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In this epic saga of magic and kungfu, four siblings battle rival clans for honor and power in an Asia-inspired fantasy metropolis. Jade is the lifeblood of the island of Kekon. It has been mined, traded, stolen, and killed for -- and for centuries, honorable Green Bone warriors like the Kaul family have used it to enhance their magical abilities and defend the island from foreign invasion. Now, the war is over and a new generation of Kauls vies for control of Kekon's bustling capital city. They care about nothing but protecting their own, cornering the jade market, and defending the districts under their protection. Ancient tradition has little place in this rapidly changing nation. When a powerful new drug emerges that lets anyone -- even foreigners -- wield jade, the simmering tension between the Kauls and the rival Ayt family erupts into open violence. The outcome of this clan war will determine the fate of all Green Bones -- from their grandest patriarch to the lowliest motorcycle runner on the streets -- and of Kekon itself. Jade City is the first novel in an epic trilogy about family, honor, and those who live and die by the ancient laws of blood and jade.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member BDartnall
"Jade City is a mob novel, set in a world where jade enhances warriors’ senses and fighting abilities—at least, for those who aren’t either immune to jade’s properties, or are so sensitive that jade drives them mad or kills them. On the island nation of Kekon, a generation ago jade-wielding
Jade City focuses on the adult children of the No Peak clan, one of the two largest clans in Kekon’s bustling capital city. No Peak are being targeted for takeover by the other largest clan, the Mountain clan, whose ruthless Pillar (leader) has a vision for the future of Kekon and Kekonese jade that breaks with some of the traditions of the past. Kaul Lan, the Pillar of No Peak, is a sensitive and compassionate leader, whose aging and bitter war-hero grandfather recently stood aside so that he could inherit the role.
Lan isn’t suited for the role of a wartime Pillar, and that’s what the conflict will become: a war fought in the streets and in boardrooms over loyalty and patronage and cold hard cash. His charismatic younger brother Kaul Hilo is the clan’s Horn, leader of its street fighters, its Fists and Fingers, a competitive and aggressive young man who believes strongly in family and tradition, and who is in love with a stone-blind (immune to jade) woman from an unlucky family. The youngest sibling, their sister Kaul Shae, has only just returned to Kekon after two years abroad: she left her family and her jade behind for a relationship with an Espenian military officer and an education in the Republic of Espenia. She is determined to make her own way, to wear no jade, and to not use her family’s connections to forge her career. (Her feelings towards her family are rather ambivalent, and justly so, considering how they reacted to her relationship with a foreigner.) And their adopted cousin, adolescent Anden Emery, is a student at the Kaul Du Academy, in training to learn how to wield jade. He feels keenly that he’s an outsider: half-foreign, with a mother both incredibly powerful and so sensitive to jade that she eventually died of the reaction known as the “Itches,” adopted into the Kaul family but not really feeling as though he’s one of them, and queer in a society where same-gender attraction is seen as unlucky. The circumstances that they each find themselves in put them under incredible pressure. They’re caught by conflicting imperatives: tradition, duty, honour, family, reputation, and personal inclination all at different times pull them in different directions.
Stylistically, Jade City feels as though it mixes The Legend of Korra with Gangs of New York and a generous helping of Hong Kong action cinema. Lee builds a vivid, densely believable world, and a vivid, densely believable city: Kekon’s cars and televisions, its economic boom and history of conflict, exist in productive tension with its traditions and its clans, its jade and the code known as aisho, its gambling dens and restaurants and boardrooms. A deep attention to detail gives us a view of a society—and people within that society—not all quite yet at home with the changes that have occurred. Shae and Wen, Hilo’s lover, let us see that despite some changes, patriarchal ways of thinking (and hypocrisy) have a deep hold on Kekonese life and on No Peak clan, but we also see that a great deal of change has occurred since their grandfather’s heyday. Lee’s characters are vibrantly human, who have the virtues of their flaws, and the flaws of their virtues.
