Zhao is a phenomenal storyteller, who goes from strength to strength which each new work. Brilliantly executed, I cannot wait to see what they write next.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free e-arc in exchange for an honest opinion,

This novel was really fun, and dealt with themes of identity in a very sensitive and age-appropriate manner. I can see how this would appeal to many readers, and I definitely would have loved it as a kid, but ultimately I couldn't quite click with it.

I've read the Iron widow and loved it, because authors style and creativeness is unique.
This one was of those cool books for younger public out there!

An epic story that mixes fantasy and Chinese story. It's well plotted and compelling, great characters and world building.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I enjoyed this book and the adventure it takes you on. The characters were well written an the concept was great. I found the pacing stumbled a bit in the last third of the novel.

Admittedly, I am not within the target audience since this is a MG book, however, I enjoyed this book nonetheless. Brimming with excitement and jam-packed with action from the first page, the story is fast-paced and is packed with a punch that will be sure to enthrall younger audiences. At least I know that I would have loved being able to get my hands on a book like this while I was a kid!

A great coming-of-age story intertwined with a larger quest and a rediscovery of Zachary's lost culture, I can see the comparisons to Rick Riordan as well as Avatar, and is chock-full of funny comparisons to popular American culture which help to effectively demystify the references to Chinese culture that some readers may not be previously familiar with. Although it is a MG book, I thought that Zhao did a wonderful job of talking about the treatment of ethnic minorities in China as well as explaining the different ethnic groups that make up the entirety of China, as well as making a clear but needed distinction between culture, governmental policies, and people. This view of China and Chinese culture is a complex and much-needed one amidst the western portrayal of China and Chinese people, which is often one-dimensional and lacking in depth.

The result is the story of love, hope, and self-growth through a twelve-year-old boy's journey.

A fun and frequently educational adventure for the younger crowd! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance copy to review!

I really wasn't sure what to expect when I read this. Having read it I'd say that it very much reminded me of Ray Riordan's novels ie Percy Jackson etc with the way it brought in both legend/history and fiction. I thought that the book itself was well-written - although there was some language I didn't particularly like ie repeated use of the word humungous. I found that I was soon pulled into the story - and really liked the idea of Chinese emperors using modern gaming technology to speak to/manipulate children today. The plot was well-designed - I wanted to find out if Zac's mother's soul was restored to her (a bit annoying that this wasn't resolved but clearly this sets up the reader to want to read the next instalment!) There were things that I liked less - whilst I liked the fact that the book told me things about Chinese history I sometimes found that these sections were a bit clunky. My teen daughter (who I asked to also read this book alongside me to see what she thought of it) said that the book itself - the idea of spirits coming back - was actually a bit disturbing to her - so this is something may be for younger children/their parents to be aware of

What I was looking for:
Xiran Jay Zhao has extremely interesting and entertaining Youtube videos about Chinese history and I enjoyed their other book, Iron Widow, immensely. Of course I had to pick up their latest book.

My thoughts:
Sadly, it took me quite some time to get into the book. I only read the first Percy Jackson book years ago but Zachary Ying reminded me way too much of that book: protagonist raised by single mum, supernatural shenanigans which he does not want to be a part in, supernatural attack on mother, mother ends up in a coma, now is reluctantly in to save mother, group of two boys one girl, ... (my bookseller sister tells me that this is not a “Percy Jackson” thing but actually a standard in these type of MG books in recent years). But then it got more and more interesting the further the book progressed and I loved the last 1/3 of the book. This does, however, make it difficult to rate.
What I really loved right from the start was that I learned much about China, Chinese folklore and traditions. And I really liked the ambiguity of the characters – evil and good were not clear cut (as it isn’t in reality). And I appreciated the hints of LGBTQ content which, judging by the author’s other content, will probably be explored more in future books.
The everyday racism Zachary faces hurt me very much and I hated that he had to go through this. But it is important to have this in books, so more people will hopefully pick up on such things and not repeat casual (and not so casual) racism.
The videogame was cool and sound fun, but I was a little confused, not being very familiar with VR devices, how it worked in everyday life – do the kids really walk around with these huge things over their eyes?

