Mature Themes Take Center Stage in Christopher Paolini's 'Murtagh'

Article Summary

A brand new adventure awaits fans of the Inheritance Cycle series as Christopher Paolini delves back into the enchanting world of Alagaësia. This time, the focus is on the much-loved character Murtagh.

The novel, appropriately named Murtagh, continues directly from the events of the last book in the series and delves into Murtagh's life during his voluntary isolation.

Paolini presents a more sophisticated narrative for Murtagh's journey, delving into his intricate history, his bond with his dragon Thorn, and potentially other significant connections in his life.

More than twenty years ago, a young and hopeful Christopher Paolini published his first novel, Eragon. This marked the beginning of The Inheritance Cycle, a much-loved and highly praised fantasy series. Paolini, who started writing the series at the age of fifteen, achieved the incredible feat of becoming the youngest author of a bestselling book series in the Guinness Book of World Records. Eragon was later adapted into a feature film and will soon be transformed into a Disney+ series, which Paolini is co-writing, following the footsteps of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson & the Olympians.

The Inheritance Cycle concluded in 2011 with the release of Inheritance. While Paolini did revisit the world of Alagaësia and its captivating tales of dragon riders and magic with his anthology novel, The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm, it came as a delightful surprise when he announced the release of Murtagh in March of this year. Murtagh, a character greatly adored by fans, captivated readers with his brooding charm and tragic backstory. As Eragon’s half-brother, he provided a contrasting narrative to the heroic actions of the main character. This was especially evident as Murtagh suffered under the oppressive rule of King Galbatorix, who compelled Murtagh and his dragon Thorn to commit terrible deeds. Drawing from his almost two decades of life experience, Paolini brings a more mature voice to Murtagh’s story. In this epic novel, the emotional strings are repeatedly pulled as Paolini delves into Murtagh’s life after the events of The Inheritance Cycle. The stakes are just as high as Eragon's experiences, yet Murtagh only has Thorn as a source of support. This allows the novel to delve deeply into the psychology of both the dragon and his rider.

During New York Comic-Con, Paolini discussed his return to Alagaësia and his decision to continue the story directly from where Inheritance concluded, focusing on Murtagh's self-imposed exile. He also shared insights on how the narrative unfolded and teased what fans can anticipate from Murtagh's potential romance with Queen Nasuada in the upcoming novel, set to release on November 7, 2023.

Our website: I'm sure you've heard this before, but did you know that you are considered somewhat of a hero to homeschoolers, including myself?

CHRISTOPHER PAOLINI: I completely understand why. When I was growing up and being homeschooled, my parents were always on the lookout for successful examples of homeschooled children. They wanted to be able to say, "Look, it can be done. It's possible." I think they were also seeking reassurance that homeschooling would lead to a successful future for their own children. It's truly wonderful to hear that homeschoolers have found inspiration in my story and how everything has turned out.

Something I really appreciated with Murtagh is that it picks up right after The Inheritance Cycle.

PAOLINI: You read it?

Yes, I have. I've read the whole thing.

PAOLINI: Wow, you’re literally the second person outside of my family or editor that I've talked to who's actually read.

It’s so good.

PAOLINI: Third person, but the first person read it in French, so I don’t know if that counts.

I was able to easily immerse myself in the familiar world of The Inheritance Cycle. However, writing from Murtagh's perspective added a new dynamic to the experience. It was a blend of nostalgia, familiarity, and a hint of novelty, similar to returning home after a long absence and noticing subtle changes.

Certainly. How much of it consisted of fresh concepts that just came to mind, and how much did you extract from previous notes, unused ideas, and bringing it all together?

PAOLINI: It went through a process of evolution. I've always had ideas for additional full-length books set in the world of Eragon, and one of those ideas revolved around Murtagh. I had a few general concepts that I wanted to explore, like Murtagh and Thorn dealing with their past and confronting other threats and developments in the world. However, the specific details of the story didn't fully come together until around 2018, and even a bit earlier when I initially had the idea for the short story "The Fork in The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm," which focused on Murtagh– or rather, it was about Murtagh, not necessarily from his perspective. That short story served as the inciting incident and catalyst for the events in this book, and everything within it drew inspiration from previous notes as well as new material.

The third act of Murtagh is incredibly heart-wrenching.

PAOLINI: It’s intense, isn’t it?

It's intense! Describe the process of intensifying the anxieties and horrors. There is a sense of maturity in it this time.

PAOLINI: That's good to hear. Murtagh is a character who has grown and faced more challenges than Eragon. So, it was never an option to go easy on him, although it was difficult to write. Spending days, weeks, and months immersing myself in challenging situations for the sake of writing and editing takes an emotional toll. This is especially true because I strongly empathize with the characters and the world they inhabit. However, despite the emotional toll, I find it intriguing from a dramatic standpoint and cannot avoid it. The reason I wrote the book was specifically for that final portion. Everything leading up to it was building and hopefully supporting that moment of impact, where readers exclaim, "Oh my god."

Eragon is a film that was released on December 15, 2006. It was directed by Stefen Fangmeier and stars Ed Speleers, Sienna Guillory, Jeremy Irons, and John Malkovich. The film has a rating of PG and has a runtime of 104 minutes. The writers of Eragon are Peter Buchman and Christopher Paolini.

One thing I adored in my youth while reading these books was the dynamic between Murtagh and Nasuada. Their relationship fascinated me in the original books, and there was a hint of longing for what could have been. How much of this was a deliberate effort to provide satisfaction for fans of this dynamic in this new installment?

