3.5 stars.
Sixteen-year-old Jun has one dream: to win the elite Guardian's Tournament so that he can become the new Guardian, or protector, of the Eastern part of Longhan. Jun wants this not just for himself, but also so that his father's name and honour can be restored. A mistake by Jun's father many years earlier, cost the family: he had been training his twin boys in martial arts, something the non-breathmarked are not allowed to learn. Breathmarked individuals have a patch of dragon scales on them, as well as powerful abilities. Jun's identical twin Sai is breathmarked, and when a pair of Aspects (elite government servants) arrive one day at the family home, they take Sai, and the boys' mother, away with them so that Sai may train and hone his abilities. Jun and his father lose not only half their family, but their father is censured, and now works at an opera house as a labourer and performing in bit parts, after he and Jun were forcibly sent to the West.

Jun is determined to change his and his father's fortunes, and has joined the Iron Core school of martial arts, working tremendously hard to qualify as the House’s representative in the upcoming competition for the new Guardian. There is one boy who is a little better than he is, Yin Yue, who will be entering the upcoming Guardian competition. Ever determined, Jun hides on the wagon of the flautist Chang and his actor adopted daughter Ren, who have worked at the opera house, and are headed for the city set for the competition. Along the way, he comes to learn there is much more to Chang, and Ren.

Once at the competition, everyone is caught unaware when the head General of the East has decided to change the rules, endangering all the contestants. The General wants to take war to the West, and hopes to use the new Guardian in his plans, which, the more Jun thinks on things, he comes to realize just how conflicted he is about his loyalties, and how against war he is.

The plot moves along well, with many instances of well-conceived depictions hand-to-hand combat. I expected no less from these two authors, considering their knowledge of martial arts, and Fonda Lee's Green Bone Saga. What was actually more interesting in this story was Jun's evolution from totally self-absorbed, selfish young person, to someone who, through the multiple setbacks and betrayals, comes to realize that there are more important things than winning a competition. Bigotry-fueled war is on the horizon, with much suffering. Jun matures to the point that he begins to appreciate others, and thinking of their welfare. He also finally makes friends with people who previous saw solely as rivals, another positive development for the very talented martial artist.

I mostly listened to this book, and liked voice actor Eric Yang's work. Jun's arrogance was apparent, while Chang's humour comes through nicely. I liked his interpretations of Yin Yue and Ren, Jun's friends.

I am interested to see where Jun and his allies go next, and how they tackle the seemingly insurmountable odds against them.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for these ARCs in exchange for my review.

Breath taking!! An amazing book that captivates you from the beginning! This book gave me karate kid vibes but the bully is the government & not a peer. I could not put this down. Twin boys and up being separated at the age of 6. Jun & his father are exiled for practicing illegal martial arts. While his brother & mother move to the inner city for his training as he is breathmarked. We follow Jun & his father as they try to make their way in a new land & country, to try & get back home. Halfway through their exile the borders officially close as the two nations go to war. With all hope of going home almost lost Jun focusing is seizing his dream to be The Guardian. Definitely worth it! I’m hoping we may see his brother in the next book but we have no idea what kind of training he has gone through.

Although, I did not feel Bruce Lee in this story. But I did love it in its entirety. The story of a boy who knows he is the one, destine to be better, to be something, yet loosing everything in a process and humbling him big time. The story had something form hero's journey and I think, at the end, this is what made this so good. Delivery was a little clunky at times - I didn't like change of language at the last part of the book. It was quite jarring to see how vulgarisms were introduced pout of nowhere. The consistency with this was broken. Yet, at the same time, I had grand time and I'll recommend this book to anyone who likes the vibe of martial arts, Dragon Ball, and Naruto all in one. Audiobook was a great addition to the book and my reading experience.

This was alright. I liked the main character, and the combat sequences were cool, but ultimately it’s just forgettable

Thank you to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio, and Shannon Lee and Fonda Lee for an alc of Breath of the Dragon in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was so much fun. The world building was so well executed and one thing you can always count on is a fantastic action scene from Fonda Lee. A lot of times, with fighting that relies heavily on martial arts, it’s hard to follow what’s supposed to be happening. But with Breath of the Dragon, it felt like I was right there watching them play out.

