The Green Bone Saga Books in Order
Expectations are a funny thing,” Wen said. “When you’re born with them, you resent them, fight against them. When you’ve never been given any, you feel the lack of them your whole life.
― Fonda Lee, Jade City
Chronological Order
0.5. The Jade Setter of Janloon (2022)
0.75. Jade Shards (Expected July 2023)
1. Jade City (2017)
2. Jade War (2019)
3. Jade Legacy (2021)
Bridging’s Book’s Recommended Reading Order
1. Jade City (2017)
2. Jade War (2019)
3. Jade Legacy (2021)
4. The Jade Setter of Janloon (2022)
5. Jade Shards (Expected July 2023)
What is The Green Bone Saga about?
The series is a fantasy story set in a vibrant and bustling city called Janloon, nicknamed Jade City, where powerful clans known as Green Bones vie for control. Green Bones possess magical abilities fueled by the jade they wear. The story follows the Kaul family, leaders of the No Peak clan, as they navigate political intrigue, rivalries, and violence in their quest to maintain their power and protect their territory.
Fonda Lee has stated that one of her goals for the series was to “write an epic fantasy that was not set in medieval Europe,” featuring “the scheming and politics and clash of noble houses elements” in a “different cultural setting but also different time period.”
Who is Fonda Lee?
Fonda Lee is a Science Fiction and Fantasy author, best known for her Green Bone Saga, a series of epic fantasy novels consisting of Jade City, Jade War, and Jade Legacy. She has also written science fiction novels like Zeroboxer, Exo, and Cross Fire, as well novellas for the Green Bone Saga and a standalone called Untethered Sky.
Throughout her career, Fonda has received numerous accolades, including the World Fantasy Award, the Locus Award, and the Aurora Award (Canada’s national science fiction and fantasy award) on four occasions. She has also been a finalist for prestigious awards like the Hugo Award, the Nebula Award, and the Oregon Book Award. Fonda’s novels have earned critical acclaim, with multiple starred reviews and placements on Best of Year lists by NPR, Barnes & Noble, Syfy Wire, and others. Notably, Jade City was included in TIME Magazine’s Top 100 Fantasy Books of All Time and has been optioned for television development. The series has been translated into multiple languages.
Aside from her novels, Fonda has written well-regarded short fiction and served as an instructor at writing workshops such as Viable Paradise and Clarion West. She has a diverse background, having worked as a corporate strategist and being a black belt martial artist. Fonda has a passion for action movies and enjoys Eggs Benedict. Although she was born and raised in Canada, she currently resides in the Pacific Northwest in the US.
The Order
The order below is a general chronological order that includes the prequel novellas. We don’t necessarily think that reading in this order is necessary and would probably even recommend starting with Jade City as the first thing you read. So our recommended order may be just to read in published order but the following is in chronological order. At the end of the day, the series is simple enough and the prequels separate enough that you can read in either order and not get a massive difference in experience.
0.5. The Jade Setter of Janloon (2022) 
The Green Bone Saga #0.5
35,525 words, 144 pages, 4 hrs and 5 mins to read.
Published by Subterranean Press
4.37 out of 5 on Goodreads
The rapidly changing city of Janloon is ruled by jade, the rare and ancient substance that enhances the abilities and status of the trained Green Bone warriors who run the island’s powerful clans.
Pulo Oritono is not one of those warriors. He’s simply an apprentice jade setter with dreams of securing clan patronage and establishing a successful business. His hopes are dashed, however, when a priceless jade weapon is stolen from the shop where he works.
Now, Pulo has three days to hunt down the thief, find the jade, and return it to its rightful owner if he wants to save his future prospects, the people he cares about, and his very life. The desperate mission will lead Pulo to old vendettas, vast corruption, and questions about everything and everyone he thought he knew.
0.75. Jade Shards (Expected 2023) 
The Green Bone Saga #0.75
Published by Subterranean Press
4.58 out of 5 on Goodreads
The Witch and Her Friend. Before she was the ruthless leader of the Mountain clan, Ayt Mada was an orphan without friends at school except for one: Aun Ure, a teenage girl feared and renowned as an assassin but yearning for a simpler life.
Not Only Blood. Before he was the heir apparent of the No Peak clan, Kaul Lan challenged his grandfather and clan patriarch to help a boy who had lost everything.
Better Than Jade. Before they were married, Kaul Hilo and Maik Wen were a young couple facing long odds: the son of a top Green Bone clan in love with a stone-eye girl from a disreputable family.
