Jade City
Ratings443
Average rating4.1
I wanted more of the setting than I was getting and the characters didn't pull me in, they seemed a little too predictable.
This was an absolutely fantastic, captivating, and exciting story. Set in the city of Janloon, Jade City looks at the rival organized crime groups that rule the city through mastery of jade, and the magical abilities that it grants those that have the ability to wield it. Tensions rise as the power starts to shift within the city, leading to the threat of a full-out gang war in the city streets. Fonda Lee has created a fascinating blend of wuxia, urban fantasy, and modern crime fiction that opens us up to a world and a story that is as unique as it is epic.
This book was a genre bending blast that reads like a Hong Kong mob movie meets Mistborn meets Game of Thrones. The politics, characters, emotional gut punches, and twists made this a ton of fun all the way through - great action sequences, an elegant magic system and an aesthetic that just bleeds cool. It's the mash up I didn't know I needed and now that I've got a taste... I'm hooked. “On my honor, my life, and my jade” the clan is my blood now guys... this book is very good at what it does.
TITLE Jade City
AUTHOR Fonda Lee
Genre Fantasy
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Emotional Impact 8.25
Characters 9
Plot 7.75
Worldbuilding / Magic System 7.75
Dialogue / Prose 8.25
Official Rating 8.20
Goodreads Rating 4
Date Started 1/18/2024
Date Finished 1/22/2024
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NOTES Really fun asian-inspired story with a unique low magic system, loved the big clan dynamics. Reminds me of 1980s Hong Kong / Mafia movies
What a wonderful book and quite a ride. I didn't want to know the ending if it was bad, but I couldn't stop reading. The last few pages I had to read in chunks and then get settled down again.
2.5*
I had high hopes for Jade City. I was disappointed. I didn't like the jade power, didn't like any characters, thought the warring gangs thing was stupid.
It's just not my cup of tea. It's the tea of choice for many others, though.
Turns out I have a yen for stories about crime families. This scratches the same itch as McDonald's Luna series for me. But instead of Ian McDonald's nightmare vision of a libertarian moon, Fonda Lee sets her story in a fantasy version of 70's Hong Kong, infused with kung fu and magical jade.
The story follows several members of one crime family as their personal goals clash with the demands of the clan and a looming clan war. It's impossible not to get caught up in the lives and (spectacularly written) fight scenes of these bigger than life yet still very relatable characters and that got me through some of the weaker parts of the book: Except for a few interesting religious ideas, the world building doesn't go much further than its initial premise. The moral difference between the clans is so clear-cut they might as well have been wearing black and white hats. And maybe worst of all for this kind of story, the plots and coups in the gang war feel rather simple and lacking in chutzpah.
But the characters are clearly the star of the story and I'm eager to find out what happens next, especially as it seems later books will expand the scope of the action.
It was ok. I couldn't really connect fully with the characters. The pace was a bit uneven, with some interesting and good scenes that had faster pace or something else interesting that held my interest. I think could be edited for a more tighter package. Unfortunately, I seem to have middling reactions to books with huge hype behind them. Personally as an overall package it's a solid 3 out of 5.
Kind of surprised how much I liked this! It came recommended by a friend with good taste. Set in a fictional country with fictional neighbors, but the main country at least is pretty clearly referential. There aren't a ton of good books about organized crime from perspectives inside the crime syndicates, so this is unusual. I could do without the sex scenes — men aren't the only ones writing bad ones, it turns out — but otherwise I really enjoyed this and I'm looking forward to the next one in the series.
Asian Godfather Mafia story with fantasy elements. Spectacular, thrilling read and a great start to a trilogy of books!
Look, I read this like 5 books ago, in a mad dash rush to the end of the year, and I finished it New Years Eve. So it's been 10 days and yet, my hype for this series is still fresh like newly caught salmon at a fish market.
I fully expected to love the Green Bone Saga and I completely devoured this book. Jade City follows four siblings that are leaders in a crime family in the city of Janloon, where the magical substance Jade allows a select portion of the population enhanced capabilities. People commonly compare it to the Godfather, for obvious reasons. But for me.....it was like The Wire, my favorite show of all time. Only instead of being armed with the power of economics courses, Stringer Bell is armed with the power of Jade.
I could see some people thinking the book takes awhile to set up the dynamics of the book, but I was enthused from the get-go. I love these characters, and even the one I don't love, I understand. Lee writes such great sibling relationships, which is something that many people do not prioritize or do well in fantasy.
The magic is cool, and the world seems set to expand by the end of the book. The fight scenes are incredible, but this book is not a non-stop action book. It is primarily a political book, as rivalling crime families seek to avoid a war that has been brewing between them.
I give Jade City a 9.5/10 and I am super hyped to continue on with Jade War!
This adult fantasy novel follows a family that runs a jade clan in a modern city with some not-so-modern traditions. Jade grants certain people powers of strength, speed, enhanced perception, etc. The clans that control this jade control this city. When the 2 largest clans start to clash, violence and heartbreak ensue.
The family this story centers on, the Kaun family, is a brutal yet tight-knit family. While they may have their differences, they are always ready to stand up for one of their own. The family dynamics and shifting relationships are incredibly interesting to witness. The combat scenes are so immersive. Magic systems that have consequences are always more believable and dynamic, and the consequences for abusing jade are vicious. The pacing was done well, and I never felt like it was a chore to read. About halfway through, there is a huge plot shift and I was sitting slack jawed as I read.
This story is different from any fantasy novel I've read, and I can't wait to see where Fonda Lee takes me in the next novel.
Trigger warnings: violence, death, drug use, explicit sex scenes, mentions of sexual assault, suicide and self-harm.
Crouching Tiger Hidden Godfather
What an exciting start to a Jade saga. This book is quite dense, there is a lot of information to take in but it keeps you hooked till the end with some expected, and some unexpected twists. There are no good or bad people both sides are quite human with all shades.
My only confusion is about the era it's set in. Sometimes it feels like the early twentieth century and sometimes like totally modern. Sometimes it feels like a fantasy world, sometimes it feels like a realistic one.
I started this series off of the Goodreads average reviews for it alone. Didn't do much research into what it was about other than that it was fantasy and well loved. I should have. I am not a fan of gang politics and that's all this series is about. Pretty upset with myself for purchasing the whole series. That being said, there were aspects that I liked. The existential questioning that all the Kaul children went through and the growth, guilt, pressures and how they handled the pressures were great. I have a hard time with books that create a fictional world with a specific emphasis on prejudices based off of skin color and parentage and aren't trying to combat it. The way the Abukei are talked about and the Stone Eyes, it's just uncomfy. Like Wen got to smuggle shit...that's not really redemptive or honorable. This book read as if a man wrote it, and that's really not a compliment from me. The women were few and didn't have anywhere near the depth or respect as any of the male characters. I find it incredibly hard to believe that if Shae were an actual woman that had a close friend SA'd by Uncle Doru, would she have pardoned him at the end. Even if it was to keep grandpa company. I'm almost tempted to complete this series just to enjoy Doru's death, but I fear I would not enjoy anything else about it.
TITLE Jade City
AUTHOR Fonda Lee
Genre Fantasy
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Emotional Impact 8.25
Characters 9
Plot 7.75
Worldbuilding / Magic System 7.75
Dialogue / Prose 8.25
Official Rating 8.20
Goodreads Rating 4
Date Started 1/18/2024
Date Finished 1/22/2024
—
NOTES Really fun asian-inspired story with a unique low magic system, loved the big clan dynamics. Reminds me of 1980s Hong Kong / Mafia movies
reminded me a lot of sword of kaigen in its character driven fantasy and drama. It treated its characters realistically and made sure that the story happened as a result of the characters rather than to the characters which i think is an important distinction for this genre. I think it wasn't as good as sword of kaigen because a lot of character motivations/emotions/rituals were told rather than shown (ie. we are told that stealing jade is scummy asf rather than shown it through a story action) but i liked it a lot!
A great book which will definitely appeal to people who enjoy political intrigue in their books and a magic system that borders on sci-fi.
The book has a lovely set of characters which I alternately hated and loved but was never indifferent to.
More than anything, this book offers an amazing family dynamic and an opportunity to ponder your own values and perception of right and wrong.
The reason why I took away a star is the waaaaaay too detailed sex scenes. I didn't need to know whose fingers went exactly where, the amount of saliva utilised or the level of penetration that occurred. If that's to your taste, have at it. To me it felt voyeuristic and altogether cringy.
In all honesty, with how many times I've seen this trilogy on people's “Best Fantasy Series” lists I expected more fantasy but I still really enjoyed this.
If you go into it expected an urban fantasy which is more focused on clan power, family drama and some fantasy/action then it will likely be an instant 5 stars.
For me, I did find the first 50% enjoyable to read but quite slow, I could tell it was setting the scene, building the world and introducing us to the characters then an event happened which propelled the story forwards and turned it up a few notches.
I already feel so invested in these characters and this world, so whilst this wasn't a perfect first book for me, I know I'm going to love the rest of the series and can't wait to continue.
3.5 out of 5 rounded up. This book is a mixed bag of excellent moments and storytelling. But it's not perfect imo. Mostly overused exposition at times. I also wish we got more attached to some characters.
World building +
Fight scenes and tension ++
Diverse characters +
Exposition heavy -
This one is very action-packed from the get-go, which makes it a bit overwhelming at the start as there is a lot of information to take in. It doesn't take too long to grasp everything though and then you're just along for the ride.
An entertaining and enjoyable story, with good, distinct characters. Due to their nature and their obligation to “the clan” I had trouble relating to them as they don't really show their emotions or talk about them. They could have been developed more.
Story-wise it went in a few directions that I certainly didn't expect, and at the same time I wished what I thought was going to happen would have happened. I did love the setting and the world.
This is currently being developed as a TV series and I think it's going to work even better in that medium! Especially with the action scenes being brought to life and a chance to give us more insight into the characters.