Author:Christopher Paolini

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 realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself. Overnight his simple life is shattered and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands...
A compelling and action-filled adventure . . . a galloping good example of its genre
—— Daily TelegraphThis book is an achievement. Readers . . . will be transported
—— Sunday TimesA portrayal of true affection between boy and dragon - Paolini writes like someone gripped by his own story
—— GuardianA stirring fantasy of epic proportions
—— The BooksellerBewitching...Highly recommended. Scudamore has talent to burn
—— Matt Thorne , Sunday TelegraphA wonderful debut - witty, polished, fluent and effortlessly entertaining
—— Hilary MantelA nostalgic, compelling adventure laced with black humour
—— Time OutA compulsively readable novel about the seductiveness of storytelling... Both his characters and the electrifying manner in which Scudamore writes about Ecuador demonstrate the appeal as well as the danger of any fabulist's capacity for wonder
—— Literary ReviewBrilliant ... In a hilarious portrayal of the ups and downs of being wife No.2, The Second Wives Club puts paid to the stereotype of the wicked stepmother once and for all
—— SunThis is the perfect holiday read but would be just as entertainiing on the commute to work as accompanying you pool side
—— handbag.comSecond wives form a club to bitch about their husbands and in-laws in this compelling read
—— heatGoodwin does an excellent job...a bleak, clever, complex and utterly compelling thriller with the grip of a pitbull.
—— YORKSHIRE POSTBeautifully written...Idiosyncratic and highly enjoyable
—— GOOD BOOK GUIDENorth London gangland life and a very nasty murder mystery, but this highly compulsive, unputdownable novel is so much more...The events are extraordinary and the finale very disturbing and the reading experience is one of best I've had for a long time.
—— SARAH BROADHURST , THE BOOKSELLERIntense and deeply disturbing, Sweet Gum is the kind of story you can't help wishing...was strictly confined to the pages of a book. But it's not - this is real life in a modern world: a seedily contemporary world of criminals, lap-dancing, drugs, perversion, prostitution and betrayal. Written by a journalist known for her investigations into the crime underworld, Sweet Gum brilliantly captures the sense of the London streets with a scintillating nastiness that's totally addictive. Unputdownable
—— IRISH EXAMINERDeliciously bittersweet...vividly evoked...an assured, ambitious and inventive work
—— MSLEXIABrisk and wry intelligence...there is a constant wit and genuine sparkle of language at work here
—— SUNDAY TRIBUNEHer reputation as a gifted novelist will be assured...Sweet Gum balances a visceral portrait of modern evil with an ambitious work on the themes of redemption, love and justice which is both refreshing and strangely nostalgic.
—— THE TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT