An adventure and a history lesson all in one.

Zachary Ying has been raised in the US and hasn't really had a chance to learn much about Chinese history. His mom is busy trying to make ends meet and school seems to focus on Western history. But then he learns that he's intended to become the host for the spirit of the First Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, and seal the portal to the Chinese underworld before the spirits all escape to wreak havoc during Ghost Month. But the First Emperor ends up bound to Zack's AR headset instead of Zach and Zach's mom's spirit is taken by demons. Now Zach's trying to learn Chinese history and legends, control the First Emperor's water magic, and save China and his mom.

First off, this story definitely had all the components of any good adventure tale: a team of heroes, high stakes, and enemies. I enjoyed that we got a sampling of Chinese history and mythology throughout the book as well. All the characters managed to be three-dimensional and their reasoning was very relatable, even when their actions were not (all that magic). The greatest disappointment to me is that this book did a lot of world-building and really felt like it was going to wrap up smoothly at the end, but instead we're left waiting for the second book to be released.

Overall, if you like middle grade adventure stories or mythology-inspired tales, you'll enjoy this book. I definitely think it's a fun, quick read, even if I wish I didn't have to wait for the story to continue!

I have been a huge fan of Xiran Jay Zhao’s writing since I read Iron Widow last year. They write in such a way that it is easy to get sucked into a story. When I heard about their middle-grade debut, it instantly became a book that I really wanted to read. I am not usually a reader of middle-grade books, but I had to read this. When I finally picked up Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor, I couldn’t put it down. The story had a magnetic pull and had me hooked from the first line itself. Chinese history and legends are interwoven with modern-day technology and video games make this a fun, action-packed read.

The fun parts of the story are also interspersed with heavy themes which are tackled masterfully Zachary is a Chinese Muslim, a minority in mainland China, who are suffering because of the brutal measures enacted by the government. The book critiques the oppressive policies of the government and also the prejudices prevalent against Chinese people and does it in a way that feels perfect for the age group this book has been written for. It also details how Zachary feels disconnected from his culture, living in the USA, and does not know a lot about Chinese history and knows a lot about Western history and mythology. The book shows really well how Zachary slowly reconnects with his history and mythology, all the while being on a perilous quest to save his mother’s spirit.

That’s one of the core themes of the book. Zachary’s love for his mother really shines through and that is just one of the reasons that I really adored reading from his perspective a lot.

While my knowledge of Chinese history is very minimal, it was exciting to learn some things about it. Zhao writes of Chinese history in a way that makes it easy to understand for those who don’t know anything about it. Reading about Qin Shi Huang and Tang Taizong and seeing how Zhao has written them; I just wanted to read and learn more about them. Rare few books have left me feeling like this.

(And also if you are an Iron Widow fan like I am….well, you have to read this…👀👀😏🤭)

Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor is a stunning, action-packed middle-grade debut that will draw you in from the beginning and keep you glued to your seat as you read through, unable to put this down.

6 / 10 ✪

https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2022/05/10/zachary-ying-and-the-dragon-emperor-by-xiran-jay-zhao-review/

Zachary King is the only Asian kid at his school in small-town Maine. While he never exactly fit in in New York, here Zach is truly aberrant. What he wants—what he craves—is to fit in, something that he’s spent all his time and energy trying to do.

Which is, of course, when he discovers that he’s the chosen host for the First Emperor of China.

The bad news is that the only reason the Emperor Qin Shi Huang (秦始皇) has left his eternal paradise is that China—and the world—is in danger. The worse news is that only Zach (and a couple other vessels hosting Emperors) can save it, preferably in time to save Zach mother, who’s had her soul stolen. The worst news is that to save it they must return to China: the place Zach was born, the place he lived before the government killed his father. The good news is that the revelation makes his problems seem pretty petty by comparison.

Only the mission is off to a bad start.

Emperor Qin Shi Huang, rather than manifesting within Zach, has instead possessed his AR gaming headset. Meaning that the Emperor cannot make use of his heavenly powers, nor his ability to, say, speak Mandarin. Thus Zach must rely on the help of his new allies Simon and Melissa (the hosts for the emperors Tang Taizong and Wu Zetian (李世民 和 武曌)) if he’s to save the day.

But things are more complicated than Zach could possibly imagine. Which he must make sense of if he’s going to save his mother—and the world.

—

“No,” Qin Shi Huang replied, “I was a regular person in my mortal life. I mostly relied on the cooperation of my ancestors in the underworld to plug the portal. But after I transcended my physical flesh—“
“He died taking mercury pills that he thought would make him immortal,” Tang Taizong quipped.
“So did you!” Qin Shi Huang yelped without looking at him.
“Allegedly! Sources differ!”

—

Huangdi (黃帝) was a mythical (and possibly historical) Han Emperor who ruled early China in the mid-3rd millennia BC. While primarily remaining a hero out of myth and legend for thousands of years, lately he’s been a bit co-opted by the Han nationalism movement, which is completely different from Chinese history. I mean, it’s part of China’s history, but the Han are not what makes China China. In Taiwan, the Yellow Emperor stands as a symbol of reunification with the mainland, as he’s still worshipped there. And—let’s just say it’s complicated. Chinese history is complicated.

And somehow, the author decides to make him the bad guy. At least, initially, until the world devolves into a haze of grey on grey madness—a little bit heavy for a kids’ book. I mean, that’s seriously ballsy.

Not uninteresting, just not my kind of book. It was rather muddied in the middle by the amount of different plots and deceptions—made the story hard to follow. The info dumps of everything from technology to Chinese history and mythology slowed things down a little, but were spaced far enough apart that they didn’t overly ruin the pacing. Unfortunately, with so many of them throughout the text, they further obfuscated an already muddy river that seemed to be flowing in too many directions as it was. What I mean is that not only was it really hard to keep up with the story, it was even harder to find out what was going on. And once I got lost I pretty much stayed lost, despite rereading sections to figure it out.

It definitely delivered on the promise of a Yu-Gi-Oh style tale. Zachary Ing and the Dragon Emperor reads like a cross between Yu-Gi-Oh and a Chinese History lesson. Except one with all the really bad bits left out. Honestly, that description doesn’t sound too bad, but the story was mostly more confusing than I’d’ve thought. That said, Yu-Gi-Oh is also more confusing than I thought it would’ve been, so it was likely intentional. There were possessions, virtual games, more possessions, and bizarre twists to up the action even amid an already action-heavy sequence. Problem is, I’m not a huge fan of Yu-Gi-Oh, so this kind of chaotic plot didn’t work for me. I picked this one up because I enjoy the occasional MG adventure, and I really liked the author’s debut novel.

The thing is, for how much this starts like a Yu-Gi-Oh mashup, it dissolves pretty quickly. The corresponding game of Mythrealm is mentioned at first only to familiarize readers with the VR goggles and basics of pop culture—and then dropped in order to relate the trip through Chinese history. Only… with just how much Mythrealm seems to involve the story (at first, at least), I would’ve expected to see more of it. But after the first few chapters it’s barely mentioned again.

TL;DR / 太長；沒有讀

If you picked up Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor hoping for: a mashup of Yu-Gi-Oh and Percy Jackson; a new and exciting episodic series where anything can happen and routinely does; a MG adventure that tackles tougher issues than good vs. evil and right vs. wrong and delves straight into the world of grey; or a crash course in Chinese mythology and history (depending heavily on what your definition of “Chinese” is)—then, honestly, you probably won’t be disappointed. If, however, you picked this up because you enjoyed the author’s debut, or hoped for something a little bit deeper than the surface layer of Chinese history (of ghosts, legends, and curses), well, you may be slightly less impressed. Regardless, you’re sure to find a well written (if not terribly well organized) story about a boy and his place in the world. It may be confusing at times (because, well, it is) (most of the time, in fact), but there’s never a dull moment, and never any time to take a breath. If you’re able to follow the plot I kinda suspect you’ll love it—but I could not follow it and got left behind. And never really got back on board.

Zachary and his mother escaped China after his father was killed for defending the Uiger Muslim community. Now living in Maine, Zach is self-conscious about how different he is from most of the white, straight, Christian kids at his school, though his Mythrealm gaming prowess gives him social standing among classmates. When demons attack, both Zach's heritage AND his gaming skills come to the fore. The voice in his head - that deplores his efforts to fit in - turns out to belong to his ancestor Ying Zheng: the despotic first emperor of China, and Zach's virtual-reality gaming-lens reveals the Chinese spirits inhabiting the bodies of humans - complete with battle stats and skills. To restore his mom's spirit, after a demon attack puts her into a coma, Zach must travel to China. There he, and two other tween hosts of Chinese Emperors, have 14 days to find an ancient seal and shore up the portal between our world and the spirit realm. It’s a lot to ask of a kid who doesn’t speak a word of Mandarin and is always the last pick in gym class, but with a vain tyrannical megalomaniac as his virtual sidekick, what could go wrong?
Much of the fun of the story comes from the spirited interactions among Zach and his tween peers. Like many contemporary books there is a lot of introspection, but the unique counterpoint of the scathing perspective of Ying Zheng, who had, and has, no time for self-doubt, is both hilarious and revelatory. Like Zach, readers are occasionally overwhelmed by the plethora of information and events: as two thousand years of history, grievance and myth comes at them. But fast-paced action, plenty of gaming tie-ins, buckets of Chinese history and loads of wise-cracking banter ensure pages will keep turning. As Zach discovers: you can either let the journey crush you, or let it transform you into someone stronger.

Zack feels isolated in rural Maine, most of his friends were made playing Mythrealm, an augmented reality game. But when a real demon threatens Zack, and his mom is attacked, he discovers a connection to the spirit of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, that gives him magical powers. Together with the spirit hosts of two other former emperors, Zack travels to China in an attempt to save his mother’s life and prevent an otherworldly disaster.

Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor was a delight to read. It is culturally rich and magnificently diverse and full of historical facts that dazzle the reader. I was emotional when I found out Zachary, our Chinese American hero, was also Muslim. Yes, I had tears in my eyes and I was rooting for him from the start. Although I can't relate to how it feels like growing up as Chinese in America and that cultural tug to my roots, I could sympathise with Zachary's need to fit in. I liked learning about how some people have to struggle with identity. I could relate to that in some ways as well. So, the story incorporates virtual reality into the story and I loved it! Merging ancient Chinese history with modern gadgets was so creative on the author's part! My imagination was working really hard! All the history info was so enlightening and makes me want to pick up some nonfiction history book because it was so intriguing and interesting. I loved the author's storytelling and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. The pace of the story was perfect and I was never bored. My favourite part was definitely the excellent, complex worldbuilding. It was so unique and I know Zachary's story will stay in my head for a long time. I'm very excited for the next book!

CW: racism, mentions of Chinese govt’s brutal oppression of ethnic minorities

Definitely a 4.5 and I’m rounding up.

Would I have read this middle grade action adventure novel if not for the author being Xiran?? Probably not. I only finished the Aru Shah series because it’s inspired from my favorite childhood stories and I truly didn’t have interest in checking out more middle grade novels. But I fell in love with Iron Widow and then Xiran’s fantastic YouTube channel, so I was ofcourse gonna read whatever they write next, even if it turned out to be MG. And this was a total riot.

To be honest, I’m just glad I’ve watched some cdramas, brushed up on a bit of Chinese history and watched all of Xiran’s videos diligently in the past year or so, because otherwise the experience of reading this book wouldn’t be the same. I’m not saying that you won’t enjoy the book if you don’t know the history - you still will because the story is written in such a way that everything that needs to be learnt is told in an organic way and you learn it along with the main character. But if you do know some little history and pop culture tidbits, it just makes you feel more excited and in the know. The magic system is also very interesting because it’s based on myths and legends and how much people believe in them. The writing is fun and quirky and full of banter, and the action starts right from chapter one, so there’s not much here to get bored. We are always on the move with the characters, going on heists and summoning legendary historical or mythical figures and just overall having fun all throughout.

While all the fun parts should be great for the age group of readers for whom this book is written for, I think what I loved was how many themes the author tackled while never letting it get too heavy and in the way of the fun. The one thing this book definitely is is a story of being part of a diaspora, unable to feel like you belong anywhere, not knowing much about the place where your family comes from but also being othered in the place you live. Our main character’s struggles are also amplified because he is from an ethnic minority in China and Muslim who are being oppressed in the mainland, but for the Americans around him, he is just another outsider Chinese boy. But while he goes on his journey to save China, he not only gets to know more about his culture and heritage, he is also able to confront the reality of wanting to be proud of his culture but also understanding the brutality of the government against his people. But this story is not just about him finding his own way through his heritage. This is also about the perils of power and authority, how power can corrupt anyone, and how the myths and legends we get to know might not always have a basis in truth. We can never be sure about the truth behind who is hailed and who is vilified in our historical texts because it all depends on who’s writing the stories. And finally, there’s quite a bit of contemplation here about what makes a good leader and how the ones we think we know the truth about can contain multitudes.

Zachary Ying or Zack is a twelve year old who just wishes that he could have friends with whom he can be himself and not trash his mother’s lunches because his friends think he smells. He is struggling for belonging but he finds all the love he needs from his mom, who had to escape from oppression but works hard to ensure her son leads a better and safe life. He is overwhelmed with his sudden circumstances but he is also ready to do anything to save his mom. While he slowly gains power and gets to understand what powerful means, he also experiences betrayals and untruths and has to decide for himself what he wants to believe in and how he wants to save China. He is very easy to empathize with and I loved following along his journey, seeing him grow and understand his priorities.

He is supported in his adventures mainly by the spirit of the first emperor of China, Qin ShiHuang, who has possessed his gaming lenses. Famously known as a tyrant, there are many legends associated with him and Zack gets to know his and his history slowly. It was actually quite fun to understand the stories about the historical figure and reconciling that with his spirit which has had thousands more years of evolution and might not be so tyrannical anymore. But he can be pompous and full of himself, so it was interesting to get to see all sides of him and how he reacts to the various good and bad legends that have formed around him. Zack is also supported in his mission to save China by two mainlander kids of his age, Simon and Melissa but I don’t wanna give away which emperors they are being possessed by because that was a lovely surprise. I just wanna say that I loved their budding friendship, especially Zack and Simon because Simon is the history nerd who takes it upon himself to educate Zack. And it was also nice to see Zack be freer among people of his own age. Ofcourse, we also get to meet many other historical figures, especially the comrades and enemies of these emperors as well as some other mythical and legendary figures, and I was especially excited whenever someone showed up whose story I already knew a bit.

To conclude, what more can I say. If you’ve enjoyed reading Percy Jackson, Aru Shah or other middle grade adventure stories featuring mythological figures, then this is a perfect book for you. It’s fast paced, action packed, full of history and pop culture info without ever feeling too overwhelming, and characters who are very entertaining to engage with. If you have any interest in Chinese dynastic history, you really will find this a lot of fun. And if you’ve read Iron Widow, then be prepared for some delightful surprises.

3.5 stars!

i don't usually read middle grade novels, but i enjoyed iron widow and i was very curious to see how this book would be. "zachary ying and the dragon emperor" absolutely blew me away, i had so much fun reading this story that i finished it in a day. i truly hope somebody will animate it because it was SO FUN. i truly think people that loved percy jackson will love this book as well. it's got a cast of interesting characters and it shines at interweaving history and mythology into the story without making it any less interesting for the reader.

you can definitely tell this is xiran's book. their personality shines throughout the story the same way it did in "iron widow" and i absolutely adored the jokes in this one. but the style in this one is definitely more toned-down to fit the age range. some names present in iron widow show up and that was really fun to see – i did a double-take because the names seemed really familiar. the whole “trio of friends that occasionally gets possessed by the spirits of old emperors” plot was so interesting!! i really liked how the magic each of them had was based on stories regarding the emperor they were possessed by. i especially loved those tid-bits of information when they were presented as fun stories and i can see younger readers also enjoying them a lot.

there’s a lot of action in this one – it’s a very fast-paced fantasy to the point i kinda wished it slowed down for a bit at times. i think it would’ve benefited from a few more moments of world-building and some more character interactions in a “normal” context – doing normal stuff and not saving the world.

overall, this was such a fun read and i will probably continue on with this series when the next books are out, since it feels very nostalgic in a way – i used to read these type of action-fantasy stories when i was little. i also hope someone will eventually animate this.

4.5 stars

Growing up, Zachary Ying never really had the opportunity to learn about his Chinese heritage. Especially since Western schools don't teach anything but Western history and myths. So, when he discovers that he was born to the be the host of the spirit of the First Emperor of China, he's unprepared. Very unprepared.

