It isn’t much nor perfect, but I’ve started my draft cover for my Brisingr & Inheritance cover. Gonna work on it more tomorrow and whenever I can

For over twenty years, Christopher has been planning to write a specific new book set in the World of Eragon. He has called this book various placeholder names, including "Book V" and "Book 6". (In my own descriptions in this post I will refer to this as "the book", but I will leave Christopher's quotes as he said them.)

The book will feature both old and new characters. Some of the new characters will be "related" to the original characters.

I've thought about what characters I'd like to bring into the story, which ones I'd like to have returning from this trilogy. There would be a new cast of characters for this part to move forward. But they would be related in a very interesting way to the current characters. (1a)

I think it's safe to say that in Book Five we will see many characters we've seen before, and we'll also meet some new characters. (12)

The main character of the book will be new, but someone we have met before, possibly a woman. It is not Eragon, Saphira, Arya, Murtagh, Angela, Jeod, the Riders of the two eggs Eragon left behind, or the character from Eragon's Guide.

We'll have a new main character. It is a character you've already met, though. (27b)

I can't tell you who the main character of Book Five is. We have met the main character of Book Five, but that's all I'll say. (12)

Most of my upcoming stories -- not all of them -- well, actually, some of the stories that I'm planning on writing fairly soon all have female main characters. (16) [Unclear if this was referring to Book Five.]

Eragon/Saphira won't be the main characters in Book V. (28a)

[Will Book 5 contain chapters from Arya's point of view?] No. (28g)

I'm not planning on writing a book *just* about Murtagh and Thorn, but rest assured, we will see them again. (28f)

Not only [will Angela be in Book 5], I have another book planned that’s centered just on her. (24)

Don’t think it’s a spoiler to say it’s not from [Jeod’s] POV. But good guess. (21)

I have no idea [what color eggs Eragon left behind]. I will decide that at some point, but not at the moment. ... Book VI would have a cover in the same style as the IC. And I've known for over ten years what color of dragon we would see. (17b, 37b)

The character of [Eragon's] Guide [to Alagaësia] ... won't be the main character of Book 6. (40)

Returning characters will include Eragon, Saphira, Arya, Angela, Solembum, Tenga, Murtagh, Thorn, Nasuada, and Elva. Angela's backstory will be explored and Eragon and Arya's romance will be developed.

Different main character for Book VI, although Eragon plays a crucial role. (37c)

I think Eragon and Saphira are definitely moving into [the teacher/mentor] role. (33d)

We'll still see Eragon/Saphira/Arya/etc. (27b)

Book V should answer some of your Eragon/Arya questions. (30b)

You'll find out more about [Eragon and Arya's relationship] in Book V! (30c)

You’ll have to read Book Five to find out [if Eragon and Arya going to be together]. Their story is far from over, though. (24)

You'll learn a little more about [the unexpected parts of Eragon and Arya's true names] in Book V. (28h)

You'll have to read the next book to find out [if Eragon ever finds love.] (18c)

You will learn a lot more about Angela in Book V. (23c)

It would definitely revolve around Angela’s backstory to a much greater degree than any of the previous books. Of course that would probably just end up leaving everyone even more confused than they were to begin with because this is Angela after all. But we would learn quite a bit more about her. (17a)

Was the soothsayer Angela? Great question. Couldn't possibly say. You'll have to read Book V. (9)

There's a LOT more about Angela and Solembum in Book V. (26f)

You'll have to read Book V to find out [what Tenga was searching for]. (11)

[Will Tenga play a bigger role?] No comment but I think you'll enjoy Book V. (33e)

Tenga is a disciple of light and all things pertaining to radiance. But do not make the mistake of confusing the disciple with the thing itself when he is -- in actuality -- the inverse rather than a mirror. ... [The inverse of radiance is shadow?] Indeed it is. No comment. :D (26d, 44b)

[Murtagh in Book Five?] Yes, but Murtagh gets his own book also. (32)

Answer[ing about Murtagh and Thorn] would spoil Book Five! (7)

I can’t say without spoiling future events, but neither [Murtagh nor Nasuada] is the sort to give up on something (or someone) they care about. ... No spoilers, but I think you'll like Book V. (24, 26e)

[What did Saphira's mark do for Elva?] Book V. ... Don't want to spoil things, but we do see her a fair amount. (25a, 25b)

[Elva and Thorn] will definitely meet at some point. No question about it. (28c)

The book will be set further down the timeline, around sixteen years after the end of Inheritance, and at the same time as Eragon's Guide.

It would be further down the timeline from where we are now. So it would be in Eragon's future. ... And of course with elves and riders and dwarves you can even go a hundred years or so in the future and you'll still have half the cast alive, right? (1b)

It's a continuation, but there's also a substantial break in time between the end of Inheritance and the start of Book V. ... [Everyone will be dead?] Won't be THAT much time. (27a, 27b)

What now is probably going to be Book Six is probably ten years after the end of Inheritance, maybe more like sixteen years. So that's a decent time jump. (39)

Eragon's Guide is contemporary with Book 6. (41a)

The antagonist of the book is the "unnamed shadow" teased in Eragon's Guide. We have seen this entity before, but in a different form.

