Wow! Great, original Grimdark! Will definitely be getting this at our library! Our readers will love this.

This book suffered from too many side quests.

The idea for the story is fun and had so much potential. A young man, disgraced by a single moment of his entire life, finds his father was murdered. A cryptic note, written by his dying father in his own blood, starts a quest to find out why. The "why" is in a box in a vault no one can open except a condemned pirate in an inescapable prison.

I'm going to stop there and just say I'm already not liking this story. People don't do this. If his father had left a will with "Tell my son this when I die", fine, that's fine. If Dad had a letter in his desk with the son's name on it, ok, acceptable. But if something is THAT DAMN IMPORTANT, you don't keep it a secret and hope you don't have a stroke in your sleep. The drama is already annoyingly close to a soap opera.

So we're off to a stupid start, whatever. Next is an excellent scene that shows how well Logan can worldbuild. Our main character has a conversation with a deaf "mute" girl, and she hasn't been introduced. She's just in the mix and we roll with it, the pirate is believable, the threats of violence are scaled right and believable, honestly, just an excellent scene that shows the potential Logan brings to this story.

The book then proceeds to piss in my Cheerios by having our intrepid young swashbuckler run into every side quest like a D&D golden retriever chasing squirrels. I understand you have to set up a plot and then change something to build drama, but this is like a Spinal Tap of bait and switch, everything is cranked to 11.

The book is still well-written, Flea is an excellent character, most of the others are weak but whatever, the story is moving, it's fine, until the end. Logan, no, bad author. Really, the dying wish was for his son to open the box and find something so stupid it hurt my feelings? I'm trying to not spoil anything, but really?!?!

I want to read the sequel just to see how Logan evolves as a writer. And this book has so much potential, I hope he brings the 11 down to a 9 and I bet I love that book.

This is James Logan's debut and what a great way to start! This was chalked full of adventure and mystery, but the places it really shined were the interactions with Flea. I loved her as a character and the attitude she brought. I think the book only got better with the introduction of a third main character and by the end of it, it was non stop action. I even chuckled when things came around full circle within the last few pages and an old character resurfaced.

I'm eager to continue with this series and learn the answers to some secrets uncovered.

Thank you Netgalley and Tor Books for an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

One of those book you start "just-to-check-how-it-is" and keeps you reading till 3 am as it's just one-more-chapter.
Lucas is not always the sharpest knife but i liked him as I like the fleshed out characters.
The world building is excellent and intriguing, the storytelling kept me hooked. It's fast paced and full of surprises, never drags and I found it highly entertaining.
There's humour, action, intrigue, secrets and mystery: a book according to my heart.
An excellent debut and I can't wait for the next in this series.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

BOOK REVIEW - THE SILVERBLOOD PROMISE by James Logan

I just wanted to give a shoutout to NetGalley, TOR Publishing Group and James Logan for providing me with an eARC of The Silverblood Promise in exchange for an honest review.

Let me just say, this book is a real treat for anyone who loves a good fantasy adventure. James Logan's debut novel takes you on a thrilling journey through the city of Saphrona, as our Main Character, Lukan Gardova, tries to solve the mystery behind his father's death.

From the very first page, Logan's writing had me hooked. The story is full of unexpected twists and turns, and Lukan is such a complex and relatable character that you can't help but root for him. His journey is full of danger and deception, but with the help of some unexpected allies, he manages to navigate the treacherous streets of Saphrona.

One of the things I loved most about The Silverblood Promise was the incredible cast of characters. From the street-smart urchin to the mysterious companions who aid Lukan on his quest, each character is so well crafted that you feel like you know them personally. The interactions between Lukan and his allies add a lot of heart and humour to the story, making it a joy to read.

The world-building in this book is also top-notch. Logan has created a rich and immersive universe full of secrets and ancient lore. While the main focus of the story is Lukan's quest for justice, hints of magic and mythology suggest there is much more to be explored in future instalments.

Now, I will say that there were a few moments where the pacing and exposition felt a bit clunky. There were times when the story relied too heavily on dialogue to convey information, which made things drag a bit. Additionally, there were some elements of the plot that felt a bit familiar and could have used more development.

