I've been in a huge reading slump, but I still flew this. What a masterpiece! I was hesitant when I heard this book would range 20 years, but I think the expanse and the title fit the final book in this trilogy perfectly. In these years we got to see the legacy of everyone of these characters, what and how they built, and how they ended. These years added layers upon layers to each group and the ending was such an amazing full circle moment that had me hugging my kindle just reminiscing on the Green Bone Saga journey. It's been a month since I've finished this book, and I still miss this story and its characters!

I adore this installment so much!!!! I can’t believe this weeks is over what a ride. I love all the characters SO SO much!

If I could give this more than 5 stars, I would. No complaints from me about this book or any of the previous in the series. Fonda Lee continues to understand the assignment.

Thoughts:
The way time moves throughout the series is amazing. It elevates the story and makes you feel like you are getting the fullest reading experience possible. You are given the time to really see the growth of each character through the years. It keeps the pacing throughout such long books feeling easy and makes you feel like what you are reading is valuable to the story and characters. I never felt like my time was wasted reading any particular chapter.

The story itself is fantastic and I am absolutely in love with the world built throughout this series. I do like each of the Kaul's in all their gangster, morally gray glory. They are neither good or bad people, but are written in such a realistic way as to understand them in the context of the world they are in. Sometimes they simply feel like the best, most okay option in this complicated world of Jade Warriors. It is a joy to keep up with them, even when they majorly stress me out. They all test my patience sometimes (well, except maybe Anden).

Everything from the magic system, the writing, the characters, the world building, the politics, the action, the relationship dynamics, and beyond all combine to form an entertaining and intense story that I cannot help but fall into completely. This one is less action-packed than previous books, but it has its own interesting, crazy moments to keep things exciting (and stressful).

Excited to see what Fonda Lee comes up with next! I'm definitely a big fan and I loved this whole story.

Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for providing me with a free eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Jade Legacy (The Green Bone Saga #3) by Fonda Lee

5 stars

Content Warnings (may contain out of context spoilers): Death, Murder, Suicide, Violence/Gore, Sexual Content, Drug Use/Addiction, Gun Violence, Torture (taken from Storygraph)

All I can say is WOW. Fonda Lee has exceeded my expectations yet again, wrapping up her epic Green Bone Saga trilogy with what I would consider to be as close to a perfect ending as a subjective medium like writing can get. I loved Jade City and adored Jade War even more (both five star reads for me, though), and this book was even better. Even though it was over 700 pages, I (a very busy university student) blew through it in under two days. At the end of each chapter, I would immediately continue on, at the edge of my seat, needing to know what happened next. The suspense starts from page one and never loses focus or steam until the very end, and the stakes for all of the characters are continually enormous.

As always, the worldbuilding in this series is absolutely superb, and Lee does not let readers down for the final book. I’ve always been so impressed by her ability to expand outwards in her world while still maintaining very detailed portrayals of all the different countries, cities, and even neighbourhood described. In Jade City, most of the action takes place in Janloon, and it expands to other countries in Jade War with even further expansion done in Jade Legacy. I also really appreciated seeing how technology and culture shifted as the years passed in this book - as it spans multiple decades and is truly a generational epic in all possible aspects. It was also very interesting to read about the shifting impacts of jade as the years passed, and how the study of jade-related arts expanded and shifted. I also found Fonda Lee’s writing style to be an excellent means of conveying the story, as always. It is efficient and to the point, but also very engaging and dynamic, which really adds a lot to her excellent fight sequences and makes even more exciting to read.

As you will know, if you’ve read the first two books in the series, Fonda Lee is an expert at developing complex, yet enthralling characters. I don’t know if I can honestly say that many of the members of the Kaul family, or either of the clans, are good people, but they are some of the most well-developed and interesting people I’ve ever read about. (Note: this does not apply to Anden and/or Wen, who can literally do no wrong in my books.) I also really enjoyed that we got to see a new generation grow up over the course of the book, it really did make it feel like an epic modern saga. Another characterization element that I particularly enjoy over this series is that while we see the events transpiring from the eyes of the Kauls and the No Peak clan, we’re never entirely sure if they are in the right. As a reader, I could imagine a similar story from the eyes of the Mountain clan where our protagonists are clearly the villains in the story. This adds a realistic edge to the narrative, especially as the story concerns ultra-wealthy, violent, and, admittedly probably corrupt gangs/businesses.

