Breath of the Dragon is the action-packed young adult adventure from Shannon Lee (daughter of Bruce Lee) and Fonda Lee. As a young boy, Jun makes a tragic mistake that causes him to be banished along with his father to the West. Jun desperately hopes to reunite with his mother and twin, while passing the time by honing his skills in martial arts. When a once in a lifetime opportunity arises for him to showcase his skills, his father forbids him from entering the tournament. Will Jun obey or choose his own path?

Readers who love martial arts action sequences and Bruce Lee will love this book! It is fast-paced, with a strong hero who makes the best choices he can in tough situations. Jun is deeply shaped by the separation that occurred when he was young and must deal with the disappointment of not having a special power to aid him in his fighting. Fonda Lee’s exquisite writing style and world-building shines through, although readers of her previous works should note that this is a young adult story. Breath of the Dragon took me a little bit to get into, but at a certain point I was hooked! I enjoyed the side characters, such as Ren and Yin. I’ll look forward to seeing how the story continues!

Thank you to Shannon Lee, Fonda Lee, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc.

martial arts and magic, something i didn't know i needed until now! i loved the story and jun so much! i will definitely be recommending this to all my friends

This ARC was graciously provided to me through NetGalley and St. Marten's Press. Thank you for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a YA fantasy in a world with not only a divided kingdom but a divided society. The breathmarked, are people with abilities that have been provided to them through their dragon blood heritage. These individuals are marked with a patch of scales. Each breathmarked has magical abilities that allow them to bend the rules of reality (a person can copy a move after just seeing it once or fall asleep on command). In the East the breathmarked are valued and trained for the army whereas in the west they are ostracized and feared.

Jun, our main character is separated from his family in the East for practicing martial arts when it is forbidden for someone who is not breathmarked to do so. Jun and his father are exiled to the west where they are forced to start again. In the west Jun joins a martial arts school to challenge the Guardian Trials where the winner becomes the royal Guardian that protects the dragon scroll.

I LOVED this! I have pre ordered my own copy and can't wait for it to arrive. For anyone who is a lover of martial arts and grew up watching ang, the last air bender this book is for you. The descriptions of the action were realistic and easy to follow. It is fast paced and wholesome. I am sad that I will have to wait a while for the next one.

Jun has spent his entire life trying to prove that he is as important as his twin brother who was swept away into their home nations most respected order. Jun's chance arrives in the form of the Guardian's Tournament in which the winner gets to take a government seat in the nation that Jun and his have found refuge. But new rules and political tensions start to challenge Jun's purpose in the tournament.

This was a perfectly fine introduction and world building experience for a new series. The politics of the universe and the development of how martial arts plays into that world was so much of the book that other elements fell a little flat for me. It was a little too clear this was the set up for more the entire book and that there are a lot of pieces that are planned for the series. Which is not to say there aren't some really interesting and fun things happening in the book. The fight sequences are delightfully written. The friendships were sweet. All in all a nice start to a series, but just that a start.

Breath of the Dragon by Fonda Lee and Shannon Lee is a captivating blend of fantasy and adventure that transports readers into a world of myth, dragons, and ancient secrets. With richly developed characters and intricate world-building, the authors create a story that is both immersive and emotionally resonant. The dynamic between the characters, particularly their struggles with identity and purpose, adds depth to the action-packed narrative. Breath of the Dragon is an enthralling tale of self-discovery and empowerment that will keep readers eagerly turning the pages.

ARC Review:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for Breath of the Dragon by Shannon Lee & Fonda Lee
After Jun’s family is torn in half, he is determined to win the Guardians tournament, and reunite with his mom and twin.
Breath of the Dragon is a YA fantasy following Jun who enters into a martial arts competition. This book was fantastic! I was super invested in Jun’s story, the magic, and the competition. The fight scenes were well done and made the story hard to put down! I can see the beginnings of a found family, and cannot wait to see what happens in book 2 of the duology. Breath of the Dragon is out January 7th, 2025 and you don’t want to miss it!

Thanks to #netgalley and Wednesday books for the opportunity to read this arc.

A young warrior dreams of proving his worth in the elite Guardian Tournament, fighting not only for himself but the fate of everything he loves.

