Eragon, author Christopher Paolini's first novel, was published in 2022, when Paolini was 19. After spending much of his early career writing novels in the world of Eragon, Paolini took a break. Murtagh (2023) is his return to that world. Murtagh follows the eponymous Murtagh, a dragon rider who has paired up with Thorn, a ferocious dragon. Together, the two venture back into the world of Alagaësia. There, they encounter a new threat they previously hadn't heard of: an evil and all-powerful witch. In order to defeat the witch, the two must use all of the resources at their disposal—including some they never knew they had—in order to defeat the witch and bring peace to the land.
Murtagh directly continues the story in Paolini's so-called Inheritance Cycle series, which many had thought ended with 2011's Inheritance. That is why many fans, most of whom had long clamored for a sequel. And if Paolini's previous novels were any indication, Murtagh will be well-received by critics and become an overnight bestseller.
