I received an ARC from Netgalley for an honest review.
This book had my attention from the very beginning. Banished from his home and separated from his mother and twin at a young age, Jun has been training to participate in a tournament, but does not realize that there is more on the line then he thought. The world building, character development and writing style were all perfect. The only thing that I am not okay with is that I now have to wait for book 2.

This was a super enjoyable and action packed story!

We’ve got a high stakes martial arts tournament, political intrigues and plots, a bit of found family, and the promise of more in the next book. Jun is as arrogant and impulsive as any 16 year old boy, but he’s a compelling MMC, especially as he grows and matures. I liked Jin and Ren, and I liked how the three of them came to work together and trust each other.

Fight scenes have always been Fonda Lee’s strong suit, and this is no exception. Each match in the tournament was so vivid and kept me on the edge of my seat. It’s a brutal world, and no punches are pulled with the violence.

I’m excited to continue the story with the next book, which I’ll definitely be picking up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the preview. All opinions are my own.

4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced copy! You can pick up Breath of the Dragon on January 7, 2025.

Wow! What an explosive, action-packed story full of heart. I love how Fonda and Shannon Lee wove martial arts into this imaginative fantasy world full of people with special abilities. It was refreshing for our main character to not necessarily be the immediate and magical "chosen one," but someone who's had to work and earn their abilities. In fact, the Lees took the chosen one and turned it on its head by making our main character, Jun, watch his brother become the sought after one instead,

We see Jun grow so much over the course of the story. Even though he's not breathmarked (born with Dragon's blood), he's still arrogant and prideful because of his martial arts abilities, with a short-sightedness that feels all too real for young teenage boys. But that's what makes his growth so satisfying! We see him grow up before our eyes, first by accepting lessons from a blind flutist Chang, then by competing against better martial artists in the Guardians Tournament, before eventually losing everything he didn't realize he held dear.

I love the direction this story is going, the way we learn so much about the lore of this world, and how all-too-real the villains feel. I can't wait to see where the Lees take us next!