Now, he must take part in a vital mission: seal the portal to the Chinese underworld before Ghost Month blows it completely open. However, the mission immediately starts off on the wrong foot when the Emperor bonds to Zack's headset instead. Now, Zack has to travel across China collecting magical artifacts and battling figures from Chinese history. Before it's too late.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy of this to review! Ever since reading Iron Widow last year, Xiran Jay Zhao has been on my radar. I'm so happy that this lived up to their debut! This book is so much fun, and middle grade readers are going to love it.

There is so much Chinese history and mythology packed into this book. As readers, we get to learn as Zachary learns. Plus, the magic system was interesting, where their power is based on old stories. It was a super cool way to set up this fantasy world! Also, fans of Iron Widow will definitely recognize some of the names from that book as well.

Outside of the world building, the characters were also well developed and you cared about them from the get-go. Especially Zack! He's such a great narrator, and makes the book incredibly readable. Zhao injects humor into this fast-paced, action packed fantasy. Even in the chapter titles! They nail the overall tone, especially for their middle grade audience.

My only complaint is that at times, the amount of history can be a little overwhelming. It can be a bit difficult to follow at times when a bunch of different stories and myths were being introduced.

Despite that, fans of Percy Jackson will definitely love this when it comes out next week!

Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor is the first middle grade I’ve picked up in a very long while (10+ years) and the first book I’ve read from Xiran Jay Zhao. I wasn’t sure what to expect at first, but the book turned out to be a quirky and educational adventure-packed book that changed my perception of middle grade books (ages 8 to 12).

I adored Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor. Not only is it full of humor and quick banter, but also critiques of oppressive systems and mindsets. From the very beginning, Zachary is unafraid to point out the prejudices against Chinese people not from mainland China and this critique only continues especially as they make their way to China. The diaspora feels in Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor are strong and resonated so deeply with me. This lack of knowledge and this almost tentative contrast between our 'home' and our feelings.

Zachary needing to learn history and stories and his character journey is moving and emotional. What we will do for acceptance and how difficult it is to question what we are told. Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor is rooted in his love for his mother as well as his feelings of (non)belonging. Infused with history, this book questions acceptance and power. Zhao asks us what it means to be a good leader and what stories tell us. It manages to be thoughtful and questioning, while also being packed with action.

I read Xiran Jay Zhao's YA debut Iron Widow when it was released and absolutely fell in love with their writing style, pacing, and authorial voice. I was so excited when their Middle-Grade debut became available on NetGalley for request and was even more so when I was approved to read it. However, the flow of this novel lacked the grace they showed in the writing of Iron Widow.

I struggled a lot with the near-constant info-dumping that this book did in order to explain the complex Chinese mythology that this story was working with to both the main character and the audience. It often felt like a primer on Chinese mythology more than an adventure story. The ending of this story also left me feeling hollow and frustrated for the characters because they are kids and they didn't even get a moment to breathe or feel like they'd earned any feeling of victory after the journey they went through before being told that it was all for nothing and that the stakes had been raised again. This book felt more like it was worldbuilding for the rest of the (presumably forthcoming) series than it was a story that could stand on its own strength of execution. The impression this book gave me by the end was that it was just a piece in time within a never-ending cycle and that nothing these children did would ever be enough to succeed, that there would forever be another challenge for them to solve to finish this mission and save China.

I almost feel the same way about this book as I do Iron Widow. Some of the things happening were difficult to picture, so it was hard to know what exactly was happening. Middlegrade is always a hit or a miss for me, so if you typically like it, then I would recommend this book.

Packed full of Chinese mythology and legend with plenty of snark and humor (the chapter titles had me), this is a DELIGHTFUL book for any readers looking for adventure. This book is truly a gem. Great characters, great history, and great history. Another incredible read from Xiran Jay Zhao

This is the book I have been waiting for. A healthy dose of Percy Jackson-esque snark (and those chapter titles!), Chinese history and mythology effortlessly blended into glorious worldbuilding, and a complex blending of good vs evil that's both accessible to the target audience, but will simultaneously open their minds to new ideas and understandings. I cannot recommend this book enough.

There’s so much to love about Xiran Jay Zhao’s debut middle-grade novel! Packed with Chinese history and mythology, Zack’s adventure across China will entice every reader.

