Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. This is a fantastic debut that I really enjoyed. The characters were well fleshed out with complex motivations and backstories, and the plot and the pacing kept me engaged throughout. I loved the worldbuilding within Saphrona, but the world as a whole could have used a bit more attention. For example, what is the significance of the silverblood promise? what happens if you fail to uphold the promise. I did enjoy how the ending managed to wrap up the Saphrona portion of the story while still leaving some interesting questions still unanswered. I am eagerly awaiting the next instalment.

Hello again dear reader or listener, it is not often you see an arc review from me this early ahead of release but let’s just say The Broken Binding and their pesky habit of making gloriously beautiful special editions twisted my arm into reading this book ahead of plans! Rude really.

First then, a huge thank you to Ms Ayo Okojie at Quercus books for offering this free arc! My thoughts remain honest.

With the exception of De Castell’s Crucible of Chaos which carries a few disclaimers re genre, I realized it’s been a minute since I last read classic epic fantasy, with several of the genre staples I love finding in it. So, reading The Silverblood Promise by debut author James Logan felt like meeting an old friend again. We have references to a mysterious and ancient civilisation, the big city with a tumultuous past, its criminal underground, an inquisition, and its partially corrupt royalty/governing body. And last but certainly not least, the motley crew of characters, be they supporting or primary, that enrich everything. Not to mention how a majority of them are women with varying levels of FAAFO energy. I’m a simple gal, I see well written characters like that, I thrive.

Self-aware and very done with everything protagonist Lukan immediately won me over. He’s imperfect and still bitter over past events (which honestly, being close to him in age, huge mood) and just aimless at the start of the story, but his father’s death propels him into something far more complex than he could ever have imagined. With a renewed sense of purpose, he slowly warms to, Lukan is an unwilling hero because someone has got to do the right thing even if he’s going to be regretting his life choices for a solid 80% of this book. That made for endlessly entertaining moments but also made you respect the character all the more and appreciate the growth he goes through over the course of the story. Simply put this is the kind of hero I feel like rooting for the most. Another well integrated staple was the child sidekick, in this case sharp minded and foul-mouthed Flea, who immediately kicks down the door of your heart and takes her own place there, daring you to defy that decision. The budding familial relationship between her and Lukan was also a soft touch on the feels and, if you know me, dear reader, you know how big of a sucker I am for acquired parental figures.

Logan’s writing is evocative and his worldbuilding strong. In tandem with the gorgeous illustrations that TBB previewed moreover, it was truly wondrous. I felt like I was in the scene myself at times! As made clear by my previous comments in fact, while the author does lean into all the tropes, he makes sure to keep them fresh and interesting so that you don’t feel like it’s the nth high fantasy tale you’re reading, but rather that you get to cozy down with a comfort read even if it is the first time you’re enjoying this story. The way the author goes about unveiling the plot and mysteries within, is methodical and archetypal but, once again, just because you feel it call to all the classics, it doesn’t make it any less riveting or fun. Also, for the videogame fans out there, the plot structure does have a lot of missions and side missions/levels type of vibe that kinda reminded me of AC for some reason. I am not complaining one bit though because I definitely enjoy that kind of narrative.

Was I amused by certain style/inspiration choices for city names like Virenze? Absolutely! Growing up in Italy has “ruined” my ability to take anything of that sort seriously, but I’m in a good mood these days and that one particular name was the worst perpetrator, so I’m gonna let it slide as a fun lil Easter egg.

Overall, I’d say this is the kind of story that balances character and plot work fairly well so that it’s not overly driven by either of the two in particular, while gradually getting you more and more invested. I will say this though, the murder mystery aspect of the plot had its red herrings and big plot twists that either were sign posted a bit too much by the author, or he didn’t overly care to keep that veiled. Since the strength of the overall book does not hinge on how unsolvable the mysteries are however, that is not necessarily a downside. Logan does maintain a suitable suspense throughout, regardless of whether you can call the twists, because you can never exactly figure out the many details that determine precisely how some things will turn out, or what led up to them. That also lent itself to making this book feel like a comfort read to me so I’m not at all bothered.