All in all, though, The Silverblood Promise is a fantastic debut that promises great things to come from James Logan. If you're a fan of epic adventures or intricate mysteries, this book is definitely worth checking out!

Ahoy there me mateys!  I absolutely adored this book!  It kinda reminds me of Locke Lamora while completely standing on its own.  Which was funny because of this blurb:

‘A fast-paced carnival of setbacks and skullduggery that reminds me of…me! Charming from the first twist to the last’
—Scott Lynch, bestselling author of The Lies of Locke Lamora

I loved the characters, setting, plot, and ending.  The primary focus of the novel is on Lukan Gardova.  He was estranged from his father because of a duel that ended his academy career.  So Lukan becomes a wandering layabout that makes money as a cardsharp.  Life is changed when he is informed that his father has been murdered and the noble title is his.  Lukan is determined to solve his father's murder.

This takes Lukan to the city of Saphrona where the search for answers gets him in trouble at every turn.  While I enjoyed all aspects of the novel, the best part is the found family.  Let's just say that I adore the street urchin and everything about her.  The other favorite of mine I can't discuss because of spoilers but I am so excited for her in the next book.  I also loved the majority of the side characters too.  The magic in the world is lightly explored in this book but I hope to see more of it and get additional answers.

I think, ultimately, I read this in the perfect mood.  Aye, the tropes are here but scrambled in a way that delighted me.  Absurdity abounds but so does heart and humor.  I cannot wait for the next book!  Arrrr!

I've read and enjoyed The Silverblood Promise by James Logan. First, let's address the stunning cover of this book. The illustration is by Jeff Brown and I really recommend checking out his art! I've already ordered the special edition from The Broken Binding.

In this story, we follow Lukan, who gets the message about his estranged father having been murdered. That pushes him to decide if he should continue his life as it is, gambling and drinking, or try to get some answers... And if he had chosen the first option, we wouldn't get this book. 😅

For me, this story was one that really transports you to the setting- you can forget you're reading because you get really immersed in the world. In the beginning, I was pretty irritated by our main character, but as the story progressed, I've started appreciating how his journey was crafted and his growth was nice to follow.

I've liked the worldbuilding and I'm intrigued by its many secrets.

The main thing I'd say about this book is it's very entertaining! It's been compared to The Lies of Locke Lamora and I can say I see the similar vibe in these works. Also, I'd say if you've liked The Tainted Cup, you'll like this book! They both are murder mysteries with an effortless sense of humor despite the dire circumstances, and they both have amazing found family. That is actually my absolutely favorite part of following Lukan's story and what ultimately made the book ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for me. It's a fun, fast, heartwarming but grim book and I'll definitely continue reading the series!

✨✨✨

Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for granting me access to an e-arc.

Re-Readability:
Depending on how the sequel goes, I definitely could see myself re-reading this!

Writing:
I did feel that here and there the author used convenient info-dumping-disguised-as-character-dialogue and telling instead of showing a time or two where I noticed it. However, I otherwise had no issues with the writing style, nor the dialogue.

Characters:
Lukan was a really likeable main character to me. He isn't some painfully moralistic duty-bound bore... but he isn't a "likeable douche" type either. He's a really good guy who smarts off a little too much, and doesn't take himself or anything else too seriously usually.

Flea is also great - such a little spitfire and I loved her almost immediate loyalty to Lukan. Someone highborn showing her even an ounce of mercy and grace was so unfamiliar to her, I think, that she couldn't help but want to hang around him.

I wouldn't say that currently any of the characters are new faves, but I just really liked them.

Plot:
I really enjoyed the plot - much adventure! There's smaller adventures/missions within the larger mission and I personally found all of it to be very entertaining. Also, I am a SUCKER for lore, so all of the Phaeron ancient civilization lore and history is VERY INTRIGUING to me. I really hope I have this much fun with the sequel also, because I'm so ready for a fun, entertaining fantasy series with kickass lore that I can get sucked into.

Lukan came across boisterous, greedy sailors... a sneaky spitfire child pickpocket who won't take no for an answer... rulers of an underworld of crime... a smuggler-turned-council-member-of-the-city falsely imprisoned for murder... a group of ruthless mercenaries... a master forger who makes people go through an excruciating mental game of guessing and pain to talk to her... and a master thief who has become legend for her apparent ability to walk through walls.

