The Dragon Egg Princess

This Korean mythology-inspired adventure follows a teenager whose family legacy of magical nullification draws him into the schemes of those looking to exploit his home’s resources. In Joson, a kingdom where magic holds strong despite other countries’ technological advances, 14-year-old Jiho Park struggles with the expectation that he become a ranger like his paternal ancestors and protect the Kidahara, especially since his father voluntarily walked into the supernatural forest five years ago and never returned. Desperate to help his beleaguered family, Jiho agrees to serve as a guide for Omni Murtagh, a foreign company intent on razing the forest in the name of modernity-little realizing their even darker agenda. On the trail, Jiho must join a long-missing princess and the Kidahara’s inhabitants to save the land. The world Oh conjures is populated by diverse and fanciful characters, but the juxtaposition of Jiho’s secluded homeland and the modern trappings of the outside world is less effective than one might hope. Slight characterization and inconsistent pacing lead to a hasty climax and abrupt conclusion. Nevertheless, this enjoyable read should appeal to fantasy fans. Ages 8-12. 

Copyright 2020 Publisher’s Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Gr 4-7-Three young people join forces to save a world where magic and technology uneasily coexist. In four of the Five Kingdoms, technology (internal combustion engines, automatic weapons, universal translators) is the norm, but in Joson magic still rules-except for Jiho Park and his sisters, who nullify magic. Five years after Joson's young Princess Koko disappears, the king's half-brother is attempting to usurp the throne. Desperate for work, 14-year-old Jiho takes a job with Omni Murtagh Inc, the company trying to forge a path through the Kidahara, the mysterious forest that protects Joson from the outside world. There, he and his newfound friends from all over the Five Kingdoms find themselves in a secret realm filled with magical beings, plus Princess Koko and Jiho's missing father. Koko is decidedly not human, and everyone is hunting her. Add to this the leader of a Robin Hood-esque community of bandits: 15-year-old Micah, who discovers just in time that she has become the unwitting pawn of the evil wizard Luzee, who has been pulling everyone's strings from her centuries' long imprisonment underneath a dormant volcano. Lots of action, magic, humor; a touch of family angst; and a modern feel in narration and details make this an easy sell for readers looking for plot more than character development. VERDICT Fans of "Harry Potter" and other magical tales that are rooted in the real world will find this series starter entertaining indeed.

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

"Filled with strange terrains, creatures, and magic, this is an enthralling read!"—Soman Chainani, author of the New York Times bestselling School for Good and Evil series

"By drawing inspiration from Korean lore and culture, Ellen Oh is helping to reinvigorate the fantasy genre. Readers will love The Dragon Egg Princess for its humor, inventive magic, and thrilling action!" —Linda Sue Park, Newbery Medalist and New York Times bestselling author.