Rick Riordan Presents Yoon Ha Lee’s space opera about thirteen-year-old Min, who comes from a long line of fox spirits. But you’d never know it by looking at her.

To keep the family safe, Min’s mother insists that none of them use any fox-magic, such as Charm or shape-shifting. They must appear human at all times. Min feels hemmed in by the household rules and resents the endless chores, the cousins who crowd her, and the aunties who judge her. She would like nothing more than to escape Jinju, her neglected, dust-ridden, and impoverished planet. She’s counting the days until she can follow her older brother, Jun, into the Space Forces and see more of the Thousand Worlds.

When word arrives that Jun is suspected of leaving his post to go in search of the Dragon Pearl, Min knows that something is wrong. Jun would never desert his battle cruiser, even for a mystical object rumored to have tremendous power. She decides to run away to find him and clear his name.

Min’s quest will have her meeting gamblers, pirates, and vengeful ghosts. It will involve deception, lies, and sabotage. She will be forced to use more fox-magic than ever before, and to rely on all of her cleverness and bravery. The outcome may not be what she had hoped, but it has the potential to exceed her wildest dreams.

This sci-fi adventure with the underpinnings of Korean mythology will transport you to a world far beyond your imagination.

When I first saw the cover for this book and found out that it was a space opera and that there is a shape shifting fox, I knew I wanted to check it out.

Min is from a family of fox shapeshifters who try to hide what they are the best that the can, since fox shifters are seen as sneaky and untrustworthy. One day a stranger appears at the door looking to speak to Min’s mother about her son Jun. Min wasn’t supposed to overhear the conversation, but of course curiosity got the best of her. Seems that Jun had deserted his post to search for the Dragon Pearl and this stranger is trying to see if Min’s family has any clues as to why or where his is.

Min at this point decides that she of all people will find out what is going on and why, so she runs away from home and goes to the nearest port city to try to make her way onto a ship to get close to the Pale Lightning to find out more about her brother, and to try to get her hands on the Dragon Pearl to save her own planet.

One Min is aboard the Pale Lighting I found this part of the book slow and confusing, like why she suddenly changed her plans just to help someone that she just met. How she was able to keep up her disguise even while she slept, how the other shapeshifting cadets didn’t notice her magic. I was losing

interest at this point since you weren’t really following Min anymore, you were following a cadet she was pretending to be.

I found the story picked up again once Min was discovered and she is forced to show her true self, and at that point Min is also back on track to find out what happened to her brother and he search for the Dragon Pearl.

I was a bit surprised to the end of the book, wasn’t expecting half of what did happen the way that it did, and I found that to be decent, since some books can be a bit predictable.

There were times where I did forget that this is a MG book, since Min doesn’t come across as a 13-year-old girl, but someone who is at least 17. This did read more as a YA book at times and I found it to be a good read.

Yoon Ha Lee already had me at FOX MAGIC and DRAGONS. This middle grade space adventure story revolves around Korean mythology and sibling love. Min is a bold and brave girl who goes searching to find out what has happened to her older brother Jun, who has been accused of abandoning his post to search for something called the Dragon Pearl. Readers of Lee's Machineries of Empire series will find in contrast to the steep immersion of his usual worlds that this is a very accessible story for children. There is a deft exploration of supernatural racism, since foxes are looked down upon in Min's society and viewed as sly and dangerous, whereas tigers, dragons, shamans, celestial maidens, and even goblins are seen as useful to society. While some aspects of the story require the usual suspension of belief in middle grade adventures- young teen runs away from home in space to rescue older brother!- the story is just plain fun. With it's gorgeous cover and novel blending of mythology and space opera-like drama, this book is sure to delight young readers.


I received a Digital Review Copy of this book from Disney Hyperion via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

*I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

This book is part of the Rick Riordan Presents imprint, and while it has some similar themes as the others, I feel like this one is a wonderful detour from the previous titles. The story follows, Min, a fox spirit living in secret with her family on a desolate planet. When her brother is accused of desertion within the military in search of the mythic Dragon Pearl, Min decides to use her shapeshifting and charm powers to clear his name and find out the truth.

