Christopher Paolini returns to Eragon’s world with ‘Murtagh’

NEW YORK (AP) — Christopher Paolini will have new adventures out this fall from Alagaësia and the world of Eragon, featuring the Dragon Rider Murtagh.

Random House Children’s Books announced Wednesday that Paolini’s “Murtagh,” a standalone novel that takes place a year after the events of his blockbuster “Inheritance Cycle,” will be published Nov. 7 with an announced first printing of 2 million copies. According to Random House, the novel is an “epic journey into lands both familiar and untraveled” as Murtagh and his dragon Thorn confront a “mysterious witch.”

“’Murtagh’ is the novel I’ve been waiting to write for over 13 years,” Paolini said in a statement.

“It’s a deep dive into the life of our titular character and his dragon, Thorn. Here you’ll find mystery, magic, and revelations as Murtagh attempts to answer some of the deepest questions in the land, as well as those of his own life,” he said. “I’ve had a ridiculous amount of (sometimes devilish) fun writing MURTAGH, and I can’t wait for readers to experience it for themselves. Welcome back to Alagaësia!”

Paolini, 39, had yet to turn 20 when his debut novel “Eragon” made him one of the world’s most popular fantasy writers. His four “Inheritance” books — “Eragon,” “Eldest,” “Brisingr” and “Inheritance” — have sold more than 40 million copies, according to his publisher.

To mark the 20th anniversary of “Eragon,” Alfred A. Knopf House is releasing an illustrated version of the book on the same day “Murtagh” comes out. New paperback editions of the “Inheritance” novels will be published April 25 by Knopf, which, like Random House, is part of Penguin Random House.

Another new Paolini book, “Fractal Noise,” will be released May 16 by Tor Publishing Group.

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This story corrects the release date for new paperback editions of the “Inheritance” novels to April 25.

The Associated Press