Excellently-paced and brilliantly constructed, Jade City glitters with life. It’s immensely compelling—and very satisfying as a mob narrative—and I really hope Fonda Lee writes more in this world." Liz Bourke review on Tor.com 2017
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warriors known as Green Bones defended their people against foreign invaders, but as the tide of peace and progress has marched on, now the most prominent clans—descendants of war heroes—are more concerned with defending their profits. The world is changing, and the jade export business is booming, as foreign militaries seek ways to harness the power of jade. The addictive drug known as shine can counteract the worst problems of jade sensitivity, but it comes with its own issues, not least of which are health-related.Jade City focuses on the adult children of the No Peak clan, one of the two largest clans in Kekon’s bustling capital city. No Peak are being targeted for takeover by the other largest clan, the Mountain clan, whose ruthless Pillar (leader) has a vision for the future of Kekon and Kekonese jade that breaks with some of the traditions of the past. Kaul Lan, the Pillar of No Peak, is a sensitive and compassionate leader, whose aging and bitter war-hero grandfather recently stood aside so that he could inherit the role.
Lan isn’t suited for the role of a wartime Pillar, and that’s what the conflict will become: a war fought in the streets and in boardrooms over loyalty and patronage and cold hard cash. His charismatic younger brother Kaul Hilo is the clan’s Horn, leader of its street fighters, its Fists and Fingers, a competitive and aggressive young man who believes strongly in family and tradition, and who is in love with a stone-blind (immune to jade) woman from an unlucky family. The youngest sibling, their sister Kaul Shae, has only just returned to Kekon after two years abroad: she left her family and her jade behind for a relationship with an Espenian military officer and an education in the Republic of Espenia. She is determined to make her own way, to wear no jade, and to not use her family’s connections to forge her career. (Her feelings towards her family are rather ambivalent, and justly so, considering how they reacted to her relationship with a foreigner.) And their adopted cousin, adolescent Anden Emery, is a student at the Kaul Du Academy, in training to learn how to wield jade. He feels keenly that he’s an outsider: half-foreign, with a mother both incredibly powerful and so sensitive to jade that she eventually died of the reaction known as the “Itches,” adopted into the Kaul family but not really feeling as though he’s one of them, and queer in a society where same-gender attraction is seen as unlucky. The circumstances that they each find themselves in put them under incredible pressure. They’re caught by conflicting imperatives: tradition, duty, honour, family, reputation, and personal inclination all at different times pull them in different directions.
Stylistically, Jade City feels as though it mixes The Legend of Korra with Gangs of New York and a generous helping of Hong Kong action cinema. Lee builds a vivid, densely believable world, and a vivid, densely believable city: Kekon’s cars and televisions, its economic boom and history of conflict, exist in productive tension with its traditions and its clans, its jade and the code known as aisho, its gambling dens and restaurants and boardrooms. A deep attention to detail gives us a view of a society—and people within that society—not all quite yet at home with the changes that have occurred. Shae and Wen, Hilo’s lover, let us see that despite some changes, patriarchal ways of thinking (and hypocrisy) have a deep hold on Kekonese life and on No Peak clan, but we also see that a great deal of change has occurred since their grandfather’s heyday. Lee’s characters are vibrantly human, who have the virtues of their flaws, and the flaws of their virtues.
Excellently-paced and brilliantly constructed, Jade City glitters with life. It’s immensely compelling—and very satisfying as a mob narrative—and I really hope Fonda Lee writes more in this world." Liz Bourke review on Tor.com 2017
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LibraryThing member AMKitty
From a story-telling and technical perspective, this book is excellent. The world-building is impressive. I loved the premise. Unfortunately, when my favorite character died about half-way through, I stopped caring about the rest of them.
But I struggled on. It has a distinctively Asian flavor.
For someone steeped in or fascinated by the Far East, this story would probably be a top choice. It just wasn’t for me. I’m on the fence about continuing with the next two books because, as much as I appreciate the author’s technical skill and the world-building aspects, I don’t know if I care enough about the characters to go on.
But I struggled on. It has a distinctively Asian flavor.
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Perhaps that was the issue. While I find Asian culture interesting, I don’t obsess over it. The mythology is unfamiliar to me, so that didn’t help. For someone steeped in or fascinated by the Far East, this story would probably be a top choice. It just wasn’t for me. I’m on the fence about continuing with the next two books because, as much as I appreciate the author’s technical skill and the world-building aspects, I don’t know if I care enough about the characters to go on.
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LibraryThing member ElleGato
Oh this was so good!!!!
