would make a good mini series. That way you eliminate the problem with having to cut out HUGE parts of the book.
Aniquilador de Espectros

I think that we will have Brom Back! But Not in another body, but into an eldunari!
Do you ever thought that when Eragon finds the Vault of Souls and says his True Name, he will find the souls of those who has passed way?!

And, i think, that the person who Eragon will bring back is Brom, just not because he is his father, but because, with Brom, he brings a Lot Of Knowledge too. So, he transfers Brom into Sapphira Eldunari and, with his father help, he will find a way to defeat Galbatorix.

Jshanik

If brom is too come back it wont be him, but his dragon sapphira Eldunari. Eragon will find hers and with her help he will be able to defeat Galby

Aniquilador de Espectros

Yes, it can be too!

Emiliaicci

I’m so glad to hear there will be a lot more of Murtagh! Yeah!
sohrab

arya is new queen, orik is new king, Nasuada is like a military general, and Roran is king. Eragon is just w/e wherever. taa daa, ending!

Cgstockwell

honestly i think Nasuada’s days are numbered. correct me if i have missed something but i would be very surprised if she comes out alive at the end.

Denmark111

Why? It’s Inheritence after all. She inherits her father (do’h! Don’t remember the name) and becomes queen. That’s completely natural from my point of view.

Hess

His name was Ajihad. And I agree that she will pass through the void. While Paolini stated that he wound up going in a different direction with her fate than he had originally intended, I still believe that she will end up sharing the fate of her father. A revered and noble leader, who is mourned by her people at her passing.

DragonFan

curious how colors tend to run in families, being the dragon’s egg from outside…
Vinr-Alfakyn

I think that Murtagh will change his true name. Eragon will fight Galbatorix but Galbatorix will be to much for Eragon, and right before Galbatorix would kill Eragon, Murtagh will kill Galbatorix. The 3rd egg will hatch for Arya, and she will admit that she has feelings for Eragon. Arya and Eragon will leave Alagaesia with their dragons, while Murtagh will stay there to protect the people.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_THAP4OS6ZNRYODN45QCTYB5P5M Steven Johnson

No way, Arya is to proud to admit she has feelings for eragon. and the third egg will hatch for Roran

Cgstockwell

i dont think that Roran would ever leave Alagaesia…
Cgstockwell

i dont think that Roran would ever leave Alagaesia…
Vinr-Alfakyn

If the egg hatches for Roran than if he isn’t killed he will live forever and Katrina will die of old age, he will not be able to be with her then.
Vinr-Alfakyn

and Arya doesn’t want to distract Eragon from his mission, thats why she hasn’t admited her feelings for him
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_HSHT2HND7DDITE2IOYUEAEYFPA Anuj Opal

no, the third rider will definetly not be roran. in the first book, Eragon hasa dream-vision-thingy, wherea bunch of people are boarding a ship,and two stand out from the rest, a man and a woman. at the end of the dream-vision Eragon sees two dragons in the sky.this means the last rider is female, so the prime candidates are arya and nasuada, but i`m hoping its elva, that would be an awesome plot twist!

Anonymous

If this was to follow the vision and the rest of the details from the other books. It would leave the possiblility that Elva or Nasuada would be the dragon rider because of the fact that Arya was already next to the last of the eggs, when she stole Saphira’s, but none of the eggs hatched after feeling her presence. The theory would then leave one of the other girls and from what I have read of CP’s interviews it would be Nasuada because she has been in all three past book, “The new Dragon Rider has been in the last three books”, and she has not had her fate already chosen. It is only a hypothesis, but the clues would leave her and only another few. I am not making a forsure, but maybe this will help spur another predition of the books plot and storyline. That’s all I got for now, until I come again.

Krissy

Arya didn’t steal Saphira’s egg. They had someone else who was to steal the last three eggs, but panicked and only stole Saphira’s. Arya hasn’t been in contact with the other eggs. Just clarifying that part.

Hanna

I don’t think Eragon and the mystery lady are going to leave but that alagasia is going to leave them like in Eragon’s dream and did it say what color the dragon was cause maybe it was the green dragon in book 4 and whoever the rider is it is going to stay with Eragon and Saphira.

DarthGrievous

She wouldn’t be ashamed of her feelings, she said that they couldn’t be together because it would get in the way. Also if you read Brisingr closely you’ll notice several romance hints.
D007ization

I doubt hed like to outlive Katrina…
dmcupp

Arya wants to admit shes got feelings for Eragon but she wont cause the whole of Alegasia is more important than the two of them. and, theres no way Roran will be a dragon rider…now will he be able to use magic??..i think thats a possibility. but, im pretty sure he’ll just stay the same old beast of a human that he is. i think Arya will be the next dragon rider. it fits cause the whole green dragon/green magic thing. as well as the vision eragon had about leaving alegasia.
Sophie

i dont think roran will become a rider but i dont think it will be arya. i think elva is closer to the mark, but i also thought that elva mite become leader of someething as she can feel other peoples pain i think. not sure. the last egg hatchin 4 her does seem right as she might want to leave alagasia as she wants to get away because of the blessing.

Austin Gridley

uhhmm if you read the wear cat chapter… than you would realize that Galby will never kill Eragon… (never!!!)

Denmark111

Nice way of spelling werecat

Shurty

way to be positive!! haha
dmcupp

idk…i think thats all too obvious. and im pretty sure its gonna be up to eragon to kill galbatorix. murtagh and arya and all them will have a big part in it but, itll come down to eragon and galbatorix

ZachyD

Oh, how could the Spine be a dragon? And how can a dragon be as large as a mountain? A mountain has forest, and dirt, and all kinds of natural things on it, while a dragon would not.

