Murtagh: A Journey Back To Alagaësia
Our childhood read finds its rebellious teenage years
Murtagh: A Journey Back To Alagaësia
Our childhood read finds its rebellious teenage years
When one of your favorite series gets an update after 12 years, of course you have to go out and get it, no matter how old you’ve gotten.
One of the most exciting book purchases I made last year was Murtagh by Christopher Paolini. I had devoured his Inheritance Cycle (Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, and Inheritance) when I was younger and unencumbered by adult life. Now I’m older, wiser, and a different reader, but I relished the familiar feelings that I get stepping back into the world that Paolini first introduced readers to back in 2002.
Murtagh, The Brother Without A Cause
The Inheritance Cycle centers around Eragon, a child of destiny who with the help of a ragtag bunch, brings dragons (she is named Saphira) and goodness back to Alagaësia defeating the evil emperor Galbatorix. It’s a fantastic quartet of novels, each weaving a tale worth rereading over and over again. I’ve read the series through at least twice, and have it tentatively scheduled for summer 2025.
One of the cast of characters introduced was Murtagh, Eragon’s half-brother (spoiler) who the son of Eragon’s mother and the right-hand man of Galbatorix, named Morzan. He grew up in the evil court, escaped, met and befriended his brother, helped begin the revolution, got captured, became a dragon rider himself, thrashed Eragon, and then found a way to undo the unbreakable oaths he was forced to swear to the forces of evil to join forces with Eragon and Co. to overthrow Galbatorix, bringing peace and rapid governmental change to the land.
Thanks to his trauma with leaders, Murtagh and his dragon Thorn have decided not to swear fealty or check in with anyone, and instead becoming roaming loaners, training themselves and taking odd jobs that only someone imbued with magic and the help of a dragon would dare. A roving PI with a sword, sparky magic fingers, and a dragon who breathes fire first and asks questions later.
A Quarter-Life Crisis
Eragon had a lot of help throughout his tenure through the Inheritance Cycle. Murtagh throws himself into a situation where he can’t or won’t accept help. He’s frustrated and prioritizing his own independence over all things. He’s also simultaneously chasing the ghost of his father Morzan, Galbatorix (who was unfortunately at one point was a father figure), and trying to move out from Eragon’s shadow and assume the role of the lone Dragon Rider in the land.
The problem is that he hides his identity, keeps to the streets, back alleys, and forests outside of town, chasing mysteries and creating a ruckus in taverns, breaking into the barracks of the city guard, and following ghosts of his past to a remote mountain pass and getting in way over his head and into a heap of trouble.
A New Main Character Or Just A One-Off?
Paolini has painted himself into a corner with this. There was desire from his fan base to further develop the fan-favorite character or Murtagh. He had that antihero energy and tortured background that makes for a fantastic main character.
Paoloini develops him into one but leaves his in a place where you’re ripe for more of Murtagh and more of Alagaësia. We’re getting more books in this universe, and even this timeline, but not necessarily with Murtagh as the protagonist. That makes the story almost bittersweet, as if you’re seeing someone off to part of their journey, and then stopping before completing it with them.
It’s Still Worth It
If you’re a fan of the work that’s been done previously in the Inheritance Cycle, then this is so worth the read. It’s Paolini’s typical prose and his enviornments come to life on the page. You feel different pangs and emotions in this and it is a drastic difference from his earlier more self-assured characters.
You get quickly invested and engrossed in the world. Hopefully, it isn’t too long before another book comes out. For first-time readers, it might be too much history and backstory to conquer, but as a one off you would be able to enjoy it.