Breath of the Dragon

An absolutely brilliant book! Fonda Lee’s worldbuilding is phenomenal, and her immaculate plot and action. This book is descriptive and wonderfully crafted, definitely a must read if you love fantasy.

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Overview:

👊 Tournament story
🚫 No romance
👨‍👩‍👦 Found family
🥋 Martial arts
⏩ Fast paced
👥 Academic rivals
👦 Male main character in a YA


Fonda Lee, queen of fantasy as teamed up with Shannon Lee to break into the wonderful world of Young Adult and has now conquered this too.

Jun is a passionate martial artist, exhaled from his homeland while his magic endowed twin is brought to court. Living a life desperate to prove himself, Jun enters the Guardian Tournament, where he can fight to rise in the ranks of his newfound kingdom.

But this year, the tournament is different deadlier. More corrupt- and Jun is starting to learn why.

Lets just get something out of the way now. This is an actual YA, age appropriate adventure about a 16 year old who acts like a teen. While this adventure is larger than life, its awesome reading a book where the prose and story are meant to reflect children instead of being an adult book with the serial numbers shaved off. This is the kind of book id be pumped to give to my teenagers. For lack of a better comparison, it reminds me of the type of adventure mixed with darkness the later Harry Potter books had.

Jun is a wonderful protagonist. Hes a rambunctious pain in the ass with a big ego and a lot to learn, but he really does learn and grow through the story and becomes a young man. The character moments for him are earned through his own actions and a wonderful supporting roster of bright characters.

Jun connects with a musical martial arts master and teen sidekick duo. A whole revolutionary army. A corrupt general and his monster, a conniving doctor. A cast of crazy fighters from all over the country...and last but not least, his academic rival Yin, the boy he's dedicated himself to beating that he slowly can't help but be drawn to as a brother.

These characters give life and vibrancy to this world and make it feel whole. Down to very minor characters, they are all memorable, creatively written, and interesting to follow. The dialogue is sharp and snappy and its easy to follow each character and their motives over the course of the story.

The plot blends court politics and extremely well written, epic fighting scenes. Imagine the first Throne of Glass book if it had a baby with Cobra Kai. Its a fast paced blast of a story that always gives you motivation to turn the page. Reading this felt like watching a CW show from 2010. Its candy, but its candy made from an artisan small batch crafter who takes pride in his work.

Anyone going into Breath of the Dragon for 'Jade City' is going to be miserable, but the story has Fonda Lee's sharp writing and wit and impossible ability to draw you into a story. This book knows and respects its teen audience and I think has a ton of crossover appeal with adults who just appreciate great writing. I look forward to the world discovering Breath of the Dragon and will be going absolutely nuts when the second book drops.

From start to finish "Breath of the Dragon" was an absolutely captivating and unputdownable read! I went into this book really intrigued by the premise and ended up forfeiting sleep so I could read it all in one session.

The authors did an excellent job crafting an intricate and interesting world, I was eagerly flipping pages curious what new information would be revealed.

The main characters are so well-developed and likeable, it was easy to become emotionally invested in this story. A found family trope will get me every single time.

Overall this was such a fantastic reading experience, a must-read if you enjoy books in the YA Fantasy genre!

Thank you Fonda Lee, Shannon Lee, Net Galley and St. Martin's Press- Wednesday Books for providing me with an ARC of this book.

An imaginative and spellbinding fantasy novel. The plot is intricate and the magical elements are beautifully woven into the story. A truly enchanting read!

I didn’t know that I needed this duo! This is fantastic and an unforgettable read. It is a magical journey that transports you to another world. The storytelling is superb, and the characters are richly developed. I would be highly recommending it and patiently wait for the next book in the instalment.

"Breath of the Dragon" by Fonda Lee and Shannon Lee is a masterful entry into the YA fantasy genre, combining rich world-building with a compelling narrative centered around themes of honor, perseverance, and self-discovery. Inspired by the teachings and characters created by the legendary Bruce Lee, this novel delivers an exhilarating blend of martial arts action and magical intrigue.

