Subject: Why is energy released during a fission reaction?

Ive always learned as a fundamental concept that when breaking bonds, energy 
is absorbed.  But this text I am using says that fusion and fission both 
release energy because the initial state has more mass than the final. And I 
see something wrong with that too. How can A-->B+C yield B+C to have less mass 
then A but then if you take B+C-->A some how now B+C has more mass than A.  
Please help me out with this, its killing me!  Thanks.

Re: Why is energy released during a fission reaction?