Jade War

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Subverted in that while Hilo thinks nothing of beating on a woman who wears jade, his moral code forbids him from harming people of any gender who aren't green unless he believes they have betrayed the family. Since Shae wears jade, he doesn't think of her as a girl, but as a Green Bone. Most Green Bones share this attitude. Weeding Out Imperfections: After uncovering two traitors in his clan, Kaul Hilo tells Ayt Mada that he's "pulled two of your weeds from my garden," and the rest will soon follow. Would Hit a Girl: Hilo, who murders Lan's ex-wife Eyni in Jade War when she tries to keep Niko away from Green Bone culture, and later starts beating up Shae when he learns she nearly sent Wen to her death in Espenia. If 'The Godfather' never was, 'Jade War' (and 'Jade City') would be how we define generational organized crime stories today.

I'm going to attempt a summary of Lee's invigorating new novel, even if I suspect no summary can do justice to the rip-roaring complexity of the plot: Now, excuse me because I need to find a Kaul family that I can get myself adopted into, Anden Emery style. Jade City is set in a world where jade confers great strength and power to those who can wield it—without risking madness or a lethal propensity to the Itches. Villain Protagonist: Despite their Sympathetic P.O.V., the Kauls and the No Peak clan are ultimately this. Their goals are no less selfish, their methods no less ruthless and the territory they control no more prosperous than the Mountain's.

Jade War was nominated for the Dragon Award for Best Fantasy Novel, the Aurora Award for Best Novel, the Ignyte Award for Best Novel - Adult, and the Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel. [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] Adaptations [ edit ] End of an Age: By the end of Jade War, both the major Greenbone clans have diversified their operations and gained footholds in international politics and finance. Ayt Mada explicitly says that though the feud between the Mountain and No-Peak clans is alive and well, they've both become so complex that violence in the streets is no longer even effective, let alone useful. Indeed, come Jade Legacy, the common belief is that though they remain rivals, the two clans are at peace with each other, and the age of the true Greenbone warrior is on its way out for good.

Sequel Goes Foreign: Jade City takes place on Kekon, almost exclusively on the city Janloon. Starting with Jade War the characters visit foreign countries, with mayor plotlines taking place entirely on Espenia. Proud Warrior Race: Kekonese Green Bones who believe themselves superior to any other ethnicity due to their jade-granted powers, seeing it as a mark of divine favor. Super-Toughness: The Steel ability; special mention goes to Gont Asch, who used this ability to survive a death of consequence. An instantly absorbing tale of blood, honor, family, and magic, spiced with unexpectedly tender character beats." — NPR Harmful to Minors: When Anden was seven, he woke up in the middle of the night to find his mother in the bathtub, scratching her arms bloody with a cheese grater because of the Itches.Dad's Off Fighting in the War: The Kaul siblings never knew their father, who died on a Suicide Mission when they were little kids. Jade City is a book that bursts with ideas, and from the outset, Lee goes to painstaking work to establish a comprehensible, fully-lived in world to make sure it all makes sense. The magic is thoroughly explained and compellingly explored, as is the social hierarchy. I also relished the stories of abandoned gods, mythical jade warriors and horrific monsters that are threaded through the entirety of Jade City, making the world's scope even more expansive, even when the story only focuses on a handful of individuals. The resulting narrative is as accessible an experience as going to the movies: vivid, immediate, and unforgettable. In general, however, people were uncomfortable around misfortune and reluctant to admit to their own.” Yakuza: The Green Bone Clans are a combination of this and The Mafia (see above). Like the Yakuza, the Clans operate in the open, maintaining both legitimate business interests and a violent street presence.

The clan is my blood and the pillar it’s master. On my honor, on my life, on my jade” is etched indelibly in my brain Heroic RRoD: After the attempt on his life, Lan falls victim to a combination of jade overload and an overdose of shine, which causes him to fall into the river and drown. i will start off with the positives and mention how extremely well-written this is as far as prose and narrative structure goes. its very detailed and descriptive in a way that makes you feel utterly immersed into the city of janloon. the magic system is also cool. even though i cant fully explain how it works, i think the idea of using jade for power is interesting. and i thought the characters were compelling and complex enough. but thats where my enjoyment ends. Technical Pacifist: By the time of Jade Legacy, Anden has sworn off personally using violence for good, and staunchly insists on only wearing Jade when acting as a physician. He does not, however, have any qualms about facilitating violence in other ways, such arranging to have someone else wipe a prominent Kespenian gangster and his entire gang off the map to end the trouble they're causing the Kauls and their allies. Lee has created an entire modern world here, complete and round with its own history, customs, traditions, language. In Jade City she built it up and tore it down again. And in her newest, Jade War, she shakes up the pieces that remain and sets half the world on fire.

The Making of Jade War & Bonus Content

Life Will Kill You: Ayt Yu, Kaul Sen's wartime ally, friend, and later rival died of a stroke three years prior to the events of Jade City. Kaul Sen himself dies from old age between Jade City and Jade War. Partially subverted in that many characters point out the issues with this attitude, and due to the series' modern setting it results in the (not-unfounded) stereotype of Kekonese being dangerous and unrefined brutes who resort to violence at the drop of a hat.