This is a big, pretty much hard SF book that takes a little while to get going. In some ways it reminds me of The Expanse, in that a small spaceship with a tight-knit crew become the central point of much of the story. It took me quite a few attempts to get into the story… the situation at the start feels a bit flat.   
   When the story takes off, my only criticism is that humanity has been touring around space for years, finding only a handful of ancient ruins on other planets, but within a few hundred pages we find ourselves surrounded by aliens and in the middle of a space war.
   Thinking back, I can see why the book started where it did… but the circumstances and characters at that point still feel a bit flat. I think the end of the story is a bit over the top, too. Again, I can see why what happens, happens, but I am left with an uneasy feeling that to justify the changes to the characters and humanity in general, you’d need a trilogy of big books, not just one. It feels a bit rushed.
   This is apparently Paolini’s first adult novel, so maybe he has a little to learn. Having said all that, I certainly wouldn’t suggest the book isn’t worth reading. Overall, I enjoyed it. Just wait for the paperback and save a few pounds!