Thank you net galley for providing the arc!
I thought the fight scenes were really well written. This is very martial arts, fighting book so if that’s not your thing I would recommend maybe not this book! I thought it was a wonderful read though and I really appreciate the chance to read the arc!

I ADORED the character development in this book. Jun’s journey is not only one of glory, but also of self discovery. He makes mistakes along the way, some of which cost him more than others, but he grows.

Breath of The Dragon’s world is brilliant. Rather than focusing solely on weapons or magic like other fantasy stories, the main system here is martial arts. Magic in this world lies within breathmarks, patches of dragon scales that can grant magical abilities.

We follow Jun, a cocky sixteen year old who aspires to win the Guardian Tournament, as well as someday reunite his father with his mother and twin brother, who they have been exiled from since he was six years old. Tensions have further risen between the West and the East, however, and chances of seeing the rest of his family grow slimmer and slimmer. Upon entering the tournament, Jun may have bitten off more than he can chew.

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the e-arc in exchange for this review! I am so excited to tune in to the finished copy and will be awaiting the sequel!

note- I copy pasted my goodreads review here, as for some reason the Goodreads site won’t give you the direct url to your review on mobile. In the future I’ll be sure to log onto a computer in order to fetch my direct link!

I love fighting tournaments. Throw in a couple magical abilities too, and I'm there.

Rating: 4 ⭐️

"The abilities that matter the most don't come from Dragon's blood. They're gained day by day, through sweat and tears. Marked or not, every one of us has Breath enough to will our own destiny into being."

Every year since the East and West divided, there have been less breathmarked, those born with a special power. 10 years after being banished to the West, Jun dreams of winning the elite Guardian's Tournament. This book follows his journey to becoming a warrior, during which he is entrenched in a world of political machinations and treachery. What fun!

What I liked about this book:

1. The Tournament

Listennnnn, I love a tournament. It is such an effective way to create a cohesive storyline, introduce new opponents, and constantly up the stakes. It's also just so much fun to read!

2. The Characters

Jun had both the naivety and arrogance of a 16-year-old, while still being hard working and having a strong moral code. We first perceive many characters through his eyes and as he changes, so too do our perceptions of the people around him.

Jun is not breathmarked. He struggles to find a way to be important and carve out a place for himself without a special ability. While I love the show and pomp of a main character with ceaseless magical powers, there is something about a character having to make do with study, hard work, and aptitude.

3. The World

I love magical powers. There's something about having a physical manifestation of innate magical ability that scratches my brain. And having one twin be magical while the other isn't? And then being thrust apart because of an ideology? That absolute drama!!

4. The Ending

I'm excited for book 2!! I, of course, will not be supplying spoilers, but this is what I was waiting for all book!

Overall, I would recommend this book for any YA fantasy lovers out there. Keep an eye out for when it releases in January!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me early access to Breath of the Dragon in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I had not previously read anything by Fonda Lee before picking this up, but if her other works are like this one, I know I'm in for an incredible ride Fonda and Shannon have crafted a vivid and heart-wrenching tale of exile, betrayal, resilience, and faith. In a lot of ways, the middle bits reminded me immensely of Yu Yu Hakusho—a deadly tournament, odds NOT in favor of the protagonist(s), and friendships that somehow develop and strengthen in the most difficult of circumstances. Though to be clear, Jun is not the Yusuke you expect; in fact, Yin Yue gives me those vibes, I think. Jun feels like a really strange mix of Kuwabara and Genkai—somewhat foolish and self-absorbed but with an incredible heart and self-awareness strong enough to recognize the wisdom being imparted by those around him. It made for such an interesting, complex character arc.

And as someone who reads a lot of romance alongside fantasy, I was also surprised how much I did not care about the lack thereof. The little hints here and there were nice emotional pauses, but the lack of focus on it, and the supposed love triangle developing, was so refreshing. I love that Jun and Yin Yue's friendship was ultimately not impacted by their affections. I hope this remains the case in future installments.

Speaking of which, I am in physical pain thinking of how long I will have to wait for book 2!!! I cannot wait for more.

4.75 out of 5 stars, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3/5 Breath of the Dragon is a perfectly average book. I adore the Green Bone Saga so seeing Fonda Lee’s name attached made this an automatic read for me. While nothing was necessarily bad about the book, I found it rather boring and uneventful. The story is super basic and juvenile at times. The character depth was basically nonexistent. Knowing this is a just two book series, I will probably read the sequel but it won’t be a priority for me. I had high hopes for this and it made a perfectly average book feel quite disappointing.

Martial arts fans - rejoice! I can’t say I’m a big martial arts buff myself, but I enjoyed the start to this new YA fantasy series with heavy martial arts influence. The characters were age-appropriate, made mistakes, and grew. The world building was descriptive and stimulating but not overbearing with a unique magic system, and we as readers learn enough for now but still have many mysteries to explore.

This book didn’t quite reach 4 stars for me for two main reasons:
1. The plot itself was a bit predictable, with the exception of the ending, but that still wasn’t mind-blowing.
2. The writing was missing that extra spark and came off a wee bit clunky at times. For example, the MC would sometimes say out loud / in dialogue what most people would say in their head. It wasn’t bad, but it did stick out.

