This Article is to point out the differences between the Book Eragon and the Film Eragon, which was a great disappointment to many fans, including me. So here we go, my information is from the InheriWiki.
Book- Eragon had brown hair and brown eyes.
Film- Eragon had blonde hair and blue eyes.
Book- Eragon was fifteen at the start of the story.
Film- Eragon was seventeen at the start of the story.
Book- The gedwëy ignasia mark is a circle and glows silver if the Dragon Rider uses a spell or reaches for magic.
Film- The gedwëy ignasia is in the shape of an 'e'.
Book- Zar'roc has a gold pommel with a ruby in it, and the handle is wrapped in silver wire. The sheath is of a wine-red color. Morzan's insignia is on the blade and sheath.
Film- Zar'roc has a silver pommel with a sapphire in it, and the handle is wrapped in leather.The sheath is black. Morzan's insignia is not on the blade or sheath.
Book- The story takes place on the commence of winter.
Film- The story takes place in the middle of spring.
Book- Saphira breathes fire only at the climax of the final battle, and uses it to distract Durza so Eragon can kill him. Her fire is blue to match her scales.
Film- Saphira starts to breath fire right before the battle begins, and uses it to kill many enemies during the battle. Her fire is orange.
Book- Saphira's scales are intense blue and she has bat-like wings with membranes and scales.
Film- Saphira is a rather dull grayish blue, and has feathers.
Book- Eragon gives Saphira her name.
Film- Saphira tells Erahon her name.
Book- Saphira grows to full size over a period of months and is kept in the woods, grows up in a tree with a shelter made by Eragon.
Film- Saphira grows to full size instantaneously the moment she enters the air, never kept in the woods, has no shelter outside, kept in Eragon's room.
Book- Saphira has been lying in her egg for about a hundred years.
Film- After growing to full size, Saphira tells Eragon she has "waited a thousand years to hear his thoughts".
Book- Eragon receives large bloody gashes between his legs, being ripped away by Saphira's hard scales, while flying into the Spine. They stay there for a night after Saphira hears about the Ra'zac.
Film- Eragon receives no such wounds, and Saphira flies him in the air for a few short minutes before dropping him off at his dead uncle's house.
Book- Brom has a long white beard, silver hair, a carved staff, and pipe.
Film- Brom has a short gray beard, gray hair, and no carved staff or pipe.
Book- Uncle Garrow's name is mentioned repeatedly.
Film- Uncle Garrow's name is never mentioned.
Book- Brom tells everyone the full story of the Riders' downfall and Galbatorix. No soldiers overhear him.
Film- Brom briefly alludes to the events of the Riders' downfall. A soldier overhears him and almost arrests him.
Book- Eragon asks Brom questions in order to learn more about dragons. Brom answers willingly.
Film- Eragon breaks into Brom's house and begins reading his books in order to learn more about dragons, then questions Brom. Brom refuses to answer.
Book- Brom gives Zar'roc to Eragon immediately and uses his own shortsword.
Film- Brom continues to use Zar'roc until he is about to die, whereupon he gives it to Eragon. Throughout most of the movie, Eragon uses a shortsword instead.
Book- Brom and Eragon travel to Therinsford, Yazuac, Daret, Teirm, and Dras-Leona.
Film- They only travel to Daret; all the other events that happen in other towns are squelched together here.
Book- Eragon slips in a small stream, and breaks his wrist, which gives him immense pain through much of the journey.
Film- Eragon doesn't break his wrist.
Book- While traveling, Brom and Eragon get some help from Brom's merchant friend, Jeod.
Film- Jeod does not appear in the movie.
Book- It isn't revealed that Brom was a Dragon Rider until his near death.
Film- Eragon guesses Brom's identity long before Brom dies, by ripping a cloth off of his hand.
Book- Brom is put into a sandstone tomb with his belongings where Eragon shapes it with magic and Saphira "freezes" it so that Eragon and she can see through it.
Film- Brom is put in his grave (with no belongings) on grass at the edge of a cliff with stones piled together. Saphira "freezes" it but Eragon does not use magic to shape it.
Book- Durza the Shade is tall and slim, with very pale skin, crimson hair, maroon eyes, sharp teeth, and ordinary fingernails.
Film- Durza is not particularly slim or pale. He has crimson hair, white eyes, ordinary teeth, and sharp fingernails.
