4.5 I picked up this book because of Fonda Lee and my desire to read Greenbone and honestly I had a blast with this and I'm excited for book 2

The characters are fun, it's quick paced and the magic system is easy to understand. I love the journey Jun goes through and how his relationships with himself, his family and his friends change.

The Breath of the Dragon is like reading a martial arts movie where the main character is completely oblivious to the happenings around him. I can’t blame him though, he’s only a kid. Ultimately he finds himself at the center of a plot that he had no knowledge of and he isn’t all that quick at learning how to play politics.

Overall a fast paced, action packed book that would be adored by teenage boys who are really into manga. I think it works well for YA. The pacing was unexpected; I felt like the book was rushing along and I couldn’t figure out what could possibly fill the last 30% of the book, and that’s where the plot just soared.

"Marked or not, everyone of us has Breath enough to will our own destiny into being."
A real fighter wins not because of brute strength or clear intelligence, but sheer will.
Jun Li is a young student who dreams of becoming the Guardian of the East to make his father proud and reunite his family, but throughout his journey he is constantly tested and put up against everything he has ever known to be true.
Once I picked this story up, I could not put it down! I had to keep reading and learning more about the different fighting styles and to see who would win the tournaments. The fights were brutal! I didn't expect it and I felt for all the fighters.
Fonda Lee has a way of writing that instantly transports you into worlds and tests your own beliefs for how things should be. I instantly felt connected with the characters and I'm ready to protect Jun with my life!
!! TW: Violence, cursing, blood, death
*Thank you NetGalley for an early copy so that I could review this novel*

Breath of the Dragon was a wonderful book. As always, Fonda Lee's world building was fantastic.

Let's start with the main. I will admit I found Jun annoying at first. Then again he is a 16 year old teenager so perhaps that is to be expected. He is impulsive and rarely thinks ahead. However, the path he chooses shapes him to grow rapidly and open his eyes to the world around him. I immensely enjoyed watching his character and his relationships develop with other characters.

The book is filled with action and it is so well described and flows. I can't wait to for the next book.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Publishing Group for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This isn’t the usual kind of fantasy I read but it sounded interesting.

I did enjoy this book but I just found it to be ok.It’s well writting style but I just struggled getting into this book. I also didn’t connect with the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC!

I actually liked this book a lot more than I expected to. I’m usually hesitant to read books written by more than one author, as sometimes the shift in writing styles between chapters can be a little jarring. However this was no issue for me! I don’t know how the writing was divided up but it was amazing.

I don’t like prologues at all normally. They don’t tend to relate to the plot that much, and I usually skim through them. This prologue was LITERALLY THE BEST PROLOGUE I'VE EVER READ!! It was so entertaining and overall made a very good start to the novel. It set up the rest of the book, though some of the plot points didn’t show up until the end of the book.

To me, this book felt like a younger YA novel. Jun and some of the other characters weren’t the most mature, and their characterization was a little young for what I like in a YA book. The plot was definitely not younger YA though, so I started to like it a lot more as I got further into it. There was a ton of violence and the imperialistic and controlling general made the politics aspect interesting.

I was expecting there to be dragons because of the title, but there were none. There are characters who have dragon scales on their bodies, and that leads to them having special abilities. This was a unique magic system, and was also the catalyst for the main plot in the prologue.

I loved the worldbuilding!! The East and the West are split into two countries, one who reveres martial arts and the other condemns violence. Jun was exiled from the East as a kid and grew up in the West, making him the perfect main character who can see the strengths and flaws of both countries. He has no particular bias towards either of them. This allows him to not be blinded by the general’s plan to villainize the West.

Overall I really liked this book and I am looking forward to reading the sequels when they are published!

it started off slow and i was having a hard time getting fully invested BUT then the second half came...i love a good tournament

the world building was definitely my favorite part, everything about it was fully realized from the history and mythology to the conflict and the political intrigue. the high stakes felt like high stakes.

although i like the relationships between the characters, i felt like jun and yin had the strongest one and were definitely my favorite. i think i just wanted more all the way around in terms of characters. jun (our mc) did annoy me quite a bit, but by end i felt for him.

i’m interested to see where the next book goes, especially with how it ended.

✶ thank you netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review ✶

I believe this is Fonda Lee's YA debut and I absolutely loved it! Everything she writes is so beautiful. I love the cultural connections and the historical context she seamlessly incorporates. I'm curious to Shannon Lee's contributions, since I definitely feel a different voice in there. Very enjoyable. Definitely an auto-buy author.

I definitely was not the right dynamic for this book. And that’s totally my fault. This is when I kind of wish I could read a couple chapters prior to requesting a book.
The story and world building seemed to take forever…..again probably just my perception because I couldn’t seem to get interested in the story.
If you like slow world building…..martial arts……and a cliffhanger ending then this will be a good read for you.
I received an ARC of this title, all opinions are my own.

