Today is a glorious day as glorious as boat day in Janloon and as glorious as the squid balls at Twice Lucky. I hope you all get the reference fiction dwellers because today I am taking part in the Jade Legacy pre-order campaign as part of Team Hilo [insert party music]. Thank you to Fonda Lee and her PR team for picking me to take part in this campaign to hype up the release of the third book of one of my most favorite series, The Green Bone Saga.
Before we dive deep into the character that I am spotlighting today I would like to share snippets of my review and synopsis of the first two books, Jade City and Jade War, of The Green Bone Saga for those who don’t know about this amazing urban fantasy trilogy.
Synopsis The Kaul family is one of two crime syndicates that control the island of Kekon. It's the only place in the world that produces rare magical jade, which grants those with the right training and heritage superhuman abilities. The Green Bone clans of honorable jade-wearing warriors once protected the island from foreign invasion--but nowadays, in a bustling post-war metropolis full of fast cars and foreign money, Green Bone families like the Kauls are primarily involved in commerce, construction, and the everyday upkeep of the districts under their protection. When the simmering tension between the Kauls and their greatest rivals erupts into open violence in the streets, the outcome of this clan war will determine the fate of all Green Bones and the future of Kekon itself. Goodreads | Amazon | BookDepository
Heaven help us. My clan, all Green Bones, all of Kekon.
Fonda Lee has written one of the best books in modern fantasy; the originality in the world building and magic system, the utmost highest quality prose, the addictively-gripping story and plot, and last but not least is the amazing impactful characters. I highly recommend for everyone to read this book, pick up this book and prepare yourself to be transported to Kekon.
It is not often that I feel a lot of emotion while reading a book so intensely that it haunts me constantly throughout my day. Fonda Lee blew me away, when people told me that Jade City is a good book I did not expect it to be a book that contains everything I love in stories. It is truly a masterful story about a powerful family with inter generational blood feuds, politics, territorial disputes, sabotage, and honor. Weaving magic and martial arts into the story resulting in multiple jaw dropping-powerful-explosive combat scenes. The author did not hold back with the suspense and build up of the story. With each chapter I read it, I get more and more invested that I was ‘itching’ for more.
To check out my in depth review please click the image below!
synopsis On the island of Kekon, the Kaul family is locked in a violent feud for control of the capital city and the supply of magical jade that endows trained Green Bone warriors with supernatural powers they alone have possessed for hundreds of years. Beyond Kekon's borders, war is brewing. Powerful foreign governments and mercenary criminal kingpins alike turn their eyes on the island nation. Jade, Kekon's most prized resource, could make them rich - or give them the edge they'd need to topple their rivals. Faced with threats on all sides, the Kaul family is forced to form new and dangerous alliances, confront enemies in the darkest streets and the tallest office towers, and put honor aside in order to do whatever it takes to ensure their own survival - and that of all the Green Bones of Kekon. Goodreads | Amazon | BookDepository
“Out of small resentments, spring great wars.”
When I thought Fonda Lee already pushed the envelope far enough in Jade City, she pushed it way further in this sequel. Because of this I can declare early on in my review that Jade War will make it into my list of second book syndrome destroyers. Dare I say that Lee sets the bar even higher than its predecessor.
Jade War is the explosive sequel to an already amazing first book of The Green Bone Saga series, Jade City, by Fonda Lee. A story that revolves around the Kaul family, the core of the No Peak clan, one of the most influential clans on the island of Kekon. As the growing tensions between the two rivaling clans of Kekon, No Peak and the Mountain, threatens the peaceful life of the innocent citizens another war brews in outside of the island. And this time the two clans have to out maneuver each other to gain political influence and expand their clan business outside of their small island. While in Jade City the story focused more on the internal clan relations and the clan war, in this sequel Lee sheds light on the broader side of things. The groundbreaking foundations that is built in the first book is sky rocketed to it’s highest point in stakes and emotional scarring. Let’s say I experienced all the emotions that a human can feel in a lifetime while reading this book.
