The way I will forever be grateful to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC! This was excellent.

I've been waiting for this book for a little over 2 years now and I was not disappointed.

The sheer amount of worldbuilding in this series is insane. I know Fonda Lee was in the business world before she became an author but this much detail was mindblowing. Different cultures, minute mannerisms, political intrigue, accounting, leadership, militaries: Jade Legacy took Jade City and Jade War to the next level literally. I was told repeatedly that this book would span many years, but it really did and I don't think iIwas quite prepared. I loved watching the characters we knew and love grow up to be full adults and even the children into young adults. However much I loved the plot of this series, as overarching and expansive it was, I think the characters were the best part of the book.

Each character had their own dynamic personality. Their motivation were real, their actions had consequences, and every single one of them had flaws. That doesn't mean that I didn't love them because I really did (even Ayt Mada). While they fought, fiercely, they loved each other more fiercely. Family. It bound them together and tied them. so tightly that they always came back to each other. It wasn't just loyalty, it was love. And in the words of the Marvel movie THe Eternals, "When you love something, you protect it." I could feel the characters' fears and hopes for each other. In the end, it was what truly separated No Peak from the Mountain clan. If we were put in Ayt Mada's shoes, we would probably understand her noble motivations of wanting to unite the jade clans. But one of the reasons we love No Peak and connect with the characters is because they care about each other. It is what makes them stronger in the end.

This series was one f the best series I have ever read. The escalation from Jade City to Jade War and finally to Jade Legacy was expertly done. The small facets of each country and their economy really is outstanding. It is on a global level that draws the reader in. Fonda Lee did not spare our feelings. We lost loved ones and we disagreed with the actions of those we loved. But that is what makes us who we are. We make mistakes, we forgive each other, and we become family again. This series is a testament to the powerful binding power of love.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is going to be a long review and this is the final book of a trilogy, so I won't get into the plot.

What Fonda Lee has done with this conclusion to this series is remarkable. For a little context, I wasn't blown away by the first 2. I definitely saw their merits and they were enjoyable, but I found them to be a little overhyped. I wasn't even sure I was going to pick this up. But I started to see reviews come in about how incredible it was and decided to give it a shot. I'm glad I did, because this is definitely one of the best endings to a series I have EVER read.

First off, the undertaking Lee took on by having this book span 20 years is admirable. The way she is able to continuously develop the relationships between the characters, the clans, and the countries while having pretty sizable time jumps is such an incredible feat that I have a hard time wrapping my head around. It seems daunting to go into it, but she makes the information, while complex, digestible in a way that made me feel like I always knew what was going on.

The best part of the book: the characters. I enjoyed the characters in previous books, but in this book, with the amount of time that passed, I really felt such an attachment to these characters that we've seen grow up from young adulthood. Hilo is one of the most well crafted characters I've ever read in a book series. Shae and Hilo's relationship is one of my favorite in the books. They go through so many ups and downs. One of the strongest themes throughout these books is the importance of family. While these people are surrounded by violence and impossible decisions, they always make sure their family is safe. Anden's entire arc is also masterfully created. His relationship to Hilo also felt so real and intense. Ayt Mada is one of the best antagonists in fiction. She is ruthless, but as the reader, you know that if you were reading from her POV, you would think this way about Hilo. No one in this book is "good". But you still find yourself rooting for the Kaul family.

The plot was slow moving at first, which is fitting considering they were in a "slow war". However, Lee doesn't let you get bored. There were still incredibly written fight scenes throughout, as well as enough tension between characters to keep you reading. By the end, I was crying so hard I couldn't breathe. I still am feeling emotionally drained and can't stop getting sad every time I think of it. Any author that can get me to feel so strongly for their characters is A+ in my book.

I would recommend this book to literally anyone. This is going on my list of top trilogies of all time.

"The clan is my blood and the Pillar is it's master."

"Only children and gods are arrogant enough to judge what they can't understand." –Fonda Lee, Jade Legacy

Fonda Lee brings her Green Bone Saga to an apparent end with the excellent Jade Legacy. In a landscape where endings are underwhelming, or they might never come at all, Lee finishes one of the best trilogies in the last twenty years.

