I’ve been hearing a lot about this book, both from social media and a friend who got the e-arc. And I must say that an unwarranted comparison kind of influenced my experience with it, I still enjoyed it very much.

First of all, the narrators voice fit the story perfectly and corresponded quite well with the story and I’ll look forward to listening to more books with this narrator.

Onto the story itself, I very much enjoyed my time even though I might have looked at it more critical than I would have otherwise had the comparison not been made. But I enjoyed the adventure itself and the writing style was perfect for an epic fantasy that reminds me of some of my favorites.

I did in fact have a few issues with the plot and more specifically the stakes. Only after I passed the 50% mark did the stakes actually get a bit higher and we actually get reasons besides mhm yes the dads murder he doesn’t even really have a relationship with and was very unclear in his last “will”. There just wasn’t a lot of motive for the main character to insist so much . Like in the scene with the torture game the stakes weren’t high enough in my opinion for him to continue so long or frankly to even start. There wasn’t any assurance at all that anything he did would lead to the answers he sought.

Another issue I had was the villains. They were half awesome with the whole faceless thing but then they seemed rushed in the sense of yes. Villain= bad people and bad people =meanies. They weren’t complex enough for the story. The actions they took were but the reason behind it was pretty pathetic mostly bc they were literally like “Hahaha now we will never be forced to give money to the poor again” which was kind of…eh. The execution was for the rest good though.


And the end. Everyone just accepts the black oval? It would be cool if there was like a myth about it beforehand or it to be something commonly used. Everyone just believing a mysterious alien object speaks the truth and only the truth seems kinda weird to me. But at least they had that one survived dude to cooperate the story.

Overal I had a fun time and the adventure was nice.

Brenock O’Connor really captures the voices of Lukan and Flea well and it is a really enjoyable listen even when sped up. I would listen to future audiobooks by O’Connor and I think his narration really suits the fantasy/big old adventure genre.

Lukan finds himself amid chaos after discovering his father has been murdered and he left a final note for him, written in his own blood, Using the clues from the note he finds himself travelling to unravel the mysteries surrounding his fathers death. He employs an eleven year old street urchin and their relationship was one of the best parts of the story. There is magic, terrifying beasts and creatures, deadly assassins, elusive thieves . and Lukan plotting terribly. 'The plan stank worse than a week old corpse.'

'I suppose evil is at its most powerful when it wears a smile and smells of rosewater.'

This debut was so much fun! I loved every part of it and was hooked with the story from the beginning to the end. It was relentless in action, mystery and sarcasm throughout. I look forward to book two and travelling to Korslakov!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this in advance in exchange for an honest review.

Ya lo dije en su momento, hay cubiertas que captan tu atención de una manera inmediata y The Silverblood Promise tiene una de esas, obra de Jeff Brown.


La primera novela de James Logan es una fantasía bastante convencional en cuanto a su premisa, con un antihéroe que en contra de lo que le aconsejan sus instintos de supervivencia indaga en la misteriosa herencia que le legó su padre. Lukan Gardova es una personaje muy atractivo, con un pasado oscuro, un presente comprometido y un futuro desolador, con una personalidad arrolladora y muy bien arropado por los personajes secundarios que Logan pone a su servicio. Además la premisa de investigación en torno a la que gira toda la narración consigue mantener el suspense y la intriga durante todas las páginas del libros, que no son pocas. Si además a todo esto añadimos la llamativa narración del audiolibro a cargo de Brenock O’Connor, aunque un tanto cortante, nos encontramos sin duda ante uno de los debuts del año.

La pareja o trío protagonista tiene una química envidiable, con una relación que comienza de la nada pero que a base de pullas y diálogos se va cimentando de una forma muy creíble e incluso entrañable. Por supuesto, el trabajo de construcción de mundo es bastante completo como el cualquier fantasía que se precie, pero cabe destacar que Logan muestra tan solo una parte de lo que ha creado, porque está clarísimo que se ha dejado muchas cosas para la siguientes entregas, que leeré (o me leerán, ¡vivan los audiolibros!) en cuanto me sea posible.