The character arcs in this series are super, super well done. There is one in particular, which I won’t mention for the risk of spoilers, that absolutely blew me away and is honestly probably one of the most well-crafted character arcs that I’ve ever read. For all of the main cast, there were so many “full-circle” moments which displayed the character growth of the characters which we love so dearly.

Like in the prior two novels, politics take a centre stage in the plot, and it is often told through chapter long “tableaus” depicting a particular character or group of characters in a particular setting. I think this plotting style definitely helped the time skips throughout the novel feel more authentic. As mentioned before, the plot literally had me on the edge of my seat and I could not put this book down. There was never a dull moment - despite the book being over 700 pages long - in my mind it was perfectly paced. Lee is a master of building suspense and making you feel anxious for characters’ well-being, whether you are reading the first chapter, the middle of the book, or the final chapters. As always, I also really loved reading the interludes and trying to guess at their meaning in the context of the unfolding plot.

This book made me so emotional, which, in my mind, is probably some of the highest praise I can give. I cried multiple times throughout, and the last quarter was just me full on sobbing the whole time. When people say this book will break you, they aren’t lying!

In conclusion, this book was the most well-crafted, refined works of art which I have read this year, if not of all time. If you liked the first two instalments, this one will not disappoint! Fonda Lee has 100% stuck the landing.

This was a masterful ending to the Green Bone Saga and is some of the best character work I've ever seen in a fantasy series. The Kaul family has left a lasting impact on my reading life in ways I'm unable to properly describe. I'll be reviewing this in full detail on my YouTube channel!

This was a great finale to the trilogy full of amazing world building and intricate characterisation. This is a 4.5 for me as there seems to be something just not quite pipping it to a full five stars.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

The Green Bone Saga is one of my favorite series of all time. That being said, I do seem to be the minority here with thinking that this was the weakest of the three. There were quite a few time jumps and I think the book spanned a total of twenty years. I know there were smaller jumps in the first two but the large gaps left in this book did leave me confused just a bit. I almost felt as if this should have been a four book series rather than a three book series. It was both the timejumps and the quick pacing of the plot progression after major things that happen that brought this book down to a 4 star.

The actual plot was fantastic. There was so much character development packed into Jade Legacy that it made the characters arcs rap up very nicely. This book was both heartbreaking and infuriating at times (especially Hilo) as some made very questionable decisions. They all made sense and completely fit within what their characters would have done, it was just one of those things that made me immediately know that something was going to go sideways. One of my absolute favorite things about this series as a whole is how immersive and real it felt. The characters feel like real people so when something happens to them or a family member it really hits hard. This goes to show how fantastic of a writer Fonda Lee is. The ending of this book and how complete the series felt leaves me very excited to read her future books.

Overall good but a little disappointed. Perhaps it was the hype the book got and I had some issues with it (that honestly maybe resolved on reread) but we shall see.

Fonda Lee is a master, and I will continue to read everything she writes ESPECIALLY in this world. Want more of Jaya and Shae.

heartbreaking and long. those are the two words i would use to describe this book. for the most part, it seemed to go on for forever, with not much actually happening plot wise. that being said, the attachment i have to these characters made it worthwhile. i was so curious to see how their story ended. needless to say, i am a sobbing mess

I got very emotional in SEVERAL places while reading this... Fonda Lee really knows how to GUT PUNCH her readers right in the heart!

I loved so much about it, and technically rated it 4.5 stars, because I did think that the extreme time jumps were a bit jarring sometimes. I kind of wish this had been broken down into more than one book. Maybe this final book to the original trilogy, and then another continuation trilogy to follow the new generation? It just felt a bit like we were fast-forwarding through a movie in places.

Chances are, if you've read this far into the series then you understand what makes the Green Bone Saga so incredibly special. Jade Legacy is an incredible finale to one the hottest series in Fantasy of recent years. Legacy certainly lives up to it's incredible hype, let's explore why. Coming out of Jade War, we are left captivated by a whirlwind events that get all or most of our characters to a complete breaking point, essentially the worst point in their lives. Legacy starts up not too far from the events of the last book, showing us the fallout from many of those events and how our characters are finding ways to cope with it in their lives.

