This review contains spoilers.
For those interested in epic adventures, Fonda Lee and Shannon Lee have created a new magical universe that focuses on a high-stakes tournament in their Breathmarked series. The first novel in the series, Breath of the Dragon, introduces the main character Li Jun, his backstory, and the world he lives in, setting the tone for the rest of the series.
In Breathmarked, society is split between the East and the West, and individuals can be born with abilities gifted to them by the Dragon, known as being breathmarked. However, as tensions rise between the East and the West, the two lands split the sacred Dragon scrolls in two, and less and less people began being born breathmarked. In the East, martial arts was regarded as sinful, and something that could only be taught to and learned by those who are breathmarked. In the West, martial arts was always highly revered, and anyone who was capable of martial arts was free and encouraged to practice it.
At his young age, Jun is not aware of the societal tension, and only sees the happy, carefree part of life alongside his twin brother, Sai, and his parents. When two Aspects – warriors from their homeland in the East – visits their family one day, however, he quickly learns what being breathmarked means to the world. While Jun does not have the Dragon’s special marking, Sai does. The Aspects take Sai away for special training, and Jun is offended that he also isn’t regarded as “special.”” he wasn’t regarded as special. ” To gain the attention of the Aspects, he shows off his own martial arts skills, unknowingly dooming his family. Although this crime would warrant capital punishment, one of the two visiting Aspects, Water, offers to banish Jun and his father, who was the culprit behind Jun knowing martial arts, to the West instead. With that, their lives are changed forever.
Sai and his mother are sent to train in the East so Sai could become another breathmarked Aspect, and Jun and his father are sent to the West to fend for themselves. In the West, Jun and his father work hard as stunt doubles, stage hands, and more to survive. Simultaneously, Jun begins to train with the Iron Core martial arts school, honing his craft and skill. After being separated from his mom and brother, he decides he must become the Guardian of the Dragon Scroll to reunite his family. The Guardian is a title that is only second to the West’s emperor, and is one given every six years to the strongest warrior in the land. Warriors must travel to the capital, Xicheng, pay a hefty entrance fee, and compete against other warriors to come out on top as the Guardian. Although Jun’s father disagrees with his pursuit to become Guardian, Jun chooses to try anyway, stowing away in flutist Blind Man Chang and his daughter Ren’s carriage to hitch a ride with them to Xicheng. He is quickly discovered, but during their travels, Chang trains Jun and encourages him to compete to become the Guardian. And yet, not everything is as simple as it seems; when the tournament for the year begins, the rules are changed, and Jun finds himself in the crosshairs of heightened and unexpected political and societal turmoil.
Shannon Lee’s debut book focuses on worldbuilding, and she excels at introducing the world and its inhabitants with clarity and detail. Each aspect of the story is well-described — settings such as the small suburban village of Cheon and the much more populated Xicheng are depicted in ways that easily elicits images, and events and characters are just the same. The tournament is bloody, horrifying, and full of plot twists that keep readers on their toes, and even characters that can be considered side characters are fleshed out.
Leopard, the vicious Guardian candidate who has a deep bloodlust, turns out to be a poor man who become monstrous to survive in his surroundings. Meanwhile, Ren and Chang are rebels who believe in the reunification of the East and West enough to risk their own lives, but each with their own reasons. As readers dive deeper into the story, the flow of abundant information is engaging and helps build a bond with the world and its characters.
Aside from the descriptive nature of the story, the plot is also a unique take on a timeless tale. Fighting for what’s right in a competitive setting with magic and mystery weaved in, Jun’s story is one that’s inspiring. Despite the challenges he faces, he perseveres through all the worst case scenarios and never allows himself to give up. Even on the brink of death, he’ll ground himself and find a solution, recalling the training he went through at the Iron Core school and with Master Chang. He’s appreciative of every teacher he’s had and every friend he’s made, and he remains humble even as he gains confidence in himself. Jun embodies Shannon Lee’s late father, Bruce Lee, and his ideals and values, paying a beautiful homage to his beliefs and athleticism.
Although the story does frustratingly end just at the climax with a cliffhanger, it’s justifiable because this just marks the beginning of Jun’s journey. Through captivating and eloquent words, there couldn’t have been a better introduction to the world of the Breathmarked than Breath of the Dragon.
