History Literature / InheritanceCycle

* {{Fictionary}}: Creator/ChristopherPaolini invented three languages for the series: the Ancient Language (spoken by elves and magic users, based on Old Norse), [[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame Dwarvish]] (mostly made up by Paolini), and the Urgal language (as of ''Brisingr'', still limited to mainly a few words). There also exists another language spoken by the nomads, but it hasn't been given any detail yet, except for clarification that adding "-no" to the end of a person's name is an honorific. The Ancient Language is similar to English but not entirely the same, so partly crossing over into conlang (although full rules of grammar have yet to be provided), while the dwarven language is far less similar to any pre-existing ones. A common criticism is that the Ancient Language and the Dwarven Language are simply encoded English with a few archaic word orders thrown in to spice it up. This is improved upon slightly in later books. He also [[CriticalResearchFailure drops a huge clanger]] when Oromis talks about Eragon's screw-up with Elva, where he applies idiosyncratic rules of English, wrongly, to his fictional language. (Just for the record, "May you be shielded" is not in the past tense).

** ''Volume 1 - The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm'' (2018)

* The ''Tales from Alagaesia'' short story collection.

However, there was an approximately seven year gap in the series prior to the announcement of the publication of the short story collection ''The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm'', which was stated to feature three original stories set within Alagaesia, interspersed with an unfolding adventure featuring Eragon set a year following the ending of ''Inheritance''. The title includes a tale written by Christopher Paolini's sister, Angela, featuring the Angela the herbalist character she serves as the namesake for. It was published in December 2018.

* BecauseDestinySaysSo: Eragon decides at the end of the fourth book to leave Alagaesia forever only because a prophecy in the first book said he would.

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: The BigBad is dead,]] half of the surviving [[spoiler: Eldunarya are insane, and there's no place to raise the dragons, forcing Eragon and Saphira to leave Alagaesia forever in order to raise them. This prevents their fledgling romances with Arya and Fírnen from ever being.]] Although that was [[spoiler: something of a ForegoneConclusion]]. Saphira and Fírnen, however, mate, and the vault of dragon eggs is opened, securing the revival of dragons as a race and the re-establishment of the Dragon Riders as a regulatory force of good.

--> '''Oromis''': Ask yourself this Eragon: If gods exist, have they been good custodians of Alagaesia? Death, sickness, poverty, tyranny and countless other miseries stalk the land. If this is the handiwork of divine beings, then they are to be rebelled against and overthrown, not given obeisance, obedience, and reverence.

* HumblePie: Glaedr swears up and down to Eragon and Saphira that there is no way, not in a million years, that the Vault of Souls could possibly contain Eldunari. When it turns out to contain not only those, but dragon eggs as well, he is at once overjoyed, triumphant and shocked, but also has to eat a heavy amount of crow. It turns out that Oromis, Glaedr, and several other dragons and riders agreed to store the remaining free Eldunari and eggs deep underground and placed a memory enchantment over ''everyone in Alagaesia'' to the exception of the next free dragon and rider (Eragon and Saphira) to prevent Galbatorix from learning about it and taking them for himself. It's unclear exactly ''why'' the possibility of how they were hidden the way that they were (deep underground) never occurred to him, though it's implied to be part of the memory enchantment keeping his thoughts away from the Vault.

* OfferedTheCrown: [[spoiler:Eragon]] is given the chance to become king of Alagaesia, but quickly turns it down. [[spoiler:Nasuada]] takes over instead.

* OnlyOneName: Roran is "Roran Garrowsson" and Eragon is "Eragon Bromsson". This seems to qualify for all the villagers in their town (real cultures like the Norse used the same, and is still seen in {{UsefulNotes/Iceland}}).

* OnlyOneName: Roran is "Roran Garrowsson" and Eragon is "Eragon Bromsson". This seems to qualify for all the villagers in their town (real cultures like the Norse used the same, and is still seen).

* OurElvesAreDIfferent: Elves are portrayed similarly to Tolkien's, being immortal, wiser, faster, stronger and more beautiful than the other races and highly skilled at magic.

* LukeIAmYourFather: [[spoiler: Used ''twice'']], though only once correctly.

The first book was adapted into [[{{Film/Eragon}} a film]] in 2006, but after the film got extremely negative critical reception and relatively underperformed at the box office, [[StillbornFranchise there are currently no plans for any movie sequels]]. However, there have been petitions to reboot the series that (however unsuccessful) did gain sizable support, and Paolini has spoken about the movie after the fact, saying that it told its own story in the same vein that the books told their own story, and left it to the fans of the series to determine which story they like better. In 2022, [[https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/eragon-tv-series-disney-plus-1235325019/ a television adaptation]] of the books was announced for Creator/DisneyPlus.

