The first book to be reviewed under the Rick Riordan Presents banner that is not Urban Fantasy but Science Fantasy (specifically Space Opera).
Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee offers readers a Korean mythology-inspired sci-fi story. It is an adventure that will have you cheering for the main character, a shape-shifting fox spirit with Charm powers who must use all her cleverness and fox magic to track down her missing brother and clear his name.
Min’s quest for the dragons pearl is full of adventure, deception, sabotage and ghosts. She uses all of her wits and her fox magic to fight against the forces of evil as she journeys through the thousand worlds.
When word comes that her brother Jun has deserted the Thousand Worlds Space Forces, Min decides to run away to find him and learn the truth about what he did. She will risk her life to find her missing brother and clear his name.
Her search leads her to the fourth colony, a world full of ghosts who are possessed by a mystical pearl. She is then joined by two of Jang’s friends, Haneul and Sujin as she sets out to find the pearl and discover what her brother did.
While it is sometimes difficult to mix genres, Dragon Pearl manages to combine science fiction and fantasy in a way that feels fresh and exciting. The story is well-paced and the characters are lively and engaging. This is an excellent middle grade space opera for readers who enjoy mythology and science fiction.