I enjoyed reading this book because it was quite different from other books that I have recently read. This book was a pleasant surprise and needs to get into the hands of more people.
After having his family ripped apart, Jun is more determined than ever to become the best fighter ever and has decided to commit to becoming the Guardian. While his initial motivations are selfish, his character develops significantly as the story progresses. His actions did get under my skin at time, as he often gets into trouble as a result of his impulsivity.
The story is fast-paced and compelling, making it difficult to put down. I feel like we’ve only scratched the surface of the politics involved and will get a deeper dose of the machinations in the sequel.
I can confidently recommend this book to anyone that enjoys fantasy, flawed characters, secrets and betrayals, and is looking for a book with a male main character - I don’t find these come around often and this is a good one to pick up.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press (Wednesday Books) and NetGalley for a digital advanced copy of the book. The opinions expressed are given freely, are honest and my own.

Only a story written with the legacy of Bruce Lee in mind could entwine martial arts and a fierce fighting competition with an overall story of tolerance and peace. Shannon and Fonda (both Lees, unrelated) have brought us a truly ‘Lee’ story that is not only a lovely tribute, but also a good reminder that we should all endeavour to live in peace and tolerate one another. Only fighting if absolutely mandatory. And then of course you must fight smart, waste no energy, and be prepared for anything.

I took Jeet-Kune-Do, Bruce Lee’s personal martial art, for a couple years when I was much younger (but still an adult). It was recommended to me because at only 5’1” and (at the time) a slight figure; it was one martial art I might be able to execute and do well at. I was pretty awful, lol. But did appreciate learning to punch properly, parry, and conserve energy with small movements. I still do some of the exercises I was taught back then. I carried those learnings forward to Tai Chi (which I wish I could find time to fit back into my life). All of which helped me be deliberate in my breathing, and movements. I know you’re all thinking I’m not the active type. Which is correct, and why I chose activities that didn’t require great strength or energy to participate in. Something Bruce Lee was known for; and certainly espoused in Breath of the Dragon.

We are set-up perfectly for the next novel; without feeling cheap at the end. If you chose to stop here this could be considered a stand-alone fantasy with an open ended ending. I love the relationships that develop here, the understanding people get for one another, and the representation of grief, anger, and frustration combined to give rise to an unprecedented need to work hard to achieve a goal.

There is a lot to love here. You don’t need to be a lover of martial arts stories (I’m not and still enjoyed this), or a huge war story reader. There is an evenness and balance throughout the novel. Making the Breath of the Dragon accessible to any fantasy reader. It has high fantasy lore with magic, political intrigue and war rumblings, alongside character driven concepts, and a lead that truly comes to learn more of themselves throughout the novel.

This is a great read, and the beginning of what I hope is an epic fantasy series. Above all else I believe Bruce and Brandon Lee would both have appreciated the way fighting, war, fairness, and peace are portrayed. You must have equality, and a calm fierceness, to be the best fighter and the best person. Being a fighter alone is not something to be proud of, you must also be a worthy human being.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

This is a great YA novel! Jun competes to prove himself as a warrior in the Guardian’s Tournament, but he may instead be fighting for the fate of the country. This book is pretty fast moving and action packed which I like, but it doesn't mean it lacked character growth or world building. I felt it all came together seamlessly and made sense for the world/characters. It's perfect for both adult and YA readers. There's nothing too adult, but it also didn't feel dumbed down. I loved the focus on martial arts teachings and the fight scenes were excellently done! I'm excited to see more of the politics at play (and maybe see Jun's twin) in the next part of this duology!

I loved the fight scenes in Breath of the Dragon so much, felt captivated from start to finish every time. It took me a while though to get into the book, probably mostly because I couldn't immediately connect with the characters this time for some reason. However, throughout the story, thankfully that changed and I will most certainly pick up the rest of the series.

