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Jade City
(The Green Bone Saga #1)
by
JADE CITY is a gripping Godfather-esque saga of intergenerational blood feuds, vicious politics, magic, and kungfu.
The Kaul family is one of two crime syndicates that control the island of Kekon. It's the only place in the world that produces rare magical jade, which grants those with the right training and heritage superhuman abilities.
The Green Bone clans of honorable j ...more
The Kaul family is one of two crime syndicates that control the island of Kekon. It's the only place in the world that produces rare magical jade, which grants those with the right training and heritage superhuman abilities.
The Green Bone clans of honorable j ...more
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Paperback, 560 pages
Published
June 26th 2018
by Orbit
(first published November 7th 2017)
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Thesincouch
Several. It focuses on the Kaul family - mainly three characters - but you also find other points of view besides theirs.
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Start your review of Jade City (The Green Bone Saga, #1)
Jan 02, 2019
chai ♡
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommended to chai ♡ by:
CW (The Quiet Pond) ✨
Jade City is set in a world where jade confers great strength and power to those who can wield it—without risking madness or a lethal propensity to the Itches.
More than a quarter of a century before, the island nation of Kekon was freed from the imperial thrall of the Shotarians. Ever since, the jade-wielding warriors of No Peak and Mountain—the two largest clans in Kekon’s capital city—have worked together in their complex webs of favor and obligation, indulging the unending performance of glad ...more
More than a quarter of a century before, the island nation of Kekon was freed from the imperial thrall of the Shotarians. Ever since, the jade-wielding warriors of No Peak and Mountain—the two largest clans in Kekon’s capital city—have worked together in their complex webs of favor and obligation, indulging the unending performance of glad ...more
May 24, 2017
Fonda Lee
added it
· (Review from the author)
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
i-wrote-this
Jade City is my adult debut and it also marks my foray into epic fantasy. It came about from watching kung fu movies and thinking, "You know, I'm a long-time student of martial arts, so why can't I punch through concrete or fly thirty feet into the air yet?" I started envisioning a society where magical jade granted special abilities to warriors with the proper training and bloodline, and the idea merged with my longstanding enthusiasm for mafia stories to become this modern gangster family saga
...more
Nov 10, 2018
Petrik
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Asian-inspired fantasy and urban fantasy fans
Shelves:
favorites
4.5/5 stars
Incredible, the multiple nominees and awards this book has won are all well deserved.
Jade City, the first book in The Green Bone Saga series is also Fonda Lee’s adult fantasy debut. Ever since I knew about the existence of this novel, it has always been a book I wanted to read. As usual, the unbeatable TBR pile delayed me and I was so sure that I won’t be getting into this one until next year. However, after seeing the non-stop praises that Fonda Lee and the book constantly received, ...more
Incredible, the multiple nominees and awards this book has won are all well deserved.
Jade City, the first book in The Green Bone Saga series is also Fonda Lee’s adult fantasy debut. Ever since I knew about the existence of this novel, it has always been a book I wanted to read. As usual, the unbeatable TBR pile delayed me and I was so sure that I won’t be getting into this one until next year. However, after seeing the non-stop praises that Fonda Lee and the book constantly received, ...more
Jun 24, 2017
karen
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
from-publisher-or-author
NOW AVAILABLE!!
it took me an embarrassingly long time to get through this book. between life-sorrow and the early bitchslap of summer weather, i’ve been very bad at reading. however, once this clicked for me, i was completely hooked, and when i finished, i felt that very specific emotional mashup of yearning and frustration that comes when you read the first book in a series six months before it is even published, making the wait for the next book that much longer.
this is the author’s first nov ...more
it took me an embarrassingly long time to get through this book. between life-sorrow and the early bitchslap of summer weather, i’ve been very bad at reading. however, once this clicked for me, i was completely hooked, and when i finished, i felt that very specific emotional mashup of yearning and frustration that comes when you read the first book in a series six months before it is even published, making the wait for the next book that much longer.
this is the author’s first nov ...more
I received a review copy of Jade City in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Fonda Lee and Orbit Books.
