Christopher Paolini
Christopher Paolini
Christopher James Paolini is an American author. He is best known as the author of the Inheritance Cycle, which consists of the books Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr and Inheritance. He currently lives in Paradise Valley, Montana, where he wrote his first book...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth17 November 1983
CityLos Angeles, CA
CountryUnited States of America
hurt war fall
When I saw Fäolin fall, I understood then that the true agony of war isn't being wounded yourself, it's having to watch those you care about being hurt.
warrior fighting past
All great fighting is the same, Eragon, even as all great warriors are the same. Past a certain point, it does not matter whether you wield a sword, a claw, a tooth or a tail. It is true, you must be capable with your weapon, but anyone with the time, and the inclination can acquire technical proficiency. To achieve greatness, though, that requires artistry. That requires imagination and thoughtfulness, and it is those qualities that the best warriors share, even if, on the surface, they appear completely different.
war fighting honor
If any honor existed in war, it was in fighting to protect others from harm
warrior knowing use
Anger has its place, but it will not serve you here, the way of the warrior is the way of knowing. Of that knowledge requires you to use anger, then you use anger, but you cannot wrest forth knowledge by losing your temper.
war fighting winning
A true warrior does not fight because he wishes to but because he has to. A man who yearns for war, a man who enjoys his killing, he is a brute and a monster. No matter how much glory he wins on the battlefield, that cannot erase the fact that he is no better than a rabid wolf who will turn on his friends and family as soon as his foes.
against house looking montana northern outside stood
I've stood outside my house in Montana looking at the northern lights... crackling against the night sky. To me, that's magic.
elements familiar proud provide relationship truly unique within
And what I hoped, and what I still hope, is that within those familiar elements I'm able to provide a unique twist. If there's anything that's truly unique about the series, what I'm most proud of is Eragon's relationship with Saphira.
character ended evolving experience gone novels parallels people process publishing
Eragon started as me but ended up evolving into his very own character, ... Even as he has gone through his coming-of-age story, the process of writing and publishing these novels has been my own coming-of-age story. There are parallels between my own experience and Eragon's, but fortunately, I don't have people charging at me with swords.
positive reviews
Even positive reviews would make me feel self-conscious while I'm writing.
compare exactly gone held normal pains parents regular sure taken understand unusual
I've never gone to a regular school. I've never held a normal job. I just don't have anything to compare this to. But my parents have taken pains to make sure I understand exactly how unusual this is.
people pursue written
I've always been very grateful that enough people have enjoyed reading what I've written that I've been able to pursue writing professionally.
experience
At this point, ... it would take an extraordinary experience to get me back in that costume!
experience needed
That wasn't an experience I needed to have,
both criticize easy editing learned swallow work
I think I learned most from editing, both editing myself and having someone else edit me. It's not always easy to have someone criticize your work, your baby. But if you can swallow your ego, you can really learn from the editing.