Unlike the more condensed timelines in the previous two books, Jade Legacy stretches over decades to finish the story of the seemingly neverending war between the rival No Peal and Mountain clans of Kekon. Though the story grows far beyond the streets of Janloon, the Kaul family–specifically siblings Hiloshudon, Shaelinsan, and cousin Anden–remain at the heart of the generations spanning conflict. The fate of their clan and the future of Green Bone warriors rests with them.

Knowing from the outset this was going to be the final book in the series, I wondered how Lee would weave everything together into a fitting end. Even though, when you boil it down, the Green Bone Saga is the story of one criminal family wrestling with the tensions between modernity and tradition, it plays out with the grandiosity of any fantasy epic. There were so many lingering questions and threads left in the wake of Jade War that I was bracing for a conclusion that either left readers wanting or ran down every lingering question like they were chores to strike off a checklist. Instead, Lee altered the pacing to account for the vast amount of material she needed to cover. Nothing ever felt rushed, and Lee's talent for delving into the intricate planning of the Green Bone clans remained even as the story jumped countries and through the decades. The Green Bone books are never starved for action, but any extended dialogue scene is just as exciting as the detailed fight scenes.

If there's one aspect of fantasy that usually leaves me cold, it would be fight scenes. They're often drawn out without much sense–or written in sterile prose that shows the author has done their research, but the overly technical nature robs any tension from the fight. Lee continues to excel with the downright brutal depictions of violence done and endured by her protagonists. There might not be a standout scene like the duel between Shae and Ayt Mada, but each fight that comes up carries an unsettling weight and importance. Since that decisive moment in Jade City–arguably sparking the enduring war between No Peak and the Mountain– no character has really felt safe. Several times throughout the trilogy, I've been certain one of the central characters was finally going to take things too far and meet their end, only to pull out an improbable–but never unbelievable–win. The cast of the Green Bone Saga has grown over three books, but it speaks to Lee's ability that she never writes herself into a corner where the only possible way out is to kill off a character to finish a scene. Like the Kaul family, she always finds another way.

Without giving anything away, the scope–in terms of both narrative and setting–in Jade Legacy is incredible. Even though the novel is well over 600 pages, Lee doesn't waste time overexplaining her world-building, instead of letting the present circumstances of her characters hint at a deeper past. There are a number of times where interludes will interrupt the main story to shed light on a particular aspect of Kekonese culture, and these history lessons always come around to play a larger thematic or narrative role later on. Lee could write a dozen more Green Bone books from the hints, references, and footnotes she leaves scattered throughout her trilogy–and to be honest, I'd read every single one.

Pulling off a good ending is difficult, nearly to the point where many fantasy fans prepare themselves to be underwhelmed with the conclusion. Fonda Lee not only caps off the Green Bone Saga with a fitting, heartbreaking, satisfying ending, but somehow each book is better than the last.

I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest opinions.

This is a fantasy saga that feels new in the world of alternate universes and a saturated genre.

When I read the first book, I was stunned at the magic and the twisty complications of society.
Now in the last, I'm equally stunned. Amazed! And completely absorbed! The world is so rich politically, religiously, and culturally. It subtly tackles issues of acceptance and features a gay character in a leading role.

I love the jade magic and how the rules are defined as well as the ethics in using magic. Weaving political influences through the interactions and relations of countries tied to jade is intriguing. I usually don't love political drama, but in this case, I was on the edge of my seat to see how No Peak and the Mountain clans would wield power on a global scale.

I wonder if I like the characters or if I'm just fascinated by them. They are interesting, violent, loyal, passionate, drawn with both good and bad characteristics. And even though I'm not always sure how I'm feeling about them, I'm always rooting for No Peak. There are twists that knocked my socks off! (And that's hard to do!)

This series is written for adults and shows intimate interactions between consenting adults and has plenty of cursing and violence.

Jade Legacy is the final book in Fonda Lee's "Green Bone Saga", her trilogy that began in 2017 with Jade City (my Review Here) and continued with 2019's Jade War (my Review here). For those who somehow missed the earlier books in this series, the trilogy is often pitched as "The Godfather" meets "Kung Fu/Wuxia", and the premise lives up to that mash-up, while also dealing with a lot of serious themes at the same time (ala well, The Godfather). The first book in the series, Jade City, won the World Fantasy Award and was nominated for the Nebula Award, while the second book Jade War was nominated for a few awards like the Ignyte Award as well.

