Eon: Rise Of The Dragoneye

By Alison Goodman

Occasionally you pick up a book and the expectation is low. You read the book jacket and it instantly feels derivative, nothing new, even – dare I say it – a copycat, and in the field of fantasy, that first impression is often, sadly, the right one. Every now and again however, you’re proved wrong, you settle down in a favourite chair, with a cup of coffee, and as you start to read, the words begin weaving themselves around you, sucking you into the story and, as the action leaps off the page, you’re hooked and that’s you, the rest of the world zoned-out around you, until the final page and you reach for the coffee, cold and untouched. Those moments are rare but it’s for those moments that we read at all, and thankfully, Alison Goodman’s ‘Eon: Rise Of The Dragoneye’ provides one of those moments.

The story is set in a fantasy version of ancient China where 12 energy dragons, representing the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac, are called upon by 12 Dragoneyes to control the elements and protect the lands and harvests of the people of the kingdom. The Dragoneyes are all male. Boys train long and hard for the chance to become a Dragoneye apprentice and train for even longer to become, as men, Ascendant Dragoneye but the rewards, financial and in terms of status and influence, are huge.

Enter Eon, apprentice to an old, retired Dragoneye who is teetering on the brink of financial ruin and sees Eon and her innate power as the passport back to riches and status. The problem is that Eon, the 12 year old boy, is really Eona, a sixteen year old girl, and if the deception is revealed they will both be liable for execution.

Meanwhile, the Emperor grows old and weak and, as he does, his brother is away from the palace mustering an army, ready to march upon the city, kill the Emperor and his sons and claim the throne for himself. In league with him is the Ascendant Dragoneye, Lord Ido, who despises Eon, seeing her as an obstacle to his gaining power over all the other Dragoneyes but, more dangerously, Ido has his own sites set on becoming Emperor. Suddenly, and against all her better judgement, Eon finds herself fighting to find a way to harness the power of her dragon, stop Lord Ido’s ruthless ambition, stave off an attack from the Emperor’s brother and save the lives of the Emperor and his sons, all the time tip-toeing around the social and political hierarchy of the palace and without revealing her true identity – an almost impossible task.

Stories that have someone pretending to be a member of the opposite sex are commonplace, but most often as comedies, so it was something of a surprise to find this device used as the central part of an action adventure story and even more of a surprise to find it done so well. Obviously themes of gender and exploration of the roles of men and women are woven throughout the story, but what makes them doubly interesting are the various characters of the royal court such as eunuch’s – usually big, powerful men acting as guards – and a man, cross-dressing and living as woman but an honoured guest of the emperor and friend and confidant to the mother of his children, a member of the royal harem. As the social and political stage is set these roles become more and more interesting until identity, rather than role or gender, becomes they key issue.

But at it’s heart it’s a terrific adventure story. The pacing is excellent throughout allowing the plot to unravel seamlessly, the action is frenetic and surprisingly visceral when it comes and then it eases off just enough to let you catch your breath before plunging you headlong into the next twist or turn. The language and culture of this ancient world setting are beautifully realised and very descriptive, placing you right at the heart of each scene and one thing that is really smart is the way the Dragoneye ceremonies and traditions and history are woven into the existing Chinese horoscope without the need for excessive exposition.

While no book is perfect, and this has its flaws, overall it’s a cracking read. I’ve always been dubious of the ‘Young Adult’ label on books, but ‘Eon: Rise Of The Dragoneye’ walks the tightrope between adult and child with consummate skill, immersing you in the atmosphere one minute and exciting you with intrigue and thrills the next, while all the time making Eon constantly reassess who are her allies and enemies right through to the cliffhanger finale.

If part one of this story is anything to go by, part two is going to be a cracker, and I for one, cannot wait for it.

Eon: Rise of the Dragoneye is published by David Fickling Books through Random House and is available from Amazon, Blackwell and all good book stores.

Alison Goodman has a website and maintains a blog.