On the outside, Zachary Ying looks to be your typical middle schooler. He spends his day at school and then rushes off after school to play video games with his friends. What people don’t see is the struggle he faces feeling as if he doesn’t belong amongst his peers since he’s a Chinese-American.

I admired Zack as a character. His inner struggles of wanting to fit in while feeling disconnected from his culture were relatable as an Asian-American myself. Zack tries his best to blend in with his classmates and goes as far as throwing away the delicious Chinese food that his mother cooks for his lunch, just so his friends won’t make fun of him. And it’s as he goes to throw away his lunch one day at school that his entire life changes.

The plot moves quickly which is always something I enjoy about reading middle-grade novels. There is a lot of action in this story and a lot of similarities to Percy Jackson like the book promotions claim.

Zack suddenly finds out that he’s a descendant of the First Emperor of China. Not only that, but his soul wants to possess his body in order to close a portal that connects to the underworld. Of course, Zack freaks out, and ultimately his decision to deny this from happening means his mother’s soul ends up getting captured. With no other solutions, he has no other choice but to work with the new kid he just met, Simon, and the grumpy First Emperor.

The characters make this book a lot of fun! I have to applaud Xiran Jay Zhao for their writing because they had to juggle writing two characters into one. Like Zack, there are two other characters who are also connected to a historic figure. I could always tell the difference between everyone. I knew when Zack was speaking or if it was the First Emperor. I loved that everyone stood out on their own!

There’s a lot of history woven into the story. This made me so happy especially since 'Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor' is a middle-grade novel and American schools don’t typically teach a lot about Chinese history. At times it was hard to follow along with all the history and mythology, but it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Overall, I really enjoyed 'Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor'. I found all of the characters charming and the plot was a lot of fun with plenty of action! The representation in this book is fantastic too! Xiran Jay Zhao does a great job exploring how every decision we make has a consequence.

If you’re looking for something that dives into Chinese history then this is the perfect book for you! Or if you’re a fan of Percy Jackson then I think you’ll love this fun adventure with Zack and his friends.

let’s talk about zachary ying and the dragon emperor. this book is like a history lesson, but with more humor, pop culture references, and action-packed fight scenes on the side.

this book has been one i’ve been so excited to read after adoring xiran jay zhao’s debut, iron widow last year. and their venture into a middle grade story did not disappoint. this book is often pitched as percy jackson meets chinese mythology, and honestly, that’s a spot on comparison. the humor. the chapter titles. the gods. it’s got it all. but, so much more.

this book is absolutely a book i’d wish was incorporated into my curriculum when i was in my middle grade years. it teaches so much about chinese history, legends, and myths in a way i’ve never known about. i was lucky to learn about some of the figures mentioned, but in a western society, it’s lacking. i think this book could be a great option for younger readers to learn about a non-western culture in a fun, and well, funny manner.

there’s so much i could say about this book and how it touches on incredibly important topics. first, zack is a muslim main character, with a hijabi mom, and he’s queer. his differing identities all make sense for his character and how he sees the world. subtle, but heartbreaking actions, such as his mom refusing to speak their native language at home so he doesn’t have a “non-american” accent. generally, just being a poc in a predominantly white town. it’s all so masterfully done, and incredible to see how zhao’s woven it in. it’s a great way to introduce young readers to a multitude of important topics that need to be discussed. i cannot wait to see how they continue to develop these themes in later installments.

okay, now for the not so great. while i really enjoyed this book a lot (and will absolutely be picking up the sequel because.. that ending! just… wow!!), there are a few things that felt a bit off to me. the main issue i had was when we were following simon, melissa, and zack, all characters who are 12. basically, their conversations felt a bit… older? stilted? it felt like they were more like younger teens (14/15) rather than their tween age. it wasn’t always an issue, but it was prevalent enough for me to notice. in the end, it didn’t really hinder my enjoyment for this book because i just love their writing. somehow, i can devour their books in record time.

genuinely, i cannot recommend this enough if you’re a fan of percy jackson, chinese mythology, or just looking to venture further into middle grade books.

oh and on a lesser note, shout out to that atla reference. xiran, you truly know how to reach my heart 🖤.