Overall, this novel has everything a kid would want. The main and minor characters are all pretty well-rounded, there's Korean folklore and magic at every turn, and it's set in space! Min's cunning and wit serve as an excellent vehicle to move the story along. There are also nonbinary characters--such as Min's cadet friend Sujin--whose gender preferences are mentioned offhandedly and accepted. I thought this was a great addition to the imprint and hope to read more within the series!

From the moment I read the synopsis of this book, I knew I had to read it. It sounded really unique and I was excited to read a sci-fi based on Korean mythology. This book follows a young girl named Min, whose family happens to all be gumiho, or fox spirits. People tend not to like fox spirits as they stereotyped as being deceptive and untrustworthy. But when Min's brother deserts his post in the Space Forces in order to search of the Dragon Pearl, Min knows this is her chance to get off her planet, find her brother and the Dragon Pearl, and make life for her family and her planet a little easier.

The premise of the story really interested me, what with the Korean mythological aspects mixed in with the science fiction atmosphere. However, the actual execution of the story was a little lacking for me. Plot wise there were a lot of happy coincidences and some things were solved a little too conveniently for my taste. There were also some things that happened in the plot, like Min meeting her aunt, that seemed like it was going to play a bigger role in the story, but ended up serving little purpose to the plot in the grand scheme of things. On the other hand, I loved the overall arch of the story, and the quest to find Min's brother Jun. There was a lot of action throughout the novel that kept me eagerly turning the pages.

I really did like all the supernatural elements in the story and the inclusion of all the mythological creatures like gumihos, dragons, ghosts and goblins. I like reading about each type of supernatural creature and how their powers worked in this world. I especially enjoyed how Min's shape shifting powers worked and how her powers grew as her character grew throughout the story. I would have liked to have seen more of the side characters, and more about their backstories in general. Min was really the only fully developed character, and the story would have been that much better if we could have gotten to know the other characters that helped her along the way. There was also the inclusion of a character who used gender-neutral pronouns, which I thought was really great as you don't often see that in middle grade novels.

Overall, this was a fun and fast-paced middle grade novel. If you are a fan of other novels about mythology, I am sure you will also be a fan of this book as well.

The Dragon Pearl...Myth. Legend. Reality?
Perhaps, but whether it is the creator or destroyer of worlds all depends on the hands in which it dwells. Once upon a time, there was an artifact of legend that fell into darkness. It's location remained unknown for so long, many doubted it ever existed, but there are always those looking for a challenge...though their intentions are as varied as their heritage.

When you crack the spine on this one, be ready for adventure in all its beautiful colors. There's high flying space battles with fiery ends, otherworldly mysteries that could crystallize the most stalwart of souls, and family bonds so precious no distance can keep them apart. There are new acquaintances made with family formerly unknown (with good reason, as we learn), so many lies told it'll be hard to keep the truth in sight, gi's tested to their limits, and enough latrines scrubbed this girl should open her own cleaning service! Seriously though, it's much more than it may at first seem and it already spikes your interest at first glance, so that's saying something...but beyond the Fiction, there's a lot of FACT with the lessons it teaches us about the world being better off in harmony, keeping our deceptions to a minimum, and accepting others for who they are not what you may have heard. Keep an eye out for the different types of spirits and magic running about, as they each have their own "flavor", their own razzle dazzle, and their own set of rules they live by.

In short, I loved the world building, the histories, the magic, and everything in between. What begins as a simple story to uncover the fate of a beloved brother, turns into a fight for not just their lives, but those of every other WORLD. Power is a funny beast...in the right hands, the possibilities are endless, but in the wrong hands, the devastation is unimaginable. Prepare for battle when you crack the spine on this one and strap in for one heck of a ride!

Min is a fox spirit living in one of the poorest worlds in the Thousand Worlds where fox spirits are not trusted. Her mother discourages Min from shape shifting or using charm. When her older brother Jun disappears from the Space Force and is accused of leaving his space ship in order to go in search of the Dragon Pearl, Jun is determined to find out what happened to him even if it means using all her charm and shape shifting powers. If you are looking for a book with a strong female main character, then this is the book for you. Min grows throughout the course of the book. The pace was steady, but did not leave me on the edge of my seat as I usually expect in a Rick Riordan Presents book. This book is considered a space opera so that may explain the pacing.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

The latest book from the Rick Riordan Presents imprint of Disney is an absolute delight!