Book- Murtagh agrees to accompany Eragon to the Varden, but refuses to enter. He has little knowledge of the Beor Mountains.
Film- Murtagh agrees to accompany Eragon to the Varden and enter optimistically. He has a thorough knowledge of the Beor Mountains.
Book- Durza's primary weapon is a sword that carries a long scratch from his duel with Ajihad.
Film- Durza's primary weapon is magic. He carries a sword, but does not use it.
Book- Ajihad tells Eragon about Durza's name, and Angela tells him about what Shades are. He does not know either of these things beforehand.
Film- Brom tells Eragon about Durza's name and what Shades are. Durza is a name seemingly known to all.
Book- Arya has raven dark hair, green eyes, and pointed ears. She is taller than most men, including Eragon. She has a tattoo on her right shoulder.
Film- Arya has reddish-gold hair, blue eyes, and human ears. She is slightly shorter than Eragon. She has no tattoo.
Book- Arya wears dark-colored clothing, especially black leather.
Film- Arya wears light colored clothing. Even her armor is lightly colored.
Book- Arya has a cold, stiff, no-nonsense personality, especially towards Eragon. She treats him coldly, almost demeaningly, and shows no romantic affection.
Film- Arya acts warmly towards Eragon. She even appears to be attracted to him romantically, as she tells him they "might meet each other again soon."
Book- In the beginning, the egg has already been stolen (by Brom and Jeod) and in the Varden's possession for fifteen years. Arya is riding peacefully before she is attacked.
Film- The egg has only recently been stolen (it doesn't say by whom). Arya is riding frantically before she is attacked.
Book- Arya is poisoned with a drug and a potent poison, both of organic origins.
Film- Arya is poisoned by a magical venom created by Durza. No drug is employed to suppress her magic.
Book- Arya's body is covered with slashes, cuts, & bruises all over, received from being imprisoned & tortured in Gil'ead.
Film- Arya doesn't show any signs of such torture.
Book- Murtagh has a horse, sword, bow, dagger, and horn.
Film- Murtagh has only a bow.
Book- Eragon dreams of Arya several times, but never communicates with her. In the dream, she is always in a cell.
Film- Eragon dreams of Arya once, and talks to her during it. In the dream, she is in a forest.
Book- Arya does not reveal that she is a princess until the second book, Eldest. It is stated then that only a very few people know of her identity, and they kept it secret on her request.
Film- Arya reveals to Eragon that she is a princess in his dream.
Book- Galbatorix is only mentioned; no one knows what his identifying characteristics are like (except for his "black eyes" as testified by Murtagh). He knows that the 'stone' is a dragon egg.
Film- Galbatorix makes several appearances (with a movie-director-chosen appearance). He refers to Saphira's egg as just a 'stone'.
Book- Galbatorix does not know the location of the elven and dwarven cities.
Film- Galbatorix possesses a map that shows the exact location of every city of the elves and dwarves.
Book- Murtagh's hair is brown.
Film- Murtagh's hair is black.
Book- Galbatorix wants Eragon and Saphira to join him so he can rebuild the Dragon Riders.
Film- Galbatorix desperately wants Eragon killed so Saphira will die.
Book- Murtagh's scar is on his back, and goes from his right shoulder to his left hip. It is white and silvery, like scar tissue.
Film- Murtagh's scar is on his side, and horizontal. It is red and rough, like a scab.
Book- Angela is a cheerful mature woman with dark curls of hair. She talks like everybody else, meets with Eragon twice, and tries to prove that toads are really frogs. She is also a witch. She lives in Teirm and has the werecat Solembum as her companion. She later fights in the Battle under Farthen Dûr.
Film- Angela is young, blond, and ornately-garbed. She talks in the third-person, meets with Eragon once, and has no interest in frogs or toads. She is not a witch, but a mere fortune-teller. She lives in Daret, and has no pets or companions. She makes no appearance in Farthen Dûr.
Book- Ajihad's head is shaven bare.
Film- Ajihad has long black hair.
Book- Ajihad recognizes Murtagh as Morzan's son because they have the same voice.
Film- Ajihad recognizes Murtagh as Morzan's son because they look the same.
Book- Nasuada and Hrothgar are referred to by name.
Film- Nasuada and Hrothgar are not referred to by name.
Book- Hrothgar, King of the dwarves, is four feet tall with white hair and a long white beard.
