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Breathmarked #2
Mark of the Warrior
Not yet published
Expected 27 Oct 26Win a free print copy of this book!
2 days and 04:03:18
100 copies available
U.S. only
In the explosive finale to the instant New York Times bestseller Breath of the Dragon, a young warrior fights to reunite his family and the realm.
Two brothers. Two nations. One destiny.
Exiled as a traitor after the Guardian’s Tournament, Li Jun has vowed to retrieve the stolen Scroll of Heaven and to honor his father’s dying find his mother and twin brother, Sai.
Fleeing into the East in search of their friend Ren, Jun and his longtime rival Yin Yue have no choice but to trust the two breathmarked women who saved their lives but who answer to the mysterious and draconian Council of Virtue that tore Jun’s family apart and banished him and his father a decade ago.
Recovering the Scrolls of Heaven or Earth in order to stop the brewing war that threatens to devastate East and West alike isn’t Jun’s only seemingly insurmountable challenge. The twin he was separated from in childhood is now the High Keeper who resides in the Sun Pagoda, protecting the precious Scroll of Earth from all potential enemies…including Jun.
The fate of the entire land hinges on an inevitable reckoning between brothers that will test their skills, their loyalties, and everything they thought they knew about themselves and the nature of destiny.
Two brothers. Two nations. One destiny.
Exiled as a traitor after the Guardian’s Tournament, Li Jun has vowed to retrieve the stolen Scroll of Heaven and to honor his father’s dying find his mother and twin brother, Sai.
Fleeing into the East in search of their friend Ren, Jun and his longtime rival Yin Yue have no choice but to trust the two breathmarked women who saved their lives but who answer to the mysterious and draconian Council of Virtue that tore Jun’s family apart and banished him and his father a decade ago.
Recovering the Scrolls of Heaven or Earth in order to stop the brewing war that threatens to devastate East and West alike isn’t Jun’s only seemingly insurmountable challenge. The twin he was separated from in childhood is now the High Keeper who resides in the Sun Pagoda, protecting the precious Scroll of Earth from all potential enemies…including Jun.
The fate of the entire land hinges on an inevitable reckoning between brothers that will test their skills, their loyalties, and everything they thought they knew about themselves and the nature of destiny.
352 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication October 27, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
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February 5, 2026criminally underrated duology!!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Firstly - what a gorgeous cover art.
I’m not very familiar with Shannon Lee, but I was drawn to this duology by Fonda Lee and the amazing work that is the greenbone saga. In both the first and the latest installation, that Fonda Lee quality writing is evident - which for me is what I appreciate.
And if anything, Fonda Lee is an absolute master on writing family dynamics. Mark of the Warrior is a brilliant conclusion to a very sweetly epic story. We follow Jun in the East and his much awaited meeting with his long lost twin brother Sai in the back drop of an East/West war. My rating is a 7/10 (3⭐️), and had I not been a stricter reviewer this would be a four star book.
Plot wise, the ending was not unpredictable, but I think how we got there was creative and really engaging, I was hooked and was able to finish this in one go. The pacing issues I found in book 1 did not exist here, primarily because we begin the book in the middle of the story - but also because of how the character work was structured.
I am a massive fan of character conflict especially when it would be more convenient to not have it - and both of these authors did not fail me on this at all. I felt uneasy, I felt on the edge of my seat, with the brotherly dynamics and the authors were not afraid to be risky with how they explored their interactions.
This was not as martial arts heavy nor was it more action heavy than the first book, but what Mark of the Warrior brings to the table best is its tangents and short deep dives into diverse philosophies. Im a reader who enjoys reading about characters being conflicted with identity, grasping how propaganda operates and how that defines actions - and I think Jun’s character was right up my niche corner of this level of analysis. Weirdly enough I don’t love Jun as much as the breakdowns of how he perceives others, and I think that is a brilliant thing to have accomplished by itself.
All the build up was paid off really well with Yin’s character - just love him and Jun.
