The Two Pearls of Wisdom by Alison Goodman

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Rating 8.5/10

A spellbinding tale set in a beautifully evoked ancient China.

Synopsis
Under the harsh regime of an ambitious master, Eon is training to become a Dragoneye – a powerful Lord able to command wind and water to nurture and protect the land. But Eon also harbours a desperate secret that, if revealed, will mean certain death.

Brought to the attention of the Emperor himself, Eon is thrust into the heart of a lethal struggle for the Imperial throne. In this treacherous world of hidden identities and easy alliances, Eon comes face-to-face with a viscous enemy who covets the young Dragoneye’s astounding power, and will stop at nothing to make it his own.

Review
This book first came to me under the guise of Eon: Dragoneye and I have to be honest and admit that I instantly dismissed it. The cover illustration immediately put me in mind of Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle (this is not a good thing) and at the time I really wanted to read something a little different, something with at least a touch of originality.

In instantly dismissing Eon: Dragoneye I was guilty of committing the cardinal sin of judging a book by its cover. As time went by, news came through regarding a book called The Two Pearls of Wisdom by Alison Goodman; a book that had won the 2008 Aurealis Award and was receiving rave reviews from the public and critics alike. Upon closer inspection I was finally able to put two and two together and realised that Eon: Dragoneye and The Two Pearls of Wisdom were the same book, albeit aimed at different audiences, and I belatedly realised that I was missing out on something a little bit special.

The Two Pearls of Wisdom is an epic fantasy set in a beautifully evoked ancient China. Although there is much here that is traditional fantasy the author has taken it, given it a shake or a slight twist, and the results are a delightfully descriptive narrative with a fresh, exciting and original feel. In fact, the book read so well that I would go so far as to say that it compares favourably to Robin Hobb’s fantasy masterpieces.

The excerpt below is an example of the book’s narrative:
“The dragon suddenly swung around to face the Emperor above the dark mirror. He cocked his head to one side then screamed, the sound like the shriek of a hunting eagle but a hundred times louder. It pushed me down to my knees. I dropped my swords, pressing my hands against my ears, but the scream was in my head, shattering my senses. A surge of energy knocked me sideways. And then the heat at my back was gone.”
The Two Pearls of Wisdom: Chapter 5

The Two Pearls of Wisdom is a spellbinding tale full to the brim with martial arts, political intrigue, ancient myth and mysticism. The engaging characters will remain with you long after the last page has been turned and the setting of Ancient China is magnificent. Also, the book’s ending is without doubt one of the best that I have read in a long time - the pacing is absolutely perfect. This is a highly recommended book from a highly talented author.

Alison Goodman lives in bayside Melbourne, Australia with her husband and their indomitable Jack Russell terrier. She was a D.J. O’Hearn Memorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne, holds a Master of Arts Degree and teaches creative writing at postgraduate level. Her debut novel was the award-winning futuristic thriller, Singing the Dogstar Blues, and her second, the acclaimed Killing the Rabbit. The Two Pearls of Wisdom recently won the Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel of the Year and Alison is currently hard at work writing a sequel.

The Two Pearls of Wisdom (Amazon.co.uk)

Author: Alison Goodman
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 448
Publication date: 2008-09-11
Publisher: Bantam Press

RRP: £11.99
Lowest new price: £0.11
Lowest used price: £0.01

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