This is another one of those series that I have mixed feelings about - I liked Jade City a good bit at the time of reading it, but didn't love it enough to pick up the sequel....and then when I picked up Jade War, I found myself not caring as much as I wanted to about the events and characters...except for one protagonist character whose actions I really hated. And so I wasn't too sure I'd be continuing with this finale book - especially as this book is significantly the longest in the series. Still, I suspected this one will be nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Series next year, so I decided to give it a shot anyhow.

And well I liked Jade Legacy more than I thought I would, perhaps the most of any of the trilogy, and it definitely capped out the series in strong fashion. As mentioned above, the book is the longest by far in the trilogy (listed at over 700 pages, and that's probably an understatement) and it features by far the longest time span of the trilogy, with the story covering decades through the use of multiple time skips. And honestly, it probably could or should have been broken up into two separate books, with the time skips preventing me from really feeling the impact of a number of developments. Still, those same time skips allow this story to really showcase the development and legacy of its protagonists, the Kaul clan, both old and new, as they deal with their old enemies (The Mountain) and foreign influences and the inevitable changes to their ways of life. I'm not sure every development worked by the end, but it had me enraptured, and that's all I could've hoped for.

Spoiler Warning: For obvious reasons, spoilers for books 1 and 2 of this series are discussed below the jump. You have been warned.
----------------------------------------------------Plot Summary------------------------------------------------------
The clan of No Peak, and its leaders the Kauls have managed to survive despite attacks from their nemesis, the rival Mountain clan, and the dangerous efforts of foreign powers like Espenia and Ygutan to interfere with Kekonese sovereignty in their desire for the power of Jade. But the family - Pillar Hilo, Weather Man Shae, and adopted brother now-turned doctor Anden - is as fractured as ever due to Hilo's anger over Shae going behind his back to use his wife Wen as a spy, an act that almost got Wen killed on Espenian soil. And now the Mountain is rising once again in financial power, allowing it to exert dangerous pressure on No Peak, pressure that may crush them all if they can't stand united.

And the Mountain may be the least of it. For the foreign powers are more set than ever on intruding on Kekon, in their own nefarious ways. Even worse, an underground Kekon anti-clan movement is brewing, perhaps with the encouragement of those foreign powers, which poses a threat neither clan could possibly have foreseen. And as more and more Kekonese experience the rest of the open world, and more of the world gets to see Kekon, the very people who once were the clans' greatest supporters are starting to have different ideas about the future.

To survive these foes, and the inevitable changes coming to Kekonese society, the Kauls will have to reconsider what they are willing to do and how they are willing to act. And as the next generation of Kauls and Green Bones begins to come into their own age, they will struggle to shape the legacy of those who come next.......
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Jade Legacy begins in the same vein as its predecessors, with the story switching between the points of view of our usual suspects: Hilo, Shae, Anden, and Wen, to go along with occasional check-ins with Bero, the stumbling fool who is still finding himself a part of momentous events (in this case, an underground movement to overthrow the Clans, aided by foreign resources). The characters are in similar positions as to where they were left off, with Shae being the wise one, if a step behind Ayt and the Mountain, Hilo not listening to her and Wen as much as he should - and Hilo being an utter ass about them still - as he rashly does things for what he thinks is best for the clan, even as they're dangerous, Anden trying to embark on his new profession as a doctor back on Kekon, and Wen struggling with her physical disability due to her injuries and Hilo not seeming to trust or love her as much any more as a result of it.

And then something happens - Jade Legacy begins to jump forward in time in between events. And the result is something very different - events unfold in more momentous ways, and characters develop in ways that are really interesting and well done, as they deal with foreign intervention, family problems, issues of different generations conflicting, and moral and ethical choices of a changing modernizing world. These time jumps aren't without cost - and honestly, I think the book might overuse them at times, to the point where certain events are never given a chance to breathe. For example an early plot point is Shae's right-hand man Woon, who is married but in love with Shae, finally winding up in an affair with her (and then getting married), resulting in his divorce and their marriage....a dramatic plot turn that goes absolutely nowhere and has no effect on anyone. Another major even about 40% in threatens to overturn the entire order of the clans and rather than giving us the chance to see the Mountain and No Peak respond to it...we have a six year time jump. This book very much could have been two books, with the extra space being used to show how things play out, and it does suffer a bit from everything being jammed together with the frequent time jumps.