Eric Yang did an excellent job with the narration of this book. I was hooked right from the start and couldn’t stop listening. The pacing was great and the voices were distinct. I'll definitely be checking out more books narrated by Yang.

I love the collaboration between these two and I cannot wait to see where the story goes.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Jun wasn't born breathmarked like his twin, so he doesn't have any special magical abilities. He has always dreamed of participating in the Guardian's Tournament, but his father has forbidden him from doing so. Jun decides to defy his father, and joins Chang and Ren, two performers on a journey to the capital so he can participate in the tournament. Along the way, Jun learns more about the country and what he is actually fighting for.

This book is intended for a YA audience but was still enjoyable as an adult reader. I found myself immersed in the action. The world building is absolutely fantastic, and I feel like plenty of Jun's background story was shared. I loved the tournament setting. I don't know anything about martial arts, but thought the fights were incredibly descriptive. I also really enjoyed the side characters and found family vibes. I'm looking forward to the sequel!

I listened to the audio and Eric Yang did a fantastic job narrating. Distinct voices were used for each characters, and the narration was clear and easy to understand even when sped up.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advance copy!

3.5 stars***

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion! These opinions are entirely my own.

This was a good book. I enjoyed the narrator for the audiobook. The things I didn't enjoy were ME things and not necessarily book things. I think a lot of people will really enjoy this! I've been reading a lot of fantasy and really enjoying it, so I thought I'd give this a shot. The world building was slow, there is only a touch of fantasy, but I'm not really into martial arts, I wanted some romance (there isn't any), and it gave me Avatar vibes (which isn't my favorite). If you enjoy any of those, definitely give this a read! It's written by Bruce Lee's daughter which is really cool. Despite all those things, I did enjoy the book! I don't think I would continue the series but I am happy I read it. The action scenes are well written and the narrator does a great job capturing that.

Jun tried to show off without thinking when his brother was being taken away because his brother Sye was breathmarked. Only to have him and his father banished from the lands. But by the time they were able to return the snake walk was built and no one could enter. Growing up Jun learned to strengthen his fighting skills and when he was 17 he entered the guardians tournament to prove he was the best.

Jun proved his worth as a result he lost his father. Jun became the fall guy to start a war. He was now being hunted and a bounty was on his head. Lucky Water found them because she was a member of the secret flute. Chang and Ren escaped but Jun needed to find safety. And Water was there to help him go back home to the East.

Anything Fonda Lee touches, I will read!!

A cinematic martial arts fantasy blending honor, self-discovery, and a touch of magic!

*"Marked or not, every one of us has Breath enough to will our own destiny into being."*

**Read this for:**

🐉 Dynamic martial arts battles that leap off the page

🏯 Themes of honor, resilience, and personal growth

✨ A sprinkle of magic with the fascinating "Breathmarked" powers

Jun, a sixteen-year-old outcast, dreams of redeeming his family’s honor by winning the elite Guardian’s Tournament—a deadly competition where Breathmarked warriors with dragon-granted powers fight for the right to protect a sacred scroll. Though unmarked and untrained, Jun’s determination to carve his own path leads him to face not only fierce opponents but also the political machinations threatening his world.

**Why you’ll love it:**

This book is *Avatar: The Last Airbender* meets *Cobra Kai*, with the depth and emotional resonance of Fonda Lee’s *Green Bone Saga*. The martial arts sequences are vivid and precise, thanks to Shannon Lee’s unique insight into Bruce Lee’s philosophy and techniques. The world-building is rich, the stakes are high, and Jun’s journey from impulsive youth to self-aware fighter is deeply satisfying.

Whether you’re a martial arts enthusiast, a fan of fantasy with rich lore, or simply in search of an inspiring underdog story, *Breath of the Dragon* will keep you hooked from start to finish.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this ARC!*

Thank you @wednesdaybooks @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for the complimentary DRC & ALC.
#smpinfluencers #macaudio2025

Book one in a duology, the start was a little slow with the world building and character introductions, but once we got to the tournament things really took off. Twists and turns all the way to the end. I loved the friendships that were built and am grateful for a fantasy without romance! As always with YA for me it can be hit or miss, especially when the characters are as young as Jun, however this is one that gets it right for a wider audience and not just the teens. I can’t wait for book 2!

