Eric Long's dad is a champion surfer. His mom is an artist, obsessed with Chinese dragons. On his 15th birthday, both of his parents' interests collide and change everything he knows about the world.

When he goes on a surfing vacation with his father up near Santa Cruz, California, Eric begins having visions of a woman from Imperial China who had the ability to control a dragon and the emperor who wanted to exploit her talent to fight a war. One foggy morning, Eric and a new surfing friend sneak down to see the off-limits Dragon's Bluff beach near their motel, and he is rescued from drowning by a real-life dragon. This is the dragon of his visions!

Now Eric realizes that those visions are the dragon's memories. But why is he able to see them? Why is the dragon warning him to leave and never come back? Could Eric be a descendant of the dragon tamer? How dangerous will it be if he stays and tries to find the answers?