My Thoughts on Fonda Lee’s Green Bone Saga (no spoilers)

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  • Опубликовано: 24 ноя 2024

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  • @mikesbookreviews
    @mikesbookreviews 10 месяцев назад +11

    Loved it. Do wish she hadn't made the narrative choice she did in book 3, but I understood it.

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад +3

      We are lucky to have The Green Bone Saga. Even though the episodic nature of Jade Legacy did not quite work for me, I still found a lot to love in it. Plus, it will be easy to adapt into a television series, I think. All the best, my friend!

  • @MaedBetweenthePages
    @MaedBetweenthePages 10 месяцев назад +4

    Your comment about Legacy being episodic really struck me…it’s been a while since I read it, but I think that’s a great way to describe the structure of the story.
    Can’t wait for our deep dive chat (hopefully) next month! :)

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад

      I’m ready and eager for our group discussion! Also, I’m really glad I read this trilogy, so thank you for encouraging me to do so, Taylor!

  • @Hotmenudo
    @Hotmenudo 10 месяцев назад +6

    Kaul Hilo is one of my favorite literary characters of all time. Really enjoyed that series.

  • @Johanna_reads
    @Johanna_reads 10 месяцев назад +7

    Although this series wasn’t for me, I appreciated hearing your thoughts, Philip! I’ve noticed other authors switch tenses at times, and I wonder if it’s for a particular purpose. I sometimes accidentally switch tenses in non-fiction writing, but that’s just sheer clumsiness on my part. Excellent review!

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад +2

      Thank you, Johanna! I was aware that you are not in the camp that adores this series. While I would probably not rank it in my top ten, I do think it delivered enough on the themes, characters, and setting to warrant a place among my top twenty. I even shed a few tears! Admittedly, I am far more sentimental than I used to be. All the best!

  • @dant7677
    @dant7677 10 месяцев назад +2

    Thank you for going to the trouble of making your videos!
    I personally thought these stories started out the strongest (Jade City) and became less strong as they went from one to the next. My best articulation of this is to say: There are characters who could have died earlier, but instead they lived. And then with all the story to come, these characters were just sort of "still there", cluttering up the stage, with no remaining dramatic arc for them to be playing out.

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад

      Thanks, Dan! Jade City is a tight book, and I loved not only the characters I met there, but also the setting. Tackling a bigger scope in the subsequent books was definitely a more difficult task. I do wonder if more books would have been helpful in doing justice to that scope. All the best!

  • @noname3609
    @noname3609 4 месяца назад +2

    One of my favourite fantasy books ever and also my favourite trilogy of all time !
    Thank you for your awesome review Professor Philip Chase !!

  • @primrose_pie
    @primrose_pie 10 месяцев назад +1

    I cannot WAIT until the discussion for jade legacy! I loved your discussions for the prior books and I finished jade legacy before your discussion for it came out. I was so sad I had to wait until January to get everyone's thoughts!

  • @DaisyXMachina
    @DaisyXMachina 10 месяцев назад +4

    I was curious on your take as I really loved the series. My thesis is that it is the best metaphor of the Cold War that I've read, maybe those who didn't live through it can better imagine what it's like. Also, it is rare to get family sagas in a fantasy trilogy which I thought was a unique treat. (Usually, the second trilogy may follow offspring but it's usually not in the same story arc, though some exceptions apply.)

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад +2

      Beautifully said in regard to both the Cold War metaphor and the family saga! The Green Bone Saga is much more than an entertaining read, though it is that too. Cheers!

  • @rockguitarist931
    @rockguitarist931 9 месяцев назад +3

    I have to be honest, I'm watching this with subtitles and I was very confused when you started talking about switching tents.

  • @MimiWhimsy
    @MimiWhimsy 10 месяцев назад +1

    Very nice overview of the series, which I haven't read yet! I love how you share all of your thoughts and keep it positive. This is my new standard for talking about books! Beautifully done!

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад +1

      Thank you for your kind words! If you decide to give The Green Bone Saga a go, I hope you’ll enjoy it!

