Relish the incomparable imagination of Christopher Paolini in this thrilling collection of stories based in the world of Eragon and the internationally bestselling Inheritance Cycle.A wanderer and a cursed child. Spells and magic. And dragons, of course. Welcome back to the world of Alagaësia.It's been a year since Eragon departed Alagaësia in search of the perfect home to train a new generation of Dragon Riders. When a vision from the Eldunarí, unexpected visitors, and an exciting Urgal legend surface, Eragon is faced with a much-needed distraction that may lead to a new perspective.This volume features three original stories set in Alagaësia, interspersed with scenes from Eragon's own unfolding adventure. Included is an excerpt from the memoir of the unforgettable witch and fortune-teller Angela the herbalist . . . penned by Angela Paolini, the inspiration for the character, herself!Also includes four new pieces of original art by the author."Christopher Paolini is a true rarity." --The Washington Post Review Praise for The Inheritance Cycle: A #1 New York Times Bestseller A #1 Publishers Weekly Bestseller A #1 USA Today Bestseller A Wall Street Journal Bestseller "An authentic work of great talent." -New York Times Book Review “The new ‘It’ book of children’s lit.” -U.S. News & World Report "Paolini is a spellbinding fantasy writer." -The Boston Globe "A breathtaking and unheard of success." -USA Today “Christopher Paolini make[s] literary magic.” -People “Unusual, powerful, fresh, and fluid.”-Booklist, Starred “Will appeal to legions of readers who have been captivated by the Lord of the Rings trilogy.”-School Library Journal About the Author Christopher Paolini's abiding love of fantasy inspired him to write the Inheritance Cycle, which quickly became an internationally bestselling series. He began the first draft of the introductory book in the series, Eragon, at age fifteen. Christopher draws inspiration for the world of Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, from the natural beauty that surrounds his home in Montana: the tumultuous weather, the roaring Yellowstone River, and the soaring Beartooth Mountains. Find out more about Christopher and the Inheritance Cycle at paolini.net. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. The day had not gone well. Eragon leaned back in his chair and took a long drink of blackberry mead from the mug by his hand. Sweet warmth blossomed in his throat, and with it memories of summer afternoons spent picking berries in Palancar Valley. A pang of homesickness struck him. The mead had been the best thing to come out of his meeting with Hruthmund, the dwarven representative. A gift to strengthen the bonds of friendly association between dwarves and Riders-or so Hruthmund had claimed. Eragon snorted. Some friendship. He’d spent the whole meeting arguing with Hruthmund over when the dwarves would deliver the supplies they’d promised. Hruthmund seemed to believe once every three to four months was more than sufficient, which was absurd considering the dwarves lived closer to the Academy than any of the other races. Even Nasuada had managed to send monthly shipments from the other side of the Hadarac Desert, far to the west. I’ll have to arrange a talk with Orik and sort it out with him directly. Just one more thing to do amid a seemingly endless sea of tasks. Eragon eyed the mounds of scrolls, books, maps, and loose pieces of parchment that covered the desk in front of him, all of which required his attention. He sighed, finding the sight depressing. He shifted his gaze out the large, rough-hewn windows that fronted the eyrie. Rays of evening light streamed across the windswept plains that lay below, surrounding Mount Arngor. To the north and west, the Edda River gleamed like a ribbon of beaten silver draped across the landscape. A pair of ships lay docked along the nearest bend, and from that docking, a trail led south to the foot
