The Inheritance Cycle Books in Order

Christopher Paolini's high-fantasy saga follows farm boy Eragon and his dragon Saphira as they join the rebellion against the tyrant king Galbatorix in the land of Alagaesia. Originally planned as a trilogy, it grew into four main novels plus later companion works set in the same world.

Publication order

In the order the books were originally released.

  1. Cover of Eragon

    Eragon

    2002 · Christopher Paolini

    When a poor farm boy named Eragon discovers a mysterious blue stone in the mountains, it hatches into a dragon and binds his fate to a vanished order…

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  2. Cover of Eldest

    Eldest

    2005 · Christopher Paolini

    In the aftermath of a costly battle, Eragon travels to the realm of the elves to train as a true Dragon Rider, mastering magic, swordcraft, and…

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  3. Cover of Brisingr

    Brisingr

    2008 · Christopher Paolini

    Bound by promises he must keep, Eragon races to rescue captives and aid the rebel Varden while wrestling with hard truths about his own family and…

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  4. Cover of Inheritance

    Inheritance

    2011 · Christopher Paolini

    The rebellion's long struggle reaches its climax as Eragon and his dragon Saphira lead the Varden toward the heart of the empire and a final…

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Companion & related books

Short-story collections and companion titles in this series.

  • Cover of Eragon & Eldest

    Eragon & Eldest

    2005 · Christopher Paolini

    This volume collects the first two installments of the Inheritance Cycle, following farm boy Eragon from the day a dragon hatches for him through his…

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Frequently asked questions

What order should I read the The Inheritance Cycle books in?

Publication order — Christopher Paolini and publisher Alfred A. Knopf / Penguin Random House present and number the books in publication order, which readers widely follow Start with “Eragon.”

How many books are in the The Inheritance Cycle series?

We list 4 books by Christopher Paolini , published between 2002–2011.

Where can I buy the The Inheritance Cycle books?

Each title above links to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

Reading order compiled from author/publisher guidance and verified bibliographic data. Spotted an error? We continuously correct the catalog.