Thirteen-year-old Min is a fox spirit who has always dreamed of joining the Space Forces. Her older brother, Jun, joined a couple of years ago and she can’t wait until she turns 16 and can follow him to the stars. Unfortunately, things go terribly wrong when an investigator shows up at her family’s door with news that Jun deserted. The investigator tells Min’s mother that Jun and some fellow cadets went rogue, in search of the fabled Dragon Pearl, an object that — if it truly exists — holds the power to terraform worlds in an instant. It’s something that could change life completely for Min’s family and the other people on the backwater planet of Jinju.

Min knows her brother would never desert, even for something as important as the Dragon Pearl, but in the process of trying to spy on the conversation between her mother and the investigator, she accidentally reveals that they are fox spirits, a race of beings thought to be extinct. In order to stay safe from the many people who would discriminate and possibly harm them for being fox spirits, Min’s family has always taken the form of humans (shapeshifting is one of their many abilities). But now Min’s family is exposed, Jun is in trouble, and Min knows she’ll do whatever she must to save her brother.

Thus begins one of the greatest adventure stories for middle grade readers that I’ve come across in a long time. Yoon Ha Lee has created an epic space odyssey that was so exciting and fun to read. I loved Min from the first page — her tenacity, her loyalty to her brother, and her heart all shine so strongly and make her the perfect protagonist. I didn’t know where Lee was going to go next in the story, there were some great plot twists, and the ending had me so excited to read what comes next.

This book is like Supernatural meets Firefly meets Star Trek, and I am so here for it. I think this is my favorite so far of the Rick Riordan Imprint books — and I’ve read ALL of them, and all of them were amazing.

From the imaginative world building to the robust characters to the twisty plot, this was a book that has captured both my mind and my heart, and I hope there are many more books to come about Min.

Min is a young fox spirit living on a planet that has very limited resources. This means she is growing up relatively poor. When her brother is accused of abandoning his position in the galactic fleet, Min runs away to save her family from her rash actions and to find out what really happened to her beloved brother.

Min makes mistakes, she discovers things about herself and the choices she makes and adjusts to become the person she really wants to be.

Yoon Ha Lee writes a compelling tale of space travel and teenage self discover as Min struggles to find and save her brother. I was invested in the outcome and Min's misadventures. Some of her decision making was cringe worth but relative to a young teen lying her way across her universe. 3.5 stars

I received this ARC copy of Dragon Pearl from Disney Book Group. This is my honest and voluntary review. Dragon Pearl is set for publication Jan. 15, 2019.

My Rating: 3.5 stars
Written by: Yoon Ha Le
Age Range: 8 - 12 years
Grade Level: 3 - 7
Series: Rick Riordan Presents
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Rick Riordan Presents
Publication Date: January 15, 2019
ISBN-10: 136801335X
ISBN-13: 978-1368013352
Genre: Space Opera | Scifi | Fantasy | Teen

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Pearl-Y...
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/drag...
Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/drag...

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Loved the Korean mythology as I’ve loved the other mythologies in Rick Riordan Presents books. This story had a lot of great stuff going on—fox prejudice, gender neutral characters, ghosts, estranged family members who turn out to be unprincipled tricksters. It did feel slightly too long to me, but I don’t imagine kids will mind.

When I read the synopsis for Dragon Pearl, I was immediately intrigued. This book seemed to be right up my alley. Sadly, this book didn’t measure up to my expectations. I never felt connected or invested in the story. I felt as if I was only going through the motions while reading this book. I was never dying to know what would happen next.


My biggest complaint is the slow pace. There isn't much action and a lot of the scenes don't seem to be important to the overall plot. The story didn’t catch my attention until around the 80% marker, and by then it was too late.

