Eon: Rise of the Dragoneye by Alison Goodman
David Fickling Books, 2009. ISBN 9780385616447.
(Ages 13+) Fantasy. Recommended. Eon
will be snapped up by fans of fantasy sagas as they delve into the life
of Eona, as she trains to be a Dragoneye, the most powerful of lords
within this ancient Chinese kingdom, able to control wind and water.
Women are forbidden to train for this high station, but she has kept
her sexuality hidden for most of her life, and to become the next
Dragoneye is her avowed aim.
While training she is unwittingly involved in a life and death struggle
for the throne of this kingdom, and is asked to be the representative
of the current emperor, to fight against his enemies to the death. Her
supporters, some of whom know her secret, go to great lengths to find
information about her combatants, just as her combatants delve into her
abilities and styles of fighting.
This is a page turner, a breathless account of survival against
overwhelming odds, made all the more pertinent because she is also
hiding her sex. Shortlisted for many awards, and winning the
prestigious Aurelius Award in 2009, Eon is the first in what I
hope is
a trilogy.