Although I didn’t like Iron Widow as much as I hoped I did, I absolutely loved Xiran Jay Zhao’s writing style — the few things that didn’t work for me in their debut wouldn’t stop me from picking up their future works. I knew full well walking into Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor that it would be entertaining and enjoyable, and the pitch of Chinese Percy Jackson and Yu-Gi-Oh? I have an absolute need for this book and I might even hug it.

Zhao’s debut middle-grade novel was an absolute joy to read — those who have read Iron Widow will recognize a few elements they’ve carried over: this novel is action-packed, entertaining, and there’s a blend of Chinese history and legends. I loved seeing familiar figures my mom has mentioned in the few times she did talk about my heritage, seeing them wield magic inspired by those stories and how this was tied in with AR gaming as well through the headset Zack uses to play Mythrealm. I especially loved the little bios that would pop in Zack’s headset as he encounters them.

While there is a lot of information Zhao covers that sometimes feels overwhelming, especially for a middle-grade reader, it’s definitely much less info-dumpy than what I felt with Iron Widow. It also feels absolutely spot-on: we learn quickly that Zack never had many opportunities to learn about his Chinese heritage due to his mother being busy working and his schools only teaching Western history and legends. He’s pretty much thrown headfirst into everything and learning as he goes when he learns he’s a descendant of the First Emperor of China and born to host his spirit so he can help seal the portal to the Underworld before the Ghost Month begins.

Zack’s struggle with his identity and complicated relationship with China is explored quite a bit — his feelings of isolation and loneliness because of the way he looked and talked, the desire to fit in with his predominantly white classmates by letting their comments slide and throwing out lunch his mom made, etc. Even when Zack finally feels he may have found people who could relate to his struggles as he goes on his journey across China, he still felt like an imposter and fraud because he didn’t understand the language, legends, and history as much as his companions did. As someone who grew up as the only (or few) Asian kids in school, Zack’s struggles and feelings spoke so much to me.

I honestly enjoyed this more than their young adult debut, so if you weren’t a huge fan of Iron Widow or struggled a little but loved Zhao’s writing style like me, you might feel the same with Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor. If you’ve not read their other novel but you love middle-grade novels with adventure and humor, this might be up your alley as well. Overall, this was a fun read and I loved every moment.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was very excited when I got approved to read this on NetGalley as I follow Xiran on Twitter and find them hilarious. I was definitely not disappointed it had their humor in it and was very action packed. It made me want to read some books about Chinese history so I can know more for the next time I read this book. The book also had some amazing plot twists. I will be recommending this to my cousin’s kid as I’m sure he will love it. He will especially like the virtual reality goggles which were really cool and the well done. It had a good balance of fast pace sections and some slower pace parts. Will be eagerly awaiting my signed copy a friend is picking me up from Xiran’s book tour stop in New York.

Representation: Hui Chinese American Muslim gay MC, Chinese side characters (both mainland and non-mainland), Hui Chinese Muslim Side Character

There's a lot to like here! First, Zack as a character was very relatable. His whole struggle of not being able to speak Mandarin but ending up in China where there's a huge language barrier for him was basically exactly my exact situation when I went to Taiwan for the first time (now I actually know some). Him feeling bad for not knowing enough about his culture was definitely something I also struggle with. I did love the humorous way that the book basically gives a mini crashcourse of each important Chinese figure. Also the banter between all of the Chinese emperors and historical people was super funny. They were basically just roasting each other the entire time. The action sequences were also incredibly well done and I could see this being adapted into an animated movie or television series.

Something that was just... a little hard to keep track of was the SO MANY Chinese historical/mythological figures that showed up, especially because a lot of them only appeared for a very brief amount of time (altho it was fun too to recognize a lot of them). Also the twist at the end, while good, felt setup a little late, therefore I didn't feel the gut-punch as much as I probably could have.

Overall this was a very fun time but I don't feel myself being overly attached to the story. Zack's dynamic with Simon and Melissa was my favorite part, by far, and I just love their friendship with one another.

Actual Rating: 3.5*

This is a fun, breezy read that is definitely in the vein of Percy Jackson. At times, the Chinese mythology/history got overwhelming to me since I’m not familiar with it, but the author does a great job of explaining everything to the readers. I liked how the main character has to make judgement calls about what the right choices are and how it embraces how messy history can get. Will definitely recommend.