I mostly listened to the audio and Eric Yang was great! I hope he narrates book 2.

Breath of the Dragon brings epic fantasy to life in audiobook form! The narrator masterfully captures the tension, emotion, and sweeping world-building, immersing listeners in every twist and turn of this gripping tale. From the fiery battles to the heartfelt moments, this is a must-listen for all action/fantasy fans. Everyone can enjoy this story.

Fonda Lee's Green Bone saga is an absolute modern masterpiece and I'll pretty much read anything she works on. But this wasn't really the book for me.

What I love most about the green bone saga is the intricate world-building, the magic system (especially the very easy to visualize fights) and most importantly-- the characters. Years later, I can still fully visualize scenes, remember character names, and feel like I know how they'd act in any given situation because they're so real and fully-realized to me. I was invested in their plots and their lives, even the short stories within the same world.

Breath of the Dragon didn't find that magic again for me, unfortunately. It's still a perfectly serviceable story, but it feels very rote. I think there are a lot of original stories in the YA space, but this wasn't really one of them. It also doesn't have a whole lot of Fantasy to it, since the main character is just an ungifted martial artist and doesn't really surround himself with magical folks who are using the magic system frequently.

There's nothing wrong with this book, but I could literally drop it mid sentence (and did, multiple times) and not care about returning to it. idk why, but I felt compelled to finish it simply because it was an arc. But if I didn't have it as an arc? Eh, it's fine but I didn't need to finish it.

The audiobook narrator does a decent job, but I was starting to fall asleep toward the end (I think this is on me and how connected I felt to the story, though, rather than the narrator)

Breath of the Dragon was a very refreshing YA novel. I loved the combat and the tournament base, and the way the magic unraveled. I think the book started fairly standard and didn't do a lot to distinguish itself for the first half, but was competently written. But the second half really becomes its own thing and I'm pretty excited for the sequel!

Audiobook was great! Eric Yang did a fantastic job.

The vibes: Martial arts, special powers, trials/competition, YA, coming of age, politics & rebellion

I enjoyed this! This is a good ol classic coming of age story, paying tribute to the legendary Bruce Lee. (Shannon Lee is his daughter!) Our main character starts out as a skilled but impulsive and hot headed teen, but machines growth and discipline on his journey. I thought the martial arts competition and action scenes were fun, especially knowing how much of the style and philosophies are Bruce Lee’s.

I will say that the predictability and somewhat matter-of-fact/simple storyline might make this boring to people. If you’re not a fan of action and martial arts scenes, this probably isn’t for you. I still had a good time, and found it to be a nice easy read, especially via audio!

“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘴.”

REVIEW

I went into this book thinking it was a standalone and started panicking around the 85% mark trying to figure out how it would all tie together. Thank the book gods was wrong!

Shannon Lee and Fonda Lee have done something truly fun here in Breath of the Dragon. The characters, the story, the different types of martial arts, the culture—it all pans out into a wonderfully written story and now I’m like eagerly anticipating the sequel.

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 Earth to a new protector. Eager to prove his skills, Jun hopes that a win will restore his father's honor—righting a horrible mistake that caused their banishment from his home, mother, and twin brother. But Jun's father strictly forbids him from participating. There is no future in 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.

Firstly, this has a tournament style bracket fighting ring. The Guardian Tournament takes elite students from schools and teachers all over the country. Jun, with no school and only a mysterious blind flute player to train him, is determined to win. Tournaments are always one of my favorite features of stories and some of my all time favorite books feature tournament ARCs! It’s epic martial arts, knife fights, honor and taking down corrupt leadership all in one.

Secondly, the culture!! I’ve been loving Asian inspired fantasies and retellings over the past few years. This one takes the cake at the top of that list. It’s action packed with various fighting styles that are inspired by the likes of Bruce Lee. You can see the dedication to art and the different techniques featured in Jun’s battles. His close range punch is a personal fave.

The characters are engaging and motivated. I feel like I know what they’re striving for and am being shown the process of how they get there, and not just our main character! The side characters are well developed and have goals and dreams of their own. They don’t feel like accessories to Jun’s story. I loooove when side characters are fleshed out to have their own agencies.

