Review: I am thrilled to be back in this awesome universe. My thanks to the author for expediting my copy in the face of publisher denial (x2)

Well, Lukan is back. Self-centered and unaware as usual along with Flea and Ashra. See, this is what I love most about really good novels of any fictional kind. Characters that develop with the story line where they are impacted by the movement and shift into something better or worse. Lukan is finally growing up and beginning to understand that people care about him, and that he in turn, may care deeply for them as well. Oftimes it takes treacherous circumstances for awareness to blossom.

The quests are ever present within a cold city of retribution and never fail to entertain. I really love this series and you will too.

I received this ARC for an honest review.

4.9/5

So so good. I haven’t read the first in the series and this second volume was outstanding. Wonderful world building, great characters, strong female leads. Truly very impressive fantasy novel. Will be reading back catalogue and can’t wait for a sequel. Thank you so much to the author. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

What a fantastic sequel. I had so much fun with this book. I loved exploring new parts of the world and being back with the characters, felt like reuniting with old friends. Highly recommend this whole series.

James Logan debuted strong with The Silverblood Promise, and with this sequel, he absolutely raised the bar. Everything that worked in the first book is back. Only bolder, stronger and more compelling

The characters of Ashra, Flea and Lukan once again shine. Not only together, but also as individuals. Lukan and Ashra have their quarrels, but also a deep loyalty for each other. They may have their differences, but they genuinely try to understand each other. And Flea? She's just as lovable, witty and stubborn as we know her.

The worldbuilding is again amazing. The warm glow and atmosphere of Saphrona is gone. The story unfolds in the cold, grim city of Korslakov, which makes for a completley different atmosphere and undertone.

Also, the pacing is again spot on. It never drags or rushes. As plans unravel for our trio, they find themselves swept into unexpected adventures before they can pursue their original goal: opening Lukans father's vault in the Blackfire Bank. These detours were thrilling, exciting, action packed and breathlessly suspenseful!

Blackfire Blade

I was so excited to receive a copy of the arc of the Blackfire Blade; it was one of my most anticipated books of the year and it lived up to every expectation and then some!

First off, I appreciated the recap at the start so so much. I honestly wish every fantasy book had this for subsequent books in series as my brain is like a sieve trying to remember names and places. It meant I could dive straight back into the world and pick up the story where we left off.

I really enjoyed the Silverblood Promise, but I think I possibly loved the Blackfire Blade even more. It absolutely shines as a sequel. It’s fast-paced, emotional, witty, and full of action and adventure right from the start. The world-building is fantastic (and once again vividly brought to life by Jeff Brown’s stunning artwork on the cover); it gripped me from start to finish.

I thought the writing had really evolved from book one. The plot flowed so easily and captured more emotional depth and character growth than we see in the Silverblood Promise. The plot is expertly woven, with multiple elements of escalation resulting in a brilliantly entertaining read.

I loved it - it’s one of my favourite books of the year, and I stayed up until the early hours to finish it as I couldn’t stop reading. It deserves all the stars, and I can’t wait until November to get my hands on a hard copy!

I had so much fun with The Blackfire Blade and being back with Lukan, Ashra and Flea. Of course Flea’s sarcasm and punchy attitude continues to be hilarious.

This is action packed from the beginning. Lukan, Ashra and Flea have made it to Korslakov to open lukan’s fathers vault in the hope of getting some answers on his death… then Lukan has one too many drinks and they all end up oweing their lives to too many people.

There are very strange creatures, golems, a mysterious door and the elusive Phaeron. Not to mention, Ivan the hound who I hope to see in future books!

‘Passion before reason’

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and James Logan for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

If you liked book one, you'll very likely love this second one. We meet again with Lukan as he travels to a new city, eager to open the vault his father has left behind. Flea, young thief with a big mouth and Ashra, older and wiser thief, accompany him (happily for the first, less so for the second).

Unfortunately for Lukan, he loses his key the first night in Korslakov, at the hands of a mysterious thief. A series of challenges follow, leading our little group deeper and deeper into the city's politics and power struggles. And its secrets, of course. After all, it is a city of alchemy, with construct following orders and amber eyes.

I enjoyed the characters' relationhsips. It's flawed, but they are willing (and sometimes forced) to work together, leading them to talk and settle their grudges. Given the differents temperamants they all have, it follows that tension arises, but it the end, it makes them stronger. Lukan evolves quite a lot in this book, especially after a certain event. His views on his father slowly shift, as does Ashra views on Lukan, as they learn to know each other better. I very much enjoy that there isn't any romantic element to their relationship. As for Flea, she's a little ball of spite and mouth; not flawless either, but her young age and spontaneity is refreshing (how much she would hate to have her age pointed out).

As for the plot, it starts with Lukan's key and ends with it, meandering in Korslakov in between. It's twisty, complex but not complicated, with a word that has some weight without feeling heavy.

As you might have guessed by reading this review, it was a very enjoyable read, fulfilling its promises of a fantasy story filled with wit and actions, with great characters and lively city.

4/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus Books for an advanced copy!

I will forever be shocked at how much better this is than book 1. Just a MASSIVE step up in quality and I am so, so impressed.

We continue the story of Lukan, Flea and Ashra trying to discover the secrets behind Lukan’s father’s death and woooooooo boy this one was good. We go to a new city, Korslakov, a fucked-up oligarchical alchemical nation at perpetual war with beast-like men to the north, all to open Lukan’s vault and finallllyyyy learn about his father and his death.