Film- Hrothgar is the size of an ordinary human, with light brown hair and beard.
Book- Brom buys the horses Snowfire and Cadoc in Therinsford. Snowfire is white.
Film- Brom has the horses Snowfire and Cadoc, who are not mentioned by name, before leaving Carvahall. Snowfire is black.
Book- The Ra'zac are tall, hunched, twisted, insect-like creatures with beaks and black eyes as large as a fist. They carry swords and Seithr Oil, and wear hoods and cloaks to cover their "twisted hideous bodies." They are organic creatures hatched from eggs, who joined Galbatorix after they were born.
Film- The Ra'zac are artificial creatures summoned from insects and dirt, apparently created under Durza's command. They are covered in rags and resembled a mummy or the reanimated corpse of a dead ninja. They carry daggers and no Seithr Oil.
Book- The Ra'zac were not killed until Brisingr, by Roran and Eragon.
Film- The Ra'zac were killed before the movie ended, by Brom and Eragon.
Book- The Ra'zac completely destroyed Eragon's house and mortally injured Garrow. Eragon takes Uncle Garrow back to Carvahall and stays at Horst's house for a while before leaving. Garrow is buried afterwards.
Film- The Ra'zac do not completely destroy the house, and kill Garrow before Eragon returns home to find him, when he is already dead. Eragon leaves immediately, and Garrow is cremated by Brom.
Book- Sloan tells the Ra'zac about Eragon willingly, and is allowed to leave their presence.
Film- The Ra'zac torture Sloan into telling them about Eragon, and seem to kill him.
Book- Sloan is lean and scrawny, with a sallow complexion and black eyes. He refuses to take the 'stone' because he hates the Spine and will have nothing to do with it. He insists Eragon leave his shop, but cannot convince him to go. Horst and Katrina intervene, they criticize Sloan for his grumpy behavior, and Horst pays Sloan money to give Eragon meat.
Film- Sloan is large, without sallow skin or black eyes. He refuses to take the 'stone' because, "it belongs to the King." He easily convinces Eragon to leave the shop (though Eragon steals some meat with Katrina's help in a deleted scene).
Book- Brom, Eragon, and Saphira are temporarily captured by the Ra'zac, but manage to escape. Saphira and the Ra'zac are not harmed permanently, but Brom is mortally injured.
Film- Brom, Eragon, and Saphira successfully fight off the Ra'zac's attempt to capture them, and kill them in the process. Brom is not harmed permanently, but Saphira is injured and the Ra'zac are killed.
Book- Brom is killed by the Ra'zac throwing a dagger at him.
Film- Brom is killed by Durza with a spear.
Book- Urgals are tall, yellow-eyed, gray-skinned, and horned.
Film- Urgals are shorter, stocky, and red-eyed. They do not have horns, and resemble savage cave-men.
Book- Daret is on land. Around 60 archers are situated on the roofs to defend themselves from intruding Urgals and/or the Empire. Brom and Eragon come hither to buy a bunch of supplies (especially some gloves to help Eragon hide the mark on his hand.)
Film- Daret rests on stilts over a gloomy body of water. No such "archers" are present; Brom and Eragon come to only "buy some bread."
Book- Eragon first uses magic in Yazuac. He and Brom notice something is wrong (especially when they see the pile of dead villagers) and encounter two Urgals.
Film- Eragon first uses magic in Daret. No "pile of dead villagers" is ever present; he and Brom are attacked by multiple Urgals.
Book- Brom scolds Eragon for prematurely using magic that could have killed himself.
Film- Brom encourages him to use magic whenever he so wishes.
Book- The Empire's army in Farthen Dûr is made up of Urgals and Kull, with no humans.
Film- The Empire's army in Farthen Dûr is made up of both Urgals and humans. None of the Urgals are Kull.
Book- No soldiers of the Empire are present in Carvahall.
Film- Carvahall is swarming with soldiers.
Book- Horst is described as a big, hulking, bulky blacksmith with brisky black hair, and a rumbling voice - confident, brave, whole-hearted, and optimistic. His wife Elain is blonde.
Film- Horst is portrayed as somewhat a rather smaller man with a balding head (and it is never mentioned that he is a blacksmith). His voice is not husky. He turns out to be vulnerable, pessimistic, worrying, and broken-hearted. His wife, Elain, is a brunnete.