The only thing that didn’t quite work for me in an otherwise delightful read was a certain heavy handedness in the introductory scene to the criminal underground. Truly, while I found the Twice Crowned King a really interesting figure, and the particular spin regarding his person fascinating, (as it implied some intriguing ramifications that made me want to know more about how they came to power etc.) I thought Logan went a mite too hard on trying to showcase the decadence and otherworldliness he wanted to push across. It’s clear what the author wanted to do with that scene, and while it does toe the line of giving the idea without falling into caricature territory, unfortunately for me it reminded me a bit too much of 300’s Xerxes and his court, than I would’ve liked. Put another way, while taken separately, that whole scene can be strong in its own right, it didn’t quite fit with the rest of the novel’s ambiance and tone, in a way. Being that it still toes that line, however, and it was in the wider scheme of the book a very short interlude, I can’t say it harmed my enjoyment of the rest of the novel that much.

Sadly, in wanting to avoid spoilers I have to stop here but, Logan’s debut is proof of a grand new entry among the ranks of epic fantasy and I cannot wait for more people to read this and enjoy its imperfect but lovable characters and rich worldbuilding! Wrapping up with my favorite kind of ending, in fact, we get to relax in the knowledge that the first book’s micro plot is rounded up and the wider series’ macro plot is merely now beginning, with hints and new questions propelling us into what promises to be an adventure full of action, shenanigans, and found family vibes to fill your heart.

The Silverblood Promise comes out April 25th and if lots of aggravated heroes, strong women, mysteries aplenty, stealth and thieves, bustling fantasy cities, and dangerous creatures, are of your liking, then I warmly recommend you preorder this as soon as possible!

Until next time,
Eleni A. E.

Great story, reminiscent of Gentlemen Bastards, with charming characters and a plot to keep you guessing. Lukan and Flea are an excellent duo, who you root for from the very beginning.

The only part I disliked was I felt the world building was being forced, rather than organic and flowing, if that even makes sense. Although, never took anything away from my score, just a little dislike.

Looking forward to the next instalment. 4/5

Thank you netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

3.5 stars

A fun adventure story with a classical fantasy, The Silverblood Promise is fast paced and slickly written. The pages fly by. It's easy to sit down intending to read only a few chapters and end up reading a lot more. Unfortunately I also found it easy, once I put the book down, for days to go by before wanting to pick it up again.

While the mystery story is compelling, and there are many fun action scenes to hold my attention, the characters felt were all very one-note and flat. It made it hard for me to really care about them. There was also no moral complexity to be found - the good guys are good and the bad guys are bad. There is nothing necessarily wrong with this but it does make the comparisons to Scott Lynch and Joe Abercrombie misleading.

The writing felt like it was trying to hit me over the head with the emotions it was trying to convey. While I don't mind that I didn't find the humorous scenes funny - sense of humour is personal and you can't cater to everyone - I did mind that they were very repetitive. There were just too many versions of Flea insulting Lukan or Lukan annoying the Scrivener.

Despite my problems with the characters I did enjoy the book overall, and I recommend it. I will probably read the sequel. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Oh my God. I got the chills so many times toward the end of this book. It completely blew my mind. It managed to surpass my high expectations AND be nothing at all like I expected. Im very excited for future material from this author.

4,5 stars

The Silverblood Promise is James Logan's debut novel and the first instalment in The Last Legacy series. It is a fast-paced epic fantasy adventure where a LOT is going on. And I mean a LOT. Logan's debut novel has all the ingredients you need (and in the right dose) for a splendid and immersive read: interesting and complex characters, a captivating plot and skilful worldbuilding (providing the reader with enough information about the world, avoiding info dumps and allowing the reader to discover more as they progress through the book itself). There's plenty of humour, action and witty banter which reminded me of Sebastien de Castell's works.

In my opinion, The Silverblood Promise was not a "smooth" reading experience throughout the whole book as de Castell's works. At the start of the book everything from the humour to the writing, setting and characters hinted that I would fly through the 600 pages in record time. However, for about 150 pages I struggled with immersion. I realise this could be a personal thing, so I'm not holding it against the book. Additionally, I wished that the author introduced multiple POVs earlier than he did. The perspectives of the other characters gave additional flavour to the story and enhanced my enjoyment.