I loved so many features of this book. The world building hit in the way only Fonda Led books do. The magic system hit in the best way. I really enjoyed it.

The downside would be the hint of a love triangle. It's like peaking over the hedges. I am looking forward to book two but I'm also side eyeing this situation.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Wow. This book was so good! If you’re in the mood for a very martial arts heavy fantasy book with a fun tournament, this is the book for you!!

I really don’t think Fonda Lee can do anything wrong, and I would read her grocery list with a smile on my face. It took me about the first 30% for it to really start picking up, but after that it was hard to put down. I will be not so patiently waiting on the next book, hopefully sooner rather than later!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC.

"Sometimes embracing change is the only way to get where you want to go"

"People call Xicheng the brightest city in the world, but where there's stronger light, there're darker shadows"

"None of us know how long we have to live. We have to do what's important while we still have the chance"

The majority of this gave me "The Karate Kid" meets voluntarily "Gladiator" vibes. I enjoyed watching Jun receive unique training (I also love an unlikely teacher), and watching a dedicated protagonist work tirelessly to meet their goals. I enjoyed Ren & Chang, and their dedication to a better cause - especially that Ren could kick some butt too! Martial arts & magical abilities are a pretty cool combination. I anticipate the next book in the series will bring us back to Jun's mother and twin, and that it will be quite an interesting reunion.

This is YA so although Fonda Lee is one of the authors, this is not comparable to Jade City. In this story you will find:

⭐ YA
⭐ Martial Arts
⭐ Political Intrigue
⭐ Magical Abilities
⭐ Found Family

What I didn't love was Jun's immense "hatred" for Yin, who by all means seemed like a very skilled and worthy contender and a good guy. If he had been a jerk I would have been more on board with Jun's "rivalry". I know this is YA, but I still felt a 16-year-old fighting for such an important role that requires more skill beyond being able to win a tournament was difficult to root for. Perhaps if the other contenders weren't so much older and more experienced, or the position wasn't one of the highest ranks in the country, I would have been cheering harder.

This would definitely be good for young readers dipping into fantasy.

Thanks to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the ARC.

"Dragon's blood used to manifest more often, but fewer breathmarked children are born each year. As we become less common, we become less normal and accepted. Sometimes, our abilities even arouse suspicion."

Fonda Lee teaming up with Shannon Lee, the daughter of Bruce Lee for a series that features martial arts and magic?? HECK YEAH!!!!! I needed absolutely no more convincing to dive into this story. Breath of the Dragon is the first book of this duology and if you are a fan of the Green Bone saga then I think you will also enjoy this. The country of Longhan has been split in two by a wall for a number of years after a rebellion and the eastern half punishes those who would practice the martial arts, while the west encourages its practice and has many schools of the martial arts, each with a different style. Jun studies at one of these schools and his goal is to compete in the Guardians tournament and bring prosperity to both himself, his father and his martial school. Jun is not breathmarked and as he journeys to the tournament, he finds himself thrust into a changing political situation where he not only has to fight for victory but fight for his life and the life of his friends.

I found this a thoroughly entertaining story, with a great cast of characters, cool magic system and of course, totally kickass fight scenes!!! One of my favorite tropes is a contest or tournament and this one is so well done, and of course things never go as you expect them to! And of course, with Fonda at the helm, you know there will be unexpected deaths and some heartbreak along the way. Wouldn't have it any other way honestly! Loved the surprises that happened at the end and the way this book wrapped up certainly left me wanting the next one immediately!!

The best part of this book by far was the tournament plot. I loved the way the stakes were continuously being raised with new opponents and more challenges. Jun is the main protagonist who is a teenager and trying to find his own way without having a special ability like many of the other characters in this book. He is hardworking and smart. The world building in this book was great. I loved the magical powers' manifestation and the drama that came with them. I am excited for book 2!!

Really great start to the series. Can't wait to read more. The characters were interesting as well as the world building.