Honestly a breath of fresh air in YA fantasy! This is a must read if you're at all interested in martial arts, and obviously Bruce Lee.

Jun goes on a little quest to get to a major martial arts tournament to determine who will become the next Guardian of the scroll (an ancient text of wisdom) and advisor to the emperor. Along the way he learns to expand his mind and fighting skills in different styles. You really root for Jun on his journey. I really enjoyed the side cast of characters who help along the way.

I was most intrigued by the politics of the west vs east and I'm looking forward to having more of that in the sequel & seeing how that plays out. I was honestly wanting to get more into the politics side of the plot, so I hope it's done well in the sequel. But that's also me as someone who is not a *big* fight scene person - there are a lot of them in this book, but that's the point! I do think they're well written for sure.

This is a exciting and emotional ride that will captivate young adult readers who crave high-stakes fantasy adventures, coming-of-age stories, and martial arts action, making it a perfect fit for fans of epic quests and self-discovery.

The story kicks off with twin siblings being separated at a young age because of their abilities. One of them was breathmarked, tied to the mystical powers of the dragons, while the other wasn’t. That dynamic created so much tension and emotion right from the start, and it really set the tone for the rest of the book.

I’ve loved martial arts since I was a kid, so I couldn’t get enough of how it was woven into the story. And there was a tournament!

This was a YA novel, but really captured some important themes related to family, loyalty, and perseverance.
So glad I snagged this arc from NetGalley!

Thank you, #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress, for a chance to read this is exchange for an honest review!

I have good and bad news. The good news is, it’s only nine days into 2025, and I am holding myself to a goal I set in our QTL reflection. This year, I decided to DNF any book that I wasn’t enjoying at the 50% mark. So here’s the bad news. My first review of 2025 features one such book: Breath of the Dragon by Shannon Lee and Fonda Lee.

In East Longhan, only the Aspects are allowed to train and become the best fighters in the world. But when a young Jun accidentally exposes his knowledge of the forbidden art, the Aspects exile him and his father from the East. Desperate to reunite their family once again, Jun’s father renounces his love of fighting and tries to live a quiet, repentant life. But that’s not enough for Jun. Now a teenager with an aptitude for martial arts, Jun will do anything to enter the Guardian’s Tournament to display his skills and bring glory to his family name.

Breath of the Dragon is written in a style that is very matter-of-fact and does not leave much for the reader to learn or discover on their own. I felt as if an experienced communicator was relaying each moment, piece of history, or relationship standing to me in a way that could brook no argument. It stifled my curiosity, in both the way it was written and that the story doesn’t allow you to discover anything. There is no space for the reader to have anticipation, read between the lines, or collect drops of information to put together a connection on their own. The language is concise and clear, and it’s not very descriptive.

The same can be said for worldbuilding in this book. Again, there is no awe or discovery when it comes to learning about the world or the tension-filled history between the East and West. Everything is clearly laid out for the reader through info dumps that are as sterile as a textbook. This delivery, coupled with the simple, plain language, would easily break my immersion in the scenes. I didn’t feel like I was a part of the story, like there was no way for the reader to live and breathe in the world or events when everything is presented so plainly. This is not my preferred way to experience a story, and I didn’t enjoy being an unaffected observer of Jun’s journey.

My final reason for not continuing my adventure with Breath of the Dragon was the dialogue. This is not a dialogue-heavy story, and when it does appear, it’s very simple and juvenile. Again, the savvy communicator persona of this book appears and influences the way each character talks to one another. It’s very heavy-handed, and I’ll say this again, sterile. These rare conversations don’t allow the reader to parse out how the relationships are developing because it’s plainly laid out. I got tired of constantly being told how everyone was feeling and thinking.

I get the sense that Breath of the Dragon was not written for me. I can see how the story’s matter-of-fact style would benefit a younger reader. They could easily get swept up in the excitement of a fast-paced plot and enjoy the larger-than-life experiences the young protagonist is up against without wanting to explore deeper themes or character dynamics. I was not the target audience, so I am hesitant to condemn this as a bad book. It’s not, it’s just written for another reader at a different time in their reading journey.

Rating Breath of the Dragon - DNF
-Brandee

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. The thoughts on this story are my own.

Jun has been training for years to compete in the Guardian's tournament. It only happens once every six years, so now is the time to show his skills as a warrior. If he wins, maybe he can right the wrong that got him and his father exiled from their homeland and separated from his mother and his twin.

Many think he will fail because he's not breathmarked. Breathmarked have the mark of the Dragon that gives them a gift. Everyone is different, it could be increased strength, or healing, etc. Little do they know, he has something even better.

This was really good. I thought the magic was unique, the characters great, and loved the political intrigue.

I will definitely continue the series.

