The Dragon’s Gate
Author: Barry Wolverton
Book Description:
An engrossing fantasy, a high-seas adventure, an alternate history epic—this is the richly imagined and gorgeously realized second book in acclaimed author Barry Wolverton’s Chronicles of the Black Tulip, perfect for fans of The Glass Sentence and the Books of Beginning series.
A magical white jade stone and a map inscribed in bone that may be the key to an even greater mystery—this is the treasure Bren and Mouse have found buried on the Vanishing Island.
Mouse is determined to follow the map to a place called the Dragon’s Gate, convinced it will explain who she really is and the powers she possesses. Bren has had enough adventure for one lifetime and would like nothing more than to return to his father in Map. But nothing goes according to plan when the survivors of the Albatross are rescued by Lady Jean Barrett, a charismatic archaeologist with a sense of destiny.
Barrett is on a quest for the Eight Immortals, ancient artifacts she believes are buried in the tomb of China’s first emperor—the location of which has been hidden for nearly two thousand years. The only way for Bren, Mouse, and Barrett to all get what they want is to work together on a dangerous journey into the heart of China, a kingdom long closed to outsiders, where the greatest secrets about Mouse and Bren are waiting to be unveiled.
A magical white jade stone and a map inscribed in bone that may be the key to an even greater mystery—this is the treasure Bren and Mouse have found buried on the Vanishing Island.
Mouse is determined to follow the map to a place called the Dragon’s Gate, convinced it will explain who she really is and the powers she possesses. Bren has had enough adventure for one lifetime and would like nothing more than to return to his father in Map. But nothing goes according to plan when the survivors of the Albatross are rescued by Lady Jean Barrett, a charismatic archaeologist with a sense of destiny.
Barrett is on a quest for the Eight Immortals, ancient artifacts she believes are buried in the tomb of China’s first emperor—the location of which has been hidden for nearly two thousand years. The only way for Bren, Mouse, and Barrett to all get what they want is to work together on a dangerous journey into the heart of China, a kingdom long closed to outsiders, where the greatest secrets about Mouse and Bren are waiting to be unveiled.
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Praise for The Dragon's Gate:
"In his signature style, Wolverton cleverly overlays intricate plotting with ancient Chinese legends and history (including the Dragon Boat Festival and the Terracotta Warriors) and creates a thrilling, fast-paced story that flies by. Fans will wait with bated breath for the third book in the trilogy." -- Kirkus
"More mystical artifacts, wild things, and mysteries more puzzling than ever. This second installment picks up right where The Vanishing Island left off, and fills in enough blanks to remind readers of Bren's last perilous adventure. Pick this up to keep readers on the hook for the upcoming third book."-- Booklist
“Yaozu, there must be folktales about these rock formations . . . what they look like, how they got here,” said Bren.
Yaozu smiled. “Why don’t you tell me one? What do you think? What do you see?”
Bren hadn’t been expecting that. He paused and looked around the strange valley, at the petrified fingers grasping for the sky. And he thought of the Chinese books the admiral had shared with him, and the types of stories they told, and the way they were told.
“Before the Ancients,” Bren began, “before the Eight Immortals, there were two brothers, Sky and Earth. And Earth raised these great pillars to hold the Sky up, and in return, Sky had a daughter, the Cloud Empress, to give Earth rain. Later Earth had a son, whose job was to dig holes and trenches so the rain could become rivers and lakes and seas.”
Yaozu nodded approvingly. “Go on.”
“The son of Earth and the daughter of Sky fell in love, against their parents’ wishes, and when they sneaked off to be together, there was drought. This angered Earth, who in a fit of spite ripped the tops of these pillars from the Sky, leaving them only as tall as we see them today. His anger nearly caused his ruin, because the Sky would have come crashing down, except for a bargain struck at the last minute. The Cloud Empress would knit together enough clouds to support the Sky, but in return, Earth had to give his son to the Sky, and he became the Moon. Which is why the moon is a symbol of love.”
Mouse applauded when Bren finished, and the others laughed. “You may be an Ancient, too,” said Yaozu, clasping Bren warmly on the arm.
“So what’s the real story?” said Bren.
Yaozu shrugged. “I don’t know one. Except yours now.”
