Returning to high school after saving the universe is a terrible demotion. That is the central premise behind Of Sorcery and Science (Running Press Kids; September 8, 2026), the highly anticipated Young Adult debut from New York Times bestselling author Mike Chen. Renowned for crossing genre boundaries and contributing to legendary franchises like Star Wars, Marvel, Star Trek, and Critical Role, Chen now turns his sharp, empathetic lens toward a unique rendition of “The Chosen One” trope. All while infusing the story with modern STEM concepts and an authentic Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) perspective.

The Magic of STEM and Self-Discovery

Of Sorcery and Science follows Andy Lao, a disgruntled Asian American high schooler who spent months traveling through a magical portal, mastering high-level spellcraft, and saving a distant fantasy realm as a legendary hero. But upon returning to his normal life, Andy hits a wall: absolutely no one believes his story. To make matters worse, he is failing his real-world science and math classes, constantly bearing the weight of his parents’ disappointment. After all, it’s hard to care about college applications when you’ve already defeated dark magic.

Everything changes when Andy discovers a glowing bit of mana near the old portal site, proving that magic is still accessible. But the adventure truly re-ignites when a surly, mysterious teen girl steps through the portal with a startling revelation: she is the real Chosen One, and Andy’s actions actually doomed her realm.

To repair the magical world and set things right, the unlikely duo must team up, discovering along the way that the true key to unlocking magic lies in modern scientific principles. Praise for the novel has already begun rolling in, with Booklist highlighting the book’s clever balance of “experiments and magic spells to speak to both sf and fantasy-loving teens.”

Bridging Two Worlds

For Chen, the story’s core theme, feeling caught between two distinct realities, is deeply personal. Drawing directly from his own experience growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area as a child of immigrants, Chen navigated adolescence by seeking out “other worlds” in science fiction and punk rock. That sense of dual identity mirrors Andy’s struggle to balance his ordinary family expectations with his extraordinary past.

Whether writing about galactic wars or high school corridors, Chen consistently grounds high-concept spec-fic in human emotion. With its rare mix of portal fantasy tropes, real-world science, and heartfelt AAPI representation, Of Sorcery and Science promises to be a standout release for teen readers navigating their own journeys of identity and self-discovery.