In one breath I would describe Breath of the Dragon as Bruce Lee meets Dragonball Z meets Germany post Berlin Wall. First and foremost we should acknowledge that this book is a YA book. It is written about a 16 year old boy and carries the same level of maturity as the later HP books. It is the beginning of a story about a teenage boy finally finding his path in life. At 16 years old Jun has had his fair share of hardships and the story appropriately reflects that.
The story takes you on a journey through a country torn in half and exposes the groups of people both trying to bring it back together and further tear it apart. I’ve never read a book written quite like this. I’d be the first to say I have little to no interest in reading a book that breaks down fighting sequences and martial arts styles in such an in depth manner and Breath of the Dragon would have made a liar out of me. Slowing down and taking the time to truly appreciate the visuals that are painted across the pages is a must for this book. Give yourself the time to observe every weapon used, every punch thrown, every time a pair of legs is thrown off balance; and you will read an entirely different story than if you speed read through this.

My only “negative” feedback is that I had imagined where this book would end and therefore was sad when it ended earlier than I had seen it in my mind! I absolutely loved the world building, the character growth, the stark difference in fighting styles, and what I hope is just a glimpse in to the magic system that takes place within the book. I am anxiously waiting for book two to breathe (pun intended) more life in to me.

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.

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!

A massive shout out to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this title.

Breath of the Dragon by Fonda Lee follows the main character Jun. Jun and his twin brother were separated when they were 6 years old. His twin had the mark of Dragon, which symbolises being divinely chosen in the West, but Jun is not so lucky. He demonstrates the ability to fight, and since knowledge of martial arts is forbidden, he and his father gets exiled to the East. But unfortunately before they could be reunited with their family, tension arises and the wall between the East and West gets sealed.

To help him with his excessive energy, Jun convinces his father to take up martial arts lessons. But his father does not know that he is taking these lessons in the hope of competing in the big competition to find the next Guardian of the Scroll of Heaven. As his chance gets close, his father forbids him to compete, believing that martial arts is still too dangerous to dabble with.

But Jun is determined, and stows away on a cart of a travelling musician and his daughter, hoping that they will be too far away before finding him. But things with the competition are not what Jun expects. And he might be in over his head, with political turmoil brewing and new rules being introduced. But maybe with some unlikely allies, he might just come out of this alive.

This was the fastest book I've read in a long time, and it was an epic whirlwind. Breath of the Dragon was a story that has been told multiple times, but Fonda Lee's explosive way of writing is one that draws you into the story and does not let go until the book is done - even then you are left wanting more.

I cannnot wait for more of this story! And I will definitely be a fast supporter of Fonda Lee's writing from here on out!

The best word I can think of to describe this book is: cinematic. The flow of it, especially during the martial arts combat, was so visual. I'm not normally a very visual person, but I could see this story like I was watching a movie, and it was so exciting! There are so many twists and turns and fantastic moments.

The character growth is also a strong feature of this story. Jun goes from pursuing his goal for not the best reasons to finding out why it was important and renouncing his more selfish ways. It was done very believably and I enjoyed the journey he went on.

The tournament was the true highlight. The fights were varied and exciting, and the introduction of the political aspect to it made things even more tense.

My main complaint was with the pacing. The beginning was slow and it took me a while to get into it. The middle was nonstop and exciting, and then the ending was a bit slower again. The middle was strong enough that it saved my enjoyment of it though.

I'm so excited to see where this story is heading.

Thank you to the author for the review copy

In a Chinese-inspired fantasy world, a teen is on the path to personal glory discovers his role in the complex world around him. It is a complex, hard-hitting, epic martial arts journey. The unpredictable twists and magic system, which incorporates religious elements are intriguing. Jun’s emotional development and reactions, creates a gripping novel. There is a romance between Ren and Jun that is low-key. The story focuses more on family and platonic relationships.

This novel is the first in a duology. I do think that if the reader likes martial arts, they should definitely read this novel. I did find it to be a novel that intrigued me. It is well written. I like Jun’s emotional development.

Years after his family is split up, Jun decides to take control of his destiny & fight in the competition to be the next Guardian. The stakes of the fights turn out to be more dire when a war mongering general wants to take control of the Emperor and the Guardian.

This was an intense! It was a little info dump heavy at times that brought the story to a halt, a lot of violence, and an unresolved ending, but also an intriguing examination of how propaganda works, the monetization of violence, with some really interesting characters!

Jun's character development throughout the book kept me completely hooked, even when I got a little bored with someone explaining how something else worked in the world. I was fascinated by Jun and Ren's combative friendship and their maybe romance. Jun's relationship with his father brought me to tears in the final third of the book, and his determination to redeem himself had me racing through to the end.

I would absolutely pick up the next book in this duology, and really, reading this book has made me realize I need to move Jade City up my to be read list immediately.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for this arc.