All her life, Mulan has trained for one purpose: to win the duel that every generation in her family must fight. Then a messenger from the Emperor arrives, demanding that all families send one soldier to fight the Rouran invaders in the north. Mulan's paralysed father cannot go, and her brother is just a child. So she ties up her hair, takes up her sword and joins the army as a man. Thanks to her martial arts skills, Mulan is chosen for an elite team under the command of the princeling, the royal duke's son, to whom she feels a dangerous attraction. But the princeling has secrets of his own, which explode into Mulan's life and shake up everything she knows. As they cross the Great Wall to face the enemy beyond, Mulan and the princeling must find a way to unwind their past, unmask a traitor and uncover the plans for the Rouran invasion . . . before it's too late. Inspired by wuxia martial-arts dramas as well as the centuries-old story of Mulan, The Magnolia Sword is a thrilling, romantic and sharp-edged novel that lives up to its beloved heroine.
In ancient China a slave girl who is told she is not worthy of a name witnesses the brutal carving up and pickling of a dragon. When the remaining dragon is threatened, the girl takes a chance and rescues him, fleeing her brutal master.The pair are free, but a long way from safety. They must travel across China, evading a ruthless dragon hunter and protecting a mystic stone, the dragon stone. This is a story of incredible beauty, with a delightful mix of fantasy and history.
This is the first book in the Dragonkeeper series.
Bound to her late father's second wife and daughter. Bound to a life of servitude as a young girl in ancient China, where a woman is valued less than livestock. Bound to be alone, with no parents to arrange for a suitable husband. Xing Xing spends her days taking care of her half sister, Wei Ping, who cannot walk because of her foot bindings, the painful tradition for girls who are fit to be married. Even so, Xing Xing is content to practice her gift for poetry and calligraphy, and to dream of a life unbound by the laws of family and society. But all of this is about to change as Stepmother, who has spent nearly all of the family's money, grows desperate to find a husband for Wei Ping. Xing Xing soon realizes that this greed and desperation may threaten not only her memories of the past, but also her dreams for the future.
When the children of his village were struck with a mysterious illness, Number Ten Ox sought a wiseman to save them. He found master Li Kao, a scholar with a slight flaw in his character. Together they set out to find the Great Root of Power, the only possible cure. The quest led them to a host of truly memorable characters, multiple wonders, incredible adventures--and strange coincidences which were really not coincidences at all. And it involved them in an ancient crime that still perturbed the serenity of Heaven. Simply and charmingly told, this is a wry tale, a sly tale, and a story of wisdom delightfully askew. Once read, its marvels and beauty will not easily fade from the mind.
Set in ancient China, DREAMING OF ZHOU GONG is a beautiful story of Hudan, one of the mysterious Wu who lives on the sacred mountain of Li Shan. The Wu have been living in isolation for decades while the Shang Emperor and his enchantress have ruled the land. It has been a terrible time for the common people and the noble Ji brothers are keen to bring the emperor′s arrogant bloodthirsty reign to an end. They believe an ancient prophecy has predicted the fall of the Shang emperor and they are keen to enact it, but first they must journey to the mountain and seek out the Wu. When the Ji brothers join forces with the beautiful, enigmatic Hudan and her equally mysterious tiger sister, they begin a powerful journey of love and adventure. But the Shang emperor is not their greatest threat. There is a dark curse that has plagued the rulers of the land for generations. And the mysterious Sons of the Sky who visit Hudan in her dreams have a plan to destroy it. Can Hudan trust them?
This is the first book in the Timekeepers series.
Kallisto loves her horses. She is an excellent horsewoman, as she has been taught all her equestrian skills by her nomad mother. Set in Ferghana, Central Asia, in 102 BC, this is a thrilling tale that weaves in real events.
Star-crossed lovers, meddling immortals, feigned identities, battles of wits, and dire warnings: these are the stuff of fairy tale, myth, and folklore that have drawn us in for centuries. Sixteen bestselling and acclaimed authors reimagine the folklore and mythology of East and South Asia in short stories that are by turns enchanting, heartbreaking, romantic, and passionate.
What if Mulan had to travel to the Underworld? When Captain Shang is mortally wounded by Shan Yu in battle, Mulan must travel to the Underworld, Diyu, in order to save him from certain death. Will Mulan be able to save Shang before it's too late?
