I am a Xiran stan after Iron Widow, but I think Zachary Ying was just a tad hard to follow. Incredibly educational, I just couldn’t get my head around the battle dynamics/mechanics and that really soured things for me. It took me a long time to read because of having to reread to figure out how a fight worked each time to really grasp what was going on. It’s a great first go at the Rick Riordan-esque middle grade book, and I am super excited to see more, I just need to watch Yu-gi-oh!

Zachary Ying never had many opportunities to learn about his Chinese heritage. While his mom was busy making sure the two of them got by and his school was focused on teaching Western history, Zach’s been trying to make a name for himself in the gaming world. So Zachary is more than unprepared to learn that he was born to host the spirit of the First Emperor of China for a vital mission: sealing the leaking portal to the Chinese underworld or fear the upcoming Ghost Month blowing it wide open. However, that mission takes an immediate dive when Zach’s mom’s soul gets taken hostage by demons during an unexpected battle. Now, with one of the world’s most infamous tyrants yapping in his headset, Zachary finds himself racing against the clock as he tries to collect magical artifacts and defeat figures from history and myth, all while learning some brand new powers—because if he can’t find a way to keep the spirits in the underworld where they belong, he might just end up losing his mom forever.

If you’re looking for a novel that will keep you on your toes with all its action, twists and turns, then Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor might just be the perfect book for you.

We’ve seen quite a few (amazing) middle grade series that are based on or inspired by mythology but in Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor, the entire premise revolves around historical figures instead of mythology which I thought was so cool. While I won’t call myself truly versed in Ancient Chinese history, I did get a thrill out of recognising names of Emperors here and there and was fascinated by how captivatingly Zhao describes events and adds a magical spin to them all by connecting the magic to the stories that have been distributed most often among the public about these historical figures.

All that being said, I found myself lost quite a few times while reading Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor. There are a few instances of heavy info dumping where I was drowning in information and couldn’t keep up with all the different historical tidbits and who was who and whose descendent was on which side and so on. There are also back-to-back action scenes which do drive up the tension and will definitely appeal to younger readers looking for that movie-feel to their reading, but it unfortunately left little time for Zach, Melissa, and Simon to really talk and get to know each other more—but here’s hoping that will be remedied in future installments in the series. Then again, this might have been a narrative choice to show how Zachary is overwhelmed himself in the beginning and in that case, kudos, because I definitely felt that. Nevertheless, the building blocks were definitely laid for some promising character development and bonds that will feel like family.

What is Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor strongest point, in my opinion, is the way it approaches identity. Zach’s journey reflects on what it means to be Chinese and how you can be caught between two cultures, especially when you’re surrounded by people who have grown up differently than you have. Zach has some conflicting feelings when it comes to belonging and I think that was beautifully explored by his exposure to Simon and Melissa, who have grown up in mainland China, versus his life at school where he used to be the only Chinese kid. There are a lot more layers to this discussion but let me just say that it added a lot to the story and was one of my favourite aspects of the novel.

And speaking of identity, let me just say I was over the moon that there is now a central hero in a fantasy middle grade novel who is gay—I cannot even imagine what it would have been like to find a queer protagonist in what promises to be a magical series when I was young so I’m already over the moon that the next generations will get to grow up with Zach and see themselves represented, not only in contemporary but fantastical reads.

All in all, Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor is a promising start to a new middle grade series with a cliffhanger that has my fingers itching for the sequel. I can’t wait for middle graders to meet Zachary.

Keeping you at the edge of your seat with jam-packed heists, action and adventure, Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor is a fun, high-stakes exploration of Chinese history, intersectional identity and finding the power within!

I'm the biggest fan of Xiran after reading Iron Widow, and their middle grade book is so amazing too! I loved zack— honestly such a cutie, and I loved how this book incorporated chinese myths and culture, but also gaming! Definitely recommend this book to everyone!

This book was just so adorable I had to preorder it so my younger brother could have it when it comes out. I adored Zach’s character arc. The portrayal of friendships with Simon and Melissa was so pure and reminded me of reading Percy Jackson as a kid.

He acts his age which I felt was so refreshing because so much media this days is set on making kids act older than they are. This book is a necessity for any library.

I loved this author’s writing in Iron Widow and I cant wait to see more from them.

The only reason I knocked it down a star is because at times the writing seemed awkward.

That’s literally it. This book is otherwise goddamn perfect. There were so many passages that could be considered info dumps but honestly?? I wanted to know more. I wanted to know all the intricacies of this history that I’ve barley touched, I’ve wanted to know how each emperor of China got their hands so bloody it stained their legacy, I wanted to know everything.

