As a kid, two of my favorite book series to read and reread were Harry Potter and The Inheritance Cycle (commonly referred to by the title of the first book, Eragon). Both series helped occupy my time from elementary school to high school and while it’s practically impossible to find someone who hasn’t heard of Harry Potter, it seems infinitely more difficult to find anyone who has heard of Eragon.

The Inheritance Cycle is a four-part book series that takes place in the land of Alagaesia (pronounces Al-A-Gay-Sha) and revolves around the life of a peasant farm boy named Eragon. Eragon, who had lead a simple, if hard, life until series began, discovers a blue, gem-like stone unlike anything while hunting in a mountain range known as “The Spine,” an area considered cursed by everyone who lived around it. Desperate for money with which to buy food after what he considered a very unsuccessful hunt, he tries to sell the stone, but no one would take it. Their superstition and their fear overwhelmed their greed.

A few days later a baby dragon, who later names herself Saphira (fitting, considering the color of her scales—a deep, sapphire blue) hatches from the strange stone. By chance and through magic, Eragon had stumbled across the first dragon egg to be seen in Alagaesia in a century. And more importantly, he had been chosen as a Rider by the hatchling inside.

When Galbatorix, Alagaesia’s evil tyrant-king and the last remaining Dragon Rider of the Old Order, discovers that there may be a new Rider who could threaten his power and his life, he sends two of his deadliest servants, the Ra’Zac, (a pair of inhuman, immortal assassins), to retrieve the Rider and Dragon. But when they are unable to locate Eragon and Saphira the Ra’Zac go for the next best target, Eragon’s uncle and surrogate father, Garrow, and torture him for information on Eragon’s whereabouts. When he refuses to help them, they kill him and set fire to his farm. Eragon then swears vengeance against the Ra’Zac and Galbatorix himself and leaves Carvahall in search of a rising rebel group known only as the Varden, who seek to bring Galbatorix’s tyrannical reign to and end.

The author, Christopher Paolini, beautifully writes Eragon’s tale as he fights his way through Urgals—large, super-strong monsters comparable only to ogres and giants of legend; Shades—dark, evil beings created through and imbued with the power of dozens of captured souls; and other powerful creatures in order to knock on the king’s door and pull the people of Alagaesia out of King Galbatorix’s grasp. Paolini began writing The Inheritance Cycle at the age of 15 after graduating from high school and published his work in 2002.

If you are a fan of stories about magic, dragons, and evil dictators, The Inheritance Cycle is definitely worth the read. Each book might take some time to read due to the size (about 500 to 800 pages per book) but I wouldn’t let that discourage you. If you’re looking for a new series to invest your time, give it the opportunity to sweep you off your feet.