Despite the alleged similarities and 'copyings' from LOTR and others, I think Eragon is amazing. Of course there will be similarities with LOTR, after all they are both fantasy books! You can't write a book without influences from other books, that's just impossible. In Eragon, Paolini writes with a totally different style than JRR Tolkein. Also, the series is in the style of the 21st century, (whatever that is!) and is therefore easier for people of this generation to understand. I also think that it is more of a childrens book than LOTR, meaning: it is easier for children to understand, not that LOTR was more inappropriate. Whoever says that Paolini only copied from others is completely wrong! The book is his own, and it's a good one.