Although presently at a time of an uneasy peace, the city of Janloon is controlled by two rivals groups which are the No Peak Clan and the Mountain Clan. The families that run the clans are powerful and world famous as they mine and control the Jade. Jade is a precious stone that enhances a warriors capabilities in six disciplines. Strength, s ...more
Although presently at a time of an uneasy peace, the city of Janloon is controlled by two rivals groups which are the No Peak Clan and the Mountain Clan. The families that run the clans are powerful and world famous as they mine and control the Jade. Jade is a precious stone that enhances a warriors capabilities in six disciplines. Strength, s ...more
Dec 23, 2017
Philip
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantasy,
top-5-2017,
urban-fantasy,
author-woman,
2017-releases,
high-fantasy,
author-of-color
4.75ish stars.
Blown away. The holy trinity of great characterization, unique world-building, and well-written prose. In that sense I'm reminded of the Broken Earth series (starting with The Fifth Season), which is the only recent series I can think of that has reached the same distinction. I'm one of those nerds that has to read each of the novels nominated for the Nebula award even if I probably never would have otherwise. Glad I did in this case, even though the cover is lame, because I would ...more
Blown away. The holy trinity of great characterization, unique world-building, and well-written prose. In that sense I'm reminded of the Broken Earth series (starting with The Fifth Season), which is the only recent series I can think of that has reached the same distinction. I'm one of those nerds that has to read each of the novels nominated for the Nebula award even if I probably never would have otherwise. Glad I did in this case, even though the cover is lame, because I would ...more
Thank you. THANK YOU, FONDA LEE!
You wrote the book I was desperately searching for but didn’t know I was searching until I found it.
- A brilliantly constructed, brutal mob-like family saga.
- Epic territorial clan showdown between two jade-wielding clans known as Green Bones - the No Peak clan and the Mountain clan.
- Fight sequences so descriptive and vivid it’s like you’re watching a mothefucking badass martial arts movie.
- And the characters? I haven’t felt this level of connection with char ...more
You wrote the book I was desperately searching for but didn’t know I was searching until I found it.
- A brilliantly constructed, brutal mob-like family saga.
- Epic territorial clan showdown between two jade-wielding clans known as Green Bones - the No Peak clan and the Mountain clan.
- Fight sequences so descriptive and vivid it’s like you’re watching a mothefucking badass martial arts movie.
- And the characters? I haven’t felt this level of connection with char ...more
This review and other non-spoilery reviews can be found @The Book Prescription
“Expectations are a funny thing,” Wen said. “When you’re born with them, you resent them, fight against them. When you’ve never been given any, you feel the lack of them your whole life.”
🌟 I BR this with my friend Fares, he wrote a great review too so I need to go all out now! I am not a big fan of mafia and Yakuza and all these real life gangster thing! I don’t watch movies including them as I feel they are all th ...more
“Expectations are a funny thing,” Wen said. “When you’re born with them, you resent them, fight against them. When you’ve never been given any, you feel the lack of them your whole life.”
🌟 I BR this with my friend Fares, he wrote a great review too so I need to go all out now! I am not a big fan of mafia and Yakuza and all these real life gangster thing! I don’t watch movies including them as I feel they are all th ...more
Feb 22, 2018
Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantasy,
adult-fiction,
reread,
2018-favorites,
fave-characters,
all-time-favorites,
2018-read
Update 01/09 : rereading it with شيماء ✨ because her texts made it impossible for me to stay away from Hilo and also I MISS HIM-
First I'd like to clear the air and say that although I probably ought to be a better person by now, let it be known that I'll shamelessly judge you if you don't read Jade City. I wouldn't go as far as saying that we can't be friends if you don't, but, hey, we never know.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Jade City is the kind of books that make me second guess all my recent 5 stars reads - eve ...more
First I'd like to clear the air and say that although I probably ought to be a better person by now, let it be known that I'll shamelessly judge you if you don't read Jade City. I wouldn't go as far as saying that we can't be friends if you don't, but, hey, we never know.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Jade City is the kind of books that make me second guess all my recent 5 stars reads - eve ...more
I stumbled upon this book on pure chance, had not even known the existence of this title. I was going through list of last year’s releases and found this. Blurb sound interesting and someone has described this as “Godfather meets Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon". I usually don’t pay attention to these lines but damn I love those two movies. Hence I ended up reading sooner than expected, and this book did not disappoint me.