Why would dragons, espically those that are wild, stay still that long? They enjoy being free and flying. If a wilf dragon/dragons, could take out half of galby’s army, then shouldn’t a well trained dragon who has a rider be able to do just the same by itself?

I still don’t understand how 13 riders(forsworn) could defeat all of the dragon riders and destroy most of the wild dragons. I’m surprised if there are riders in hiding or dragons they havent noticed the happenings in the land and come to aid Eragon.

me

What if they’re waiting for the right time, so they would be able to help the most? Not to mention what happened to the last DR that came out of hiding…
Horsegal4ever

I think that they (the Dragons) aren’t hiding in the Spine or BEING the Spine (possibly though) I think they are in the Beor mountains. Why else are they so HUGE?!?!

Kat

I remember some dialogue in Eragon about the Beors being able to hide entire civilizations. (don’t have my copy here, so I can’t check which page)

Peter-97

a dragon could have made a rough landing made a crater soil goes up lands on top the dragon goes into a coma and has been growing ever since . yous bin told .oh hells yeah

Tnhays2014

how would it get enough food to even keep it alive even saphira could eat an entire floc of sheep
Willgall_19

haha wtf dude are you really using that as an argument?

Dors

For Dragons mating with a wild Female was an ultimate achievement, so id say that the wild Dragons would be stronger. Dragons of the Riders would have their Rage, Bloodlust, ect, tempered by their rider (unless they both feel the same way at that moment in time). Tho i must admid that due to training aswell as the shared knowlage a Rider’s Dragon could win from a wild one, due to good tactics.

Willgall_19

i dont think that the wild dragons would have stood a chance against the riders and their dragons because the riders could have cast spells against the wild dragons with impunity or without fear of a counterattack except for the rare and almost random abilty to use magic… and before galbatorix and the foresworn attacked the riders galbatorix had learned a lot of spells and dark magic that most of the riders probably had no idea how to counteract except the oldest of riders

Denmark111

It is because of the HoH that Galby looted from the riders he defeated. I think that have been stated in the books.

Willgall_19

well that part was a given

ZachyD

The part where he says he hasn’t decided if he will put all the Forsworn’s names in Book 4 would basically show that he can’t really almost be done right? If he is actually almost done then how can he not have done this yet? Will he have to go back and insert them into a scene somewhere?

I wonder how many pages he writes a day on average, and how much he really has left. He says he is close to done, yet many answers hint that it’s still got a lot of work to go. Like not knowing how long it will be yet, likely longer than Eldest, but hopefully not as long as Brisingr.

aaa

he probably is already done and is waiting for all the copies to come out to sell all over the world
Jshanik

People,People he is done writing now he is just in editing the book. He is not sure if he will leave the info on the Forsworn in for timing and flow purposes.

Dsajohnstone

He said that its possible to tranfder your conscience and that bringing people back to life might come into play in a way we dont expect. Transferring your conscience into an ‘empty’ body? Brom could come back… with galbatorix’s consciousness muahahaha evil galbatorix!

Dsajohnstone

couldn’t edit – *transfer
Potatosquasher

dont you mean evil brom?
Jake1757

Could it be possible that Brom transfered his conscience into saphira but made her swear an oath to not reveal it to anybody? That way Eragon could eventually bring brom back to life?

gregory

Captian Kirk would have to take him to Vulcan to do a mind meld first… oh, wait…
gregory

Captian Kirk would have to take him to Vulcan to do a mind meld first… oh, wait…

Cgstockwell

that would mean brom was never gone…

Ld4

your my inspiration to write books! i have one question though…can i write stories that go along with the inheritance cycle? because i dont want eragon and the other characters to end. the characters have sorta become a big thing in my life. i compare them to people all around me.
Fanofsaphira

is it true that u r colorblind?……. directid a christerphor
npearl763

GOOD INTERVIEWS, CHEERS SHURTUGAL.
Yet again, however, I have been left with more questions than answers! But any info CP gives us is welcoming. I just wished he’d hurry up with the book,:)

My guess is Dec 2011.
As for the interview:

‘religious views’

Is CP religious? Because I don’t think he’s ever mentioned it? Does Mike or anyone else know if he is?

As for other notices:

What does everyone make of the promise Roran makes to Katrina on Eldest page 180? Is going to be of any importance?

gravy

CP religious…………… who knows….
What does everyone else think.
As for eldest, I can’t be arsed to get my book off the shelf and have a look.
Put it on Inheritance Forukms, see what those keen enthusiasts think.

Anonymous

I’m an Inheritance informer enthusiast

Anonymous

ugh, you made me have to get up and get the book??? guh (I’m sooo lazy, but too curious not to)

Ok, I don’t think it will have much significance, it’s kind of funny though, Katrina has already told Roran she is going to leave after the baby is born, and that whole conversation is about her going somewhere safer. ( But now she’s going to protect the child)
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_THAP4OS6ZNRYODN45QCTYB5P5M Steven Johnson

I THINK I READ SOMEWHWERE CP IS A METODIST BUT IDK

Laxplayer

whats “METODIST”?

Taxer1234

Methodist*

Denmark111

How about pressing CapsLock?

