Fans and the Inheritance Cycle

Readers share images & stories of their experience with the epic series.

[fansandtheic]

Jo's Story

"I have been reading your books since eragon was first released when I was in 4th grade. I still have my first copies of the books and read them every year. They are the only items I have from my childhood. I grew up in an incredibly stressful environment and included in the trauma was an instance where an abuser tossed all of my books into the dumpster, but I was able to save my Eragon & Eldest (all that was published at the time).  I struggled secretly with self harm for years as a teen, and bearing the weight of that guilt and shame has taken years to work through. I am so grateful for the intensive therapy and healing work, however, most striking for me in this journey has been Nasuada & the trial of the long knives.  I know that is based in historical example, however, reading it through her experience began to shift something in my aching brain. 

You see, the narrative I was fed about my struggles was a story that told me I was selfish and ruining my abusers public image. I was dirty and deserved to be hidden away.  But not Nasuada.  She was fighting for her life. Because her heart beat for her cause. Because she had passion, and ferocity, and wasn’t going down without a fight to the literal death. Thats how I felt in my own struggle.  Yes, I made a choice that I would certainly not recommend. But in the midst of my dark circumstances, I was flailing for something, anything that might get me out of my head. I was fighting for my life. I am a fighter, and I always have been. Especially remarkable to me, is that her scars are nothing to be ashamed of. Her scars were earned, her ragged & torn sleeves proved her to be a warrior. For those to be removed would be to strip her of that honor. I no long hide my scars. I do have tattoo artwork to express the victory held in them, but they are very much still a visible testament to my own battles. I am a warrior, I have conquered that which sought to destroy me and steal my power. I can hold my head high. Christopher, you never could have known what your words would do for so many of us, and I want to say thank you for writing them.  Thank you for including small details in your storytelling that unlock jail cells of shame. My elementary self thanks you. My teen self thanks you. And now as a mother to two beautiful children who I have been reading your words to, thank you for helping me reframe a story for my children in a way therapy never could. I am proud of my character development and grateful to you for the piece you have played in it. 

In giving us all a story, you have become part of countless others. May you be blessed." ~ Jo

[fansandtheic]

BradyC's Story

"When I was growing up, my dad started to read eragon to me when I was just 5 years old. As each book in the Inheritance Cycle came out, he would bring it home and read it to me every night. Since then I have returned to re-read all of your work many times over the years. Well, I have just had a child of my own, and you have started to return to Alagaësia. I cannot wait to be able to show my kid the incredible world that you have created. Alagaësia has been there for me throughout my entire life, and I am excited to see the fantastical wonder grow in my child. Thank you."

~BradyC

[fansandtheic]

Martin's Story

"I was in third grade when I first picked up Eragon. My school had a reading competition based on points for books, so when I saw it in the school library with saphira on the cover and a sticker saying it was worth a lot of points, I couldn’t not read it. And from there I was hooked. I had to get my elementary school librarian to request copies of Brisingr and Inheritance from the high school library. A year or two later, my cousin handed me down her copies of the books that she had bought as they came out, and I began a year reread tradition. I remember crying over Brom and Oromis and Glaedr on couches and buses, laughing at Saphira’s drunkenness on bean bags and in tents, but the memories blur together after all these years. Moments that were years apart are tied together as if they were just minutes apart. When I was nineteen, I got the yawë tattooed on my left shoulder as an homage to Arya and a reminder to myself of my own duties. I have loved these books for over half of my life now, and I can’t wait until my next reread."

~ Martin

[fansandtheic]

Holly's Story

"The first time I saw Eragon, it was Christmas with my great uncle. He’d gifted his entire hardcover collection of the series to my older brother. This was a big deal, they were the biggest books we’d ever seen and my great uncle wanted us to experience their story.

A few years later I’d been devo any book I could get my hands on, mainly fantasy though. I asked my brother for a good book to read, and he pulled out Eragon. At first I didn't want to read it, too thick, too boring (especially cause I was 10 at the time) He wore me down soon and I started the series.