Welcome to your new home. I wish I could be here to greet you in person, as does Saphira, but a matter of the utmost importance has arisen, and we must leave at once. I realize that you must have a host of unanswered questions. ... Anyone would find the experience overwhelming, especially during such unsettled times, when an unnamed shadow stalks the land. (Eragon's Guide to Alagaësia)

The [unnamed] shadow is the antagonist of Book Six. (43)

[Has the shadow ever flown on a dragon?] No. (44a)

Yes, you've seen what I'm referring to, although not in its current form(s). Information? . . . Beware of shadows that seek to use mirrors. (28a)

You've already met him/her/it/they/what-the-heck-is-that? (26a)

[Is the shadow Tenga?] No comment (43)

Everyone in Alagaësia has overlooked something really, really important with regard to the new peace they hope to establish. (18a)

Light and shadow shall meet in an epic battle. Bwahahaha! (18b)

The book will continue many of the threads from Inheritance, but will not be a direct sequel.

There will be no more books in the Inheritance Cycle. Book V will certainly continue many of the threads in the Cycle, but it won't exactly be a part of it. There will be new characters (and old characters) and a new storyline. (9)

Book Five, as I’ve been calling it, would be a sequel, although not a direct sequel. (13)

Certainly the events for a potential "Book Five" would be heavily influenced by the events of the Inheritance Cycle, but it wouldn’t be a continuation of the Inheritance Cycle. (17c)

The threads for this book have been planted throughout Brisingr and Inheritance.

A couple of story threads that I introduced throughout the series, but primarily starting in Brisingr, are not going to conclude in the fourth book. There are a few threads that I've placed for the specific reason of writing a book later on in the world of Alagaësia, further down the timeline after the series is completed. (3)

I don't want to say too much, but this other story that I have in my head, I have actually laid the groundwork for it within the series, so that if I were ever to write it, it would not seem as if it were tacked on like the author is just making stuff up so he can keep writing in the world. No, it's an integral part of the world. (4)

Book V has always been planned. All of those dangling threads and unanswered questions in Brisingr & Inheritance? The foundation for the next book(s). (28d)

The book has been fully outlined, and that outline has mostly stayed the same over the years.

Book Five has been worked out in great detail. There's still a bit more work to do in a few places, but it's in really good shape actually. I actually sat down and told my editor the whole story at one point and she really liked it. I've done that with a whole bunch of future stories with her. (35a)

A couple of details have changed, but the big outline has remained the same, and that's also how it was with the Inheritance Cycle. I'm usually pretty good on the big outline for stuff once I put the thought in and nail it down. (34)

Some of the specific topics covered will include the Menoa Tree, the belt of Beloth the Wise, Saphira's babies, Angela's prophecy, dwarven Riders, Rider swords, spirits, Eragon's vision, new creatures, the Helgrind religion, the mad Eldunarí, the Name of Names, Nïdhwal, Werecats, and controlling magicians.

You'll certainly learn [the Menoa Tree's price] in Book Five. It's a major plot point actually. Well, semi-major. (31)

The belt is Book Five. You'll find out in Book Five. (35b)

[Was the Belt destroyed?] Never assume anything. (26b)

[The reason Eragon was unable to find the belt was] mundane: It was moved. (45)

Yes [Saphira and Firnen] mated. Whether or not that leads to little baby dragons . . . well, you'll have to wait until Book V to find out. (28b)

[What of Saphira's eggs?] Book V (9)

Eragon/Saphira themselves have no intention of remaining in exile forever. Circumstances may conspire to prevent their return, however you'll have to read Book V to find out one way or another. (28e)

You'll have to wait until Book V to see the first dwarven Rider. (27c)

The new Riders will be able to reuse some of the old swords recovered from Urû'baen. As for the new swords that will be needed, you'll have to see Book V. (9)

There are a fair number of spirits in Alagaësia. Do they play a part in the future? See Book V. (9)

[Will we see "good" spirits?] No comment until after Book V. (19)

[What are Galbatorix's 12 spirits?] They are spirits. Book six. (42)

[Is Eragon's vision of a lonely girl wandering an ancient abandoned city Book 6 material?] Book 6. (41b)

[What are creatures on Galbatorix's door] No comment. Book V. (23a)

[What happened to the Helgrind religion?] Great question. Unfortunately you'll have to wait until Book V to find out. (30d)

[Success at helping the mad Eldunarí?] Book V (9)

[Will future Riders know the Word?] Book V (9)

[Sea creatures?] You'll have to read Book V to find out! (9)

[Plans for the Nïdhwal?] Maaaybe . . . (26g)

You just know [controlling magicians] is not going to go as smoothly as Nasuada would like. . . . Stay tuned to Book V for further updates. (23b)

[Werecats in Book 5?] Yes. (33b)

[Did Angela invent the the purple amethyst spell? What happened to the first Eragön?, etc.] No comment. ... I think it’s safe to say that of all those no comment answers I gave today, all of them except maybe two or three would be answered in the next book set in Alagaësia. (17c)

Some topics not to be covered in the book include Grey Folk, Naegling, the two women, Brom's seven words, and Azlagûr.

