''The Two Pearls of Wisdom'' (also known as ''Eon'', ''Eon: Dragoneye Reborn'', or ''Eon: Rise of the Dragoneye'') is a 2008

fantasy novel Fantasy literature is literature set in an imaginary universe, often but not always without any locations, events, or people from the real world. Magic, the supernatural and magical creatures are common in many of these imaginary worlds. Fa ...

by Alison Goodman. It follows the story of Eon, who has potential to become a Dragoneye, being able to control wind, water and land. However, Eon is actually a girl concealed as a boy, and with girls forbidden, she becomes a dangerous gamble.

Background

''The Two Pearls of Wisdom'' was first published in Australia on 1 August 2008 by

HarperCollins HarperCollins Publishers LLC is one of the Big Five English-language publishing companies, alongside Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, and Macmillan. The company is headquartered in New York City and is a subsidiary of News Cor ...

in trade paperback format. It was rereleased under the two different titles of ''Eon: Dragoneye Reborn'' and ''Eon: Rise of the Dragoneye'' in the Australia, United Kingdom and the United States. It has been released in over five different languages, and in the United States and United Kingdom, it has been released in both hardback and paperback formats. ''The Two Pearls of Wisdom'' won the 2008

Aurealis Award The Aurealis Award for Excellence in Speculative Fiction is an annual literary award for Australian science fiction, fantasy and horror fiction. Only Australians are eligible for the award. History The Aurealis Award was established in 1995 by ...

for best fantasy novel and was named an honour book in the 2008

James Tiptree Jr. Award The Otherwise Award, formerly known as the James Tiptree Jr. Award, is an American annual literary prize for works of science fiction or fantasy that expand or explore one's understanding of gender. It was initiated in February 1991 by science f ...

s. It was also named a notable book in the 2009 CBCA Awards and was shortlisted in both the 2009 NSW Premier's Literary Awards and the Ethel Turner Prize.

Plot

Dragoneyes are the human links to the twelve

dragon A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...

s of good fortune, who provide energy to the earth. Sixteen-year-old Eon has been studying the ancient art of Dragon Magic for four years, hoping to be selected as apprentice to a Dragoneye. However, circumstances do not favour Eon for two reasons; first, because he is

disabled Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, se ...

and secondly, because "he" is secretly female. On the choosing day, the long-lost Mirror Dragon returns and chooses Eona, who becomes a Lord due to the absence of a current Mirror Dragoneye. Much to the fury of the evil Lord Ido, all the dragons bow to the Mirror Dragon, including his. Meanwhile, the country is on the brink of

civil war A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

. A battle is about to break out between the Emperor and one of his brothers, High Lord Sethon, who wishes to make a claim for the throne. Lord Ido has allied himself with Sethon. The Emperor and his heir, Prince Kygo, attempt to use the return of the Mirror Dragon as a good omen for their reign, which throws Eona into the midst of their struggle for power. The only people she knows she can trust are her best friend Dillon,

transgender A transgender (often abbreviated as trans) person is someone whose gender identity or gender expression does not correspond with their sex assigned at birth. Many transgender people experience dysphoria, which they seek to alleviate through tr ...

courtier A courtier () is a person who attends the royal court of a monarch or other royalty. The earliest historical examples of courtiers were part of the retinues of rulers. Historically the court was the centre of government as well as the official r ...

Lady Dela, and Dela's bodyguard Ryko. When Ido discovers Eona's true gender, her dragon disappears. When talking to Dillon, Eona realises that she does not know her dragon's name and thus cannot communicate properly. To remedy this, she must find and decode the red folio of the Mirror Dragon. In Ido's library, she meets an almost insane Dillon who finds both the red folio and another black folio, detailing how it is possible to create a 'String of Pearls', with two Dragoneyes harnessing the power of the normal 12. She puts the pieces together and realizes that Ido wishes for the two of them to be the only two Dragoneyes left alive. Prince Kygo flees and the Emperor's only other heir is killed by Lord Sethon. In desperation Dela, Eona, and Ryko try to escape but Ido orders his men to find them. As the warfare escalates and all seems to be lost, Lady Dela screams out that the dragon's name is her name: Eona. She summons her dragon, the Queen of the Heavens, and they are united at last, with Eona's crippled leg healing in the process. Together the Mirror Dragon and Dragoneye force compassion upon Ido and the trio make their escape to the river.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Two Pearls of Wisdom 2008 novels Australian fantasy novels Aurealis Award-winning works HarperCollins books