Themes:
Family. Loyalty. Doing the right thing in the face of extreme consequences. Sacrifice.

3.5 stars for the book. I have also reviewed the audiobook.

Logan’s debut really teetered about the middle for me. A detective novel lies underneath the general fantasy overture, and upon significant reflection, I feel that may be why I struggled through the plot so much. I don’t like detective/mystery novels much. I’m more of an adventure/quest fan. Additionally, the world obviously parallels Renaissance Italy, and while I love fantasy, I’m not keen on the kind of fantasy that too closely resembles our world. There’s no magic to speak of, and the magic that exists weaves into the world negligibly, and its use and incorporation into the plot felt like an afterthought. The bad folks are Roman Catholic coded, which I see too often—I’ve read two fantasies in the past week and too many in the fantasy genre in general with similarly resembled antagonists, and this indicates to me a lack of imagination.

The secret sauce to The Silverblood Promise ultimately lies in its characters, though Lukan Gardova is the most stock main character I’ve read just about all year in a fantasy. Any remarkable trait (such as the ability to slink around in the shadows) given to him at the outset seems to completely vanish by the end of the book when all of his abilities could have had great use. It’s definitely a buddy story, except Lukan has many, and one of them is a child who completely steals the show. Flea really shines—outshines—Lukan in her secondary role. Once these two team up, I found myself craving the interactions between them. The comedic value of the book cannot be undersold here. These two drive the plot and will endear readers for sure. I don’t usually find stories with grown men hanging around little girls sat, but this one didn’t seem to creep me out. Logan handled the relationship well, and Lukan really gave off big brother vibes I felt jealous of. Another character Lukan teams up with really rounds the permacrew out, but I won’t give any more deets because that’s a SPOILER.

Though Lukan and Flea carry a load of narrative weight on their shoulders, I still struggled with much effort to get through the plot. I couldn’t get into the world and found it incredibly lackluster and dull. It was not until I got the audio copy on NetGalley that I was able to finish it. I cannot say enough that this book must be experienced in audio format. I have listened to hundreds if not thousands of hours of audiobooks. Brenock O’Connor hands down delivers one of the most fantastic narrations I’ve ever heard. I can count on one hand the number of narrators who could make a dictionary entrancing. O’Connor is one of them. Just listen to a freebie sample on an audiobook platform and see for yourself.

Overall, 3.5 stars. It was a great, multifaceted and complicated plot, but it didn’t stand out from the rest for me. Had O’Connor not narrated, I may have had a hard time even getting through the audio also. The basic premise of the book lies in a universal-chassis, cookie-cutter plot: parent(s) get murdered, child(ren) seek the murderer, meet people along the way, build a team, find themselves in a deeper plot than bargained for, defeat the bad guys, etc. The storytelling describes quite a bit to the reader, interpreting looks and body language with myriads of adverbs that lead the reader instead of allow self-exploration and discovery. I just didn’t mesh with it. I bought a special edition anyway. Figures. I do plan to read the rest of the series.

My profuse thanks to Tor and NetGalley for the ARC and ALC, for which I willingly give my own, honest opinion.

I found this one a delight. I enjoyed the main character and his sidekick. It’s a page turner, you’re never going to need to think to hard about the story, just onto the next bit of action. Lukan is a heart of gold scoundrel who has to find out the cause of his estranged father’s murder with the slimmest of clues to go on. I particularly enjoyed his relationship with Flea. It was fun. And wholesome in a scoundrel sort of way.

An amazing new epic fantasy. I loved falling into this new world and I can't wait for more! Perfect for fans of Riyria and stories that feel like old friends and new discoveries all at once.

It promises action, humor, and yes... silverblood. It's giving Christopher Buehlman vibes.

James Logan is definitely going to be the next big name in fantasy.