Book- Horst, his wife Elain, and their sons, Albriech and Baldor, remain in Carvahall up to the end of the book and are seen or mentioned several times. There are many other villagers in Carvahall, including Fisk and Morn.
Film- Horst is seen briefly in two short scenes, Elain and her sons are seen briefly in one, and they do not play the parts they did in the book. Both sons are recruited into the Imperial Army and leave Carvahall early in the story. No villagers besides Horst, Eragon, and Roran are named.
Book- Roran leaves Carvahall to work at Dempton's mill in Therinsford. His motivation is to raise enough money to marry Katrina.
Film- Roran leaves Carvahall for an uncertain destination. His motivation is to avoid being drafted into the army.
Book- The Traders come to Carvahall at one point.
Film- The Traders never come to Carvahall at any time.
Book- Orik the Dwarf is an important character who appears several times late in the story.
Film- Orik makes no appearance whatsoever.
Book- Katrina, Elva, and the Twins all have important roles in the books.
Film- Katrina, Elva, and the Twins are omitted from the final movie, only appearing briefly in the deleted scenes.
Book- Eragon, Saphira, Murtagh, and Arya have a lengthy journey to the Varden, which is chapters long.
Film- They travel to the Varden within a few minutes of movie time.
Book- Murtagh defeats Durza by shooting him with two arrows. Durza feels immense pain when he is disembodied.
Film- Eragon defeats Durza by shooting him with one arrow; Durza feels no pain.
Book- Eragon, Murtagh, Arya, and Saphira travel through the Hadarac Desert.
Film- No such desert ever appears in the movie.
Book- Eragon learns how to summon water from the ground in the Hadarac Desert.
Film- No such magic is performed by Eragon.
Book- Farthen Dûr is a tall, hollow, almost invincible mountain with a hole in the top. It is over ten miles high. Tronjheim is a marble city mountain built inside the mountain.
Film- Tronjheim is made of wood and stone, and looks more like Tarnag, a dwarf city visited in Eldest, or a valley, rather than a mountain. The mountain itself is much less than ten miles high.
Book- There are scenes involving Hrothgar's throne room and Isidar Mithrim.
Film- There are no scenes involving Hrothgar's throne room or Isidar Mithrim.
Book- During the Battle under Farthen Dûr, Eragon attacks Durza with his mind and sees the Shade's past as a human named Carsaib, who lost control of his mind when evil spirits entered his body.
Film- Eragon does not attack Durza's mind, and learns nothing of the Shade's past.
Book- The battle between Durza and Eragon takes place on the ground, inside Tronjheim.
Film- Durza flies into battle against Eragon and Saphira on a beast of dark smoke or vapor, presumably created by magic. Durza has no problems creating or sustaining the Beast. This really violates the laws of magic, because not even a Shade has enough strength to conjure a dragon-like monster with a large structure and enough density to support someone's weight.
Book- Eragon defeats Durza when the Shade is distracted by Saphira flying overhead and breathing fire. Isidar Mithrim was shattered during the fight.
Film- Eragon defeats Durza by having Saphira throw him at Durza using her tail. Nothing, besides several wooden structures, was destroyed as a result of the fight.
Book- When Eragon blacks out after killing Durza, the-Cripple-Who-Is-Whole (Oromis) appears to him in a vision and advises him about Ellesméra. Arya remains in Tronjheim at the end of the story, but travels back to Ellesméra in the next book with Eragon and Orik.
Films- Eragon apparently has no vision of Oromis. Arya leaves for Ellesméra afterwards, without Eragon and Orik.
Other Differences:
On two movie posters (as shown above), Saphira is featured with bat-like membrane wings, but the movie features her with feathers.
The movie takes place over a much shorter time than the book. It is had been mentioned in several different sections that the film took place of about three days, while the story in the novel takes place over months. Also, a quote by Arya ("Yesterday, you were a farm boy. Today, you are a hero."), is very misleading. She says "yesterday" and "today" as figures of speech, not actual time periods.
In the book, Eragon is motivated to fight the Urgals because they hurt people. In the movie, he does so only to prove his strength.
In the novel, the story ends with Eragon promising to go to Ellesméra to resume his training with Oromis. But the movie never mentions the fact that he needsfurther training, and it ends with Eragon and Arya going their own ways, and Galbatorix unleashes his black dragon, Shruikan.
At the end of the film, Galbatorix unleashed Shruikan to go and attack Eragon. But that neverhappened in the first book; he is most logically going to have to fight Eragon and Saphira in Book 4!