As the book goes on, we see new and unforeseen challenges present themselves, challenges that were only hinted at in the previous novels, and we watch as our favorite Green Bone family has to band together once again, slowly letting go of the grudges they've been holding for the past year or so, It was great to see new "bad guys" come to the forefront. I'll admit, I was worried it was going to be the same song and dance as the previous books, seeing our No Peak Clan relentlessly fight against the Mountain clan, and that does happen, but we also see new enemies and challenges present themselves in very unique and surprising ways. I honestly believe that no one could have predicted the events of this book. The No Peak clan is now not only facing backlash from The Mountain Clan and Criminal Gangster Organizations, but is also having to outmaneuver mercenary and military organizations of non-Kekonese people who have been dosed with the new version of Shine (SN-2), allowing them to use Jade like the Kekonese do. However, the book does a fantastic job of explaining what it really means to wear Jade, and why it shouldn't be worn/used by your average civilian or non-Kekonese.

Something I really liked about this book, and makes it so different from any other Fantasy books, is it takes place over roughly.. 40 years or so? Having read from the beginning (Jade City) we watch these people as they are young, grow into full adulthood, get married, have children, and grow very old, and usher in the new generation. This is something I have never seen done in any other series and really blew me away when we got to the end and were able to look back on our Characters' entire lives!

Fonda Lee not only works wonders on the page, but she is also a very kind and amazing person who deeply loves her fans. I was able to talk to her through Twitter and she gave us several Audiobook codes to give away on our podcast, and then mentioned she would be in Seattle for a signing. My co-host and I went to get our books signed when she was in town and it was such a wonderful experience. She remembered us by name (even though she probably meets hundreds of people at these things), and took about 15 minutes to just sit and talk with us, about the book, comic-con, us and the podcast, and then personalized our copies of Jade Legacy and took a couple pictures with us. It was a surreal experience. Every interaction I've had with her has been like that.

Speaking of Audiobooks, her narrator for these books, Andrew Kishino, does incredible work with the narration. He adds a super unique voice for each character, and brings the pages to life in such a dynamic way. I watched a podcast where he and Fonda sat down to chat about the books and you can really see how much he cares about these books and his work. Definitely worth picking the audiobooks, I couldn't picture the characters' voices any other way now!

All in all, this is a fantastic ending to a beloved series and I cannot wait to see what Fonda Lee does next, whatever it is it will be a day-one pickup for us at the Fantasy Files Podcast.

Feel free to check out our channel linked below, we cover a lot of various Fantasy and Sci Fi related books, and we have several episodes on the Green Bone Saga. I've also linked both parts of our big Jade Legacy episode (it's full spoilers, so beware!)

Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA87yRdWyzRMq3Im1leK6OA

Jade Legacy Discussion Episode Pt.1:
https://youtu.be/NptTFT_OE4I

Jade Legacy Discussion Episode Pt.2:
https://youtu.be/OC4wr3xiMe8

The conclusion to this trilogy has me feeling a lot of different things, and with 713 pages, a lot to talk about. But I like to keep my reviews spoiler free and I feel like this review would be never ending if I talked about every little detail so I’m goin to talk about some major points here. First, the timing. If you were like me and thought the time jumps in Jade War were crazy — these are even worse. The first half of the book is crazy time hoping. Luckily it was a little easier to follow because the years are given but still. The only thing I like about the time hops is to see the Kaul family from start to finish. A lot of books don’t offer a true ending for the characters that are followed unless there is a lot of books in the series. So I do appreciate it in that aspect. It created some awkward moments for me as I was reading. For example, Niko sex scenes? I hated them. To me, Niko was still this little boy that Hilo had taken and then to have these scenes. It just didn’t feel right. But it was amazing to read all of the events that the Kaul family had gone through to protect their family and the No Peak Clan. It was definitely a journey that I really did feel like I experienced with them. During the second half of the book, the time jumps weren’t as bad and that’s when I flew through the book. I devoured the second half as so many different things were happening, and I just needed to know how they’d resolve. The story felt complete and gave me an ending that even though made me sad, made me feel satisfied. I lived the horrors with Hilo, Andy, Shae, and Wen and experienced their losses and wins with them. I felt connected to these stories and these characters. I feel like I can truly say, The clan is my blood, and the Pillar is its master. On my honor, my life, and my jade.

