Currently re-reading this as I have a copy of Jade Legacy but want to remember the intricate details from the story so far. Something happens to one of the main characters in this book, and I found myself reading really slow when that moment was approaching as I didn't want it to happen! The power of the re-read definitely adds extra layers and dimensions to the reading experience... For the most part, I enjoyed the story and the dynamic of the relationship between Lan and Hilo as gang brothers. Hilo and Wen were adorable too but for mmc and fmc, their relationship was pretty dull 😔

Granddaughter Cormorant. Before she left and returned to Kekon, Kaul Shae was the apple of her grandfather’s eye…as well as a daring secret informer to a foreign country. Contains an introduction and story notes by the author. The Medic: Anden becomes a doctor after realizing he can use jade to help people in his own way. Also applies to the Kekonese-Espenians he studies with. I’m gratified and impressed by the gangster fantasy series I’ve read this year; Priest of Lies by Peter McLean is included in one of my favorite reads of the year so far, and now Jade War joins the list as well. Jade War is urban epic fantasy at its best, and Lee has cemented The Green Bone Saga as one of my favorite ongoing series with a groundbreaking impact. Do not miss reading this incredible book and series at all costs. The No Peak Clan awaits your enlistment in the Jade War. If you haven’t read Jade City, what are you waiting for? On my honor, my life, and my jade, this is a magnificent example of urban high fantasy of the highest tier. The clan is my blood, and the Pillar is its master; let the gods recognize me as a clan loyalist who has stamped Jade War as one of the best books published in 2019.

This novel provides examples of:

Don't get me wrong, after the 70% mark, the tension and angst from the gang families was through the roof and got me very excited ugh awww Lan 😭 Shae, Anden and Hilo stepped up, made the story so much better and I couldn't be more proud of how the last 30% of the book turned out And, yet, it feels more close, more frantic, more whole, somehow, than an unbroken narrative would. Hilo has been Pillar for 6 years when Legacy opens. The war with Mountain clan has become one fought politically, through spies and traitors, and in the press. It is a "slow war," and No Peak is losing. Wen is recovering from the terrible injuries she suffered during Jade War. Shae is no longer the trusted Weatherman (advisor) to Hilo that she'd once been. Bero has found himself tied up with a bunch of anarchists trying to bring down the clan system entirely. Mystical Jade: Jade is found only on the island of Kekon and grants supernatural powers to Kekonese who hold it. Supernatural Martial Arts academies train jade users in the six disciplines of Strength, Steel, Perception, Lightness, Deflection, and Channelling. Access to jade, as well as a Fantastic Drug that can let non-Kekonese use its powers, are central to the setting and plot. Of particular interest is the fact that the Kekonese jade featured in the series is explicitely not the same mineral as real world jade, as nephrite is explicitly shown to exist In-Universe and be a regular stone like in the real world.

Famed In-Story: By the time of Legacy, Ayt Mada and Shae's duel in War has ascended to a nearly legendary status as one of the last true clean-bladed duels between old-school Greenbone warriors. The times are changing in Jade War, and that goes for clan leadership as well. After his brother’s death in Jade City, Hilo has become the reluctant Pillar of No Peak. While still more military savvy, Hilo has put in a ton of effort to become a worthy leader. He still gets into more fights than a Pillar should, and while he isn’t used to the political aspects of both the clans and government, he insists on being present to learn how to maneuver his way through new territory. To me, Hilo feels like the guy who everyone thinks will do something to upset a lot people but, in the end, ends up being a pretty decent person. Jade City by Fonda Lee is the first book in the Green Bone saga. It’s been hailed as ‘Godfather-esque’, with a healthy mix of Asian inspired fantasy and Kung Fu. Well, hello! You have my interest, and yes I think I need this book in my life now! I’m so ecstatic to say that the book lived up to this description, as all these elements shone through beautifully in the narrative. Trial by Combat: What a 'death by consequence' amounts to. It's basically one lone fighter pitted against a mob of executioners. Needless to say, almost nobody had survived one. Gont Asch attained legendary status upon emerging victorious from such an encounter. Hilo also lives to tell the tale after his own 'death by consequence' though not without some help from Anden. Yeah, I didn’t need to worry at all. Jade War does everything you want in a second volume, expanding on the world and the story while deepening the characterization that drew us into the world in the first place. By the time it all finishes, it’s clear that Lee has turned her family saga into something much larger, all without losing a single element that made the original book so good, and in fact, improving on all of them.

The Making of Jade War & Bonus Content

Fight Clubbing: The Kekonese-Espenians maintain a couple of underground fight clubs for "grudge matches", which are publicly sanctioned in Kekon but not legal in Espenia. Some of the younger and more-assimilated members of the community object, while their parents want to maintain the tradition.