3 years later, and we still have every book, though we’ve expanded the collection to 2 copies of Eldest, and ano 2 of Murtagh. Inheritance was the first book to have an ending worthy of making me cry, and I hope to one day pass on these books to my own kids."

~ Holly

[fansandtheic]

A Devout Fan's Story

I’ve aspired to write for as long as I can remember. All forms of art have caught my eye, and I could never get enough of fantasy literature. Eragon was, by far, my very favorite. 

I’ve heard every story out there about how it’s a rip-off of Tolkien’s work and how it’s unoriginal or a coloring book story, but i don’t care. Regardless of the inspiration, he created memorable characters that I’m still in love with almost a decade later. 

Now, I’m an author myself. I’m right on the verge of having written two million words since I first began saving my work, and I am finally sitting here with a manuscript I’m preparing to traditionally publish—something I’ve been wanting to do for years. I never would have reached this point if I didn’t read the Inheritance Cycle, as it’s been such a huge inspiration to me, not only in my writing, but in my day-to-day life when I was having a difficult time. 

Thank you, Mr. paolini. 

From, A Devout Fan.

[fansandtheic]

Noel's Story

Kvetha!

My name is Noel and I am, in fact, a teenage dirtbag. My sense of humour is spectacular, I'm aware.

Ever since I was young, I've loved fantasy, especially when there's amazing worldbuilding involved. Or, rather, what captures me at the time.

My little obsession started with Warrior Cats, leading then on to a whole myriad of other books. When I was in year 6, the equivalent of 5th grade, I picked up a book detailing dragons. I was instantly hooked on dragon lore.

A few weeks later, I find 'Eragon' on a second-hand shop's bookshelves. It felt like fate! I looked longingly at the mesmerising creature of blue and begged my mother to let me get the book. She did, seeing how excited I was. 

'Eragon' gave me something to look forward to every time I got home from school. I found the words tricky and the plot hard to follow, for I was a young child, but I adored every second. I read slowly, and it felt like a never-ending tale.

Once I did finish it, I couldn't get my hands on the sequels. Stuff hit the fan, and a couple of years passed.

Recently, I found 'Eldest' and 'Brisngr' in a different second-hand shop. Then, I managed to bribe a copy of 'Inheritance' off of a book shop owner. I am and had become an absolute book nerd, and I devoured these. Every waking second I was reading or looked forward to reading the tales that brought me so much joy.

I have just finished 'Eragon's Guide To Alagaësia.' once I scrap up my money, I look forward to enjoying 'Murtagh' and 'The Fork, The witch, and The Worm.' 

Looking back, I have changed, and so has the world. Story-telling has this magical power to bind us all together. We may never truly be stable or the same, yet we will always have the power of the story. That is simply wondrous. :]

~ Noel

[fansandtheic]

Nayiwa's Story

"Twenty years ago, I was eagerly searching online for anything related to Eragon, having just finished the book at the age of 12. I stumbled upon a random forum, what we used to call a “RPG forum.” I ended up spending years there, collaborating with hundreds of other fans on stories and fanfictions set in the world of Alagaësia. I first played Arya then took the fictional pseudonym of Nayiwa.

Through this, I made lifelong friends, honed my writing skills, and even learned graphic design while customizing the website, skills that eventually shaped my career today. Those years brought me love stories, genuine friendships from across the globe, and incredible experiences with amazing people.

Though we’ve all grown and changed, we still stay in touch, and some of us even go on annual trips together. They remain an important part of my daily life.

Thank you from Belgium, Europe."

~ Nayiwa

[fansandtheic]

DragoNite's Story

"My sister recommended the book to me. Before reading, I felt alone (which still hasn't changed), I thought that everything was my fault and I would never find friends. When I started reading Eragon, I got so immersed in it that I didn't notice the world around me, and when I finished, I felt sad because I heard people in class talking about me. At that moment, I thought about what Murtagh went through and realized it could have been worse. Now, whenever something bad or good happens, I remember particular scenes from the whole series. I don’t regret a minute of reading it and honestly, sometimes I feel that Eragon appeared in my life for a reason."