I think the best way I can explain the issues I had at the start of the book is that it took a while for the engine (story) to warm up and when it did (and the story got rolling) I was flying through the pages with ease. As I already mentioned, these are minor issues that other readers might not even notice or be bothered by. After all, The Silverblood Promise is Logan's debut and I could see the author's writing skill and potential in the text itself. I do not doubt that the author will keep improving the more he writes and that his future works (including the sequel to this book which I am very excited about) will be even better.

A few short, somewhat unhinged reasons why you should check out The Silverblood Promise

- fast-paced epic fantasy adventure
- humour aplenty
- politics of a dubious nature
- found family
- lovable MG sidekick character (Flea is always right and she won't hesitate to let you know and you'll love her for it)
- why is he like this?!
- humour aplenty
- ancient civilisation
- I'm not sayin' the [redacted] are aliens, BUT...

This was an entertaining and rollicking ride! The main character was not one I felt was that compelling and I found it a bit annoying that he managed to get away with his stupid decisions! Flea was a great companion. The story was well written and kept my attention throughout. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.

This is story that very nearly succeeds on all levels, but where it is lacking undermines the read.

The author has created a credible world that is readily visualised and there is a good balance of description to flesh out both location and history. Characterisation is generally good, particularly between the two central characters. Secondary characters have some development, but this could have been more effectively done as pivotal characters lack clarity and motivation.

The plot is rich and there is much to keep the reader interested. Scene divides tend to be at chapter boundaries and so with a fast pace it can feel episodic at times.

The major limitation in the story is how tension is handled. There are a lot of situations where characters, particularly the hero, are placed at risk, but every time this is resolved very quickly. This heightens the episodic feel of the book and undermines the credibility of plot and empathy with the characters. If they spent a little more time digging themselves out of problems rather than jumping to the next exciting twist the story would have had more depth and interest.

The writing is very approachable and it is a very easy and interesting read. I would happily read more by this author and look forward to a more fully developed plot in subsequent books.

This was such a brilliant debut!!

The Silverblood promise is a murder mystery set in an epic fantasy world.
The characters are sarcastic, witty and morally grey. What’s not to love.

The city of Saphrona, in which most of the novel takes place, is one of the main characters in itself. As throughout the book you are taken to every corner of this city uncovering more of the pieces of the mystery.

I would definitely recommend if you were interested in reading an epic fantasy story which had the similar vibe to Abercrombie but lighter in tone.

I can’t wait to see where the story takes us in book two, and go to the city of Korslakov and see what Lukan, Flea and Ashra get up too!

I really liked The Silverblood Promise. After reading more than a few disappointing fantasy novels last year, this one actually felt like a breath of fresh air. It had me hooked from the beginning to the end.

The story focuses on Lukan, the disgraced heir to a noble house. After he finds out his father has been murdered, he is set on a journey to find out what happened, which leads him into a world of mystery and danger. He has to head to the city of Saphrona to look for someone called Zandrusa, which leads to a series of tests and adventures which were all very entertaining to read.

I really liked Lukan as a protagonist. He’s a likeable character and you really want him to succeed and I really liked Flea, a street urchin who ends up hanging out with Lukan after he catches her trying to pick his pocket. She is a wonderful mix of cheeky and vulnerable and she lights up every page she appears on.

There’s a lot of darkness in the book but also a lot of humour, which I very much enjoyed. It’s very adventurous with a lot of action happening on every page. It was such a fun read, I had so much fun with it from the first page to the last. Logan really manages to engage the reader with a compelling story and some really good world building.

I found The Silverblood Promise to be a very entertaining read. I enjoyed the story, the characters were all very compelling and the world was very well realised. It was an excellent beginning to the series and I look forward to seeing what happens next.

