Eon: Dragoneye Reborn

This is not the typical fantasy/dragon book in which the hero goes on a quest to save someone (or something.) This is a coming of age story in which Eon fights against the odds and attempts to change the world. This book is set somewhere in the far east (China?) and incorporates the twelve animal signs of the zodiac.In the world that Eon lives in, the dragons choose the person they will work with. The ascending dragon, the one the new year embraces, becomes the leader of the dragon council, a very powerful organization working with the Emperor and manipulating earth energies for the good of the Empire. The apprentice, who had worked for 12 years to learn their dragon's power, then becomes the Dragoneye, and the dragon chooses a new apprentice. Young boys, around age 12, had been training for years for the chance to become an apprentice. Since the year of the Rat was upon them, the rat dragon would choose its apprentice. Ido, the Rat Dragoneye, would be head of the dragon council. However, there were only eleven dragons present as the Mirror dragon had not been seen for over 400 years.Eon had a carefully guarded secret. Eon was really Eona, a woman. Women were treated as second class citizens in this society and forbidden to hold any position of power. Master Brannon, former Tiger dragoneye, chose to deceive everyone by training the 16 year old Eona as 12 year old Eon. The main reason he did so was that Eon had the rare dragon sight, allowing him/her to see all 12 dragons. Eon was passed off as a eunuch to mask the feminine traits. The penalty for such deception was death, and thus it was imperative that this remain a secret.Eon was also a cripple, having a broken hip that did not heal properly. Thus Eon was not able to perform some of the moves required in the dragon training. People of that time believed that misfortune was somehow contagious and most steered clear of the cripple. Some of the other dragoneyes were resentful of Eon for taking the place of someone who was whole. But, as stated earlier, the dragon chose it's apprentice and nobody knew what factored into the choice.The Emperor was suffering ill health and there were others waiting in the wings to fill the vacuum presented. Sethon, the Emperor's brother, was commander of the empire's armies. He was feared to have the best chance of taking over once the Emperor died. The Emperor also had a sixteen year old son who was in line to take over for his father, but it did not seem he had enough power to overcome Sethon. Lord Ido, the Rat Dragoneye, was outwardly backing Sethon, however Ido had his own designs on the throne.This book was full of intrigue and political machinations not usually associated with Dragon stories. I found myself rooting for Eon, who was not only a woman, but also a crippled woman. Thrust into the middle of a political fight she was not prepared for, Eon could not afford the luxury of learning by her mistakes. I also found it an interesting metaphor that Lord Ido was the Rat Dragoneye, as the rat brings very specific connotations. There are also several different sub groups portrayed: Eon as a woman playing a man; Lady Dela, who was a man playing a woman; Ryko, Lady Dela's bodyguard, was a eunuch; and Lord Ido, the Rat Dragoneye, who exhibited symptoms of excessive steroid use.Thus "Eon" was not the typical dragon story I was expecting. However, that turned out to be a good thing. Opening up a whole new world of fantasy, Allison Goodman weaved an interesting tale of perseverance and loyalty. The only negative was that the outcome was predictable and the ending contained little closure, setting the story up for a sequel. If you enjoy rooting for the underdog, then I think you will enjoy "Eon."

The world is very well developed and is loosely based on Eastern (Chinese/Japanese) culture and philosophy. Political intrigue plays a large role in this fantasy society; everyone bows to the emperor and a handful of powerful lords. Then there are the "Dragoneyes" who are people with special powers to command magical dragons to protect the lands from natural disasters and such. Then there are the common people: merchants and servants who live a hard life but rarely complain. Into this mix steps Eona, a young girl who was sold into slavery at a young age. Her current master, a former Dragoneye whose tenure in office has ended, has decided to train her and present her to the world as a boy, Eon, who is in training to become one of the Dragoneye candidates for the next cycle (Dragons select a new master every 12 years based on the Chinese calendar). If anyone discovers their ruse, they will both be put to death and their ancestors' will be forever shamed. "Eon" was crippled in a wagon accident and is believed to be a eunuch, one whose parents had him... ahem... clipped... before he was sold into slavery; this is how Eona's master chooses to get her past public scrutiny. In this society, cripples are shunned and nobody really looks very closely at them, for they fear that their "bad luck" is contagious.Yeah it's an interesting read. It deals a lot with the themes of identity: how we are perceived by the world vs. how we want to be perceived vs. who we really are. Eona/Eon struggles with being a teenage girl who must pretend to be a boy, in a male-dominated society, while she tries to convince a dragon to choose her despite this ruse. She was raised as a slave in the salt mines but now seeks to gain a position as one of the most powerful and respected figures in the empire. And on top of that, she has to deal with a crippled leg. Add to this basic plot a healthy dose of dragon magic and Eastern mythology and it really is a good read. Maybe too deep for younger readers though.Note: the sequel to this book, "Eona," is also a good read but it deals with the events that happen after the emperor's half-brother tries to steal the throne and after Eona reveals her true identity. While this first one is an interesting political satire, the second book is more of a romance focusing on the developing relationship between Eona and the Emperor (who is the Prince in this first book in the series). So you might enjoy one of these books but not the other, or both, because even though they are part of the same literary universe and Eona is a direct sequel to Eon, they are written in very different styles.

Slow-paced and uneventful, but provides a foundation for the sequel, which is much more entertaining.

There's something about her writing that I love. It's suitable for young adults and teenagers. I am not one, and I really enjoyed it. I think that says something about her Eon books. I was really drawn into the story.

Although this book was written for young adults (and I am not), I thoroughly enjoyed it and can fully recommend it to anyone who enjoys both excellent writing and fantasy genre. I first read it as a paperback and under the title of The Two Pearls of Wisdom, but wanted a copy on my ereader, as well. The paperback copy has been passed around to friends and family and all have raved about it, despite being apprehensive about reading a book that was created to appeal to a younger age group.The character development of Eon/Eona was a real highlight to be enjoyed and he/she was relatable, loyal, true, smart and brave (nb..this book does not focus on gender issues.) The other characters were also very well-defined. The plot was beautifully woven and the imagery was magical. The pace felt just right and the story flowed naturally. Really, I can't think of an element of good reading/writing that this book doesn't cover...it was that good!The book ends as a cliff-hanger, so you will need to download Eona, too. It will not disappoint and rounds-off this narrative perfectly.

I really enjoyed this novel. It put me in mind of Tamora Pierce's Lionheart series (aside form the 'hidden' gender of the main character). The writing is pure young adult adventure with darker undertones that older minds will pick up, which only makes the story behind it all the better.**Just a warning, this and the next novel both touch on issues of gender identification and society's acceptance of related differences** (but it's done so well you'll hardly notice!)It took me a while to realise where and when this tale is set but I learnt a lot about that area and period that I hadn't known, or considered previously. Goodman has used history as a guide, added some whimsy and created a new(ish) world for her characters to thrive in. A great read!

A great adventure into an amazing world, with relatable characters living through a fast paced plot.