Murtagh by Christopher Paolini
Synopsis:
The world is no longer safe for the Dragon Rider Murtagh and his dragon, Thorn. An evil king has been toppled, and they are left to face the consequences of the reluctant role they played in his reign of terror. Now they are hated and alone, exiled to the outskirts of society.
Throughout the land, hushed voices whisper of brittle ground and a faint scent of brimstone in the air—and Murtagh senses that something wicked lurks in the shadows of Alagaësia. So begins an epic journey into lands both familiar and untraveled, where Murtagh and Thorn must use every weapon in their arsenal, from brains to brawn, to find and outwit a mysterious witch. A witch who is much more than she seems.
Review:
It’s been over a decade since the last novel of the Inheritance Cycle. So I was afraid I wouldn’t remember much. I was able to watch a recap, so that helped refresh my memory. But Paolini does a wonderful job of not relying on the previous novels. This works just as well as a standalone novel – or at least a start of a new offshoot series. Murtagh and his dragon Thorn are roaming, never finding a place to call home since their exile. And when they come across a group of people who seem to worship a witch with odd beliefs, Murtagh knows he has to learn more.
The impressive size of this novel at 704 pages isn’t as intimidating as it first seems. As in previous novels, this was a well-paced, easy read. And I devoured it much faster than I thought I would. In fact, I loved this new novel and Murtagh is now a favorite character of mine. I really enjoyed the dive into his background and motivations. The plot is exciting and full of suspense, drama, and well developed characters. In fact, I would probably re-read this novel when the next in the series releases. I always need a refresher before reading a sequel when they’re years apart. And it’s that good.