The Silverblood Promise

What initially made me want to read James Logan's debut was the fact that the press release claimed that it was a must-read for fans of Joe Abercrombie, Nicholas Eames, and Scott Lynch. Considering that both Abercrombie and Lynch figure among my favorite SFF writers, how could I not give this book a shot?

As a matter of course, press releases have a way of exaggerating and are seldom accurate. Much to my chagrin, though it is an entertaining read, The Silverblood Promise has nothing to do with the First Law and its sequels, nor is it even remotely similar to the Gentlemen Bastards series. Indeed, the novel lacks the depth that characterize both Abercrombie and Lynch. It is akin to Eames' works, though. Which means that it's a fast-paced and fun read, but it offers very little in terms of substance.

In the end, The Silverblood Promise is much like a summer blockbuster movie. Lots of action, lots of one-liners and pseudo-witty dialogue, plotlines that don't always make sense, over-the-top situations that the protagonists must somehow go through. All in all, it was a nice vacation read for me. Which is a good thing. Problem is, like most Hollywood blockbusters, it's also a totally forgettable tale.

Here's the blurb:

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.

What I liked the most about Logan's debut is the fact that it's an old school heroic fantasy story. As I mentioned, it has nothing to do with Abercrombie or Lynch's works other than its snarky and contemporary tone. The Silverblood Promise reads more like the fantasy books from the 80s and 90s. So for me, it was a welcome throwback to the SFF novels I enjoyed throughout my teenage years. Alas, I'm no longer that young chap and my older self couldn't get into this debut as much as I wanted to. Younger readers will likely get a bigger kick out of this one than more mature and discerning fans will. So your mileage may vary.

The premise is a trope that we've seen a thousand times before and I was hoping that James Logan had a few cards up his sleeve that would pull the rug from underneath his readers' feet. Unfortunately, though there are a few surprises here and there, The Silverblood Promise is a fairly generic fantasy offering.

If, like me, you enjoy wit and humor, then you'll get more than your share in this novel. Trouble is, Logan tries to outdo himself in every single paragraph, it seems, and at some point it just becomes unbearable. At times, it feels as though he's a comedian trying to hit a punchline with every sentence. Witty dialogue full of black humor is all well and good, but when it's overdone the way it is in The Silverblood Promise, it loses its efficacy.

The characterization is particularly well-done, even if Logan tries way too hard to be witty all the time. It makes it hard to root for Lukan, or feel for him for that matter. He's a likeable dumbass who has a knack to turn everything he touches to shit. It makes for some fun times, no doubt about it, yet it also makes it impossible to take him and his plight seriously. As a result, the scenes the author wanted to make emotional or poignant are failures to launch and that hurts the story at times when it should have elevated it. Flea could well be the most interesting and endearing sidekick we've seen in years and here's to hoping that James Logan will find a way to keep her that way. Ashra needed more fleshing out to fully come into her own, I felt, but she was a nice addition that worked well overall. The supporting cast could have used a bit of work, especially the bad guys at every juncture of the novel. One thing I found a bit jarring was the switch of perspectives quite late in the story. After reading Lukan's POV for so long, it felt weird to suddenly see events unfold through the eyes of someone else. A better balance of points of view might have made for a better reading experience.

Like most summer blockbusters, The Silverblood Promise is about as realistic as a flick from The Fast and the Furious franchise. Expect unbelievable and far-fetched situations to arise in basically every chapter. Out of the fire and into the frying pan is essentially what this debut is about for the poor fool Lukan. So if you're into beating impossible odds, gallows humor, and a good-for-nothing scoundrel with a sentimental streak who never quite learns from his mistakes, you might get a lot more out of this one than I did.

Though it's an action-packed novel, there are pacing issues throughout Logan's debut. It's a lot longer than it needs to be, that's for sure. And while some sequences are fast-paced, other scenes slow to a crawl and you wonder if they only exist for Lukan to mouth off again, or go into yet another supposedly witty inner monologue.

As I said, as a vacation read The Silverblood Promise ultimately worked for me. As with blockbusters, it's just a question of finding a way to turn off your brain, buckle up for the ride, and enjoy the show. If you can do that, chances are you'll end up enjoying this novel despite its flagrant flaws. If not, well. . .

I have a feeling that as a teenager I would have been all over this book. As an older guy who's been reviewing SFF works for nearly twenty years, heroic fantasy adventure tales are no longer my cup of tea. Still, if you are looking for a light and entertaining read to bring to the beach on vacation this summer, The Silverblood Promise might be exactly what you need.

The final verdict: 6.5/10

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