"In his signature style, Wolverton cleverly overlays intricate plotting with ancient Chinese legends and history (including the Dragon Boat Festival and the Terracotta Warriors) and creates a thrilling, fast-paced story that flies by. Fans will wait with bated breath for the third book in the trilogy." -- Kirkus
"More mystical artifacts, wild things, and mysteries more puzzling than ever. This second installment picks up right where The Vanishing Island left off, and fills in enough blanks to remind readers of Bren's last perilous adventure. Pick this up to keep readers on the hook for the upcoming third book."-- Booklist
DREAM CAST
Bren: Art Parkinson
Archibald Black: John Cleese
Lady Jean Barrett: Claire Foy or Ellie Kendrick
Mouse: Ian Chen? This would be a daring one, since Ian is a boy. But Mouse’s gender is meant to be ambiguous, and a boy actor might be more convincing in the role.
Rand McNally: Kristofer Hivju
EXCERPT
From Chapter 18: Three Bridges
Bren and company are guided in their march across China by Yaozu, an exile who is returning to his homeland with his own agenda. Bren is awed not only by the Chinese landscape, but by the endlessly creative stories and legends that seem to permeate the culture. As they enter the Forest Above the Clouds (depicted on the book’s cover), Yaozu challenges Bren to create his own story.
The entire forest seemed to fall away into a vast chasm, its mouth as big as a small sea, and rising up from the abyss were thousands of towering stone pillars, some bare rock, some covered with small forests themselves. Below the rim, thick clouds gathered, as if they were standing above the sky itself.
The entire forest seemed to fall away into a vast chasm, its mouth as big as a small sea, and rising up from the abyss were thousands of towering stone pillars, some bare rock, some covered with small forests themselves. Below the rim, thick clouds gathered, as if they were standing above the sky itself.
“Yaozu, there must be folktales about these rock formations . . . what they look like, how they got here,” said Bren.
Yaozu smiled. “Why don’t you tell me one? What do you think? What do you see?”
Bren hadn’t been expecting that. He paused and looked around the strange valley, at the petrified fingers grasping for the sky. And he thought of the Chinese books the admiral had shared with him, and the types of stories they told, and the way they were told.
“Before the Ancients,” Bren began, “before the Eight Immortals, there were two brothers, Sky and Earth. And Earth raised these great pillars to hold the Sky up, and in return, Sky had a daughter, the Cloud Empress, to give Earth rain. Later Earth had a son, whose job was to dig holes and trenches so the rain could become rivers and lakes and seas.”
Yaozu nodded approvingly. “Go on.”
“The son of Earth and the daughter of Sky fell in love, against their parents’ wishes, and when they sneaked off to be together, there was drought. This angered Earth, who in a fit of spite ripped the tops of these pillars from the Sky, leaving them only as tall as we see them today. His anger nearly caused his ruin, because the Sky would have come crashing down, except for a bargain struck at the last minute. The Cloud Empress would knit together enough clouds to support the Sky, but in return, Earth had to give his son to the Sky, and he became the Moon. Which is why the moon is a symbol of love.”
Mouse applauded when Bren finished, and the others laughed. “You may be an Ancient, too,” said Yaozu, clasping Bren warmly on the arm.
“So what’s the real story?” said Bren.
Yaozu shrugged. “I don’t know one. Except yours now.”
About the Author
I have been writing for children for 20 years, helping create books, documentary television, and online content for Discovery Networks, National Geographic, the Library of Congress, Scholastic, and Time-Life Books, among others. Inspired by authors such as Lewis Carroll and Mark Twain, as well as folk tales and mythology from around the world, I love to combine wordplay and humor with dramatic plots to create rich narrative worlds for readers.
My debut novel, NEVERSINK, was named the Children’s Book of Choice by Literacy Mid-South for their Read Across America program in 2014. The first book in THE VANISHING ISLAND trilogy is available now.
7 Winner's will Receive a Copy of The Dragon’s Gate (The Chronicles of the Black Tulip #2) by Barry Wolverton.
My debut novel, NEVERSINK, was named the Children’s Book of Choice by Literacy Mid-South for their Read Across America program in 2014. The first book in THE VANISHING ISLAND trilogy is available now.
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7 Winner's will Receive a Copy of The Dragon’s Gate (The Chronicles of the Black Tulip #2) by Barry Wolverton.
Looks cool. Will have to check out book 1.
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