Eon (Eon, #1)

Apr 28, 2012 Wendy Darling rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Wendy Darling by: Cillian, Krystle, Nafiza

Shelves: aussies, young-adult, fantasy, action-packed, lgbt, 2010-favorites, read-2012, asian, poc, pn-dragons, mature-ya, costume-fiction

I hardly ever read straightforward fantasy, but every once in awhile a book comes along that blows right past all my usual objections to become a new favorite. As gently but strongly as a wisp of incense, Eon beckoned until I was completely in the thrall of its magic, and I hate to think how sad my life would be if didn't have this vividly imaginative novel in it.

For years, 16-year-old Eon has been training to be a Dragoneye apprentice, a coveted position in which the student serves as the condu...more

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Mar 11, 2011 Tatiana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of hard fantasy and Asian mythologies

Shelves: ala-ya-2010, ya, 2011, fantasy, aus-nz

As seen on The Readventurer

When it comes to fantasy, I am a fan of the softer, girlier type, heavy on romance and relationships and lighter on mythology, magic and dragons. That's why it is such a surprise I liked this book so much, because Eon: Dragoneye Reborn is very mythology-oriented and prone to frequent info-dumping (especially in the beginning).

At first, the story is reminiscent of
Alanna: The First Adventure. Eon(a) is a 16-year old girl who pretends to be a 12-year old boy in order to...more

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Apr 14, 2011 Kat Kennedy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fun-fantasy, kat-s-book-reviews, books-i-want-for-christmas

Well, I hope you're happy Tatiana, Penny and everyone else who convinced me to read this book. I hope you're REAL happy!

Happy Bug

They probably look something like this right now!

I just spent the last five hours reading this book and freaking the hell out. I swear the tension, anxiety and heart palpitations did not stop until the last page. Right up to the end I was clutching my chest like some kind of heart patient in desperate need of a quadruple bypass.

The big themes in this novel centre on sexuality,...more

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Aug 01, 2012 The Holy Terror rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, young-adult, asian-characters, dragons, fantasy, asia, magic, wendy-said, favorite-books, 2012, cover-love, buy-hard-copy

Aaaaahhhh, this was good ... though not without faults, and I think anyone who reads Eon will know exactly why I deducted a star. You will figure out early on why Eon is struggling, and it'll drive you crazy until she figures it out. The fact that Eon takes forever to realize the "big secret" was not something that ruined my enjoyment completely, but it definitely dampened a story that could have been perfect.

I started this book hot off the tail of Seraphina, not even realizing until I started w...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Emily May rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-na, fantasy, 2012, fave-ya

4.5
This is the book I should have been reading instead of wasting my time on Grave Mercy. Why anyone would care at all about Ismae and her love life when they could spend time with a real warrior like Eon/Eona is a question I am sure I'll keep asking myself again and again. This book is really good fantasy that is steeped in a unique blend of Chinese and Japanese mythology, the world Alison Goodman portrays is vivid, colourful and highly imaginative. My only complaint is that I don't yet have b...more

4.5
This is the book I should have been reading instead of wasting my time on Grave Mercy. Why anyone would care at all about Ismae and her love life when they could spend time with a real warrior like Eon/Eona is a question I am sure I'll keep asking myself again and again. This book is really good fantasy that is steeped in a unique blend of Chinese and Japanese mythology, the world Alison Goodman portrays is vivid, colourful and highly imaginative. My only complaint is that I don't yet have book two to start on.

How refreshing it is to be completely surprised by a story, to not be able to predict where the plot will take me next, to not be bombarded with insta-love and cringy romance. I cannot tell you how often while reading this I said a silent thanks to Ms Goodman for being so original. The politics of this book also interested me in a way that Grave Mercy's completely failed to do, it was interesting, the aristocracy (not sure what else to call them here) was full of liars and backstabbers and people out for what they could get.

This combined with the fantasy aspect of the dragons - which I didn't really expect to love that much - was superb. It was the perfect blend of political and magical.

In this exciting new world Eon is one of the candidates to become the next Dragoneye apprentice, he knows his chances of success are slim after being crippled, but it's much more than that. Because Eon is actually Eona, a girl, forbidden to be a Dragoneye warrior and facing certain death if her secret is uncovered. In a bizarre series of events, Eona ends up being thrown into the limelight, blackmailed and used as a weapon by opposing sides, and caught in the middle of a battle for power that she may be the only one with the ability to stop.

Eona is an incredible character, driven by a mixture of loyalties and the desperate desire to survive in a world that is against her. She is the kind of heroine that you really want to succeed and it matters a great deal what happens to her and where this story takes her. There are not many books as unique and enchanting as this one and I cannot wait to read the sequel.
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Apr 15, 2011 Vinaya rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, hmm-that-was-interesting, mixed-vibes, wrung-me-dry, ya-fantasy

When I first started this book, I was like,

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Then I read some more, and I became more like this:

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Thankfully, before I went completely bald, the shit hit the fan, and it was THE END.

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This book and I have a long and complicated history. About two years ago, a friend from the UK was visiting and she left behind a book called The Two Pearls of Wisdom. She told me I HAD to read it, and as I tend to do with most paperbacks, I shoved it in the black hole I call a bookcase and promptly forgot it existed.

