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**"Breath of the Dragon" by Fonda Lee and Shannon Lee** is a captivating audiobook that combines martial arts philosophy, immersive world-building, and heartfelt storytelling. With exceptional narration and a story full of action and introspection, it’s an experience that resonates on many levels—especially for those who grew up loving similar themes.

One of the highlights for me was the wave of nostalgia I felt throughout. The story is filled with elements that parallel the mangas and animes I devoured when I was younger: thrilling action, intense training montages, and profound moments of self-discovery. These familiar themes, woven into a fresh and imaginative narrative, made the experience even more enjoyable and personal.

Despite being categorized as a Young Adult book, *Breath of the Dragon* doesn’t feel like a typical YA read. The themes are mature, the stakes feel real, and the characters are written with a depth that transcends the usual tropes of the genre. It’s a story that speaks to a broad audience, appealing just as much to adults as to younger readers.

The narration truly elevates the audiobook, vividly bringing each character to life and enhancing the cinematic quality of the action-packed sequences. The martial arts philosophy is thoughtfully integrated into the narrative, giving the story a grounding in discipline, honor, and personal growth. However, some slower moments in the middle felt a bit drawn out, slightly affecting the pacing.

Overall, *Breath of the Dragon* is an engaging and memorable listen. It’s a perfect blend of thrilling action, meaningful character development, and nostalgic charm, wrapped up in a story that feels fresh and relevant.

**Rating:** ★★★★ (4/5)

If you love stories about perseverance, self-discovery, and rich martial arts-inspired worlds, *Breath of the Dragon* is absolutely worth your time—especially if you, like me, grew up captivated by similar tales in manga and anime.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for an AudioArc of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review!

I enjoyed this found family martial art story. I loved watching the character, Jun, is a likable character and the narrator almost gave Jun an almost realistic voice. The narrator was great at reading this story. It can be a little slow and I preferred reading the book, but the narrator did bring Jun to life!

This book includes:
- advanced and exciting martial arts combat
- brotherhood
- reflections on what it means to be a prodigy
- the importance of family
- propaganda and xenophobia

"Breath of Dragon" follows Jun as he competes in a national martial arts tournament in hope of becoming the "guardian" - a respected religious and governmental position that is granted to the countries strongest (and most cunning) fighter. His journey takes the reader through not only the trails of the tournament, or even through the political unrest, but also through the journey from boy to man. I enjoyed getting to see the way adverse situations force Jun to mature, and it really endeared him to me. I felt that the world was well built and the magic system, while vague, was satisfying.
Additionally, the writing style was both YA accessible and captivating to adult audiences. Something specific that really stood out to me was the author's ability ride the thin line of describing detailed fight scenes without becoming too gory OR too boring.

I recommend this book to fans of:
- Guardians of Dawn
- To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods
- For She is Wrath

I received this audiobook as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Fonda Lee, Shannon Lee, and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to review this book. This review has been posted across my socials under the username @tinynightingales, check out my GoodReads profile https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/62314863
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This book grabbed my full attention from the very beginning and really never lost it!

Breath of the Dragon is a new YA fantasy series by Fonda & Shannon Lee, and while Fonda Lee has been on my radar for ages, this was my first read by her and it won’t be my last. This follows Jun as he competes in a deadly competition to become his country’s Guardian, after being exiled from his original home as a child and forced to leave his mother and twin behind. The magic in this is really seamlessly built in, and I suspect we will see more of it later, but it really mostly read as a martial arts fantasy. Some folks in this tale are born with special abilities, and they are handled differently dependent on where you are in the world; and ultimately are used by both sides of the conflict in different ways. While this mostly focused on the tournament, a much larger issue has been brewing from the beginning and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

This is totally action packed, and the characters have really distinct and lovable voices. There were twists and connections to characters from different timelines in the story that I never saw coming, and and a really wonderful ongoing theme of staying connected to yourself and your center even in times of dire stress.

The audio of this was really wonderful; it kept my attention very fully and somehow was very easy to follow even with the more complicated world building bits.

I will definitely be continuing this series as soon as I get the chance to, and this has moved Jade City to the top of my tbr in the meantime! Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for this eArc!

