Called a wunderkind by Publishers Weekly, Christopher Paolini's abiding love of fantasy and science fiction inspired him to write his 472-page fantasy novel, Eragon, when he graduated from high school at fifteen. He also drew the striking dragon-eye cover and meticulous maps.

Obsessed with both heroic myths and the fantasy genre, he is a voracious reader with an insatiable appetite for unusual knowledge. He travels to bookstores, schools, libraries and fairs, promoting his book and encouraging young people to read. To enliven his presentations, he wears medieval garb and does live sketching. He lives, with his parents and sister, in Paradise Valley, Montana.

Biography provided by the author, October 2002.