Breath of the Dragon
Breathmarked
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- Pre-Order
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- Expected Jan 7, 2025
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
Featuring beautiful sprayed edges!
A young warrior dreams of proving his worth in the elite Guardian Tournament, fighting not only for himself but the fate of everything he loves.
Sixteen-year-old Jun dreams of proving his worth as a warrior in the elite Guardian’s Tournament, held every six years to entrust the magical Scroll of Heaven to a new protector. Eager to prove his skills, Jun hopes that a win will restore his father’s pride—righting a horrible mistake that caused their banishment from his home, mother, and twin brother.
But Jun’s father strictly forbids him from participating. He believes there is no future in Jun honing his skills as a warrior, especially considering Jun is not breathmarked, born with a patch of dragon scales and blessed with special abilities like his twin. Determined to be the next Guardian, Jun stows away in the wagon of Chang and his daughter, Ren, performers on their way to the capital where the tournament will take place.
As Jun competes, he quickly realizes he may be fighting for not just a better life, but the fate of the country itself and the very survival of everyone he cares about.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
An ambitious teen warrior risks all in this cinematic duology-opener from Fonda Lee (the Green Bone Saga) and Bruce Lee's daughter, Shannon Lee (Be Water, My Friend, for adults). Jun Li is six when East Longhan's Aspects of Virtue come to take his twin, Sai, to join their sect of elite fighters who protect the sacred Scroll of Earth. Sai may be breathmarked—blessed by almighty Dragon with scales and a special ability—but Jun, a superior martial artist, shows off, hoping they'll take him, too. Instead, Jun and his trainer father are exiled, as East Longhan civilians are forbidden from studying combat. Ten years later, in martial arts-revering West Longhan, Jun runs away to compete in the Guardian's Tournament. If Jun wins, he'll become Guardian of the Scroll of Heaven and earn the 10-year-old emperor's ear—an important perk given that corrupt General Cobu intends to rig the contest and use his chosen candidate to facilitate a coup. The authors extol Bruce Lee's principles while continually raising the stakes and surprising readers with thoughtful twists in this relentlessly paced and exquisitely choreographed martial arts fantasy series opener. Characters cue as East Asian. Ages 13–up. Agents: Penny Moore and Jane von Mehren, Aevitas Creative Management.