The Silver Blood Promise is James Logan's debut - a masterfully crafted epic fantasy full of action, mayhem and magic that is right up your alley, falling somewhere between the Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch and First Law books by Joe Abercrombie. Ed McDonald calls it post-grimdark and he wouldn't be wrong. Because the staples of that grimdark genre which we all love are all in there; the hero with his regretful choices of his past, who is content drowning his life in wine (Parvan Red, anyone?) and gambling his wealth away in decrepit smoky dens, picking fights with shady goons, characters drowning in their own guilt and making illogical choices, back-alley fights and a flighty convoluted dash through a seedy city of merchants, underground criminals and power hungry nobles conspiring against each other.
The story primary centers around the character of Lukan Gardova, a minor nobility, a failed academy student, a very sharp cardplayer and general connoisseur of wine and all things liquor, preferrably the Parvan variety. Now Lukan, who's grown distant from his only living relation, his father, learns that his father has been murdered and the only clue he's left for his estranged son, leads Lukan on a wild goose chase into the fabled city of Sephora - where noble factions are split and conspiring to murder each other over the governing laws, the markets are teeming with unscrupulpous merchants and the streets are controlled by an underground criminal enterprise reporting into a "King".

Lukan gets unwittingly pulled into a high-stakes game once in Sephora, as he tries to get in touch with his father's old friend and realizes that to achieve the 'silver-blood promise' he's made to avenge his father's murder, he would have to get into this game full-fledged. Fortunately for Lukan, he's made some allies; And how this rag-tag alliance stands up to powerful set of enemies consisting of murderers, monsters and mercenaries forms the latter part of this tense narrative.

For those of you who love an immersive fantasy story set in a ruthless city of murderers and monsters with cut-throat action, daring heists and compelling mysteries, Silver Blood Promise is right up their alley. Think Lies of Lock Lamora or Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett. James Logan writes up a storm, pitching us headlong into multiple adventures as Lukan travels from places to places, taking the most illogical decisions, his only driving factor the promise he's made to his dead father. His partnership with Flea, the young thief from the marketplace is possibly the brightest aspect of this first book. It's a trope done really well - the older gent forming up with the smart-talking young girl, looking out for her. They both go from strength to strength, forming a partnership and camarederie that is easy to love. Lukan also meets up with Ashra, another 'famous' thief in the circles of Sephora, though this friendship is lesser explored and clearly we are going to see 'more' of this as it develops through the series. Definitely looking forward to that one :)

With the story in Silver Blood Promise a self-contained one, the readers have much to enjoy and advocate in James Logan's debut. A strongly crafted fantasy novel, with mythical monsters, a long forgotten race, daring missions balancing fabulous action with great humor, I look forward to more adventures from Lukan and Flea and their friends, as they head next to this City of Spires in the far north.

This is the first in a series and overall I enjoyed it enough that I just might continue … in a fun, summer leisure sort of way. In fact, this book would be right at home on the rack at the airport convenience store as something to pick up to pass the time and not anything too deep or inspired. In fact, it comes across as a largely mechanical story or a paint-by-the-numbers collections of various tropes that is easy to follow and mostly predictable. That alone is not so bad except for the rather inelegant manner in which they were all stitched together with what might be seen by some as convenient plot armor and poorly disguised deus ex machina ending that doesn’t really with stand even limited scrutiny. However, if read more as pulp fiction, it was more or less satisfying entertainment.

The MC/PPoV is a disgraced young nobleman from a reputable family fallen on hard times who is estranged from his neglectful father. The setup involves Lukan hearing about his father’s murder and him making “The Silverblood Promise” to solve the mystery of who and why by following up on a three (3) word clue written in blood just before he died. I still have no idea what the significant of such a promise is, other than having a fancy name for a solemn vow (with no enforcement outside of personal honor), but it was apparently enough to drag him out of his cups and send him to the city of Saphrona to follow up on the few clues that he has. There he meets up with an 11 year old street urchin/pick-pocket who serves his city guide and highlights his very sarcastic nature … and of course, can’t stay on the sidelines while her benefactor is in danger (arguably making Lukan a problematic father figure). The supporting characters are fairly shallow caricatures amid a back drop various criminal enterprises as Lukan gets pulled into the local political scene to save the only connection he has to his father … and this in turn drives the best part of the story … the world-building … which was interesting but not particularly complex or unique. First up we get a divided city that is home to former enemies now at peace simply out of exhaustion from the constant wars. The three (3) aristocratic estates come from the powerful merchant houses, the inquisition and the church of the Lady of Shadows (where the Shadows are basically the seven death sins which the Lady holds at bay). Of course there is the expected corruption within each that conspires for even greater power with questionable alliances and motivations. There is the expected criminal underworld run by a mafia style organization (trope) known as the Kindred. And there is a limited amount of sorcery that is either based upon the artifacts left by a vanished race/civilization called the Phaeron or by paired spell casters known as gleamers (perhaps the most interesting aspect of the magic system).