Granddaughter Cormorant. Before she left and returned to Kekon, Kaul Shae was the apple of her grandfather’s eye…as well as a daring secret informer to a foreign country.
Contains an introduction and story notes by the author.
1. Jade City (2017) 
The Green Bone Saga #1
166,848 words, 560 pages, 19 hrs and 6 mins to read.
Published by Orbit
4.11 out of 5 on Goodreads
The Kaul family is one of two crime syndicates that control the island of Kekon. It’s the only place in the world that produces rare magical jade, which grants those with the right training and heritage superhuman abilities.
The Green Bone clans of honorable jade-wearing warriors once protected the island from foreign invasion–but nowadays, in a bustling post-war metropolis full of fast cars and foreign money, Green Bone families like the Kauls are primarily involved in commerce, construction, and the everyday upkeep of the districts under their protection.
When the simmering tension between the Kauls and their greatest rivals erupts into open violence in the streets, the outcome of this clan war will determine the fate of all Green Bones and the future of Kekon itself.
2. Jade War (2019) 
The Green Bone Saga #2
209,525 words, 590 pages, 24 hrs and 5 mins to read.
Published by Orbit
4.44 out of 5 on Goodreads
In Jade War, the sequel to the World Fantasy Award-winning novel Jade City, the Kaul siblings battle rival clans for honor and control over an Asia-inspired fantasy metropolis.
On the island of Kekon, the Kaul family is locked in a violent feud for control of the capital city and the supply of magical jade that endows trained Green Bone warriors with supernatural powers they alone have possessed for hundreds of years.
Beyond Kekon’s borders, war is brewing. Powerful foreign governments and mercenary criminal kingpins alike turn their eyes on the island nation. Jade, Kekon’s most prized resource, could make them rich – or give them the edge they’d need to topple their rivals.
Faced with threats on all sides, the Kaul family is forced to form new and dangerous alliances, confront enemies in the darkest streets and the tallest office towers, and put honor aside in order to do whatever it takes to ensure their own survival – and that of all the Green Bones of Kekon.
Jade War is the second book of the Green Bone Saga, an epic trilogy about family, honor, and those who live and die by the ancient laws of blood and jade.
3. Jade Legacy (2021) 
The Green Bone Saga #3
247,805 words, 713 pages, 28 hrs and 29 mins to read.
Published by Orbit
4.66 out of 5 on Goodreads
Jade, the mysterious and magical substance once exclusive to the Green Bone warriors of Kekon, is now known and coveted throughout the world. Everyone wants access to the supernatural abilities it provides, from traditional forces such as governments, mercenaries, and criminal kingpins, to modern players, including doctors, athletes, and movie studios. As the struggle over the control of jade grows ever larger and more deadly, the Kaul family, and the ancient ways of the Kekonese Green Bones, will never be the same.
The Kauls have been battered by war and tragedy. They are plagued by resentments and old wounds as their adversaries are on the ascent and their country is riven by dangerous factions and foreign interference that could destroy the Green Bone way of life altogether. As a new generation arises, the clan’s growing empire is in danger of coming apart.
The clan must discern allies from enemies, set aside bloody rivalries, and make terrible sacrifices… but even the unbreakable bonds of blood and loyalty may not be enough to ensure the survival of the Green Bone clans and the nation they are sworn to protect.
Overall
The Green Bone Saga has quickly become one of the most popular recent fantasy series to really grab readers. The hugely developed world, intricate plot, fantastic characters and great concepts have made Fonda Lee’s “Asian Godfather” saga one of our favourite series in recent memory. We hope this quick post on the best way to read The Green Bone Saga has been helpful!
If you have enjoyed any of Fonda Lee’s work and want to learn more about her or any other of her work, then feel free to check out her website.
Which one is your favourite or most looking forward to picking up next?
Let us know!
Happy reading!
Total Word Count of The Green Bone Saga
Total Words: 659,703
Total Pages: 2,007
Total Time to Read/Listen: 75 hrs and 45 mins
More of the same, but different:
Things to Note:
- Word count is an approximation.
- Amount of pages may differ due to different publications, font style and/or size etc.
- Time spent reading is generally an approximation based on the word count and the average reading time. The average reader will read 250 WPM (Words Per Minute).
- This is the original publisher of the books.
- The current Goodreads score at the time of writing.
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