I love fantasy, and I love love love epic fantasies in different worlds with complex politics and magic. But I get tired of reading the same old knights-and-swords medieval Europe cyphers time and again; it seems like epic fantasy can't break out of that medieval setting. So
The plot is complex and I loved it. The worldbuilding is first-rate, everything makes sense within the story's framework, and the characters come across as realistic. They make mistakes, they overestimate themselves, they can be cruel and vicious but they all act with the same internal logic that holds the story and its setting together. The politics and history are fascinating and though you can tell that most of the nations that we're introduced to are stand-ins for real nations, it never feels awkward or forced.
I loved the interludes of in-world mythology/religious stories and I felt they really helped the plot. I am a huge fan of multiple POVs and this book pulls that off very very well. The POVs are all important and each character's voice comes through. No one sounds the same. The writing is incredibly good and the fight scenes are EPIC! Nothing ever feels recycled or redundant, characters and events earn their places in the narrative. I noticed a few Chekov's guns stashed throughout that hadn't gone off by the end of the book but as it is the first in a series, that's to be expected.
This was my first book by Fonda Lee and I'm super excited for the sequel!!
I love fantasy, and I love love love epic fantasies in different worlds with complex politics and magic. But I get tired of reading the same old knights-and-swords medieval Europe cyphers time and again; it seems like epic fantasy can't break out of that medieval setting. So
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the fact that "Jade City" takes place in a MODERN fantasy world was something that drew me in immediately. I love seeing a mixture of magic and cars, mysterious weapons and machine guns and "Jade City" strikes a perfect balance between the mythology of fantasy and the products of modernity.The plot is complex and I loved it. The worldbuilding is first-rate, everything makes sense within the story's framework, and the characters come across as realistic. They make mistakes, they overestimate themselves, they can be cruel and vicious but they all act with the same internal logic that holds the story and its setting together. The politics and history are fascinating and though you can tell that most of the nations that we're introduced to are stand-ins for real nations, it never feels awkward or forced.
I loved the interludes of in-world mythology/religious stories and I felt they really helped the plot. I am a huge fan of multiple POVs and this book pulls that off very very well. The POVs are all important and each character's voice comes through. No one sounds the same. The writing is incredibly good and the fight scenes are EPIC! Nothing ever feels recycled or redundant, characters and events earn their places in the narrative. I noticed a few Chekov's guns stashed throughout that hadn't gone off by the end of the book but as it is the first in a series, that's to be expected.
This was my first book by Fonda Lee and I'm super excited for the sequel!!
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LibraryThing member emeraldreverie
So much! A lot of action and plot deftly portrayed with a fascinating world and characters.
LibraryThing member Guide2
Very well written mix of some small elements of fantasy with almost current world in an interesting setting with well defined characters. Looking forward the next book in the series.
LibraryThing member Shrike58
At the end of the day how positively you respond to this novel will depend on how much you like gangster epics. While this novel has its virtues, and I found it interesting enough that I'll try the sequel, I'm not sure that this story transcended the cliches of the genre. Still, there is an
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interesting meta-story here of how wartime service allows a pariah elite to gain social respectability but, when it's all said and done, rats are still rats. That no one character really captured my imagination also didn't help. Show Less
LibraryThing member haloedrain
It's well written, but I struggled to get through it. Weirdly enough, I was into it when Shae was auditing the finances, but unfortunately that wasn't much of the book—apparently the book that I actually wanted was slow-burn investigation of embezzlement within the mafia?
LibraryThing member pwaites
I had a lot of fun with Jade City! The story starts off slow, but by the second half, I was having trouble putting it down.
Over twenty years ago, the island nation of Kekon won their freedom through the feats of the Green Bone warriors and their loyal Lantern Men. Now, Kekon is coming into the
Jade City focuses on the Kaul family, which has recently passed the leadership over to the grandson of the freedom fighting patriarch, now an elderly and deteriorating man. The Kaul family consists of Lan, the new head of the family; Hilo, Lan’s brother who’s in charge of the military/street enforcers branch of the clan; Shae, their sister who left the family, determined to make her own way; and Anden, their school aged adopted brother. Like other Green Bone families, jade is paramount. Kekon’s jade has special properties that allow those who wear it to gain supernatural abilities, but it is also dangerous. Green Bones have special training and resistance that allows them to wear jade without being driven insane. How much jade you wear is a sign of how significant you are.
