The Silverblood Promise by James Logan : Review

Lukan Gardova is a cardsharp, academy dropout, and―thanks to a duel that ended badly―the disgraced heir to an ancient noble house. His days consist of cheap wine, rigged card games, and wondering how he might win back the life he threw away.

When Lukan discovers that his estranged father has been murdered in strange circumstances, he finds fresh purpose. Deprived of his chance to make amends for his mistakes, he vows to unravel the mystery behind his father’s death.

His search for answers leads him to Saphrona, fabled city of merchant princes, where anything can be bought if one has the coin. Lukan only seeks the truth, but instead he finds danger and secrets in every shadow.

For in Saphrona, everything has a price―and the price of truth is the deadliest of all.

I can’t properly describe how exciting I find it discover the debut novel of a fresh new voice in fantasy. Right from the start The Silverblood Promise by James Logan throws you into a story of intrigue and adventer, all wrapped in the compelling  narrative of Lukan Gardova’s turbulent life. As debut novels go I find this one  to be most exellent as it delivers a complex world filled with deceipt, danger, and depth which is an impresive feat for any author, let alone a new one. I made the mistake I always seem to do when I started this book by waiting to read a few chapters before bed so that I could get a feel for it, only to end up till 6am finishing the damned  book. Who needs sleep when you have to know  whats going  to happen next?

One of the things that really impressed me with The Silverblood Promise is how good the worldbuilding is. James Logan does an exellent job really bringing the setting  to life and painting a vivid picture of Saphrona as a bustling hub of trade and intrigue. The city with its richly detailed environments andd people almost feels like another character in the story. While the protagonist Lukan Gardova is portrayed with depth and realism, making his struggles and emotions over the course of the book relatable. Each of the supporting charater seem just  as well-crafted, each with distinct personalities that help enrich the story. With such fantastic world and great characters its no wonder I was sucked into the story so completely.

All in all, I think I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed The Silverblood Promis from beggining to end. The engaging and fast-pced plot as well as all of its well-developed characters made it almost impossible to put down and thats an obvious sign of a great book. The only downside to reading this book is the fact that since James Logan is a new author I have no other books of his to read and probably have to wait at least another year for the sequel to the Silverblood Promise. Though one thing I am going to do soon is get the book as an audiobook so I can experience its story again in a new medium.

I would highly recommend The Silverblood Promise to ayone who enjoys fantasy novels that blend intrgue, rich setting, as well as dynamic and believable characters.

I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.