The past decade has introduced us to many new talents in the genres of science fiction and fantasy. Not only did these authors deliver memorable stories, their writing also offered new and interesting takes on our favorite speculative genres. Sometimes they drew upon cultures and histories previously underrepresented in literature. Other times, they highlighted characters from demographics and backgrounds rarely before seen as protagonists and heroes. A few even explored storytelling traditions and structures beyond the classic and pervasive hero’s journey.
Among these authors is Fonda Lee. Since her first published novel in 2016, she’s shifted from young adult to adult, between novels and novellas, and from science fiction, fantasy, and somewhere in between. Who doesn’t love a versatile writer? Her stories have explored the intersection of celebrity and personal responsibility, the grey spaces between complicity and rebellion, and, of course, maintaining familial honor during an all-out gang war.
It's a wonderful experience to track a writer’s evolution over the course of their career. After initial forays in the young adult genre, Fonda Lee hit her stride with the very adult Green Bone Saga—something other readers agree with, if the attention it gained is any indication. But now the question is: what next? We’ve caught a glimpse with her latest novella, Untethered Sky, but only time will tell what her next, full length novel will be about.
For now, let’s explore her bibliography. As previously alluded to, there’s something for everyone.
Jade City
Imagine if The Godfather saga were written like a stylized Hong Kong martial arts epic. That’s the premise of Lee’s Green Bone Saga. The first book in the trilogy, Jade City introduces us to the island of Kekon, where a select few can use jade to wield power and influence. Against this backdrop, a fierce and violent gang war breaks out.
On one side, we have the No Peak clan, which has just handed control over to the next generation. On the other, we have the Mountain clan, which is also under new leadership—although in this case, it was the result of a brutal bloodbath. Along with a thrilling plot and fascinating but immensely flawed characters, Jade City blends urban fantasy, Asian culture, and real-world historical influences.
No wonder this book made such a splash when it was first published, garnering award nominations and wins, as well as earning a place on many best-of lists.
Zeroboxer
Given the premise of the Green Bone Saga, readers might be surprised to learn that Fonda Lee made her publishing debut as a YA author. Combining action and sociopolitical tensions, this science fiction novel follows Carr Luka, a rising star in the weightless combat spot of zeroboxing. He dreams of nothing more than taking the championship, and soon he’s assigned a brand strategist who leverages his celebrity to get him there.
But no meteoric ascent is without its risks, and now secrets threaten to tear apart everything Carr has worked for. And while this is definitely a read for MMA and sports fans, the backdrop of an Earth waning in influence against its more glamorous colonies provides some meat for readers looking for more.
Exo
Fonda Lee’s follow-up to Zeroboxer was another young-adult science fiction duology, this time about what happens after Earth suffered an alien invasion and lost the ensuing war. Exo, the first novel of the duology, begins after Earth has enjoyed a century of peace under alien rule.
Donovan Reyes, however, isn’t resentful of alien rule. He’s the son of the liaison between the Terran and alien governments. In fact, he’s even been given an exoskeleton made from alien technology and has trained since he was young to join the government’s security forces. That all changes when he’s been taken hostage by a terrorist group.
Under other circumstances, Donovan would face death, but given his identity, the rebels hope to use him as a bargaining chip. Unfortunately, Donovan’s father doesn’t negotiate with terrorists—not even for the life of his own son.
Untethered Sky
After the success of the Green Bone Saga, many readers anticipated Fonda Lee’s next writing foray. Her novella, Untethered Sky, answered that question. A sort of Central Asian-inspired fantasy, the story chronicles the life of Ester, a young woman who lost family to a terrible manticore attack. Driven by a desire to hunt the monsters that destroyed her life, she becomes a ruhker.
Ruhkers are the hunting partners of rocs, giant birds of prey. They’re basically like what falconers are to falcons. In this world, rocs are used to hunt down manticores, so it’s a profession that perfectly aligns with Ester’s goals. Now, the partnership allows Ester to join the most dangerous manticore hunt the empire has ever seen.
The Jade Setter of Janloon
Don’t think Fonda Lee left the world of the Green Bone Saga forever though. Considering its success, that’s just not likely. She would return to Kekon to further explore its characters and other corners of the jade-filled island. In this novella, Lee shifted focus from the Green Bone warriors that populated the original trilogy. Pulo is an apprentice jade setter.
All he wants is to secure a patron and establish his own business. His aspirations are dashed, though, when someone steals a jade weapon from the shop where he works. Now, he must retrieve the priceless artifact and return it to its rightful owner if he wants to preserve his life and all that he holds dear.
Jade Shards
As you can probably guess by the title, Lee bid farewell to the Green Bone Saga with a collection of prequel short stories about the main figures of the original trilogy: Ayt Mada before she was Pillar of the Mountain Clan and was nothing more than a teenaged orphan, a young Lan challenging the No Peak clan’s patriarch to save a boy, Hilo’s starcrossed romance with Wen, and Shae’s time as a spy.