HB

Book 4 is going to be EPIC! comeplete awesomeness if you ask me! cant wait!

dteddy221

lol im tired of waiting its beeing 3 years hasnt it? all of his other books have take 2.

Thats_How_Sue_c’s_it_:)

The shadows thing in eragon’s guide, I think is linked with the strange phantoms in voelgranard (i know, i can’t spell ). Also in the comicon interviews, the phatoms in voelgranard recieve a “no comment” This has to be something important about the riders island init… maybe the vault of souls, or eragon 1 or something like, or spirits i don’t know but it seems to be metioned many times this shadow thing, so this has to be important in book 4 init.. does anyone else see what i mean like??

Anonymous

* Vroengard, and I can’t spell either, but I happened to have my book
Emerald

I have a theory that I’ve already posted, but I’ll repeat it. So, like a classic ghost story Brom dies, but doesn’t move on because he has unfinished buissness (protecting/training Eragon) and becomes a ghost. Then he winds up in the vault of souls. For some reason, the dead can comunicate with spirits easier, so he strikes a deal with some spirits. Sorccery will be outlawed when they win in exchange for like 20 or 30 spirits reanimating his body with him. They break open the tomb, and defeat Galbatorix.

Dex

Hey i have a question , perhaps you guys could help me. Since angela found a spell that, clearly cleverly worded, managed to block elva seeing into her personal desiers. Surely the way that elva see’s so well into people’s minds is by some form of mind-contact similar to that of a rider and a dragon’s, becuase without such a mind-contact it would be impossible to see someones greatest fears or ambitions. So my question is surley by casting that spell with a few minor alterations; could one not cast a spell that blocked ones mind completely from those seeking to invade it? therefor making it so that a wizards duel would not be a contest of who could concentrate on thier barriers and still attack the others mind without letting their concentration slip, but insted change it so that one had to deplete the others energy supply first before the afforementioned battle, thus if you managed to remove all of your opponents stregth first all you would have to do was attack and not defend, as the spell would protect you. Also would there be no way “round” your opponents barriers as suggested by brom, provided the spell was well worded? And lastly do you think eragon could use this to buy him enough time to find a way round Galbatorix’s barriers whilst not having to deffend? Please help thanks

Denmark111

I don’t see why Elva couldn’t be seeing their pain in another way. And it is not completely blocked of, Elva can control it.

Willgall_19

he kind of answered that… if you block your mind from incomming attacks you can use your mind to see out…

Sirdracoblight

I was just listening to Brisngr when eragon goes to the Menoah tree. She offers her help if eragon will give her what she wants. When eragon experiences the sharp pain in his stomache I think the menoah tree might have taken what she needs from him to have a child. He would not have known it and she seemed very interested that he was not like any other being. I think this will come into play in the fourth book and be of great importance. What do you guys think of this theory?

Willgall_19

everytime ive read that page ive sat staring at it for about and hour trying to figure out what she took and for the life of me i cant even come close to putting together a theory that i would consider viable or remotely close to right… the only think im sure of is its gonna be part of the snowball of his fate in book four. if its something really important or just a small part of a bigger thing im pretty sure itll be in there… and i dont think she took anything i think she did something to him… she said will you give me what i want in return but that doesnt mean she had to take somthing
donatello

Paolini uses a lot of eastern philosophy when writing the elves, and in most cultures the chi, ki, whatever you want to call it, the center of your energy is located around your lower stomach. If she was taking something to make a child… it probably would have hurt much lower, unless the facial features weren’t the only major physical changes the dragons made for Eragon.

Johnboy

It might be that during the war against the forsworn, some dragons in the interest of self preservation decided to hide; in doing so they wove one of their inexplicable pieces of magic which effectively- but hopefully in more detail- turned them into mountains (spine) and trapped them there. Eragon then finds out -somehow- and inspires then subconciously to use magic (like he did with saphira at tronjheim) and free themselves/or somehow release their HOH.

Douglastl1

That seems like a really interesting theory – I think it’s pretty plausible. And it kind of reminds me of the great Tree in Du Weldenvarden (I can’t remember its name right now). If a tree can be alive and “sleeping”, in a manner of speaking, why can’t dragons?
PotatoSquasher

ooh ooh ooh.. and then, Eragon would have more HOHs to fight against Galby O_O
I LIKE that idea
aaa

how would they eat??

Denmark111

If they were like like mountains, they wouldn’t need to. Interesting theori, but not to likely. Galby would notice mountains appearing out of nowhere all of a sudden.

Eldunari

Or ! expanding on your theory. They make themselves into mountains. and the Vault of souls is where they put their consciousnesses . Or *souls* therefore when eragon finds it he will awaken the mentioned dragons and wreak havoc on galbotorix and his army

Johnboy

It might be that during the war against the forsworn, some dragons in the interest of self preservation decided to hide; in doing so they wove one of their inexplicable pieces of magic which effectively- but hopefully in more detail- turned them into mountains (spine) and trapped them there. Eragon then finds out -somehow- and inspires then subconciously to use magic (like he did with saphira at tronjheim) and free themselves/or somehow release their HOH.
Krissy

I think the Elf Queen Islanzadi is going to die or something. Christopher said it’s called the Inheritance Cycle because it’s about the younger generation inheriting the roles and responsibilities of their parents. So far all of them have inherited something besides the Arya and the elves. Nasuada – became leader of the Varden. Orik – became Dwarf King. Eragon – to kill Galbatorix. Something has happened to the Humans and Dwarves but not the Elves. I’m guessing that it’s their turn next.