Where to even start with these characters. After following them for so long I could probably write a whole book about them. Even though Bero is a POS, I absolutely love that every book opened with him. It’s just a reminder that he is always there in the background of every major event. And it’s amazing how he made it through the books still alive. Hilo and Shae were amazing to watch grow together. After the events of the second book, to see them come together and really make an unstoppable team was all I wanted for them. To watch as their lives intertwined and all that they have sacrificed for No Peak was so believable. This book would have been nothing without the two of them. One of my favorite parts of the book was how believable Wen’s character is. After dying and then being resurrected in Jade War, it was not easy to overcome her difficulties. I feel in a lot of books if this were to happen, it would have been treated as nothing was wrong with her. But the consequences of her dying were so realistic that I really appreciated Wen’s disabilities. And Wen has always been a fighter so of course actually dying would have never stopped her. Then there is Andy. If I look at all of the characters, I believe Andy is my favorite. He has grown the most and I really enjoyed his story. It is truly amazing to see how his character developed and I believe that his story was my favorite.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, Jade Legacy was an amazing way to close out this series. While I struggled with the time jumping in the beginning of the book, it really did give us the full story of these characters from start to finish. I appreciate that I was able to live this whole story with these characters and not just some of it. Once the time jumping stopped, the book flew for me with all of the events that occurred. Reading and witnessing these stories is something that will always stick with me and this whole series is one I will not forget soon. I struggled and hoped and loved and lost with all of these characters in a way that was not experienced before. I truly feel as though I am a member of the No Peak Clan and an honorary member of the Kaul family. This is a whole series I would absolutely recommend to anyone who enjoyed fantasy mixed with politics and family and just so many other emotions. The clan is my blood.

Wow. I am sad to have this series end, but so absolutely in awe of it now that I’ve finished it.
Lee really created an epic adult fantasy series that kept me turning the page time and time again. And I can see why so many people on Twitter spoke about their hearts being broken - the ending is brutal!
I would 100% recommend this series and my advice is binge it. Don’t put the books down for too long because a lot happens in this series. You’re literally following three generations of family and 20+ years of politics, war, and family drama.

First, I’m sorry this is so late! I was slammed with moving and the holidays! This is definitely a book that is hard to put down. It was a struggle to actually have to be a responsible adult! haha

This might be one of the best series endings ever. Can I write a review that does it justice? Not a chance. Are my thoughts coherent? Not at all. I am not recovered, and my favorite books are always the hardest to write reviews for.

“Jade warriors are young, and then they are ancient.”

Fonda Lee did something a bit different with this book and skips a lot of time. Sometimes we skip years between chapters. At first, I wasn’t into it and was sad to see the age in some of my favorite characters. By the end of the book, I realized it totally made sense. The world-building and political intrigue are just as great as all her previous. This whole world is unique and fascinating but what she excels at, are her characters.

Hilo might be one of my favorite characters of all time. By the end of this series, I wanted to offer someone a clean blade so he would be proud of me too. Then I could say, “The clan is my blood and the Pillar my master.” His character was not my favorite in Jade City. This goes to show you how brilliant she is at writing characters since he’s now one of my favorites of all time. His story arc is hauntingly beautiful. He goes through so much and not all of it is pretty. I think the growth he has in this book alone is one of my favorite things about this book. He’s such a hothead and doesn’t think about the next step in previous books. In this book, he has learned a lot from his past mistakes and applies them. Even though, there are times that he absolutely surprises me.

