Eldest

Christopher Paolini was born in Southern California in 1983. His family later moved to Montana, where he grew up. Paolini graduated from high school at the age of fifteen, and wrote the first draft of his debut novel, Eragon, in only a year. He self-published the book in 2002, when he was nineteen. The book became a bestseller, and was adapted into a major motion picture in 2006.

Paolini is the author of the Inheritance Cycle, a fantasy series consisting of four books: Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, and Inheritance. He has also written a prequel novella, Inheritance: From Eragon’s Point of View, and a collection of short stories set in the world of Alagaësia, The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm.

There is no set series of work that will be written as part of this fellowship, but it is hoped that the fellow will produce a body of work that will make a significant contribution to the field of American Studies.

Eldest is the second book in Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle. It was published on August 23, 2005, by Knopf Books for Young Readers.

Eldest picks up where the first book, Eragon, left off. Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have just defeated the evil Shade Durza and freed Eragon’s cousin, Roran. Now, they must journey to the Elf kingdom of Ellesmera to continue Eragon’s training.

Meanwhile, Roran must stay behind and defend his home village from the wrath of the Empire. With enemies on all sides, can Roran and Eragon survive the challenges that await them?

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