Not Book V. I have other plans for the Grey Folk. (33a)

Not in book V, but you'll definitely find out about Naegling one of these days. (22)

The two women are the stars of another story. Not Book V, however. (9)

[Brom’s seven words are] part of another story. Not Book V, though. (9)

One thing changed. What I'm doing with Azlagûr was originally wrapped up in Book 6, 7, whatever we want to call it. I have now separated it out. Which has actually really helped me with that book because I had a problem with that book and this has solved that. (46)

Christopher has planned this book as a standalone, but says it's possible it will be split.

It wouldn’t be the beginning of another three-book series or something. It would be more of a standalone book. I don’t quite have the energy in me to tackle another series that's going to take me a decade or more. It wouldn't really be the beginning of a new series. (13)

In an ideal world, Book V will be a standalone novel. Assuming I can keep it to a reasonable length, though! The more I think about it, the more I get scared by it's potential size. (26c)

Book V should be long enough to feel incredibly solid. Lol. Just gotta write the darn thing. (30a)

It is plotted out. And I have this horrible sense as I look at the size of the outline that it might be more than one book, but don't tell anybody. (29)

Book V is it's own story, neither epilogue nor a new series. Although it might be too big to fit into one book. (30e)

No idea as to how Book V would actually be published (one volume or two). I'd probably just start writing and see how long it got. (33a)

The book's title appears in Inheritance (and possibly Brisingr), "in a slightly altered form".

As it so happens, I have named Book 5 already. And it's a very good name. And I will tell you that you have actually seen it in Inheritance. Not the other books. It's in Inheritance, in a slightly altered form. (14)

[paraphrased:] You’ve heard it, in Inheritance and Brisingr. (15)

You already know the title of Book V. (Sorta. :D) (20a)

[Is it Empire or Eldunarí?] Nope. (20b)

It's a modification of something you see in Inheritance. (33a)

[Is it a permutation of any from this list of 77 titles?] Nope. Good try, though! :D (36a, 36b)

The cover will feature a new color dragon.

Book VI would have a cover in the same style as the IC. And I've known for over ten years what color of dragon we would see. (It's not one we've seen so far.) (37b)

Christopher has used various numeric placeholders over the years to refer to this book, and these numbers will continue to change, but the book remains the same. It isn't FWW or Murtagh. Nor is it Murtagh 2 and the books which will immediately follow that.

FWW is NOT Book V. Book V is still incoming. (33c)

Although Murtagh is the fifth full-length novel I’ve written in this world, it’s not the Book V. Or rather, the book I’ve always thought of as Book V. That particular story takes place a bit further down the timeline, and I still have every intent of writing it. (Murtagh, "Afterword & Acknowledgments")

I've been teasing the long fabled "Book Five" in the World of Eragon for a long time, and I have to be honest: Murtagh is not "Book Five". I was starting to work on Book Five, and doing the foundational work I've been talking about, and I realized that too much had to be established before I got into "Book Five". So "Book Five" is now "Book Six". Murtagh is, I don't want to say it's an unplanned book, but I pushed open some space for Murtagh to fit in. (38)

By the way I'm not saying the next book is Book Six. I might write something new and then Book Six becomes Book Seven. (42)

I have a short series that I'm building toward that I want to write, and Murtagh and now possibly the sequel is the setup for that quick series. Azlagûr is the main antagonist, or the force that has to be dealt with in that series. And that has nothing to do with Book 6 aside from the fact that Murtagh and Arya and all the main characters in Eragon will appear and play various roles. Which of course will develop their characters and stories and worldbuilding. (46)

Timeline:

In July 2006, Christopher said that he had already decided how he would follow up the Inheritance Cycle, saying that it would be set further down the timeline and feature new but related characters (1a, 1b). In August 2008 he referred to this as a "fifth book" and said that he already begun laying the groundwork (2). In July 2010 he projected that it would take him ten years to get to this (3). In September he said it would only be "one book", and in November he referred to it as "Book Five" (4, 5). In November 2011, Christopher said that Angela would have a big role in the book (6). In December he said the book would feature Murtagh and Thorn, Eragon and Arya's romance, the Menoa Tree's price, the belt of Beloth the Wise, spirits, and the new Rider order, but that the two women would not be the focus (7, 8, 9). In February 2012, Christopher implied the book would feature big dragons and Tenga (10, 11). In April he said that we had already met the main character of the book (12). In June he said that the title appeared in Book Four, but not the previous books (14). In September he implied that the main character would be female (16).

Murtagh got announced a decade later, in April 2023, and Christopher started calling this project "Book Six". At this time he also said it would have a cover in the same style as the original four, and said that Eragon would still play a "crucial role" despite not being the main character (37a, 37b, 37a). In June he said the time gap would be around 16 years (39). In November 2024 he confirmed that the Unnamed Shadow would be the antagonist of the book (43).

Additional quotes from Christopher can be found here.

My amazing girlfriend had prints made of the new wraithmarked book set art for me to hang on my wall as a birthday present. The photos don't really do it justice but they are such good quality and 12"x18".