Book, Eldest
From The Inheritance Encyclopedia
Eldest is the second book in the Inheritance Cycle, written by Christopher Paolini. It is the sequel to Eragon. Eldest was first published in hardcover on August 23, 2005, and was released in paperback on March 13, 2007. Eldest has also been released in audiobook and ebook formats. Like Eragon, Eldest became a New York Times bestseller.
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Contents |
Overview
The book begins with Ajihad's death and beautiful funeral, the disappearance of Murtagh and the Twins (they are captured by Urgals, and assumed dead), and the election of a new leader of the Varden - Nasuada, to whom Eragon swears fealty after some internal politics among the Varden's Council of Elders. Saphira says she can fix the Star Rose at a later date, heartening the dwarves.
Meanwhile, in Carvahall, Roran is being pursued by Galbatorix, who has sent the Ra'zac and a unit of Imperial soldiers to capture him and thus lure Eragon out. After repelling many attacks, they manage to drive the army away, but Katrina, Roran's fiancée, is captured. They decide to leave Carvahall and travel to Surda. Roran earns the name "Stronghammer" because he defended Carvahall bravely with a hammer given to him by Horst.
By that time, Eragon has decided to go to Du Weldenvarden to further pursue his training. Before that, Hrothgar invites him to join his clan, which Eragon accepts. On the way to Du Weldenvarden, they go to the dwarf city containing Celbedeil, a temple. Eragon finds his choice to join Hrothgar's clan made him an enemy of a dwarf clan The Tears of Anhuin, descendants of guards of a person whose clan was killed in the war against Galbatorix. Eragon learns of the Dwarf religion and their gods.
After many adventures on the way, Eragon comes to his destination and meets IslanzadÃ, the Elven queen. It is revealed that Arya is IslanzadÃ's daughter. Eragon is introduced to another Dragon Rider, Oromis; the Mourning Sage or Osthato Chetowa: The Cripple Who Is Whole, Togira Ikonoka; who shielded Eragon in the first book. Eragon and Saphira begin their training with Oromis and his dragon Glaedr. Eragon learns how to read and fluently speak The Ancient Language, as well to use various spells and magic skills. While Eragon's feelings for Arya increase, he continues to train under Oromis's wing and suffers repeated bouts of pain from the scar on his back Durza gave him. Nevertheless, he and Saphira grow steadily more powerful, but he is held back imensely by the pain from his scar. On a traditional Elvish celebration day of the pact with the dragons, called the Blood-oath Celebration, or Agaetà Blödhren in the ancient language, Eragon is healed of his wound and, as an unprecedented gift from the dragons, gains elvish qualities that enhance his strength and agility.
Meanwhile, Nasuada learns the blessing Eragon bestowed on the child in the first book was worded wrongly due to his lack of basic knowledge of the Ancient Language at the time, becoming a curse of sorts. Eragon too is horrified when he hears of this, and promises to try and nullify it. In the meantime the girl, Elva, serves as a sort of bodyguard to Nasuadua against Galbatorix's assassins, the Black Hand, who are discovered in the Varden. Nasuada has made a momentous decision and moved the Varden to Surda, and the threat of war with Galbatorix seems imminent. Upon hearing of this, Eragon immediately leaves for battle in Surda, but not before receiving gifts from Oromis and Islanzadi. During Eragon's very long stay in Ellesmera and travel to Surda, Roran travels and meets Jeod Longshanks in Teirm.
