Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
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. (Jan.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 7 Up--The time has come for the Guardian's Tournament in East Longhan, where the best martial artist on the east side of the wall will be named the Guardian of the Scroll and take custody of the nation's most sacred artifact. Li Jun, separated from his brother and exiled to West Longhan at the age of six, is determined to prove his martial arts skills and become the Guardian. When his rival, Yin Yue, is chosen to represent their martial arts school at the tournament instead, Jun stows away in the cart of a blind, traveling musician who is secretly a skilled martial artist. Jun's inability to stay still and his struggles with self-control will make him an instantly relatable character to teen boys, while the fast-paced nature of the tournament will keep any reader's attention locked on the page. Although there is more afoot than the tournament in East Longhan's capitol, Jun's ability to focus on what is immediately in front of him keeps the plot progression straightforward and manageable. Defying expectations of such a neat narrative, even the side characters have a compelling presence that heightens the stakes in even non-tournament scenes. VERDICT This straight shot of pure shonen manga energy is a priority purchase for libraries struggling to meet the needs of middle schoolers who are striving readers.--Austin Ferraro
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
In a Chinese-inspired fantasy world, a teen on the path to personal glory discovers his role in the complex world around him. For the past decade, Jun and his father, Li Hon, have lived in West Longhan, exiled from their East Longhan home and separated from Jun's identical twin, Sai, and the boys' mother for illegally practicing martial arts. Jun embraces martial arts, training daily at the Iron Core school in hopes of winning the Guardians' Tournament: Guardian of the Scroll of Heaven is a powerful and influential position with access to the emperor. Li Hon, blaming martial arts for destroying his family, instead pushes Jun to take the imperial exams and try to join the civil service. So Jun sneaks aboard the wagon of travelling performer Chang, a blind flutist, and his daughter, Ren. His plan is to leave town, win the tournament, and prove his father wrong. Jun's journey skillfully weaves together his martial arts training and his gradually expanding political worldview as he realizes the impact he could have as Guardian. The unpredictable plot twists and innovative magic system, which incorporates religious elements, are intriguing and, along with Jun's realistic emotional development and reactions, create a gripping narrative. The romance between Ren and Jun is low-key; the story focuses more on familial and platonic relationships, and the depiction of the family's separation and its impact on both Jun and his father is nuanced and believable. A complex, hard-hitting, epic martial arts journey. (map)(Fantasy. 12-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
