I would say Eragon is as far from LoTR as any book of the same genre could be.

I think it's a fun book with an intriguing story and excellent characterization. It's definitely not on the same level as JRR Tolkien or C.S. Lewis, but then you have to remember the author was barely out of highschool when he wrote it, and can only get better as he writes more.

And for people who enjoyed Eragon, the second book, Eldest, is definitely worth checking out. And stay away from the movie, it's horrible.