3.5
The Silverblood Promise is an entertaining start to a series with some intriguing twists that I was genuinely wowed by how they were revealed, an intriguing world that I felt grounded in and wanted to continue exploring ,and compelling characters to follow. However, I think that some of the secondary characters could have been fleshed out a little more to strengthen their motivations and role in the story. In addition, the story didn’t always engage me, and as this was an audiobook, for me, it was easy to lose focus and track of parts of the story. Despite that, the pacing was well done, and the narrator was good and brought a fun and engaging cadence.

This one took me a couple of goes to get through as I wasn't in the right mood for it but once I hit the 20% mark, I binged the rest of the book in a day!
.lthe magic system was super interesting and I absolutely cannot wait to see where the next book takes us!

Fantastic fantasy adventure with great world building, intriguing lore and well developed characters. I enjoyed the fact that the MC was clearly out of his depth for most of the book. Flea was a great supporting character too. In addition, the mystery at the heart of the book was subtle and twisty. Overall a great start to a new series. Can't wait to see where these characters go next.

James Logan’s The Silverblood Promise delivers a thrilling fantasy adventure packed with intense action, intriguing lore, and characters that feel vivid and relatable. The audiobook version brings the story to life, enhancing the immersive experience with high-quality narration that adds a layer of depth to an already compelling narrative.

One of the book’s strengths is its complex characters. The protagonist’s personal growth and the intricate relationships with other characters add depth to the narrative. Logan’s writing style is both engaging and immersive, making it easy for readers to become invested in the characters’ fates and the unfolding plot.

The plot is well-paced, with a balance of action, suspense, and moments of introspection. The promise of the title plays a significant role in the story, adding layers of mystery and anticipation as the protagonist uncovers the truth behind it. Logan’s ability to weave together various storylines and maintain suspense throughout is impressive.

For fans of fantasy looking for an audiobook that combines excellent storytelling with stellar narration, The Silverblood Promise is a solid choice. The production value of the audiobook amplifies the drama and excitement of Logan’s world, making it an enjoyable experience for both long-time fantasy enthusiasts and newcomers to the genre.

Thank you, NetGalley for an advanced ARC and ALC of this book

I was intrigued by this book because of the cover and its fantasy but this book was so good that I loved every moment of it, the main character was so interesting to me and I thought that there was also very good world-building & I loved the little girl called flea she was adorable and a cheeky little madam and her character made me smile so much. Also, the connection formed between the main character and she is sweet to see, I am so excited to see how this continues in the next instalment of this series ( I cannot say too much or I give the story away but this is so so worth the read ).

The Narration was done beautifully and helped with the engagement in listening to this book

Something I absolutely adore about this is that our protagonist, is completely out of his depth and honestly a bit useless. Its an amazing adventure with the supporting characters actually taking the lime light, and rightfully so. I honestly wish we could get a story for Fleas point of view ( I am never going to shut up about how amazing flea is )

A disgraced lords son, haunted by the mistakes of his past, follows his fathers dying wish to the vibrant city of Saphrona - and he finds way more than he bargains for.

I enjoyed this fantasy story a lot.
It has some great characters, especially Flea.
The world of Saphrona is very interesting and well thought out.

As much as I wanted to love this book, in the end I have to say, I liked it, but did not love it.

The reason for this is possibly that we spend all the time within the male main characters point of view and at times, being confined to this young man's mulling over and over can become grating.

What I loved was the city I got to discover and the foes, flora and fauna that all can pose their own risks and then this ragtag team that comes together over the page that is truly amazing.

What I also found very well done is the pacing, as we go from heist to heist, the pacing is always perfect, and always picks up some more speed, some more threat and it delivers, none of the heists are repetitions.

What intrigued is the fact that this young man as he starts to make his way in the world finds himself again and again up against female power holders.

The verdict on this topic is outstanding as it depends on where the author goes in the next book of the trilogy.

The narration is very well done and a joy to listen to.

The story takes you on a wild ride that keeps building and changing so you never really know what to expect and you figure it out bit by bit along with the protagonist. Cheeky at times and lucky at other times as well but at the end it was a very entertaining book. I cant believe that he is a debut author by seeing his quality writing and world building.

Regarding the audiobook, the production quality was very good and the author did a fantastic job in this book. Waiting for my next credit to arrive to buy this book in audio as well.

This was exactly what I needed at this moment. Logan has a lot of potential of being an author I really adore and this book did a lot to set up a fun and interesting fantasy world. What I'd describe as a perfect 4 star book for me, the only reason its not higher is due to it not emotionally engaging me, it was fun and i like the characters but I never felt anything, which is the thing that earns it a covetted 5 star.
But I will be reading book 2 the minute its released because this was a lot of fun. Its also one of those books Im gonna recommend to lots and lots of people, who I know will adore it.

Thanks a lot for Netgalley and publisher for this advanced copy.

First thing first, The narrator did such a great job. His voice suit the main character perfectly. However, I didn't really enjoy the story of the book.. It could be more interesting since the worldbuilding was a top notch!

This is a well written and fun read that I thoroughly enjoyed. The story takes you on a wild ride that keeps building and changing so you never really know what to expect and you figure it out bit by bit along with the protagonist. It’s got a cheeky protagonist, lovable sidekick, and interesting plot/heist and it promises more to come in the second instalment. Definitely loved this!

