Jade War by Fonda Lee

Hello,

Today, I am going to try and talk about Jade War by Fonda Lee. This was a hard one to put into words and rather than it being a review, it is me going on and on about how brilliant it is. So. let's start with what the book is about.

In Jade War, the sequel to the World Fantasy Award-winning novel Jade City, the Kaul siblings battle rival clans for honor and control over an Asia-inspired fantasy metropolis.

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.

 Okay Nerd, get a grip!

Brain: But how are you going to write about Jade War?

I don’t have a clue!

Right, if you haven’t read my review on Jade City, here is a recap – It’s marvellous!

I was so sucked in, I went straight onto Jade War, and have gone straight onto the next book Jade Legacy, which I will post a review when I have done.

Better crack on with this (I don’t know if I can call it this) review of Jade War then haven’t I?

Say one thing about Jade War, say its ambitious!

The Green Bone Saga takes place in an Asian inspired world that is set somewhere in what seems  to be the present. However, whilst at times it appears modern, at other times it feels that it is set in the seventies. You can never put your finger on it, and this adds to the mystique of the world.

The main drama is set on the island of Kekon. An island that is ruled by warring clans that battle for dominance over the island.

Jade War is full of intrigue and conflict which encompasses political, economic and physical war spanning several years. The saga centres around the Kaul Family and the No Peak clan, telling the tale of their bid to stamp out the rival clan of the Mountain. The war is waged in a multitude of arenas, on the streets, in the boardroom, in other countries and in the home.

At the heart of it is Jade. A substance that is at the centre of everything on the island of Kekon. It is their sole export and it is also a mystical substance that gives fantastical abilities to the wearer. The clans fight for control of it, the people wear it and everyone wants to possess it

As I said, we follow the trials and tribulations of the Kaul family, run by the ruthless clan leader Hilo. He is the head of the clan and everything revolves around the clan. Members are indoctrinated into the cult of the clan and everything on the island is run by the clans.

It is hard to describe what is happening in this book, as there really is so much going on. The story itself is a character driven family drama. However it is so much more than that, and it really had my jaw dropping on several occasions throughout the story.

Fonda Lee is such an amazing writer, and she has you thoroughly hooked in this epic drama. And let me tell you it is epic, magnificently, grippingly epic. The scope of the story is massive, with the family jet-setting to different parts of the world, setting up business deals in other countries, influencing political opinion and policy, assassinating people abroad and at home. Honestly, I do not think I have even scratched the surface of the story. To call it multi layered is an understatement.

However, not only that, Fonda Lee writes such captivating drama. When you get into the books you get seriously attached to the characters. It can be a little overwhelming at first as the cast of characters is massive, and I guarantee that you won’t remember them all, but you only need to remember the main ones as people retire, get killed, die, move away and all sorts of other things.

I really do not know how to tell you more without spoiling it and waxing lyrical about how amazing it is.

Jade War is utterly gripping, epic and sweepingly, dramatically brilliant.