I love Zach’s character growth, I love his budding friendship with Simon and Melissa and how he grapples with his identity as an Asian American who remains disconnected with his Chinese heritage, but ultimately understands that you are Chinese enough if you claim Chinese descent.

Zach is so obviously twelve and yet so wonderfully enjoyable as a protagonist, and I highly recommend this book for anyone who not only had a PJO phase once upon a time, but loved video games and tends to hyper fixate on history. This book has it all.

Having read Iron Widow, it was so fun to see Zetian again, so fun to see this middle grade version of a corruption arc. Him learning how to be himself, learning that you can’t plead everyone. You cannot earn true respect by pretending to be someone else.

I’m gonna tear up. To my Asian authors who are changing the world one book at a time, I’m so proud of you guys, I’m so happy. Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor comes out May 3rd, go preorder it rn!!!!

And remember, when your friend sends you a link to a history website, please read the link. But also, don’t let them fully posses you. Only a little possession. As a treat?

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book is somewhere in the realm of 4.5 stars for me!

Zachary Ying is a near perfect middle grade novel, and is one that I wish was around when I was the target demographic. Though there's a couple of heavy info dumps and slightly rougher patches in the writing, the overall style works wonderfully and this novel is just an extremely fun read. I also appreciated the depths of Zack's character, and even though the info dumps were, at times, a smidgen overwhelming, his personal background made them make sense and made the novel more immersive. Though my own Asian-American experience does not perfectly line up with Zack's his feelings of otherness and being an outsider in both American culture and Chinese culture rang very true (though I am Korean American, not Chinese American). He's also just such a believable and realistic twelve year old who keeps getting dealt bad hands that I want to wrap him in a blanket.

The other thing that I loved about this book is that this is so clearly a love letter to Chinese history, shonen anime, and yes, Yugioh. Zhao's passion is so, so evident, as is their love for their characters and the world they've built. Really, an incredible middle grade novel and I am looking forward to any potential sequels because I DID yell at that last chapter.

When the spirit of the first emperor of China tries to take over Zachary Ying's body, his strong will causes him to be stuck in his AR gaming headset. Unfortunately, his mother's spirit was also stolen, and it's up to Zack to save his mom and, at the same time, stop the spirits of the underworld from taking over the world. Quite a lot to take in for a 12 year old boy. Luckily, he meets friends Simon and Melissa on his journey to help him accomplish his task. Will they be able to save the world? Or will Zack succumb to the spirit of the first emperor.

This is definitely a good cross between the spirit switching hijinks of Yu-Gi-Oh to the supernatural and mythical challenges of Percy Jackson. I was actually waiting for the Blue Eyes White Dragon to show up, but this is not that type of story. This is a fun adventure aimed at middle-grade readers, so the plot moves pretty fast and the explanation for how three 12-year-olds traverse across China shouldn't deter you from checking this out.

While I enjoyed Zack's character and his inner torment on what to do, I would have liked to get to know Simon and Melissa a little bit better. They're given brief backstories as to who they are, but I'm still unclear on what their motivations were. Likewise, the plot at the end got a little convoluted with certain characters suddenly showing up near the end of the story and a bunch of shifting alliances.

It's a fun adventure and I appreciate having more literature look at historical and mythical characters other than Greek Gods which we are clearly over-saturated with. If you're a fan of series like Yu-Gi-Oh or Percy Jackson, then I'd say go ahead and give this one a try.

Xiran Jay Zhao comes out with another banging novel 🤩. When they say it’s a PJO-inspired work, you can tell. The vibes are so strong here, it makes the book a delight to read, especially for us kiddos that grew up with Rick Riordan.

Having escaped from China as a child after his father was executed for speaking out against the country’s treatment of Muslims, Zachary has few ties and even less awareness of his cultural background. One day, he’s thrown in a magic world steeped in the very Chinese mythology and history he’s worked hard to shun. He finds out he’s a descendent of Qin Shi Huangdi, China’s first emperor, and can therefore manifest the powers he’s developed as a cultural emblem. Along with the descendants of Tang Taizong and Wu Zetian, both famous (and ruthless) emperors in their own rights, Zachary embarks on the mission to seal the spiritual portal gate to save China from descending into chaos as well as recover his mother’s soul.