To check out my in depth review please click the image below!
What I appreciate most about Kaul Hiloshudon ?
Kaul Hiloshudon is the second son, middle child, and brother to Kaul Lanshinwan and Kaul Shaelinsan. During the start of Jade City, Kaul Hilo is the first character readers will get introduced to. Hilo is the youngest green bone to ever filled the position of Horn of a clan but his reputation exceeds his young age. He has formidable skills and masterful jade ability that is famous all over Kekon even to No Peak’s rival clan The Mountain. Favoring his talon knife combined with his natural speed and agile reflexes Hilo is a green bone that is respected and feared especially in clean bladed duels. There is no doubt that Kaul Hiloshudon is the greenest of green bones.
Kaul Hilo is a complex character that evolves throughout the story taking on new challenges and responsibilities within the clan. Hilo is a man with a big heart that burns with passion and love for his family, his clan, and his country. He loves as fiercely as he fights. As the Horn of No Peak he is a man that is trusted and respected by the Fists and Fingers under his command. A man with tactical, ruthless, and god speed brutality. Let’s say that ‘coward’ is not a word in Hilo’s vocabulary. His sense of honor and loyalty exceeds any other character in The Green Bone Saga, it is clear how far Hilo would take his standards as he expects the same from his family and peers. Kaul Hilo is a character that has potential to grow and develop, his deeds—good or bad—will be the jump start of his character growth in this epic saga. I understand that Kaul Hilo is a questionable character but sometimes the morally grey characters serves a more meaningful character development no matter which path the character picks.
Why am I excited for Jade Legacy?
I read Jade City and Jade War for the first time this year. Although I didn’t discover The Green Bone Saga way back when it first published I am very much thankful that I could read for the first time in advance the third book Jade Legacy within the same year. This series blew me away from the first book and it shattered my whole being when I read the second book. No other series could give me anxiety and exhilaration like The Green Bone Saga. I say this with all due respect and seriousness. Fonda Lee has wrote one of the best series of all time that I will never forget or ever stop mentioning to everyone I know. So parting with it will be an emotional ride for me.
Fonda Lee has tweeted that Jade Legacy will span 20-years from the end of Jade War. When I first read that tweet I was ecstatic because we will get to see a lot of growth in all aspects of the story—from the Kaul family and the future of No Peak clan, the modernization and globalization of the world, advancements correlating to jade, the political strives and turbulences, the geopolitical landscape of the world, the evolution of the green bone culture throughout the years, and so on. There is so many things that Fonda Lee could do in Jade Legacy, it is only fitting that the story will span two decades to cover all the basis to show the accelerating growth of this phenomenal expansive world and characters that I’ve grown to love. I am grateful that I’ve read Jade Legacy in August and I am very excited to see the reactions of fellow fans of The Green Bone Saga. May we suffer together as we salute and say our parting words to a saga that deserves all the attention and awards by Fonda Lee.
Far do your enemies flee, Lee jen!
“The clan is our blood, and the pillar is its master.”
Jade Legacy will be released on December, 2nd 2021 from Orbit Books.
Pre order your copy now! Please also add it to your Goodreads!
Goodreads | Amazon | BookDepository
Thank you for reading!
Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram
I really want to read this series soon!
AHHH! Excited for you <3 Hope you like The Green Bone Saga as much as I do!
Ahh Lia this post is perfection!! I’m so excited for Jade Legacy, and the fact that you mentioned that it spans over 20 years has me even more intrigued about all the possibilities Fonda Lee could whip up! I was a bit conflicted about Hilo after Jade City, but Jade War truly allowed me to appreciate his complex character personality and arc, and what you said about him really resonated! Great post!! <33
Thank you so much Cherelle! It’s the best conclusion to a series I’ve ever read. There are so many things I love about it <3 Hilo's character arc will leave an imprint I swear.. I love the way Fonda Lee handled his character arc. It really does come full circle <3