The plot careens through a series of set pieces (tropes) such as a bread and circus style execution, another underground pit challenge, a pseudo prison caper, a secret graveyard meeting, a mad king’s court, and … of course … a heist. In fact, everything moves fairly quickly through each stage in with a vaguely forced introduction that is what gives the story its derivative feel … nothing on this wild ride develops naturally or reasonably … and in fact I found parts to be patently ridiculous … such as the apparent need to get blind drunk on the eave of an important operation that would obviously require top form by each of the participants … with being severely hungover not making any difference what so ever other than showing off the frat boy personality of the MC. Not really a good selling point for me.

I was given this free advance reader copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

#TheSilverbloodPromise #TheLastLegacy #NetGalley

The tl;dr: The Silverblood Promise will transport you to an early modern Italian inspired world full of heists, lies, coins, and magic. Quippy and sometimes wonderfully absurd, Logan’s fast and engaging pacing will keep you turning the pages without realizing 500+ pages have gone by. While this book is mostly a series of quests to solve a murder, a larger and more epic plot starts to unravel that will likely keep this series brimming. Perfect for fans of The Lies of Locke Lamora, fans of fun adventures cannot miss this one.

Clever, funny, and full of adventure and heists, The Silverblood Promise will transport you to a brand new world with early modern Italian vibes that is perfect for readers of The Lies of Locke Lamora. The quips and quests will have you burning through the pages, and this book feels far shorter than its 500+ page chonkiness. I could not put this book down, and all of the fun helped cover up some of the book's flaws.

The Silverblood Promise follows Lukan, a disgraced noble who embarks on a quest to solve his estranged father's murder. Teaming up with a young orphaned girl, a master forger, a warrior, and more, Lukan peels back the layers of this crime, as well as confronting what he is willing to pay for the truth.

Despite all of the heists and adventures (more on that in just a second), it was the relationship between the characters that endeared me to this book. Lukan and Flea (the orphaned girl) are a fantastic duo, and Logan bounces them off each other perfectly. What starts as a relationship of who can outwit the other more actually develops some heart (although, as I talk about below, the characters could be a bit deeper).

The Silverblood Promise is a series of missions for most of its pages, and your mileage may vary based on what you like in your books. In many ways this book is structured like a video game in which the characters achieve their objectives and then are slapped with the whole "the princess is in another castle" schtick that sends them off on the next mission. This didn't bother me in the slightest because I found the missions to be so much fun and I was on board whatever ride Logan sent his characters to next. However, if you don't like the "bus, club, another club, another club, plane, next place" structure of some fantasy adventures, this may not be the book for you.

Having said that, there are murmurings of a bigger story just underneath the surface of these missions, and they start to appear more forcefully as the story moves forward.

As The Silverblood Promise starts to approach its final act, the more epic elements of the story come into full view. While joining along for all of the quests and heists I kept wondering how Logan was going to keep this story going beyond this single book (I don't know how many books are planned, but this is not a standalone), and the larger political and magical machinations start to come into focus as the book comes to a close. I don't think it is a spoiler to say that the murder of Lukan's father was not a simple one-off event, and that international and inter-dimensional forces come into play.

Compared to other epic fantasies, Logan keeps the magic relatively reigned in. This is not low fantasy, but the world is also not bursting with magic. This means that when something magic does happening - including the quirky and unhinged Twice Crowned King (probably my favorite element of the book) or the mysterious and terrifying Faceless - you are smacked in the face with something unexpected and pretty freaking cool. This world has a softer magic system, but Logan never overextends it to give his characters a "get out of jail free card", and there are some really fun and novel magical happenings in this book that are so cool to explore.

