First, if you haven't seen this list
yet, go check it out: Recommendations of Non-European Fantasy by Women
One of the books on this list is Eon by
Alison Goodman. Eon (along with its sequel Eona) was one of my recent
impulse picks at the library. The promise of dragons and swords and
deception drew me in, and I was quite happy to find that the plot did
not disappoint.
Summary: Eon is has been studying for
years in the hope of becoming the next Apprentice Dragoneye—chosen
to forge a union with one of the eleven remaining energy dragons who
protect the land and its people. Of the twelve boys competing for the
title, only Eon can see all of the dragons, but then... only Eon has
difficulty completing the drills necessary for training. Worse, Eon
is secretly Eona—a girl, and therefore one who is forbidden from
using dragon magic. But when the ambitions of another Dragoneye
threaten to topple the Empire, a girl may be just what is needed in
order to save it.
What I liked: Alison Goodman has done
some beautiful world-building for these books. The dragon magic is
particularly exciting and fun to read about. Magic in this world has
appropriate consequences, and those are explored in interesting ways.
The setting provides a rich environment for the plot, which is
carried out through complex characters. Each character has individual
goals and secrets which make for some great tension and intrigue.
Bottom line: Eon is a strong, rich
fantasy, and its sequel (Eona) is even better.
It has gorgeous cover art, too!
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy your book reviews, Audrey. This sounds interesting. My reading list is pretty long at the moment, but maybe when I'm through with it. :-) Did you have a favorite character? (You know me, I'm all about the characters and whether or not I like them)
It has quite a diverse cast, actually, lots of representation. I think... I would say that for all the characters there were times when I liked them as people and times when I didn't, and that made them believable characters. The villain stands out the most for me in these books and is probably the most memorable.
DeleteI always see these at the bookstore and they always look good to me, but i've yet to snag them. This review makes me think i should get them the next time i'm out
ReplyDeleteThey're definitely worth the read!
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