When Lukan Gardova learns of his estranged father’s murder he makes a silverblood promise, resolving to find the killer. A three-word clue written in his father’s own blood takes him to a foreign country where he discovers the woman who might be able to help him is incarcerated on false charges and due to be executed. That leads him deeper into mystery, mayhem and a dangerous underworld ruled by the Twice-Crowned King. He discovers a massive political plot which seems to be succeeding, but which, in all conscience, he can’t ignore. This feels like a book the author has thrown everything at to see if it sticks, and mostly it does. Lukan is a decent main character, driven by an incident in his past. There are some good supporting characters, notably Flea, the street urchin.

The characters in this fantasy story make for an extremely enjoyable read. They bring witty banter, and troubled backgrounds that add spice to this tale. Lukan Gardova, a gentleman once turned card shark and presently hiding from family and his past, receives news of his father’s death, along with a strange note. Making a promise, he sets out on a journey more intriguing and troubling than he could ever imagine. But a promise made, is a promise to keep even when the odds are not in favour of a betting man. Thank you to Quercus Books and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

I recently had the pleasure of delving into this book, and I am beyond impressed with the mesmerizing world that the author has crafted. From start to finish, the intricate plot weaves a tapestry of suspense, emotion, and unexpected twists that kept me eagerly turning the pages.

One of the standout features of this book is undoubtedly its characters. Each one is meticulously developed, breathing life into the narrative with their unique personalities, motivations, and flaws. The protagonists are not just names on paper; they are relatable, complex individuals with whom readers can form a genuine connection. The antagonist, too, is not a mere foil but a multi-dimensional force that adds depth to the story. The author's ability to create such well-rounded characters is a testament to their storytelling prowess.

The plot unfolds seamlessly, drawing the reader into a richly layered narrative that expertly balances tension, drama, and moments of poignant reflection. The pacing is impeccable, maintaining a perfect rhythm that keeps the reader engaged without sacrificing the depth of the story. The author skillfully navigates through various plot arcs, interweaving them with finesse to create a cohesive and satisfying whole.

What sets this book apart is its ability to tackle profound themes while maintaining an accessible and engaging narrative. The book seamlessly combines suspense and emotional depth, making it a truly immersive experience. The author's prose is both elegant and evocative, painting vivid imagery that lingers in the reader's mind long after the final page is turned.

As I reached the conclusion, I found myself yearning for more from this talented author. Their ability to craft a gripping plot and bring characters to life is truly commendable. I eagerly anticipate future works and would wholeheartedly recommend this book to any reader who appreciates a masterfully told tale. If you're searching for a book that seamlessly blends captivating characters with a compelling plot, this is a shining example. I can't wait to explore more literary worlds crafted by this exceptional storyteller.

Lies of Locke Lamora meets Uncharted?

What a brilliant book. If you enjoy books that Indiana Jones/Lies of Locke Lamora type of stories then this is for you. Utterly addictive with an incredible amount of twists and turns that will keep you hooked all the way to the end.

There is definitely an argument to be had that Logan relies a bit too much on plot armour. However, if you are willing to pick up this book with being overly critical then this can easily become one of your favourite reads in a while because the story is so addictive.

I can't wait for book 2!

4/5

It’s been a while since I read an ARC because of the pressure they can emit with their looming release dates and the rush to read it quickly to ensure your review is one of the first out. Fortunately I didn’t suffer from this as I got tied down with work halfway through so this took me longer than planned to read, but I have now finished this debut book from Orbit’s Senior Commissioning Editor, James Long (writing as James Logan).

The story begins with a young man called Lukan Gardova. Not on speaking terms with his father, and with his mother dead, he roams the land doing whatever he wants but doesn’t have any of the money or grandeur you might expect from a noble family since an earlier incident cost the family dearly.

Early in the story he is tracked down by his father’s retainer who advises that his father has been murdered but left a note for Lukan. This note sends Lukan on a mission across the sea in the hope of solving his father’s murder.

I decided to read this book for a couple of reasons. The fantastic cover art by Jeff Brown really caught my eye. It gives off a caped crusader vibe with two characters on the roof of a building overlooking a city. The other reason was that it sounded like a fun fantasy story written by someone who has a lot of experience knowing what works in this genre.