Fa...more

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Dec 27, 2008 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

This book was spectacular! I really enjoyed reading it, very addicting. The story takes place in a sort of Asian themed world. Although the world itself is purely created by the author, Goodman did mirror some of the past elements of Asian culture and society. Which I thought was a wonderful addition to the overall setting. Beautiful descriptions!

The plot while steady throughout the novel, seemed to fly by the last quarter or so! There was some predictability, and I was frustrated with Eon/a for...more

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Jan 06, 2011 Janina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult-fiction, on-my-shelf, covers-i-love, from-down-under, read-in-2011, beautiful-writing, want-to-go-there, better-than-expected, series-finished

This book turned out to be a nice surprise for me. I had already thought about giving it away unread (it had been collecting dust on my shelf for quite a while), but then decided to at least give it a try. And it turned out to be good! (I love it when that happens, but it’s also the kind of thing that makes me even more reluctant to clear out my shelves every now and then. Who knows, I could be throwing out a real gem!)

I simply loved the atmosphere and the setting in The Two Pearls of Wisdom: co...more This book turned out to be a nice surprise for me. I had already thought about giving it away unread (it had been collecting dust on my shelf for quite a while), but then decided to at least give it a try. And it turned out to be good! (I love it when that happens, but it’s also the kind of thing that makes me even more reluctant to clear out my shelves every now and then. Who knows, I could be throwing out a real gem!)

I simply loved the atmosphere and the setting in The Two Pearls of Wisdom: colourful, magical and exotic places combined with an interesting magic concept based on Chinese lore.
The people of this world rely on the power of the twelve spirit dragons – each representing an animal and colour – to protect them and their land from the natural forces. Those dragons are controlled by the Dragoneyes, powerful men able to connect their spirit with that of their dragon and wield exceptional magic.

Eona has the Dragon Sight – she is able to see all the dragons – something almost unheard of. Trained by a master eager to win back his influential position, she is to compete in a ceremony to become an apprentice and later a Dragoneye herself. But to accomplish this goal, she has to hide her true identity and pretend to be a boy …

Not only the setting, but also the characters in this novel were fantastically portrayed – characters I haven’t met in this way in a YA fantasy before: We have a physically disabled heroine plagued by constant pain due to a damaged hip, having posed as a boy for such a long time that she has almost forgotten her feminine side. Then there is a ‘Contraire’ – a man living as a woman, sometimes faced with rejection at court, but highly valued by her tribe – and her loyal guard, an eunuch.

In fact, the only real complaint I have is: Some aspects of the story are highly predictable. I had quite a few things figured out early (or at least suspected how they would turn out). But I have to admit: It didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the story too much. It was fast paced (especially the second half of the story) and full of intrigue and political power plays. And although the story about the girl who dresses as a boy has probably been done a hundred thousand times before, Alison Goodman managed to add her own flavour to this one.
But: The ending bugged me. Don’t want to give any details, but some things just went a little too conveniently.

All in all, I think you might like this if you are interested in Asian cultures, fantasy including political intrigue, fascinating swordplay, cruel villains and an epic fight and don’t mind the absence of romance in this first instalment. I'm looking forward to reading book two.

#1 Aussie YA Reading Challenge 2011(less)

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May 11, 2011 Lucy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I think a copy of Eon ought to be on most school library bookshelves. It's an interesting exploration of gender roles and expectations, about finding your true self and that ineffable identity all of us have somewhere beneath the surface. Gender and identity are explored from different angles with the main story and one intertwining side character. Eon deals with the pressure of pretending to be something he isn't, of all the things he gave up when the choice to pretend to be a boy was made for...more I think a copy of Eon ought to be on most school library bookshelves. It's an interesting exploration of gender roles and expectations, about finding your true self and that ineffable identity all of us have somewhere beneath the surface. Gender and identity are explored from different angles with the main story and one intertwining side character. Eon deals with the pressure of pretending to be something he isn't, of all the things he gave up when the choice to pretend to be a boy was made for him. The secondary character of Lady Dela, who is considered dual gendered with born male with female energies, deals with the public side and some of the possible social consequences of different gender identity. Neither of them chose their paths. Lady Dela was simply born the way she is and Eon was forced into the subterfuge.

It's definitely a high fantasy novel with a lot of world building. Fans of various Asian cultures will either be delighted with Alison Goodman's world or find flaws in it that come from a passionate love affair with the cultures she tries to emulate. For me she was a success, but my knowledge of Asian culture is probably heavily pop-culture influenced so take my opinion there with a grain of salt. You can trust me that the world building is thorough. There are long information dumps in places, but it's not so bad because it's all pretty interesting. Yeah, as a reader you're forced to swallow some of the world building in weird places with thick content, but it's never really that painful.

My only complaints about the story are how long I knew what was going on as opposed to how long it took Eon to figure out what was going on. It's pretty frustrating to know all the answers and to want to shake them into the character. You might be saying 'oh you're saying you're too smart for this. You probably figure out complicated mystery novels on page five.' No, seriously. I don't. Most of the time I don't try. I just roll with the story. The answers to everything Eon is asking and how many mistakes he's making are really really obvious.

There's also Disappearing Parent Syndrome in this novel, but it's one of those cases where it works. Eon's journey needed to be solo so I won't complain. I'm hopeful Eona will learn more about her family in the companion novel.

The prose is clean. The pages to this admittedly thick book felt mostly like world building and then those long pages of wanting to strangle Eon for not getting to the obvious answers faster. I really recommend it for high school aged teenagers. I think it's one of those books that will make you a better person if you read it young enough. There's nothing like spending five hundred pages in the head of a character having heavy gender confusion to make you more understanding and, of course, the fantasy adventure makes it just a fun read.(less)

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Dec 29, 2008 Michael rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2008, fantasy, arc

The success of the Harry Potter series with both children and adults has opened a lot of doors in the fantasy genre. Publishers have issued a plethora of a new series and stories intended to capture the imagination and passion of readers in a simliar way to the stories of the young boy wizard. While a lot of these new fantasy stories have imitated what J.K. Rowling did with the Harry Potter novels, very few of them have really set the imagination on fire with an new, fascinating fantasy universe...more The success of the Harry Potter series with both children and adults has opened a lot of doors in the fantasy genre. Publishers have issued a plethora of a new series and stories intended to capture the imagination and passion of readers in a simliar way to the stories of the young boy wizard. While a lot of these new fantasy stories have imitated what J.K. Rowling did with the Harry Potter novels, very few of them have really set the imagination on fire with an new, fascinating fantasy universe like J.K. Rowling did seven novels and one short story collection ago.

Which is what makes Alison Goodman's "Eon: Dragoneye Reborn" such a treat. It's a new fantasy novel, written for young adult but which should find great crossover appeal with adults, that captures the magic and wonder I felt picking up the first Potter novel so many years ago. "Eon" borrows some elements from the Harry Potter (and every other fantasy) universe, setting up a young underdog hero with potential for greatness undergoing extensive training against overwhelming odds. "Eon" is the story of a young girl, in the running to be one of the twelve dragoneyes. The Dragoneyes are the link between the spiritual world of the dragons and the physical universe. To be chosen is a great honor--and one generally reserved only for males.

Eon is a female, secretly going through the training and testing as a male. Her master saw great potential in her and went along with the ruse to win back power, favor and fortune for his house. The gamble pays off in spades when Eon is chosen not just to be that year's dragoneye, but chosen by the mysterious Mirror Dragon to be its dragoneye. Before you know it, Eon is plunged into rigorous training and the world of politics surrounding the dragoneyes and the emperor.

Goodman's novel is a fascinating, complex and entertaining one that will keep the pages turning. One of the fascinating aspects of the story is watching Goodman ground the "Dragoneye" universe a bit in ours, basing the political and social system on that of fuedal Japan and China but making it come alive in its own interesting and unique ways. A good deal of the first half of the novel is spent on world-buidling, but it's done in such an authentic, interesting way, building the character of Eon and those around her that it all feels natural and authentic. And the pieces put into play in the first half begin to quickly play dividends in the second as revelations come fast and furious, all leading to the novel's stunning and compelling conclusion.

"Dragoneye" is the first of a two-part story set in Goodman's universe. Thankfully, Goodman is able to resolve enough of the storylines to keep readers satisfied and make this a complete novel, while creating a cliffhanger and situation that will leave you wanting to pick up the next installment as soon as possible and find out what happens next.

"Eon: Dragoneye Reborn" is an entertaining, fascinating and fun fantasy novel that will delight both young adult and adult readers.(less)

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May 14, 2011 Steph Sinclair rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fantasy lovers

Shelves: 2011-reads, action-packed, fantasy, i-really-enjoyed-it, i-liked-it, made-me-think, original-and-creative, realistic-fiction, high-fantasy, dragons, young-adult

Power. Glory. Honor. Reliability. Trust. Strength. Are these traits simply attributed to our gender? Does our gender determine who we are as people or who we can become as a person? For centuries women have struggled to pry themselves from underneath man's suppressive boot to claim their equality. For centuries being a woman was thought to mean you were weak, unable to defend yourself, better off in the kitchens.

This is the world 16 year-old Eon(a) lives in. She lives in an Asian culture were w...more

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Apr 14, 2011 Catie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, read-in-2011, series, ya

If you, like me, have always wished that Tamora Pierce and Anne McCaffrey would finally admit their deep, abiding love for one another; make it official with a short ceremony in Massachusetts; then decide to start a family by adopting a fierce Asian baby, then I think you will fall in love with this book.

This is the powerful story of Eon, a young candidate for apprentice Dragoneye. If he is selected, he will commune and share power with one of the twelve Dragons, which are energy based creatures...more If you, like me, have always wished that Tamora Pierce and Anne McCaffrey would finally admit their deep, abiding love for one another; make it official with a short ceremony in Massachusetts; then decide to start a family by adopting a fierce Asian baby, then I think you will fall in love with this book.

This is the powerful story of Eon, a young candidate for apprentice Dragoneye. If he is selected, he will commune and share power with one of the twelve Dragons, which are energy based creatures that represent each animal in the Chinese zodiac. Eon, a disfigured, weak candidate is given the lowest odds of selection and viewed as useless by his teachers. But what they don’t know is that Eon and his master are carrying out an elaborate deception: Eon is really Eona, a girl with the rare ability to see all twelve dragons.

The writing is intense and action-packed. I was terribly hooked to this one. Despite my dislike of the audiobook narrator, this is one of the rare books that I listened to and read in tandem just so I didn’t have to put it down. I think that most people will figure out the “endgame” of Eon’s power acquisition early on, as it is heavily alluded to. Yes, I did get frustrated a bit in the middle as poor Eon struggles and can’t seem to cotton on to what’s really happening. Especially when (view spoiler) However, none of that frustration kept me from buying into the story. The Dragoneye culture denies women so harshly; it’s believable that Eon would try to deny her feminine side as well. Happily, all that frustration and hopelessness only funds an extremely big pay-off later. I can’t even say how incredibly awesome the ending is. It is so awesome that I wish I had read it in the middle of a massive canyon of some sort, so that I could drop to my knees, raise my fists to the sky, and shout, “EONA!!!” And then hear it echoing all around me. That’s how awesome it is.

This book explores the balance and interchange of the masculine and feminine; the competition between compassion and ruthlessness. This is explored through philosophical discussions and dilemmas, but also through characters. Eon struggles to accept her dual nature, but there are numerous other characters in the story that represent this struggle as well. I utterly adore Lady Dela. To me, she is the strongest representation of balance between masculine and feminine and the strength that arises from that. When she scolds Eon for deceiving everyone, it is so satisfying (yet another balm for my earlier frustrations).

One of the more fulfilling parts of this book is that, although there is a slight “cliffhanger” at the end, there is a good amount of resolution. I also noticed this fabulous sentence on the last page: “The struggle for the Empire of the Celestial Dragons will conclude in Eona The Last Dragoneye.” That means there’s only a matter of days before I can have closure!! Woo!
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May 02, 2013 Uncommon Sellsword rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, disappointing

My contempt for young adult novels (or at least the bulk of what I've read) isn't a mystery. It's evident that this genre is being abused as the commonality of these works thrive off the fact that the majority of young adult readers are either oblivious or indifferent to the banality of young adult literature. I've been looking forward to reading Eon for a little while because I believed it to be a remedy to the depressive insipidness of young adult fiction. However, it suffered from the same fl...more My contempt for young adult novels (or at least the bulk of what I've read) isn't a mystery. It's evident that this genre is being abused as the commonality of these works thrive off the fact that the majority of young adult readers are either oblivious or indifferent to the banality of young adult literature. I've been looking forward to reading Eon for a little while because I believed it to be a remedy to the depressive insipidness of young adult fiction. However, it suffered from the same flaws.

It captured the physical aesthetics of her world, though it never amounted to much. She has a large cast of distinguished characters, yet they don't transcend their archetypes. And she created a heroine with potential, only to squander it with aching badassery.

Like so many other works of the genre, Eon is written in first person. This method of storytelling could be a generally effective manner in grasping the reader into the story. However, it was so dull. Her voice, both in dialogue and telling her story lacks any distinguishing feature. The general bias is completely scarce as well, eliminating ambiguity and jocularity. Her speech, is both formal and completely ineffective, leaving little to be engrossed into the character, whose name titles this novel.

Generally, concepts like this are interesting. Her idea is tangibly derivative. Even outdone by the likes of George R.R. Martin, her story of a girl disguised as a guy doesn't breach anything new or clever. And even in that concept, her character still lacks the integral finesse that a person of her circumstance should possess (especially if it's a work of fiction). However, Eon has no voice. She has no character, shamefully, both as a boy and a girl. It takes no stomps to even transcend the normality of these quasi-feminist tales.

Prior to Eon, I've only heard of novels that have taken the aesthetic of Asian cultures and shift it into a high fantasy realm of the author's creation. It's a refreshing setting, away from the grittiness of medieval europe, however Alison Goodman completely detracts from the complexity of ancient Chinese feudal systems, creating a monarchy that consists of only a few basic social tiers and a mythology that seems too small to be fantastical. Because Eon is a work of subcreation, there should always be concepts of her own creation (just as much as her derived ones).

The concept of Dragoneyes (elitist warriors) was somewhat interesting, however her ideas don't surpass the typical tropes of military fantasy. Eon, predictably making her way up, defeating insurmountable odds and in all that time successfully masking her identity. It takes too little time on concept and focuses on writing an engaging story that's cliched to begin with.

I don't have much to say on the novel. I was left unimpressed and underwhelmed. Her protagonist was bland, lacking a distinctive texture or any idiosyncratic characteristics whatsoever. Her plot, though derivative, had plenty of potential only to squander under her annoying cliches and pointless chapters. The characters were depressingly familiar, their images were clear but their depth was non-existent. Luckily, it was an easy read. Her prose was generally consistent even though it lacked dynamism or even distinction.
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Uncommon Sellsword "Capturing and showing physical aspect of a culture is a lot easier."

Definitely, that's the largest gripe I have for the novel. It epitomizes the term...more
updated May 01, 2013 02:26am

Han Asra Yeah, creating something complex, while still accessible at the same time is really difficult thing to do. I mean, the prose in Jonathan Strange &...more
May 01, 2013 03:57am

Jun 08, 2011 Krystle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Update (6/8/11): Re-read it and my thoughts are the same. Just awesome book with some of the most beautiful prose. That final 200 pages or so are crazy. You won't be able to put it down. Now I can't wait to read the sequel!

I haven’t picked up a book involving dragons for quite a while – years practically. And as soon as I saw this appear on the lists of upcoming books to be published I immediately marked it down on my to-read list. Eon: Dragoneye Reborn was a fantastic book. I loved it so much!

A...more Update (6/8/11): Re-read it and my thoughts are the same. Just awesome book with some of the most beautiful prose. That final 200 pages or so are crazy. You won't be able to put it down. Now I can't wait to read the sequel!

I haven’t picked up a book involving dragons for quite a while – years practically. And as soon as I saw this appear on the lists of upcoming books to be published I immediately marked it down on my to-read list. Eon: Dragoneye Reborn was a fantastic book. I loved it so much!

Allison Goodman’s prose is so beautiful; deep, intricate, and colorful. Her world building and magic system was full of tiny details and nuances that made it come to life. But the best part of it all was that it never felt like a huge info-dump, which is a problem many fantasy writers have. You are not subjected to ten different names of objects, people, places, and what have you right off the bat, and instead it’s gradually incorporated in a non-intrusive way.

Eon, or Eona rather, is a wonderfully rounded and well developed character. While she’s not considered a traditional “strong” character due to her lack of physical strength, it’s her tenacity to overcome obstacles and see things through to the end that make her shine. But not only that she doesn’t come without her faults. She’s headstrong, impatient, and quick in her conclusions and she actually suffers for them, which many other authors fail to oversee.

I loved how the story was based off of ancient mythology, culture, and beliefs from East Asia. I’m born in the Year of the Dragon, which is the Mirror Dragon in this novel, and felt quite giddy about reading it. The plot twists are actually pretty predictable but you’re so engrossed by the story you don’t notice.

Sure there are some problems with Eon, just like every book has – hers being that the pacing was pretty slow in the beginning, and there is a reliance on some words quite a bit heavily more than others, but not in a way that would effect your enjoyment of the reading – to me anyway. (Wow, was that a long sentence, or what?)

Awesome book! I can’t wait to read the next one!(less)

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Jul 01, 2012 Brandi rated it 5 of 5 stars

I stayed up until 4am to finish this book. That's a big deal these days!! I'll give me until 2am if I'm really loving something, but I haven't let myself stay up to 4 in a long time.

Now that I've gotten rest from the story I don't really know how to describe it. I tried to tell a friend of mine on here about it and I'm certain I missed the mark. It's high fantasy, but not really that heavy, and even though it's very girl power in the end, I think that males would like this a lot too.

Eon
The stor...more I stayed up until 4am to finish this book. That's a big deal these days!! I'll give me until 2am if I'm really loving something, but I haven't let myself stay up to 4 in a long time.

Now that I've gotten rest from the story I don't really know how to describe it. I tried to tell a friend of mine on here about it and I'm certain I missed the mark. It's high fantasy, but not really that heavy, and even though it's very girl power in the end, I think that males would like this a lot too.

Eon
The story is about Eon, a crippled boy trying to earn a position as a dragoneye, but is met with harsh and cruel treatment by those around him for his deformed leg. It was his hip that was crushed but it created a limp and weakness, that lead everyone to call him crippled and throw ward evil signs at him every time they saw him. He is thought of as a demon at the worst, and a bringer of bad luck at best. The amazing thing about him was the fact that he is a female pretending to be male because in this world females are lower than anything else on the planet it seems.

Eona
Women have no place in the world of the dragon magic. It is said they bring corruption to the art, and do not have the physical strength or depth of character needed to commune with an energy dragon. It is also thought that the female eye, too practiced in gazing at itself, cannot see the truth of the energy world.

After reading that I had my brows drawn and was starting to sizzle with anger, and this was in the prologue! So you know that after hearing this that the heroine must be amazing, because how in the name of everything could any female hope to have a place among people who think her less than nothing?

Eona's master had found her being worked to death and could tell that she was special right away. They made her into her male self in order for her to become what she was born to do; work with the energy dragons. Not only was this as hard as you might think just going by that one snippet from the story, but she manages to succeed in the face of incredible odds to earn a spot to train with the dragons! Then things go from hard to impossibly difficult in short order, and Eona will learn to navigate a world in which she has almost no knowledge of all while trying to hold herself together. Tense is the name of the game here!

We are lucky enough to be taken on her journey to learn that females are just as powerful as males, and that being yourself is a power not for the faint of heart. The writing is sublime, the characters amazing, and the story one of the few originals that has no comparison. (less)

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Apr 13, 2013 Litchick rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: characters-i-d-like-to-kill, fantasy-fun, drama-drama-drama

I'll start with the good news...

This book is very well written. The landscapes are lush and exotic. The cities, streets, buildings and rooms are described in such easy, elegant detail that you just SEE them, without having to pause to build the images in your mind.

The characters were equally well formed. Goodman didn't flood us with too many people and those she did introduce were memorable and well cast. No one was one dimensional, everyone had depth, everyone seemed to draw an emotion from me...more

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Jul 11, 2012 April rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, multicultural, fantasy, ya

Once upon a time there was a land that was plagued by monsoons which would destroy crops. In their time of need, the people and their emperor turned to the twelve dragons and those who could commune with dragons, known as dragoneyes. This isn’t quite how Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman begins, yet you get the gist. In the world of Eon the people are very tightly bound with the dragons. Every year a different dragon ascends to power and are at their most powerful. So for example, this cou...more

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Jun 15, 2013 Iva rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: action, fantasy, paranormal

Update: Finally, after so much time, I'm coming back to this! Can't wait to read this a gain and then the second book :D

Today, I was going through some lists of books. And I saw this title and was left confused. Because I thought that it was somehow familiar. And I was right. I read this book a long time ago. Well maybe two or three years ago as an audiobook. And I remembered how I loved it then, and was so happy that I found it again. And another surprise: There's a new book that came out this...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Keertana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: aussie, kick-ass-heroines

Every so often the time will come when you will finally read that elusive novel that has been on your TBR-Shelf for what seems like forever. You know what novel I'm talking about - it's the one all your friends have been recommending to you, time and time again; it's the one the library never has whenever you stop by; it's the one you always forget to pick up from the bookstore; but, it's also the one you just know you're going to love. Needless to say, Eon has been on my shelves for at leas...more Every so often the time will come when you will finally read that elusive novel that has been on your TBR-Shelf for what seems like forever. You know what novel I'm talking about - it's the one all your friends have been recommending to you, time and time again; it's the one the library never has whenever you stop by; it's the one you always forget to pick up from the bookstore; but, it's also the one you just know you're going to love. Needless to say, Eon has been on my shelves for at least the past three years now and while I knew, even before I had cracked open the spine, that I would love this one, nothing could quite prepare me for the masterpiece I would find inside its covers.

In a world where the people rely on the powers of twelve spirit dragons, each of which represent a different animal, to protect them and their land from natural disaster, sixteen-year-old Eona possesses a rare gift - she can see the spirits of all twelve dragons, not just one. Thus, despite the cripple that mars her figure, Eona has been training to become a Dragoneye Apprentice and eventually a Dragoneye, one whose spirit is connected with that of the dragons, and restore her Master to an influential position on the Dragoneye Council. Eona, however, is forced to mask her true nature and live her life as Eon, a boy, for only men are allowed to become Dragoneyes and if her secret were found, it would lead to imminent death. On the day the apprentices are chosen, Eona must display her skills in front of the spirit dragons themselves and to her surprise, she is chosen by the Mirror Dragon, a spirit who has not been seen in over a hundred years. Yet, as she will soon come to learn, her dragon is the seeker of truth and for Eona, whose entire life has been lived as a lie, there will come no greater challenge than accepting the truth within.

In all honesty, the overarching plot of Eon brings nothing new that we haven't seen before in tales such as Mulan or numerous dragon adventures from before; yet, Goodman manages to make her take on this classic story as creative and unique as possible. For one, the world she creates is rich with Japanese and Chinese cultural influences, making it both authentic, real, and original by its own right. While I loved (and greatly appreciated) the research Goodman put into this novel, what truly amazed me was the depth of the world-building. Goodman's descriptions of her world go beyond the landscape, rituals, and overall cultural beliefs, it extends also to the politics of this vibrant nation. I love nothing better than a complex political scheme and the one that Eona found herself in was nothing short of brilliant. It perfectly blended together corruption, greed, and an age-old thirst for power along with fantasy lore, spirit dragons, and, at the heart of it all, societal mores.

Yet, no matter how brilliant the world-building in this story was, what truly shone through about this novel was its depiction of gender and women in society. It is evident from the synopsis itself that the world in which Eon lives is dominated by men, thus, it comes as no surprise that she feels as if she is most in power as Eon, not Eona. In fact, Eona is so taken with this belief that when she meets Lady Dela, Eona's transgender mentor who is a man living as a woman, she cannot understand why Lady Dela would chose a life in which she must succumb to servitude. Nevertheless, as the novel progresses, Eona slowly comes to realize the power that lies in being a woman.

You are wrong when you say there is no power in being a woman. When I think of my mother and the women in my tribe, and the hidden women in the harem, I know there are many types of power in this world...I found power in accepting the truth of who I am. It may not be a truth that others can accept, but I cannot live any other way (Goodman, 245).

While Eon is a diverse novel in its honest appraisal of characters who are eunuchs and transgenders, its true strength lies in Eona's own thoughts as she contemplates how different her life is as a woman and her life spent as a man. I have come to admire Alison Goodman immensely for her deep and provocative portrayal of gender, its differences, and its liabilities through her novel and believe that the messages she brings across and the truths she uncovers are those that deserve to read by everyone.

Nevertheless, for all my praise of Eon, it is, quite unfortunately, not a perfect novel. Throughout the course of the story, Eona struggles to communicate with the Mirror Dragon; consequently, she resorts to a variety of schemes in order to find a way to do so. While Eona is, by no means, an unintelligent character, the solution to her problems is quite obvious to the reader, thus, it is rather frustrating to see Eona try fruitlessly to come up with a way to speak to her dragon. Yet, despite this, I found that I was still cheering on Eona and hoping with all my heart that she succeeded. In Eona, Goodman has created such a complex character that I am confident everyone can find a bit of themselves within her, making it impossible not to love her and admire her bravery and courage as a character.

Overall, Eon is a remarkable adventure filled with rich fantasy lore, intriguing court politics, and compelling gender themes. If that isn't enough to make your fingers itch to get your hands on it, it also contains a kick-ass heroine and an equally heart-pounding adventure. Eon is not only one of the best fantasy novels I've read this year, but it is also one of the most thought-provoking and complex stories as well. I'm not just recommending this novel to you, I am virtually shoving a copy of it into your unsuspecting hands and demanding that you read it - it is simply that that good.

