Jade War (2019)
Written by: Fonda Lee
Series: Jade City #2
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 590 (Hardcover)
Publisher: Orbit
Why I Chose This: For my 2019 Resolution Project I decided to tackle my fear of long books by reading three super-sized sequels to books I already enjoyed. Jade War is the final of these three books.
The Premise:
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.
Jade War is the second book of the Green Bone Saga, an epic trilogy about family, honor, and those who live and die by the ancient laws of blood and jade.
This Discussion has no spoilers for Jade War, but there are some spoilers for Jade City.
Discussion: Jade City ended with a major victory for the No Peak clan, but its war with the Mountain Clan has not been without losses. This includes the death of its leader Lan, as well as the loss of young Anden, who has vowed to never pick up Jade again.
But the Clan must continue to move forward. The magnetic Hilo, who was perfect in his role as the Kaul family’s enforcer (or “Horn”) now needs to step up and become its “Pillar.” Shea, Hilo’s sister, does her best to guide the clan in her role as “Weatherman” but finds herself facing challenges on multiple levels. There is their continuing struggle against Ayt Mada, the leader of the Mountain Clan, as well as larger battles that reach far beyond the borders of Kekon. This is something that Anden comes face to face with while studying in Espenia, only to discover that the wars over Jade have followed him across the sea.
Jade War brings back everything you enjoyed about Jade City, from the Jade-fueled martial-arts based magic system, to its more modern-day fantasy settings. But what really gets me about this series is its complex characterization. Fonda Lee is so good at getting you to care about this wide cast of characters, even though they can be terrible people. Hilo is the biggest example of this. Thanks to his magnetic personality and his deep loyalty to his family, you can’t help but root for him. At the same time, he does something in this book that is both shocking and unforgivable, a reminder that no matter how much the reader may like Hilo, he’s far from a good guy.
Speaking of great characters, I suspect many people, like myself, will come out of this book being huge fans of Wen, Hilo’s wife. Sure, she was an interesting person in Jade City, but she really comes into her own in Jade War, becoming an incredibly valuable asset to the Kaul family, as well as just a good friend. Shea ends up going through a lot in this novel (both physically and emotionally), and Wen is there for her when it counts, whether it’s to provide sisterly support or some tough love.
Jade War also expands upon the world surrounding Kekon. This is especially felt with Anden’s storyline in Espenia, as well as some of the large political movements that our characters (Shea especially) find themselves brushing up against. Admittedly, while I did enjoy Anden’s story, some of the more political storylines didn’t mesh as well for me. What can I say? I’m a simple gal. I read these books for the gang warfare and family drama. When things go too far beyond that, I guess I just end up losing interest.
In Conclusion: I found a lot to enjoy in the second book in the Jade City Trilogy, and I’m really glad that I decided to read Jade War as part of my Resolution Project. The series is a perfect fit for someone that wants something a little different out of their fantasy than the typical medieval fair and enjoys morally gray characters. I know that I will be picking up the third book, Jade Legacy, once it’s released.
Although I found Jade City to be interesting, a sort of magical take on The Godfather, I wasn’t that excited to continue the series. I think it is because the series is juggling so many characters that I didn’t get all that excited about any particular one.