Eon is in training to be chosen by the Rat Dragon to be the next Dragon Apprentice. He's a cripple but he has strong potential, validating his attempts despite the scorn and horror of those around him, who ever heard of a crippled Dragoneye?! But there is something else that would count against him far more were it to be discovered. Eon is actually a girl! Liberated from the salt mines by her master, she is his last hope. The last Apprentice applicant between him and poverty. Suppressing her femininity in favour of the male Sun Energy, can she mould herself into the perfect candidate for the ceremony and avoid the terrible fate awaiting her should she fail? 
 But passing will not grantee her safety, for she is still a girl in a man's world and there is unrest brewing in an empire who's Emperor is ill... 
 I dont know about giving this book 4 stars, but I didnt think 3 was right either. I wanted to love this book, but there was too much going on without anything going on. A good chunk of the book could be removed and you really wouldnt notice. at one point I even skimmed almost 10 pages, practically missed them out completely and I wasnt compelled to go back and read them, there was nothing there. Having finally go to the interesting bit, I cant wait to read the second one, however I dread the same jerky story telling and having read the back, I feel it's not misplaced.