The story was so much more complex and interesting in this one, as were the characters. I adored learning more about Ashra and seeing her POV grow and become deeply linked to Flea and Lukan. Top tier found family right here. Ashra is a badass thief, Flea is a little rascal (I say with love) and Lukan is just a hot mess with daddy issues (love that for him).

One big improvement was the characterisation: Lukan felt much more complex in this story, and his changing feelings toward his father and the gang were touching. We actually get scenes of him and Ashra talking/arguing and then ruminating on these fights, all of which were sorely missed from book 1 which seemed to jump from plot point to plot point without any kind of introspection.

The plot was much more interesting and twisty. I felt book 1 to be really predictable, but this one was a wild ride. By far my favourite part was the Ashgrave sequence, and I can’t wait for people to read it and enjoy it as much as I did.

Now give me book 3 as I NEED MORE ANSWERS THANK YOU!

✨ The Blackfire Blade – James Logan
★★★★½
Perfecto para fans de: Locke Lamora, Monkey Island, Foundryside
📚 ¿Editorial ideal? Gamon Fantasy. Publicación prevista: octubre 2025.

Una secuela carismática, divertida y rebosante de acción. The Blackfire Blade supera a The Silverblood Promise en todos los aspectos: el ritmo es más ágil, el grupo ya está formado, y el worldbuilding se expande hacia territorios aún más ricos y peligrosos.

🗝️ Lukan ha conseguido por fin la llave de la cámara de su padre… y la pierde enseguida. El ladrón: The Rook. La persecución lo lleva a Korslakov, una ciudad nevada repleta de alquimia prohibida, golems, secretos familiares y traiciones exquisitas.

💥 El trío protagonista (Lukan, Flea y Ashra) sigue brillando, pero esta vez se une Lady Marni, una bomba de carisma y dobleces.

❤️ Flea sigue siendo lo mejor del libro: irreverente, leal, y el único que obliga a Lukan a enfrentarse con su egoísmo.

⚙️ Más Phaeron, más tecnología ancestral, más acción. Y un “Previously…” al inicio que deberían copiar todas las sagas.

✨ ¿Y la portada? Una joya visual.

📌 Divertido, veloz, con alma y colmillo. Léanlo.

#NetGalley #TheBlackfireBlade #JamesLogan #FantasyBooks #LockeLamoraVibes #BookReview #ARCReview #fantasíaépica #bookstagramfantasy #gamonfantasy #novedadesfantasía #booksandmagic #readersofinstagram #reseñasfantasía

The second novel in James Logan's Last Legacy series picks right up where the Silverblood Promise left off with its three main heroes--Lukan, Flea, and Ashra--on a new adventure. They head to Korslakov so Lukan can see what his father left for him in a vault within the Blackfire Bank. Lukan almost immediately loses the key to the vault, embroiling the trio in several plots. Within each of these plots, we encounter some new characters and some other old ones--chiefly, Lady Marni and General Razin. Just like the first book, the action is well paced and the relationships are imbued with meaning. Lukan's emotional arc felt a little repetitive of the first book and Flea might have been shunted to the side but their interactions took on more depth and there was a lot more exploration of Ashra. The book completes its narrative in satisfying way while still ending on a great cliffhanger that makes me excited for the third book!

Thank you SO much to Quercus Books - Arcadia for granting my NetGalley wish for the ARC of The Blackfire Blade by James Logan.

For new readers: This is the second book in a series and it is essential you read the first book first.

Returning readers: There is an excellent recap to start the book which makes it easy to dive right in.

The Blackfire Blade picks up 3 weeks after the events of The Silverblood Promise, with Lukan, Flea, and Ashra having just settled into a seedy inn in cold Korslakov. In the morning they plan to head to the bank to retrieve the next clue from Lukan's father, only, in true drunk Lukan fashion, the key is stolen from him by a thief with amber eyes known as the Rook. From here, the book is about the quest to retrieve the key, and Lukan, Flea, and Ashra are once again going head-to-head with the rich and mighty of another city with dangerous consequences.

I think I liked this book better than the first one -- it feels like Logan has added more depth to his already excellent worldbuilding, and more conflict and growth within our main characters. The Blackfire Blade certainly has a darker edge to it, with our main characters facing multiple dangerous situations and recognizing the limits of their own power, bravery, strength, and fortitude. We see a lot of positive growth and trust, and we see a lot of drinking of a nice Parvan red.

I liked the inclusion of Lady Marni in this book -- it was a nice return of the intense pyramid scene from The Silverblood Promise, and it grew on our knowledge of the Phaeron. We also learn a lot more about magical systems, like alchemy, and how the advantages of Lukan's civilization are much darker and built on greed but disguised as progress.

It was also great to join up with General Razin, and to see Korslakov through his perspective as someone fallen from high rank/high respect. It really deepened our knowledge, again, of how the elites control so much of this world and who they will sacrifice for their own ends.

I read this book entirely in one day and could barely put it down because it was so action packed and exciting. Once I got over the disappointment of having to wait for Lukan to retrieve his vault key (I should have known it wouldn't be so easy!), everything in this story just runs full steam ahead and it is utterly brilliant. The last few chapters are an absolute gut punch of new information which should make for a wild third addition to this series as we begin to see where Logan has been leading us.

Thanks to James and Netgalley I am proudly reading the 2nd book in the series which turns the corner a little and becomes and Intrigue & search adventure.

Still reeling from the murder of his father, Luka isn't able to turn to anyone but his anchors, Flea & Ashra.

Ready to find a alchemical formula that could change their very existence, this is an intense story with political skull-duggery in the oppressive cold in the city of Korsakov, with a great story and unique alchemy system again