Like Xiran’s first book, Zachary Ying explores morality and ethics extensively. Unlike Iron Widow, this is a middle grade book, which means we’re really trying to root for these pimply-faced preteens who are clearly struggling to find their way through the world (however misguided they may be). PJO stand will be rooting for the “at least I know the MC and their main besties are on the good side” structure, but of course, Xiran smashes that wide open, constantly causing us to question Qin Shi Huangdi and the other emperors’ motives.

Even with all the character development, Xiran is again p u s h i n g the plot, really following the PJO structure of mishap after mishap on a time-crunched journey. And as educational as ever, we get an in-depth look at historical Chinese figures and the complicated relationships between them all.

I highly recommend this fun book steeped in Chinese culture and history, where the “good guys” aren’t good and the “bad guys” aren’t bad. Filled with both laugh-out-loud moments and heart-wrenching scenes, Xiran Jay Zhao once again shows the depth of her skill as she weaves together another enchanting story. (But also warning- Xiran loves to end things on some major plot twists but CANT WAIT FOR BOOK TWO WOOOOO)

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Loved this book. Read it in one sitting. if you love Chinese fantasy dramas, Marvel comics, gaming, The Avatar, then this is the book for you. Fast pace with lots of action and a good storyline. Love the way it incorporated sensitive information about China without being to political, insensitive, or judgmental. Would definitely recommend this book to my kids and for purchase by my library.

This is such a great Asian specifically Chinese representation! The work that Xiran put in is astounding and this is such a great middle grade novel.

Zachary Ying, a twelve year old boy obsessed with Mythrealm, a VR game where you fight legendary monsters, has always felt like he didn't belong. He feels both too Chinese for his white American town, and too American to really fully claim Chinese culture. But when another Chinese boy transfers into his school, everything changes-- suddenly, Zack is traveling to China and learning about Chinese history and myths in a real-world, high-stakes version of Mythrealm in order to save his mother.
Zack, his new friend Simon, and Simon's friend Melissa travel across China, fighting legendary spirits in a race against the clock to preserve life as we know it. Each of the three of them is tied to a historical figure, who have changed over time to reflect the stories that are told about them. Seeing each of the kids as themselves and also as conduits for ancient adults was really fun and fascinating.
As a diaspora kid myself, Zack's feelings of never quite belonging really hit home, and I loved being along for the journey as he discovered that there's no wrong way to be who you are.
Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor is Yugioh meets Percy Jackson meets Chinese history, and it is an absolute delight.

Zachary Ying is a young Chinese-American boy who is struggling with accepting his heritage and religion, while also understanding that he will always have ties to the diaspora. All of that is confronted when the first emperor of China (Zachary’s long lost ancestor) possesses his AI glasses and introduces him to a whole spiritual world he had no idea existed. This is an ambitious book with a lot packed in as far as Chinese history goes. This makes sense because I image this will have a largely western audience who won’t know the context around Chinese history and folklore. While at times it feels like a lot of information to take in and digest (especially during a battle sequence) Zhao really does a lot to make it as digestible as possible for the reader. The humor and quips are reminiscent of Percy Jackson which I think will make most middle grade readers feel right at home in. For older readers who have already read Zhao’s freshman YA novel, there are some similar references throughout that make the reading experience fun (Li Shimin and Wu Zetian!) Overall, despite Zack not being the most active protagonist (often times he just is going along with what he’s told to do) this was a fun and well considered novel. Also… that cliffhanger!!!

As an Asian American who often feels disconnected from their Chinese heritage this was such a good book. I learned about bits and pieces of historical figures, but this book both serves as a satisfying middle school series about a protagonist connecting with his culture as well as some Chinese history. The prose is similar to Iron Widow but the story is distinctly different although you can definitely recognize some of Xiran's writing quirks as you read along. Overall enjoyable and I am excited for the sequel.

“Whenever an empire or country pushed for everyone to be the same or do the same, there were inevitably those who suffered because they couldn’t help but be different.”

I love a good middle grade novel that has depth and nuance to it. While this book has a lot of fun and adventure, it also dives into identity, culture, prejudice, power, and the overwhelming desire to fit in. Plus we get a some fabulously flawed characters and a blend of modern day sci-fi and ancient Chinese history, wrapped up in a story that feels akin to a season of some mixture of Avatar and Yu-Gi-Oh-esque anime.

Xiran Jay Zhao is among those who have (in their own words) broken into “the publishing industry with stories unapologetically inspired by [their] own cultures,” and I’m here for it! Inspiring and fun and adventurous and quirky, this is the first in what I hope will be a continuing series!

I’ll finish this review with one of my favorite quotes:

“You can either let this journey crush you, or let it transform you into someone stronger.”

