A guilty pleasure. People fling a lot of hate at this series, most of which is justified. Yes, it is derivative. Yes, he's not the best writer ever. Yes, some of the writing is immature (there are some cringe worthy boy-has-crush-on-girl scenes in the second book). However, if you go in knowing that it is Star-Wars-with-dragons and that it's not going to be the best book series you've ever read, you may enjoy it. 
 I think Paolini's strength is in world-building. I really got a sense of the size and scope of the world, and never had trouble picturing the current setting, which is something I find difficult in some books I read. I think he has a talent for details and rules as well. The elves/dwarves are your standard tree/rock loving race from every fantasy book ever, but I was still entertained by the details of their cultures and homes. Another thing I love about this series is the rules he sets for magic. He sets down the rules of what magic can and can't do and what the limitations are and sticks to them. So many fantasy books are fuzzy on the laws of magic, which sometimes allows it to be used in any way the plot necessitates, rather than based on rules and limitations set down from the beginning. 
 I also enjoy the relationship between Eragon and Saphira. I always found their interactions entertaining. There is some jarring perspective changes to a less interesting character, especially in the second book, but by the third book he becomes more interesting and all the main characters grew on me. Each book is better than the last and I think his writing improved with each book. 
 This series is not for everyone. If you can't sit through derivative books, stay away. I would recommend this to fantasy book lovers who have read a lot of fantasy books, are ok with a slower pace (the first two books can be a bit slow in the middle), and are looking for something to just sink their teeth into for a while.