"It is true, you must be capable with your weapon, but anyone with the time and the inclination can acquire technical proficiency. To achieve greatness, though, that requires artistry. That requires imagination and thoughtfulness, and it is those qualities that the best warriors share, even if, on the surface, they appear completely different."
Upon finishing Inheritance, the final book in the magical Inheritance Cycle series, I believe it is safe to say that Christopher Paolini, its author, bears each of those qualities -- artistry, imagination, and thoughtfulness -- when it comes to his skill with the pen.
In the four books that make up this series, Paolini has crafted a tale of epic proportions, the likes of which haven't been seen since Tolkien's day. It's hard to believe that the author was a mere fifteen years of age when he first undertook the endeavor. The craftsmanship is so well-done and beautifully written that one would assume him to be twice or even three times his age when he began.
The Inheritance Cycle tells the story of Eragon, a young boy from Palancar Valley, who stumbles upon a dragon's egg while in the mountain range near his home. Little does he know that this is the beginning of a journey beyond his wildest dreams. Throughout the books, we come alongside him as he learns the full extent of what it means to be a Dragon Rider in a land where dragons are all but extinct -- a result of a bloody massacre instigated by the current king, Galbatorix, and his faithful servants, the Forsworn.
Inheritance, the long-awaited final book dwarves the others in size, but also in skill. Paolini's writing is at its finest and his storytelling weaves a tale that none could have dreamed possible. It is a book well-wrought and worth reading again and again.
I will most definitely be looking forward to any future works by Mr. Paolini. He is a masterful weaver of stories and I will be damned if I miss a single one.
(And for all you Whovians out there, keep an eye out for the little hints dropped about our favorite Time Lord. They're there and they'll make you grin every time.)
Rating: ★★★★☆
"But you did everything you could, and when you could do no more, you made peace with your fate, and you did not rail needlessly against it. That is wisdom, not weakness."