So this book tells us the story of Clan War between No Peak and the Mountai ...more
So this book tells us the story of Clan War between No Peak and the Mountai ...more
Reading this for a second time in preparation for the sequel & tbh because I’ve just been dying to return to this story 😭👏🏼
...more
This was so INTENSE and utterly incredible...I'm just sitting here all fuelled on the power of wretched feels ahhhh. Just excuse me while [screams in jade] yes yes I love this book. Also I picked it up because of book twitter's fierce love for it and I was not disappointed. It took me a while to read though because it's more dense than what I usually pick. But I just wanted to absorb it all?? It's the kind of book where I was just impressed with the author's world building, the amount of detail,
...more
Jul 03, 2018
Melanie
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Melanie by:
CW (The Quiet Pond) ✨
Shelves:
fantasy,
read-in-2018,
favorites,
audible,
own-voices,
buddy-reads,
dark,
erotic-scenes,
adult,
lgbtqiap
3.5 stars
I’m gonna take this first line right here to recommend this book right away, I mean I really do see why people would love this, so give it a try you never know.
If you told me before I started this that it’s a fantasy with a yakuza like clans in the early 1900s with cars, guns, planes and they use magic in jade stones. I would’ve said that I don’t know how I feel about this.
And I still don’t.
Characters
If I must give one reason and one reason only to my lack of enjoyment for this book it’ ...more
I’m gonna take this first line right here to recommend this book right away, I mean I really do see why people would love this, so give it a try you never know.
If you told me before I started this that it’s a fantasy with a yakuza like clans in the early 1900s with cars, guns, planes and they use magic in jade stones. I would’ve said that I don’t know how I feel about this.
And I still don’t.
Characters
If I must give one reason and one reason only to my lack of enjoyment for this book it’ ...more
Jun 08, 2018
Meagan ✊🏼 Blacklivesmatter ✊🏼Blacktranslivesmatter
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
"On my honor, my life, and my jade."
Overall thoughts:
First I have to say that I have not written many reviews this year and the ones I have written were just a mish mash of all my my thoughts. This has been the first time in a long time I have really wanted to sit down, organize my thoughts and write the review that this book deserves. Thank you Fonda Lee for this fucking masterpiece. Excuse my long review, but I LOVED this!
I am in absolute awe of Fonda Lee and the masterpiece s ...more
Jul 27, 2019
may ➹
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
read-2019,
pov-male,
adult,
rep-poc-author,
rep-lgbtqiap,
pov-multiple,
rep-poc-asian,
rep-poc,
pov-3rd,
pov-female
If you want to have an idea about what kind of energy this book exudes, just know that my favorite character is already dead 💀
It took so long, but I finally love another adult fantasy series again. Asian-inspired fantasies, man. They're just the absolute best. And this one is unlike anything I've ever read. It takes place in an alternate world, on an island that reminds a lot of Japan for culture, lore and shape on the map, in a time period that is reminiscent of the 70s. The world building is o ...more
It took so long, but I finally love another adult fantasy series again. Asian-inspired fantasies, man. They're just the absolute best. And this one is unlike anything I've ever read. It takes place in an alternate world, on an island that reminds a lot of Japan for culture, lore and shape on the map, in a time period that is reminiscent of the 70s. The world building is o ...more
“Expectations are a funny thing,” Wen said. “When you’re born with them, you resent them, fight against them. When you’ve never been given any, you feel the lack of them your whole life.”
Emotionally, I feel like I was just hit by an entire truck.
In the city of Janloon, jade rules: those with have power, and those without lose it. Those with jade, though, must fight to keep it, and nowhere is this more true than between the No Peak and the Mountain clans. Jade City follows the Kauls, ...more
Jan 09, 2019
Scarlett Readz and Runz....Through Novel Time & Distance
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
4.25 stars
Cloaked in myth, Jade City is a fantastical journey of two clans fueled by the magical powers of jade, its mining trade, protection and the fight for the ultimate power.
