Of Sorcery and Science

Contributors

By Michael Chen

Formats and Prices

On Sale
Sep 8, 2026
Page Count
288 pages
Publisher
Running Press Kids
ISBN-13
9798894141121

Price

$19.99

Price

$25.99 CAD

Format

Format:

  1. Hardcover $19.99 $25.99 CAD
  2. ebook $9.99 $12.99 CAD

A teen who is The Chosen One in a fantasy realms finds himself a nobody back home—that is, until magic appears in the real world and he must re-enter the portal to save a doomed realm.

Months after entering a portal, becoming a powerful mage, and saving the distant realm of Garriod, disgruntled Asian American high school student Andy Lao returns home to find that no time has passed in the real world—and absolutely no one believes what happened to him. In fact, things are worse than ever before for Andy: socially, academically, and don’t get him started on his parents’ expectations. How do you think about standardized tests and college applications when you’re The Chosen One of a magical, distant land?

One day, when Andy visits the portal’s location, he sees a glowing bit of mana on the ground. And with that, magic is possible again. Each visit means more mana, and suddenly stopping time, shooting ice, and blasting fireworks are at his fingertips. But when a mysterious teen girl comes through the portal, she claims to be the Chosen One . . . and that Andy’s the one who doomed Garriod. Together, they’ll save magic—because the answer lies in modern science.

  • “Chen delights in his charming YA debut with relatable characters, fun plotting, and a surprising amount of heart addressing the realities of saving a fantasy world—or living in ours. I can't believe he made me care about math and physics—truly an astonishing feat.” B>Kiersten White, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the And I Darken trilogy
     
    Kiersten White, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the AND I DARKEN trilogy
  • "Charming and utterly relatable characters that will have you rooting for them, whether they are saving a fantasy realm or dealing with overbearing parents. Of Sorcery and Science is tremendous fun and full of heart!"
    Ellen Oh, award-winning author of THE COLLIDING WORLDS OF MINA LEE
  • “Infused with humor, angst, and adventure, Chen’s YA debut features a lovable, relatable cast dealing with bad grades and parental woes in between bouts of sword, sorcery, and science. With Stranger Things vibes, this is a fun ride with plenty of twists and adrenaline!"
    Jessica Khoury, author of THE MYSTWICK SCHOOL OF MUSICRAFT and THE RUBY CODE

Michael Chen

About the Author

Mike Chen is a New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of sci-fi and horror for adults. He has written multiple contributions to the Star Wars universe, as well as a novel for Marvel and a comic series for Star Trek. This is his first novel for young adults.

Learn more about this author