When Eragon finds a polished stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy - perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realises that he has stumbled on a legacy nearly as olk as the Empire itself. Overnight, his simple life is shattered and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic and power. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands.