Sign in with FacebookEmily May's Reviews > Eon: Rise of the Dragoneye
Eon: Rise of the Dragoneye
by Alison Goodman (Goodreads Author)
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.
by Alison Goodman (Goodreads Author)
Emily May's review
bookshelves: ya-na, fantasy, 2012, fave-ya
Jan 01, 13
bookshelves: ya-na, fantasy, 2012, fave-ya
Read from March 10 to May 04, 2012
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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Reading Progress
| 05/03/2012 | page 209 |
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49.0% | 2 comments |
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I was so surprised at how good this was! I totally loved how there was no romantic subplot for Eona--not that romance is bad in a story, it's just so many books have one, and it's nice to read a story that doesn't over rely on that plot.I'm currently reading the sequel, but I'm finding it a bit harder to get into (but that could be because I'm only reading like a couple pages at a time :P).
Glad you enjoyed this book, Emily. I have the second one on my bookshelf at home and can't wait to read it.
@Crystal I was so relieved, I kept expecting her to start thinking Ryko or Dillon was sexy, LOL. I hope you manage to get into the sequel eventually because I'm really really looking forward to it! :)@Cheryl I am jealous, Amazon better hurry up with mine!
@Samantha Haha, yes, do it! It's very different, but in a really good way.
@Maya I think you'll like this, it has everything: strong heroine, fast moving plot, action and fantasy... I look forward to hearing what you think of it.
@Tara Thank you! :)
It is awesome! I think I've been subconsciously putting this off because I was under the impression that it would be a boy book - warriors, dragons, etc. - but I couldn't put it down.
Emily wrote: "It is awesome! I think I've been subconsciously putting this off because I was under the impression that it would be a boy book - warriors, dragons, etc. - but I couldn't put it down."I had thoughts along the same lines and it just didn't seem too original in those kind of usual fantasy premises... but the Asian influence is a biiiig draw for me :)
I am glad you liked it! This was a great read, and I initially hesitated too when I picked it up because it did seem like a "boy book". It's completely not a traditional fantasy book by any means though. I think the way they marketed this book put it at a disadvantage. Would like to see what you think of the sequel, Emily. The reviews have been really mixed. I didn't love it, but lots of people did.
Thanks Judy :) I'm hearing a lot of mixed opinions on the second book, I really hope I'm not disappointed!
I absolutely agree with your first sentence. For shit's sake, that book was one of the biggest flops I've ever read.
Anyway, I'll be interested to see what you think of it.