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the ALC of Breath of the Dragon in exchange for my honest review!

What a great YA book! I really loved how well plotted this was, I appreciated the depth that the book was able to convey in what felt like a short story. I thought the trials were well done and the political intrigue had me screeching.

Can’t wait for book 2!

Thank you to St. Martins Press for the ARC!

This book was great, though there were areas I didn't care for. I'll start with the positive:

I loved the diverse cast of characters, the exploration of the magic system, the set up of the politics of the world, the importance of brotherhood and male relationships, and the honesty of the feelings of jealousy, grief, and longing. The first chapter started strong, and at no point did I grow bored and stop wanting to pay attention. The main character is lovable and the plot believable.

What I didn't like:
The general (aka main villain) is pretty lack luster BUT it is only book 1, so perhaps his story becomes more flushed out. Regardless, this feels nitpicky on my part so I only took of .25 stars for it.

Overall, this book is an enjoyable fantasy with the vibes of a Korean drama and the atmosphere of a early 2000 YA fantasy. As someone who loves both, I really enjoyed the combination and can't wait for book 2!

Breath of dragon is my first five star read of 2025 and I truly ca not wait for the second book.

This book had me hooked from the very started and left me with even more questions.

The story’s starts off with two identical twin brothers who are separated at the age of six because one is born with dragon scales. In this world, a few children are blessed with their own unique powers. Some can be have the power to mimic, heal, or even the power to fall asleep fast lol Fast forward to the twins being in their teen years, the one twin that didn’t have powers is determined to make a name for himself and to have his family reunited.
Inspired by Bruce Lee, the story has lots of training, mastering techniques, fighting, and adventure.

I highly recommend this book 💖

Fonda Lee has been on my list of authors to read for years. When the publisher offered me the NetGalley widget for the first book in a new series, I immediately downloaded it.

In this world breathmarked people are born with a patch of dragon scales and possess various special abilities. At a young age, those who are blessed with a breathmark are sent away for special training. Jun's twin is one of the gifted, but when Jun reveals that their father also trained him in martial arts, he and his father are banished from their homeland while his brother and mother are taken to court. Years later, Jun has made it his life's purpose to become the next Guardian and prove himself. Seeing a reverse chosen one trope is a refreshing change. Jun has no special abilities, and it's an angle I really enjoyed.

Deadly competitions are always a draw for me, so I was excited to get to the Guardian's Tournament. Action fans will delight in the intricately choreographed martial arts scenes. I gasped more than once over unexpected outcomes. Before long Jun learns there's more to the tournament than he could ever have imagined and winning isn't all that's at stake.

The found family trope gets me every time, and it's a big part of this story. Not being a big romance fan, I appreciated that it's a very small part of the plot - and really only the potential of one. Jun's character arc is extremely well done and seeing him grow and learn is one of my favorite things about the novel.

I'll definitely be continuing with this series, and I'm anxious to see where the next book goes. Recommended for fans of strong character arcs, a main character who's not the chosen one, and novels with crossover appeal.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Breath of the Dragon is a YA fantasy novel that blends martial arts, magic, and high-stakes competition. The story follows sixteen-year-old Jun, who dreams of providing his worth in the elite Guardian's Tournament to restore his family's honor. Despite his father's strict prohibition, Jun's determination leads him to stow away with performers heading to the capital. The narrative is rich with action, emotional depth, and intricate world-building, making it a compelling read from start to finish.

Overall, though the story did not wow me, it was still a good time and a must-read for fans of action-packed, emotionally charged fantasy novels.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the ALC of Breath of the Dragon in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!

this was absolutely fantastic and i enjoyed every second i spent reading/listening. i’ve read fonda lee before, and while i wasn’t hooked by her green bone saga, i see her craft clearly in the breath of the dragon.

i’ve never been interested much in martial arts but shannon and fonda lee depict the fighting scenes in such concise yet vivid details that i felt as if i were watching a movie.

i enjoyed the political propaganda/intrigue, and really enjoyed the tournament aspect of the book! i’m excited to continue reading this series.

the narrator was fantastic as well!

If you like martial arts and Chinese historical fiction, this is the book for you. Despite not connecting to the story as much as I would like, the writing was well done, and the worldbuilding was excellent. This book is definitely a YA book, and I highly recommend it for young males as there is a lot of discussion about family honor, growing up, and pressures young men might face.

**I listened to the Audiobook for this story:
The Audiobook is also narrated by a male and is of excellent quality. The story flows well but does feel very long. I ended up speeding up the play to complete this review in time. This story worked well as an audiobook and wasn't unclear or hard to follow in this format.**

Li Jun and his father are separated from his mother and twin at the beginning of this story and exiled from Eastern Longhan. Jun's story focuses on his struggles to become the best fighter to protect the scroll of heaven. He enters the guardian tournament against all the best fighters and makes a unique friendship with a traveling performer and his daughter on the way to the tournament. Jun becomes aware of a rebellion that is brewing in his midst against the current military leader (who is also controlling the child emperor in the West). Jun and his old classmate end up on the run from the Western military. The book ends with Jun and his old classmate about to cross back into the East.

Note: This book is part of a duology, and the ending has a slight cliffhanger.

Pros:
* Good book for male readers
* Strong worldbuilding
* Historical Fiction/Cultural book
* Fully YA, but do note there are some gore/bloody descriptions

Cons:
* No actual dragons (the dragon gave the people breath-marked abilities that show up on their bodies physically through patches of dragon scales)
* A bit tedious at times with the amount of fight scenes, especially if you do not have an interest in martial arts
* The characters are a bit dry (I didn't feel their emotions as deeply and wasn't as connected to them as I would have liked to be)

This review is my own opinion of the story. I received a copy of the ARC audiobook from NetGalley to complete this review.

Breath of the Dragon is an undeniably well-crafted novel, showcasing the combined talents of Fonda Lee and Shannon Lee. The plot is solid, the magic system is both inventive and integral to the story, adding complexity to the characters’ struggles, and the setting is rich and immersive, full of intricate details that bring the world to life. The layered, multifaceted characters are another highlight, each grappling with challenges that make their arcs compelling and believable.

Despite all of these strengths, I found myself not fully invested in the story. While I was never bored or reluctant to keep listening to the audiobook, I also didn’t feel the pull to race through it. It’s a steady, enjoyable read that I admired more than I emotionally connected with.

This was my first experience with both authors, and I’ve heard nothing but glowing praise for Fonda Lee’s work. Based on the technical excellence of Breath of the Dragon, I’ll definitely be picking up more of her books in the future. Fans of complex fantasy worlds and intricate storytelling will likely find much to love here.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent narration. The narration of this kept me engaged. The story line is smooth and pacing is consistent. I will be reading these authors in the future.

I found this to be a strong debut to a new series! The world building is probably the strongest part - it is a nicely fleshed out world with political intrigue and some interesting magical elements that I really loved. This book largely revolves around martial arts and includes a fighting competition - I personally love a good fight scene and competition, but I realize this isn't everyone's cup of tea. I ended up listening to the audiobook for most of this book, and the narration was great, so I didn't mind all the fight scenes nor did I find them to drag. I enjoyed the character growth the MMC underwent through this first book. Some moments in the book were heart-wrenching 🥺. I did feel like the relationships in this book in general were a bit superficial but while the authors could have gone in deeper, I suspect this was perhaps by design and will occur more in the sequel based on the storyline.

All in all, I enjoyed it and am very much looking forward to the sequel!

CW: Violence, gore, death/death of a loved one, xenophobia.

A big thank you to Wednesday books, St-Martin's Press, MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the ARC and ALC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio and Wednesday Books for this ARC Copy!

Though this is not my typical genre to read I knew that this would be a phenomenally written book and I was not wrong. The writing of the fight scenes were so descriptive and capitating that I really felt like I was watching a movie inside my brain. Personally there was more fighting than I am used to or prefer in a book but I knew that would be the case going into it and expected to just glaze over the scenes but that definitely never happened. If you have any interest in martial arts in any way at all you will enjoy this book. I wish that we had gotten deeper into the story and the politics in this book but I understand why we needed to be kept in the dark on some things but that just means that I can not wait for the next book to come out. I want to know more about the world and how everything will play out.