"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."

Read this story for:
⭐️ Rooting for the underdog
⭐️ Found family/friendship
⭐️ government corruption
⭐️ tournament fights
⭐️ real family love

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the early audiobook! 10/10

Enjoyed this a lot. The action scenes were great, described vividly and with detail, I like the character work done on our MC as he showed growth throughout his journey from training to tournament. The relationships he forms and harms are reflective of his teenage arrogance. There are however minor plot holes that I found that do nothing to hinder my engagement with the story. The political and military aspects are easy to understand and as this is a YA novel, I can't complain.

I would have appreciated if the perspective of his parents and brother had been shared but I can imagine that will come in the second book which I am looking forward to.

Breath of the dragon begins a very readable (or listen-able) series. The reader is introduced to a new universe with multiple bits of unfamiliar lore, but all are explained fairly quickly and I wasn't confused. The story includes several familiar plot points; missing family, mysterious powers, and a split kingdom, half of which remains mysterious to the protagonist. All three points serve to draw the reader into the story. The idea of a tournament allowing anyone access to a powerful place in the government, while not a new trope, is rather unbelievable, as is the idea that an unknown young man would have any chance in such a contest. Overall, there wasn't anything particularly new in this plot, but it was well done and fun to read.

Rating: 4.5/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion.

This was my first Shannon Lee, Fonda Lee book and I liked it. In this book you will meet Jun, who is a twin, but his brother was picked to become a guardian, and he wasn’t all because he was dragon touched, and Jun wasn’t. Jun and his father moved from East to the West because he was practicing martial arts. Years later, when he is 16 Jun decides to go to the tournament for the elite guardians, he jumps in someone’s wagon headed to the West and that is where Jun's whole life changes.

I found this book’s world-building to be nothing less phenomenal. I loved the attention to details and how this author brought this fantasy to the world. I felt as though I was there with the characters traveling, learning new ways to fight, understanding the whole more and more. I found the lore of breathmarked and high stakes of the Guardians Tournament to be something new and fresh when it came to fantasy. I found myself so enthralled with the book that I was so sad when it ended. I need the next book soon as possible. I didn’t mind the politics in this book because the way that the author wrote it was just another layer to the book. The fight scenes were epic, and I loved that the author took their time to make sure that we had some great scenes. The characters were likable and well developed, I found myself emotionally invested.

I loved the main character, and I found his growth in this book to have been so great. I won’t lie at first, I didn’t like him, I found his character to have a huge ego, but you will see that he learns and understands and that ego goes away. I liked that he was interested in learning and knowing more about what is going on. I liked that you would see a lot of different paths that Jun can walk but he always finds himself on the right one. I liked Ren and I found her to be a perfect middle for Jun, she has compassion, she is brave, and friendly but also understands about life and the world that they live in. I can’t wait to see what the next book will bring for these characters.

I also received the audio of this book, and I found Eric Yang did a great job with narrating this book. He really brought the book to life and made me feel as though I knew the characters.

I can’t wait to own a copy of this book, if you like fast-paced, martial arts, fighting tournaments, YA book.

I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin Press for the opportunity to review this book.

ARC/ALC review: Jun and his father are exiled from their home when government officials find out that his father has been illegally teaching his sons martial arts. Jun's mother and twin brother are left behind, with his dragon-marked brother going to train in martial arts under the government. 10 years later, Jun is in the East and is dead-set on proving himself as a warrior in the Guardian’s Tournament. His father forbids it, so Jun runs away to compete anyway. Upon arrival, he quickly realizes there's more at stake this year than he could have imagined.

Overall, I think this was a great start to a series. I am not into martial arts but found all of the fight scenes well-written and captivating. The world-building has been done in a way that sets up a lot of questions for future books to answer.

The reason this isn't rated higher is because, despite the technical high stakes of the tournament, that high stakes tension didn't really hit until after the tournament was over. That last 30% or so of the book after the tournament was my favorite by far.

Additionally, the characterization of all the characters felt a bit weak, making plot developments pack less of a punch when I haven't been brought around to feeling for them in the first place.

I'm hoping future installments up the tension and excitement and flesh out the characters more emotionally.