This is a fantastic start to a new series! The magic system was fascinating, and the character development and the fight scenes were incredible. I can't wait for the next installment!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a beautiful story! Very well written and the characters grow as the chapters continue.
The idea of being "breathmarked" by dragon scales is amazing and all the different places/colours the characters are marked was unique. The fighting scenes are so well detailed! I felt like I was in the arena with Jun facing his opponents. The side characters like Sifu Chang and Ren, along with Yin, help Yun face his challenges along the road to his future.
While this is YA, it's such that any age can appreciate it!
I absolutely loved the twists and turns, especially at the end. An excellent set up for the second book in the series. I'll be waiting not so patiently for it!
My rating is 4.25
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the advance reading copy of this book. This review is my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. DNF at 11%. I could not connect to the characters or the plot. I will not be finishing. I am only rating and reviewing so it doesn’t hurt my feedback ratio and because it makes me.

thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review!

BREAKING NEWS: Fonda Lee can really write the hell out of an action scene. this book was kinda slow through the first 40% and then I was completely sold. I LOVE a good tournament, what can I say, and I came to love the characters too. there are definitely still some questions I have, but hey, that's why this is only the first book!

My thanks to both NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy of this new adventure featuring martial arts, an interesting universe, a boy trying to prove himself, and the family he finds while finding out who he is, and why he matters.

Books were a refuge to me as a teen, something I could get behind, lose myself in, and maybe makes sense of this messed up world I found myself in. Once I entered high school, I put away the books I enjoyed and began to read adult books, books with themes, and symbolism, adult stuff. I never knew how much I missed just fun stories, about young people having adventures, making friends, making mistakes, maybe learning from these mistakes. Oft times not. These thoughts came to me a lot when I was reading this first book in a new series, full of adventure, intrigue, family, responsibility. And a whole lot of martial arts. This was a the book I needed to lift me out of the fiction fog I have been in, and this book was a lot of fun. Breath of the Dragon is the first book in a series Breathmarked inspired by the martial arts master Bruce Lee written by his daughter Shannon Lee and award winning speculative fiction writer Fonda Lee.

Jun was once a twin, with a mother who grew exasperated by his actions, but did her best to protect her children from the future she knew was coming. The future was far worse. Sai, Jun's brother bore the mark of the dragon on his skin, and was chosen to attend the Sun Pagoda to be a servant to the empire. Jun in a moment of rashness doomed the family to be separated, his mother and Sai sent to the Sun Pagoda, Jun and his father vanquished from East Longhen, into West Longhen, for the crime of practicing martial arts. In the West Jun's father was able to find a job, and wished only that Jun would settle down and learn the ways of the civil service, finding a good safe job. One that might afford them the money to bring his mother and brother back. However tensions are running high between East and West and the Snake Wall that divides the two kingdoms has been closed. At the same time Jun has been practicing not paper skills but fighting skils, skills to hopefully win the Guardian's Tournament, gain acclaim and find a place in society. However Jun is beginning to find that not everything is right with the kingdoms, and even the sacred tournament has been tainted in ways that might change everything.

A really good start to what promises to be a great series. The mix between emotional and physical is really well done. The world is very well-drawn out and one can see a lot of places this series can go, and th many problems that Jun might face. The characters are also good, seemingly fitting for the story in the beginning but growing to be characters one cares about as the story goes on. The action is really good. The martial arts translates well on the page, and the fight scenes are exciting, novel and very readable. Not like in some action movies, where the fights slow down the narrative, these add to it, as Jun slowly develop skills and an understanding of who and what he is.

A good series for adults as well as teens. Especially if they have an interest in martial arts. Or good story telling. I eagerly await the next book in this series.

"A young warrior dreams of proving his worth in the elite Guardian Tournament, fighting not only for himself but the fate of everything he loves.

Sixteen-year-old Jun dreams of proving his worth as a warrior in the elite Guardian's Tournament, held every six years to entrust the magical Scroll of Heaven to a new protector. Eager to prove his skills, Jun hopes that a win will restore his father's pride - righting a horrible mistake that caused their banishment from his home, mother, and twin brother.

But Jun's father strictly forbids him from participating. He believes there is no future in Jun honing his skills as a warrior, especially considering Jun is not breathmarked, born with a patch of dragon scales and blessed with special abilities like his twin. Determined to be the next Guardian, Jun stows away in the wagon of Chang and his daughter, Ren, performers on their way to the capital where the tournament will take place.

As Jun competes, he quickly realizes he may be fighting for not just a better life, but the fate of the country itself and the very survival of everyone he cares about."

I don't know, a patch of dragon scales doesn't sound very comfortable...