I absolutely LOVED this book! It's like a sassy queer version Percy Jackson with a Chinese mythology twist. There's so much happening throughout with Zack discovering his imperial heritage and his fellow emperors, the general chaos of an adventure with 3 pre-teens, and allllll of the Yugi-oh parallels in the AR game. The plot is top-notch, with twists and turns that had me reeling. This transcends the middle-grade audience and is definitely enjoyable for all ages! If there aren't more in this series, I'll be riding a water dragon out to battle.

*Thank you to Margaret K. McElderry Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Zachary Yang actively avoided his Chinese heritage. He threw the lunches his mom made for him in the trash and heavily avoided anything that would remind his fellow students that he was different. However, the knowledge of Chinese history and mythology suddenly became a lot more important when the spirit of his ancestor, the tyrannical first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang attempted to possess him. Stubbornly, Zachary managed to resist him and the emperor ended up inside of his AR gaming headset. A new student tells him that he needs to go to China to fix the seal preventing the spirits of the underworld from escaping, but Zachary refuses to go to the place that killed his father. When his mother's soul is taken by demons, he reluctantly agrees to go to China, where he and two others possessed by emperors must heist famous artefacts and battle figures from Chinese history and mythology, while figuring out the emperor's water dragon powers, all in order to save his mother and the world.

This is truly a middle grade novel- the main character is 12 and the book is definitely aimed towards younger teens. However, I still really enjoyed this book. Xiran Jay Zhao manages what Rick Riordan only touched at with Ethan Nakamura. Over the course of the book, Zachary must grapple with the concept of good and evil and that no one is truly one or the other. The "good guys" aren't necessarily moral and the "bad guys" may have some good points. This book really focuses on the character of Zachary and does not give the side characters a lot of development beyond their main personality traits and end goals, which does allow the book to really focus on Zachary's conflicts and growth, but does make for some slightly less interesting other characters.

I would fully recommend this book to anyone who loves Percy Jackson, Chinese mythology and history, and diverse stories. Zachary is not just a first generation Chinese immigrant, but also Muslim and gay. What's not to love?

Thank you to Netgalley for this title in exchange for an honest review.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Margaret K. McElderry Books and I've had it on preorder since January..

I loved this book so much! Look, I totally get that I am not the intended audience for this book and there were some references that flew past me but it's such a breath of fresh air!

Zack is a great character and I loved his voice añd I was absolutely invested in his quest to save his mother.

The ARG stuff was such an interesting twist and I loved the mental images it gave me!

The action scenes are fantastic and I need more of Zack's adventures, please and thank you!

Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor blew my expectations out of the water, just as I expected. This Percy Jackson-esque middle grade had so many vibrant, wonderful characters and was full of Chinese myths and history. Though really, calling it Percy Jackson-esque does this book such a disservice, as it is its own wonderful story about a young boy suddenly gaining a magical connection to his ancestor, the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. Xiran Jay Zhao introduced a host of myths and history in such a fun way, using Zachary’s AR headset as a way to interact with a culture and history he hadn’t had much exposure to, after moving to America with his mother when he was young. All the characters—children and the spirits of past emperors included—really brought this book to life, bringing humor and fun references throughout all of the events.

Thank you Netgalley for the digital ARC!

The description of the book intrigued me and I was not disappointed! I love everything about this book. Zach is a great main character and I loved the humor!

I really loved this book. Really, I don't think I've laughed this much while reading in a while. I know Xiran Jay Zhao is funny from their videos but Iron Widow didn't really lend itself to being really humerous, so I loved seeing their humor shine in this book. Zack was also an amazing main character. I really liked the personal journey he went on in this book. Honestly, the character work in this book is amazing. I loved all of the characters. The book did an amazing job at making you really understand the characters' personalities even if they have a small amount of page time. I also really loved the video game element this book had. It was very different from anything if read before and it made the fight scenes interesting to me and I'm almost never interested in fight scenes. I also really liked the fantastical element of this book and how it is rooted in Chinese history and legends. Just the whole way this fantasy element works is super interesting and unique. However, my issue also lies here a little bit. We take big breaks from the story at times to explain Chinese history and legends. I get why that was done and it was very interesting but it felt very info-dumpy at times and it took me out of the story. I feel like those explenations could have been worked better into the story but don't ask me how because I'm not a writer at all. Anyway, currently this isn't marked as a series but I do desperately hope it will get a sequel because otherwise this is the worst ending I have ever read to a book.