  • @geauxreadbooks
    @geauxreadbooks 10 месяцев назад +4

    I’m planning to read this series this year. I’ve heard so much praise for it!

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад +1

      I hope you’ll enjoy it, Matt! I think Fonda Lee is a great storyteller. All the best!

  • @BookishChas
    @BookishChas 10 месяцев назад +2

    Excellent review Philip! This is such a good series. I still need to read Jade Shards and then I will be completely finished. She’s quite a compelling writer.

  • @esmayrosalyne
    @esmayrosalyne 10 месяцев назад +1

    So glad to hear that this ended up being such a positive experience for you overall! I am personally fully on the Jade Legacy hype train, but I can also totally see why you and other readers have bounced off the ballsy structure a bit. The catharsis was just so high for me there!
    My personal favourite characters are probably Anden and Shae, but I was surprised how much I liked seeing the next generation in the last book.
    Also, I think you would greatly enjoy The Jade Setter of Janloon, as that gives a perspective from someone outside of the major clans, which only makes the world feel more dynamic and realistic. Great breakdown, loved this review!

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад +1

      I will definitely check out anything else that Fonda Lee has published in this world. Cheers, Esmay!

  • @noname3609
    @noname3609 10 месяцев назад +3

    Thank you for your awesome review Professor Philip ! Really enjoyed it ! :)

  • @BrianBell7
    @BrianBell7 10 месяцев назад +1

    I love this general thoughts video and will for sure check out your upcoming group spoiler talk! Love this series so much!

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад

      I’m aware that you love The Green Bone Saga, Brian! I’m not sure when our Jade Legacy discussion will be, but I hope soon.

  • @Ulmo90
    @Ulmo90 10 месяцев назад +1

    Really loved this series, happy to hear that you enjoyed it too! My favorite was probably Jade City due to the setting & getting to know the characters and the magic

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад +1

      I love Jade City for the same reason, and that’s why I was initially not happy with the widened scope in Jade War. All the best!

  • @ComicChick81
    @ComicChick81 10 месяцев назад +1

    This series had been on my radar for awhile, I just need to figure out went to start it.
    Thank you for this review video it helped me figure out where to place it on my tbr!😀

  • @bigaldoesbooktube1097
    @bigaldoesbooktube1097 10 месяцев назад +1

    I always forget that this is a fantasy series. Thank you for the recommendation Philip 🙏

  • @thebrothersgwynne
    @thebrothersgwynne 10 месяцев назад +1

    Great review Philip! Very interested in reading this series and after watching this video I’ll bump it up the TBR 😊
    Ed

  • @ColinsCornerYT
    @ColinsCornerYT 10 месяцев назад +1

    Loved hearing your thoughts on the trilogy as a whole, Philip! And I have to say, although I couldn’t have phrased it as eloquently, that I agree with what you said about Jade Legacy. I couldn’t exactly put my finger on why I ended up enjoying Jade War a bit more, but I believe you’ve nailed it. The heavy hitting scenes didn’t feel like they landed quite as soundly for me due to the time jumps. Overall, fantastic series and review by you!

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад

      Thanks, Colin! It’s still a great series, but I think opinions are divided about the narrative structure of book three. All the best!

  • @vaughnroycroft999
    @vaughnroycroft999 10 месяцев назад +2

    Excellent insights and good food for thought. I think what keeps me thinking about Green Bone over time since I finished it is how often Lee was able to make me gasp while reading. I know that utilizing the element of surprise is hardly a novel (heh) storytelling tool. But we readers are so accustomed to it, we rarely actually are surprised enough to cause a physical reaction. Lee "got me" at that level, several times. I'm also fond (perhaps predicably) of utilizing intergenerational elements in an epic tale. How we are effected by our sires and how we affect our progeny is endlessly fascinating to me. I can see what you mean about Jade Legacy (being somewhat episodic), but I ended up loving the big moments so much I think it ended up working a bit better for me than it did for you. I particularly love how, over the course of the trilogy, the curtain draws back for No Peak, and how wonderfully that is resolved in Legacy. (I do love gaining perspective on so-called villains, after all).
    I really enjoyed hearing your take on a worthy series, my wise friend. Hope this sweep of wintery weather has not been too tough on you. I'm guessing it's hardest in that it's much tougher to get some tennis in. Thinking warm thoughts for you. Cheers!