Book- Eragon had brown hair and brown eyes.
Film- Eragon had blonde hair and blue eyes.
Book- Eragon was fifteen at the start of the story.
Film- Eragon was seventeen at the start of the story.
Book- The gedwëy ignasia mark is a circle and glows silver if the Dragon Rider uses a spell or reaches for magic.
Film- The gedwëy ignasia is in the shape of an 'e'.
Book- Zar'roc has a gold pommel with a ruby in it, and the handle is wrapped in silver wire. The sheath is of a wine-red color. Morzan's insignia is on the blade and sheath.
Film- Zar'roc has a silver pommel with a sapphire in it, and the handle is wrapped in leather.The sheath is black. Morzan's insignia is not on the blade or sheath.
Book- The story takes place on the commence of winter.
Film- The story takes place in the middle of spring.
Book- Saphira breathes fire only at the climax of the final battle, and uses it to distract Durza so Eragon can kill him. Her fire is blue to match her scales.
Film- Saphira starts to breath fire right before the battle begins, and uses it to kill many enemies during the battle. Her fire is orange.
Book- Saphira's scales are intense blue and she has bat-like wings with membranes and scales.
Film- Saphira is a rather dull grayish blue, and has feathers.
Book- Eragon gives Saphira her name.
Film- Saphira tells Erahon her name.
Book- Saphira grows to full size over a period of months and is kept in the woods, grows up in a tree with a shelter made by Eragon.
Film- Saphira grows to full size instantaneously the moment she enters the air, never kept in the woods, has no shelter outside, kept in Eragon's room.
Book- Saphira has been lying in her egg for about a hundred years.
Film- After growing to full size, Saphira tells Eragon she has "waited a thousand years to hear his thoughts".
Book- Eragon receives large bloody gashes between his legs, being ripped away by Saphira's hard scales, while flying into the Spine. They stay there for a night after Saphira hears about the Ra'zac.
Film- Eragon receives no such wounds, and Saphira flies him in the air for a few short minutes before dropping him off at his dead uncle's house.
Book- Brom has a long white beard, silver hair, a carved staff, and pipe.
Film- Brom has a short gray beard, gray hair, and no carved staff or pipe.
Book- Uncle Garrow's name is mentioned repeatedly.
Film- Uncle Garrow's name is never mentioned.
Book- Brom tells everyone the full story of the Riders' downfall and Galbatorix. No soldiers overhear him.
Film- Brom briefly alludes to the events of the Riders' downfall. A soldier overhears him and almost arrests him.
Book- Eragon asks Brom questions in order to learn more about dragons. Brom answers willingly.
Film- Eragon breaks into Brom's house and begins reading his books in order to learn more about dragons, then questions Brom. Brom refuses to answer.
Book- Brom gives Zar'roc to Eragon immediately and uses his own shortsword.
Film- Brom continues to use Zar'roc until he is about to die, whereupon he gives it to Eragon. Throughout most of the movie, Eragon uses a shortsword instead.
Book- Brom and Eragon travel to Therinsford, Yazuac, Daret, Teirm, and Dras-Leona.
Film- They only travel to Daret; all the other events that happen in other towns are squelched together here.
Book- Eragon slips in a small stream, and breaks his wrist, which gives him immense pain through much of the journey.
Film- Eragon doesn't break his wrist.
Book- While traveling, Brom and Eragon get some help from Brom's merchant friend, Jeod.
Film- Jeod does not appear in the movie.
Book- It isn't revealed that Brom was a Dragon Rider until his near death.
Film- Eragon guesses Brom's identity long before Brom dies, by ripping a cloth off of his hand.
Book- Brom is put into a sandstone tomb with his belongings where Eragon shapes it with magic and Saphira "freezes" it so that Eragon and she can see through it.
Film- Brom is put in his grave (with no belongings) on grass at the edge of a cliff with stones piled together. Saphira "freezes" it but Eragon does not use magic to shape it.
Book- Durza the Shade is tall and slim, with very pale skin, crimson hair, maroon eyes, sharp teeth, and ordinary fingernails.
Film- Durza is not particularly slim or pale. He has crimson hair, white eyes, ordinary teeth, and sharp fingernails.
Book- Murtagh agrees to accompany Eragon to the Varden, but refuses to enter. He has little knowledge of the Beor Mountains.