I really loved the world building of Jade City. It gives me two things I’m always looking for in fantasy novels: second world fantasy with modern technology and non-Western cultural influences. I’ve never read anything quite like it, although Max Gladstone’s Craft Sequence probably comes the closest. The world Fonda Lee creates feels lived in and real. While the narrative focuses on Kekon, it’s easy to believe that an entire world expands out beyond the borders of the island.
If I had one wish, it’d be for more female POV characters. Kekon is a male dominated, macho culture. While women now enter academies to train to become Green Bones (a modern development) and there are no legal barriers to them holding leadership, the culture is still slanted towards male domination. I.e. it’s a lot like the world we live in with respect to gender norms. It was interesting to see how each of the five main POV characters (the Kaul family, plus a street rat named Bero) interact with their culture’s gender norms. Shae turns her back on her clan and Green Bone culture partly because she’s frustrated with it’s obsession with male honor and how women are sidelined. While Lan is the leader of the clan, he sometimes departs from what is expected of him as a Green Bone patriarch; for instance, it’s considered unusual that he didn’t have his ex-wife’s lover killed and instead let the two of them leave Kekon. Andan is a bit of an outsider, as a mix raced, queer teenager. He struggles to be accepted in a society prejudiced against him (queer people are considered unlucky, and anyone mixed race is considered foreign, even if they were born and raised in Kekon like Andan). Hilo is the character who most embodies Kekon’s standards of toxic masculinity (he cannot understand why Lan wouldn’t let him kill the ex-wife’s lover), and Bero idealizes that sort of masculinity and is determined to gain jade of his own. Perhaps this is why I never much cared for Hilo or Bero.
Fonda Lee has martial arts training, and it shows in the exquisite, jade powered fight scenes of Jade City. As I mentioned at the beginning, the first third is a bit slow to take off, but once Jade City picked up steam it was unstoppable. I found myself reading even when I’d been planning on doing other things.
This story of magical fueled, mobster politics was a sheer delight. I’m excited to read a sequel, and I may look into Fonda Lee’s back list in the meantime.
Review originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
I received an ARC in exchange for a free and honest review.
Over twenty years ago, the island nation of Kekon won their freedom through the feats of the Green Bone warriors and their loyal Lantern Men. Now, Kekon is coming into the
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modern age, and the Green Bones have splintered into clans, of which the two largest and most powerful are led by the Kaul and Ayt families. While they do not hold official political power, the Kaul and Ayt families are the powers behind the throne in Kekon. When war threatens to break out between them, it will effect all of Kekon.Jade City focuses on the Kaul family, which has recently passed the leadership over to the grandson of the freedom fighting patriarch, now an elderly and deteriorating man. The Kaul family consists of Lan, the new head of the family; Hilo, Lan’s brother who’s in charge of the military/street enforcers branch of the clan; Shae, their sister who left the family, determined to make her own way; and Anden, their school aged adopted brother. Like other Green Bone families, jade is paramount. Kekon’s jade has special properties that allow those who wear it to gain supernatural abilities, but it is also dangerous. Green Bones have special training and resistance that allows them to wear jade without being driven insane. How much jade you wear is a sign of how significant you are.
I really loved the world building of Jade City. It gives me two things I’m always looking for in fantasy novels: second world fantasy with modern technology and non-Western cultural influences. I’ve never read anything quite like it, although Max Gladstone’s Craft Sequence probably comes the closest. The world Fonda Lee creates feels lived in and real. While the narrative focuses on Kekon, it’s easy to believe that an entire world expands out beyond the borders of the island.
If I had one wish, it’d be for more female POV characters. Kekon is a male dominated, macho culture. While women now enter academies to train to become Green Bones (a modern development) and there are no legal barriers to them holding leadership, the culture is still slanted towards male domination. I.e. it’s a lot like the world we live in with respect to gender norms. It was interesting to see how each of the five main POV characters (the Kaul family, plus a street rat named Bero) interact with their culture’s gender norms. Shae turns her back on her clan and Green Bone culture partly because she’s frustrated with it’s obsession with male honor and how women are sidelined. While Lan is the leader of the clan, he sometimes departs from what is expected of him as a Green Bone patriarch; for instance, it’s considered unusual that he didn’t have his ex-wife’s lover killed and instead let the two of them leave Kekon. Andan is a bit of an outsider, as a mix raced, queer teenager. He struggles to be accepted in a society prejudiced against him (queer people are considered unlucky, and anyone mixed race is considered foreign, even if they were born and raised in Kekon like Andan). Hilo is the character who most embodies Kekon’s standards of toxic masculinity (he cannot understand why Lan wouldn’t let him kill the ex-wife’s lover), and Bero idealizes that sort of masculinity and is determined to gain jade of his own. Perhaps this is why I never much cared for Hilo or Bero.
Fonda Lee has martial arts training, and it shows in the exquisite, jade powered fight scenes of Jade City. As I mentioned at the beginning, the first third is a bit slow to take off, but once Jade City picked up steam it was unstoppable. I found myself reading even when I’d been planning on doing other things.
This story of magical fueled, mobster politics was a sheer delight. I’m excited to read a sequel, and I may look into Fonda Lee’s back list in the meantime.
Review originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
I received an ARC in exchange for a free and honest review.
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LibraryThing member Glennis.LeBlanc
To wear jade in Kekon means you can tap into power you have trained years to do and you also belong to a clan that is both feudal and criminal. The main focus of the story is on the siblings of the Kaul family during a power struggle with another clan. Mountain clan has been stealing jade from the
Digital review copy provided by the publisher through Edelweiss
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mines and brewing a chemical compound that allows people that normally can’t use jade to use and control it. As much as the jade warriors see themselves as warriors they are also criminals asking for protection money even when they gift the townspeople in the regions they control with holiday gifts. The overall story is great, and the magical use of jade makes sense. Can’t wait to see more in this setting. Digital review copy provided by the publisher through Edelweiss
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LibraryThing member ash966
It had me at “kung-fu triad mages.”
LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
That was an interesting read with complex characters and interesting politics. It was also refreshingly non-european.
While there were good points about the story there was also the issue that this is not my kind of story, I don't really like mobster stories. This to me read as a mobster story with
It is pretty gruesome story with a lot of torture and death and in some instances the death of dreams, of aspirations, of potential. It's not a series where I'd seek out the sequels but might read them if I came across them.
While there were good points about the story there was also the issue that this is not my kind of story, I don't really like mobster stories. This to me read as a mobster story with
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a tinge of magic. In this world jade enhances the ability of people and in Janloon it fuels the families who rule. Those who wield political power don't wear jade and those who wield jade don't always survive well. Only some people can wield jade effectively. Now there's a drug that will help foreigners and those who couldn't normally wield jade and tensions are going to erupt into war.It is pretty gruesome story with a lot of torture and death and in some instances the death of dreams, of aspirations, of potential. It's not a series where I'd seek out the sequels but might read them if I came across them.
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LibraryThing member ben_a
An enjoyable fantasy page-turner, set in a well realized world. Another reviewer noted that it the story doesn't transcend the usual gangster tropes, and that seems right. I would place Jade City firmly in the category of 'enjoyable beach read' -- so it was surprising to learn that it it won the
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World Fantasy Award and was a Nebula finalist. Show Less
LibraryThing member questbird
A pretty cool mashup of Hong Kong style gangster movies and wuxia. Two rival clans rule the town of Janloon, which seems something of a creative mix of Hong Kong and Taipei. The city is on an island (Kekon) famous for being the only source of 'bioenergetic jade' a form of the green stone which
The book rollicks along, introducing members of the No Peak clan and their various insecurites. Chapters are short and to the point. Even though it's the first of a series, Jade City comes to a satisfactory conclusion by itself.
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gives some people superhuman powers. The jade is a source of power and wealth for the two clans. Foreign powers such as the 'Espenians', former hated rulers the Shotanians and the 'Ygutanians' envy the power of the jade, but only certain native Kekonians can handle it without mental damage.The book rollicks along, introducing members of the No Peak clan and their various insecurites. Chapters are short and to the point. Even though it's the first of a series, Jade City comes to a satisfactory conclusion by itself.
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LibraryThing member ladycato
Blurbed it. LOVED IT. One of the best books out this year.
LibraryThing member macha
first in a trilogy for a fantasy series that marries East and West, gangster clans, martial arts action, and family sagas. the characters are so alive it hurts, the fantasy worldmaking is excellent, and altogether it's very difficult to put it down. it also cries out to be made into a major TV
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series, right away. Show Less
LibraryThing member JoshEnglish
Jade City is set in an alternate mid-20th century world of gangster clans and magical jade. The book covers the stories of several members of the No Peak clan during the start up of a clan war. The world building is excellent and things are explained quite simply when the information is important
My only problem is knowing it will be a while before the next book comes out. I'll probably still enjoy the re-read of this that I'll have to do when the time comes.
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to the story. My only problem is knowing it will be a while before the next book comes out. I'll probably still enjoy the re-read of this that I'll have to do when the time comes.
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LibraryThing member rivkat
On the island of Kekon, jade brings power to those who can wield it, sickness and death to those who try and fail. Dueling clans struggle for control of the main city in the context of foreign nations seeking to unlock jade’s power for themselves—financial audits are important to the plot! But
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so are magical battles with jade-enhanced powers as one clan seeks to destroy another, whose leaders don’t always see eye to eye. Lots of compelling intrigue in the context of a city/nation struggling for growth and independence with larger powers looming. Show Less
LibraryThing member xenoglossy
If this book hadn't come with a major award nomination and high praise from all sorts of major outlets, I might've given it three stars for being enjoyable enough, but not outstanding and possessed of several issues that dragged it down for me. As it is, though, my expectations were high and boy,
I've seen people specifically praise the quality of the prose, and I really can't understand that, because it's transparent at best and clunky and expository at worst. In addition, the author sometimes slightly misuses words, like confusing "unwittingly" with "unwillingly" and saying "their bloodthirst was sated, but not quenched" (paraphrased, since the book had to go back to the library, but the "sated but not quenched" part is verbatim). I realize that's not a big dealbreaker for everyone, but it throws me out of the story--it's like hearing a song being played on an out-of-tune piano--and really should have been caught by an editor. The dialogue is mostly fine but sometimes ventures into "who talks like this?" territory, especially, again, when the writer is trying to cram some exposition in.
The book is also a bit odd in its handling of female characters. For the first forty chapters, there is only one female character of any note, Shae, who shares the protagonist role with three of her male relatives. The character who is technically the main antagonist is female, but narrative focus is mainly on her male second-in-command. Minor characters are almost always male unless there's some reason for them to be female (mostly that they're male characters' wives/girlfriends/mothers, though one is madam of a brothel, so, uh, there's that?). Then, after chapter 40, this abruptly changes. Wen, the previously pretty thinly-characterized fiancee of one of the male protagonists, suddenly gets a bunch of character development, has an actual conversation with Shae (who I don't think had talked to any women before that point), and gets a chapter from her POV. The female antagonist becomes briefly prominent and also has a discussion with Shae. There are, within a pretty short space, at least two minor female characters who didn't have to be female. This all lasts for several chapters, and then it's back to the relentlessly male-default world of the first 80 percent or so of the book. Everything that I know about how writing and publishing a book works says that this can't possibly be the case, but it really feels as though the author got most of the way through writing the first draft, went "crap, I haven't given enough screen time to female characters!", chucked some of that in, and then forgot again, and just never went back to actually incorporate the female characters into the earlier or later parts of the book.
There's also a sort of weird handling of an incident of sexual coercion, which I'll discuss under a spoiler cut for those who'd rather not see it:Basically, before the book began, Shae found out that a senior member of her clan was using the power accorded to his position to force Shae's one female friend to send him nude photographs of herself. Shae's relationship with the man is permanently soured, so it's not that she gives him a pass, but she also tells her friend to leave and never speak to her again, while the friend cries and begs Shae to believe that she didn't actually want to do it. Shae thinks of this incident several times in the book, but despite the fact that this occurs in sections that are from Shae's POV, the book never does more than relate the facts of what happened--how Shae actually feels about it is never mentioned, despite the fact that she obviously feels strongly in some way. This makes it hard to determine if she cut her friend off in an attempt to protect her friend from her family or if she was as disgusted with her friend as she comes off from her actions. I'm not saying that this was definitely for sure bad and offensive, but if nothing else, it's bizarre from a character writing perspective that something that clearly had a significant effect on Shae is so unclear about what that effect actually was.