The story follows sixteen-year-old Jun, who is determined to redeem his family’s honor by winning the prestigious Guardian’s Tournament. This tournament, held every six years, chooses the new protector of the magical Scroll of Heaven, a position that Jun believes will restore his father’s pride and correct a past mistake that led to their banishment. Jun’s journey is fraught with obstacles, not least of which is his father’s strict prohibition against participating. His father’s disapproval stems from Jun not being breathmarked—born with a patch of dragon scales that endows special abilities, unlike his twin brother.

Jun’s determination and resilience lead him to stow away with performers Chang and his daughter, Ren, on their way to the capital where the tournament takes place. This decision sets off a chain of events that forces Jun to confront not only formidable opponents but also the harsh truths about his own identity and capabilities. The tournament becomes more than just a personal quest for Jun; it transforms into a battle for the fate of the entire country and the lives of those he holds dear.

Fonda Lee’s world-building is nothing short of phenomenal. The intricate details of the setting, the lore of the breathmarked, and the high stakes of the Guardian’s Tournament create a vivid and immersive reading experience. Each scene is meticulously crafted, bringing to life the intensity of the battles and the emotional depth of Jun’s journey.

The characters in "Breath of the Dragon" are well-developed and relatable. Jun is a particularly compelling protagonist; his inner struggles and growth throughout the story are portrayed with sensitivity and realism. Ren, Chang, and other supporting characters add richness to the narrative, each with their unique contributions and backstories that enhance the overall plot.

The action sequences are thrilling and cinematic, capturing the essence of martial arts that Bruce Lee so famously embodied. These scenes are not only exciting but also serve as pivotal moments for character development and plot progression. The themes of honor, sacrifice, and the pursuit of greatness are woven seamlessly into the fabric of the story, making it resonate on a deeper level.

"Breath of the Dragon" is a brilliant start to what promises to be an epic duology. It’s a must-read for fans of fantasy, martial arts, and stories that explore the depths of human potential and the power of perseverance. This book is not just about the physical battles fought in the tournament, but also about the internal battles faced by a young man striving to carve out his place in a world that has doubted him.

In conclusion, "Breath of the Dragon" is a captivating and inspiring tale that will leave readers eagerly anticipating the next installment. Fonda Lee and Shannon Lee have created a memorable story that honors the legacy of Bruce Lee while standing on its own as a powerful addition to the YA fantasy genre.

It is SO awesome to see the author of Jade City and Bruce Lee's daughter unite for an amazing project. I had to jump into this arc and already preordered my copy with B&N. Thank you so much, publisher, for accepting me to read this one. Anything related to Bruce Lee reminds me of my childhood with my father, then when I was a teen the world lost Brandon... I will treasure this book. It will always be dear to me. Thank you, authors, for doing this project and the publisher for supporting it. 

The perfect coming-of-age story stars Jun, a 16 teen who wants to compete in the elite Guardian’s Tournament to become the Guardian himself. First, his heart and motivations are selfish, and towards revenge, he needs to prove to everyone that he is not just the spare twin who wasn't born with the Dragon's mark, but he has a raw talent that deserves to be put to good use. He tries to follow his goal, but he needs to get to the tournament and pay for the entry. To do so, he runs away hidden in a wagon of travelers who perform for the crowd as they go. This journey becomes more than just a way to earn money or get to the city. He learns more about their social and political situation, the differences between East and West, and soon he will want to fight for the people instead of getting wealth and fame. 

A refreshing duology with a martial arts focus, classic vibes, and a rebel on a path to glory who changes to social justice. Action and adventure with a lot of life lessons and virtue. Ren is the perfect companion to this selfish, impulsive teen. She is brave and the perfect friend. The Breath is like a powerful force that comes from within, very relatable to KI but also to our will to fight the wrongs in this world.

4.5 stars ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, Shannon Lee and Fonda Lee, and the publishers for providing me with the e-ARC!