Film- Murtagh agrees to accompany Eragon to the Varden and enter optimistically. He has a thorough knowledge of the Beor Mountains.
Book- Durza's primary weapon is a sword that carries a long scratch from his duel with Ajihad.
Film- Durza's primary weapon is magic. He carries a sword, but does not use it.
Book- Ajihad tells Eragon about Durza's name, and Angela tells him about what Shades are. He does not know either of these things beforehand.
Film- Brom tells Eragon about Durza's name and what Shades are. Durza is a name seemingly known to all.
Book- Arya has raven dark hair, green eyes, and pointed ears. She is taller than most men, including Eragon. She has a tattoo on her right shoulder.
Film- Arya has reddish-gold hair, blue eyes, and human ears. She is slightly shorter than Eragon. She has no tattoo.
Book- Arya wears dark-colored clothing, especially black leather.
Film- Arya wears light colored clothing. Even her armor is lightly colored.
Book- Arya has a cold, stiff, no-nonsense personality, especially towards Eragon. She treats him coldly, almost demeaningly, and shows no romantic affection.
Film- Arya acts warmly towards Eragon. She even appears to be attracted to him romantically, as she tells him they "might meet each other again soon."
Book- In the beginning, the egg has already been stolen (by Brom and Jeod) and in the Varden's possession for fifteen years. Arya is riding peacefully before she is attacked.
Film- The egg has only recently been stolen (it doesn't say by whom). Arya is riding frantically before she is attacked.
Book- Arya is poisoned with a drug and a potent poison, both of organic origins.
Film- Arya is poisoned by a magical venom created by Durza. No drug is employed to suppress her magic.
Book- Arya's body is covered with slashes, cuts, & bruises all over, received from being imprisoned & tortured in Gil'ead.
Film- Arya doesn't show any signs of such torture.
Book- Murtagh has a horse, sword, bow, dagger, and horn.
Film- Murtagh has only a bow.
Book- Eragon dreams of Arya several times, but never communicates with her. In the dream, she is always in a cell.
Film- Eragon dreams of Arya once, and talks to her during it. In the dream, she is in a forest.
Book- Arya does not reveal that she is a princess until the second book, Eldest. It is stated then that only a very few people know of her identity, and they kept it secret on her request.
Film- Arya reveals to Eragon that she is a princess in his dream.
Book- Galbatorix is only mentioned; no one knows what his identifying characteristics are like (except for his "black eyes" as testified by Murtagh). He knows that the 'stone' is a dragon egg.
Film- Galbatorix makes several appearances (with a movie-director-chosen appearance). He refers to Saphira's egg as just a 'stone'.
Book- Galbatorix does not know the location of the elven and dwarven cities.
Film- Galbatorix possesses a map that shows the exact location of every city of the elves and dwarves.
Book- Murtagh's hair is brown.
Film- Murtagh's hair is black.
Book- Galbatorix wants Eragon and Saphira to join him so he can rebuild the Dragon Riders.
Film- Galbatorix desperately wants Eragon killed so Saphira will die.
Book- Murtagh's scar is on his back, and goes from his right shoulder to his left hip. It is white and silvery, like scar tissue.
Film- Murtagh's scar is on his side, and horizontal. It is red and rough, like a scab.
Book- Angela is a cheerful mature woman with dark curls of hair. She talks like everybody else, meets with Eragon twice, and tries to prove that toads are really frogs. She is also a witch. She lives in Teirm and has the werecat Solembum as her companion. She later fights in the Battle under Farthen Dûr.
Film- Angela is young, blond, and ornately-garbed. She talks in the third-person, meets with Eragon once, and has no interest in frogs or toads. She is not a witch, but a mere fortune-teller. She lives in Daret, and has no pets or companions. She makes no appearance in Farthen Dûr.
Book- Ajihad's head is shaven bare.
Film- Ajihad has long black hair.
Book- Ajihad recognizes Murtagh as Morzan's son because they have the same voice.
Film- Ajihad recognizes Murtagh as Morzan's son because they look the same.
Book- Nasuada and Hrothgar are referred to by name.
Film- Nasuada and Hrothgar are not referred to by name.
Book- Hrothgar, King of the dwarves, is four feet tall with white hair and a long white beard.
Film- Hrothgar is the size of an ordinary human, with light brown hair and beard.