Overall, if you like martial arts, Asian culture influence, and innate magic, this one might be for you! I plan to continue to series as it’s released.

I'm not as much of a martial arts buff as others, but this was still really fun! The main character went through a lot of growth, which was good to see, and I could tell that they were really pulling a lot from the Bruce Lee teachings (as the synopsis says). Very enjoyable, and it will be one to recommend to martial arts lovers!

This book was enjoyable to me. A young adult novel that presumes its readership is capable of handling intricate circumstances, motivations, and characters is something I truly value. I believe Jun struck a suitable note for the protagonist, a 16-year-old. He is committed to accomplishing his dreams and goals, and he follows through on his plans. However, he is also impulsive, impatient, and prone to making bad decisions that cost him later on. The political environment of the novel is richly detailed, both explicitly and implicitly, and I truly enjoy the rich, complex world that the book creates. I'm interested to see how the second book handles all of that.

The writing is richly descriptive, transporting readers to a world imbued with magic and tension. Perhaps one of the most engaging aspects is how Jun navigates the emotional weight of being “breathmarked” in a society that often equates worth with physical attributes. His struggle reinforces a message about self-acceptance and the notion that true strength often lies within, rather than in bestowed gifts or titles.

This young adult fantasy novel mostly centers on martial arts and the ascent to the top of one boy's difficult path. This one has a lot of aspects related to found family, but not a lot of romance! The viewpoint of a male YA protagonist caught my attention as well, as I don't frequently see them in these kinds of books. Just be advised that fighting/martial arts scenes and descriptions make up a significant chunk of this book.

A free eARC copy of Breath of the Dragon was provided by the publisher in return for a fair and unbiased review*

Breath of the Dragon is the first book in the Breathmarked duology series co authored by Shannon Lee and Fonda Lee (of The Green Bone Saga fame). For those out there who are drawn in by Fonda Lee's attachment to this book, just as I was, you need to be aware that this is more of a YA story than a story on the maturity level of The Green Bone Saga books. That said, that doesn't mean that this book is bad by any means. In fact, I found this to be a quite enjoyable YA style martial arts focused fantasy story.

Breath of the Dragon is about teenager Li Jun who is participating in a martial arts tournament to win the position of Guardian of the Scroll for the kingdom in which he lives in. Jun has a somewhat tragic backstory where he was banished from his home alongside his father at a young age for practicing martial arts separating him from his twin brother and mother who are left behind. As Jun progresses through the tournament, he gets drawn up into a larger conspiracy including a conniving general who has greater aspirations to rule the kingdom, an underground resistance movement, and a larger conspiracy brewing in the background. While many of these tropes are YA staples, they are all executed well enough that they did not feel like a rip off any other existing YA franchise.

While nothing in this story is genre defining or fully unique to itself, this book kept me engaged during this quick read, while also leaving off at a place that has me interested in reading the second and concluding volume of this series whenever it releases.

I would recommend this to anyone who does not mind a well written YA book and enjoys Asian inspired martial arts storylines.

I found this book almost impossible to set down once I started reading it. Jun is a very likeable main character, and I found myself invested in whether or not he was going to achieve his goals, and watching him go through a lot of growth as a character between when the reader first meets him and the end of the book. All of the characters felt well-developed, and I felt that they had realistic struggles and weaknesses. The book was full of action and fight scenes, and while I'm not extremely familiar with martial arts and wouldn't consider it to be something I know a lot about, I found the fight scenes easy to follow. I will definitely be reading the sequel when it comes out.

To be breathmarked, a human is born with the blood of a dragon. The blessing leaves dragon scale marks on the person, and special abilities that can enhance, mimick or affect another. Six year old Jun and his father are banished from their home in the East for practicing martial arts. Jun's mother and twin brother, Sai - who possesses a powerful breathmark are taken to the East.

Ten years later, in the West, 16 year old Jun takes off to fight in a warrior tournament to become the next guardian. But something sinister happens at the tournament, political battles are happening behind the scenes, and the current guard is suspected of rigging the tournament. The rebels take a stand, and Jun's caught in the middle.

🌎I was impressed at the scope of action, tension, and world building. I loved the detail, cultural references and setting.

🐲Jun is as a brash, cocky (little shit)sixteen year old. He's so full of himself in the beginning and has such a great character arc. I loved his relationship with Ren and Yin and how he's definitely still going through the awkward teen years.

🥷🏻The training scenes with Chang and Jun's flashbacks training with Sai, and the villains were well done.

My only real gripe, is I wish there was more about the dragon powers. Are there still living dragons, or just the one? I wanted more Sai and a map. I'll definitely be bumping up the Green Bone Saga as I'm such a fan of the writing, culture and lore of this book.