You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less)

7 likes · like · see review

Jun 27, 2012 Carol rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: female-lead, young-adult, fantasy

Two and a half stars. It was okay, and I might get around to reading the second half. I should probably do so before giving an evaluation, as it appears it's more a duo than a stand-alone book.

I enjoyed the pace of the first 75 or 100 pages, which some critics might label "useless worldbuilding." I felt like it was building the world Eon lived in, from the Master's house to the city, showing the different types of adversity faced, and setting up an 'overcome major adversity' plot.

(view spoiler ...more
Two and a half stars. It was okay, and I might get around to reading the second half. I should probably do so before giving an evaluation, as it appears it's more a duo than a stand-alone book.

I enjoyed the pace of the first 75 or 100 pages, which some critics might label "useless worldbuilding." I felt like it was building the world Eon lived in, from the Master's house to the city, showing the different types of adversity faced, and setting up an 'overcome major adversity' plot.

(view spoiler)

I also wondered if perhaps I am just a bit old-fashioned for the current young adult scene. I've read a wide variety of fantasy, but it seems to me that 1) one's master being killed, 2) being spiritually raped, 3) being almost physically raped, 4) the emperor overthrown, 5)a best friend slowly poisoned and losing his mind, 6) witnessing a woman bed killed, along with 7) her infant son, as well as the plain old- fashioned disappointment of not being able to quite succeed in the goal you trained for four years, was excessively violent and overwhelming.

On a positive note, I loved having a transgendered character, and thought Lady Dela was one of the most interesting, likeable characters in the book. Kudos to Goodman for integrating her as a human and not an 'issue.' (less)

12 likes · like · see review

Jul 31, 2011 Cassi aka Snow White Haggard rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, read-in-2011, ya

Give this a 3 star after much thought. I enjoyed it, but my love of girls pretending to be boys cannot overcome Eona's cluelessness. I have to take away some demerits to encourage less stupidity in the future. I'm sure you understand.

I liked it and plan to read the sequel BUT I wanted Eon to be smarter. Seriously I figured out everything pretty much immediately and she was all like "AHHH I don't know & I don't want anyone to know I don't know" for like half the book. And I was like "DUDE I d...more

18 likes · like · see review

Nov 10, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-gold-star-award-winner, trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by The Story Siren for TeensReadToo.com

This book was spectacular! I really enjoyed reading it, very addicting. The story takes place in a sort of Asian themed world. Although the world itself is purely created by the author, Goodman did mirror some of the past elements of Asian culture and society, which I thought was a wonderful addition to the overall setting. Beautiful descriptions!

The plot, while steady throughout the novel, seemed to fly by the last quarter or so! There was some p...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jan 28, 2013 cEe beE rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: couldn-t-put-down, kick-ass-heroine, from-down-under

When I got this book as a gift a few years ago, my initial impression was this was a Dragonball rip-off only with a girl, because there were actually no physical dragons! Silly me. So, anyway it's been gathering dust on my bookshelf since. Two days ago I picked it up and decided to read a few pages. Well make me Goku's uncle (aunt in my case)! Was I ever wrong.

So, Eon is like a Asian-fusion blend of mainly Chinese and Japanese and some Indo-European mythologies. It's a highly entertaining, and v...more

3 likes · like · see review

Jun 04, 2012 Mags~CVAddikt~Chaos defies imagination! rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, ya, favorites-2011-2012, amazing-worldbuilding, magic-n-stuff, mighty-swords, mythology, simply-perfection, surprise, asian, dragons

Slow start but amazing ... ohh yes ...

I mean, if you thought a girl with dragons was cool ...

You haven't read about EONA ...

Because first she was passing as a boy

And then she became

Controlling this

And right now, I'm downloading the sequel Eona

And if you are mexican ... let me tell you this book will remind you of

16 likes · like · see review

Apr 27, 2012 Jord¥n marked it as abandoned · review of another edition

Shelves: will-start-again-soon, cover-love

Got to page 300 and unfortunately I cannot continue. Its a beautiful book and I love Eon but nothing is happening. Its more political than anything and I'm not really in the mood for that kind of book. Its not the book its me. Lol.

Sorry Victoria, I'm just not getting anywhere with this book and I already have other books checked out from the library.

Ill definitely get back to this one in the near future.

2 likes · like · see review

May 12, 2012 Felita rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-dragon, young-adult, action, ada-kejutan-di-cerita

perkenalkan dunia kerajaan yg dipimpin oleh kaisar, dan dilindungi oleh 12 naga.

cerita ttg naga kali ini didominasi dari cerita cina. dmana ada naga kerbau, naga harimau, naga kelinci dll. tiap naga mewakili kedua belas shio yg terkenal itu. naga dlm cerita ini bukan naga spt dlm cerita eragon yg berwujud nyata dan bisa ditunggangi. mereka berada di alam energi yg berbeda dan hy menampakkan diri pada saat tahun yg diwakilkannya tiba.para naga memiliki seorang punggawa, istilah manusia yg dpt mel...more perkenalkan dunia kerajaan yg dipimpin oleh kaisar, dan dilindungi oleh 12 naga.

cerita ttg naga kali ini didominasi dari cerita cina. dmana ada naga kerbau, naga harimau, naga kelinci dll. tiap naga mewakili kedua belas shio yg terkenal itu. naga dlm cerita ini bukan naga spt dlm cerita eragon yg berwujud nyata dan bisa ditunggangi. mereka berada di alam energi yg berbeda dan hy menampakkan diri pada saat tahun yg diwakilkannya tiba.para naga memiliki seorang punggawa, istilah manusia yg dpt melihat sang naga lewat mata batinnya dan dapat menguasai sifat2 sang naga melalui sebuah pertukaran.