My only qualm is Ren - yeah pretty disappointed in where her character is, but ultimately I didn’t care much for it anyway because June really did eat.
All in all, it’s a very entertaining read, it’s nostalgic of the brilliant ya/middle grade I read growing up and I think this beats quite a lot of the slop that exists now.
Thanks to e-arc from Netgalley!
I’m not very familiar with Shannon Lee, but I was drawn to this duology by Fonda Lee and the amazing work that is the greenbone saga. In both the first and the latest installation, that Fonda Lee quality writing is evident - which for me is what I appreciate.
And if anything, Fonda Lee is an absolute master on writing family dynamics. Mark of the Warrior is a brilliant conclusion to a very sweetly epic story. We follow Jun in the East and his much awaited meeting with his long lost twin brother Sai in the back drop of an East/West war. My rating is a 7/10 (3⭐️), and had I not been a stricter reviewer this would be a four star book.
Plot wise, the ending was not unpredictable, but I think how we got there was creative and really engaging, I was hooked and was able to finish this in one go. The pacing issues I found in book 1 did not exist here, primarily because we begin the book in the middle of the story - but also because of how the character work was structured.
I am a massive fan of character conflict especially when it would be more convenient to not have it - and both of these authors did not fail me on this at all. I felt uneasy, I felt on the edge of my seat, with the brotherly dynamics and the authors were not afraid to be risky with how they explored their interactions.
This was not as martial arts heavy nor was it more action heavy than the first book, but what Mark of the Warrior brings to the table best is its tangents and short deep dives into diverse philosophies. Im a reader who enjoys reading about characters being conflicted with identity, grasping how propaganda operates and how that defines actions - and I think Jun’s character was right up my niche corner of this level of analysis. Weirdly enough I don’t love Jun as much as the breakdowns of how he perceives others, and I think that is a brilliant thing to have accomplished by itself.
All the build up was paid off really well with Yin’s character - just love him and Jun.
My only qualm is Ren - yeah pretty disappointed in where her character is, but ultimately I didn’t care much for it anyway because June really did eat.
All in all, it’s a very entertaining read, it’s nostalgic of the brilliant ya/middle grade I read growing up and I think this beats quite a lot of the slop that exists now.
Thanks to e-arc from Netgalley!
May 8, 2026
I have checked just about every week since the announcement of this book to see if it was available for an ARC, and I have been patiently waiting to finish this captivating and exhilarating story ever since receiving and finishing my ARC of the first book.
Overall, I am very pleased with the second and final installment of the Breathmarked series, with a few pointed criticisms.
As for the story itself, I still found it captivating, compelling, and a real page turner, with all the right things a good story needs. The characters were relatable and real, and the setting vibrant and easy to visualize. Everything I loved about book 1 continued on seamlessly in book 2.
There were a few times where the dialogue didn’t land perfectly, and felt a bit more modern or out of place, but never so bad that I had to roll my eyes. There were also a few places where certain moderately uncommon words showed up several times close together that broke the flow for me a bit.
My main criticism is that the book was too short. I mean that both in the context that I wanted more, and in that several parts of the story felt rushed. Major losses, huge conflicts, or built-up moments seemed to fly by and be over too easily, or without what felt like proper decorum. This diminished the potential impact of some of these points in a meaningful way.
Despite these issues, the strength of the story, the relationships of the characters, and the richness of the story shouldered much of the weight and turned out a highly enjoyable sequel.
Thank you to the author, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.
Overall, I am very pleased with the second and final installment of the Breathmarked series, with a few pointed criticisms.
As for the story itself, I still found it captivating, compelling, and a real page turner, with all the right things a good story needs. The characters were relatable and real, and the setting vibrant and easy to visualize. Everything I loved about book 1 continued on seamlessly in book 2.
There were a few times where the dialogue didn’t land perfectly, and felt a bit more modern or out of place, but never so bad that I had to roll my eyes. There were also a few places where certain moderately uncommon words showed up several times close together that broke the flow for me a bit.