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад +1

      Beautifully said about Green Bone Saga, Vaughn! Yes, at the moment, outdoor tennis is highly unlikely, but I've been under the weather with an unpleasant flu anyway, so it's not as agonizing as it otherwise might be. All the best!

  • @Oszczywilski
    @Oszczywilski 8 месяцев назад +2

    I've obtained these books. I wanted to delve into some good fantasy, and the Green Bone Saga is frequently mentioned in your videos. Since it has been published in Polish, I decided to give it a read. The prospect of an original and nonstandard medieval setting is also quite enticing. However, I won't be watching your video until I finish these books. I prefer to know less about the books I'm going to read rather than more.
    Have you read Lois McMaster Bujold's The Curse of Chalion and The Paladin of Souls?

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  8 месяцев назад

      I hope you’ll enjoy Green Bone Saga! I’ve not yet read Bujold’s books, but she’s on my list.

  • @NicolesBookishNook
    @NicolesBookishNook 10 месяцев назад +2

    Very interesting. I’m still on the fence because it’s a series and they are kinda chunky, but I’m definitely going to mull over it for 2025 😂❤

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад +1

      They are indeed chunky, but I will say that, for me at least, they read fast. All the best, Nicole!

  • @ADudeWhoReads
    @ADudeWhoReads 10 месяцев назад +1

    Timely video, Philip! I just picked up Jade City, and am about halfway through. So far, I'm really enjoying it. It's a nice, fresh, take on Fantasy, likely because of how highly influenced by other genres. The other thing I'm loving so far is limited POV is used REALLY well here. What I mean by that is that when you first encounter a character through the POV of one character, you get a certain sense of that character, but then your sense of that character changes significantly when you "see" them through the eyes of someone else or through their own eyes. Thanks for another great video, Philip!

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад +1

      Yes, Fonda Lee does an excellent job of changing your perspective on characters through the use of multiple POVs. I hope you'll continue to love the trilogy!

  • @angelamccollister
    @angelamccollister 10 месяцев назад +3

    I vacillate on whether I want to read this trilogy or not. I am so not a fan of mafia type stories, but I do feel a bit of FOMO with how so many people love it. Maybe I'll break down one day and borrow Jade City from the library. You know, when I don't have anything else to read (she says, while having 16 bookcases of books in her house with many unread, lol).

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад +3

      Ha ha! It's good to have a healthy balance of read and unread books on your shelves, in my opinion. That preserves a sense of accomplishment while adding an exciting dose of the mystery of the unknown. At least that's how rationalize it! 😁

    • @angelamccollister
      @angelamccollister 10 месяцев назад

      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Or maybe we are just dragons hoarding books. 🤣

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад

      @@angelamccollister That’s distinctly possible! 😁

  • @krispeysen54
    @krispeysen54 5 месяцев назад

    Thanks for alerting about the structure of the third book.

  • @WordsinTime
    @WordsinTime 10 месяцев назад +2

    I’m still focused on sci-fi for now, but Green Bone sounds intriguing. When I decided I’m in the mood for fantasy this will be one of the first series I try!

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад +1

      I suspect this is a series that a science fiction fan could love, Jonathan. I hope that will prove the case for you!

  • @nazimelmardi
    @nazimelmardi 10 месяцев назад +1

    Let’s hear it! 👀

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад

      Cheers, Nazim!

