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Breath of the Dragon

Breath of the Dragon

Breathmarked
FantasyYoung Adult
Pages
352
Published
2025
Language
English

Synopsis

Breath of the Dragon is a young adult epic fantasy by Fonda Lee and Shannon Lee, the first in a duology inspired by the characters and martial philosophy of Bruce Lee, Shannon's father. Set in a world shaped by ancient Chinese culture and martial arts, it follows sixteen-year-old Jun, who dreams of winning the Guardian's Tournament to protect the sacred Scroll of Heaven and restore his exiled family's honor.

Unlike his twin brother, Jun was born without a breathmark, a patch of dragon scales that grants magical ability, and must rely on discipline and skill alone. When he stows away with traveling performers to reach the tournament, he discovers the contest is bound up with the fate of the entire country, raising the stakes far beyond personal redemption.

Blending tournament-driven adventure, coming-of-age themes, and grounded martial-arts action, Breath of the Dragon offers an accessible, fast-moving fantasy for younger and crossover readers.

Prose complexity
4/10

Vibe

AdventurousHopefulInspiringEmotional
Coming of AgeQuestRivalsFound FamilyMentor Figure

Genres

Fantasy Young Adult Adventure Epic Fantasy

Authors

F
Fonda Lee

Fonda Lee is a Canadian-American author of speculative fiction, best known for the Green Bone Saga, a secondary-world fantasy series that began with Jade City (2017) and continued with Jade War (2019) and Jade Legacy (2021); Jade City won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel. She also writes young adult science fiction, including Zeroboxer and the Exo duology, and has written comics for Marvel. Before writing full-time she worked as a corporate strategist; she holds an MBA from Stanford Univer...

S
Shannon Lee

Shannon Lee is an American writer, actress, and the daughter of martial artist Bruce Lee. She leads the Bruce Lee Family Companies and the Bruce Lee Foundation, working to preserve her father's philosophy and legacy, and is the author of Be Water, My Friend, which shares his teachings alongside family stories.

Characters

JunProtagonist

A sixteen-year-old aspiring warrior, born without a breathmark, determined to win the Guardian's Tournament and redeem his exiled family.

RenSupporting

Daughter of a traveling performer, she helps Jun reach the capital.

Dr. ChangSupporting

A traveling performer whose wagon Jun stows away in on the road to the tournament.

All characters in Breath of the Dragon

Frequently asked questions

  • What is the connection between this book and Bruce Lee?

    The novel is explicitly based on the philosophies, teachings, and character archetypes developed by Bruce Lee, with co-author Shannon Lee serving as the steward of her father's legacy.

  • Is this part of a larger series?

    This book is the first installment in the Breathmarked duology.