My childhood was shaped by high and low fantasy alike, but aside from the Harry Potter series, no other collection of books had a greater impact than The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini. Now, over a decade later, Paolini has released a new book, a sequel of sorts, to that series, titled Murtagh. It is based on the subsequent events and adventures surrounding the titular character and his dragon Thorn after the conclusion of Inheritance. It delves deeper into worldbuilding, and is a dive into the minds of some of the most conflicted and complex characters in all of Alagaesia. So, what did I think of Murtagh by Christopher Paolini? Find out below!
First, a quick summary in my own words. After helping to end the life and reign of the evil King Galbatorix, Murtagh and his dragon Thorn are forced into self-imposed exile due to the part they played in spreading evil across the realm. Looking to do good from the shadows, Murtagh and his dragon work to track down the location and meaning of a mysterious cult called the Draumar, who they must attempt to stop before they threaten life across all of Alagaesia and the known world.
One of the strongest aspects of Murtagh was the setting. I personally felt like I was returning to a comforting home after a long journey when I stepped back into Alagaesia, but even if you aren’t as familiar with the setting and world as I, it is still quite accessible. Much worldbuilding is added, and we return to some locations we’ve seen before, and even a few completely new places, hidden in the shadowy crevices of the earth. Everything new was captivating, though some of the locations visited in the Inheritance Cycle wore down quite quickly. All the mystery and intrigue of the hidden worldbuilding only revealed in this novel was top-notch, though, and yearning to be explored.
The characters were also another feature of the book. Of course I must first mention Murtagh and Thorn, as we spend the entirety of the novel in their shared point of view. Even from reading The Inheritance Cycle, it was clear that both characters were complex, tortured, and layered from the start, and this book finally gave readers a chance to explore the depths of Murtagh and Thorn’s psyche. It was worth the weight. Paolini skillfully crafted characters who had spent their entire lives kneeling in service to one evil being or another, and would no longer be pressed into service. By the end of the novel, their burdens felt quite personal in their nature. Another standout character was Uvek Windtalker, an Urgal shaman befriended by Murtagh. Uvek provided staunch, paragon-like advice and presence, and he was a comfort whenever he was on the page. But the best characters of all were the villains. Bachel, Grieve, and the other Draumar proved to be utterly detestable in the best possible way. Paolini created characters I loved to hate, and I cheered to myself multiple times as Murtagh overcame his challenges and specifically, his physical enemies. Even more than Galbatorix, even more than Durza, even more than Murtagh himself, Bachel and her Draumar proved to be great villains, maybe the best in the entire world of Alagaesia stories.
While the setting and characters were superb, the plot was a notch below. The first 150 pages were paced quite slowly, partly because some of the beginning chapters highlighted events already covered in the short story collection, The Fork, The Witch, and The Worm. To be fair, the nature of the story, in which Murtagh is slowly unraveling a mystery, makes it so that clues are quite rare at first. Still, it took some time for the novel to draw me in enough to the point where I was reluctant to put it down. Around page 200, however, events begin to pick up, and once Murtagh reaches the location where most of the story takes place, Nal Gorgoth, the plot becomes interesting and digestible beyond the norm. The book wraps up quickly, but not rushed, and a surprise appearance by a beloved character in the last chapter hints at good fortune as well as future plots and mysteries of which I am clamoring to read.
So, Murtagh is overall a solid entry into the world of Eragon stories that is neither the best, nor the worst. The setting, worldbuilding, and characters (especially the villains) really shine, but the book is held back a bit by a dragging pacing for the first 150 pages. After that, it is incredibly fun. I wholeheartedly recommend Murtagh to any fantasy reader, but especially those who loved Paolini’s other works set in Alagaesia.
Russell A. Wells 