    • @nazimelmardi
      @nazimelmardi 10 месяцев назад

      @@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I have the feeling that Asian authors could make a fortune by translating their books to English. The themes you mentioned like family is “just” the base mentality of the Chinese people (in wider context Asian people). If you think about it, that’s how China works in economics too. They don’t care about short terms, they plan in long terms. The most important principle is family. This is a tong story much like a Hong Kong made mob movie thing. Even the language has a strong sense how to talk to your elders. That’s true for Japanese too. Also this extremely high expectation from the children is a default setting from Asian families so is the stress to answer it. That’s why I liked the tv series Warrior. It’s like this without the magic, a historical fiction in San Francisco.

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад

      @@nazimelmardi Definitely!

  • @SJ-GodofGnomes21
    @SJ-GodofGnomes21 10 месяцев назад +2

    I think one of the things that worked really well and was what made Jade and it's use feel so real was the effect that it's non use had on not only the main protagonists but the surrounding cast, both on the Island and for the rest of the nations involved. It was great to see how other countries viewed Jade users.

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад +1

      Absolutely right, Si! Jade’s influence was everywhere, and that definitely helped with the immersive quality of the story. Cheers!

  • @sloopgamer1730
    @sloopgamer1730 10 месяцев назад +1

    As someone who never read a fantasy novel ever just some movie/series adaptations I've decided already some time ago that this series would be my first dive into a fantasy novel. The only thing is I started it some time ago, read 50 pages and then shelved it for now😂😭
    It sadly didn't pique my interest as much as I had hoped for. It's not that I don't read books I love thriller and crime stories but this kinda hasn't had the effect on me which I hoped for. I will try it again prob in this or next month and give it another chance. A friend of mine wants me to go into Malazan but I don't want it to be my very first fantasy novel cause I feel like then I would have a big standard which prob not many book series can handle. Will see how I will handle that

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад +2

      Malazan is my favorite of all time, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it as someone’s first fantasy read. I hope you find something you love!

    • @neutral_narr
      @neutral_narr 8 месяцев назад

      I would recommend anything done by Sanderson like Mistborn or Stormlight

  • @patrickborkland8797
    @patrickborkland8797 10 месяцев назад +1

    Philip, you’re a treasure. Keep doing what you’re doing.
    Green Bone is one of my fav series. Jade Legacy gave me similar feeling Wisdom of Crowds (Abercrombie) gave me: the feeling of generational legacy. Which is difficult to accomplish with fictional characters. That satisfying feeling of “legacy”

    • @noname3609
      @noname3609 10 месяцев назад

      That's high praise for Jade Legacy. 😮
      Never read Fonda Lee yet but I definetly loved The First Law World ❤

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад

      Thank you, Patrick! That's well said about Jade Legacy and the sense it imparts of what a generation takes from the previous one. I do wonder if Fonda Lee could have done that even more by dividing the book into three books and filling in some of the stuff that happens in between the big moments, but I'm not going to nitpick when she's given me such a wonderful story. All the best!

  • @TomOrange
    @TomOrange 10 месяцев назад +2

    Great video! I had originally planned on reading the Godfather and then jumping straight into this series. For whatever reason I read the Godfather and then never started the Green Bone saga. I really need to get around to it.

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад

      I suspect that Green Bone Saga is something you might enjoy, Tom, especially if you liked The Godfather. All the best!

  • @DoUnicornsRead
    @DoUnicornsRead 10 месяцев назад +1

    Great to hear how you got along with Green Bone Saga! Fonda Lee made it on my list of 12 female authors I like, so yes, I love Green Bone Saga. But I had some similar issues to what you describe with Jade Legacy and would see Jade War as my favourite as well. Still I think these issues are outweighed by her themes. The exploration of the interplay of culture and identity made it stand out for me.
    I still have fond memories of your last top 10 video as that's the one that brought you to my attention.😊
    Thank you, for sharing your thoughts, Philip!

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад +1

      We are in total agreement in regard to Lee's use of culture and identity as themes, Angela. For that reason alone, I'm glad I made that top ten video! Cheers!

    • @DoUnicornsRead
      @DoUnicornsRead 10 месяцев назад

      @@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Well, great minds...😁

  • @brianl6151
    @brianl6151 10 месяцев назад +1

    I haven't read as many series as you, but I definitely agree The Green Bone Saga is wonderful, easily in my top five. What made it special to me is the characters of course, but more importantly the world is easy to follow and familiar, all with a touch of magic.

