Eldest, Christopher Paolini. (Hardcover )

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The first events in this book are the attack on Ajihad's life, his death and funeral, the disappearance of Murtagh and The Twins, - two magicians of the Varden ? who are captured by Urgals and assumed dead, and the election of a new leader of the Varden - Nasuada, Ajihad's daughter, to whom Eragon swears fealty following some internal politics a... more »mong the Varden's Council of Elders.

Meanwhile, in Carvahall, Roran is being pursued by Galbatorix, the tyrant king of The Empire, who has sent the Ra'zac and a unit of soldiers to capture him and thus lure Eragon out. After repelling many attacks, the town manages to drive the army away, but Katrina, Roran's fianc?e, is captured by the Ra'zac, due to the betrayal of Sloan. They decide to leave Carvahall and travel to Surda. Roran earns the name "Stronghammer" because he defended Carvahall with a hammer given to him by Horst.

By that time, Eragon has decided to go to Du Weldenvarden to pursue his training. After some adventures on the way, Eragon arrives at his destination and meets Islanzad?, the Elven Queen. It is revealed that Arya is Islanzad?'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. Oromis and Glaedr escaped from Galbatorix, though with injuries: one of Glaedr's forelegs was cut off, and Oromis suffers from an incurable disease, leaving him vulnerable to sudden seizures. However, Galbatorix was as yet unaware that a Dragon Rider had survived the Fall. Eragon learns how to read and fluently speak the Ancient Language, as well to use various magic skills. While Eragon's feelings for Arya increase, he continues to train under Oromis and suffers repeated bouts of pain from the scar on his back that Durza, the Shade gave him. Nevertheless, he and Saphira grow steadily more powerful, but he is held back immensely by the pain from his scar.

Nasuada has made a momentous decision and moved the Varden to Surda. Here, she learns that the blessing Eragon bestowed on the child in Eragon 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 Nasuada against Galbatorix's network of spies and assassins, the Black Hand, who are discovered in Surda.

On a traditional Elvish celebration day of the pact with the dragons, called the Blood-Oath Celebration, or the Agaet? Bl?dhren in the Ancient Language, Eragon is healed of his wound and, as an unprecedented gift from the dragons, gains elvish qualities that greatly enhance his strength and agility.

Because Nasuada moved the Varden, the threat of war with Galbatorix seems imminent. Upon hearing of this, Eragon immediately leaves for the battle in Surda and finds 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. Meanwhile, Roran and his men take command of a ship of the Empire ? with the help of Jeod - the Dragon Wing, and arrive in time in Surda.

The battle begins, and Eragon and Saphira are able to repel the opposing armies for some time with his new training, but the tide soon turns. During the fighting, Roran arrives at Surda, and his group of villagers join the Varden in the battle. Then, with the appearance of the Dwarves from the east, the situation changes again; until an unknown Dragon Rider with his red dragon appear and kill Hrothgar, the Dwarf king. Also at the same time, the magicians of the Varden feel the presence of two new, powerful spell casters arrive on the battle-field and recognize them as the Twins, thought dead. The Twins systematically start killing off the Varden's group of magicians and sorcerers.

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 fealty in the Ancient Language. Galbatorix knows the true names of both Murtagh and his dragon, and thus is able to control them. Thorn finally hatching to Murtagh implies that one of the two remaining dragon eggs in existence has finally hatched, which was eagerly awaited by Galbatorix for a long time. Murtagh also reveals that Galbatorix is working to resurrect the race of the Dragons by capturing Saphira and having her mate with one of the two remaining dragons; Thorn or the other Dragon, which was still lying dormant in its egg, held by Galbatorix. Murtagh says that Saphira holds the key to a new era, because she is the only female dragon left in existence. He and Thorn prove to be more powerful than the battle-weary Eragon and Saphira. Murtagh displays great and terrible strength, using spells that would have killed a normal human. Meanwhile, the Twins are slain by Roran. Finally, Murtagh decides to have mercy on Eragon and Saphira, on account of their old friendship; but before leaving them, he reveals that Eragon was the younger son of Morzan and Selena (the Black hand), and that therefore Murtagh is Eragon's elder brother. Murtagh takes Zar'roc, Eragon's sword, saying it should rightfully have been his, as he is the eldest son of Morzan. After Murtagh and Thorn leave, Eragon decides that even though Morzan may be his biological parent, Garrow was his father and Roran is more of a brother than Murtagh. In the meantime, Galbatorix's army is forced to retreat after the arrival of the Dwarves, the death of the Twins, and the departure of Murtagh and Thorn. In the end, Eragon and Roran reunite and decide that they will seek out Katrina together..

ISBN: 199297
Publication Date: 8/3/2005
Pages: 668
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Publisher: Alfred A Knopf
Book Type: Hardcover
Members Wishing: 1
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