I enjoyed the voice and tone of the narrator, he does a great job in portraying the protagonist.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus Audio for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly thanks to Quercus publishing for the review copy. This is a debut novel by the author James Logan, and the first book in the Last Legacy series. The story focuses on Lukan a disgraced heir to a noble house. We learn the reasons as to why he is just rambling around without any great purpose, and then the novel really takes off with the discovery that his estranged father has been murdered and a cryptic note is found in his clenched fist. We then follow Lukan on a world wind crusade to find the meaning of this note, along the way picking up a companion called Flea, where we see a bond grow with much humour along the way.

I enjoyed the story very much, the characters were great and the world building superb. I found myself thinking about the story constantly and loving being immersed in the world. An excellent beginning to what I hope is a terrific series. Cannot wait for it to continue

This was a nice audiobook to while away the time during my commute. The characters were all a bit generic, but the story was told well. I stayed interested throughout the book. Narrator o’Connor did a good job telling the story without being distracting.

My only gripe is the bit of preachiness at the end. Overall Author James Logan has created a “who done it” with a healthy dose of skullduggery that keeps the readers attention. My thanks to Quercus Audio via Netgalley.

ARC Rating 5/5 ⭐️ (audiobook)

This was a really enjoyable high fantasy that was fast-paced and full of interest and tension.

The story follows, who vows to unravel the mystery behind his estranged father's death.

I really enjoyed this book, and and felt the world building and the characters were well written. This has such great twists, which just kept me guessing and interested!

Overall, this was a really good read, and I would definitely read any future books by this author.

Thank you, NetGalley, Quercus Audio, and James Logan for sending this audioARC for review. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book, it was a lot of fun. Lucan, the MC, is trying to solve the mystery of his father's death and has to use a small clue left by his father to unravel what happened. He ends up meeting a whole host of characters in the cities' underground and otherwise, some of whom become allies and many who become obstacles as he realizes the conspiracy goes deeper than he initially expected.

The heart of the novel is his relationship with Flea, a preteen street urchin who Lucan has a fantastic relationship with, their banter is really funny and at times heartwarming. The worldbuilding felt reminiscent of Scott Lynch in how it builds out the entire city and the political and underworld spheres, and I think it lays very interesting groundwork for further entries in the series.

My one drawback would be sometimes there was just a bit too much "go there, get this, to give to someone, who will give another clue" going on. I enjoyed each individual "side quest" and was never bored, but there were times where I would briefly forget why he was doing X, and how that related to the overall goal.

I think if you enjoy the comp authors of Scott Lynch, Joe Abercrombie, and/or Sebastian De Castell, you will probably enjoy this, but be aware that Logan's style is still his own. The audiobook done by the actor who played Olly on GoT was really well done!

8.5/10

If you like the lies of Locke lamora this is the book for you!

Immediately we’re thrust into a dark world. It felt expansive and a place I’d like to visit but also not

Characters were well constructed. I did find that lukan wouldn’t have worked well as a character without Flea(hands down the best character ever!) later on we get introduced to another POV whom I loved.
Lukan and fleas relationship stole the show. Perfect father daughter banter. Similar to Arya and the hound but better.

I love the conflict of the world. The mystery and how dark it turns out really drew me in. I was here for the ride and it didn’t disappoint !

The creatures of the world were amazing! I loved them as well be being slightly terrified at the same time.

The prose was simple but it worked well for the world. A well crafted story overall.

I listened to this via audio and loved the narration.

One I highly recommend

4.25

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this one while reaching the 40% mark. There is a lot of repetition and so many conversations between the characters, a lot of info dumping, the plot is explained all the time and the interior voice of the main character is starting to sound annoying.

But in the end, my biggest issue with the book is that it’s boring. I need some action, some fantasy vibes, more world building. Maybe I’ll give it another chance when book 2 is out, but who knows.

I’ll rate it 2 stars because it was just “meh” for me so far.

J'ai eu la chance de découvrir en avant première ce premier roman de James Logan et c'est un euphémisme de dire que je l'attendais celui ci, car depuis son annonce de sortie en auto-publié avec cette sublime cover, je n'avais qu'une hâte, le lire. Il aura fallu attendre que Torbooks se positionne dessus et le voici.
The Silverblood Promise suit les aventures de Lukan Gardova, un personnage dans la même veine qu'un Loch Lamora. On a souvent dit d'ailleurs que ce roman ressemble beaucoup aux "Mensonges de Loch Lamora" mais ce n'est pas forcément mon avis. N'est pas Scott Lynch qui veut et bien que j'ai passé un bon moment dans ma lecture, pour moi, c'était du "déjà vu".

Wow, the building hype surrounding this debut book is so correct. I flew through the audiobook and couldnt stop myself from reading even when I was struggling to stay awake on a late night flight.

The setting has our main character, disgraced from his family in a city on the other side of the world. He is bitter, and effortlessly capable from page one throughout the entire book. I was surprised how much I liked Lukan as normally this type of male fantasy protagonist can lean incel or overpowered no flaw self insert. Lukan has a rocky start when he focuses on the looks of the women he meets at the start of the book, but it stops after two incidents and he settles more into a balanced character from that point onwards.

The plot follows Lukan as he has to uncover a mystery sent to him from his family, and as he navigates the local politics of the foreign city he visits to do so. We end up focussing a lot more on the plot that is incited by the city politics than his mystery, but I enjoyed both plots so I had a good time. The characters were larger than life caricatures who were memorable and wormed their way quickly into my heart.

I've rounded down from a lack of depth or complexity. I could have benefitted from more work to make the characters feel more real, and less like caricatures. This would have elevated the book to a five start read.