Honestly, I don’t think this book and the writing style were for me. They didn’t do anything for me personally, but that doesn’t mean it will be the same for you. I encourage everyone to give this book a try. Despite complaints, I do think this series has potential. I plan on checking out the sequel to see where Min’s journey takes her next.

This book is well written. I love every details in it. I CAN'T even stop read this book. Highly recommended

Another wonderful winner from the Rick Riordan Presents imprint!

13-year-old fox spirit Min can't wait until she's old enough to follow her older brother, Jun, into the Space Forces and leave behind her dusty planet and explore the Thousand Worlds. But when an investigator arrives at her house saying that Jun deserted, Min knows that there is more to the story and she will not stop until she finds her brother and the truth. Using her shapeshifting abilities and Charm, she embarks on an adventure of epic proportions.

Dragon Pearl is very different from the other stories within this imprint that have been published so far, which really makes Min's story stand out. The magic is almost more real and vivid because of the setting, and even though Min is essentially the definition of anti-hero you can't help but root for her and sit on the edge of your seat, waiting to see if she can Charm her way out of the new mess she has gotten herself in.

An amazing story, and I can't wait to see if Yoon Ha Lee will add more titles featuring this universe and folklore.

I've read all of the books in Rick Riordan's new imprint, and they have all been a hit or miss for me. Aru Shah and the End of Time was a miss, The Storm Runner was a hit, and now the Dragon Pearl was a miss. I loved the concept of this book but I never really felt invested in the story. Min was a good character and I think readers of the intended age range will love her and her adventure. It just didn't work for me. I am excited to see what else this imprint comes out with.

I think part of my issue with this book was that it couldn’t decide between being a science fiction or a fantasy story. I really liked the Korean mythology aspect of the story, the different supernatural creatures that Min encounters were really interesting, but then the space part of the story would just sort of come to the forefront and the mythology disappeared. The two parts just never meshed well together for me.

Min is a likable character, although she does read much older than her 13 years. Her ability to shape shift was very interesting and her ability to charm people worked to her advantage most of the time. I thought it was interesting that with all of the abilities that the fox spirits were not well thought of, but were viewed as untrustworthy and were often persecuted. A little bit more of the background on the animal spirits would have been helpful.

There were some secondary characters that I really liked, namely Haneul and Sujin, two cadets Min befriends on the space cruiser she eventually finds herself on. Haneul was a dragon who could control the weather and Sujin was a goblin who could conjure up food and drink when they needed it. They were helpful to Min and at times made the story more interesting.

This was a plot driven story, more than character driven. None of the characters developed or grew much. The plot was well done, but like I mentioned before, the space and mythology aspects just didn’t mesh well for me. There were also some times when the action slowed down too much. The writing also went from really good to just okay, so like I said I wonder if more editing was being done before publication.

Overall, I think this was a good story that kids will like. That cover will certainly having them flocking to check it out!

I read and loved Yoon Ha Lee's Machineries of Empire trilogy (and associated short stories) and I've enjoyed both of the other books that have come out under the Rick Riordan Presents imprint. I knew I needed to read Dragon Pearl from my love of those alone. Even with high expectations, Dragon Pearl did not disappoint me at all.

[su_quote style="modern-orange" cite="Goodreads" url=”GOODREADS LINK TO YOUR BOOK"]

Rick Riordan Presents Yoon Ha Lee’s space opera about thirteen-year-old Min, who comes from a long line of fox spirits. But you’d never know it by looking at her.

To keep the family safe, Min’s mother insists that none of them use any fox-magic, such as Charm or shape-shifting. They must appear human at all times. Min feels hemmed in by the household rules and resents the endless chores, the cousins who crowd her, and the aunties who judge her. She would like nothing more than to escape Jinju, her neglected, dust-ridden, and impoverished planet. She’s counting the days until she can follow her older brother, Jun, into the Space Forces and see more of the Thousand Worlds.

When word arrives that Jun is suspected of leaving his post to go in search of the Dragon Pearl, Min knows that something is wrong. Jun would never desert his battle cruiser, even for a mystical object rumored to have tremendous power. She decides to run away to find him and clear his name.