Book- Brom buys the horses Snowfire and Cadoc in Therinsford. Snowfire is white.
Film- Brom has the horses Snowfire and Cadoc, who are not mentioned by name, before leaving Carvahall. Snowfire is black.
Book- The Ra'zac are tall, hunched, twisted, insect-like creatures with beaks and black eyes as large as a fist. They carry swords and Seithr Oil, and wear hoods and cloaks to cover their "twisted hideous bodies." They are organic creatures hatched from eggs, who joined Galbatorix after they were born.
Film- The Ra'zac are artificial creatures summoned from insects and dirt, apparently created under Durza's command. They are covered in rags and resembled a mummy or the reanimated corpse of a dead ninja. They carry daggers and no Seithr Oil.
Book- The Ra'zac were not killed until Brisingr, by Roran and Eragon.
Film- The Ra'zac were killed before the movie ended, by Brom and Eragon.
Book- The Ra'zac completely destroyed Eragon's house and mortally injured Garrow. Eragon takes Uncle Garrow back to Carvahall and stays at Horst's house for a while before leaving. Garrow is buried afterwards.
Film- The Ra'zac do not completely destroy the house, and kill Garrow before Eragon returns home to find him, when he is already dead. Eragon leaves immediately, and Garrow is cremated by Brom.
Book- Sloan tells the Ra'zac about Eragon willingly, and is allowed to leave their presence.
Film- The Ra'zac torture Sloan into telling them about Eragon, and seem to kill him.
Book- Sloan is lean and scrawny, with a sallow complexion and black eyes. He refuses to take the 'stone' because he hates the Spine and will have nothing to do with it. He insists Eragon leave his shop, but cannot convince him to go. Horst and Katrina intervene, they criticize Sloan for his grumpy behavior, and Horst pays Sloan money to give Eragon meat.
Film- Sloan is large, without sallow skin or black eyes. He refuses to take the 'stone' because, "it belongs to the King." He easily convinces Eragon to leave the shop (though Eragon steals some meat with Katrina's help in a deleted scene).
Book- Brom, Eragon, and Saphira are temporarily captured by the Ra'zac, but manage to escape. Saphira and the Ra'zac are not harmed permanently, but Brom is mortally injured.
Film- Brom, Eragon, and Saphira successfully fight off the Ra'zac's attempt to capture them, and kill them in the process. Brom is not harmed permanently, but Saphira is injured and the Ra'zac are killed.
Book- Brom is killed by the Ra'zac throwing a dagger at him.
Film- Brom is killed by Durza with a spear.
Book- Urgals are tall, yellow-eyed, gray-skinned, and horned.
Film- Urgals are shorter, stocky, and red-eyed. They do not have horns, and resemble savage cave-men.
Book- Daret is on land. Around 60 archers are situated on the roofs to defend themselves from intruding Urgals and/or the Empire. Brom and Eragon come hither to buy a bunch of supplies (especially some gloves to help Eragon hide the mark on his hand.)
Film- Daret rests on stilts over a gloomy body of water. No such "archers" are present; Brom and Eragon come to only "buy some bread."
Book- Eragon first uses magic in Yazuac. He and Brom notice something is wrong (especially when they see the pile of dead villagers) and encounter two Urgals.
Film- Eragon first uses magic in Daret. No "pile of dead villagers" is ever present; he and Brom are attacked by multiple Urgals.
Book- Brom scolds Eragon for prematurely using magic that could have killed himself.
Film- Brom encourages him to use magic whenever he so wishes.
Book- The Empire's army in Farthen Dûr is made up of Urgals and Kull, with no humans.
Film- The Empire's army in Farthen Dûr is made up of both Urgals and humans. None of the Urgals are Kull.
Book- No soldiers of the Empire are present in Carvahall.
Film- Carvahall is swarming with soldiers.
Book- Horst is described as a big, hulking, bulky blacksmith with brisky black hair, and a rumbling voice - confident, brave, whole-hearted, and optimistic. His wife Elain is blonde.
Film- Horst is portrayed as somewhat a rather smaller man with a balding head (and it is never mentioned that he is a blacksmith). His voice is not husky. He turns out to be vulnerable, pessimistic, worrying, and broken-hearted. His wife, Elain, is a brunnete.
Book- Horst, his wife Elain, and their sons, Albriech and Baldor, remain in Carvahall up to the end of the book and are seen or mentioned several times. There are many other villagers in Carvahall, including Fisk and Morn.