The island nation of Kekon, mirroring mid-20th-century Hong Kong, is controlled by two major clans. The No Peak Clan and the Mountain Clan. There are hierarchies set in place and the clans have a Pillar > Weather Man and Horn > Luckbringers and Fists > Fingers and > students. For decades, the Green Bone warriors of the ...more
Cloaked in myth, Jade City is a fantastical journey of two clans fueled by the magical powers of jade, its mining trade, protection and the fight for the ultimate power.
The island nation of Kekon, mirroring mid-20th-century Hong Kong, is controlled by two major clans. The No Peak Clan and the Mountain Clan. There are hierarchies set in place and the clans have a Pillar > Weather Man and Horn > Luckbringers and Fists > Fingers and > students. For decades, the Green Bone warriors of the ...more
4.5 stars - and after some thought I moved this book to my favourites-2017 shelf. It's really sticking with me.
I thought this was just such an excellent book. It takes a lot of the things I liked about New Moon by Ian McDonald - rich worldbuilding, compelling characters, a complex story based on conflict between dynastic families - and situates them in a unique Asian inspired urban fantasy setting that feels a bit like something out of an old school martial arts movie. The result here actually w ...more
I thought this was just such an excellent book. It takes a lot of the things I liked about New Moon by Ian McDonald - rich worldbuilding, compelling characters, a complex story based on conflict between dynastic families - and situates them in a unique Asian inspired urban fantasy setting that feels a bit like something out of an old school martial arts movie. The result here actually w ...more
Fantasy readers have been calling out for more diversity and Jade City is a resoundingly good response.
The urban fantasy setting that heavily evoked Chinese gangster/crime syndicate movies, which I've grown up on, is a paradoxical breath of fresh air that carried the scent of nostalgia. All that was needed to make it even cooler and awesome was magic and martial arts.
I will not rehash the plot since the blurb said it all without spoilers. I found the world-building both refreshing and familia ...more
The urban fantasy setting that heavily evoked Chinese gangster/crime syndicate movies, which I've grown up on, is a paradoxical breath of fresh air that carried the scent of nostalgia. All that was needed to make it even cooler and awesome was magic and martial arts.
I will not rehash the plot since the blurb said it all without spoilers. I found the world-building both refreshing and familia ...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
My full review can be found at my blog, The Quiet Pond.
I think Jade City is, objectively, one of the best books I've read - EVER.
I know that's a very bold claim, but I'm serious: I am in AWE of this book and Lee's incredible skill and vision as a writer.
- Jade City can be described as a perfect merging of Hong Kong gangster drama with wuxia.
- It's an amazing story has everything from gripping fights between powerful warriors that draw power from bioenergetic jade, or Green Bones, to the politic ...more
I think Jade City is, objectively, one of the best books I've read - EVER.
I know that's a very bold claim, but I'm serious: I am in AWE of this book and Lee's incredible skill and vision as a writer.
- Jade City can be described as a perfect merging of Hong Kong gangster drama with wuxia.
- It's an amazing story has everything from gripping fights between powerful warriors that draw power from bioenergetic jade, or Green Bones, to the politic ...more
This is a brilliantly structured book especially early on.. Every relevant world building, characterization or magic system exposition comes at the right chapter through the viewpoint of the right character.. its so important. Also, each chapter builds on each other with great use of the variety of viewpoints we get.
This book brilliantly combines mafia/gangster storytelling with fantasy elements. The book mainly takes place in this single city and it is beautifully realised. This is not your usu ...more
This book brilliantly combines mafia/gangster storytelling with fantasy elements. The book mainly takes place in this single city and it is beautifully realised. This is not your usu ...more
Jan 06, 2019
Nenia ⚔️ Queen of Villainy ⚔️ Campbell
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Nenia ⚔️ Queen of Villainy ⚔️ by:
Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘
Shelves:
poc-interracial,
fantasy
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I'm a commitment-phobe when it comes to books. Long books scare me. I like the idea of long books, and the satisfaction that comes from reading one to completion, but it's a long and grueling road to that satisfaction. JADE CITY is a long book. Goodreads says it's not even 500 pages but I'm pretty sure that's a lie. It took me several days to finish JADE CITY, when I can normally read several shorter books in a day. But commitment-phobe ...more
I think it's in my Asian Blood to love Clan/Mafia and Martial art Story 😂😂 this one is SOOOOO MUCH FUN!! Fonda Lee deserves all the praise and awards for Jade City
This is an Adult Asian inspired Urban Fantasy book take setting mostly in Janloon city in the island of Kekon where Jade is a powerful stone that can give power (magical power, strenght, sense even healing) to the one who hold it esp The Kekonese, there are 2 big clans on the city: No Peak clan and Mountain clan .. both are powerful, r ...more
This is an Adult Asian inspired Urban Fantasy book take setting mostly in Janloon city in the island of Kekon where Jade is a powerful stone that can give power (magical power, strenght, sense even healing) to the one who hold it esp The Kekonese, there are 2 big clans on the city: No Peak clan and Mountain clan .. both are powerful, r ...more
‘No Peak defends and avenges are own. You wrong any of us, you wrong us all. You seek to war with us, and we will return it a hundredfold. No one will take from us what is ours!’