pada saat menjelang tahun tikus, hiduplah Eon, remaja cacat yg memiliki kemampuan melihat kedua belas naga, bakat yg langka. brannon, mantan punggawa naga harimau melihat bakat langka eon lgsg menjadikannya sbg murid.eon yg tidak mengerti ttg bakatnya menerima ajakan brannon agar tidak mengalami kehidupan miskin di tambak garam.pelatihan yg keras dmana kakinya yg cacat terus dilakukan Eon utk menyenangkan hati sang guru.

saat tiba hari pemilihan calon penerus punggawa naga tikus,eon tidak menyadari nasibnya akan berubah. dipandang sbg anak pembawa sial gara2 cacat tidak ada yg mw bertaruh padanya bahwa dia akan menjadi seorang punggawa. dan ternyata.........nasib baik memihak padanya, sesosok naga kembar, (naga utk tahun naga) muncul di hadapannya dan mengklaimnya sbg seorang punggawa, naga kembar, dmana kemunculannya tidak pernah ada sejak 500 tahun, dan misteri kenapa sang naga tidak pernah muncul adalah krn satus unik Eon yg dirahasiakan mati-matian olehnya.

akan tetapi kehadiran Eon sbg punggawa naga kembar menghalangi rencana seseorang utk melakukan kudeta kerajaan. didesak oleh pihak2 yg ingin menjatuhkannya dan hilangnya keberadaan sang naga (gara2 ein menolak statusnya )menjadikan Eon harus menghadapi situasi yg tak terduga.beruntung dia mempunyai teman2 yg setia walaupun orang2 di sekelilingnya memandang rendah.

sang pengarang berhasil membawa cerita dg unsur2 timur yg kental, status orang cacat dianggap sial shg semua orang menjauhinya, perempuan yg tidak akan pernah dipandang setara dg laki-laki, lelaki rembulan, yg sejak remaja udah dikebiri utk menjadi pelayan istana, dan intrik2 perebutan kekuasaan diantara anggota keluarga kerajaan. suka dg penggambaran naga di sini, mewakili kedua belas shio cina, berada di alam energi yg berbeda menambah kesakralan naga itu sendiri. cuman tiga kekurangannya:
#nama-nama tokoh yg kebarat-baratan
#kurangnya penjelasan punggawa naga kembar yg "absen" sekian lamanya
#buku keduanya yg blm terbit...hiks

eniwei, salut deh bwt penerbit mizan yg udah menghadirkan buku ini dan kasih jempol ke pengarangnya.*buku kedua terbaik ttg dragon cina setelah dragon keeper*
(less)

1 like · like · see review

May 30, 2013 Ghirardelli marked it as to-be-continued · review of another edition

Shelves: that-cover-unf, please-be-good

I've been meaning to read this. When I have more than six dollars to my name, I will most certainly purchase this.

3 likes · like · see review

May 30, 2013 Ally rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of Eragon and high fantasy

Shelves: fantasy-and-sci-fi, young-adult, mythology, dragons, read-in-2013, re-read

I have to say, it was extremely refreshing to read a high fantasy book that doesn't take me weeks to finish! Eon Dragoneye Reborn was a spectacular read, fusing Asian culture and mythology into a fantastical world, where humans draw on the power of energy dragons. Alison Goodman is a beautiful writer, her rich descriptions make me feel like I'm right there with the characters, who were fantastic.

One thing I really enjoyed about this novel was the complexity of the characters. Lord Ido wasn't jus...more

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 24, 2012 Katie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: my-collection

Summary:

Becoming a dragon eye is a highly honored privilege. The chosen ones, who have gone through rigorous training, receive fame and fortune. In return, they must give up their life force. A seemingly small price to pay when considering the amount of power they are in control of.

Eon is on his way to becoming a dragoneye. It is his dream and, if he trusts his minds-eye, his destiny. But, he is hiding a deadly secret..

Review:

I am conflicted with this book.

Truth be told: It was amazing. The stor...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 26, 2012 Maya rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: asian-fantasy, political-fantasy

I've wanted to read this book since I first saw its German cover in a local bookstore. An Asian Fantasy readily available for purchase? Just like a normal book? I even thought that the girl might just look asian to me without that being intended or related to the story at all, because Asian Fantasy is such a rare genre you usually have to deliberately search for what exists and then order it online.

Needless to say, I was looking forward very much to reading this one. And I wanted to adore it, bu...more

5 likes · like · see review

topics	posts	views	last activity
Have you heard of it/Read it???	21	68	Jun 14, 2013 08:14pm
so	6	36	Jun 13, 2013 12:23pm
wich one should I read	11	80	Jun 01, 2013 03:23am
! YA Heroines !: Eon	7	19	Apr 29, 2013 04:13am
Dragons, dragons ...: Eon	5	24	Oct 08, 2012 04:28am
The Bibliophiles: Eon Dragoneye Reborn	2	8	Aug 09, 2012 05:49pm

title link	preview: Eon: Dragoneye Reborn
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Eon: Dragoneye Reborn (Eon #1)

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