Lcollins7

Totally agree. And a character death was mentioned in previous interviews. Of course, just as we actually begin to like this Queen of the Elves, she dies. Isn’t that how the greatest book series of our generation work? Give us good characters, keep them for a few books, then kill them mercilessly? Still mourning Sirius Black and Brom, BTW.

PotatoSquasher

hahaha
http://twitter.com/SimplyStauffer Destinee Stauffer

yes, i agree… every time i read the order of the pheonix or eragon im like ‘NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!’

Fanofsaphira

i agree………. thats a good q.
Evanhopf

Krissy, I don’t often call people genii, but I believe you would fit into that category. Excellent theory!!
Tnhays2014

but what if she is inheriting the position of the next elf dragon rider

Krissy

I still think that the Elf Queen will die. The Dwarf King died, the Varden leader died.. it seems like a pattern. And even if Arya becomes the next Rider, she’s not inheriting that from her parents. There has to be something that she inherits from her mother.

D007ization

Sadly I think its possible that a lot of characters will die in book 4( my guess: a LOT of the Varden, Birgit will try to kill Katrinas baby( not sure if shell succeed), Islanzadi, Murthag and Thorn)

Sophie

yeah i think ur right. it happens in lots of stories like this too. the old rulers get killed off. i wonder how tho i mean islanzadi must be really powerful

Mr. Anonymous

There are about six no comment kinda questions on this interview that are very interesting and I want to know: all about the unamed”shadow”, dragons large as mountains, Galbatorix and Murtagh’s lives linked, eldunari/brom resurrection, where the Lethrblaka are from, and especially if Eragon moving to Vroengard means leaving Alagaesia. I cannot wait any longer, though I must, for all my questions to be answered in Book 4!! BTW, this was a long interview!
Musicman2107

alright i’m calling it. it’s going to be this time next year before we ever see book 4 or early 2012

Jshanik

I feel it will be out mid to late next year. With Brisinger the name came out in Jan/Feb and the release process began soon after,

Tomsmith104

The thing is though. In one of the previous parts of the interview christopher mentioned something about special cases being faster. Fingers crossed this is a special case and could be released as early as March if the title is released in January.

Anonymous

every three years a book is published. I’m thinking late summer/fall of 2011. That about when the last one came out in 2008.
Denmark111

All sounds quite likely

Lava

OMG how long do i have to wait on book 4?
# Just saying

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_THAP4OS6ZNRYODN45QCTYB5P5M Steven Johnson

i know its killing me:D
Denmark111

My guess is: a bit less than a year.

http://www.youtube.com/swordebrithil12 Waleed Sajjad Khan

Nice. Book 4, I await you….
Messages_inside_bottles

In reference to the basing characters off real people question…does that mean Eragon is an author-insert?
XxxX

what’s interview four over?
I know…I know…
we do have a freaking beastly long interview to trawl through but that just makes me want more….and more…..!!!!!!!
Amethyst Rose

Oh man! Saphira getting drunk in Eldest was my favorite part too! (Eragon finding out that Brom’s his father and the wedding of Roran and Katrina were ultimate faves in Brisingr.) And all of these (‘specially the no comments) make me want the book even more! Thanks for putting this together for us all!!!
Arya Svit-Kona

Wowzas…… thank you for putting this up! *goes off to dream up what some of the answers could mean*
Motoxhockey3

I wonder if the vault of souls is the first Eragon’s conscience transferred into the vault

Anonymous

that would be insane! though it does seem from what CP says that the original Eragon plays some part in the novel.
Aniquilador de Espectros

Good One! I Like It

Alagaesia123

Has anyone asked wether Vraels dragon was like the crowning jewel of Galbys treasury and he kept it with him at all times. Just a theory

Denmark111

Finally someone who comes up with a different theory, which still is somewhat likely.

Vanir is the Best!

That a boy Mike!
Vanir is the Best!

That a boy Mike!

http://www.twitter.com/mikemacauley Mike Macauley

Cool thing is that I didn’t even post this. I woke up this morning, checked Shur’tugal, and was all “what the heck?! why is this up?!”. Then I remembered that I wrote parts 1, 2, 3, and 4 already and have them all scheduled to post at select times on the days I want them to release. Confused me for a bit but I love the new feature!

Vanir is the Best!

Thats awesome!!! And keep up the good work!!! I absolutely love reading the interviews, and am hoping for another one soon!!!
Kat

when is the fourth part scheduled to go up? so I can check back here around that time.

Griffin Utz

“It’s said that dragons could be huge and mistaken for mountains. Does this mean that there are still more dragons left in Alagaesia that are overlooked because their size imitates nature?
No comment.”

Spine=dragon?

Tennaia

hey! that’s my pet theory! lol

thanks for the interview, mike. It was great!
Son1ofsnoh8r

Do you know what i have been thinking about that and could be possible

aaa

what?

Phinios

Maybe a small hill or mountain would be possible, but I don’t think the entire thing would work…

http://www.youtube.com/swordebrithil12 Waleed Sajjad Khan

Maybe a bunch of dragons making up the so-called Spine mountains.

http://www.twitter.com/mikemacauley Mike Macauley

I’ve been a fan of Spine=dragon since 2003. It’s a theory I’ve ran with for a while and I’m loving the new attention to it!

Anonymous

well, something had to kill all of galby’s men… The first time I heard that I was like, yup, there are dragons there.

D007ization

I doubt it, the men were just some inexperienced city-losers who didnt know how to survive in the wild.