My main criticism is that the book was too short. I mean that both in the context that I wanted more, and in that several parts of the story felt rushed. Major losses, huge conflicts, or built-up moments seemed to fly by and be over too easily, or without what felt like proper decorum. This diminished the potential impact of some of these points in a meaningful way.
Despite these issues, the strength of the story, the relationships of the characters, and the richness of the story shouldered much of the weight and turned out a highly enjoyable sequel.
Thank you to the author, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! I’ve been sitting on my thoughts for a few days, but honestly, I ended up inhaling this so fast. If the first book was about setting the stage, this one is about the house catching fire in the best way possible.
The Vibe:
The pacing here is a massive step up from book one. It drops you right into the middle of the story, so there’s no "sequel slump." It’s less of a straight-up martial arts tournament book and more of a psychological deep dive into how propaganda and identity mess with your head during a war.
What I Loved:
The tension between Jun and Sai is top-tier. It made me feel genuinely uneasy and on edge. The authors weren’t afraid to make their interactions risky and messy rather than just giving us a clean "hero vs. villain" fight.
I actually preferred the tangents into different philosophies over the actual action scenes. Seeing how Jun perceives the world and struggles with who he’s supposed to be vs. who he actually is felt really grounded.
The buildup from the first book really pays off here. His character arc and his relationship with Jun were highlights for me.
Even though I kind of guessed where the ending was headed, the way we got there was super creative and kept me hooked.
What Missed the Mark:
If you’re coming into this purely for the fight scenes, there’s actually a bit less martial art than the first book. It’s more about the internal conflict, which I loved, but it might surprise some people.
The Vibe:
The pacing here is a massive step up from book one. It drops you right into the middle of the story, so there’s no "sequel slump." It’s less of a straight-up martial arts tournament book and more of a psychological deep dive into how propaganda and identity mess with your head during a war.
What I Loved:
The tension between Jun and Sai is top-tier. It made me feel genuinely uneasy and on edge. The authors weren’t afraid to make their interactions risky and messy rather than just giving us a clean "hero vs. villain" fight.
I actually preferred the tangents into different philosophies over the actual action scenes. Seeing how Jun perceives the world and struggles with who he’s supposed to be vs. who he actually is felt really grounded.
The buildup from the first book really pays off here. His character arc and his relationship with Jun were highlights for me.
Even though I kind of guessed where the ending was headed, the way we got there was super creative and kept me hooked.
What Missed the Mark:
If you’re coming into this purely for the fight scenes, there’s actually a bit less martial art than the first book. It’s more about the internal conflict, which I loved, but it might surprise some people.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Mark of the Warrior picks up the story after Breath of the Dragon's dramatic ending, catching readers up to where we last saw Jun seamlessly so anyone who is reading the second book after some time is on the same page as those that are reading them back to back. The pacing and tone match the prior book and several favorite supporting characters return to accompany Jun on his continued adventure. Jun's quest takes him back East for a reunion with his brother, but his mission to recover the scroll and stop impending war is his ultimate goal. Readers who enjoyed the first book and became invested in the characters should appreciate this sequel and the way that it wraps up the story.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press and Wednesday Books) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press and Wednesday Books) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Mark of the Warrior was a satisfying conclusion to the duology!
The writing, action, world-building, and pacing are reminiscent of the first book, which is a plus for me. I also loved the engaging plot and that the story starts off immediately where the last book left off. My favorite parts were definitely the character development and the ending.
Overall, if you loved the last book, I highly recommend the sequel!
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC(advanced reader copy) in return for an honest review
The writing, action, world-building, and pacing are reminiscent of the first book, which is a plus for me. I also loved the engaging plot and that the story starts off immediately where the last book left off. My favorite parts were definitely the character development and the ending.
Overall, if you loved the last book, I highly recommend the sequel!
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC(advanced reader copy) in return for an honest review
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews