JADE CITY by Fonda Lee No Spoiler Review - A Breath of Fresh Air in the Fantasy Genre
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- Опубликовано: 7 мар 2023
- JADE CITY by Fonda Lee No Spoiler Review - A Breath of Fresh Air in the Fantasy Genre
#jadecity #fondalee #booktube
Jade City by Fonda Lee is book one in the Green Bone Saga trilogy. Jade City by Fonda Lee is a terrific first entry in the Green Bone Saga and has me so excited to continue with Jade War and Jade Legacy. Fonda Lee delivers a family drama with vibes close to beloved mafia movies of the past but makes Jade City stand out with it's inventive magic system and believable family dynamics. I have you enjoy this no spoiler review of Jade City by Fonda Lee.
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/ thefantasynuttwork 
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The George Washington of Kekon. 🤣
Great review Jimmy! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on Jade War
Hahaha it’s what came to my mind 😂😂
Excellent review! I am really glad you enjoyed it. I think Jade City and Jade Legacy are a step up in quality and I am confident you will enjoy them!
Thanks!
Wow. This is the 'most' thorough review I have heard about Jade City. All other reviews are about appreciation but you made it happen to balance the equation and this is something better to hear.. You dissected it like a frog.
Thank you!!
This series is so fresh and fun, glad you're enjoying it! Loved hearing the discussion of different characters, I think this series lends itself to that type of discussion.
It def does!
Love your review, really hope you enjoy the rest of the trilogy! Each book is great in different ways
Hoping they get better and better, thanks!
I’m an economics nerd (as a hobby) and even more than the magic system I loved the attention Fonda Lee paid to the both the macro and micro economy of her world. There are little details she worked in that I just never see in other author’s world building. Overall, this series only gets better and better. I raced through it and look forward to rereading soon.
I appreciated that too!
Hey good sir….great review…read this trilogy back to back end of last year….you are in for one hell of a ride…in the best way…currently half way through the last book in the Dandelion Dynasty series and what a thing of beauty it is….kinda don’t want it to end.
Enjoy the end! It’s very good!
Shae was my favorite character as well. "The Jade City" was the most ejoyable book in the series for me. I could't stand Arden for most Jade War. Spending time in his POV felt like waste of time to me, even though I could see later why that was necesary. Maybe when I'll reread "The Green Bone Saga" I'll love it more. Excied for Fonda Lee's next novella and SFF duology.
I’m not a huge Anden fan
What a wonderful review!
Thanks!!!
This one's on the physical TBR and hope to get to it this year. Thanks for your thoughts - bumping it a little higher!
Hope you enjoy it!
Very articulate, and I loved your mention of superstition it is something that definitely stuck out and I remember appreciating while reading this also.
Appreciate it dude!
Excellent analysis and review. It’s a top tier series for me. I’m anxious for your thoughts as you go through the rest of it.
I’m so anxious to continue!
One of my favorite fantasy series I have read in the last couple years. Glad you enjoyed book 1. Will be interested to hear your thoughts on the final two books as I think it does go in some different directions.
I’m excited to see more of the world outside Kekon
I love this trilogy! I hope you continue to enjoy it, personally I thought each book was better than the last. Was one of those series where after I finished I felt like I had really known those characters and actually missed them.
Also, wanted to take a second and say that you've slowly become my favorite booktuber. Your reviews are always on point, our interests are very similar, and you have a great balance between giving genuine critique (and not being afraid to 'not like things') and never going over the top with negativity (which is one of the biggest things that turn me off of reviews- even if I agree with the opinion I've just never related to how angry and petty some people get when they don't like something). I'm actually going to be starting The Dandelion Dynasty soon based on your review on that, as soon as I finish reading Commonwealth Saga or Farseer trilogy (whichever happens first), it seems like it's going to be right up my alley. Anyway, thanks for what you do!
Thank you so much for the kind words! I’m always trying to improve and see things from all angles. I hope you enjoy Dandelion!!
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it! I’m focusing on sci-fi for now but Green Bone is a top 5 fantasy series I’m interested in.
The series is really great
You’ll dig it I think
Man Jimmy, your breakdown of this book was exceptional......I'm taking notes. Not only did I learn about this book in this video, I learned how to be a better reader/reviewer. Just amazing points, observations and critiques man. So I couldn't help thinking......pants or no pants for this one??
Thanks so much for the kind words! And short shorts for this one, it’s my secret sauce
@@thefantasynuttwork God I hope they weren't jean short shorts.
@@blacknbluecollarreader 🤔
Great review!
Multiple POVs can be hit or miss - I'm all for them but often you end up liking some of them way more and being bored by others. I didn't like all the POVs in Jade City but think they ended up coming together really nicely.
I agree that multiple POVs need to be utilized correctly to be effective, and I think Fonda Lee is good at that.
I also love when you can tell who's speaking without dialogue tags! It's not easy to pull off, but when done right it's great. I love it when the POV character doesn't know who's speaking but you can tell and it pays off later.
Hilo is a fascinating character!
Hilo is a devil but I can’t look away from him 🤣
Yes Jimmy! This series was so hyped for me but still managed to deliver. Interested in your take on the third book
Should get to it soonish 🙌
Can't wait for you to get to the next two. Jade Legacy is next level.
The hype is so high!
Love Green Bone Saga! Also all 3 books are excellent in their own way, there is no weak link, which is fabulous, and Jade Legacy is the icing on the cake. Really impressed with your concise summary of the setting - l don't think l could have boiled it down like that.
I love Jade City but l thought it started a bit slow, actually - it didn't grab me immediately. The world actually felt very familiar, which was a huge plus and why l kept going - l grew up on those Asian martial arts movies, Hong Kong triads, the hustle and bustle of a gritty metropolis, the family dynamics - it all comes to life in one delightful package! And then she pulls the rug out from under you... I was hooked after that. Enjoy the rest of the trilogy - can't wait to hear your thoughts on the next two!
(Also, l agree about it being cinematic - there are some scenes in Jade Legacy in particular where l could just see the shots in my mind's eye, background music and all 😅)
Looking forward to your spoiler-y chat, and l hope you do it for the other books as well. After l finished Jade Legacy, l really wanted to discuss it with people but couldn't because spoilers...
Really appreciate the comment!
Great review. 👍
Thanks! 👍
Nice review Jimmy, I agree with so much of this. Overall great book! I didn’t love Anden as a character… I feel like he was this gifted student who was clearly a boss, but he literally had zero confidence which was played off as humility, but I didn’t totally buy it. The timidity was just a bit much for his character. Maybe that will change in book 2, I’ll find out soon!
I haven't quite finished Jade City, but you're going to LOVE Hilo, man! 😄Excellent review, Jimmy -- I enjoyed hearing your thoughts and insights here, and I can tell we are going to have an excellent spoiler discussion with Bookborn and Taylor in a couple weeks!
Thanks brother! I’m pumped for our chat
Jimmy: "Shit goes down" > Sevro au Barca: "Shit escalates"
Hahahah
I’m currently reading Jade City. 75% in and I’m feeling the same way as you! I also am enjoying Shae the most!
She rules!
It's on my list!
It goes by quick!
Brilliant review as always! You hit the nail on the head there, Greenbone truly is a breath of fresh air in the fantasy genre! I personally really enjoyed book 1 and 2 when I first read them, but then when I re-read them in prep for the finale, I felt a bit less excited about the whole thing so I got very nervous for book 3. Well, those concerns quickly turned out to be completely uncessecary, because Jade Legacy really proved to be the masterpiece it was promised to be for me.
I think you will really enjoy the exploration of morality in the sequels. Plus, the world really opens up in the rest of the series and I loved seeing the culture clashes! Truly riverting stuff, can't wait to hear your thoughts. Happy reading!
I could see possibly this being less enjoyable after knowing what happens, curious how I find the next two!
@@thefantasynuttwork Yeah, a lot of my enjoyment comes from the surprising twists and turns in this series. Yet none of them feel unbelievable or out of left field. The uncertainty comes from the fact that we are reading about very messy, flawed (and sometimes frustratingly impulsive) characters, which makes this story feel so human and real.
Also, I forgot to say this in my initial comment, but I love how Fonda Lee handles the conflict between the No Peak clan and the Mountain clan. It's such a nuanced situation and the only reason we are rooting for the Kauls is probably because we are reading from their perspective. They could just as easily have been the bad guys if we had gotten different perspectives from outside the family. Lots of interesting stuff to discuss surrounding morality, I am so looking forward to hearing what you think of the rest of the books!
Great review! I was going to read this next on my tbr but when I went to record my latest read on Goodreads, I noticed a lot of people where reading Stephen King, which made me want to read some King. So this book is coming after The Deadzone. I hope to power through both quickly so that I can get them done before your Jade City discussion with Philip Chase gets uploaded.
I wanna read King right now too! Haha
I loved this book. Completely fresh and original.
I’m a big fan
Based on what you’ve said, I really think you’re gonna love the next books even more.
I should be continuing very soon
If I didn't have so many series I've already begun I'd be grabbing my copy of this one and dive right in. I hope I like it and hope you find the trilogy rewarding.
Thanks my friend
I know this vid is 2 weeks old but you just fricking wait. Everything you said is exactly how I felt when I first read the first book. The full saga just keeps getting better and better and the ending is satisfaying in all the best ways. It became my favorite series ever.
I’m 200 pages into Jade War and loving it
Excited for you to continue on with the trilogy, jimmy! Especially since for me at least Jade City is by far the weakest in the trilogy and the characters don't start to truly shine until book two.
Side note - I've just started reading The Soldier Son trilogy by Hobb and I'm enjoying it as much as I ever enjoyed any Fitz book, so you know.. just something to think about!
I’m def reading soldier son at some point
Hilo’s the man! Jk I haven’t read this yet, but your review has me hyped to get to it soon!
Hahaha you got me
Bero is the GOAT. I loved all of the characters, but Bero is by far my favorite in this series
Dude he’s such a great POV
I really enjoyed this series, the great world-buulding, and the characters I couldn't help rooting for even when I was telling them, "oh no, don't do that."
Yeah it’s definitely very enjoyable, even tho Hilo is a jerk at times haha
@@thefantasynuttwork he definitely is heh
Glad you liked this one. I've read this series several times. It feels really fresh and unique, and I love the mafia-vibes and politics. I also tend to prefer more distinction in author voice, but that slim prose reads easily and propels you on.
I love Hilo. Yeah, he's capable of some dirty shit (y'ain't seen nothing yet), but he's fearless and unshaking in what he believes. Shae's return to jade (and all that comes with it) was one of the high points of the book for me.
Shae was so good! I’m very excited to read book two, I hear it’s wild
This series would be perfect for adaptation. I think I heard the Peacock thing fell through, but I'm sure someone will pick it up. I loved this series. It's not my favorite, but it was probably one of the top things I read in 2021. My favorite character is Anden. I'm sure you'll agree with me by the end. 😄
I hope HBO gets it lol
Hey Jimmy. I was wondering, given your martial arts background, if you ever read the combat codes sage by Alexander Darwin? If not, its a fantasy book where society decides duels etc in an mma bout. The protagonist is is put into a combat school and must work his way up through the system etc. Basically its MMA fantasy.
Yep, have a review for it here on the channel, I know it’s being released again as a traditional published book soon
Hilo is definitely my favorite. In fact Hilo might be a top 10 character period. 🎉
Wow!
Jade City is a really good book. I think it sort of plateaus in the final third because the middle is so shocking, with its own climax. But don’t worry. It’s setting up Jade War, which is even better. If Jade City is Star Wars, then Jade War is The Empire Strikes Back. You’re in for a ride.
Oh I love hearing that
I don't think you need to love Hilo to appreciate how great of a character he is. Personally Anden is my favorite character as he finds where he fits in the World. Can't wait to see your thoughts on the rest of the trilogy!
Thanks!
I feel like you waiting so long until reading the series gives a lot of weight to your opinions. Thanks for sharing! I’ve been waiting to pick this up for ages despite having it on my kindle.
Hey thanks! I’m really bad at keeping up with releases so I miss a lot of the initial hype on things haha
Jade City was so good and the books got better as the series went on. You’re in for a good one.
I’m hyped!!!
Hey Jimmy, if you were a Green Bone warrior, where would you wear your Jade? Around your neck? Arms? Fingers? Or any place of your choosing
Probably my arms so it could make my biceps look even bigger
This might be your best review
Thank you for that, was hoping I did it justice
@@thefantasynuttwork I haven't read it but I really enjoyed your review of it
I thought it got a fair bit better with each book so hopefully you have a similar experience ❤
Also really really good review. You were more positive on it overall than me but we agree on most points
@@benjamincrowhurst5998 thanks buddy! I think for me it’s the potential + new vibes that drove me to enjoy it a lot more than I would have otherwise. The wider world was hinted at and it made me confident we would see more of it possibly
Great Review. I finished the series last year and after your review, I remembered a lot of my fond memories of the story. One of my favorite parts of this book was the city, Janloon; it was so fleshed out and had that "lived-in" vibe. I rank it among my favorite fantasy metropolises! Excited to see ur thoughts on Jade War, my favorite of the series.
That’s a great point, it’s very fleshed out
It'll be interesting to see what you think of Jade War. I enjoyed City for what it was, but I think you're going to start "noticing" the writing style more in War.
Oh good!
@@thefantasynuttwork
Depends on what angle you look at it from. Lol
Currently reading this novel and its awesome, I read red rising before this and now I am hard stuck on which novel I should read first out of the two sequels lol. I should have never put myself in this predicament, but what would you suggest I read first? Sorry, not sorry lmao!!
I like Greenbone more than Red Rising
GREAT!! That's all I needed to hear, thank you for getting back to me, I love your videos and your content keep up the amazing work!!! @@thefantasynuttwork
@@cdomingo204 thanks!!
Completely agree about those cinematic, cliffhanger scenes make a read feel so much faster and also more engaging and memorable. As you do as well, I would highly recommend We Are the Dead by Mike Shackle!
We really need to read Jade City. Been meaning to for a while, but it has risen up the pile after watching this. Thanks for the insightful thoughts as always!
I really gotta check out Shackle, I’ve heard so many good things!
Always gets me upset when I see great reviews cause I got so much on my TBR I feel like I gotta start bumping thing off
I feel the same hahaha
Fantastic review
Really appreciated how you laid out the setting of the book
I'm one of those people who thinks Jade City is the weakest of the series easily
The story while in the context of fantasy genre is definitely fresh, it definitely feels pretty standard when you've seen whole bunch of mafia movies
I predicted the big event way before it happened
The characters while being very good they still feel like archetypes in this book
However with the second and third books not only the characters acquire more depth they also break out of their archetypes and become much more their own separate unique thing
Same applies to the world building
It becomes truly epic in scale while maintaining the personal feel
By the end of third book i thought that the series not only became a unique standout thing in the fantasy genre but also mafia fiction in general
It's up there with the likes of Sopranos and Godfather as just genuinely great family driven mafia story bringing something unique of it's own to stand alongside with the greats of the past
This is very good to hear
Always interesting to hear your thoughts! I'm reading Jade City right now (only 20% through) and given the hype... I'm kind of underwhelmed. I almost DNF'd it after the first few chapters. It got a bit better and I will continue due to some really interesting world building (love a fantasy world where the newest technological invention isn''t gunpowder but color TV). But the writing and characterization... meh. A part of my complaints may be due to the fact that I'm simultaneously doing a Malazan re-read. So switching from Gardens of the Moon to Jade City is like floating along on a brand new highway and then suddenly turning on to a bumpy gravel road. And I agree this has the potential to become an excellent TV-show.Gardens of the Moon
Yeah I’d have a hard time if I was reading this at the same time as that tbh
Thoughts on the rest of the trilogy, Jimmy?
Enjoyed it! Lots of things I didn’t like but still super glad I read it
Towards the end of the video when you used your "finger" and "mountain" and "peak" analogy a very large part of me wants to believe that you purposely used those words and that it wasn't random. Well played (maybe).
😎
If you loved this one, you're in for such a damn treat. The series only gets better with each novel. I'm nearing the end of jade legacy and just wow
Exciting!
besties wake up new jimmy review just dropped
You da best
Does anybody deal out that sweet chin music? If not, any recommendations for books where that is the case?
There is actually one super kick here yes
I hated Hilo throughout the whole saga, he is extremely well written but the absolutely despicable things he does and the fact that people still love him for them pissed me off 😂 The whole series is great though!
I feel this hahah
“No it looks like shit” 😂😂😂
He’s brutal but honest
Damn Bobby is never happy
He’s miserable ever since the rebellion
@@thefantasynuttwork Doesn't he know you're just trying to get by? Jeez man
@@currangill430 I try to be patient with him
@@thefantasynuttwork You should take him to the whorehouse he'll like that 😂