Even though I had a hard time getting drawn in, I do think it is a great MG book and I recommend it to this age group. Even if the book had not ended on a cliff-hanger, I still would have been very interested in the next instalment.

You all know I love me some middle grade and especially those that are more diverse. Which is what instantly drew me to this book. It wasn't so much the plot that kept me interested, but the characters. Namely Zachary.

Zachary right off the batt strikes me as a pretty smart kid. He knows how the world works. He's seen it. He knows that his friends aren't really his friends because they don't see him as equal. They are just a way to get through school. Keep your head down and just don't stand out. Unfortunately that is just what happens when it turns out he is an ancestor to the once known dragon king of China.

I felt for Zachary throughout the whole book. He has so much heart and he is a good kid but he doesn't always seem to see himself that way. But the way he will go through the fire for his mom, the way he questions what is going on. It all enriches the story for me. Deepens it. There is also the diaspora that runs throughout the book. Zachary being of Chinese heritage but having grown up in America while his two companions and the 3 guides are all of China. They know everything and he doesn't. But does that make him less? And he feels betrayed by what the Chinese government did to his father.

The plot didn't do as much for me as the characters. The idea of their guides, spirits of past chinese figures, into the VR glasses was okay. It wasn't quite as game like as the start of the book suggested and I was glad for that. I was really angry about that betrayal at the end. How can you do that to a kid?

I really enjoyed Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor - although at first, I wasn't sure. The writing occasionally felt a bit clunky - this could be my own lack of reference for Middle Grade, however, as it's been a while! Once the plot really gets going, though, I was all in - I found it gripping, and didn't want to put the book down.
As ever, Xiran Jay Zhao managed to balance the tension with instances that made me chuckle aloud - I especially liked the chapter titles! I've gotten quite into their Youtube since reading Iron Widow, and I felt that their voice was really clear here - at times I could almost hear them narrating as if it was an audiobook version.
I also found the insight into Chinese history and mythology to be really informative - the use of video game-style stats for exposition was brilliant and engaging.
Going against my usual tastes, I even enjoyed the cliffhanger, and found it to be really effective - it sets up nicely for another title, whilst not detracting from the overall satisfaction of this book's conclusion.
This was a fast-paced, enjoyable read, with some great meta humour too.

3.5 stars

Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor follows Zachary, who has never had much chance to learn about his Chinese heritage. When he is unexpectedly chosen to host the spirit of the First Emperor of China for a vital mission, he is woefully unprepared. As a result, the emperor botches his attempt to possess Zack’s body and binds to his AR gaming headset instead. With the legendary tyrant yapping in his headset, Zack must journey across China to steal magical artifacts and defeat figures from history and myth. Using his newfound water dragon powers, can Zack complete the mission in time to save the mortal world?

This was a fun and fast paced middle grade with lots of interesting history packed in as well! I really enjoyed Iron Widow by the author and so was very much looking forward to this. Whilst I didn't love it quite as much it was still and enjoyable time and I think young readers would love it.

The writing was okay, I think in this book I noticed some of it's flaws a bit more than in Iron Widow but the entertainment value of the story more than made up for it. I really liked Zachary as a character as well and the conflict he felt between his Chinese heritage and American upbringing was very well explored and I think will be very relatable to those in similar situations to see themselves on page! The side characters were lots of fun as well - I always love getting historical god-like figures talking to children in middle grade haha.

There was an interesting blend of sci-fi and mythological magic here and most of the time I thought it worked well but sometimes it did feel a bit strange having the characters in VR most of the time and I was a bit confused whether things that were happening were real or not.

Overall I'm looking forward to seeing where this series goes next and think it would be perfect for young readers who love history/mythology packed fast-paced adventure, plenty of sass and a headstrong loveable protagonist.

This book made me feel like a nine year old reading Percy Jackson for the first time. And given my obession with Percy Jackson have quite literally changed my life, that is saying a lot.

I adore this author's YouTube, devoured their first book, am obsessed with every piece of media this book was compared to and was in love with this premise so I already knew this would probably be five stars. And it did not disappoint. It actually exceeded my expectations and is one of my favorite books of all time. This was truly a nerd's book, and I mean that in the best way possible. It felt like someone who has consumed hundreds of stories, thought to themself "this would be so much better if that happened" and then sat down, compiled these stories and alternative storylines and actually made it a concrete story.

