Fox and Phoenix

In Long City, Kai tries to reform after his street gang dissolves and continue the lessons his mother insists he learn about the magic flux and the old ways. Then his mother vanishes without a trace, the king becomes deathly ill, and a ghost dragon proclaims that Kai must travel to Phoenix City to rescue Princess Lian. Accompanied by the brilliant Yun, Kai must outwit and out-magic mercenaries who are trying to stop him, deal with a troublesome griffin, and, perhaps most challenging, determine Yun's true feelings for him. An exciting tale of magic, courage, friendship, and sacrifice, this novel reads like what might have happened if Philip Pullman's Lyra and Pan had lived in Hong Kong rather than Oxford. Bernobich has created a multidimensional world, in which flux is an everyday necessity, and spirit companions (Kai's is the articulate pig, Chen) can simultaneously annoy and assist their human counterparts. The spooky, mysterious cover art will draw in reluctant readers, and the rich story line will hold them.--Moore, Melissa Copyright 2010 Booklist

Gr 7 Up-Drawing on Chinese language and mythology, Bernobich has created a new and exciting fantasy world. In a land where magic is a rare and coveted commodity and is the current that runs the technology, 16-year-old Kai Zu begrudgingly works in his mother's tutoring shop as an apprentice in conjuration and math. The King of Long City falls ill and his daughter, a friend of Kai's, seems to be out of communication's reach in a far-off city. At the command of the mysterious ghost dragon king, Kai and his friend Yun set off on the treacherous journey to deliver the news to the princess. Sophisticated readers should have no problem catching up with the tale as they join the characters and learn their backstories. While this device may be confusing at times, it makes the surprises that much more fun. A peckish griffin, a missing mother, young love, a double-crossing stranger, and a former friend who may be a smuggler add to the action, danger, and intrigue.-Genevieve Gallagher, Charlottesville High School, VA (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Magic in the Mirrorstone, edited by Steve Berman, 2008), readers are more likely to be frustrated then familiar. Overall, the blurred magic/technology boundary gives a compelling flavor to an adventure well worth reading. (Fantasy/cyberpunk. 13-15)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

In Lóng City, Kai tries to reform after his street gang dissolves and continue the lessons his mother insists he learn about the magic flux and the old ways. Then his mother vanishes without a trace, the king becomes deathly ill, and a ghost dragon proclaims that Kai must travel to Phoenix City to rescue Princess Lian. Accompanied by the brilliant Yún, Kai must outwit and out-magic mercenaries who are trying to stop him, deal with a troublesome griffin, and, perhaps most challenging, determine Yún's true feelings for him. An exciting tale of magic, courage, friendship, and sacrifice, this novel reads like what might have happened if Philip Pullman's Lyra and Pan had lived in Hong Kong rather than Oxford. Bernobich has created a multidimensional world, in which flux is an everyday necessity, and spirit companions (Kai's is the articulate pig, Chen) can simultaneously annoy and assist their human counterparts. The spooky, mysterious cover art will draw in reluctant readers, and the rich story line will hold them. Copyright 2011 Booklist Reviews.

Gr 7 Up—Drawing on Chinese language and mythology, Bernobich has created a new and exciting fantasy world. In a land where magic is a rare and coveted commodity and is the current that runs the technology, 16-year-old Kai Zou begrudgingly works in his mother's tutoring shop as an apprentice in conjuration and math. The King of Lóng City falls ill and his daughter, a friend of Kai's, seems to be out of communication's reach in a far-off city. At the command of the mysterious ghost dragon king, Kai and his friend Yún set off on the treacherous journey to deliver the news to the princess. Sophisticated readers should have no problem catching up with the tale as they join the characters and learn their backstories. While this device may be confusing at times, it makes the surprises that much more fun. A peckish griffin, a missing mother, young love, a double-crossing stranger, and a former friend who may be a smuggler add to the action, danger, and intrigue.—Genevieve Gallagher, Charlottesville High School, VA