Inheritance Cycle Background:
This author is most known for his Inheritance Cycle or, Eragon Series, who’s last book was published in 2011. The Inheritance Cycle books follow a boy as he becomes a man, along with his dragon, and are very much a coming of age/adventure series. This series is easily one of my favorites and I’ve read them all the way through multiple times. Murtaugh is a continuation of this series, so I obviously felt the need to buy it IMMEDIATELY after hearing about its release date. With how much I loved Eragon and his books, there was no way I wasn’t going to read the next installment for this universe. We pre-ordered a copy and waited patiently for it to arrive.
Murtaugh Overview:
This new story follows Murtaugh, the supporting/unwilling antagonist character from Eragon, and his new life with his dragon after the war. If you’re familiar with the Inheritance Cycle then you know that this is the first in-site we’ve had of Murtaugh and his dragon Thorn in a long time. He was a largely misunderstood character, and so it was very satisfying to get connected with him again, especially now as he’s finally discovering himself. The two try to find a new sense of normalcy after the war ends once they are no longer chained to anyone but themselves. They struggle with their new found freedom and find that the chains binding themselves to their past wrongdoings are almost just as cruel as the chains that forced the misdeeds in the beginning. They have a few adventures/misadventures and find that they still have lots to learn. There are clear themes of freedom, anti-oppression, longing, and more.
While the book doesn’t have much romance, there is a slight undercurrent of it that pops up occasionally and leaves a lasting impression at the conclusion which leaves me hopeful for something more in the novels that have been promised to come. If you like slow burn romance then I suggest reading this and waiting for the next installment. There is no way, with whatever conclusion the author conjures up for this character, that it isn’t incredibly sweet and satisfying after being in suspense FOR AN ENTIRE BOOK. This is my PSA for Christopher to keep this romance ball rolling… but please speed it up!
Other than that, the book was fun to read. The one thing I would say I wished was different is how slow the beginning was. The ending kept me reading and wanting more, but I felt the beginning of the book could have used a little more interest. It was hard to get into. I’m glad I read it, and would recommend it to any Eragon lover, but I’m not inspired to reread it like I was with the other books in the Cycle. I don’t say this to dissuade anyone from picking it up, on the contrary, it’s more of a heads up to keep pushing and the end will be worth it. I’m left patiently waiting for the next installment which I am very excited for. It was a good introduction to the continuation of a beloved story.