But the time jumps work so so well in general to really emphasize this book's title and its main theme, that of Legacy, as the main characters and their successors tackle how they will adapt to the growing new world, with globalization and modernization changing everything. The new generation, all of whom get POV chapters and their own plots are not copies of their predecessors in any way, are all really interesting, as one struggles with expectations of leadership he doesn't want, another tries to find a destiny despite his being a stone eye, and the third tries very much to live up to Hilo's name. The main characters all change and grow as they struggle and try to figure things out, from Anden who grows fully comfortable in his own skin as a doctor and as a side member of the clan, to Shae who makes decisions she never could have imagined, to Wen who learns to user her brain to promote the clan's interests through media and movies now that she can't act anymore as a spy.

And hell, even Hilo grew on me, even as his past sins are absolutely unforgivable still, and he never gets a reckoning for them. And the story again deals with serious themes, not just of generational change, but of foreign influence, of the reaping of natural resources, of the atrocities committed by mercenary groups, and of lines that should and are too often not drawn. Not everything works in the plot, and I'm not sure how one character's ending plotline really fits her character, but so much of it does, and it's a very satisfying journey to an ending. And it's a journey that made me very happy I decided to give this trilogy another chance...and if you liked the first two books better than me, I suspect this one will really really make your day.

I received an ARC of this book from Orbit in exchange for an honest review.

Over time, this series has grown on me. I think it took a book and a half to realize that Lee intended for us to follow these characters through the entire arc of their lives (however long or short that arc may be), and to tell a tale of honor, loyalty, tradition, and family that reaches across decades and through generations. Jade Legacy delivers a fitting conclusion to the story of Kaul Hilo and the No Peak/Mountain feud without making it seem like that is all there is in Lee's world. While there are still loose ends, as there must be in any city as messy and rich as Janloon, Lee delivers fitting conclusions for our main cast--not just the Kauls (Hilo, Shae, and Anden, as well as the next generation, who really come into their own as the book develops) but also Bero and his frustrating struggle for relevance, Ayt Mada, and the Kauls' contacts in Espenia. As in the previous two books, Lee is more than willing to surprise the audience with duels, deaths, and unexpected alliances, but these choices never feel gratuitous; they are part of a larger narrative that encompasses the way of life the Kauls have, to varying extents, chosen or been forced into by the burden of family legacy. Jade Legacy continues to ask hard questions about sacrifice, honor, and familial relationships, and shows its characters' hard and sometimes disappointing choices unflinchingly but without judgment. Through crises and conflicts, it brings the story of one generation to a close and passes the torch to the future of Kekon.

Five out of five stars.

Thank you to Orbit Books, through NetGalley, for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Honestly, what?! I cried. And it was the first time I ever cried because of a book.

The Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee is the very first adult fantasy series I have read; it is because of this series that I became more motivated to further explore the adult fantasy genre. For this, I thank Fonda Lee for writing a series so wonderful that it urged me to find many more books I now want to read. I read the phenomenal first book Jade City in late June, developed further my love for the series with Jade War in August, and now cemented the trilogy’s importance to me with Jade Legacy. I don’t know where to start with this review; I could say so many things about the characters, the plot, the writing, the themes, etc., etc.

First and foremost, the Green Bone Saga is a family saga. The sense of family developed the three books has become more than palpable in Jade Legacy. Since it is the last book of the trilogy, I worried that the characters would become stale by now (a baseless and irrational worry). But Jade Legacy presented a richer, deeper, more compelling exploration of the characters, old and new. The book spans 20 years, and the characters age and become more mature, and the character arcs that were introduced in the first book come full circle at last. And what a satisfying end.

Specifically, I only liked Hilo before this book, and with the third book I found a great appreciation of his character. He matures and he grows into his role in No Peak, and his relationships with his family are further explored, and I loved it. Shae stays my favourite character, and I love her journey in this book. Wen continues to surprise me as a character, and I love her character even more. Anden is as usual amazing and his journey as a character is richer. Honestly, I can’t rank these characters because they all have their own journeys, their own struggles and conflicts, internal or external—but by the end of the series, I only know that I love these characters all equally. And let’s appreciate how Fonda Lee created one of the most compelling antagonists in book history? Ayt Mada is amazing. I love her. I once said on Twitter that I sometimes read events in the series from her perspective, see if it benefits her or not.

