Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
Setting
When a book starts with a map, you know that the setting is going to be a big deal. A lot of fantasy novels (like The Lord of the Rings and the Game of Thrones series) start off this way. The...
What's Up With the Title?
Eragon is Eragon, but he's also Eragon. Huh? Come again? The title of this book obviously is the name of our story's hero. (Although it's not his secret name—for more on that, see "Themes: Identi...
What's Up With the Ending?
The Battle of Farthen Dûr is a nasty, back and forth slugfest whose conclusion ties up some loose ends for us. Throughout Eragon, we see the long arm of the evil King Galbatorix try to reach out a...
Tough-o-Meter
As an action-packed, plot-driven fantasy novel, Eragon is pretty straightforward and accessible.The most challenging parts of the novel involve the ancient vocabulary that's used by elves, dwarves,...