¿He dicho que hay pruebas de fe sobre objetos arqueológicos mágicos? Ese toque a lo Indiana Jones tampoco te creas que le sienta mal a la novela.

The Silverblood Promise tiene recorridos por los bajos fondos y tiene magia, tiene lucha de clases y contrabando, tiene extraños seres con poderes incomprensibles y objetivos incognoscibles, tiene humor y ternura… todo mezclado de una manera que resulta muy agradable disfrutar de su lectura. Yo no dejaría pasar la oportunidad.

Undoubtedly one of the best narrations I’ve heard in a long time! This book is excellent and the narrator does an excellent job of bringing everything to life.

Lucan’s life changed when he accepted a duel that ended badly leading him to leave his privileged life behind. His father is murdered and leaves a message for Lucan written in his own blood. This sets Lucan on a quest to Saphrona, a city of merchant princes. Here he will find danger and adventure but will he find the truth behind his father’s murder?

Excellently written novel and well narrated ( I listened to the audiobook). Great strong characters with unique personalities and backgrounds, that gel together. Lots of action, fighting, danger, magic and new friendships. A very good start to the series.

The Silverblood Promise is the first book in The Last Legacy series by James Logan. Lukan Gardova is a disgraced heir to a noble house, estranged from his father and kicked out of his academy for a duel that ended badly. He now spends his days gambling and drinking gin, but finds purpose again when he discovers that his father has been murdered in very odd circumstances. His search for answers take him to Saphrona, the dangerous city of merchant princes and secrets.

I was drawn to this book based on the blurb and the fact that the book was recommended for fans of James Islington. I'm currently halfway through the audiobook of The Will of The Many by James Islington, and I knew instantly that it was going to be a 5 star read. So when I saw the comparison to James Islington in the ALC's book description, I was really excited for this. And I had that same feeling when I started this audiobook - I just knew that I was going to love it, and be completely drawn into the world and the characters. That feeling never went away as I listened for 17 hours. The plot takes poor Lukan from one unfortunate situation to another, and his smart mouth and reckless attitude doesn't help him much either, although he does always manage to slip out of a situation unscathed. The book wastes no time getting into the action, and a lot happens in this book. It's fast-paced but also perfectly paced - there's definitely no filler here, but you get proper time with the characters Lukan meets along the way.

Speaking of characters, the relationship between Lukan and Flea is definitely a highlight. Flea is the young street thief that Lukan meets very early on in the book, when he first arrives in Saphrona. Their sibling-like behaviour and eleven year old Flea's ability to repeatedly save Lukan from dire situations was both sweet and funny. Lukan meets a large variety of characters during this first book, and the narrator of the audiobook uses a lot of different accents and intonations to differentiate all of the characters. I really enjoyed the audiobook format!

The author does a really good job of building up the lore of this world gradually, rather than lore dumping at the start of the book. The magical elements build up too as the plot unfolds, and are likely to play a bigger part in future books in the series. It is a really strong fantasy book, focused on both plot and characters and the ending is a powerful lead-in to the sequel.

Disclaimer: I received an ALC from NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.

The Silverblood Promise
The Last Legacy Book 1
by James Logan

Narrated by Brenock O’Connor

Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Sci Fi & Fantasy
Format: audiobook 🎧
Publication date: 25th April 2024

🌟: 3.5/5

Well written, I was interested straight away, the middle felt a bit sluggish but then I was happy with the ending and want to know what happens next.

I went into this expecting more of a fantasy and don’t get me wrong it’s obviously a fantasy book but It felt like the plot centred around murder mystery more than anything else. This isn’t a problem if the books represented that way it just wasn’t what I expected from the blurb.