At the technical level, Lee balances masterfully showing and telling her story, and from diction choice to sentence structure—it all led to a story rife with excellent intense emotional beats to epic descriptions of macroscopic events, creating a depth and richness to the story. Along with the time span of this book, I find it so amazing how Fonda managed to balance the intimate with the epic. Truly wonderful.

I love this book. I love this series. The exploration of themes of diaspora and culture could be studied in schools I bet.

What a perfect ending this book was, and I can’t wait to read more of Fonda Lee’s works

lee is truly a master of her own setting the bar for the fantasy craft, and she excels incredibly as experiencing her work as reader going through this trilogy and finding myself in awe every time. i retract my jade war review statement of being emotionally drained from that sequel when jade legacy depleted me extremely more on multiple levels. following the journey of all these characters took up a huge place in my heart and now there is a void of pain especially with having to say farewell to the story of the clans in this wonderful world fonda created. i can't form all my thoughts articulately at the moment on this book completely as it is nearly 2:30 am and i just finished in a post series daze trying to process it all. expect of course more high stakes politics and much emotional whiplash as fonda lee knows how to hit at the right moments with this years spanning poignant yet compelling story of the kaul family of no peak. there was no way to mentally prepare for this finale at all, but that it was genuinely the best piece of literature i've ever read being a tremendous satisfyingly done conclusion.

Book perfection. In every respect this conclusion to the Green Bone Saga is a masterpiece. Not only has each book in this series exceeded the prior one, but this finale is the best ending to a trilogy I have ever read. Right from the start the pacing, events, and dialogue draws you right back into the story and then it sweeps you away and shakes you to the core. Each sentence, paragraph and page turn brings both anticipation and dread as what was built in City & War is brought to fruition. While War took us away from Janloon, we are brought back for the final moves and machinations of each clan in the fight for final supremacy. Gains, losses, decisions, moves and countermoves abound as each of our characters faces life changing events. These characters are so well realized that you cannot help but be devastated by what they go through. This book and the entire series has moved to the very top of my favorite fantasy series of all time list. Just go read it.

5/5 stars

thank you to netgalley and orbit for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

nothing i can write would bring this book justice--nearly one month and one existential crisis post-jade legacy, it can now be said that the greenbone saga is the greatest trilogy i've ever read.

incredibly ambitious with a narrative spanning 3 decades, jade legacy sticks the landing in every sense of the word, juggling its vast cast, continent-jumping world, and intricate politics with a masterful hand. readers who, like me, fell in love with the kaul siblings and the intricate fantasy setting fonda lee has created won't be disappointed with their send-off. each and every character has their moment in the spotlight: the kauls, their allies, their enemies, hell even BERO...each risk fonda took has been paid forward; not in the way readers may have expected or even wanted, but absolutely in the way they all deserved to have been resolved.

as for my own experience while reading this slow-burn, gives-coppola-a-run-for-his-money of a book: the hundreds of annotations on my e-arc are nothing but me screeching at wtf was happening on-page (i'm laughing rereading them nearly a month later. my favorite so far is a spoiler, but another one that made me laugh is my reaction to the first instance of bero's name in the text, which is just "fkn roach"). my heart raced and my stomach dropped, i laughed and i yelled and yes you better believe i cried. safe to say that the emotional toll this book has had on my soul has been taxing. totally worth it. the easiest 5 stars i've had the pleasure to give.

Ok, so I am very torn because objectively, this was a really good book, masterful even. Fonda Lee is truly skilled at worldbuilding, and it was impressive to see how the world of the Green Bones continued to expand even in this final book. The way the story played out, tying up loose ends and bringing back characters from previous books, was also really well done. (The nostalgia I felt from the references to things in previous books was also *chef's kiss*). So many character arcs were present in this book and they all felt fleshed out and complex, which truly speaks to Lee's skill in storytelling. This book spans over 20 years, and we got to see so much growth in the characters and so much happened, and yet the pacing felt just right.