What’s even more amazing is that there are several characters that I loved dearly in this series. They all get their time to shine and take actions to really make big impacts. Some of those actions are not so black and white but you understand. One of the things that I love about this series is that there are brutal moments that you can’t believe happen, but you do understand. Wren & Shae were two of early favorites, especially in Jade War. One of the things I love about Wren is that she’s a stone-eye and comes from nothing. It does not stop her at all. She’s one of the strongest and smartest characters in this series. Wow, I truly enjoyed her character arc. Shae is brilliant and I love how Hilo is surrounded by such strong amazing women. He doesn’t shy away from it but embraces it. I’m not sure if it’s just the powerful way that Lee writes her women or what, but I was even kind of in love with Ayt Madashi! Is she evil? Absolutely, but I understand it. I don’t agree with it, but I couldn’t just outright hate her. Then we have Anden, who walked away from it all to do his own thing BUT is such an important figure in the Green Bone family, is just beautiful. He’s been through so much but what he has become in this book just makes me so happy.

“You’d think it would be easier to face death as you get older, but it doesn’t work that way. You get more attached to life, to people you love and things that are worth living for.”

There are so many moving pieces in this book that I had a hard time figuring out how it would all come together. I actually loved that because it was not predictable. There’s a lot of action and a lot of new characters to fall in love with. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to connect with them as well, but I was so wrong. Honestly, the way that each and every character provides vital moments in this series is just amazing.

One of the things that you have to be aware of is that this is a slow build. While I was completely engrossed in the plot, there are times that policy and business really take the forefront. It is so vital to the story, so you just have to be patient that it’s going to mean something. She does have a good mix of action and fight scenes to really keep the story moving. Also, there are many moments in this book that will hit you in the gut or rip out your heart. You pick which is worse and go with that one. Gosh, this is going to be a story that I remember forever. You know, how sometimes as readers, we can read so many books that some books you have a hard time remembering details? This is not one of those books. The emotional punches come often and just make it hard to forget those feelings.

“Perhaps that was the great tragedy of jade warriors and their families. Even when we win, we lose.“

There’s one thing that I didn’t love about this book (doesn’t take away from my overall love) and I’m not really going to discuss it because I want to keep it spoiler-free.

Overall, this was an amazing ending to the series. Green Bone fans should feel satisfied because I am. Like I mentioned before, this is probably one of my favorite series endings ever. I walked away satisfied and completely heartbroken. I had to cry in my shower because my son was so concerned about me. haha! I think if an author can make you have such intense feelings about her stories, she’s brilliant and that’s all you need to know! I know that my thoughts are all over the place but if anything has happened… I hope that it’s convinced you to pick up book one and jump into this amazing series! Thank you, Fonda Lee, for such an incredible world and characters that I will never forget!

Thank you to Orbit for providing me with a copy of this e-book for review! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

There are no words. Fonda Lee is a master. In the concluding book of the Greenbone Saga, Fonda Lee puts a bow on a series that will be a pillar and a high-water mark for modern fantasy. Staggering, epic, everything that one would want in a fantasy saga. Amazing work, I will miss this world dearly!

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for providing an ARC.

It's been days since I've finished this book, and I still cannot write anything I can call a review. Instead, I'll tell you a little about my reading experience:
🗡 This book (the whole trilogy) made my jaw drop several times. I mean literally. 😲

🗡 It made me gasp, stunned me to silence, caused me to sit in place, eyes wide, in complete disbelief of what I read. 😳

🗡 A N X I E T Y.

🗡 I had to put it down or pause the audiobook, get up, and pace because wtf just happened?!?!?!

🗡 It made me laugh, and it made me cry.

🗡 Major book hangover 😵🥴

See, I'm not a fan of character-driven, slow-paced books. I couldn't get enough of this story, though, which is a true testament to Lee's writing. Yes, the plot and world-building are excellent. But the characters are the true star of the show. This book spans twenty years! You'd think that'd work against it, but Lee beautifully pulled it off, and we got to witness some masterful characters arcs throughout this book, and the series overall.

This book was the perfect conclusion to a fantastic series.

Fonda Lee thanked readers and reviewers for spreading the word about "this epic urban fantasy gangster family saga of my heart." I want to personally thank her for putting this story out into the world because I didn't just read these books. I experienced them. It was peak escapism. This epic saga will always and forever have a place in my heart.

Do I recommend this? HELL YES!!!

Wow, just wow. I feel like I’ve said that after every book in this series. I don’t have many auto buy authors but whatever Fonda Lee puts out next I’m buying no questions asked. This story was perfect. The flawed and real characters, the family dynamics and the lengths the No-Peaks go to is mind blowing. The series is over but I’ll be ruminating on Kekon for a long time to come.

