I enjoyed this fantasy tale quite a bit. I welcomed the change in focus from Eragon and Saphira to Murtagh and Thorn. I have no doubt there will be more books focused on Eragon but it's nice to see the series feature other characters. Although Eragon and Murtagh are both Dragon Riders - and half-brothers as well - there are plenty of differences between the two. They approach situations and obstacles differently. Murtagh is a little bit rougher in execution and a bit of a darker hero. Just as this book changes the central character, this book is also about change. Murtagh and Thorn are fighting to change by overcoming their enslavement by Galbatorix and the reputation that followed.
I find Paolini works to be a smooth read. I don't mean that in a negative manner at all. I mean that it's easy to follow and easy to read large chunks at one time. There is world building and lore sprinkled throughout the book, but it's not labor intensive to keep the facts straight. There are also several illustrations, a small section on Runes, and another brief appendix or two.
Rating: I gave the book a 5-star rating on Goodreads. The site only allows full star ratings so that somewhat limits how accurately you can rate your experience. I definitely thought it was better than a flat 4 and somewhere closer to 5 so a 5 seemed closer than rating it lower. I'm not a professional reviewer by any means so when I rate a book, I'm just looking at stuff such as "did I struggle with staying interested" or "would I read more books in the series" and similar topics.
Progress: I have completed 1 out of 8 books on my planned reading list this year.
Next: My second book is People of the Dark by Robert E. Howard. I'm ending January with completely 24% of this book. Let's see what next month brings...