~ DragoNite

[fansandtheic]

Christopher's Story

"I was a weird, nerdy kid who didn't quite know how to fit in with folks. The Inheritance Cycle helped me realize that it was important to be comfortable with yourself and to learn peace. This led to me becoming a social worker who somehow became a mentor and caseworker for foster kids. These stories have touched several of my kids, and I now have a young adult who is going to college and living on his own after never being able to have his own family. These books have helped him see that it is not blood that makes family."

~ Christopher

[fansandtheic]

Drake's Story

"What an honor it has been to be apart of such a fantastic and creative story. When I first picked up Eragon I was only 15. I had read Harry Potter as a kid and began to love the concepts of magic and fantasy, but never had a been captured as much as I did when I began reading the Inheritance Cycle. The books, believe it or not, got me through some very hard times as kid. I won't go into any details but long story short, this series allowed me to dive into another life and forget the tragedies that were going on around me. I would sit in my room, read, and forget the world around me. I appreciate all of the hard work you have put into this series and I hope that it never ends!"

~ Drake

[fansandtheic]

Shelby Dean's Story

Hello, my name is Shelby Dean. I am a 28 year old woman who lives in Michigan. I had never been much of a reader. Last time I could remember picking up a book was in middle school, and it was a group book that the whole class read and it was called Hachet by Gary Paulsen. 

Last year August of 2024 I got a knee injury which caused me to be put on restrictions at work. which lead me to working as a receptionist . In September I started with Eragon, it is now March of 2025 and I have finished Inheritance, moving quickly to The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm, then to Murtagh. 

I have 3 sons that have passed away. Their names are Leo, and the twins Creed and Crue. Since their passing I have found it hard to do anything I enjoy .

Thank you Christopher for giving me life again. I am able to feel other than for myself. These book have brought me a new life and hope. I am completley in love with them. Also just read recently that you are planning on making Eragon a Disney Plus show? I'm a huge Disney fan and of course love your book so I am super excited! Sorry I'm no proof reader but I did my best at trying to compose this. I am curious why Arya and Eragon went on there own way. It was obvious he needed to protect the dragon eggs , but why not give everyone what they want? I guess thats not how the world works. I'm also curious if you plan on touring agin? I would love to get a book singed by you! Thank you for everything you have wrote!

~ Shelby

[fansandtheic]

Nick's Story

Dear Christopher Paolini, 

I lived in a home with abuse. Lots of abuse. Hunger. Never being able to go to sleep without fear of being awoken and beaten in the middle of the night by a disturbed being known as my stepfather. 

It was a cruel existence for me, years under his crushing rule. Beaten within inches of losing my sanity. This man came up with all sorts of sick and twistedly cruel ways to cause excruciating pain to us. He was a true sadist. I can’t even begin to list all the awful things he did to me growing up. 

I wasn’t allowed to watch TV. No video games. He believed they were demonic. Essentially, anything that brought us open joy was forbidden. The horrible moments I endured took me to dark places. But somehow maybe by fate, one day in a library, I noticed Eragon on a bookshelf. I opened its pages... and thank God I did. 

I was immediately swallowed by a world of adventure, a world filled with people who sucked me away from my own reality and let me live through the eyes of someone else. I felt every emotion, joy, sadness, anger. I smiled uncontrollably while reading, and I rarely had reason to smile before. The amount of times I cried through those stories... I loved all of it. I needed it. 

To hide the abuse, my stepfather forced us to be "homeschooled," pulling us from public school because he felt the system invaded his privacy. So even through my junior high years, I was separated from peers. I had little in the way of friends. 

