The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm: Volume 1, Eragon

By Christopher Paolini

Don’t miss the eagerly anticipated epic new fantasy from Christopher Paolini—Murtagh!

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.

"Christopher Paolini is a true rarity." —The Washington Post

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!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Dec 31, 2018
• ISBN: 9781984894885

Christopher Paolini

Christopher is the firstborn of Kenneth and Talita. Creator of the World of Eragon and the Fractalverse. Holder of the Guinness World Record for youngest author of a bestselling series. Qualified for marksman in the Australian army. Scottish laird. Dodged gunfire . . . more than once. As a child, was chased by a moose in Alaska. Has his name inscribed on Mars. Husband. Father. Asker of questions and teller of stories.

Reviews for The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm

[bookworm148 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

We return to the world of Alagaësia, not too long after the fall of Galbatorix, and get to check in on some of our favorite characters (as well as a few new ones). This is not a book about Eragon, though he does appear occasionally, but rather three short stories that focus on a specific character. I think it is important to come into reading this knowing that the point is not to further the Inheritance Cycle plot and think of it as bonus features. Anyone who has read any of the other books will enjoy this novella.It was so fun to revist Eragon and see how Paolini's writing has improved since he wrote his first book at 19. My favorite chapter is "Fork" because I got to read about my favorite character from the original series. There is one chapter that was actually written (or at least partially written) by Paolini's sister, Angela, which is pretty cool. I challenge you to guess which one she helped with! I would read anything set in this world, and while I think the saga ended in a good place, I would not be opposed to some more stories from this world. Perhaps similar to how this one was written, or maybe with a completely new set of characters and problems. Maybe even delving into Alagaësia's history. It seems like a shame to never return to the rich world that Paolini has created.

[sara_cat-107388 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I give this 3.5 stars. It was so nice to return to some of the characters from the Inheritance Cycle. But it just felt like a very shallow dive back in and I think I would have appreciated it better with just the main stories that left out the connector/filler.The first part of the book was my favorite by far, though from this volume. The last was my second favorite and it was fascinating to hear more from a group that only had limited spotlighting in the main series. Personally, I would have been fine if the middle section had been cut completely, but those who have read my previous reviews on this series will probably be able to figure out why - but I won’t say more here so as to avoid spoilers.Speaking of spoilers, while reading this book before the end of the series would give away the ending of those books, it can be read independently because the content that connects to the series is explained or takes place outside the main actions and/or time of the series.

[andy_dimartino · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It was cute

[pascale1812 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I read this book more out of obligation to my middle school self than anything else. And deep down, my inner fangirl was super stoked to read these short stories, because the whole world of Alagaesia is so emotionally charged. There must be a reason my brain remembers that Tornac was the name of Murtagh's old mentor, when I sometimes slip up on my own phone number.

Nostalgia aside, the general format felt shallow and a bit contrived. For each of the three sections, there are three chapters: Eragon has a problem, Eragon listens to a story, Eragon reaches resolution while vaguely hinting at the future.

In the end, if you love skulblaka, it's worth picking up from the local library.

[linyarai · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not as exciting as the other ones, it's anthology of three lesser-character stories instead of a continuation of Eragon's tale.