So… we all knew the story wouldn’t just end with Inheritance. Evil doesn’t just vanish because the Big Bad Guy (Galbatorix) bit the dust. But I’ll admit, when I started Murtagh it’s sad to see they people just can’t get a break. That can feel like when you finish Return of the Jedi and think, “Victory!… oh wait, no, here comes the rest of the mess” because there are more movies now. It kind of cheapens the happy ending that we know there’s still yuck in their universe.
BUT. Here’s the good news: Paolini doesn’t make it feel like a re-tread. The new threat is in a totally different place, and honestly, I appreciated that the people Eragon fought so hard to save actually get to breathe for a while. We’re not re-breaking everything we just fixed, and that helps.
Now, the real reason this book works? Murtagh and Nasuada. Their arc is layered and complicated and full of tension—both personal and political. And what I love most? Paolini gives them equal footing. They both fail spectacularly.
And then there’s the mind games. So many twisty, brain-bending sequences that keep you second-guessing everyone’s motives. It makes the book feel darker, sharper, and more psychologically deep than the original series.