* SadisticChoice: Roran is forced to make one when he is punished for defying his orders. He can either take a lighter punishment and be discharged from the Varden, or suffer a more severe one and be allowed to stay. He chooses the more severe option.

** In ''Eragon'', Eragon attempts to use some of the magic he's learned to bless an orphan girl he meets. Unfortunately, his inexperience leads to him casting a ''curse'' instead. When he attempts to undo it later once his skills have improved he is still only partially successful, removing the harmful effects but leaving her enchanted.
** In ''Brisngr'', Roran defies his orders and leads the Varden forces to a heroic victory over the empire. However, Roran is still guilty of ignoring his superiors and Nasuada is forced to punish him in order to maintain discipline and prevent others from following his example.

* SingleTear: As many anti-fans have pointed out.

The first book was adapted into [[{{Film/Eragon}} a film]] in 2006, but after the film got extremely negative critical reception and relatively underperformed at the box office, [[StillbornFranchise there are currently no plans for any movie sequels]]. However, there have been petitions to reboot the series that (however unsuccessful) did gain sizable support, and Paolini has spoken about the movie after the fact, saying that it told its own story in the same vein that the books told their own story, and left it to the fans of the series to determine which story they like better.

* BaldOfAuthority: Ajihad, who has a beard but no hair.

* HollywoodAcid: Seithr oil, primarily used by the Ra'zac. Usually a harmless liquid used to preserve pearls, but with the application of BloodMagic it will eat through anything through living or recently dead organic material. However, the most unique quality is leaving inorganic material (such as its own containers) unharmed, making it useful for assassinations. And it's also highly explosive, as it was used to blow Garrow's farmhouse apart and kill several villagers when the Ra'zac attacked Carvahall in ''Eldest''.

* BaldBlackLeaderGuy: Ajihad, who has a beard but no hair.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Eragon_book_cover_5821.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300: Cover of the first book, ''Eragon''.]]

* OrganicArmor: In later books, Eragon can protect his hands when delivering powerful blows by using magic to grow calluses on them. During one fight in ''Brisingr'', he punches through a shield to strike the assassin holding it, causing the assassin to fly across a hallway and into the wall, breaking their neck.

** In ''Eldest'', Eragon attempts to use some of the magic he's learned to bless an orphan girl he meets. Unfortunately, his inexperience leads to him casting a ''curse'' instead. When he attempts to undo it later once his skills have improved he is still only partially successful, removing the harmful effects but leaving her enchanted.

-->'''Sloan:''' . “You’re nothing but the yellow-bellied offspring of a canker-ridden bunter. You’re a bastard, you are, and an unlicked cub; a dung-splattered, tallowfaced rock-gnasher; a puking villain and a noxious toad, the runty, mewling spawn of a greasy sow. I wouldn’t give you my last crust if you were starving, or a drop of water if you were burning, or a beggar’s grave if you were dead. You have pus for marrow and fungus for brains, and you’re a scugbacked cheek-biter!”

* ThirteenIsUnlucky: Galbatorix had 13 Forsworn, Riders that turned traitor and joined his ranks. Their leader was Morzan, Murtaugh's father.

* KnightTemplarParent: ''Sloan''.

* BaldBlackLeaderGuy: Ajihad, who has a beard but [[BaldOfAwesome no hair]].

* MonsterFunFacts: The Urgals.

* FamousLastWords: "And now, for the greatest adventure of all..." - [[spoiler:Brom]]
** "Then peace be with you, Eragon Shadeslayer..." - [[spoiler:Ajihad]]
** "Do not mourn me." - [[spoiler:Oromis. Very poignant as he knew Glaedr would live on through his Eldunari, and Glaedr surviving his grief was essential for Eragon and Saphira's continued education and training]].

* NotSoDifferent: The heroes have committed some distasteful actions of their own, such as poisoning Galbatorix's army before a battle. Lampshaded by Elva, who points out to Eragon "[[spoiler:Galbatorix would approve.]]" when he tries to [[spoiler:forcibly remove her powers after botching the job the first time.]]

** Roran defies his orders and leads the Varden forces to a heroic victory. However, he still went against his orders and Nasuada is forced to punish him in order to maintain discipline and prevent others from following his example.