PAOLINI: I don't want to give anything away, but yes, that was definitely a part of it. In Inheritance, intentionally left certain storylines unresolved, and now, in moving forward, it is necessary to address some of them. Murtagh's feelings toward Nasuada, as well as her feelings toward him, and their complex interactions, had to be explored in a book focused on Murtagh.

Do you think there is more to explore in this world? The ending of this gave me a feeling like maybe…

PAOLINI: Oh, of course. This is setting up some future stories.

Excellent.

PAOLINI: As well as telling this particular story.

I absolutely didn't want to leave this book behind without the promise of more to come from this captivating world.

[Laughs, tapping the table] "I'm here. Where is it?" I had a conversation with another author yesterday about the evolution of books. They mentioned how during the final draft, there may be a realization of needing to add another scene. Did you experience moments like that in the process? Were there instances where you had to go back and include a scene you didn't initially realize was necessary until later?

PAOLINI: There's an old saying that sometimes you don't fully grasp what a book is truly about until you finish writing it or release the first draft. This definitely applied here. Initially, I had a few specific themes in mind as I wrote the first draft. However, when my editor read it, she pointed out that a significant portion of the book actually revolved around Y, not X. Initially, I resisted and insisted that the theme was X. However, I eventually swallowed my pride and took a step back, realizing that I indeed had included a lot about Y and needed to develop it further. Therefore, there were definitely elements that required tweaking and adjustment to ensure that my intended message came across clearly to readers. An illustration of this would be, but I cannot discuss it without revealing spoilers.

I always make sure to have a clear vision of both the beginning and the end of the book before I start writing. Each book is different, but I refuse to begin unless I have those key points in mind. For this particular book, I already had the beginning because it involved retelling the short story, "The Fork," from Murtagh's perspective. This served as the inciting incident in a way. While the actual inciting incident occurred at the end of the previous book, Inheritance, it was important for me to begin this book with Murtagh's point of view. Additionally, I knew exactly where I wanted to end the story, right down to the last scene and last chapter. I believed this would bring about a strong emotional impact for the readers.

Then, it was a matter of determining the type of narrative I aimed to convey and its significance to Murtagh’s personal dilemmas. Initially, my conception was akin to an enthralling adventure reminiscent of Edgar Rice Burroughs' works. However, as I delved deeper into the project, I realized that there was more complexity involved than just a mere escapade. There was a multitude of layers waiting to be explored. Consequently, I diligently crafted a comprehensive outline prior to embarking on the first draft. Subsequently, I meticulously penned the initial version and then took a step back to evaluate my success in achieving my desired outcome. It allowed me to identify areas that required modification or closer attention.

Eragon

Main Genre: Fantasy

Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Creator: Christopher Paolini

Production Company: 20th Television

It's quite unbelievable to think that we've reached the 20-year milestone since the release of Eragon. It truly reminds me of how time has flown by. I am constantly amazed by the enduring love and support that people continue to have for this series. I'm curious, what have you gained from this experience? How has it been for you?

PAOLINI: I've dedicated my entire life to this topic, so I could go on for hours about it. I'm immensely grateful and fortunate that people still read and care about books. I have high hopes that Murtagh will resonate with readers as well. It's truly amazing and something I never anticipated when Eragon was published. It's not common for a book to continue being read years after its release.

In terms of what I've learned, the list is extensive. It includes aspects like public relations, publicity, traveling, engaging with the public, and interacting with my fans. Additionally, it encompasses the technicalities of writing and life in general. One major lesson for me was transitioning from treating writing as a hobby to a profession. I had to learn to approach it with professionalism. I often compare storytelling to performing a magic trick. Magicians employ unconventional methods to deceive the audience, putting in countless hours of practice to make it appear seamless and trick the brain.

When it comes to storytelling, I believe that a significant amount of effort must be invested behind the scenes in order to effectively captivate the audience and create a magical experience. Personally, it's easy for me to become overly confident and think that I can skip this work because I already know what I'm doing. This mindset led to me spending seven to eight years on my sci-fi book, To Sleep in the Sea of Stars, as I neglected to put in the necessary work at certain points and had to revise and fix it later on. It's much more challenging to revise and improve a book after it has already been written compared to getting it close to perfection in the first attempt.

Now, for my final question, I must inquire if there has been any progress on the Disney+ series. I'm aware of the strikes, being a member of SAG, which have caused delays in the production.

PAOLINI: Definitely. We were on the verge of making significant advancements just before the strike occurred. Unfortunately, that halted everything. However, discussions are now underway with my agents and others about resuming the process. It's worth mentioning that Disney is currently experiencing some complexities, but I remain optimistic that we will assemble a talented team who will genuinely care for the narrative and give the world and the characters the treatment they deserve.

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Editor's P/S

As an enthusiastic fan of the Inheritance Cycle, I was thrilled to hear about the release of Murtagh, a new novel by Christopher Paolini set in the same universe. The book focuses on the character of Murtagh, Eragon's half-brother, and delves into his life during his voluntary isolation. Paolini presents a more sophisticated narrative for Murtagh's journey, delving into his intricate history, his bond with his dragon Thorn, and potentially other significant connections in his life.

I appreciate that Paolini has chosen to continue the story directly from where Inheritance concluded, as it allows readers to immediately dive back into the world of Alagaësia and reconnect with the characters they love. The stakes are just as high as Eragon's experiences, yet Murtagh only has Thorn as a source of support. This allows the novel to delve deeply into the psychology of both the dragon and his rider. I am eager to see how Murtagh's character develops and how he navigates the challenges he faces in this new chapter of his life.