Min’s quest will have her meeting gamblers, pirates, and vengeful ghosts. It will involve deception, lies, and sabotage. She will be forced to use more fox-magic than ever before, and to rely on all of her cleverness and bravery. The outcome may not be what she had hoped, but it has the potential to exceed her wildest dreams.

This sci-fi adventure with the underpinnings of Korean mythology will transport you to a world far beyond your imagination. (Goodreads) [/su_quote]

I received an eARC of Dragon Pearl via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Dragon Pearl is a gem of a middle grade novel.  If you have a kid in your life who loves science fiction, this is definitely going to be up their alley. It's got ghosts, space travel, pirates, supernatural creatures and a healthy dose of fun.

Lee is fantastic at building worlds and societies that feel absolutely real to you, even when they're entirely outside of your realm of experience.  I never felt like I was having information dumped on me, but I still got a full view of the worlds that Min traveled to.

Dragon Pearl needs trigger warnings for death of a family member, gaslighting, running away from home, gambling, spiked drinks, magical manipulation, threat of execution, and malevolent ghosts.

I personally loved the way that Lee worked the dragons and goblins into this story as fellow soldiers. I felt like I was always getting to know the characters, which I loved, even when they betrayed Min. The Korean mythology truly was the foundation of all of the worlds and characters we got to meet, and I can't wait to see how Lee expands on that in future novels.

I loved this story, and don't want to spoil anything. Dragon Pearl will keep even the most avid of readers on the edge of their seat for the entire novel. I will definitely be pre-ordering future books in this series to make sure that I don't miss out on any of Min's adventures in the future. I recommend you order yourself a copy right now from Amazon or Indiebound!

[su_box title="ABOUT DRAGON PEARL" style="default" box_color="#ff4400" title_color="#f2f2f2" radius="3" class=""]

Title: Dragon Pearl

Author:  Yoon Ha Lee

Publisher: Rick Riordan Presents

Length: 304 Pages

Release Date: January 15, 2018

Rating: Recommended

Genre: Middle Grade Science Fiction

Representation: Korean main character, Korean-American Author

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I have been looking forward to following up Riordan's work with his new Hyperion-Disney imprint. I admire the commitment to promoting mythology-based books for middle grade readers. This is an exciting mix of Korean mythology and science fiction. We have a definite need for this genre, at this age level. Most of the sci-fi available when I went to school was above me (content-wise and usually comprehension too), so I am grateful for initiatives like this for making this genre more accessible to younger audiences.
13 year-old fox spirit, Min runs away from her home planet to get to the bottom of her brother's disappearance/desertion from the Space Forces. I love a story that gives you the feeling things aren't quite what they seem.... Min knows her brother, and she knows there is no way he would leave his post to pursue the dangerous powers of the Dragon Pearl. As a shape-shifter, she is capable of charming her way to different worlds to uncover the truth. Excellent pacing, lots of action, pirates and vengeful ghosts will keep you turning pages. I just wish this was part of a series! Kids will love Min, mischievously lovable... just like Riordan's protagonists.

The mythology was so cool in this book! I would love to be able to shape shift, that is such a cool power to have. However to grow up and not be able to use such a cool power would be horrendous. I completely understand why Min leaves to save her brother and winds up on a epic adventure in the process. A great book about friendship, family and adventure.

This is another Rick Riordan imprint. This book takes place in the Thousand Worlds - outerspace worlds with terraforming, star gates, and space cadets. Min is shocked when officials come looking for information about her brother. They say he has deserted and that it has something to do with the missing Dragon Pearl - a powerful ord that helps to terraform planets. Min decides to go searching for her brother using her fox ability to shapeshift and charm. But can she find her brother to clear his name and find the Pearl before it gets into the wrong hands? This was a clever sci fi adventure. I though it lagged a bit in the middle but good overall.

A pleasant middle grade novel that will appeal most to it's intended age group. Even though the universal appeal might not be there, this is still a fresh and culturally innovative take on middle grade scifi.

Just when you'd think you have read enough mythology stories, think again. This Rick Riordian presents book is a wild ride. Never would I think that I would read a story that combines space and pirates and even ghosts with mythology and yearn for more but this book made me a believer. Give this one a try. You wont regret it.