For some, Jade gifts them with magic. They are called green bones. They wear jade and rule the City. This story follows the Kauls, rulers of the No Peak green bone clan, as the war with their rival clan The Mountain hopefully comes to a close..

Jade Legacy is an incredible ending to an incredible series.

Fonda Lee manages to weave intricate and detailed worldbuilding with a character focused narrative while somehow raising the stakes and scope of the story consistently. Jade Legacy is one of the best endings to a trilogy I've read, and may be one of the best books I've read as well.

This series, ooooof! I think this is the best trilogy I’ve read in years! I mean, I read all 3 books this year! That never happens to me. The first two books were bloody and violent and just gave me all the badass underworld magical mafia moments I craved.

Now… I don’t quite know how to review this book—especially without spoilers. I’ve been thinking about how to write this for weeks. I was both nervous and excited to read Jade Legacy because I knew it would destroy me. It’s the kind of book I wanted to read in one sitting but also the kind of book I never wanted to end. I DEVOURED every single word. This book was a masterpiece.

So many things happened and so many years passed (I’m still not sure how it worked, but it totally did!) and so many changes were made in Kekon. Which was expected with the word Legacy in the title! We finally got the conclusion we needed with the Slow War and Ayt, and get to see some REAL character development. I fucking ADORED Wen’s development in Jade War, but Shae and Hilo went through MAJOR development in Legacy and I LOVED THE FUCK OUT OF IT OKAY. Like, it was a drastic change but at the same time not, since Jade Legacy spans like 20 years or so.


But omg the SUSPENSE. Knowing that at any moment any of the characters could die was just perfect. I don’t always get that feel with books because I know for a fact that there’s no way the author will kill such and such character. But in this series, anyone could have died at any moment and it wouldn’t have surprised me even though every death scene shocked me. Like WOAH, did that really just happen??? I’m not sure why that’s appealing to me, but it is!

I did have one minor “I wouldn’t have done it that way” moment in Legacy, but considering the sheer number of happenings in this series and literally only one moment out of the whole thing that had me think it was a little too close to a plot device that I’m sick of. But the way the story progressed from there turned everything around because that one incident was important and kept coming back for multiple reasons. It was an essential part of the story and not just a “I want to do this for no other reason than for the gasp”.

Everything tied up wonderfully.

Now my only question is: when can I return to Kekon?

Thanks Orbit/Netgalley for the earc!

Honestly, I kept putting off reading this one because I wasn't ready for it to be all over and because I knew it was going to rip my heart out. (Also because I just couldn't get a copy of the first two books to reread, but mostly the first two reasons.) Then I kept putting off writing this review because I had a lot of incoherent feelings, and, again, I wasn't ready for it to be all over ... but here we are at last.

First things first: the ending made me cry. Not just a few tears shed at one point, but the full sniffles-and-snot ordeal, recurring every few pages for the last few chapters. And I don't consider myself a crier when it comes to books! I can only say that I was not at all prepared, despite my anticipation and speculation about this book, especially since initially I wasn't quite sure how the climax and falling action could possibly rise to the level of sky-high stakes: escalation after escalation after escalation.

But man, oh man, did Jade Legacy deliver. This is a series conclusion to remember.

As with the second installment, Jade War, the scope is epic — in timespan covered, themes explored, and thickness (page count) embodied by the book itself. This is where I think rereading the previous books would've helped me out, since so much has already happened and it all builds throughout the length of the trilogy; it would also have saved me some time in getting re-immersed in the Kauls' world. But it definitely wasn't necessary.

The ambitious narrative does mean that there are a fair few slower scenes among the intermediate peaks, though I wouldn't label any of it as "fluff" in the pejorative sense. For me the political and socio/economic machinations were the least exciting (but, again, necessary to the story), while the domestic family moments were the highlights.

Even saying that seems like an oversimplification, though, because every element of this series is inextricably intertwined with the others. At its heart I maintain that this series is largely character-driven, but the plot and worldbuilding are also integral to the whole experience. (The clan is my blood and the Pillar is its master.) Seriously, I'm in awe of how much Fonda Lee packs in, somehow without rushing or cramming or losing sight of how important even the little moments can be.