From the get go this book is constantly moving, constantly pushing you to be intrigued about what might come next, while delivering fun, relatable characters who all have an air of mystery to them. The pacing in this story is perfect and there wasn’t a time when I was reading it where there was something happening that wasn’t fun.

The characters are half of the story and they are well written. Unique in their own right and great when interacting with one another. There are heartfelt conversations, heated discussions and some genuinely smile-inducing banter between them. I felt that Lukan especially came alive off the pages with Flea a close second, although I think Flea really grew within this story and is my favourite.

I really liked the worldbuilding and think that James has done a good job of setting up a world that will only get more interesting as this series progresses. It has a hard magic system with the gleamers and some soft magic with the faceless but I expect this will get more fleshed out in the coming stories.

This plot driven story is a good one. It’s fun, simple enough to follow but also allows itself to be mysterious, keeping you guessing what will happen until the final chapters. I liked that it was kind of a murder mystery fantasy story but it was neither grimdark which I think some may be expecting. It skirts that middle ground that should resonate with all fantasy fans much like The Hobbit if only a little darker in places.

There are a couple of nods I noticed to Joe Abercrombie’s First Law that put a smile on my face and put me in that famous meme/gif of Leonardo DiCaprio. One of the characters has nine fingers and one of the chapters is called The Blade Itself. There are probably more but those are two that I spotted.

I think the political intrigue could have been built on further and the number of characters reduced then this could have been a tighter story. As it stands there are a handful of characters that grace the pages, and provide forward movement of the story but in the end we know very little about and so this either leaves us with unknown elements left for a later time (which is a possibility but doubtful given how this story ends) or pieces of the world that will never be explored. I hope it’s the former.

This is a fun story that will delight fantasy readers. It delivers some fun magic, devious villains and a murder mystery set against the backdrop of a large city full of hidden secrets you get to slowly uncover with Lukan, both as first time visitors. I hope the following stories really build on what James has began to build here because there is a really big opportunity for this to be an excellent epic fantasy trilogy.

THE SILVERBLOOD PROMISE: The introduction to a new badass hero and a tough-as-nails world.
Fantasy is all about worldbuilding, and this is what I love the most about it: how much skill goes into making a completely made-up world seem as legitimate as possible. From The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, to A Song of Ice and Fire, fantasy is all about the care with which a world and its inhabitants are wrought.
This exceptionally-written effort by James Logan is by no means an exception to the rule.
THE SILVERBLOOD PROMISE tells the story of Lukan Gardova, who is the gambling drunkard heir to an ancient noble house, who seeks to solve the mystery of his father's murder, having to go to Saphrona, a city of merchant princes, from the ranks of whom our badass rogue hero comes himself. Together with a feisty street rat known as Flea, Lukan encounters evil in both human and monstrous forms, and faces perils befitting the dark and gritty world Mr. Logan has crafted. I loved the character arc of Lukan throughout the novel, he is the type of person who rushes headfirst into danger at first, but grows more cool, calm and collected as the story progresses. I LOVED how the buildup to the Twice-Crowned-King, the villain of the piece, was conceived. And dark fantasy enthusiast will love it too.
This darkly humorous antihero's journey, reminiscent of The Last of Us, the pairing of Arya Stark and Sandor Clegane, and, of all things, Logan, the 2019 apparent swansong to the story of Wolverine is a hard-hitting, pulse-pounding epic that never lets up! Solid ten out of five! No hesitations recommending this one!

After a bit of a bumpy start, I was very eager to dive into 'The Silverblood Promise' - one of my most anticipated releases of the year. My expectations were quickly dampened by its clunky world building, which repeatedly happens through side characters, that keep telling the main character big chunks of info at once. Though the most annoying part for me was, how dense the main character was.
The book has a simple writing style, that makes it easy to fly through its 600 pages. And the author worked in some interesting plot ideas, that make the story entertaining. It also reminded me of the video game series 'Uncharted', because the plot consists of completing one level/mission after another.
On a side note, the arc didn't have a map, which would have been helpful.

“Sometimes you owed it to yourself to do what was necessary, not what was easy.”

