Eragon is a very interesting fantasy, the more so because it is the first book in a series that hasn't yet been completed. I've read both the first and second books, and the second (Eldest) is definitely better than the first. That said, reading the first book is absolutely essential to understanding the second. Both books form one continues narrative, so the rest of my comments will address them as a whole.

The books focus on the development of the individual characters and paint sweeping brush strokes to canvas the fantasy world of Alagasia. The action is sprinkled lightly across the text to add spice to the drama, but neither book depends on the action. Paolini has created separate languages for the different races and cultures, including the "master" language of the magic users. I'm not a philologist, so I won't attempt any linguistic criticisms.

Compared to other fantasy works, The Inheritance Trilogy isn't as good as Tolkien's Lord of the Rings Epic, but it definitely surpasses Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia. If you want to read an entertaining fantasy, Eragon is a pretty good one.

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