Voracious YAppetite

POC

Release date: December 26, 2008

Publisher: Viking Juvenile

Category: Young Adult

Genre: Fantasy

Synopsis: (jacket flap)

Swordplay, dragon magic — and a hero with a desperate secret

Twelve-year-old Eon has been in training for years. His intensive study of Dragon Magic, based on East Asian astrology, involves two kinds of skills: sword-work and magical aptitude. He and his master hope that he will be chosen as a Dragoneye — an apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune.

But Eon has a dangerous secret. He is actually Eona, a sixteen-year-old girl who has been masquerading as a boy for the chance to become a Dragoneye. Females are forbidden to use Dragon Magic; if anyone discovers she has been hiding in plain sight, her death is assured.

When Eon’s secret threatens to come to light, she and her allies are plunged into grave danger and a deadly struggle for the Imperial throne. Eon must find the strength and inner power to battle those who want to take her magic…and her life.

Final Verdict First:

A fast-paced fantasy tale full of magic, dragons, fight scenes, political court intrigue,  and a diverse cast of characters, all to the backdrop of an East Asian mythical setting. The fantasy and action alone are reason enough to read this book, but the emphasis on gender roles and Asian culture set it apart from other YA fantasy novels. I loved it.

Additional Thoughts:

This is one of those books that pulled me in from the first scene and held my undivided attention throughout. Eon(a) just wants to be a Dragoneye, but her special powers and the political instability of the empire force her to the middle of a battle between the Emperor’s supporters and those of his General and the Ascendant Dragoneye, Lord Ido. The story that ensues has all the elements of a compelling epic fantasy — action, suspense, plot twists, supernatural creatures, an underdog set up against seemingly impossible odds — but manages to be unique in its execution. For example, the dragons are based on East Asian astrology, are not of the physical world but of the spirit realm, and cannot be seen by the vast majority of people. Also, the setting is inspired by Chinese and Japanese history and culture, without strictly adhering to either.

But more than anything, this is a fantasy book that champions diversity. Eon(a), the protagonist, is a female and a cripple, both of which put her at a great disadvantage in a culture that looks down on femininity and physical imperfection. Her band of loyal allies include a contraire (transgender individual), a eunuch warrior, and the mother of a deformed and mentally underdeveloped child. Eon(a) has been forced her entire life to hide who she really is and conform to societal standards in order to pursue her dream of becoming a Dragoneye, to the point that she doesn’t even know where the deception ends and she begins. Her journey, although fraught with political maneuvering, militant uprisings, and powerful, ambitious characters, is centered on her struggle to come to terms with her femininity and the power that lies in being true to oneself.

This is quite a long book, due to the detailed descriptions of the cultural ceremonies and the setting, and the fact that the plot is very complex and includes several twists and surprises. Not everything comes as a huge surprise, though. Alison drops many hints as to what Eon(a) needs to do in order to bring about the end of the book, making it easy for the reader to figure out Eon(a)’s ultimate task way before she does. However, the way her life has been thus far and considering the society in which she lives, it makes sense that the truth was hard for her to discover. I also felt that because of the emphasis on the world-building and plot development, there is less character development, which made me feel a bit removed from the cast. Although I was immersed in Eon(a)’s story, I wasn’t that emotionally connected to her. This didn’t really bother me, though, as the action and world-building were more than enough to satisfy me and keep the pages turning.

Bottom line, I was completely invested in the story and the well-being of the characters, even the secondary ones, as they battle with swords and wit to defend their homeland from the dangerous ambitions of the Emperor’s General and Lord Ido. If you are looking for a unique take on fantasy and dragons that’s rich in culture and diversity, read this book. It’s absolutely worth it. I can’t wait to read the sequel!

FYI:

Alison is an Australian author. The sequel, Eona: The Last Dragoneye, will be released in the US in Spring 2011.

At the end of the book, Alison included the following “Author’s note”: The Empire of the Celestial Dragons is not a real country or culture. It is a fantasy world that was at first inspired by the history and cultures of China and Japan, but rapidly became a land of imagination with no claim to historical or cultural authenticity. Nevertheless, I did research many aspect of ancient and modern cultures, which I used as a springboard to create the empire and the dragons. If you are interested in the research road I traveled, I have detailed some of my favorite findings and listed some the the books I used on my Web site at www.alisongoodman.com.au

Don’t Just Take My Word For It!

Terri at Starlight Book Reviews • Vee at Ramblings of a Writer • Em at Em’s Bookshelf • Michael at Slice of SciFi • Thea at The Book Smugglers • Trisha at The YA YA YAs • Alex at A Flight of Minds • Bookshelves of Doom

Eye Candy:

Alison’s website • Official book website

Eon: Dragoneye Reborn book trailer

Alison talks about the inspiration behind Eon: Dragoneye Reborn