Austin Gridley

Mike I got a question for you or Chris… I want to know what is the slaughter at Doru Areaba… found in Eragon page 96… I take it something bad happened.. but I would like that to be expalined…

Austin Gridley

I also read that it was on the island of vanguard or something… and that the riders had like there capital there or something…(to laizy to get the book out lol)

Willgall_19

its a decent theory i think but i think that a dragon as large as the spine would completely ruin the story there would be no fight left… the vault of souls are souls not eldunari the story has already addressed the eldunari and their role in the story so i doubt theres a mass of them lying somewhere either… i dont think eragon will ever come close to the power that galby has i mean chris has put him so high up there for a reason he held oromis, gleadr, murtagh, and thorn up so high in the air that they could barely breath and from who knows how great of a distance he was away… i think it would be way better if the story came down to a david and goliath story or brains over brawn, rather than eragon searching for and finding a way to overpower galbatorix… i have too many theories on how but i believe that galby and eragon wont be fighting at all with magic past a certain point and it will be like the big hairy oxhide armor wearing weapons master for the varden said this war will be decided by steel on steel… as for the name of the final book im thinking its gonna be inheritance but thats a wild guess… and as for the leaving at the end of the book i think the elves are going to leave with either wild dragons that have come out of hiding or saphira and the last male dragon whoever that may be greeny or not and eragon will be leaving with them so that humans inherit alagaesia and will no longer be governed or ruled by an immortal race or being…

DarthGrievous

The name probably won’t be Inheritance. Judging from what I know of Paolini, he really likes to keep creativity flowing and coming up with new things.

Chase

Could it be the true name of Inheritance?
Shurty

or maybe the “name” that galby almost has?

shurty

im not sure about the vault of souls being eldunari, yes or no, but i do think that it will be a brain over brawn thing. remember that brom told ergaon once to find loopholes cuz that was how he had defeated some of the forsworn or something like that. its about using galby against himself…
http://twitter.com/SimplyStauffer Destinee Stauffer

for the name, i saw alot of lean on eldunari… its possible, unless cp rejected that and i just didnt read that. think… its the inheritance cycle… he wont name a book inheritance. in book 1 he ‘inherited’ the name ‘ERAGON’, and the responsibilities of a rider, in book 2 the ‘ELDEST’ son took his rightful inheritance; the sword of morzan, in book 3 eragon inherited a riders sword, BRISINGR…(yes, i am aware that the sword was made, there are holes with this theory, as with any other, just a thought) …Im thinking that book 4 may be called ELDUNARI, as eragon will most likely ‘inherit’ them somehow, though i see brom showing up as a part of the story, so it may very well be something altogether different. i have also considered EMPIRE, not necesarily talking about eragon inheriting it, but im thinking that when/if galby is ovethrown, they will follow bloodlines from king pancalar (sorry for spelling) and make someone king(perchance, roran?)… it could also be the true name for magic, although my doubts that that is revealed are low, because no truenames for anything have been written out in the books. also, have we considered that the seven words brom whispers MIGHT be the true name of something, not just some kind of spell or password?? who knows? NOT US… COME ON WITH RELEASING THE BOOK ALREADY!! … i cant get into another seires out of want for knowledge of what happens next, i keep re-reading the inheritance books!

Xeric

re Destinee Stauffer 1 month ago, “…COME ON WITH RELEASING THE BOOK ALREADY!! … i cant get into another seires out of want for knowledge of what happens next, i keep re-reading the inheritance books! ”

Me Too, Destinee, and it’s getting BORING!!!

Keep The Faaith
Xeric

http://www.youtube.com/swordebrithil12 Waleed Sajjad Khan

Whether the Spine is a dragon or not, I think there is definitely a dragon hiding in there. Probably wild. John Jude Palencar is a really good artist, I love his dragon paintings! That one of the Green Dragon is really making me curious!

Kat

I agree. Why do you think when Galbatorix sent his army there half of it disappeared?

Peter-97

maybe its a wild female dragon and galby wants his and that dragon to mate

Hanna

wait a minute did you say “Jude PALENCAR old cuot. don’t you get it? King PALENCAR as in Palencar valley.

Mr. Anonymous

A great theory to say the least… except someone might notice when it starts snoring or is out for a hunt!

Emera

One could mistake snoring for thunder, and hunting likely isn’t much of an issue as unsuspecting critters probably mistake his mouth for a cave and critters probably fly into it’s mouth. Plus if it’s laying absolutely still it wouldn’t be using much energy.

Denmark111

Evne though it isen’t using much energi, would it still not be enough for a dragon that huge to eat a few critters.

zachamavisca

Maybe The Spine isn’t A dragon but WAS a dragon? And his gigantic Eldunari is in the Vault of Souls!:)

Ben

Small problem with that is that Vault of Souls is plural so one would expect more than one Eldunari to be inside of it but otherwise i REALLy like the thoery

zachamavisca

One *of* the Eldunari. Sorry!

Austin Gridley

Something killed half of Galbatorxs soldiers in the Spine…. maybe that therory could work…

Denmark111

Why would it only be half of the army then?

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_THAP4OS6ZNRYODN45QCTYB5P5M Steven Johnson

the rest could be left alive as a warning for GAlbatorix
Cgstockwell

maybe it only bothered to take one bite… :]
zachamavisca

CHOMP!!!

Austin Gridley

I don’t think that the spine is a dragon (I just read eragon and the land scape doesn’t look like it..) but I do think that maybe the fault of souls… or 1 or more dragons are in the spine… either way something is very special about the spine….

