Eon: Dragoneye Reborn, by Alison Goodman
Eon is a candidate for the next Dragoneye, but he has a couple things working against him. First, he is a cripple, from an accident he can’t remember. And the other is that Eon is actually Eona, a girl. But females aren’t allowed to be dragoneyes, so she is forced to hide herself as Eon. A secret, that if found out, could kill her.
This is marketed as a young adult book, but I would probably only recommend it to adults because of certain themes and violence. Young men probably wouldn’t enjoy reading about Eon’s menstrual cycle. And at one point, Eon(a) is threatened with rape. But I would recommend this to adult fantasy fans as a very compelling read.
Incorporating Asian legend and fantasy, Goodman has created a fascinating world of magic and mysterious dragons. I’m hoping more will be explained in the upcoming sequel, Eona. This first novel, in the proposed duology, focuses on Eon, her destiny, and the difficult choices she must make. She must either align herself with the current Emperor and his heir, or a ruthless rival. Both sides want to use Eon to secure their place.
This fantasy is riveting from beginning to end. Wrought with political intrigue, dangerous secrets, evil adversaries, loads of suspense, and fun characters; Eon: Dragoneye Reborn is a fantastic story by a talented author.
First of all, congrats on getting your site back up! I know you must have been tearing your hair out.
I found Eon to be riveting also, and I’m looking forward to the second book. I disagree that this should be an adult book, though. I think that there are many teens who would enjoy reading it, although I do agree that in most cases it will appeal more to girls than to boys. (My son read it and enjoyed it, although he did find some parts difficult to read). In general, I’d recommend it for high school age and up.
I read it and loved it. I’m eager for the next installment…