All this being said, it wasn't terrible. The plot is a little slow to start, but moves along at a good clip once it gets going, and the worldbuilding is interesting despite the book's difficulty with trying to fit it smoothly into narration and dialogue--I'm always a big fan of the juxtaposition of fantastic elements with the trappings of familiar modern(ish) life, and it's surprisingly hard to find that now that the urban fantasy subgenre has been eaten by paranormal romance. It's also always nice to see non-Western-based fantasy settings in general. And despite the issues described in the previous paragraph, I did like Shae and was invested in seeing her succeed, or at least not die. (I admit to not being as invested in the other protagonists, but that may just be me.) But I really don't think it was one of the best SFF books of the past year.
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did Jade City fail to deliver.I've seen people specifically praise the quality of the prose, and I really can't understand that, because it's transparent at best and clunky and expository at worst. In addition, the author sometimes slightly misuses words, like confusing "unwittingly" with "unwillingly" and saying "their bloodthirst was sated, but not quenched" (paraphrased, since the book had to go back to the library, but the "sated but not quenched" part is verbatim). I realize that's not a big dealbreaker for everyone, but it throws me out of the story--it's like hearing a song being played on an out-of-tune piano--and really should have been caught by an editor. The dialogue is mostly fine but sometimes ventures into "who talks like this?" territory, especially, again, when the writer is trying to cram some exposition in.
The book is also a bit odd in its handling of female characters. For the first forty chapters, there is only one female character of any note, Shae, who shares the protagonist role with three of her male relatives. The character who is technically the main antagonist is female, but narrative focus is mainly on her male second-in-command. Minor characters are almost always male unless there's some reason for them to be female (mostly that they're male characters' wives/girlfriends/mothers, though one is madam of a brothel, so, uh, there's that?). Then, after chapter 40, this abruptly changes. Wen, the previously pretty thinly-characterized fiancee of one of the male protagonists, suddenly gets a bunch of character development, has an actual conversation with Shae (who I don't think had talked to any women before that point), and gets a chapter from her POV. The female antagonist becomes briefly prominent and also has a discussion with Shae. There are, within a pretty short space, at least two minor female characters who didn't have to be female. This all lasts for several chapters, and then it's back to the relentlessly male-default world of the first 80 percent or so of the book. Everything that I know about how writing and publishing a book works says that this can't possibly be the case, but it really feels as though the author got most of the way through writing the first draft, went "crap, I haven't given enough screen time to female characters!", chucked some of that in, and then forgot again, and just never went back to actually incorporate the female characters into the earlier or later parts of the book.
There's also a sort of weird handling of an incident of sexual coercion, which I'll discuss under a spoiler cut for those who'd rather not see it:
All this being said, it wasn't terrible. The plot is a little slow to start, but moves along at a good clip once it gets going, and the worldbuilding is interesting despite the book's difficulty with trying to fit it smoothly into narration and dialogue--I'm always a big fan of the juxtaposition of fantastic elements with the trappings of familiar modern(ish) life, and it's surprisingly hard to find that now that the urban fantasy subgenre has been eaten by paranormal romance. It's also always nice to see non-Western-based fantasy settings in general. And despite the issues described in the previous paragraph, I did like Shae and was invested in seeing her succeed, or at least not die. (I admit to not being as invested in the other protagonists, but that may just be me.) But I really don't think it was one of the best SFF books of the past year.
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LibraryThing member whitewavedarling
It took me some time to get into this one and get comfortable with the various characters, but once I did, I was completely swept away by the world and the conflict. Lee's writing pulled me in and kept me turning pages long into the night, and I adored how real the SFF elements felt, as if this
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were just another piece of the world we live in. After 500 pages, I admit I feel like I should be a bit more attached to the characters--action took over so much of the book in the last third, I didn't always feel as close to them or as if we were getting enough development from them--but I still can't wait to dive into the next book in the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member majkia
Such a good book. This is a re-read so I can read the rest of the trilogy
Great world-building, well-drawn characters and a plot that has twists and turns galore.