Austin Gridley

Hey guys how do you like this idea that I just came up with (no one has ever mentioned this idea before… as far as I know) (Mike this would be a good question for Christopher….) What happened to Morzans and the forswans elurndai… I mean didn’t gablatorax give them any of them, and didn’t any of the varden or brom get them? I mean did Brom have some Elurdai or something? Why do the Razaac fear him? How did he defeat Morzan? (Morzan has a dragon… isn’t really getting older… and possibly had some elurdai…) I mean brom has a hard time casting the easiest spells…. and his swords man ship is worse than eragons…. my other idea why Brom was so strong was his ability to break into peoples mind…. anyways I would like to know why didn’t morzan and the forswan have elurndai when they died…. and if they did why didn’t brom or the varden get a single one of them?
http://twitter.com/SimplyStauffer Destinee Stauffer

interesting, but dont be dissin brom’s swordsmanship; it says very clearly that brom is a great swordsman, and that eragon is simply a fantastic swordsman. i haave no doubt that brom could kick the average ninja’s butt.
Yourmom

I love brom as a character…. and he is my fav part of eragon… but when he almost died from an urgal… and he let the razac kill Eragon’s uncle I was like wth… he almost makes more mistakes then eragon… and that is saying something
Robert Sube

Well Brom is eragons father thus they would act and do much alike mistakes included and maybe brom realized that he couldn’t kill the razac and save eragons life at the same time.
Yourmom

I’m not talking about when he died I’m talking about at the farm and at the city when Brom got defeated pretty easily by the razac and an urgal?
Yourmom

I’m not talking about when he died I’m talking about at the farm and at the city when Brom got defeated pretty easily by the razac and an urgal?

Someperson

If a dragon killed half of Galby’s army, wouldn’t the other half see the dragon?

Zachary Champness

Maybe they were just wondering why the half of their army was just destroyed
Higgi1017

Maybe only half the army was in the Spine… The other half might have been somewhere else. Like, the dragon killed all the soldiers that were there, but I don’t think Galby would ever be dumb enough to send his entire army out at once. Not even to the burning plains

jumpergirl93

How? Countless people, Oromis, Galbatorix, and Islanzadi included, have searched the entire continent with their minds. They would have found something that big.

zachamavisca

Sorry if there was misunderstandings, I meant one *of* the Eldunari in the Vault of Souls. And if there are many eldunari in the Vault of Souls, wouldn’t Oromis, Galbatorix, and Islanzadi have detected that many Eldunari in one place? Maybe it is protected by spells.

jumpergirl93

Ah, I see. Sorry, my mistake. I didn’t see the “in.”
Peter-97

only if they were looking for them
Maping

Like the Ra’zac in Brisingr. Eragon couldn’t sense them in Helgrind. Maybe in something about the geography.

Cody990

Tecnically if the dragon put it’s conscious in the eldunari but didn’t disgorge it, I don’t think a magician could sense it. Eragon could not sense Glaedrs before he disgorged it.
Porcupined

Unless the Vault of Souls is protected by a spell like the one protecting Du Weldenvarden

jumpergirl93

How? Countless people, Oromis, Galbatorix, and Islanzadi included, have searched the entire continent with their minds. They would have found something that big.
Anonymous

one problem…..vault of soulS plural, as in multiple, not just one gigantic dragon

Emera

He never said it was the only Eldunari in the vault of souls.

randomguy

He also never said there were any Eldunari in the Vault of Souls at all

Dennis

Interesting…Galbys troops that vanished in the spine could be energy that the spine has absorbed throughout the years…Hence the term souls, people enter and dont return, yet eragon goes hunting there all the time when he was a kid…maybe it can tell the difference between good people and bad

Thecarpetiswet

1 problem the soldiers arent bad, they are forced to do wat they do, its “Galby” who is bad

Austin Gridley

They may not be bad but they did bad things… look at it this way… your a dragon… all of your friends… family… your race have been killed…. by Galby… Morzan… Forswan… and Galbatorxs troops… now if you can get a tiny bit of revenge… (your mad with rage…. would you do it?) sorry just an idea….

Aimee

lol maybe all of alagaesia is one giant dragon n the spine is literally the dragons spine haha

:D

great theory! the top of the mountains could actually be the scales!
Dsajohnstone

if the entire spine is a dragon, how did it kill the army? it would have been on its back? did the entire mountain range just roll over onto its back? o.O and also it has trees etc, its not possible for it to be a LIVING dragon at any rate, a dragon boneyard gone mossy perhaps.

Potatosquasher

Maybe one or more of the mountains in the spine is a sleeping dragon or the such?
aaa

and also how would it eat

aaa

and before the spine was there dont you think anyone would notice a dragon just lying there

Speedskait7

maybe not. in Eragon, Brom said that the ancient dragons could be mistaken for large hills. if ancient is taken to be 700+ yearsold, then this dragon would have to be 2 million years old at least (hey maybe he’s the reason dinosaurs went extinct). thats long enugh for people to forget about him
Laxplayer

yea they can be mistaken for his, wouldnt it be weird if you say it was green or blue or whatever?
Laxplayer

sorry thats aaa just different names

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_THAP4OS6ZNRYODN45QCTYB5P5M Steven Johnson

anything is possible with dragons. they probably used magic to form a cover of trees as a disguise.and what if some of the ancient riders survived and have been in hiding waiting for eragon to arrive
Cgstockwell

how much dirt do you think you would acumulate if you stood still for thousands of years? and i really dont think that at that age with all that absorbed energy it would need to eat that much…really how magical would this thing be? how can we know with something so huge?

aaa

well im not positive but didnt someone ask that if eragon will meet other dragons? and he said on galby

MaggiMc

That question was specific to dragon riders I believe, wild dragons wouldn’t have been included in the answer.