Film- Horst is seen briefly in two short scenes, Elain and her sons are seen briefly in one, and they do not play the parts they did in the book. Both sons are recruited into the Imperial Army and leave Carvahall early in the story. No villagers besides Horst, Eragon, and Roran are named.
Book- Roran leaves Carvahall to work at Dempton's mill in Therinsford. His motivation is to raise enough money to marry Katrina.
Film- Roran leaves Carvahall for an uncertain destination. His motivation is to avoid being drafted into the army.
Book- The Traders come to Carvahall at one point.
Film- The Traders never come to Carvahall at any time.
Book- Orik the Dwarf is an important character who appears several times late in the story.
Film- Orik makes no appearance whatsoever.
Book- Katrina, Elva, and the Twins all have important roles in the books.
Film- Katrina, Elva, and the Twins are omitted from the final movie, only appearing briefly in the deleted scenes.
Book- Eragon, Saphira, Murtagh, and Arya have a lengthy journey to the Varden, which is chapters long.
Film- They travel to the Varden within a few minutes of movie time.
Book- Murtagh defeats Durza by shooting him with two arrows. Durza feels immense pain when he is disembodied.
Film- Eragon defeats Durza by shooting him with one arrow; Durza feels no pain.
Book- Eragon, Murtagh, Arya, and Saphira travel through the Hadarac Desert.
Film- No such desert ever appears in the movie.
Book- Eragon learns how to summon water from the ground in the Hadarac Desert.
Film- No such magic is performed by Eragon.
Book- Farthen Dûr is a tall, hollow, almost invincible mountain with a hole in the top. It is over ten miles high. Tronjheim is a marble city mountain built inside the mountain.
Film- Tronjheim is made of wood and stone, and looks more like Tarnag, a dwarf city visited in Eldest, or a valley, rather than a mountain. The mountain itself is much less than ten miles high.
Book- There are scenes involving Hrothgar's throne room and Isidar Mithrim.
Film- There are no scenes involving Hrothgar's throne room or Isidar Mithrim.
Book- During the Battle under Farthen Dûr, Eragon attacks Durza with his mind and sees the Shade's past as a human named Carsaib, who lost control of his mind when evil spirits entered his body.
Film- Eragon does not attack Durza's mind, and learns nothing of the Shade's past.
Book- The battle between Durza and Eragon takes place on the ground, inside Tronjheim.
Film- Durza flies into battle against Eragon and Saphira on a beast of dark smoke or vapor, presumably created by magic. Durza has no problems creating or sustaining the Beast. This really violates the laws of magic, because not even a Shade has enough strength to conjure a dragon-like monster with a large structure and enough density to support someone's weight.
Book- Eragon defeats Durza when the Shade is distracted by Saphira flying overhead and breathing fire. Isidar Mithrim was shattered during the fight.
Film- Eragon defeats Durza by having Saphira throw him at Durza using her tail. Nothing, besides several wooden structures, was destroyed as a result of the fight.
Book- When Eragon blacks out after killing Durza, the-Cripple-Who-Is-Whole (Oromis) appears to him in a vision and advises him about Ellesméra. Arya remains in Tronjheim at the end of the story, but travels back to Ellesméra in the next book with Eragon and Orik.
Films- Eragon apparently has no vision of Oromis. Arya leaves for Ellesméra afterwards, without Eragon and Orik.
Other Differences:
On two movie posters (as shown above), Saphira is featured with bat-like membrane wings, but the movie features her with feathers.
The movie takes place over a much shorter time than the book. It is had been mentioned in several different sections that the film took place of about three days, while the story in the novel takes place over months. Also, a quote by Arya ("Yesterday, you were a farm boy. Today, you are a hero."), is very misleading. She says "yesterday" and "today" as figures of speech, not actual time periods.
In the book, Eragon is motivated to fight the Urgals because they hurt people. In the movie, he does so only to prove his strength.
In the novel, the story ends with Eragon promising to go to Ellesméra to resume his training with Oromis. But the movie never mentions the fact that he needsfurther training, and it ends with Eragon and Arya going their own ways, and Galbatorix unleashes his black dragon, Shruikan.
At the end of the film, Galbatorix unleashed Shruikan to go and attack Eragon. But that neverhappened in the first book; he is most logically going to have to fight Eragon and Saphira in Book 4!