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад +1

      It's an easy story to read, for sure -- right in that sweet spot of gripping while taking the time to do the important things with characters and themes. All the best, Brian!

  • @bauman921
    @bauman921 6 месяцев назад +1

    saying whos book is whos is such a spoiler in stories like these. a character cant have their own book if they are dead. when i started stormlight a friend told me the same thing book 1 kal book 2 shallan book 3 dalinar, and it removed tension at times because i knew dalinar and shallan were going to be fine.

  • @curtjarrell9710
    @curtjarrell9710 10 месяцев назад +1

    Good morning, Dr. C. My exposure to the work of Fonda Lee thus far consists of my reading of her YA-ish novella Untethered Sky. It left me wanting a richer, deeper story. The Jade series is on my TBR. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад +1

      I hope you will find that richer, deeper story in The Green Bone Saga, Curt. All the best!

  • @a_paige_turner
    @a_paige_turner 10 месяцев назад +2

    its been a couple years but i remember thinking the exact same thing about jade legacy! it felt like it moved too quickly and she could have made that book alone a trilogy and i would have been more emotionally invested in all the crazy ups and downs that were happening. jade war is my favorite as well, funny to actually have the middle book of the trilogy be the strongest!

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад +1

      I think Fonda Lee took a risk with Jade Legacy’s narrative structure. It didn’t entirely work for me, but it allowed her to finish her story with many amazing moments. All the best!

  • @the_eerie_faerie_tales
    @the_eerie_faerie_tales 10 месяцев назад +1

    I'm planning on reading The Green Bone Saga next month!

  • @alejandrobarrios7460
    @alejandrobarrios7460 10 месяцев назад +1

    Please do your top 20 Fantasy stories

  • @kevinhove6893
    @kevinhove6893 10 месяцев назад +1

    Looking forward to reading this series

  • @josephnizolek3975
    @josephnizolek3975 10 месяцев назад +2

    Good review , this trilogy reminds me of the Godfather novel, set in a fantasy world

  • @gryftkin
    @gryftkin 10 месяцев назад +1

    Another book on my TBR. I need someone to pay me to read :D

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад +1

      If only we could figure out that one. Being paid to read would be better than winning the lottery! I guess I wouldn't turn down the lottery either, though.

  • @MetalGildarts
    @MetalGildarts 10 месяцев назад +2

    My opinion on Greenbone Saga hasn't changed much:it feels too much like an asian drama with some fantasy elements sprinkled in. I knew what Fonda Lee was going for, but it just isn't my kind of fantasy. I'm still more oldschool(which is funny considering I'm only 30). I did like that the secondary world was more modern, with cars, airports, modern buildings, etc. But overall this series isn't for me.

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад +3

      It’s definitely low fantasy when it comes to the magic. It’s not my usual thing either, but the change of pace made it fun for me. Cheers, Marco!

  • @Michael_L_Morrison
    @Michael_L_Morrison 10 месяцев назад +2

    I would rate them, Legacy, City, and then War.

  • @vinodvagadurgi414
    @vinodvagadurgi414 10 месяцев назад +3

    I personally think jade city is stale
    It feels like 90s gang war which was common on television
    Only jade as new intervention
    It lacks creativity
    I am surely not reading the next book
    Now a days with kind of work put out in fantasy this doesn't even come closer to them

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад

      I’m not a television watcher, so it’s possible I missed something. Cheers, Vinod!

    • @vinodvagadurgi414
      @vinodvagadurgi414 10 месяцев назад

      @@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy 90s television shows
      I love your channel and Malazan is my favourite I liked your review on it
      ♥️♥️♥️

    • @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
      @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy  10 месяцев назад

      @@vinodvagadurgi414 Cheers!

    • @CooperCobb22
      @CooperCobb22 2 месяца назад +1

      Exactly. Lol. Infact it was like B grade CW Show. I regret buying this book.