It was so fun to be back in a world full of Green Bones! This story can be read before jumping into the main trilogy as it takes place before the trilogy starts. It will give new readers a taste of the city, clan politics, and Jade abilities. However, I personally loved reading it afterward. I got to see some of my favorite characters again (even if only briefly) and the threat of Ayt Mada was much worse than if you don't know all of her story. With a story of this length the characters aren't quite as well fleshed out as I'd like and the abilities of Jade aren't as well described. However, I thought the plot was fun and the new characters were great to learn about!

This was a fun read and a fun return to the world of Jade City. I loved getting a deeper look into some of the things mentioned in the book

Check me out on Instagram
@books_boards_and_brews

The Jade Setter of Janloon
By Fonda Lee
P144 2022
9/10

This ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review. Special thanks to Fonda Lee NetGalley and Subterranean Press for providing this ARC

The Jade Setter of Janloon is a wonderful return to the Green Bone Saga. Fonda Lee has delivered a small scale story that still manages to be as captivating as the other books.

TJSOJ follows apprentice jade setter, Pulo Oritono, and his journey to recover an item stolen from his shop. Lee's character work shines throughout this novella, making the characters introduced, feel as real as the beloved (and hated) ones from the trilogy.

I am such a fan of the Green Bone Saga, and when I saw NetGalley was offering ARCs for the second printing, I couldn't help from jumping on it! The Jade Setter of Janloon will be available for a 2nd Printing on November 30!

As usual, Fonda Lee does not disappoint. If you are fan of the Green Bone Saga, this short story is a fun escape back into the world of Janloon. Pulo, the apprentice to famous jade setter, Isin, is pulled into a harrowing affair when the one-of-a-kind moon blade, belonging to the Pillar of the Mountain clan, is stolen from their shop. Pulo has 3 days to locate the stolen blade and save his Master and the girl he loves, before they all suffer the consequences of the wrath of Mountain Clan.

this was such an amazing way to get back into the world i’ve been missing ever since finishing the green bone saga! fonda lee never fails to write characters and their stories in a way that hooks you in, keeps you invested and then leaves you wanting more. in this novella, we get to see a side of the city/green bones that we didn’t really get to see in the main books and i loved every bit of it. despite this being less than 200 pages, you get all of the same feelings and thoughts as if you were reading a story with 400+ pages while still managing to be a completely different experience with new characters. fonda lee can really do no wrong when it comes to writing high fantasy, whether it’s long or short, i’ll be first in line to read anything she releases!

The Jade Setter of Janloon by Fonda Lee


I can’t believe I waited this long to jump on the Fonda Lee bandwagon! I’ve been hearing about Fonda Lee and the Green Bone Saga for years - her books keep showing up on recommended lists and best of the year lists, but somehow I never got around to finding the time to read them. But when I saw a book by her from Subterranean Press on NetGalley, I thought I should request it to try it out. It was wonderful! Her characters are so well drawn, and her world building is wonderful! Even though this was a short book, I felt like it was a real place and well defined. The only note that clanged to me was when a character who was not a warrior ended up killing someone in a fight, and his emotional response to this did not seem to fit with what I had thought of who the character was up to that point. But maybe that’s just me. In any event, I loved this book and an putting all three Green Bone Saga books high up on my TBR pile. Thanks for the eARC in exchange for this honest review.

This book follows Pulo, a man who is basically a jeweler for Jade. Jade is a magical resource that gives the wearer super strength, speed, etc. He works in a little shop that is in neutral territory between the two major clans, which is well known for its quality work. People from all clans come in to have Jade set, because they know his master is the best on the island.

One day, they get a Jade sword in the shop for repairs, which is owned by one of the big clan leaders. The next night, it gets stolen from their safe. Another shop worker is accused on the crime, and Pulo is determined to prove her innocence. When the police won’t help search, because they don’t have enough evidence to accuse anyone else, Pulo goes off on his own to follow a lead.

I really liked how in this novella I got to see more of the mundane city people. The main series follows one of the big clan families, and really only focuses on the big political events. Seeing this world from an outsider’s perspective was really fascinating. It gave so much depth to a part of the world that was glossed over in the main trilogy.

Honestly, if more authors wrote little novellas like this to go along with bigger series, I’d love that. I feel like some authors are really stuck on writing big novels that they forget how much power they can have if they condensed their ideas down into smaller, bite-sized chunks. I’ve seen too many authors write one series in a world, then another, then another, and after a while I’m just tired of it. I’d rather have one main series and a couple of novellas to flesh out the world.

To me, this novella feels a lot like Ruination, another book I read recently. Ruination is based part of the lore for League of Legends, which I’m not familiar with. It condensed one story down into a nice stand-alone. While the Netflix show Arcane is the main story they want to focus on, Ruination felt like a small peek into what the rest of the world is like, but it didn’t overwhelm me with too much information. It told one concise story in a very accessible way, which I think worked really well.

Obviously, a short novella is no match for a lengthy trilogy when it comes to characterization and worldbuilding, but Fonda Lee was still able to craft an exciting, tightly-plotted, and complete story featuring many of the hallmarks that made the Green Bone Saga so compelling.

If you’re interested in the Green Bone Saga and aren’t ready to commit to the full series, this is a tasty appetizer for what’s to come. And if, like me, you loved the Green Bone Saga and aren’t ready to leave Janloon behind just yet, this is still a supremely satisfying read.

A stand alone prequel to the "Green Bone Saga," "The Jade Setter of Janloon' reads very well as an individual story or as addition to the series. While much shorter than the existing books, this novella focuses on some of the more regular people in the Janloon. Though they still work with Jade and are affected by it, they are not big players in the ongoing battles for power the clans live with on a day to day basis.
I loved seeing how the clans fighting affect others, whether as jewelers who build their business around the constant reworking of the same Jade moving the new owners, or the more nefarious protection of Lantern Men who don't always care who they hurt in their pursuit of power and wealth.
Will definitely be looking forward to seeing more short stories and novellas from the Green Bone world!

Love this book and love this series. I was so happy to go back one more time to this world and Fonda Lees great world

Jade, theft, and murder all come together as a apprentice jade setter must find a missing moon blade before the wrong person is sentenced to jail and his master’s business is ruined. Pulo Oritono is an apprentice jade setter who dreams of establishing his own successful business but his hopes are destroyed when a priceless jade weapon is stolen from the shop where he works out. This missing blade would spell the death of not only his future career but of his current master and friend if he does not solve the theft and get the blade back. But as he hunts down the blade he begins to realize he doesn’t really know everyone he thought he did and he has to question what it truly means to be a jade setter and what he wants for his future. This is a standalone novel set in the world of the Green Bone Saga. As someone who has not read those books yet ( they are definitely on my tbr) I found that I could easily follow this story and that this was a great little slice of the world. The mystery was interesting and the characters were unique. I would definitely recommend you read this book!

*Thank you Netgalley and Subterranean Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

A pretty solid read! I loved being back in Janloon again! There were a few formatting errors, but nothing too major

This is a novella that took time before Jade City, about a small conflict that involved Ayt Mada's moon blade. HOW can this short story still made me cry? Fonda Lee never come to play I fear.

And I missed the Kauls so MUCH at this point I'd give anything to get more of their stories😭😭😭

A perfectly contained adventure and a glimpse into a different side of Janloon! I only wish this book had been made available in an unsigned edition through Baker & Taylor so that library patrons could enjoy it as well.