Thank you Fonda Lee, Shannon Lee, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4.5 ⭐s
Release date: January 7, 2025

Separated from family while eager to continue practicing martial arts, a teenage boy pursues his dream with the hope of restoring his family and their honor but finds himself in the midst of a far greater fight in Breath of the Dragon by Shannon Lee and Fonda Lee.
A skilled fighter in martial arts with training from his father, sixteen-year-old Jun has dreams of competing in the Guardian’s Tournament to prove his worth as a warrior with the aim of becoming the protector of the Scroll of Earth. Separated from his mother and twin brother, Jun and his father’s exile from their home was caused due to his father’s martial arts, which now only graces the stage of the theater; determined to bring honor back to his family despite his father’s forbidding him to participate in the tournament, Jun stows away in the wagon of the performers Chang and his daughter Ren, who are on their way to the capital. While getting additional training from Chang along the way Jun also learns more about the breathmarked, those with patches of dragon scales and special abilities like Chang and his twin. During the tournament, political upheaval from military intervention modifying this year’s rules and the Silent Flute Society’s longer-ranging plans aiming for reunification change how, and for what, Jun fights, as he realizes he’s competing not only for a better life for himself but for the country’s future.
In a captivating narrative that presents many scenes of high intensity fighting action, interludes of emotional intimacy, and intricately laid plans whose reality has just been revealed and resolution is yet to come, the story moves swiftly as it covers much ground, both in physical space through the travel undertaken and in detailing the fantastic aspects that enhance people’s naturally developed abilities while describing important elements of how this world functions. Jun’s character is depicted as bullheadedly determined, which provides a clear picture of his youth, as well as his drive and motivation; however, there’s a naïveté that goes along with it, because while he does experience some growth as the story progresses much of that seems to come from external rather than internal instigators, making it seem as if he’s too reliant on or influenced by going along with what’s happening around him rather than firmly fighting for what he believes in. The political intrigue surrounding the Silent Flute Society was woven through the tale well with the network of characters involved as it developed through measured introduction of information to foreshadow plans to readers, which was glacially observed by Jun, and this network’s role will likely serve as a more satisfying, larger arc to help bring the narrative toward a conclusion in the second installment.
Overall, I’d give it a 4 out of 5 stars.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly, thank you for providing me with the opportunity to read Breath of the Dragon. I was very intrigued by the concept, and I am not ashamed to say that the cover itself was a major factor in my decision to request.

My initial thoughts: this is definitely a young adult novel. That is not necessarily a bad thing, but the descriptions really leaned into that category, and at times I felt myself wanting a little more description or expansion. The main part that stood out to me: the world-building. It was really, really beautiful, and you can tell the authors truly put some thought and effort into it. At first I couldn't stand Jun, truly, but it made his character arc so much more special. He wasn't gifted in the sense his brother was, but he works hard and he grows into a worthy 'hero'. My major issue is simply depth. I wanted more depth to our characters, the relationships, and their journey.

This was really good! As usual Fonda Lee is not afraid to break your heart. I think this was a very good start to the series and I can’t wait to see where the next book takes us!

Well, this book didn't take me long. I read this book in two days. It was so much fun to read and I loved the action, the world, and the story.

Our main character, Jun, is an interesting character to root for. He has many flaws (like plenty of us at sixteen), but also determination, grit, and passion. I really enjoyed reading about him and how he was able to navigate the challenges that crop up, whether they come in the form of a martial arts tournament, complicated emotions about family, friends, and rivals, or of complex political plots that raise the stakes for everyone involved.

While this book is geared more towards the YA crowd, I think everyone can enjoy it. Any fans of Fonda Lee will enjoy this book due to its nail-biting action, creative and dense world, and characters to truly root for. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday books for the chance to review this eARC.

Fonda Lee’s Jade City is one of my favorite books of all time so I was beyond excited to check out her latest work. While her signature martial arts action scenes are certainly present, I ultimately found the book underwhelming.

The plot was unfortunately predictable and didn’t deviate at all from the standard hero’s journey plot structure. Though the concept of Breathmarked individuals with unique abilities was intriguing, it was underdeveloped and underutilized. Additionally, the finalists of the Guardian’s Tournament being Jun, Yin, and Leopard felt bland and uninspiring, and I started losing interest around the halfway mark.

On a positive note, I enjoyed Jun as the main character. He begins as a headstrong and impulsive boy chasing after the honor of the Guardian’s Tournament and his desire to reunite his family. In his whirlwind journey to Longhan, he gets swept up in political agendas and encounters sorrow and setbacks that offer a compelling arc for his character.

However, I wanted to learn more about Jun’s twin brother Sai. Sai’s voice frequently appears in Jun’s thoughts, but it would have been more enriching to explore Sai’s perspective directly. Even a few chapters from Sai’s point of view could have deepened the narrative and shed light into their parallel journeys.

I’m not convinced that I’ll check out the next installment in this series, but perhaps the next one will surprise me.

Fonda Lee you have done it again!!!! I will read anything this woman writes I swear. This book was not only written so well and had amazing character development and depth. This book also has unique magic system which I haven’t seen in any other book yet which was very cool and exciting. That plot twist and ending had my mouth agape I just read the arc but I need book 2 ASAP! I must know what happens next!!!

A fantasy world which is creative and mesmerising, holding the same feelings that a kid feels while reading their first fairy story. The characters were all so profound and deeply nuanced and I enjoyed it quite a lot. There were some parts that dragged on a bit for me, but all in all, in was a good experience.