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Mohrbooks Literary Agency
Sebastian Ritscher
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English
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JADE CITY

Fonda Lee

Set in an Asia-inspired bustling metropolis, this is the beginning of a gripping saga of magic, family, honor, and kung-fu.
Jade is the lifeblood of the island of Kekon. Magical Kekonese jade has long been mined, traded, stolen and killed for. For centuries, honorable Green Bone warriors like the Kaul family used it to enhance their abilities and defend the island from foreign invasion.

Now, the war is over and a new generation of Kauls vies for control of Kekon's bustling capital city. They care about nothing but protecting their own, cornering the jade market, and defending the districts under their protection. Honor has little place in this rapidly changing nation.

When a powerful new drug emerges that lets anyone—even foreigners—wield jade, the simmering tension between the Kauls and the rival Ayt family erupts into open violence. The outcome of this clan war will determine the fate of all Green Bones—from their grandest patriarch to even the lowliest motorcycle runner on the streets—and of Kekon itself.

The series will appeal to the core fantasy audience—readers of The Grace of Kings and A Game of Thrones, as well as fans of HBO shows like Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, and Boardwalk Empire. The rich, intricate, multi-layered worldbuilding, characters with real motivations and flaws, amazing fight scenes (Lee is a black-belt martial artist), and a unique magic system unlike anything we’ve seen before, make this an unforgettable read.

Fonda Lee is the award-winning author of YA science fiction novels Zeroboxer and Exo, and JADE CITY is her adult debut.
Available products
Book

Published 2017-11-01 by Orbit

Book

Published 2017-11-01 by Orbit

Comments

Lee draws on her Chinese heritage, passion for gangster stories, and strong writing to launch a Godfather-inspired fantasy series that mixes bold martial-arts action and vividworldbuilding.The result is terrific. Read more...

The latest issue of Library Journal includes a spotlight on sf/f titles! Included from Orbit's list is Fonda Lee's JADE CITY (November). Read more...

Jade City is an addictive read with intense martial arts action and high-stakes character drama. I'll never look at jade the same way again.

cover reveal - Jade City begins an epic tale of family, honor, and those who live and die by the ancient laws of blood and jade. Read more...

Jade City has it all: a beautifully realized setting, a great cast of characters, and dramatic action scenes. What a fun, gripping read!

JADE CITY by Fonda Lee has been nominated for a Nebula Award for Best Novel!

Fonda Lee's stories do not pull their punches... Deeply introspective, fast moving tales that will stay with the reader long after the book is done.

Fonda Lee won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel this weekend, for her novel JADE CITY (Orbit; November 2017). JADE CITY was also a finalist for the Nebula Award for Best Novel and the Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel.

Lee's astute worldbuilding raises the stakes for her vivid and tautly-described action scenes.

UK: Orbit UK ; Russian: Eksmo ; Spanish: Insolita Editorial ; Polish: Scared Dragon Studio ; Turkish: Eksik Parca ; Hungarian: Agave

Stylish and action-packed, full of ambitious families and guilt-ridden loves,Jade Cityis an epic drama reminiscent of the best classic Hong Kong gangster films but takes place in a fantasy metropolis so gritty and well-imagined that you'll forget you're reading a book.

Fonda Lee's JADE CITY is a finalist for the 2018 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel! This is the third major award nomination for JADE CITY, following nominations for the Nebula Award for Best Novel and Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel. The World Fantasy Award will be presented at the World Fantasy Convention in Baltimore, MD, on November 4th. Read more...

I have loved everything Fonda Lee has written and this new book has me salivating.

This is an engaging blend of crime drama and Asian martial arts film tropes. At times, the modern elements - cars, televisions, guns - feel out of place in such a strongly envisioned world, but this remains an intense, satisfying experience. Read more...

I'm going to have to read Jade City again, slowly, to fully take in all the Cool Stuff, because the story dragged me through by the scruff of the neck. What a ride! I love this book.

Even for those who don't normally read the genre,the world and characters will be enough to draw them in and hold their attention.

JADE CITY by Fonda Lee is in the Top Ten list for the SF, Fantasy, and Horror category in Publishers Weekly’s Fall Announcement issue!

The Best Novel award this year was a tie - JADE CITY shared the accolade with THE CHANGELING, by Victor LaValle. Ties are not unusual for this juried award.

Exquisite writing, explosive fighting —Jade City is as rich and deadly as the Green Bones warriors who stalk its pages. I tore through this book like bullets through a fine restaurant in hotly disputed territory.

Fonda Lee's books hit that sweet spot of being simultaneously smart and action-packed, with complex questions of ethics and humanity blended into a compelling and fast-paced story.

Fast cars, brilliant characters, and gangster kung-fu! Swift, intricate, and vicious as a talon knife, Fonda Lee's Jade City will pull you into a world of deft intrigue, hard choices, and bloody loyalty. Lee's written the postcolonial Godfather hiding under the surface of the Avatar: the Last Airbender universe — and it's a fantastic read.

A sharp and insightful new voice.

Dynamic fight scenes and vibrant world-building bring to life this sharp, memorable story of a family caught up in a ferocious gang war.