However (comma), I... just personally didn't vibe with it that much? I feel like most people fall in love with the Green Bone Saga more and more as they progress through the trilogy, however, while I really enjoyed Jade City, Jade War, and subsequently Jade Legacy just didn't stand out to me as much. Judging from other people's reviews, I'm pretty sure this is mainly a me problem, especially since I can't really pinpoint what it was about the latter two books in this series that made me enjoy them less.

If you were a fan of Jade War, and if you are invested in the characters and world of this story, I really do think you will enjoy this book. You may even be blown away by it, because it truly is epic in what it achieves. I am very excited to see what Fonda Lee writes next, because holy guacamole, she is a talented writer.

Wow. This was a really great conclusion to the trilogy. In this installment, you really do get the more epic family, drama scope. It's satisfying, but I did rate it 4 stars instead of 5 because of the major time hops within this novel--about 20 years or so. So it made it lose a little bit of the magic compared to the first novel. On the other hand I can understand why such a time frame was required, because all the pieces needed to fall into place for the conclusion! Very well done.

5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This book was absolutely incredible. I found myself both wanting to devour it faster, and force myself to slow down to prolong the experience all at one. The Green Bone Saga has been one of, if not the top, Epic Fantasy series on my bookshelf since I read Jade City about 2 years ago, and Jade Legacy is the conclusion we all deserve. I laughed, I raged, I cried, and I stared at my wall in disbelief at times. I'm also dealing with a massive book hangover knowing that I can't go back into the vivid world of Janloon and the Kaul family (at least for now).
This trilogy is now cemented as one of my favorites of all time (maybe tattoo level) and I'm sure I will come back to it for years to come.

An absolutely stunning conclusion to the Green Bone Saga. The authoress has been saying some questionable stuff on Twitter lately, but this is novel is an accomplishment. Thrilling.

My review on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4063329464?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

I'm so grateful to have received an ARC of this book and more than happy to leave a review encouraging all SFF fans, crime drama fans, and book nerds, in general, to pick up this series. I don't know what it is about my reading habits, but I rarely pick up sequels—even if I enjoyed the first book. But I DEVOURED this series this year. I haven't felt this fandom vibe about an author's work since I was discovering reading when I was in the YA demographic. I cried for characters, I stayed up late, I bookmarked masterful scenes to return to and learn from as an author.

Fonda Lee moves a complex plot and large cast of characters forward like an emotive chess game. We see characters change in arcs that last a lifetime. The world grows exponentially between Jade City and Jade War, while everything is relevant in Jade Legacy. If you get overwhelmed, keep going. Each player is distinct and has meaning, the events escalate and culminate. Well worth the preorder and owning copies!!

Jade Legacy is the final installment in the Green Bone saga, about the No Peak clan of jade warriors from the island of Kekon, and it is a master class in ending a trilogy -- sprawling, epic, and yet deeply personal, with both a deep dive into characters we know and love and an introduction into the new guard of the No Peak clan.

I read and enjoyed both of the previous books in this trilogy, but this one was easily my favorite; it went above and beyond my expectations for the book, as well as what I thought a trilogy could do in terms of scope, worldbuilding, and character development. Every plot point tied up so neatly, and the way certain events and decisions were brought back and their consequences shown was handled so deftly. The book spans decades and yet every page felt essential to the story, and was told so well I couldn't put it down. I especially loved the way immigration and diaspora were handled in this book; we see the expansion of jade and the way other countries view it, as well as how those from the "old country" of Kekon have different views compared to Keko-Espenians. As the child of immigrants, to see immigration and identity tackled so masterfully in a fantasy world took my breath away.

Lee is one of the true greats of SFF, and this book does things in SFF that I have, quite literally, never seen before. An absolute triumph of a book, and a brilliant end to one of the most unique, creative trilogies I have ever read.

I received an advanced review copy of Jade Legacy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Fonda Lee and Orbit Books.

I have spent the last month residing in Lee's spectacularly detailed and wonderfully crafted fantasy world. I'm certain that re-reading Jade City and Jade War prior to starting the mammoth-sized yet never dull Jade Legacy heightened my enjoyment of this entry greatly. In Jade Legacy, Lee has perfectly honed her fantasy and gangster thriller experience with more drama, bloodshed, showdowns, political intrigue, and higher costs. By the end of this novel, we've been following some of these characters for almost thirty years, twenty or so of which happen throughout The Green Bone Saga's final entry.

