Seven Books Like Eragon

Christopher Paolini began writing his epic Inheritance Cycle series, starting with Eragon, while he was still a teenager. It was self-published by his parents in 2001, before the release of a re-published version in 2003. The story of Eragon, a farm boy who discovers a dragon egg by chance, captivated millions of readers and quickly became a best seller. The book contains all of the ingredients found in typical fantasy books, such as an epic quest, a special sword, dragons and romance. Paolini drew his inspiration from a variety of sources, which means it isn't too hard to track down similar books. Here are just a couple of books like Eragon to read if you can't get enough of fantasy and dragons.

The Belgariad Series

by David Eddings

One of the most obvious books to read after the Inheritance Cycle series is The Belgariad series by David Eddings. Paolini himself admitted that he bought all five books in the series and that it has a place of honor on his bookshelves. Just like Eragon, The Belgariad is a great introduction to fantasy and features a typical coming of age story where a young farm boy finds himself destined for greater things. 

Sword of Shannara

by Terry Brooks

The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks drew a lot of inspiration from The Lord of The Rings books by J. R. R. Tolkien, but will definitely appeal to fans of Eragon. The protagonist of the story is a young man named Shea Ohmsford, who has to go on a quest to find the legendary Sword of Shannara, which offers his only hope of facing the evil Warlock Lord. Just like Eragon, Shea must also learn to believe in himself in order to succeed in his quest. 

The Age of Fire series

by E. E. Knight

If it is Saphira, Shruikan, Eridor, Firnen and the other dragons that drew you to Eragon, then The Age of Fire series by E. E. Knight is worth checking out. The books still take place in a fantasy setting filled with dwarves, elves and other races, but the main protagonists are all dragons. There are six books in the series, with the first three all taking place at the same time, but viewed through the eyes of three dragon siblings. 

The Riftwar Saga

by Raymond E. Feist

If, instead of the dragons, it was the tale of an ordinary boy who discovers that fate has something different in store for him that you loved most about Eragon, then The Riftwar Saga by Raymond E. Feist is essential reading. One of the protagonists is an orphan boy named Pug, who is adopted by a cook and lives a pretty ordinary life. This all changes when the court magician discovers that Pug has magical talent and takes him on as his apprentice. This sets in motion a chain of events that results in Pug becoming one of the most powerful magicians that the fantasy world of Midkemia has ever seen. 

The Harper Hall Trilogy

by Anne McCaffrey

The Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey should be appealing to fans of Eragon for obvious reasons, but The Harper Hall Trilogy in particular is worth a look if reading the entire series is a little daunting. McCaffrey wrote The Harper Hall Trilogy with young adults in mind, which is the same audience as Eragon. The first two books in the trilogy focuses on the adventures of Menolly, a 15-year old girl with incredible musical talent while the lasts is about Piemur, a boy who was originally a secondary character in the books. 

Dragon Rider

by Cornelia Funke

Dragon Rider is a fantasy novel that is aimed more at younger readers, but the story is riveting enough for readers of all ages to enjoy. it is about a human boy, a Brownie and a dragon who are on a quest to find somewhere safe for the dragons to relocate. The dragon, named Firedrake, has had a peaceful existence just outside of London in a hidden valley, but this changes when he discovers that humans are about to flood the place. Together with the boy and the Brownie he must find a legendary location, called the Rim of Heaven in order to ensure the safety of his kin.

The Scorched Series

by Mari Mancusi

The Scorched Series by Mari Mancusi is a set of three books about a young girl named Trinity Foxx. Just like Eragon, Trinity finds herself in possession of a dragon's egg, although she doesn't believe her grandfather when he tells her what it is. The appearance of a dragon hunter from the future quickly convinces her and she discovers that her world is in serious danger from a dragon war unless she steps up and find a way to prevent it from happening. While it doesn't have the same type of fantasy setting as Eragon, The Scorched Series has more than enough action and dragons to keep fans happy.