It was a solid book - it definitely didn't grab me as much as Fonda Lee's first trilogy but I was still very interested in the characters plots and will be picking up the rest of the series to see what happens. The action scenes were great but I was just not as invested in the characters.

This was a solid fantasy book. It was also a bit of skim read for me. The premise was fun and I liked the story overall. It just never fully pulled me in to the point where I couldn't put it down. I also never really cared about the characters in this one. It was well-written though and I can definitely see how other readers would find it more interesting than I did.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

This was wonderful! I loved the writing style, the characters, the world-building…everything about it was top-notch. I will definitely be recommending this book!

I loved this book! The character growth of Jun through this story is strong. I enjoyed the writing style and the relationship between the characters. The magic system in this novel is also unique. The idea of being born with a breathmark (dragon scales somewhere on their body) and having a special skill blessed by their god was novel to me, especially since the abilities range from something like having strong bones to even the ability to sleep on demand. I really enjoyed the martial arts in this book. You can tell it's inspired by Bruce Lee. The plot was solid and easy to follow. I would recommend to if you enjoy classic YA character growth with a simple but creatively-filled world.

A beautiful blend of action, legacy, and philosophy. Reading this felt like a giant hug for the martial arts culture - I loved every moment of it!

They were on a quest for a compelling and intricately crafted martial arts book, and what they found was nothing short of extraordinary. This narrative revolves around 16-year-old Li Jun, who, alongside his father, has been exiled from his twin brother and mother due to their passion for martial arts. In the East, the practice and study of martial arts is forbidden, leading to their banishment to the West, where they are meant to repent for their supposed transgressions. However, with the borders now closed, their return home becomes an unachievable dream.

During their time in exile, Li Jun's love for martial arts intensifies, growing like a fire within him. He harbors a fervent aspiration to participate in the Guardian Trials, a prestigious competition where he hopes to prove his worth and reclaim his heritage. Throughout his journey, Li encounters a vibrant array of characters, each adding depth and richness to his experiences.

The book features masterfully choreographed fight scenes that draw you in, making you feel as though you're right in the midst of the action. It’s a breathtaking blend of emotion, culture, and exhilarating combat. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who appreciates a captivating Asian story infused with the spirit of martial arts.

To be completely honest I wasn't blown away by Breath of the Dragon and I think that's fine. It's still a solid 3 star read that has potential to grow into something better. The writing is fine, nothing mind blowing and I think this is a result of it being written by two authors, which lots of other reviewers seem to forget. Fonda Lee did not write this on her own and she seems to be the only getting any credit in other reviews. Shannon Lee also worked on this and that could be where the difference in voice comes from when reading the writing style. Though in reality we will never know how much each author contributed to the work, but either way for a dual authorship this a solid 3 star story.

The character work was decent, Jun is really the only character that stands out and that's due to him being the main character, so we spend the entire book with him. I think there is a solid foundation to what can become a great friendship between Jun and his rival Yin and I sincerely hope this isn't ruined in later books due to a possible romance storyline because both of these boys seem to have an interest in the same girl. I was disappointed that there wasn't a deeper dive into Jun's brother or him even appearing because It was an element of the story I was most intrigued by, and for it not be utilized in anyway except in Jun's mind in the first book it felt like a major missed opportunity.

Now I'm not one for school settings and rarely for tournament settings but I actually enjoyed the tournament in this story. A lot of times the tournaments feel rushed and we the reader never really get to fully bask in its moment but that was not the case in Breath of the Dragon. We got to read about multiple rounds and they were brutal. I loved that there was no holding back on the fights, they got bloody and gruesome and fit perfectly in this tournament to the death. Now I do wish there had been more exploration in the magic of this world, the Breathmarked magic seems really intriguing and I feel like we got such lack luster abilities in this opening installment and I'm not sure if that was a good or bad choice. I understand our main man Jun is a martial artist and not breathmarked, but it would have been interesting to see him deal with Breathmarked opponents or watch them in action, it definitely felt under utilized,

As for elements that bothered me, the overall story plot feels like a lot but also like nothing at the same time. For some reason the political parts between the East and West of the world didn't exactly pop off the page and get me invested. I think it's because for the most part it was happening around Jun until the last half of the book when he finally became embroiled in it. There was also this very off putting and honestly forced use of swearing towards the last half of the book. I have no issues with swearing I think it's fine to use in a story but for the majority of this book it's not there and then all of sudden in the last half it became so heavy handed that it started to feel forced and not natural for the characters to use.

he last bit I didn't care for was the death, there is a death in this and its suppose to be a big major moment and it fell so flat and its because once again it involved a character who we spent very little time with. I don't know what is with this trend of killing off side characters who have very little page time and its suppose to be this huge big moment but I need it to stop. I need work, foundation, I need to really understand and feel the connection between these characters when you have them on the page together even if it's for a short period of time. I want that death to really truly mean something when it happens. I think between the timing of when it popped up and the lack of deep connection between the characters was the ultimate reason why it fell so flat for me.

One last bit, I did do an immersive read with the audiobook and while the narrator has an amazing voice and did a great job reading the story I do think his overall performance was a bit lackluster. I never felt like he was fully into the story himself and was just reading what was on the page, which was a bit of a downer as its a very action packed story.

Breath of the Dragon is a vivid, fast-paced fantasy that blends high-stakes adventure with rich lore and heart-pounding action. The world is fierce and elemental, brought to life with striking imagery and a palpable sense of danger. Dragons, of course, steal the show—but the human characters hold their own, with layered motivations and emotional arcs that ground the magic. It’s the kind of story that grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let go until the smoke clears.

This was a really action-packed adventure that was fun to read and had a lot of parts it was easy to get invested in. I also love main characters who are underdogs and work hard to come out on top.

Fonda Lee and Shannon Lee have delivered a phenomenal story. I was already a fan of Fonda Lee with the Greenbone Saga, so this was an instant pick-up. I think anyone who is a fan of that series will truly enjoy this book. Once I picked this book up, I could not put it down. I am a sucker for a good tournament book and the martial arts on display in this novel is fantastic. For lovers of martial arts and the mythos surrounding this culture, I highly suggest it.

I really enjoyed Breath of the Dragon.

This is the first book by Fonda Lee that I've read, and I am itching to jump into her Jade City Series here soon! I really enjoyed the journey that Li Jun went on throughout the story. It was well crafted and had an anime feel to the story. I think that while the fight scenes were incredibly detailed and entertaining at first, there were a lot of them and it got repetitive at some points. I think that overall it was a great first book in the duology and I am excited to pick up the next book!

Breath of the Dragon swept me back to the days of watching classic martial arts movies with my dad, each page echoing the fluid fights and deep honor codes we loved. The story blends powerful action with rich fantasy elements, creating a world that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly new. It’s a thrilling tribute to the genre, with just enough magic to keep your imagination soaring.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was an exciting fantasy novel. I really enjoyed the action in the book as there was never a dull moment. I am excited for the next book in the series and hope to learn more about the dragon abilities some of the characters have and how the magic works through the people. I enjoyed the characters as they were great and relatable.

Really good start to this book but I somehow set it down and didn’t pick it up till now. As it might be a mood thing leaving it at four stars for what I read

I really liked this book. I found the characters interesting and great to follow along with. I loved the world building and pacing. The writing was engaging.

Breath of the Dragon follows Jun, who wants to prove himself as a great warrior without being "Breathmarked". His father taught him martial arts, which was illegal in their country, and they were exiled to a different country, away from his mother and "Breathmarked" twin. Jun continues to train in martial arts, and enters in the Guardians tournament, where things do not go as expected.

Overall, the book has a STRONG anime feel, which I personally do not read/watch the genre. I enjoyed the fantasy aspect of the story and the characters were well-written. It kept me engaged and wanting to read more.