A few years out of high school? The guy was 18 when he published the damn thing, and only because he ran around from school to school promoting his book to grade schoolers dressed like a peasant. It is a weird world we have here. Charles Dickens? Never read him. Paolini? Hell yeah I know Paolini, his books are fricken awsome. I went to see Casino Royale with my wife yester day, and the Eragon trailer came on, and my wife said that it looked cool. I laughted at her, and said it looks pretty retarded. And I am the guy whose crown jewel of his books case a leather bound copy of The Lord of the Rings. It looks like something an eighteen year old would write. Also Nanner comment about it being basically a D&D fanfic sheds a lot of light on it the whole thing. Funny stuff.