The Blackfire Blade

by James Logan ★★★★★

Like with previous reviews of books in a series, I will start with a warning:

If you have not yet read The Silverblood Promise, STOP READING THIS NOW! 

My review below is of its sequel, The Blackfire Blade, which will contain some mild spoilers for The Silverblood Promise, but not for this book. And if you've never heard of The Silverblood Promise, I highly recommend it! It's one of the better fantasy novels I have read this year, nestled right up next to Onyx Storm in my rankings.

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Lukan Gardova is still in search of answers and justice. After swearing a "silverblood promise" in the starter book of this series to "find his (father's) murderer and bring them to justice," Lukan is marginally closer to uncovering the answers he seeks, but only just. He was able to retrieve what his father left for him—a key to a private store in the vault of the Blackfire Bank in Korslakov, the "most secure vault in the Old Empire, if you believe the rumors"—but once again he has no idea what might await him when he arrives. Nevertheless, he sets out for a new city, this time accompanied by his new friends: Flea, the 11-year-old street urchin, and Ashra, a thief better known as Lady Midnight.

One thing that is positively brilliant with The Blackfire Blade: it begins with a mini chapter entitled "OUR STORY SO FAR...", in which author James Logan summarizes all of the significant events and characters that might be useful to remember while reading the sequel. Even though I'd recently finished The Silverblood Promise, it was still a helpful accelerator as I reacquainted myself with the characters and world that Logan had developed. I don't know why more books in series don't do this!

In the acknowledgements, Logan writes "The problem with writing a novel and declaring it to be the first in a series is that you then have to write another one...and if you're anything like me, you also have a voice in your head whispering, 'Hey, psst... what if your first book was a total fluke and you don't actually know what you're doing'" As a reader, there's some of the same curiosity and cautious hope. My hopes that Logan wasn't a one-trick pony were fully alleviated with The Blackfire Blade — it's at least as good as The Silverblood Promise, and there are moments that might be even better. While Logan builds on the characters and the world he established in first book, he also creates another complete city, with just as many (or more) creative features as he established in Saphrona in Book 1.

The story is compelling, and while a few small events may feel a bit contrived to propel the narrative forward, it's a ride you most certainly want to be on. Logan has a limitless supply of creativity and a talent for inventing adventurous scenarios that turn a full-length novel into a series of mini quests. He also mixes in city politics and class relationships, family dynamics, and multiple heist scenarios. I love, in particular, that author Scott Lynch provided a blurb for Book 1 ("A fast-paced carnival of setbacks and skullduggery that reminds me of... me!"), because I couldn't agree more. Logan's books are as close as I've come to finding something similar to Lynch's Locke Lamora books (which are excellent, by the way), and I love that I can finally scratch that Lynch itch that has been nagging for so long.

The Blackfire Blade is a worthy follow-up to The Silverblood Promise, and it lived up to any expectations that I had. It was wholly creative and entertaining, and I'm fully hooked and in for the rest of the series, as long as it goes. Bring on Book 3!