This was absolutely PHENOMENAL! It took me about 30% in to really connect with the characters and the world, but once I did I was absolutely hooked.

This story follows Jun on his journey to become win the Guardian Tournament and restore respect for his father. Through martial arts tournaments, Jun must fight his way to become the most highly regarded. There’s one catch - he must try and fight against those with special powers (the breathmarked).

Jun’s character development was so well written. I could not stand him in the beginning but his journey throughout the story was amazing and I felt so many emotions for him towards the end, a few tears were even shed.

This was action packed and the writing was so amazing that I felt like I could see a movie playing while I was reading. The martial arts scenes were so descriptive and detailed, completely immersive. I would absolutely love to see a movie or tv adaptation of this one day.

Absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this!! This was one of my favourite reads of the year!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC.

Every once in a while, a reader comes across a book that is capable of shaping the mind of a young reader—that is the case with Breath of the Dragon. Breath of the Dragon is a novel that is about so much more than a martial arts tournament—it’s about family, friendship, expectations, politics, moral codes, and the meaning of what it is to fight and what it is that is worth fighting for in the first place. This is the type of novel that teaches kids not only important moral lessons, but also makes them feel like they are capable of doing anything if they just put their minds to it.

"...'Do you know what it means to be breathmarked?'
Sai said quietly, "It means that the Dragon gave me a special ability that I'm meant to use.'
'That's right.'"*

Breath of the Dragon follows Li Jun, a young man irrevocably separated from his mother and twin after accidentally revealing his martial arts practice as a child. Exiled from the East, which outlaws all violence (including martial arts), unless an agent of the government known as Aspects, Jun and his father must learn how to live in the West, on the other side of the closed Snake Wall. As a child of the East forced to grow up in the West, Jun finds himself an outsider on both sides of the wall, and is perfectly poised to display the differences of both countries. Unlike the East, the West does not forbid its citizens martial arts. Against his father’s wishes, Jun is determined to continue it his martial arts training, and sets off to enter the famous tournament that will decide the new Guardian of the Earth Scroll, a sacred duty.

"'Li Jun is only sixteen, born under the Red Star. He's the youngest competitor at the tournament, and even though he doesn't have a breathmark, he fights as if divinely inspired by Dragon himself.'"

Along the way, not everything goes as planned. Overconfident Jun is faced with the knowledge that he doesn’t know much about the world around him. If I had to compare Jun and his journey to anyone, it would be to a less obnoxious Rand from The Wheel of Time series. I didn’t always like Jun, which isn’t too surprising given that he’s only sixteen years old and very sheltered, but I always found him compelling. Throughout the course of Breath of the Dragon, Jun is forced to make difficult decisions, choosing what is most important to him, and consequently fighting for it. During his journey, Jun is forced to rub shoulders with mob bosses, generals, revolutionaries, emperors, murderers, and Aspects of the East.

I’m someone who generally hates reading any kind of battle or fight scenes in novels. Typically, I find these types of scenes to be frustrating because they are really difficult for me to picture in my head and hard for me to focus on. So, I was pretty surprised that I was super invested in all of the fight scenes in Breath of the Dragon, and believe me, there are a lot. Every one of these scenes is filled with tension—I was never completely certain that Jun, even with all of his abilities, determination, and main character plot armor, would win.

"'What sort of breathmark ability do you have?'
'I'm not breathmarked,' Jun said.
Zhang snorted, disappointed, 'Then you don't have a chance.
'That's not true,' Ren shot back. 'breathmarks aren't a guarantee of anything.'"

What initially attracted me to Breath of the Dragon was the fantasy elements. Naturally, I was interested in a world where a dragon is worshiped as the creator of the world. I was also really intrigued by the concept of people being breathmarked—or born with patches of dragon scales that granted them unique abilities. Jun, unlike his twin brother, is not breathmarked, and therefore has to work even harder to prove himself. Many people tell him that he has no hope of becoming the Guardian simply due to his lack of a breathmark, as he has no chance against someone who doesn’t tire or someone who can predict his opponent’s next move. But Jun will soon find that like his opponents, not all breathmarks are created equally. 