The world-building and the magic system (Jade powers) are some of modern fantasy's finest but it's Lee's characters, their dialogues and interactions, and the sublime character development that makes this series such an addictive and memorable read. Favourites include the obvious such as Hilo and Shae but I empathised with Anden's journey the most. He's of a similar age to me and has gone through disappointment and alienation, to what comes next and finding his own way, place and identity in the world. Although only young children at the end of Jade War, Niko and Ru headline the next generation of characters and have excellent standout moments as they age and mature. Even Bero, who's always been my least favourite of the point of view perspectives, I found that I had time for and sympathy towards as he rode the highs and lows of luck, presenting the gutter-eye view of events.

Lee has excelled throughout Jade Legacy, solidifying herself as an excellent writer and masterful storyteller. I cried during my lunch break because of a character's death and had the metaphorical rug pulled out from under my feet at another occasion with a shocking twist of fate that brought to mind The Mountain vs. The Red Viper for the absolute unpredictability of the turn of events. The author takes us through a rollercoaster of emotions. I should have expected this though when a skilled wordsmith presents us almost thirty years of these characters' lives, creating close affinity, even with players who used to be detested and villainous. There are a lot of changes to the people around the key family, which is akin to reality as it progresses. Work friends change, relationships change or develop, political views and business aspirations may change, there are struggles and sorrows, yet family remains. I believe that is a major theme at the core of this series: love and loyalty, especially to family.

As previously mentioned, I re-read the previous two novels before Jade Legacy as I wanted all the intricacies and details at the forefront of my mind to really appreciate what is presented here. Jade Legacy has as much action and drama as the previous two books combined. I will admit though that at around the 50%-70% mark, I did question where Lee was going with a couple of seemingly peculiar side storylines. The same thing happened as what always seems to when I doubt an author of this class, they all wrapped up in fine fashion and had definite crucial purposes. It took me about a week to finish the final five brilliant chapters as I really didn't want the Saga to end and was savouring it in my own way. I'll repeat again that Lee is a fantastic writer and The Green Bone Saga has cemented itself in the top five series that I will recommend when people ask me for the best that I think the fantasy scene has to offer.

Wow. Do I have thoughts. This book is going to be so hard to review. On the one hand there were so many impactful and strong moments in this book. The ending especially was poetic and fitting in my opinion. I feel like it had so much potential that was wasted on unnecessary time jumps and politics in the attempts to create this giant political scheme. Overall, the politics were pertinent, but I dont feel the full and core story. At it's core, this series is about two clans and their feud, not the slow war.

My BIGGEST issue by far were all the time jumps. So much time was taken away from the repercussions and fall out of impactful moments. So much time was taken away from character development just to move the time forward a few years for plot's sake. I feel like one or two major jumps throughout the series as a whole could have accomplished this. For example, at the end of Jade War

SPOILER...........................Wen is brought back to life with some serious medical disabilities and Hilo is understandably furious. While we get a little bit of that conflict, it is largely glossed over and just told to us what happens and how they make up. We don't get much of the simmering resentment, the fights, the scenes of Wen struggling to get her strength and speech back, how that affects the kids, etc. Instead it's just jumped past. That pissed me off.................. END SPOILER

This book was also way too long. There was so much exposition on politics that was entirely unnecessary. I wish it could have been delivered in a more impactful way rather than just told to the reader that this was how all these relationships worked.

Overall, I don't regret reading it and I'm pleased with the way it ended. However, the actual meat was a little disappointing. I feel like there were too many characters and not enough development or page time for me to truly care about anyone other than the big 3 (Hilo, Shae, and Anden). I didn't love the politics mostly because I feel like the slow war and the way it was presented didn't do much to the overall trilogy. I'm still sitting on this one so my opinions could change, but on initial impression, I'm conflicted.

There was a lot of hype for this book to live up to and it succeeded. I honestly don’t know if I can do this book justice. I don’t know if I can do the WHOLE series justice. I’m heartbroken that The Green Bones Saga has come to an end. The world building in this series is unmatched. Everything feels so real and the attention to detail is insane. Fonda Lee is such a brilliant writer. I’ll read anything she writes. Honestly this book (and the series) exceed all expectations.

I have a book hangover, I have a series hangover, I’m really sad that the series is over.

