Inheritance is the last book in the Inheritance Series by Christopher Paolini. Originally due to be a trilogy, one only needs to look at the size of Inheritance to know the amount still left to happen was never going to fit into three books.
And nor did it need to, for this one is just as action packed, intense and gripping as the first three. With Oromis gone and Glaedr retreated into himself to grieve, Eragon and Saphira have a harder job than ever taking up the mantle of being a Rider. Battles must be fought and victories won if they have any chance of getting even close to Galbatorix in order to end his reign.
But it doesn’t seem to matter how many victories they win. With Murtagh and Thorn harassing every step they take, it seems as if victory is futile. When events twist and force Eragon into a position of leadership he never anticipated, it seems that all hope is lost. What chance do they have when the king has had centuries to hone his power and knows precisely how to destroy his enemies?
While Nasuada learns first hand just how powerful Galbatorix is, Roran finds himself more involved with the fighting than he ever thought he would be. But Eragon must leave on a quest of his own. One of self-disocvery, Rider and Dragon must travel to lands forgotten and uncover secrets long buried in order to have any chance. When it comes to the final fight, however, Eragon knows that he is not alone as battles are fought that will change the fate of Alagesia forever.
This book is hard to review due to the amount of surprises that are in store and making sure nothing is hinted towards what might happen. I certainly didn’t anticipate a lot of the events that happened and it has been a long time since I was engrossed so much in a book the way Inheritance gripped me. The journeys the characters have gone on since the beginning are more obvious in this book than the others, for they must face their worst nightmares and fight with everything they can in order to have even a hope of a surviving.
The lands, rules and creatures that Paolini has created during the series of books is phenomenal. Each book takes things to the next level and the same is true here. Eragon realises himself that he is hardly the same person that set out for revenge in book one. It’s refreshing to have a story that identifies and acknowledges a person’s journey and makes that a crucial part in order for their destiny to continue.
Full of love, hope, loss and despair, Inheritance is a rollercoaster from beginning to end. Nothing is
predictable and no one can be quite sure who they can trust. Bringing a close to Eragon and Saphira’s journey, the book had a satisfying end to the series. It truly feels as if one era has ended and the next is about to begin.
A Rambling Reviewer 