I’ve seen a lot of comparisons to Cobra Kai, but I personally haven’t watched that show so I can’t speak to their similarities. However, the world itself, complete with warring nations and subterfuge, reminded me a lot of Avatar: The Last Airbender. The breathmarked abilities also reminded me a lot of bending. The different schools of martial arts and the thoughts behind them similarly reminded me of the difference in attitudes between, say, fire bending and air bending.

Like Avatar, Breath of the Dragon is intended for a younger audience, but can also be enjoyed by adult readers. The novel has all of the hallmarks of Fonda Lee’s excellent writing style—concise and non-flowery, but still descriptive—which not only bolsters the fast pace, but also allows for plenty of world-building to be imparted naturally throughout conversation. Thankfully, there is no reliance on telling or information dumping. And Breath of the Dragon doles out just enough information to readers as the novel goes along, echoing Jun’s adventure out into the world and his learning about it—readers only learn things as Jun learns them, leaving them even more invested in his character development and discoveries.

"'I had a good sifu,' Jun said, 'who told me that the only way to master others is to master yourself first.'"

In keeping with this fast-pace, there is really not a lot of time wasted on teen romance or any other romantic relationships. Though there are hints of a love-triangle, it’s never acted upon. Most of the relationship complexity is devoted to Jun and his rival, which was quite refreshing. I am really excited to see where this rivalry goes in the sequel, as due to the events of the novel, the two are going to be forced to lean on one another now more than ever before.

Reading Breath of the Dragon was a total delight and it brought back a lot of the feelings I had when I was a young girl reading Song of the Lioness series by Tamora Pierce for the first time. I’m so glad I took a chance and read a book centering on martial arts, something I consider outside of my normal interests. I highly recommend this novel to anyone looking for an exciting, fast-paced fantasy novel with a martial-arts driven plot, and great character development. The sequel will be instant read for me upon release.

*All quotes taken from an ARC are subject to change at the time of publication.

[Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC and this opportunity to read and review Breath of the Dragon by Fonda and Shannon Lee early.]

4.75 stars out of 5. It’s been a long time since I’ve been so impressed by a YA Fantasy novel.

Summary.

The story begins in a land 50 years divided by the Snake Wall – an expansive, massive construction of stone that carves the country of Longhan into the East and West. It also is the physical and metaphorical wall that has separated Jun and his father from his mother and twin following their now ten-year-long exile into the West. Jun is our main character – a headstrong, passionate, and stubborn boy who is burdened by guilt and blinded by a defensive arrogance developed from growing up a stranger in a strange land. He’s also ignorant of the world, absorbed in his own dreams of becoming the next Guardian of the Earth Scroll. But in order to become the Guardian, he must participate in a dangerous competition that takes place only once every six years. We follow Jun on his adventure to the tournament and then his participation in the elimination trials, making friends and enemies along the way (with a dash of romance sprinkled in). It’s a decently fast-paced story with a lot of great combat scenes – to be expected by Fonda Lee and Shannon Lee.

What did I like about the story?

1. Male main character.

The YA genre, particularly the YA Fantasy genre, is sorely in need of more male MCs – male MCs who are good and strong character like Jun, rather than some of the limp-wristed MCs who need their female supporting cast to even be useful, or the “bad boys” who are unrepentant jerks with superficial good qualities and easily forgiven by readers and love interests alike because they’re just too hot. It’s also a breath of fresh air in a genre inundated in heroines, where you have no choice but to choke on and drown in similar caricatures of the Manic Pixie Dream Girls, Not Like Other Girls, and – the pièce de resistance – the She’s an Amazing, Independent Fighter Girl, We Swear! Don’t misunderstand, I’m happy that I get my pick of more female leads than another reader would have 20-50 years ago, but that doesn’t mean I appreciate the seeming slide toward favoring one gender/sex (females) over others (males and those outside of the binary spectrum) in the YA genre. GIVE ME MORE MALE MCs LIKE JUN IN YA PLEASE!!