I wanted more of the world building and expansion on fantasy elements that were there but didn’t come to more than a mention. The magic system was interesting and very much around sorcery

Lukan is a fun character but it does seem he has to be exceedingly lucky to still be with us at this point, his humour was hit and miss at times but overall he’s a likeable main character and there are some amusing pieces of dialogue. Flea is my favourite though, she’s a great little supporting character. Some of the other characters in the book fell a little flat for me and could have done with more fleshing out.

It is very reminiscent of Scott Lynch and can be quite similar at times, overall I would probably read the next one but would like to see it go in a different direction.

“You have to stand up for yourself, you understand? You can’t let someone have their way just because they were born into wealth and privilege. That doesn’t make them better than you.”

The Silverblood Promise by James Logan did not disappoint. This has been a highly anticipated novel and I was ecstatic about the mystery adventure that kept unfolding with every turn of the page.

Logan has created such strong personalities that are unique to each character and the relationships were a highlight. Lukan - our charming rogue who is trying to solve his father’s murder - is thrust into constant harm. Handy in a fight and loose with his lips, Logan had me rooting for him every step of the way. Flea was a favourite. A young pickpocket who introduces herself to Lukan and tests him with her foul-mouth and tongue-in-cheek arrogance. There are other standout characters throughout that everyone will enjoy.

This novel was grounded but filled with such great detail in its world building. Logan describes areas like markets and inns brilliantly that makes you feel a part of the hustle and bust. The different cultures and beliefs show us the vast landscape but it’s the lore that slowly unravels that is a substantial positive. The magic system is subtle but a puzzle to be solved and the way that Logan handled the heists with the magic had this become a blockbuster novel.

The plot itself reeks of a familiar heist however this unravels into something so much more. The more I uncovered, the more I wanted to keep reading and this really set the bar for debut fantasy. I’m so invested in this series and cannot wait for the rest of the series.

The Silverblood Promise is a tale of mystery and relationships that I devoured. This is a series to watch and Logan should be on everyone’s radar.

Lukan is expelled from the Academy after killing a fellow student in a duel. He lives his life constantly on the run, estranged from his rich yet reclusive father who’s obsessed with dead civilisations and demons out of children's stories.
Then, his family’s steward tracks him down to inform him his father has been murdered and was found with a final note scrawled in his blood: Lukan Saphrona Zandrusa. His name, the name of a southern city, and someone or something. He swears a silverblood promise to find out the meaning of his father’s death and deliver justice.

Logan possesses a dry humour and a talent for a good turn of phrase, making this a delightful book with strong characters you can’t help but root for.
I have to mention Flea especially, the young street urchin who first tried to rob Lukan on his arrival in the city but soon becomes his companion and shadow. A skinny eleven year old with a sharp knife and sharper tongue. She’s an utter delight, constantly chatty, unwilling to stay behind, and a protege who grows on Lukan.

“If you're serious-“
“I'm deadly serious."
“Deadly stupid, more like,” Flea muttered.
“The difference between the two is merely a matter of perspective.”

The descriptions are utterly engrossing and paints such a vivid picture whilst never losing that wit that keeps you entertained. This is where seasoned fantasy readers can really feel the love of the genre as Logan makes you feel at home in a city with a clear divide between rich and poor, corrupt officials, a tower in the middle of the sea holding prisoners, deadly entertainments, a criminal underbelly, and a city that is run on gold.

”You have to stand up for yourself, you understand? You can't let someone have their way just because they were born into wealth and privilege. That doesn't make them better than you.”

Despite Lukan not having magic himself, there is an intriguing magic system which seems will play an important role in the rest of the series. There exist individuals who can perform sorcery known as gleamers who channel raw power from beyond the veil of the world.

Don’t go in expecting to find a wrapped up story in this, indeed the mystery only gets deeper by the end!

This is an extremely compelling, impressive debut and I am gutted I read this so early because now I have to wait even longer for the next book!

I would recommend this to fans of the city-life and themes in The Lies of Locke Lamora, the politics and council families of Mistborn, the character of Kvothe from the Name of the Wind.

Thank you to Quercus Books for providing me an arc in exchange for a review!