Join Astrid Xu in this action-packed adventure as she ventures into the world of mythological China in order to save her mother -- and the world! Perfect for fans of Rick Riordan and Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings!
When Astrid Xu stumbles upon an ancient scroll with Chinese characters, she just knows it's the key to saving her mom from the "fog"-the depression that keeps her mom bedridden for days at a time. What Astrid doesn't expect, though, is to be transported-along with her younger sister, Marilla-to Zhen, a realm where the Chinese legends of old are real!
In Zhen, Astrid and Marilla meet Erlang Shen, a powerful warrior, and Lan Caihe, one of the Eight Immortals. It seems an ancient evil known as Chaos is wreaking havoc all throughout this mythological world, threatening to shroud all of Zhen in darkness-and Astrid is the only one who can stop it.
With only her sister (who has been trapped in the body of a cat!) and two great mythological figures to help her, Astrid sets out on a journey to face her destiny. But will she be able to save her mom-and the world!-before Chaos reigns supreme?
Praise for Caster:
A 2019 Junior Library Guild Selection
* "Chapman's constructed magic is a complex, balanced system that limits the characters to keep the narrative unpredictable; the battle scenes are creative and fast paced, and the high stakes that Aza faces in her personal life and during the tournament are anxiety-inducing in their believability. Information Aza uncovers about the secrets in her life are parsed out so that the plot never drags; readers will have a hard time putting this one down." -- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review
* "Chapman has created compelling young adult novels before, but this is a cut above; the fully realized and atmospheric dystopia is crafted at a level not seen often. This stunning fantasy will fly off the shelves." -- Booklist, starred review
"A dark and, at times, vicious and violent story of will and questionable honor." -- Kirkus Reviews
Elsie Chapman grew up in Prince George, Canada, and has a degree in English literature from the University of British Columbia. She is the author of the YA novels Dualed, Divided, Along the Indigo, and Caster as well as the middle-grade novel All the Ways Home, and the coeditor of A Thousand Beginnings and Endings and Hungry Hearts. She currently lives in Tokyo, Japan, with her family. You can visit her online at elsiechapman.com.
