Eldest

Eldest is the second book in American author Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle, the popular young adult fantasy series that consists of Eragon (2003), Eldest (2005), Brisingr (2008), and Inheritance (2011). This installment follows Eragon’s continuing adventures as he and his dragon, Saphira, take on new responsibilities in their fight against the despotic king, Galbatorix. Paolini also wrote a collection of short stories titled The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm (2018), which is set in the same universe. The Inheritance Cycle is also accompanied by a fictional guide for new dragon riders titled Eragon’s Guide to Alagaësia (2009), as well as a spin-off series whose first installment, Murtagh, was published in 2023.

Paolini’s work is heavily influenced by classic works of epic fantasy by authors such as J. R. R. Tolkien. A New York Times bestselling author, Paolini has also earned a place in the Guinness Book of Records as the youngest author of a bestselling book series. The Inheritance Cycle has received multiple awards and nominations, and Eldest in particular won the 2006 Quill Award in Young Adult Literature. The novel uses the protagonist’s adventures and personal growth to explore themes such as The Complexities of Power and Morality, The Importance of Empathy, and The Emotional Impact of Injury and Disability.

This guide refers to the 2005 Kindle edition.

Language Note: Within the context of Paolini’s work, the term “dwarf” refers specifically to fictional beings who, like dragons and witches, are often found in epic fantasy literature. In this context, the term does not refer to a condition or disability, and no derogatory connotations are intended. To avoid confusion, this guide capitalizes words that refer to nonhuman characters, like Dwarves and Elves.

Plot Summary

Eldest alternates between the third-person limited perspectives of Eragon, the series’ protagonist; his cousin Roran, who takes on a more significant role in this book; and Nasuada, the new leader of the Varden rebels. The story takes place in the fictional world of Alagaësia, which is ruled by the tyrannical Galbatorix and inhabited by humans, Dwarves, and Elves.

The story picks up after the battle of Tronjheim at the conclusion of Eragon, in which the rebels known as the Varden defeated Galbatorix’s forces. At the beginning of Eldest, Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, witness an attack by surviving enemy soldiers, who kill the Varden leader, Ajihad. (The enemy soldiers also fake the death of Eragon’s friend Murtagh, secretly taking him prisoner, although this detail will remain hidden until the novel’s climax.) Ajihad’s daughter Nasuada then takes her father’s place at the helm of the Varden, and Eragon swears his allegiance to her.

The young Rider then sets out toward Ellesméra, the Elven capital, with his friends Arya (an Elf) and Orik (a Dwarf) in order to complete his training as a Rider. When they finally reach Ellesméra after a few weeks of travel, Eragon is shocked to learn that Arya is the daughter of the Elf Queen Islanzadí. Although he is in love with Arya, Eragon is aware that their respective positions and responsibilities prevent them from pursuing a relationship. He confesses his love to Arya twice, but each time, she rejects him, straining their friendship.

In Ellesméra, Eragon and Saphira meet Oromis, an old Rider, and his dragon Glaedr, who have survived Galbatorix’s attempt to eradicate all Riders and have remained hidden in order to survive long enough to teach the next generation of Riders. Together, Oromis and Glaedr mentor Eragon and Saphira in every skill that may help them to win the war. Eragon learns how to fight, strategize, and wield magic, and he learns more about the history and customs of the people of Alagaësia. Eventually, Eragon goes through a magical Elven ceremony that turns him into a human-Elf hybrid with heightened physical abilities.

Meanwhile, Nasuada decides to relocate the Varden to Surda, a neighboring country in which the rebels will be out of reach of Galbatorix’s army. There, she faces many challenges as she tries to keep the Varden fed and safe while maintaining her friendship with the Surdan King, Orrin. When they receive word that Galbatorix’s forces are moving toward them, Nasuada leads the Varden army to the Burning Plains to meet them. Meanwhile, in Ellesméra, Eragon is informed of the upcoming battle and decides to return to Nasuada to help the Varden army.

At the same time, back in the village of Carvahall, Eragon’s cousin, Roran, is dealing with the aftermath of losing his father and his farm. When the Ra’zac (two of Galbatorix’s evil servants) come to Carvahall in search of Eragon and Roran, Roran hides in the mountains to evade them. However, the Ra’zac start brutalizing the villagers, who decide to fight back. When some of the people of Carvahall are killed, and Katrina, Roran’s fiancé, is abducted, Roran leads the remaining villagers to safety in Surda, where the Varden are hiding. (He then intends to rescue Katrina from the Ra’zac.) He convinces his friends to leave everything behind, cross the mountains, and reach the closest port city, where they steal a ship. Still pursued by the Ra’zac, Roran and the villagers face many dangers on the road to Surda, but they eventually reach safety.

After hearing about the rebels’ upcoming battle against Galbatorix’s advancing forces, Roran and some of the villagers decide to join the Varden army on the Burning Plains. There, they help the Varden to defeat Galbatorix’s army. Roran also reunites with Eragon and meets Saphira for the first time. However, Murtagh, who has been bound to Galbatorix’s service as a Rider, arrives to confront Eragon. Their climactic fight results in the revelation that Murtagh is really Eragon’s brother and that both Riders are the sons of Morzan, a former Rider who betrayed the other Riders to Galbatorix years ago. Murtagh shows mercy to Eragon who, shocked by the revelation of his parentage, chooses to embrace Roran as his family instead. At the end of the novel, Eragon and Roran decide to rescue Katrina together: a goal that will form the basis of the next installment in the series, Brisingr.