Laxplayer

oh ok thanks

Theedge38

or spine=Dragon tail
Austin Gridley

Whether this theory is right or wrong… something in the spine killed half of Galby’s soldiers… and people have always not liked it… also the Urgals have a few villages in there… but I support this theory hopefully this will be explained in the new book

Denmark111

Or it is just mountains, and nothing will be said about it. I would say that is most likely.

Willgall_19

and im pretty sure that it said dragons could be mistaken for small hills not mountains… i could be wrong but thats the impression i got from it… and a dragon the size of a mountain would take enough energy to kill a thousand men just to move a leg or lift its head and would completely unbalance the story… let alone could set fire to half of alagaesia with a single flyover
Willgall_19

and im pretty sure that it said dragons could be mistaken for small hills not mountains… i could be wrong but thats the impression i got from it… and a dragon the size of a mountain would take enough energy to kill a thousand men just to move a leg or lift its head and would completely unbalance the story… let alone could set fire to half of alagaesia with a single flyover
OneGreatGuy7

Actually the book said that dragons could be mistaken for large hills, not mountains
Thecarpetiswet

maybe tht would explain how those troops disappeared.
Willgall_19

it said dragons were big and could be mistaken for hills not mountains…
Willgall_19

no in the books its said that dragons could be mistaken for hills this whole thing is so far out there… its depressing how many people have embraced this whole idea
dmcupp

No offense intended but, im pretty sure that the whole Spine=dragon thing, is probably the dumbest thing ive ever heard. if a dragon were that big and that old, it would be powerful enough to take out Galbatorix on its own which would defeat the whole purpose. Also, theres no way it would get enough food to supply it. it would eat all of Alegasia within a decade. im not saying that theres not dragons out there but, i highly doubt that the spine is only one dragon. feel free to argue any points but, i just dont see how that theory is so popular.
Ccrunner595

If you have watched the Star Wars series and read the Lord of the Rings, then you know what will happen. Almost everything is based off of characters and events in those works. For example: Brom = Obi-Wan, Galbatorix = Palpatine, Arya = Leia, Urgals = Orcs, Yoda = Oromis, Kull = Uru-Kai, Magic = the Force, Murtagh = Darth Vader, Ra’zac = Sand People. Do the reaserch on your own. The list is endless. My theory is that Murtagh will be convinced to turn back to the “Good Side” by changing his true name and then together he and Eragon (Luke) will take Galbatorix hostage. However, Murtagh will have already been fatally injured and they will bond again shortly before he dies. Afterwards, everyone will leave Galbatorix alone in Alagaesia while the rest of the world (or what’s left of it) goes to find a new place to live (as in the end of Return of the King).

Lishi

Good interview, very interesting questions.
firemonkey

Awesome interview Mike. My theory about the fifth book is that it is going to be about Roran and Katrina’s child. Think about it. I really doubt the fifth book will be about Eragon since CP is probably sick of writing about Eragon.
Also, did anyone find it interesting that CP listed the characters who would be inheriting the roles of their parents and Arya was on the list. I am assuming that she may become queen in this upcoming book.

Douglastl1

I agree…that makes perfect sense and fits really well with the theme. Although, it would kind of also be hammer that hits the final nail into the coffin of the Eragon/Arya romance.
Also…how would you explain Eragon’s vision of two people leaving Alagaesia hand in hand? It’s pretty safe to assume Eragon is one of them, but who is the other if Arya is the queen of the elves? Maybe a new love interest will be introduced?
Another idea too – if Arya becomes queen, there’s no way she can be the green Dragon Rider. CP has made it pretty obvious that Dragon Riders can’t be rulers, as Galby has obviously proven. Arya as the queen of the elves rules out a lot of the most prevalent theories…

PotatoSquasher

NO!!! ERAGON HAS TO BE WITH ARYA!! NO OTHER LOVE INTERESTS!!! I will be soo mad (not mad enough to stop reading) if Eragon finds another girl; it kind of makes him not seem dedicated.

Peter-97

what if roran becomes a rider and instead of a starsteel sword he gets a bad ass hamer like a smaller version of the hammerthyst in fable 2
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_THAP4OS6ZNRYODN45QCTYB5P5M Steven Johnson

But Arya scorns him at every turn so maybe he finally accepts he doesnt have a chance

Alexa

i would love if eragon finds someone else, i don’t think that arya would ever acccept eragon’s feellings (especially if she bacame the queen of the elves). i want someone new!!!!
MaggiMc

I don’t think that is necessarily true. Canon just says that for the humans, the next ruler would be better suited to have a similar life span and similar powers. Riders are too easily able to control humans. I think with the elves the hierarchy would be better balanced and they also have different feelings of respect for dragons and riders whilst the current generation of humans mostly fears and distrusts them.