Three sisters staying home alone are endangered by a hungry wolf who is disguised as their grandmother in this Chinese retelling.
The Empty Potis Demi's beloved picture book about an honest schoolboy A long time ago in China there was a boy named Ping who loved flowers. Anything he planted burst into bloom. The Emperor loved flowers too. When it was time to choose an heir, he gave a flower seed to each child in the kingdom. "Whoever can show me their best in a year's time," he proclaimed, "shall succeed me to the throne!" Ping plants his seed and tends it every day. But month after month passes, and nothing grows. When spring comes, Ping must go to the Emperor with nothing but an empty pot. Demi's exquisite art and beautifully simple text show how Ping's embarrassing failure is turned triumphant in this satisfying tale of honesty rewarded.
When a poor boy in China receives a magical paintbrush, everything he paints turns to life. But the wicked emperor wants to capture the boy when he hears the news. The story will excite readers as the ruler gets his just reward when the boy creates a masterpiece that spells his doom.
She brought honor on the battlefield. Now comes a new kind of war... The war is over. Now a renowned hero, Mulan spends her days in her home village, training a militia of female warriors. The peace is a welcome one, and she knows it must be protected. When Shang arrives with an invitation to the Imperial City, Mulan's relatively peaceful life is upended once more. The aging emperor decrees that Mulan will be his heir to the throne. Such unimagined power and responsibility terrifies her, but who can say no to the Emperor? As Mulan ascends into the halls of power, it becomes clear that not everyone is on her side. Her ministers undermine her, and the Huns sense a weakness in the throne. When hints of treachery appear even amongst those she considers friends, Mulan has no idea whom she can trust. But the Queen's Council helps Mulan uncover her true destiny. With renewed strength and the wisdom of those that came before her, Mulan will own her power, save her country, and prove once again that, crown or helmet, she was always meant to lead. This fierce reimagining of the girl who became a warrior blends fairy-tale lore and real history with a Disney twist.
This highly readable and well-illustrated compilation includes fascinating Chinese myths about gods, stars, water, fire, plus tales about the goddess of mercy, the guardian of the gate of heaven, and many other legends.
Star-crossed lovers, meddling immortals, feigned identities, battles of wits, and dire warnings: these are the stuff of fairy tale, myth, and folklore that have drawn us in for centuries. Sixteen bestselling and acclaimed authors reimagine the folklore and mythology of East and South Asia in short stories that are by turns enchanting, heartbreaking, romantic, and passionate.
Take a step into the fascinating realm of gods and goddesses, mythical warriors, and legendary kings and queens. Explore the creation stories of world's great cultures, let yourself be gripped by the classic hero narratives like the legend of King Arthur or the adventures of the Monkey King, or shed a tear over heart-rending tragedies such as the devastating tale of Orpheus and Eurydice. The Mythology Book retells and explains more than 80 classic stories. They include myths that have formed the foundations of many of the world's great religions and inspired artists from Homer and Virgil to Richard Wagner and James Joyce. Delve into each story to discover the meanings behind the myths, getting to the heart of the significance to the cultures they originated in. Divided into seven major sections, The Mythology Book examines myths from every continent and every significant period in history, from ancient Egypt to the Celts, and from the Maya of Mexico and Central America to Aboriginal Australians and the Maori of New Zealand. An eye-catching visual approach includes graphics and feature boxes that summarize the sources, settings, and key characters, set out the main plot points, and place the stories in historical context.
Diverse myths and legends from around the world, from Iceland to Poland to Japan, retold in easy-to-read glorious full-colour comic book form by a stunning Australian artist with an international reputation.
China has had the longest continuous civilisation in human history, yet all too often this remarkable culture is only mentioned in reference to its impact on the development of Western Civilisation. The ancient history of China still impacts today on the political, social and cultural identity of the inhabitants of the world’s most populous nation. Topics covered in Ancient China include; geography, political philosophy, technology, agriculture, wars of unification, mythology, ancestor worship, Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, society, daily life and dragons!
With their universal themes of love, loss, and justice, myths, which define the values and customs of a particular society, continue to have meaning for us hundreds and even thousands of years after they were first told.