Jade is a magical item in this world, giving those who can wear it, powers of perception and strength. But it only exists on one small
Great world-building, well-drawn characters and a plot that has twists and turns galore.
Jade is a magical item in this world, giving those who can wear it, powers of perception and strength. But it only exists on one small
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island. Everyone wants it. Show Less
LibraryThing member MiserableFlower
Good but just very long. I could have used a little more explaination to things, as in world building and clan rules/titles. But still I enjoy these kind of power structure fights, should be intersting how they go about rebuilding ties and strengthing their nation again.
LibraryThing member hskey
Outstanding, what a fun read. I don't read many books that are contemporary fantasy and certainly not many in the classic Kung-Fu, Hong Kong gangster genre. Absolutely loved it, the pages flew by and I caught myself many times reading well beyond my daily allotment due to the wonderful pacing and
Excited for Jade War!
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world building. Excited for Jade War!
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LibraryThing member Daumari
4.5, but keeping it at 4. A solid start to a trilogy, taking place in what I'm assuming is probably ~1950s given some technology (cassette tapes, phones) and in the aftermath of a world war equivalent alternative southeast Asian island of Kekon (the insular island nature makes me think Taiwan or
The first part felt slow doing a lot of setup, then about halfway through an event happens that accelerates plot action. There's several pieces that got mention but haven't borne fruit yet- curious to see where they go (Ami's letter, whatever Barrow plans to do, etc.) Listened on audio, so not entirely sure of spellings but I fear googling will lead to spoilers, ha.
With the mafia organization overtones fight sequences, this could make for a really juicy adaptation!
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Singapore), but with jade magic which allows a small country to become a power on the international stage, a lucrative opportunity in the Mountain clan's eyes. Meanwhile, most of our points of view are with No Peak clan characters, young adults trying to live up to the legacy of their patriarch and keep the clan together. The first part felt slow doing a lot of setup, then about halfway through an event happens that accelerates plot action. There's several pieces that got mention but haven't borne fruit yet- curious to see where they go (Ami's letter, whatever Barrow plans to do, etc.) Listened on audio, so not entirely sure of spellings but I fear googling will lead to spoilers, ha.
With the mafia organization overtones fight sequences, this could make for a really juicy adaptation!
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LibraryThing member infjsarah
I don't much like urban fantasy nor mafia type stories so wasn't sure this would be for me. However, I did enjoy it quite a bit on audio - enough to place a hold for the 2nd book.
LibraryThing member GaelynVenger
This was enjoyable enough for me to decide to read the second book in the series, but I did not find that it made me want to keep reading at the end of chapters, which is what I usually would expect of a book rated four stars or more. I have never been a great fan of organized crime stories, so
The strengths were the writing, which was excellent, and a very interesting magic system based on the interaction between jade and the DNA of a particular group of people. I liked the concept of the inherent dangers of wielding the power of jade. There was some political drama that added additional depth.
The main weakness for me was that I had trouble finding a character that I liked enough to be invested in their story. There were several with redeeming qualities that I kept thinking might ultimately draw me in, but I mostly found myself siding with the Kaul family only because the other one seemed so terrible by comparison. The second book shows higher ratings than the first, so I am hoping that as the characters' stories develop, I will find that I am more invested in their success.
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that has likely affected my opinion. The strengths were the writing, which was excellent, and a very interesting magic system based on the interaction between jade and the DNA of a particular group of people. I liked the concept of the inherent dangers of wielding the power of jade. There was some political drama that added additional depth.
The main weakness for me was that I had trouble finding a character that I liked enough to be invested in their story. There were several with redeeming qualities that I kept thinking might ultimately draw me in, but I mostly found myself siding with the Kaul family only because the other one seemed so terrible by comparison. The second book shows higher ratings than the first, so I am hoping that as the characters' stories develop, I will find that I am more invested in their success.
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Awards
Nebula Award (Nominee — Novel — 2017)
Audie Award (Finalist — Fantasy — 2019)
Locus Award (Finalist — Fantasy Novel — 2018)
World Fantasy Award (Nominee — Novel — 2018)
Sunburst Award (Longlist — Adult — 2018)
Genres
Publication
Orbit (2018), Edition: Reprint, 560 pages
Original publication date
2017-11
Language
ISBN
0316440884 / 9780316440882