Thank you #Netgalley

Devastatingly brilliant, Jade Legacy is a triumphant finale in Fonda Lee's emotionally powerful character-driven masterpiece.

When I first picked up Jade City a couple of years back, it was a breath of fresh air in urban fantasy which brought back many memories growing up watching Hong Kong gangster movies. Asian-inspired fantasy had so far been based more on older historical settings of the old dynasties, but that was the first time I've read something closer to the era when I was born. As I've mentioned in my earlier review, the island of Kekon brings to a mind a vibrant blend Hong Kong and to a lesser extent Shanghai. In so far as worldbuilding is concerned, I was immediately on board to the concept of such uber powerful clans controlling and protecting their territories, and where violence is an accepted way of life.

"Perhaps that was the greatest tragedy of jade warriors and their families. Even when we win, we suffer."

What made The Green Bone Saga from the usual mobster story was the jade. Jade as a source of ultimate power - whether from its special bioenergetic energy which endowed its wearer incredible physical attributes, or its status as the most valuable resource in the world. Kekon's history and unique advantage as being the only place where jade could be mined made for a fascinating backdrop against which the two most powerful Green Bone clans clashed for supremacy while foreign powers vying for access to jade were also waging proxy wars. Lee utilised this setting to good effect by also extending a much appreciated narrative on the Asian diaspora as the Kekonese migrated to foreign lands.

"No matter which part of the country you’re from, which clan you swear allegiance to, whether you wear jade or not, we are all Kekonese. We defend and avenge our own. You wrong any of us, you wrong us all. You seek to war with us, and we will return it a hundredfold."

However, what made this series truly exceptional was the phenomenal character development. The Green Bone Saga was predominantly a character-driven story with the clan wars providing the backdrop in which we get to see and experience the growth in the characters, especially those of the Kaul family. I was so glad to have reread both Jade City and Jade War before I started Jade Legacy because it revived emotional investment for the characters. The fallout from the events which occured at the end of Jade War had deep reaching consequences, and the first few chapters of this book clearly showed this causing much heartache in my part.

"There aren't real second chances. Even when you live through the worst parts, life doesn't go back to what it was before."

While I loved a considerable number of the characters, all whom were immensely well-written and felt authentic, one of them stood apart of the rest. Kaul Hiloshudon was already a firm favourite of mine going into this final book, and by the end of it, he has catapulted to one of my top all-time favourites. The growth in his character was one of the most captivating I've ever read. A man of barely restrained passion, who fiercely loved his family and clan almost to a fault, and would do anything for the safety of his loved ones. His empathy and understanding of people made him an extraordinary leader who commanded undying loyalty from his followers. He's by no means perfect, and his flaws only made him an even more compelling character. From a character standpoint, this trilogy was to me about Hilo and the people whose lives were impacted by him - either directly or indirectly. And one of those people was me, as I was bereft when I had to take leave by the end of Jade Legacy.

"I could always count on you. That's why I've always asked for too much. I'm asking you for one more thing now, the last thing I need from you. I'm asking you to live."

Aside from being a much bigger book, this final volume was also structurally different from the previous books. The narrative spanned a considerable number of years, 20 years to be exact, with multiple time jumps. It also subjected me to one heck of a rollercoaster of emotions throughout as I was put through not two, not three, but four climaxes which kept me on the edge and wrung me out like a well-used dishcloth. And when I say climaxes, I don't mean the awesome jade-powered action scenes, but highly emotionally charged ones - I actually had to take breaks to recover from them. This book completely bled my emotions dry, and as we reached its final few chapters, I was dreading the inevitable and tried to savour what time I have left with these characters who felt so real and dear to me. Jade Legacy is undoubtedly now one of the best books I've read and The Green Bond Saga one of my all-time favourite trilogies.

"The clan is my blood, and the Pillar is its master."

Fonda Lee is my Pillar.

My words truly cannot do justice to this phenomenal trilogy and all I can do is to plead all readers, even those who are not typically fans of fantasy to pick up The Green Bone Saga. Aside from the seemingly magical properties of jade, this story is at the end of the day is an empathically and powerfully written family saga with strong themes of love, loyalty and honour that should be accessible to most readers. I especially implore the Asian reader, especially if you're part of a diaspora to read this.