Eldest

Well, as promised, I now bring you a review for Eldest. Book two of the Inheritance Cycle picks up in the aftermath of the battle under Farthen Dur, the dwarves' capital. The battle has been over for three days, and parties have come back after searching for Urgals in the extensive tunnels. A surprise attack ensues, and the leader of the Varden is killed, thus passing the role to his daughter. Soon Eragon is sent off to the elves, where he must complete his training with Saphira. As his knowledge of magic, swordplay, and other various topics advances, Eragon's cousin, Roran, comes back to Carvahall from an apprenticeship. He arrives to find his father dead, his cousin gone, and his home destroyed. Angry, Roran leads the village in uprisings against the king's soldiers, only to be injured and have his betrothed kidnapped. Roran then must lead the villagers into battle and voyage to save themselves and those they love, altogether leaving the book in a major battle with surprising revelations.

     I certainly found Eldest to be an inviting read. I find that as the series progresses, the books get better and become more eloquently written. Christopher Paolini does a superb job at looking deep into the characters' emotions and putting twists into the plot line. I am excited to be moving on to the third book (Brisinger), and hope to bring it to you all soon!

The Kite Runner

     Is anybody looking for a book about friendship, heartbreak, and redemption? If so, I'd recommend The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. In the 1970s, young Amir lives in Afghanistan with his father (who is a wealthy businessman) and their servants, Ali and his son Hassan. Amir and Hassan grow up being best friends, doing almost everything together. Their favorite sport is Kite Running, and practice for the annual tournament all year. But life becomes hard as the Russia, and later the Taliban, invade their country. Hassan is sexually abused one afternoon, and though Amir sees it, he does not help. Soon Ali and Hassan leave, and Amir and his father follow five years later as they escape to the USA to flee from the turmoil in Afghanistan. Until Amir receives a phone call several years later from an old friend, he pushes aside his memories as he begins a new life. Soon he starts the adventure of a lifetime as he attempts to pick up the fragmented pieces of his old life and redeem himself for the wrongs he did.
     I found The Kite Runner to be a very well-written, beautiful book. The author writes in a way that readers feel as if they are right there, witnessing everything with their own eyes. In Khaled Hosseini's debut novel, the characters certainly came alive and created a powerful story of friends, hardships, and heartbreaks. The Kite Runner is the type of book that will make you laugh, cry, and want to read it over and over again.

Caution: I don't recommend younger children reading this book, as it contains some mature themes.

Eragon

I've decided to begin my blog with a review of the novel Eragon, by Christopher Paolini. Set in the world of Alagaesia, the first book of the Inheritance Cycle starts with a young boy (Eragon), about the age of fifteen, finding a mysterious blue stone in the middle of a forest. Now, this is no ordinary stone, for it is actually a dragon egg. Now connected with a race that has long been thought extinct, Eragon is guided by a local storyteller in a race for his life as the malicious King Galbatorix hunts him and his dragon down. Eragon must determine who he can trust and who he can't as he begins to lead the rebels to rise up against a terrifying ruler. Meeting new allies and enemies alike prove to be a big part of the journey. Secrets are revealed that shock readers into realizing that nothing is what it seems to be in this world. Learning the effects of magic and sword fighting prove to be essential to Eragon's training as he must prepare for the climatic battle with King Galbatorix's army and begin his future as one of the Dragon Riders of legend.
     I found Eragon to be a very powerful read. I enjoyed the story, page after page, and have read it twice around. Christopher Paolini's debut novel is certainly one of action, suspense, and surprises. I would definitely recommend this novel to those of you readers who particularly enjoy fantasy or The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkein. An amazing start to the series that will leave one thirsting for more until the last page is turned and the book must be set down- to reach for the next in the series. I hope to bring you the second novel, Eldest, soon. Until my next book, I must bid you all a wonderful evening, and happy reading!

Let me introduce myself...

     Hello world! My name is Matt Swoboda, and I live in beautiful Omaha, Nebraska, USA. I am a member Of the Creighton Prep Class of 2015. I am active in the band at Prep (which as of currently writing this post has won 27 straight Superior ratings at District Music Contest) and Jazz Band, playing the tenor saxophone in both bands. I also participate in the fall musicals that Prep does with Marian High School and take part in the Speech team at Prep. A few of my hobbies are reading, studying history and genealogy, hiking, and both playing and listening to music. I have enjoyed crimes and mysteries since I was young, and in the future, I possibly will go into history and/or criminology.
     I am excited to be blogging to you all! This is part of a new adventure for me. I started blogging a few months ago for my English class, and soon found out that I really enjoyed it. Through this blog (as I am sure you can deduce by the title) I will be sharing with you the books that I have read and will giving them a review. Hopefully I will be able to share with you all a great selection of books, as I am an avid reader. So, what do you say? Let's start this adventure together.