Sharal

Perpaps Arya’s inheritance is something else, even though I can’t quite think of something right now. The elves monarchy is a little different as you might remember, the throne is not neccesarily inherited. Well, this is far fetched as we know little about Evandar, but her inheritance might as well come from him in some way, perhaps he had the Yawe tatoo as well for reason we do not know, and she has already fulfilled her inheritance?

firemonkey

Well, Evander was the king of the Elves, so Arya has to get the throne. In response to Douglastl1, Arya can still be queen and leave Alagaesia with Eragon. Maybe after this war, there will only be like 100 elves alive. So all the elves would be sick of living in Alagaesia and may decide to return to their homeland to finally have some piece, and Arya could rule at their homeland. Also, having Islanzadi die would be perfect for their relationship as Arya would go to Eragon to find support and comfort.

Denmark111

It would just be so sad if CP should copy Tolkien at that point.

aaa

oh oh what about her father was a rider and died and she inherites a green dragon! my idea!!
Brownb

Remember Roran was on the list.

MidnightFox

well, doesn’t it seem likely that roran is a descendant from the mad king palencar. It was mentioned at some point that his descendants are littered throughout the valley? then Roran’s inheritance would in a sense be the throne?

PotatoSquasher

I think, since I believe Arya is going to become the next dragon rider, that that is why she is listed as one of the inheritors.

Laxplayer

maybe she inherants a green dragon and her father was a rider, you never know

Zharn

“If Murtagh were to swear an oath in the Ancient Language not to kill Eragon, but then was imprisoned by Galbatorix and was told to (Considering he knows Murtagh’s true name) which would prevail? Would he be torn apart in the process from the magic?

I believe smoke would come out of his ears and, after a few seconds, his head would explode.”

This made my day. And it’s such a good question. I think Christopher may have been just a tad sarcastic with this answer, but I’m guessing the person in this situation would just keel over if such a contradication was posed. Perhaps by unknown magical means, like the Ancient Language itself would kill him.

jumpergirl93

Yeah, I just about died laughing at this! It made my day too (=

Marty

You guys have shitty days.

PotatoSquasher

YOU, my friend, just made my day
donatello

Awesome.
Willgall_19

hahahaha i love it
discis

Watch the language please!

Blakewoodring

I like how Vanir is younger than Arya and yet he is way more immature than her. Although experience has to do with maturity I just think its hilarious.

Anonymous

older*

Anonymous

Ha sorry I forgot to login to the disquis thing and boom couldn’t edit it. What I meant was Older, as you so kindly put it.

Jeremy

Last answer means that Arya has a chance to be next Dragon Rider because if you all remember in Eldest, Eragon knew that Vanir was quite young when he was sparing with him and had a back attack. I believe that Vanir was one of the elves to touch Saphira’s egg to see if he would become the next Rider.

Shalomwolf_22

That would explain why Vanir was so cruel and rude to Eragon.

sirsimon

Awesome interview, makes me want book four even more
YouKnowMe

Thank you Mike.

http://www.twitter.com/mikemacauley Mike Macauley

You’re welcome!

jjacobs5

YAY SO EXCITING!!!! I think that in Book 4, it will be revealed after Eragon has defeated and disarmed Galby, that he has set a spell that will kill Murtagh if Galby is killed. Galby will try to use this against Eragon, but it won’t work as Murtagh will have changed his true name, setting the spell as useless.

jumpergirl93

Hm… I’m thinking maybe Eragon won’t know about it and he’ll kill Galbatorix and freak out when Murtagh dies too.

Mr. Anonymous

Yes, this is more likely.
jjacobs5

How is that more likely? That would be a ridiculously unnecessary plot-twist after the main goal is achieved (overthrowing Galby).

jumpergirl93

Well it’s not necessarily, I just happen to like that better (= I think it would be more exciting. As much as I love him, Murtagh deserves to die )= And also CP’s answer to this: “I know that he’s Galbatorix’s slave, but he really is a good person. Considering what Galbatorix has done to him/forced him to do, would he join the Varden now if he was freed? I’m not asking if he does, only if he would.

If Murtagh were freed now, I think he would just want some time alone with Thorn to make peace with everything that’s happened to the two of them.” makes me think even more that he would die. I mean, if he lived and was free then CP just completely gave it away for us when he’s never let even a clue slip accidentally.

me

what makes you think it was accidental
jumpergirl93

Because he won’t even give us the slightest hint about book 4. I think the biggest hint we’ve gotten is the beware of red-eyed rabbits or whatever it was.

Peter-97

and in shame of killing his brother leaves

D007ization

Murthag will definitely die. I dont know this for sure but after you think about everything he has done( killing Hrothgar and Oromis and so on…) its the only way for him to find peace.
What I know for sure is that Thorn will die since in Eragons premonition in the first book( the one where some people board a small ship, the other man cries out and drops to his knees) there only 2 dragons in the sky and its about 99% that its Saphira and the dragon from the 3rd egg, I am guessing Thorn can only have 1 reason for not being with the only survivors of his race…

Jamesers

unless there are other dragon survivors, A.K.A. the wild ones.
aaa

unless mutagh and eragon are gay

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_THAP4OS6ZNRYODN45QCTYB5P5M Steven Johnson

NO WAY ERAGON AND MURTAGH ARE DEFINITELY NOT GAY

aaa

haha im kidding calm down, i think it will be arya has the green dragon, because maybe her dad was a dragon rider with a green dragon, you never know

Waffle

Wow! Awesome interview. Thanks for putting this up, Mike. I’m sure lots of fun and new theories are going to come out of this. xD

LATEST HEADLINES

Random Buzzers Q&A with Christopher Paolini – Part 3

General Inheritance Cycle Questions

Inheritance Forums – Book IV Theories