The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm by Christopher Paolini - 4 stars (Subdue)

[Joy D]

The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm: Eragon by Christopher Paolini - 4* - My Review

This book is the first in the Tales from Alagaësia series. It returns the reader to the world of Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, from the Inheritance Cycle, which should be read first. Although Eragon appears in the book, it is not a continuation of the original series. Rather, it supplements the original material with three short stories that highlight a specific character. Some are old favorites and others are new.

These three longish short stories were nostalgic for me. I fondly recall reading the Inheritance books with my son when he was younger. He was a big fan, and we discussed the books together. I very much enjoy the deeply drawn fantasy world Paolini has created. I am particularly impressed by the languages of its inhabitants, and many of the words from those languages appear here. If you enjoyed the Eragon books, you will very likely appreciate revisiting this well-crafted fantasy world.

“The day the dragon arrived was a day of death. It came from the north, a shadow upon the wind. Soft and silent, he swept across the valley, blotting out the sun with his velvet wings. Where he landed, field and forest went up in flame, drifts of ash choked the streams, beasts fled…and the sounds of grief and terror rent the summer air.”