Inheritance: Book 4
by Christopher Paolini (audiobook in two parts read by Gerard Doyle)
Random House
First George R.R. Martin, now Christopher Paolini. It has been a year when the heirs to J.R.R. Tolkien's throne of epic fantasy have ruled the roost, both commercially and artistically. Paolini's Inheritance Cycle reaches its climax in 884 pages. This unabridged audiobook (clocking in at more than 30 hours) has been split in two: the second volume includes an interview with Paolini and (one suspects) his long-suffering editor, Michelle Frey. Inheritance follows Skywalkeresque hero Eragon the Dragon rider, to his final battle, as always with trusted steed (or dragon) Saphira by his side. The plot is simply too vast to summarise here. Gerard Doyle does a splendid job - not only fleshing out the voices credibly but competing against some over-used swashbuckling music. There is plenty of overblown prose, lots of violence and much complicated mythologising. Don't attempt this without listening to the other three volumes. But if you have, you'll have a ball. Extras: interviews with Paolini and his editor, Michelle Frey.