~
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 I feel the book lived up to this description as ...more
~
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 I feel the book lived up to this description as ...more
I'm pretty happy to say that this book, which I picked up largely based on the quotes from so many of my favourite authors which adorn its beautiful covers, was actually a really fun political fantasy. I usually don't enjoy politics in my fantasy too much, it can get dry or dull, but this book does a great job of involving lots of politics with a host of characters and some very wonderful plot-twists. This is set on an island called Kekon, where there is a single race who can wield the Jade magi
...more
I'm reviewing this purely from enjoyment. I had fun.
Every character was strong and very familiar to me since I've been a life-long fan of The Godfather. Yep. SO MUCH of the story seems to be a slight twist on the classic tale, but never far from that grand feel. I loved seeing the story twisted with SilkPunk, the addition of magic-granting Jade that enhances particular families' inherent abilities, be it strength, hardiness, speed, etc, and having the plot twisted further with an addictive drug ...more
Every character was strong and very familiar to me since I've been a life-long fan of The Godfather. Yep. SO MUCH of the story seems to be a slight twist on the classic tale, but never far from that grand feel. I loved seeing the story twisted with SilkPunk, the addition of magic-granting Jade that enhances particular families' inherent abilities, be it strength, hardiness, speed, etc, and having the plot twisted further with an addictive drug ...more
I liked this one a lot! Recommended for those searching for an Asian inspired urban fantasy. I felt impressed by the world-building in this book in particular, featuring warring mafia clans and a cool jade magic system that Fonda Lee wrote about in a detailed yet understandable way. Also, because I’m me, I found the themes of gender and patriarchy and toxic masculinity so interesting in Jade City. Lee wrote compelling female characters and I felt so intrigued by how she positions them in a socie
...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undead & UnRead B...: April - Jade City (Virtual Meeting & Goodreads) | 5 | 12 | Apr 14, 2020 07:34AM | |
| The Sword and Laser: JC: Kekon under quarantine | 3 | 51 | Apr 04, 2020 08:24AM | |
| The Side Quest Bo...: July 2019 pick: Jade City by Fonda Lee | 1 | 7 | Jun 05, 2019 09:43AM | |
| The Side Quest Bo...: Jade City: Spoiler Thread | 1 | 12 | Jun 05, 2019 09:42AM | |
| Lit CelebrAsian B...: Twitter Q&A with Author Fonda Lee #AsianLitChat | 1 | 9 | Mar 22, 2019 10:20PM |
Readers also enjoyed
Fonda Lee is the World Fantasy Award-winning author of the epic Green Bone Saga, beginning with Jade City and continuing in Jade War and Jade Legacy. She is also the author of the acclaimed science fiction novels Zeroboxer, Exo and Cross Fire.
Fonda is as a three-time winner of the Aurora Award (Canada’s national science fiction and fantasy award), and a multiple finalist for the Nebula Award, the ...more
Fonda is as a three-time winner of the Aurora Award (Canada’s national science fiction and fantasy award), and a multiple finalist for the Nebula Award, the ...more
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“Screw you, Hilo,” she snapped. “I can kill my ex-boyfriends myself.”
—
19 likes
“Any old horse will run when it's whipped, but only fast enough to avoid the whipping," Hilo said. "Racehorses, though, they run because they look at the horse on their left, they look at the one on their right, and they think, No way am I second to these fuckers.”
—
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