Jeod, as a member of the Varden, helps Roran lead his group of Carvahall villagers to Surda and tells Roran and the villagers about Eragon and Brom, knowing this because Brom was his best friend. Eragon arrives to find the situation poised on the edge of battle. The armies of the Varden, together with the army of Surda, camp on a plain opposite the vast armies of Galbatorix. Before the battle, four Kull offer to act as a bodyguard to Eragon during the fight. Angela the herbalist poisons the enemy's drinks and bread, killing many soldiers, and causing the officers to hallucinate. Meanwhile, Roran, Jeod, the people of Carvahall and Uthar, the head sailor, take command of the new empire ship, the Dragon Wing, leading it to Surda. They manage crossing a big whirlpool called The Eye of the Boar and arrive in time in Surda. The battle begins, and Eragon is able to repel the opposing armies for some time with his new forces, but the tide soon turns. During the fighting, Roran arrives at Surda, and his group of villagers join themselves to the forces of the Varden. Then, with the appearance of the dwarves from the east, the situation changes again, until the appearance of an unknown Dragon Rider who kills Hrothgar, the dwarf king. Also at the same time Eragon feels two new, powerful, spellcasters arrive on the field of battle and recognizes them for the Evil Twins thought dead. The Twins systematically start killing off the Varden's group of mages and sorcerers who are under Eragon's command. But Eragon faces off with the unknown rider in both aerial and ground fights and ultimately unmasks his opponent, revealing Murtagh. Murtagh tells Eragon that the Twins had betrayed the Varden and taken him to Galbatorix. Galbatorix made Murtagh and Thorn, his red dragon, swear to try to capture Eragon; Galbatorix knows the true names of both Murtagh and his dragon, and thus is able to control them. Murtagh also reveals that Galbatorix is working to save the dragon race by capturing Saphira and having her mate with the third dragon hatchling, still lying dormant in its egg. He and Thorn prove to be more powerful than the battle-weary Eragon and Saphira, while Murtagh displays the great and terrible potency of his magic prowess, using spells that would have killed a normal human. Murtagh decides to have mercy on them, but before leaving them, he reveals that Eragon was the youngest son of Morzan and Selena, and that therefore Murtagh is Eragon's elder brother. Murtagh takes Zar'roc away from Eragon, saying it should rightfully have been his, an inheritance from Morzan. Eragon decides that even though Morzan may be his parent, Garrow was his father and Roran is more of a brother than Murtagh.
In the end, Galbatorix's army is routed, mainly because of the sudden entry of the dwarf troops and Roran's killing of the Twins.
Introduced Characters
- Elva, the cursed child Eragon had "blessed" in the first book. She was present for a short amount of time in the Eragon.
- Oromis, the Dragon Rider who trains Eragon.
- Glaedr, Oromis's dragon who is to train Saphira
- Various elves, including Vanir, Queen Islanzadi, and many others.
- King Orrin, King of Surda, also an eccentric scientist
Places and areas introduced
- Surda, a country that resists the Empire
- Du Welden Varden/Ellesmera, the great forest of the elves.
- The Burning Plains where the climax is held at the end of Eldest
Important parts
- Murtagh is introduced as the latest dragon rider at Galbatorix's side
- Eragon is given the physical capabilities of an elf
- Murtagh kills Hrothgar
- Oromis and Glaedr appear for the first time
- Murtagh tells Eragon that Morzan is his father
- Angela poisons the army of Galbatorix
- Eragon learns that Arya is princess of the elves
Opinions
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- Morzan is not eragon's father, Brom is. Murtagh said it in the Ancient Language because he thought that Morzan was his father. The deffintion of lying is not saying somthing false, it's saying an Intentional false statement. So Murtagh didn't lie in the Ancient language, he said an unintentional false statement. Eragon and Murtagh share mothers, but not fathers. - Joseph Davison
- Galbatorix does not know Murtagh's True name. If he did, why would he have to swear loyalty? Why would he have let Eragon & Saphira go? He wouldn't have! How would Galbatorix get it? etc. - Joseph Davison
- I agree with you totaly, that brom is Eragon's father. Kate
- Because he needed a stronger hold on Murtagh. Even if he doesn't, Murtagh thinks he does, and that means he might be imagining the hold Galbatorix has on him. But he still has a hold on him. But I think he does, because how else would he make Murtagh swear loyalty in the A.L.? Murtagh wouldn't just bow down, call Galby Master, and then swear loyalty. Galbatorix has Murtagh's True name. --Kystra 13:11, 8 February 2007 (EST)
oh my god i finally found a sensible person. i agree with kystra totally. murtagh and thorn are not evil and would not just bow down to galby
Yes, I agree with Kystra. That makes perfect sense to me. --I Believe