When a duel ends badly for Lukan Gardova he goes from being the heir to a noble house to an academic failure and turns to a life of card gambling and drowning his sorrows in wine. Then when he discovers his father has been murdered, leaving him a note containing three words written in blood, it leads him on a journey away from seedy taverns to the Mother of Cities—Saphrona. As he enters a land of diverse cultures, merchant princes, deadly politics and even deadlier monsters, he seeks for answers but instead finds himself solving a puzzle which could very well prevent a war. He’s not alone though, through many dangers by his side is Flea, a young whip-smart street urchin. Together they make quite the duo.

The Silverblood Promise by James Logan is a superb debut filled to the brim with action, adventure and a murder mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Our Lukan is immediately charming in a roguish, naive kind of way. When he embarks upon solving his father’s murder it drives him to a city that’s both bewildering and breathtaking, he has to trust people who are more than a bit shady, and to put himself constantly in harm’s way. It quickly becomes apparent that he is out of his depth, though he may have spent several years estranged from his father, living life from one place to the next, full of anger and regret, his character still has an air of aristocracy and his tongue still gets the better of him causing him much strife. Logan cleverly sprinkles in Lukan’s inner thoughts throughout which are laced with sarcasm and wit creating a humorous side to his character. He is a skilled card player which makes him good at reading people, at playing them, Lukan’s also pretty handy with a blade, but despite this he’s still prone to things going horribly against him. Yet that's what makes his character so loveable— I mean who doesn’t love seeing how characters wriggle out of every mess they create? I was entertained by rooting for a character who was a bit of an idiot, but ultimately I was charmed by a protagonist who finds purpose and grows.

“Swans have an undeserved reputation for elegance, but really they're just moody bastards.'
'Bit like you, then.'
Flea dodged his halfhearted swipe at her head.
‘The only thing that's elegant about me,’ Lukan replied, ‘is my swordplay, and in that respect my reputation is well deserved’
‘Didn't do you much good last night, did it?' the girl asked, grinning at him.”

The book also has a strong cast of side characters, all of which are distinct, and for me this is a sign of a skilled author who can make even characters which appear briefly, extremely memorable. Yet there is one I know every reader will fall in love with—Flea is a young girl who survives by pickpocketing and in fact that is how she is introduced to Lukan. Flea and Lukan, at least in my opinion, share the best bantery dynamic, with Flea being Lukan’s guide turned sidekick. Who doesn’t love a good character duo? Flea may be just a child but as Lukan often observes, she’s a “smart one”, and life on the streets has left her more clued up than even he is. She rescues Lukan from more than a few scrapes and the way they tease each other brings just the right amount of mockery to keep me chuckling throughout. Another side character I was rather drawn to was The Scrivener, a master forger. Her character was the perfect amount of threatening but extremely useful to have on your side. Lukan may not have always been wise to deviate from The Scrivener’s orders, but damn those scenes were entertaining! Ashra was yet another standout character but the less you know about her, the better experience you’ll have.

“‘You think your vision for this city - this vision of might and conquest - is born of loyalty to Saphrona. Love, even. But it's not. It's born from fear, from a desperate need to reforge the world into a vision that you don't feel threatened by—’”

Our tale is set in Saphrona, the central city of commerce in the Old Empire and Logan does a fantastic job of vibrantly bringing it to life. From the market, taverna’s and gambling houses to the Ebon Hand prison and the Bone Pit, where barbaric executions were held, we explore the beautiful and the dark corners of this wondrous place. It’s a city that houses wealthy merchants, the Kindred criminal organisation and street urchins alike. It’s a place where anything can be bought at a price, a place where The Lady of Seven Shadows deals out justice and it bursts with a medley of culture and beliefs. It is a fitting place to hold a murder mystery and continuing with that mystery is the use of Phaeron relics. Here is where our magic system plays a part as each relic had magical properties and puzzle-like ways to use them, their inclusion gave vibes of Indiana Jones. There are also gleamers and The Faceless who use arcane powers, but discovering their abilities for yourself is immensely fun. Just know that Saphrona is a setting full of surprises which I loved exploring!

