The Two Pearls of Wisdom

Under the harsh regime of an ambitious master, candidate Eon is training to become a Dragoneye- a powerful lord able to master wind and water to protect the land. But Eon also harbours a desperate secret- Eon is in fact, Eona, a young woman who has endured years of disguise as a boy for the chance to practise the Dragoneye's art. In a world where women are only hidden wives or servants, Eona's dangerous deception is punishable by death.

Still in disguise, Eona's unprecedented talent thrusts her into the centre of a lethal struggle for the Imperial throne. Summoned by the Emperor to the opulent and treacherous court, Eona must learn to trust her power and find the strength to face a vicious enemy who would seize her magic and her life.

Inspired by ancient Chinese lore and sharing the wonders of films such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, this thrilling novel of deadly polities, sexual intrigue and dazzling swordplay is set in a brilliantly envisioned world where both appearances and loyalties can prove so very deceptive.

About the Author

Alison Goodman's first novel, Singing the Dogstar Blues won the 1998 Aurealis Award for Best Young Adult Novel, and was short-listed for the 1999 Victorians Premier's Literary Award for Young Adult Fiction. It was also listed as a Children's Book Council Notable Book and an America Library Association best Book. her second novel Killing Rabbit was recently published in the US. Alison was the 1999 DJ O'Hearn Memorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne, she holds a Master of Arts and teaches creative writing at a postgraduate level. She lives in bayside Melbourne with her husband.