But I had Eragon, Saphira, Murtagh... and Arya. They became the people in my life. I romanticized Eragon and Arya, imagining her as the most beautiful and stunning creature ever dreamed up. I followed them through every experience, living through their eyes. But eventually, I ran dry. Their story hadn’t concluded yet, and you were still working on the fourth and final book. So... I reread the series again. And again. And again. Like a madman, I read the first three books 13 consecutive times. It was all I had. 

Then came my 17th birthday. My mother did her best with me and knew how much I loved those books. She decided the throw me a small surprise birthday with some family and my best friend Robert while my stepfather was at work.. At that time, Inheritance was already available, but every library I contacted was still without it. I called many libraries regularly throughout the county. Inheritance was not yet available at the library, and it grieved me so much. 

But on the day of my birthday, I opened some gifts from my best friend, Robert. He also knew my love for these books. To my absolute joy, I received my own copies of Eragon, Eldest, and Brisingr! I now had my very own copies! I was beyond pleased. But my mother had one gift yet to give me. The room was silent. Somehow, I felt everyone knew this was the big one. I truly had no idea what to expect. It was a gift bag packed with stuffing paper inside. I removed it... and my eyes fell upon something that hit me in the stomach. 

My mind broke loose. I struggled to control the tears that screamed to be released. I lifted out a pristine, gorgeous, beautiful green hardback copy of Inheritance. The final book. It was in my hands. My reaction did not go unnoticed, the room responded with smiles and expressions hidden behind hands cupped over faces. This gift overwhelmed me. One beyond words. Oh, how I craved to read it. 

I turned the pages. I poured over them, getting little sleep at night as I wrapped myself in the warm blanket of their adventures once again with Eragon and Arya. But a pit began to form in my stomach as I approached the final pages. I knew this time... this time, when I turned the last page—when my eyes rested upon the words THE END, that it would be over. For good. And soon, the inevitable came. I was consuming the final pages, emotions climbing higher and higher unbound, unrestrained. I felt it. The revelation of the story’s conclusion rocked me in a way words can’t fully describe. 

The tears fell, unrestrained. No level of will or effort could stop them. I cried. Oh, how I cried. I screamed into my pillow. I cried until exhaustion finally drove me to sleep. When I awoke, all I could do was sit in silence coping, I re-read the last pages over and over again. I even remembered Eragon's dream predicting the book's ending in the first book. It... was... over. And my soul wasn’t ready for it. 

Now, 13 years later, I see Alagaësia coming to life again—new stories, new attention, and a new spark. I’ve been feeling emotionally drained lately, and I decided it was time to revisit my old friends in Alagaësia. And while this return has warmed my soul in ways I can’t fully explain, it has also stirred up deep, buried grief. 

The books remind me of the pain I was escaping from back then, and I've found myself emotionally compromised all over again—grappling with the boy I was, and the man I’ve become. 

But I want you to know this, Christopher: Your books did more than entertain me—they saved me. They gave me something beautiful to hold on to when I had nothing else. They gave me a reason to smile, to cry, to feel. They became a part of my identity. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart. Thank you for giving me something to cling to when the world gave me nothing. 

Sincerely,

Nicholas A Decker

[fansandtheic]

Blimp's Story

"I started reading the inheritance cycle in 2016. I was gifted the first book by a mentor, and it had a profound impact on me. That series came into my life at a time when I was at my lowest point. Reading about Eragon's journey to becoming leader of the dragon riders inspired me to also persevere and continue living despite suffering numerous hardships. Reading about the various religions in he Inheritance Cycle is what would also partially lead to me becoming a Christian. Thank you so much Mr. Paolini, your books have helped so many people and will continue to have an impact many decades into the future."