The Silverblood Promise deftly blends high fantasy and mystery together to deliver a tale which readers will eagerly devour. Logan perfectly balances humour, charm and intrigue to create a pure riot of a read. I can’t wait to see where the next book will lead us.

ARC provided by Ayo at Jo Fletcher Books in exchange for an honest review—thank you for the copy! All quotes used are taken from an early ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

The Silverblood Promise is one of those fantasy books that is already getting quite a bit of hype. Billed as Lamora meets Abercrombie with a dash of Nicholas Eames.

Well, does the book live up to its promise? Well, it does and it doesn’t!

Unfortunately, for me I thought it was a little unfair to put it in this cache of stories and those who are expecting a Lamora style heist novel, or an Abercrombie level of grimdarkness may possibly feel a little mislead.

However, taken on its own merits, this book is a cracking little book (again, that is misleading coz it ain’t small!). I think for me it bears little resemblance to anything I have read before, but if I was going to pull some comparison out of my head, I would say that the nearest thing to it would be M.J. Kuhn’s first book (which I loved!), or as I have seen Petrik Leo comment in his review, Foundryside. Which I can totally see!
The story centres around our main protagonist, Lukan Gardova, a disgraced nobleman’s son who after being estranged from his academically minded father following an incident in the Academy that he went to in his own town (I can’t exactly recall the name of where Lukan comes from as he moves around a lot following the incident).

He is subsequently tracked down by his father’s retainer, Shafia, who tells him that his father has been murdered and that he has left him a note scrawled in his own blood. The note contains three words; Lukan Saphrosa Zandrusa.
He can make out two of the words, but he has no clue what the final word means. Obviously, the first word is his name, the second refers to the southern city of Saphrosa, but he has no clue as to what the final word of the message may be.

In an effort to solve the mystery of his father’s untimely demise, Lukan sets sail for Saphrosa. There he will enlist the aid of the criminal underground, come into contact with mysterious ancient artefacts and also find himself in the midst of events that will change the course of his life.

The book comes out in April, and I must say that I really enjoyed this one, and I am sure that when it is released a lot more readers will too.
Initially, I was a little sceptical, and it took me a while to warm to the main character. However, when the story actually starts you can’t help but actually loving him. I mean there is something about the loveable rogue isn’t there and it is a trope that always has me coming back for more. More than that, this book has three of them.

There is the impish Flea. A child that has grown up stealing to make her living on the streets of Sarphona who becomes embroiled with Lukan when she attempts to steal from Lukan in the early pages of the book. And then there is the mysterious Ashra (I won’t say much about her as you can find out for yourself who she is)
One of the main things that I enjoyed in this book was the growing relationship between Lukan and the impetuous young girl Flea, who he takes under his wing, and I must say that the relationship and banter between the two is what makes this book so enjoyable. And then when Ashra joins the fray, it seems to elevate it that little bit more.
The story itself is a twisty, turny plot that becomes more surprising as the story goes on. Each time Lukan thinks he has solved one more piece of the puzzle that can lead him to solving the mystery of his father’s murder, ten more problems emerge, each proving more dangerous than the last.

The prose is slick and fast paced and once you actually get past the first chapter you find yourself mysteriously engrossed in Lukan’s plight and I simply could not put it down until I had finished. In addition to that, the story is peppered with copious amounts of humour, especially the banter between the characters.
Now to the fantasy elements of the book. There is magic in the book, but it is a soft system that moves the plot along when it is needed rather than being a hard magic system that is integrated into the world as a whole. In addition to that, I really liked the basis of the world. In particular, The Phaeron, a race of beings that were ambiguously described as a race of magical beings that had great technological advancements, or a race of other dimensional beings. I am sure that as we learn more of the world, this will become clearer.

The Silverblood Promise is an exciting new fantasy series from an exciting new voice in fantasy and I cannot wait to see where the next instalment will lead us.

Blown away. This was one of my most anticipated reads. I was not disappointed in the least. This has it all. Great characters, I particularly enjoyed Flea a lot. Great world building and lore. This was one fantastic adventure. I am most definitely looking forward to more from the author.