ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Kvetha Fricaya. Greetings, Friends.
Brisingrwas a fun, intense, and sometimes difficult book to write. When I started, I felt as if the story
were a vast, three-dimensional puzzle that I had to solve without hints or instructions. I found the
experience to be immensely satisfying, despite the challenges it occasionally posed.
Because of its complexity,Brisingr ended up much larger than I anticipated—so much larger, in fact, that
I had to expand the series from three books to four. Thus, the Inheritance trilogy became the Inheritance
cycle. I’m pleased with the change too. Having another volume in the series has allowed me to explore
and develop the characters’ personalities and relationships at a more natural pace.
As withEragon andEldest, I never would have been able to complete this book without the support of a
whole host of talented people, to whom I am ever grateful. They are:
At home: Mom, for her food, tea, advice, sympathy, endless patience, and optimism; Dad, for his unique
perspective, razor-sharp observations on story and prose, helping me to name the book, and for coming
up with the idea of having Eragon’s sword burst into flame every time he says its name (very cool); and
my one and only sister, Angela, for once again consenting to reprise her character and for numerous
pieces of information on names, plants, and all things wool.
At Writers House: Simon Lipskar, my agent, for his friendship, his hard work, and for giving me a
much-needed kick in the pants early on inBrisingr (without which I might have taken another two years
to finish the book); and his assistant Josh Getzler for all he does on behalf of Simon and the Inheritance
cycle.
At Knopf: my editor, Michelle Frey, who did an awesome job of helping me to clean up and tighten the
manuscript (the first draft wasmuch longer); associate editor Michele Burke, who also labored over the
editing and who helped pull together the synopsis ofEragon andEldest; head of communications and
marketing Judith Haut, who from the beginning spread word of the series throughout the land; publicity
director Christine Labov; art director Isabel Warren-Lynch and her team for again putting together such
a classy-looking book; John Jude Palencar for a majestic cover painting (I don’t know how he can top it
with the fourth book!); executive copy editor Artie Bennett for checking every word, real or invented, in
Brisingr with such consummate care; Chip Gibson, head of the children’s division at Random House;
Knopf publishing director Nancy Hinkel for her unwavering support; Joan DeMayo, director of sales and
her team (huzzah and many thanks!); head of marketing John Adamo, whose team designed such
impressive materials; Linda Leonard, new media, for all her efforts with online marketing; Linda
Palladino, Milton Wackerow, and Carol Naughton, production; Pam White, Jocelyn Lange, and the rest
of the subsidiary rights team, who have done a truly extraordinary job of selling the Inheritance cycle in
countries and languages throughout the world; Janet Renard, copyediting; and everyone else at Knopf
who has supported me.
At Listening Library: Gerard Doyle, who brings the world of Ala gaesia to life with his voice; Taro
Meyer for getting the pronunciation of my languages just right; Orli Moscowitz for pulling all the threads
together; and Amanda D’Acierno, publisher of Listening Library.
Thank you all.
The Craft of the Japanese Swordby Leon and Hiroko Kapp and Yoshindo Yoshihara provided me
with much of the information I needed to accurately describe the smelting and forging process in the
chapter “Mind over Metal.” I highly recommend the book to anyone who is interested in learning more
about (specifically Japanese) swordmaking. Did you know that Japanese smiths used to start their fires
by hammering on the end of a bar of iron until it was red-hot, then touching it to a cedar shingle that was
coated with sulfur?
Also, for those who understood the reference to a “lonely god” when Eragon and Arya are sitting
around the campfire, my only excuse is that the Doctor can travel everywhere, even alternate realities.
Hey, I’m a fan too!
Finally, and most importantly, thank you. Thank you for readingBrisingr. And thank you for sticking
with the Inheritance cycle through all these years. Without your support, I never would have been able to
write this series, and I can’t imagine anything else I would rather be doing.
Once again Eragon and Saphira’s adventures are over, and once again we have arrived at the end of this