~ Blimp

[fansandtheic]

Rae's Story

"When I first read Eragon, I was 15 or 16. I remember browsing the fantasy section of a book store called Borders, which no longer exists. It didn't take long for my eyes to be caught by the beautiful blue scales of Saphira on the cover of this two-inch-think hardcover, and as soon as I read the inside of the front jacket, I was sold. At the time, I was really struggling. My parents had divorced when I was 8 or 9, and by age 11, I was harming myself on a daily basis. as kids often do, I blamed myslef somehow for my parents' "falling out of love," as they called it. I was quietly withdrawn and inwardly seething, angry at everything. From the moment Eragon and Saphira bonded, Alagaësia was a balm for my raw emotions, a distraction from my spiraling thoughts, and a place where I found friendship in an unconventional way. I empathized with Eragon's own pain over feeling fatherless, and with Arya's detached, broken relationship with her mother. My heart soared on the wings of a glittering blue dragon as sapphira rode the air currents. And I felt Eragon's hatred of the Ra'zac, who embodied all evil and misfortune which so easily sweeps through our lives when we least expect it. Reading Eragon was the spark in my soul which made me want to become a writer, even if only for my own benefit. I have yet to truely stoke that flame, but a hot coal continues to smolder for the time at which my own story will pour itself onto its own pages. Thank you, Christopher, and all the others who made this series available to a lonely, broken, and lost 16 year old girl, whose mind teetered precariously on the ledge of a life changing decision. Alagaësia gave me a reason to turn around and to step back. For that, the Inheritance Cycle will always have a place on my little library shelf, and in my heart."

~ Rae

[fansandtheic]

Valentine's Story

"Growing up, I was always an avid reader. From a young age, I was drawn to stories that featured mystical creatures, animals, and various fantastical elements that could take my mind and imagination far away. I’m forever grateful that I got my hands on Eragon when I was 12. I tore through that book within 2 days, and begged to return to the bookstore for the next one. I was hooked. And once I finished each book, I would carefully re-read it, to make sure there had been no details I missed. The existence of Saphira was everything to me; I had no idea at the time that for the rest of my life, I would try to seek out books that depicted strong platonic love and partnership like that, and I would always crave a story that depicted an intelligent creature interacting with humans on that level (I have yet to find anything that scratches the itch quite like the Inheritance Cycle does, and I doubt I ever will). 

I was inspired to create- I wanted to draw dragons more than I wanted anything! So, I went and I picked up a “how to draw dragons” book, and that was that. I doodled them on everything; in the margins of my homework, on my folders, in sketchbooks and on napkins. Thanks to Eragon and Saphira (and Glaedr, Thorn, and Fírnen of course), I had found a new passion that would turn into a side career in my 20’s as a freelance artist, and that fueled my love for reptiles so much that I decided to pursue a degree in Zoology, focusing on herpetology. 

All that to say: Thank you, Christopher Paolini. You created something that will stick with me for the rest of my life, and that has fundamentally changed who I am and the direction my life has gone. As always, I look forward to future works, and in the meantime, I’ll be sitting back re-reading the Inheritance Cycle with a cat in my lap and a cup of tea. 

Atra gülai un ilian tauthr ono un atra ono waíse sköliro frá rauthr!"

~ Valentine

[fansandtheic]

C.M. Lyons' Story

"I first read The Inheritance Cycle when I was in seventh grade, and it was the first time I was introduced to the concept of conlangs and linguistics beyond what was already there. I flew through the books and poured over every little word and it's meaning, and would even try to learn to speak the Ancient Language myself, though that didn't really go as planned. That fascination with the words that he had created has now snowballed into my true passion for language and linguistics, and I am now going on to university to study linguistics to get my PhD and eventually become a professor. (I have also made two conlangs of my own and my own fictional worlds but I haven't done anything with them yet.)"

~ C.M. Lyons

[fansandtheic]

Rebecca Alex's Story

"Eragon came out when our oldest daughter, Leia, was 8 yrs. old. She identified to Saphira to such an extent that I painted a large mural of Saphira on three walls of her bedroom. She would stare at it for hours and said that Saphira gave her strength. A few years ago, we sold that house and the mural was painted over. But before we left, our son-in-law, Keegan Lillo, took photos and spent many hours patching the three separate images of her on the three walls into one cohesive piece, then added an amazing background. Leia is now about to turn 30 years old and is still a dragon!"

~ Rebecca Alex