Situational Sword: Due to the legend of Jing Ke's assassination attempt on Qin Shi Huang, his sword can only be drawn if others are shouting "Bear your sword, my King! However, the mission immediately starts off on the wrong foot when the Emperor bonds to Zack’s headset instead. 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. Easily my favorite part of this book was the bickering between Qin and the various other figures Zach meets through his journey, each petty argument laced with historical references and stories that a younger me would have just loved.

ZACHARY YING AND THE DRAGON EMPEROR | Kirkus Reviews

Finally, I loved the end and how neatly it wrapped up the novel (Well, not literally because there definitely is room for a sequel after that cliffhanger). I am admittedly extremely partial to Xiran's work, which is so inspired by their experiences as Chinese diaspora and the struggles in reclaiming that part of our identities, all things that resonate with me too well. If Iron Widow is Pacific Rim meets Handmaid's Tale, then Zachary Ying might be Gaiman's American Gods meets Yu-gi-Oh, all through the lens of Chinese history and mythology.Wu Zetian did not kill her own child, but a persistent legend of her doing so means she sometimes remembers it that way. It's All About Me: Qin Shi Huang is extremely egotistical, sacrificing mermaids to make their fat into lamps, building a lavish tomb, and is livid when Zachary knows Rameses II, Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan but not him.

Wikipedia Xiran Jay Zhao - Wikipedia

Famously known as a tyrant, there are many legends associated with him and Zack gets to know his and his history slowly. the only caveat i have is that all the rapid historical explanations might get a bit confusing for the book's intended audience although i do think they're worded in a simple, digestible way. Because of this, China has remained a single country into the modern day, while all the others' empires are long gone. Xiran is hands down one of my favourite authors, and this book in particular is so freaking important.Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor is an edge-of-your-seat adventure that has you laughing on one page and cheering on the next. Compact history lessons woven throughout guide Zack through the plot and into a greater understanding of his identity, while plentiful pop culture references root this fantastical read in the contemporary, making for a quickly paced book that's by turns educational, reflective, and thrilling". I loved the way the narrative includes and discusses historical-related things, as it very much reminded me of the author’s youtube content, which—as you may or may not know—I am besotted by.

Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor | Rock The Boat Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor | Rock The Boat

Not So Different" Remark: Having grown up as a Qin hostage in a Zhao court, Qin Shi Huang can relate to Zachary being torn between two worlds. What happened to your father was horrific and unforgivable, but you must remember that the Chinese government does not represent our people. At the age of 15, they would imagine stories growing up, but did not put any on paper until being encouraged at an anime convention.Despite all Qin Shi Huang's blustering and excuses, 2000 years of Character Development have done a number on him and there are a few things he sincerely regrets. When it happens to sweet, Disney princess–like Sophie and her friend Agatha, plain of features, sour of disposition and low of self-esteem, they are both horrified to discover that they’ve been dropped not where they expect but at Evil and at Good respectively. The heroes succeed in using the heirloom seal's power to strengthen the portal plug, but it's not fully in place, and might break again at the Zhongyuan festival. When I finished Xiran Jay Zhao's debut novel, Iron Widow, I took to the internet to find out when their next book was coming out. Qin Shi Huang is also very disdainful of Tang Taizong, talking about how he chose his weakest son as heir due to the son's kindness, and how the son let Wu Zetian rise to power, them mainly not liking each other because both of them think they are better emperors than the other.

Zachary Ying Series by Xiran Jay Zhao - Goodreads

This sense of humor that Xiran brings to the table is what makes their stories so entertaining and creates a unique writing identity that you won’t find anywhere else. Additionally, unlike a lot of MG books, Zhao addresses serious and topical issues/realities in a very clear-eyed and straightforward manner. When I immigrated to Canada in 6th grade, I spent a year as the only Asian kid in the school of a small town. Through Zack’s journey in this book, I wanted to engage with the complexities of Chinese identity, especially as a minority and diaspora, but I also want to have fun. Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor is about Zachary Ying who discovers he was born to host the spirit of the first emperor of China to accomplish the mission of sealing the leaking portal to the Chinese underworld before the upcoming ghost month blows it wide open.last thing i want to mention is that neo cihi, the audiobook narrator, really brought this story to bursting, vivid life! Kara Savoy, Penguin Random House Canada's integrated marketing director, told Singer that "when Xiran did an unboxing video of their advanced copies a few weeks ago [on TikTok], the pre-sale numbers in the U. The eight Immortals refuse to let Qin Shi Huang use their magic, fearing that he will try and take their magic if he gains access. Yet on another hand, there’s the necessity of demystifying and defending Chinese culture to combat anti-Chinese racism.