Eldest

Paolini, Christopher. Eldest. Book 2 of the Inheritance series. 2005. 681p. ISBN   0-375-82670-X. Available at FIC PAO on the library shelves.

Eragon survived the assault on the dwarven city of Tronjheim but was maimed by Durza the Shade before killing him. Known as the Shadeslayer, Eragon looks forward to heading to Ellesmera, capital of the Elves, to complete his training as a Rider of Dragons. Now that Eragon and Saphira have joined the Varden and with the destruction of his army, Nasuada decides it is time to take the fight to King Galbatorix, he who singlehandedly eliminated the Order of the Riders.

As the Varden moves south to Surda, Eragon, Saphira, Arya and Orik head north to Ellesmera. There Eragon and Saphira discover that they are not the last riders aside from the King. Oromis,  the Crippled Who is Whole and Glaedr his dragon still live in the forest, having hidden themselves from Galbatorix. Together and with limited time, they begin the process of training Rider and Dragon in the art of magic, flying, and fighting.

Meanwhile, in Carvahall, Roran and the villagers are visited by the Ra’zac, who are here to seize him. Refusing to surrender, Roran hides in the forest, but the soldiers accompanying the Ra’zac soon begin making the villagers’ lives miserable. When one of them dies at the hands of a soldier and is returned as nothing but a pile of bones, Roran is so incensed that he leads the villagers in battle against the Ra’zac and the soldiers, and soon the soldiers are forced to abandon Carvahall. Getting ready for a siege, the villagers fortify all access points and wait for the Empire’s assault.

Eragon’s training proceeds apace, but his desire for Arya, whom, he discovers, is the daughter of Queen Islanzadí, soon turns the elf against him, and she departs to return to the Varden. Meanwhile, Roran’s love, Katrina, is kidnapped by the Ra’zac following her father Sloan’s treachery, and with the knowledge that more soldiers is on the way, the villagers soon face a stark choice. Remain behind and be enslaved, or tempt their chance through the Spine to the ocean to secure passage down to the Varden and Surda.

As forces mass on both sides, and with an ally of Galbatorix ready to take the field against the Varden, will Eragon and Saphira’s training be completed in time to save his friends from complete destruction?

The story continues in Brisingr.