The cover, synopsis and authors of this book really caught my eye so I was incredibly excited to start reading this asap!

The book begins with a prologue that immediately had me interested. I love any story revolving around someone striving to be the best, sacrificing so much and being met with many hardships. Jun’s twin brother, Sai, being the only one born Breathmarked told me right away this duology will most likely hurt to read.

In terms of the political aspect of the book, following Jun’s perspective is unique as he in some ways belongs to East and West but also to neither. At the start, he has neglected the politics of both sides until eventually, he is wound up in it. I really appreciated the way that makes him grow slightly as a person and a fighter, during the given time frame. It makes sense for a teenager in such a position.

Prior to the Guardian tournament there is a short training arc which I wish we could’ve seen more of. Personally, I was caught off guard by that moment between Jun and Ren on the roof, fearful that the book might steer its focus onto their relationship more than necessary. It’s safe to say the rest of the book did not disappoint and focused on Jun and his story.

For me, the pacing was great and I honestly couldn’t put the book down at times. I loved how most of the middle section takes place during the actual tournament where we get in depth details on Jun and other characters’ fights while simultaneously watching the story evolve in the background.

I think the use and description of Breath from the perspective of Jun who isn't Breathmarked was so well done. I loved everytime it seemsed like time slowed and he focused on his opponent's every move. I felt myself slowing my own Breath as I read those scenes. Just super immersive and satisfying to read.

As the tournament is coming to an end, there are many tragic turns Jun has to deal with and it always felt like everything was over for him. I found myself yelling at Jun through the page to make the right choice, I was super into the book during these pivotal moments! All the tragedy he faced eventually hit me all at once at the end of the book and I found myself super emotional and teary-eyed as the book ended, which isn’t very common for me. The moment he encountered Water, thinking about his Mother and Sai, everything he lost in a matter of days, Sai being a Keeper and the possibility of meeting him again (possibly as enemies OH GOD) just really got to me in the moment!

Lastly, I appreciated Jun and Yin’s relationship and its evolution. They started as rivals but as things in the city and government became serious and put their lives at risk, they managed to put everything aside and confide in one another. I think that’s another reason I got emotional, Jun has at least one person by his side in the end. I was initially afraid there would be unnecessary jealousy between them because of Ren but I’m glad that wasn’t the case. I think the second book is set up perfectly and I’m dying to see how Jun and Yin will grow and of course, how everything plays out in the end.

Exiled from a country where use of martial arts is prohibited by all except the breathmarked that have been granted special abilities by Dragon, Jun practices martial arts freely and dreams of winning the tournament that would allow him to be Guardian of the Scroll - the greatest martial artist in West Longhan. Unfortunately, his father, a man who lost everything but one son due to his practice of martial arts, forbids Jun from competing in the tournament, even after Jun beats his school’s favored warrior, Yin Yue, and secures his spot.

Impulsive, impetuous Jun, unwilling to give up his dreams for the secure future his father envisions for him, stows away with blind flutist Chang and his daughter Ren who are bound for Xicheng to perform while the famous tournament plays out. Along the way, Jun discovers that there is more to Chang and Ren than meets the eye. They arrive to find the city a hotbed of power struggles and political machinations, and as the stakes rise ever higher, Jun is forced to reckon with the reality of his dream and to decide what really matters even as his world shifts around him.

For an adult reader, Jun is frustrating. His impulsive, imprudent behavior divided his family from the first pages and even as a young man his arrogance and impulsivity continue to hurt those around him. However, he is a sixteen-year-old boy and is accurately portrayed as one. Throughout the story, this character experiences real growth.

The Lees have built a rich, Asia-based fantasy world with significant attention paid to drawing out the politics and power struggles that have divided Longhan. While this can be a drag on the action in this book, it should pay dividends in the second book of this planned duology. The matches of the Guardian’s Tournament are well-described and action packed. Getting inside Jun’s head as he centers himself for these deadly battles puts readers inside the mind of a young warrior for whom the mental is as important as the physical in securing victory.

While the transition from the climax of the tournament into the set up for the next book makes for a slow end to an otherwise pretty action-packed book, the Lees have set readers up with anticipation for the sequel. I’ll be eager to see how a more mature Jun and his unexpected allies fare as they face new challenges in the next book.