I was sent this book randomly and decided to read it on a whim and it was amazing!! I know Fonda Lee has written great books before (but I haven’t read them yet) so it was no surprise that this new YA book was excellent. Refreshing, fast-paced, with excellent action scenes. I'm really looking forward to reading this series as more books come out! And the audiobook was great too!

🌈Queer rep: none

That was intense. I would never guess that this book was written by women if i hadn’t known. But again it’s co-written by Fonda Lee.

This is a story about a boy who had to struggle to get what he wanted. Being separated with his identical twin brother since he was 6, exiled with his father to live in the west for learning hereditary martial arts because its considered a crime in the East if one was not breathmarked by Dragon, never had the chance to return home to his mother and brother, and working with his father as an opera crew. His father wanted to lay low to avoid unwanted attention, but Jun refused to live in mediocrity. He knew he’s a good martial artist. He wanted to enter the Guardian’s Tournament and proved himself that he’s just a good and deserving as his brother.

But fate seemed like its never worked in his favor. So he made his own way, whatever it took, whatever the price. He travelled to the capital city with a blind man and his adoptive daughter who were also a traveling performers, collecting coins along the way to pay for the entry fee. Once he managed to join the tournament, it was revealed that the rules were just changed. So the stakes were much higher now because this could cost him his life.

The tournament was just 4 days but the fighting scenes was described in detail that made it felt cinematic in my head. Though i don’t have any fav character in particular, i like them well enough to enjoy the story. The plot was neat. I love that there are tough powerful women as side characters. I like the character dynamics, the found family and especially the development between Jun & Yin. Obviously will read the sequel and I hope the Aspects will be having more scenes because i’m quite intrigued by them.

BTWI like the narrator! He gave a soul to the story and I think he’s the perfect voice for Jun. i enjoyed his narration so much i finished listening this in a day.

From the moment I saw the premise and the authors of this book I was hooked. Breath of the Dragon brings a solid installment in YA fantasy, though it doesn’t reinvent the wheel - it doesn’t have to. We have a classic underdog hero, an unexpected mentor (always appreciate that trope), a set of deadly trials, and some growing political tensions that clash at the climax of the book.
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I still prefer Fonda Lee’s previous work, but regardless Fonda Lee is spectacular at setting up political issues in the background and having them slowly unravel to the forefront and I think that’s the stand out moment in this book. Otherwise, the actual plot elements revolving around our character are standard for the genre. You won’t be gutted by any reveals, but you’ll appreciate the story elements for what they present.
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Eric Yang was also a great narrator for this story told in Jun’s POV. I think he voiced this character excellently and really brought out the mix of will and naivete that make up the essence of Jun at the beginning of the story - only for the real world and the politics involved to become slowly revealed to him. I believed that Eric Yang was Lee Jun the entire length of the story.
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So while, Breath of the Dragon doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but damn if it’s not a really solid wheel at the end of the day.
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*I received an audio ARC from Macmillan Audio | Macmillan Young Listeners. All opinions are my own*
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Hisses & Kisses 🐍

Just like listening to an action packed Bruce Lee movie! It had a slow start, but once past the world and character building it became an action packed edge of your seat masterpiece. The narrator made feel like I was right there on the sidelines watching it all happen. I’m looking forward to what happens next!

Have you ever read a title where you know the text has a strong inspiration or deeper meaning but can't catch what it is? This is how I felt reading Shannon Lee and Fonda Lee's newest novel, Breath of the Dragon.

I checked this title via audio, with Eric Yang narrating for 11 hours and 54 minutes. Whew, that's a lot of talking! He guided me through the story, filled with martial arts competitions and a stubborn, bullheaded main character who just does not know when to quit while he's ahead.

The story was alright. It didn't wow me, but I followed along and stuck around for the fight scenes. It was interesting to interpret certain fighting styles through text when we usually view them on film. I also like a good underdog story, and this tale was the epitome of a good fight. There were times when the story lagged and became typical. The characters didn't do it for me, but I stuck it out, and I'm curious to see what happens with the unfinished plots that will wrap up in Book 2.