For me, the biggest flaw in this book is that the characters are surprisingly shallow. In many ways they reminded me of late MCU characters - they are more vehicles for sarcastic barbs than three-dimensional people. This fits in with the tone and pacing of the book, but it also robs some of the quieter moments of their emotional impact. Lukan has daddy issues and may have done some bad stuff in his past, and this informs a lot of how he interacts with the other characters in this book. This was great character development in the first chunk of the book - except that we have to hear about that same exact backstory told over and over again to different people. It makes it quite obvious that Logan has imbued Lukan with much a character beyond this one motivating trait, and it starts to drag the story down. With a fun adventure fantasy like this one I don't need Robin Hobl levels of miserable characters, but I also didn't need the same sad story reiterated over and over again.

If you are craving some humor and adventure in your fantasy, you can look no further than The Silverblood Promise. It's been a while since I had so much fun and laughed so much at a book (especially since purely fantasy-comedies don't ever really work for me) and the ending pulled back the curtain just enough that I am eager for the sequel!

ok, I loved it!

For me, who loved Locke Lamora and Foundryside, this book is perfect!

Lots of action, mysteries, Lukas with his sarcasm... how can I resist until the next book?

Our hero Lukan goes on a journey to find out what or who caused his father’s death. Much like an onion, there are layers upon layers of intrigue and secrets in this story and lots of great characters he meets on the way, some who will join him on his further adventures and quest for the truth. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series!

Thank you to #torbooks #NetGalley for the e-ARC of #TheSilverbloodPromise by #JamesLogan

A lot of this book reminded me of a D&D campaign, when the party is in an impossible situation and someone rolls a Nat20. Except it maybe happened too many times? It made the main character a little hard to like cause he was so easy getting himself in situations but also in getting himself out of them?

The Silverblood Promise is the epic fantasy debut novel of James Logan about one young man’s search for redemption in a city of merchants, murderers and monsters. Lukan Gardova is the disgraced and bitter heir of a deteriorated noble house just getting through his days drinking and gambling when he learns of his estranged father’s murder. Having lost his chance to reconcile, he is just left with the three words his father wrote as he was dying—Lukan’s name, a distant city, and an unknown word no one seems to recognize. This brings him to Saphrona where he is drawn into a vast conspiracy that will bring the city to destruction as he searching for answers.

This book is a promising start to a series and a delightfully enjoyable read. It is a fast-paced romp through a gritty city where Lukan encounters pickpockets and thieves, merchant princes, corrupt officials and priests, and forgotten magic. He blunders into a dark conspiracy with no choice but to plot and scheme right along with the conspirators. It did remind me of The Lies of Locke Lamora with a little bit of Indiana Jones thrown in. While not quite as sophisticated as its contemporaries, it is a competent debut that is entirely entertaining throughout. Made up of a series of somewhat convenient events leading one to another, it is unrelenting in its twists and reveals (both predictable and not) that deliver on the action, intrigue, and excitement.

Lukan has a dry personality and a sarcastic sense of humor that he uses as weapon and defense to cut his opponents. He doesn’t know when to shut up and can’t help but drink his problems away and mock everyone he encounters. But under all that bluster is a man still reeling from the consequences of his life choices and grasping at the chance to redeem his estranged relationship with his late father. Alongside him is Flea, a street urchin girl who latches onto him who is a strikingly competent, funny and badass child that can give Lukan a run for his money. Their dynamic and relationship offers up a lot of heart and not at all dissimilar to Mistborn’s Kelsier & Vin (just with a more questionable degree of competence). Rounding out the trio is Ashra, who enters late into the book so she doesn’t quite have as much presence yet. But I do look forward to what this trio has to offer in future installments.

The Silverblood Promise is a fun romp through a dark gritty city with a charismatic lead duo.

I absolutely loved this book! This is a great all in fantasy book. It has a hint of romance and a lot of adventure. Amazing world building!! This is a book
couldn't put down! Can't wait to read the next one in the series!!
Lukan receives word that his Father died.... he was murdered and left a note for Lukan. So, he follows
the trail to Saphrona looking for his dads murderer. He meets some of Saphrona's notorious thiefs that results in them working together. It all
leads to a conspiracy that is bigger than the death of Lukan's Father.