Aussie Review: Eona: The Last Drangoneye by Alison Goodman

Eona: The Last Drangoneye by Alison Goodman
Publisher- VIKING by Penguin Group
Release- April 19th 2011
Purchase- Amazon / B & N / Chapters

Eon has been revealed as Eona, the first female Dragoneye in hundreds of years. Along with fellow rebels Ryko and Lady Dela, she is on the run from High Lord Sethon's army. The renegades are on a quest for the black folio, stolen by the drug-riddled Dillon; they must also find Kygo, the young Pearl Emperor, who needs Eona's power and the black folio if he is to wrest back his throne from the selfstyled "Emperor" Sethon. Through it all, Eona must come to terms with her new Dragoneye identity and power - and learn to bear the anguish of the ten dragons whose Dragoneyes were murdered. As they focus their power through her, she becomes a dangerous conduit for their plans. . . .Eona, with its pulse-pounding drama and romance, its unforgettable fight scenes, and its surprises, is the conclusion to an epic only Alison Goodman could create.

My Thoughts:
Wow! What a sequel! 
Don't you just love it when the second book is better then the first? Well, for me, this book was so different compared to Eon: Dragoneye Reborn. While the first book was more slow moving, Eona: The Last Drangoneye was more action packed, more dire and moved at a constant steady flow of intrigue. I loved it!

Eona is very different compared to herself as Eon. She was a very uncertain character who was shadowed by fear. In this book she has more strength, more courage, but she still struggles with control, which is really the whole point of the book since a power that fantastical is beyond control. But it's more then that. It seems that Eona is always caught between what is right, what is wrong and what is necessary. I didn't always agree with her choices and it was  frustrating to see her being pulled by blame, guilt and duty.
Alison Goodman did a tremendous job with character building, not only for Eona but for the entire cast. There were vital points to where Eon stood in the first book that lead Eona to her master conclusion. Getting there is the most fun I've had in high fantasy since Finnikin of the Rock. As for the other characters  I don't think I could have loved them any less. Ryko, Dela, Vida and of course, his Majesty, emperor Kygo.

As for the love interest? There was no romance in the first book, something that I was grateful for actually since Eon had a enough on her shoulders just trying to figure out who she wanted to be and finally deal with who she became. Love would have complicated it and make it unrealistic for her at that time. However in this book Kygo and Eona walk a very thin line. Both are powerful and important, each having their own duty. But they are still man and women and whenever they are reminded of that, the raw attraction is filled with pure energy, even when they disagree and argue, I can feel the chemistry sizzle. Such an explosive pair. As for Ido? Well I'm not sure I can say this was much of a triangle since, in my opinion, I feel that the women should have conflicting feelings for both men, while the men fight for her love. Was Eona attracted to Ido? Sure, but attraction isn't love. Was she connected to him affectionately and emotionally? No, I don't think she was. I think that she was attracted to what he could offer her. Power and knowledge. It wasn't love, it was control and as I mentioned before, this book is about control that is out of control and therefore can never truly be real. So I believe that Eona has only truly desired and loved one man in her life and I'm glad for it. They are an exceptional pair.

The plot has stepped up hugely in this book. Some of the scenes were pretty graphic, earning a cringe from me, but I was still simply amazed by all the twist and turns that Goodman put the characters and the readers through. I couldn't predict half of what happened and I was constantly on my toes. While it took a little longer to read the first one, I couldn't inhale this one fast enough. Loved the real story behind the Pearl and the dragons and how the Mirror Dragon was vastly connected. Such a sensational tale.

Bottom line, I loved this series. It's chaotic, heartbreaking and spiritually uplifting. Apart of me is still curious about what happens next, but it's not hard to figure out. I'm content with the way it ended, but I'll miss these characters very much. 
This was a brilliant adventure that I wont soon forget, it will be treasured always.

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