“Eon” is an Action Packed Fantasy with Dragons

Wow, that was exactly the immersive, fast-paced fantasy I was looking for.

I have to admit, at first I wasn’t too impressed by the pacing of this novel. I found the world building dense, the plot complicated, and, quite frankly, I was bored. I’m so glad I stuck with it though, because after the first seventy pages I suddenly couldn’t put it down. The suspense made me breathless and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next.

The world building was some of the best I’ve ever read. I loved the details inspired by Japanese and Chinese cultures; I could see glimpses of ancient methods in the way that the royalty bowed to each other, characters fought in a similar style to the samurais, and even in the clothing fashion.

The plot follows Eon, a young woman who disguises herself as a boy and trains to become a Dragoneye. Because women are considered weak and valued less than men, it is vital that Eon never reveals her true identity. If she gets chosen by the Rat Dragon she will go on to become a Dragoneye apprentice, but there isn’t much hope for her, as she is the weakest of her competitors and a cripple.

I loved the idea of having a bond with a dragon not through a physical attachment, but a mental one. The Dragoneye lords had almost a spiritual connection with their beasts and channeled the dragons' power from inside themselves. It was so cool and a different take on dragons from the usual kind (like in the Throne of Glass series).

There was so much political intrigue in the Dragoneye council that I could literally feel the tension as I was reading. There was a plot to overthrow the emperor and only thin lines of rank and respect stopped evil lords from whipping out their swords and killing everyone. Of course, Eon got caught up in the secrets, betrayals, and cunning murders.

I thought Eon’s guise as a male was extremely well written. From an early age she trained herself to act like a boy so no one would ever find out her secret. But it wasn’t enough just to dress like a boy—she had to think like one, too.

If you’re a fantasy lover, I highly recommend you read this book. If you’re looking for an immersive and exciting plot, give Eon a try. If you like conflicted villains who aren’t evil purely for the sake of being bad, go pick up the nearest copy of this book.