The twists and turns were so refreshing and interesting it felt like the stuff you find in other stories fandoms "what if"'s and fix-it fics, except it was the actual story!! Sorry if I'm fangirling a bit too hard here, but I can't help it because this story felt like it turned the classic middle-grade fantasy story on its head and made it its completely own thing. It had a trio of friends (the snarky girl, loyal and sweet guy sidekick, and the chosen one main character with a dead parent and is discovering their power) having to save the world within a deadline of a couple of days while the antagonist sends lackeys their way, a quite common setup in middle-grade fantasy and one I absolutely adore every time it's executed. But the more the story progressed the more turns it took, ad while this book used a common formula it was not afraid to take risks and go in a different direction, actually because of the setup the twists and turns became even more shocking and effective. It was such an original and refreshing story using classical middle grade tropes to it's advantage and was never afraid to do something original and subvert our expectations.

The mythology and history in this book was so interesting and I feel just as confident that my friends who know nothing about Chinese mythology and history will understand as I am my friend who is as interested in it as me would.

The characters!! THE CHARACTERS!!! Where do I even start? I loved them all but my favorite was probably Zack himself.

The humor was on point, this is probably one of the funniest books I've ever read.

The worldbuilding was amazing and had clearly so much thought put into it, I can truly not gush about this book enough.

If you haven't read this book, what are you doing with your life?!?! Seriously. Pick it up. It's a masterpiece. I will definitely buy a copy of this book for myself and probably for my friends as well because I need to talk about this with somebody. Definitely a new all time favorite.

Adventurous, funny, and stuffed with Chinese myths and legends, ZACHARY YING AND THE DRAGON EMPEROR is a twisty, fast-paced adventure.

If you like PERCY JACKSON, you'll love ZACHARY YING. A boy discovers mythology is real and must face comically ridiculous shenanigans to save the world – with the bonus of themes of finding where you belong and carving your own space, in the end creating a charming, adventurous and laugh-out-loud funny middle grade adventure.

I liked all the characters! Wu Zetian and Tang Taizong bounce off each other well. Zack himself is out-of-his-league and disbelieving of the power he wields, and has a dynamic relationship with his emperor, Qin Shi Huang, who is a unique person in his own right. The other emperor hosts, Simon and Melissa – we don't get to know Melissa very well, who's actual character pales beneath the weighty presence of Wu Zetian – all spark with life and charm. This novel is also, naturally, rammed with historical and mythological figures from Chinese history and legend; all of these people are absurd in a whimsical way, of which is something a novel of this calibre needs.

The magic system is one of the most unique aspects of the book. Zack and his friends don't just have magic – they must utilise literal lines from their emperor's stories to conjure spirits and swords. There's a dynamic edge to their problems when their power – and the power of their enemies – is dependent on how well their stories are known around the world, sometimes in their favour, sometimes not.

And, well, I was expecting plenty of twists from Zhao and wasn't disappointed, but that ending was something! ZACHARY YING may not be the most well-executed middle grade of the century, with some of its moral messages too on-the-nose, but it sure as heck is fun, fast-paced and fantastical. It'll be interesting to see where Zack and co. go from there...

This is not an author we have read before but the children adored it. Being different ages, the all enjoyed it on different levels for different reasons but after we had finished they all wanted to know more about the Chinese culture. The older children had heard on the news about how many Muslims and other religions are treated in China and brought that to their understanding of the book. This was a great read for all of our family, it highlights diversity and finding your own place in this world.

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.

Thank you to Netgalley and Xiran Jay Zhao for an advanced copy of the book.

I absolutely loved Iron Widow so was excited to see the author had an MG read coming out as I love them!

Zachary, just trying to fit in as the only Asian kid in school, starts hearing voices. And we know that's not always good! Pulled into a quest with some long gone spirits, Zack has to try and save his Mum (and basically the world!) with some companions!

'There are forces at work beyond your understanding.'

It was action packed and filled with Chinese history and mythology, dealt with a lot of serious issues and with that ending there must be another book coming? Tell me yes!

A kind thank you to the publisher for the e-RC.

Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor has been one of the two highly anticipated MG releases of 2022, and it really lived up to my expectations! I thoroughly enjoyed this fantastically adventurous MG fantasy.

The world-building was spectacular. Spirits of ancient emperors? Taking over in gaming gadgets? Spiritual weapons and immortals and mythical creatures? I was blown away by Xiran Jay Zhao's creativity. If you think this is a weird combination, it's a GOOD INTRIGUING kind of weird.

Initially, though, what intrigued me the most was the journey across Chinese history and culture. I'm a big Chinese drama enthusiast, so I was aware of all terms *which my nerd heart was very proud of* and I was thrilled to see more. Specifically, I wanted to learn more about Chinese history, and this book delivered a succinct yet accurate and detailed presentation of various emperors, dynasties, and events in Chinese history without making it sound like a history lesson. Everything was very well balanced: adventure, history and culture, and its meaning to life. I truly was blown away by Xiran Jay Zhao's ability to weave all these elements and create this spectacular adventure of a book.

Zach is a main character that I think many kids his age will relate to. A child of a single mother, living in one country but having a heritage of another, not knowing where he belongs in terms of identity. His character was multi-faceted, and the author didn't shy from tackling many aspects of his journey to self-discovery.

Even though I would have appreciated more plot twists, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's a fun, adventurous MG fantasy with a fascinating world-building and meaningful character-building. I will definitely read more books by Xiran Jay Zhao. Their talent really astounded me.

I'm gonna go ahead and say I didn't love this novel as much as I LOVED Iron Widow. However, as this book is a middle grade story, I am not its intended audience.

Tell you what, though: Readers of Xiran Jay Zhao are immediately going to be able to tell that this author has a very dedicated love to Chinese mythology. Yes, the same names show up differently in Iron Widow, which is somewhat a fantasy retelling of the only female emperor, but the names from that book will grow very familiar again here.

Zachary Ying is a boy in America who is minding his own business when spirits of the dead begin to start taking over the bodies of those around him. First a kid in his school, then his landlord and the landlord's son. Eventually, Zachary has no choice but to join two other kids in order to go on a quest to strengthen the portal door to the dead before Ghost Moon occurs.

This quest, by the way, does not happen in America. Oh no, they have to head back to Shanghai, where Zachary's dad was executed for being too radical. I guess that's the reason why they have to fridge his mother first (actual word used in the novel), putting her into a coma because her spirit has been stolen by the bad guys.

It's actually critically difficult to tell who the bad guys are supposed to be, even as an adult reader of this book. No wonder poor Zachary has a hard time of it! But I really enjoyed the way he grew as a person throughout the novel and how he found out the things that were truly important to him.

This book ends on a cliffhanger, ready for an as yet unannounced sequel.

Zachary Ying is a Muslim Chinese kid growing up in America. Being a minority made him trying so hard to fit in, he didn't even have time to learn about his culture. One day his mom was "abducted" by mysterious spirits and he didn't have choice but to follow his friend, Simon, in order to save his mom.

This book reminds me of a LOT of things and it was exciting to get those crumbs. Here's the list of everything that I recognized
- Iron Widow (obviously) because Wu Zetian & Li Shimin
- The Priory of the Orange Tree because DRAGONS
- Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief because mother abduction
- Avatar the Legend of Kora because spirit portal
- The Kane Chronicles because spirit possessions
- The Poppy War because Nezha & goddess Nüwa
- These Violent Delights because Shanghai & Huangpu River
Did I missed anything? But anyway the point was made, so!

I think this is an ambitious story for a middle grade book. I, a twenty-something Southeast Asian, was overwhelmed by all the technology and Chinese history cramped together in the narration. I found it hard to focus and most of the time the history overshadowed the action, so Zack's adventure didn't felt exciting. And I personally think "morally grey" is a Big Term for middle grader too. But overall the concept was interesting, I just didn't have the brain capacity to properly process this book sentence-by-sentence.

AND THE ENDING!!! WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT!!! My eyes were bulged so wide reading the last sentence because it left me in suspense!!! I'm expecting a sequel but there's no info at all (yet? Idk) why are you like this Xiran 😭😭😭

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Oneworld Publishing for the ARC!