2. Cast of Characters

Jun and his supporting cast are all a great range of characters. Jun is realistically flawed, yet an inherently good character who goes through a satisfying character arc that clearly has room to continue into the next book in the duology. Fonda and Shannon also created two great foils for him, who you meet early in the book. The villains, on the other hand, are driven by motivations that the reader can understand without making them necessarily sympathetic, which is a great palate cleanser from many of the sympathetic villains we get in YA nowadays.

3. Minimal Romance

Understandably, this may be a negative for some readers, but I was extremely grateful that the romance sub-plot was kept to a footnote. I am here to read about martial arts adventures and winning the grand tournament, not boy-and-girl-make-kissy-mwah-mwah-face-at-each-other, thank you. I also like the chemistry between our possible romantic partners, which is more than I can say for the majority of YA and Adult romance fantasies or romantic subplots. (Bonus points for this book being an actual fantasy like its summary suggests, not a romantasy with a misleading summary.)

There are hints of a love triangle. It didn't throw me out of the story like it normally would, but proceed with caution if that's something you loathe.

4. Well-written Combat

As could be expected, Fonda and Shannon write phenomenal scenes of combat, highlighting the extreme martial prowess of every combatant. My heart was pounding during many of the fights, even when the results of the bouts in question were easy for me to guess.

5. Tightly Packed Plot and World-building

Despite its relatively short length (barely hits 329 pages in the physical ARC), the authors did an admirable job packing many different plot beats into the story while keeping the plot moving at a good pace. These would include, but are not limited to: world-building, power/magic system explanations, political intrigue and interpersonal manipulations, xenophobia, state propaganda, deep discussions on philosophy, martial arts, family, dreams, loss, self-doubt, and more (often based on Bruce Lee’s personal beliefs and hardships). Some of these topics aren’t as deeply explored as I might have liked, but it’s amazing that the authors were able to coherently address so many different and complex subjects in so short a book.

What didn’t I like?

1. Too Short/Would Prefer a Trilogy

Though I praise the book for how much it was able to accomplish with such a small page count, it feels like it could use a little more meat on its bones – maybe 20-70 more pages dedicated to building out some of Jun’s relationships and/or the world at large. Furthermore, if the second book is going to be just as short, I think it’d be better off as a trilogy rather than a duology. Maybe I’m in the minority, but it seems like there’s so much more to this world and tale than what is being allowed within the current length of the first book and its eventual series. Then again, I’m used to reading much longer books, so who am I to judge?

2. Somewhat Shallow Exploration of Relationships and World

Coming off of my first issue with the book, it feels as if certain aspects of the world and Jun’s relationships with his father and teachers were glossed over rather than developed in a meaningful way – more so with the latter than the former. This could have been mitigated by letting us see Jun interacting with his teachers over a longer period of time/word count.

3. Only a Month?

The one detail that I had trouble getting over was how prospective contestants in the Guardian Tournament (at least in Jun’s martial school) are selected a month prior to the Guardian Selection. A month seems like too short a time for whoever is selected to train for the competition. A minimum of six months makes more sense in my mind, and it would have given the authors more time to flesh out their characters and world. Even if the publisher or authors insisted on keeping the shorter word count and fast pace, a time skip is a perfectly viable solution. I understand that the condensed time frame helps highlight just how skilled Jun is in martial arts by having him master some new fighting techniques and lifestyle habits over a short period of time, but surely there could have been another way?

4. I want the second book NOW!

Ending on a good note, reading the first book makes me instantly crave the second book! Don’t rush it, please, but also know I am already impatiently waiting for it!

Final Thoughts

Breath of the Dragon is a breath (pun intended) of fresh air in General YA Fantasy and in Chinese-inspired YA fantasy. I thoroughly enjoyed everything about this story, from its world to its characters, the combat and the emotional scenes. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to get into Fonda Lee’s and Shannon Lee’s writing.