Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor

Synopsis of Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor

«Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor» is the fantasy novel by Xiran Jay Zhao, published by Rock the Boat in paperback (352 pages, in English).

Twelve-year-old Zachary Ying hosts the spirit of China's First Emperor to seal a portal to the underworld. When the emperor ends up in his augmented-reality headset and his mother is kidnapped, Zachary crosses China stealing magical artifacts and facing historical and mythological figures while mastering the powers of the water dragon.

First installment of the «Zachary Ying» saga. Winner of the New England Book Award (2022) and nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award (2022) in the middle grade category.

Aimed at readers aged 9 and up, especially those seeking fantasy with Chinese mythology, history, and gamer culture.