The Blackfire Blade (The Last Legacy #2) by James Logan

A controlled, less chaotic sequel that advances the game-like narrative significantly 

I am thankful to the author James Logan, Quercus Books, and NetGalley for my review copy of this most-awaited sequel to one of the most entertaining video-gamey books of 2024. The Blackfire Blade is a fantastic sequel that retains the charm and momentum of The Silverblood Promise while establishing a more controlled approach to the proceedings, reducing the chaotic quality of its predecessor.

“It was a simple course of action that made sense. But nothing was ever simple when Lukan was involved”

The Silverblood Promise was a fantastic, entertaining blockbuster of a novel and series starter that had a video-game feel to it, in both good and bad ways. It was good in the sense that it was damn entertaining all the way, while introducing newer interesting elements and characters all the way through. Its major flaw was also the same – it had so many side quests packed in that it threatened to derail the main quest to an extent. The Blackfire Blade hews to the structure of Silverblood Promise and does feature side-quests, but it also packs in enough movement on the main quest and meaningful character development to mark it as superior to its predecessor.

“Few things seemed to bother him as much as a good joke gone to waste”

The Blackfire Blade finds Lukan Gordova, Flea, and Ashra in the city of Korslakov, housing the famous Blackfire Bank that Lukan needs to access. Almost predictably, the keys to the vault are stolen by a mysterious thief called the Rook, and Lukan and his friends are thrown into the chaos, conflict, and politics of Korslakov, a city famous for its technological marvels and alchemical ingenuity. The city and its ruling classes house deep and dark secrets, and Lukan’s quest to recover the key drags him deep into Korslakov’s dark history and its dangerous secrets.

“Shouldn’t progress be measured, and reputations earned, through inventions that, you know, don’t murder people”

I had compared the previous book to a video game, and Lukan losing the key creates side quests that echo the same in this book as well. Again, the author does such a good job with the quests that the book remains as entertaining and zippy as its predecessor. There is not a dull moment as the narrative gets darker and ugly skeletons of Korslakov’s past come tumbling out. One of the major reasons for that is also the shift in landscape from the previous book to this. Saphrona, as a location in the previous book, had a lot of vibrancy and color to it. In contrast, Korslakov has a spooky, cold, windy, and horror-tinged vibe to it, and this adds to the depth of the story. With all of its clever inventions and architectural spires dotting it, the city adds its own heft to the story and is an invisible character that drives the narrative. The presence of a hidden past of wonders and powerful secrets that the nobles of the city covet adds to the politicking that is a feature of this city.

“He knew all too well how grief could hollow you out, and he was starting to suspect it was something that never left you, but which you had to learn to live with”

It’s truly in the character work that this book shines. Lukan is as inept and charming as ever, trying to solve problems that he is responsible for creating and getting out of situations that he inevitably stumbles into. Lukan is also resourceful and quick-witted, which means more often than not, he finds a way out of the mess with varying degrees of success. His temperamental nature also gets the best of him, needing others to provide that calming support and perspective that he sorely lacks. He almost needs to be mothered lest his impetuousness gets the better of him and which is kind of where the book allows for significant growth for him. He is forced to take stock of himself and why he finds himself in such situations, and a part of his growth in this book is with Lukan taking responsibility for himself and his friends. That plays across rather well, especially towards the end of the book. One of the minor gripes that I had with Silverblood Promise was how Lukan seemed not to have much agency, and this book addresses those concerns.

“They used to build statues to emperors. Now they build them to bankers. We swapped one kind of tyranny for another”

The found family dynamic is rather well done. Flea, as always, is a fantastic and fun character, a survivor who now learns to lean heavily on her newfound flawed “family”, bringing about newer emotions (not all positive) while Ashra is now trying to find her place in this world, given the incidents back in Saphora, and frequently is at loggerheads with Lukan. The overall dynamic between the three is rather fun, and the conversation is often zippy between them.

“Was it possible to go rogue when you were already a rogue to begin with?”

While structured as a blockbustery entertainer, the book still isn’t afraid to go dark and creepy, and there is a particular sequence (another quest) in the book that is skin-crawlingly creepy and morbid and in line with the atmosphere that Korsalakov projects. Fret not, the author reverts to the blockbustery entertainment that we all seek in the ending portion of the book with a fantastic setpiece routine that packs in a lot of entertaining moments, even amongst all the threat and action.

“Dying was bad enough. Dying without answers – with unfinished business – was even worse”

The Silverblood Promise was a fabulously energetic thriller that had a significant amount of chaotic energy swirling through it, making it an unpredictable read. James Logan cuts back on some of that chaos and delivers a controlled sequel in The Blackfire Blade. Not that there aren’t chaotic moments, but there is a great degree of the author’s control and skill on display here, making this a smoother read without skimping on the fun and entertainment. All of which applies to the ending of the book as well. Keeping in mind the video game comparison, there is yet another clue and mission, but this time it’s geared more towards providing answers and pointing towards the scale and scope this series is aiming for. Lukan gets some answers, a degree of closure, and a new main mission in an emotional ending to the book, and I liked how the author was able to infuse those in a book that zips and quips around for most parts.

“So you didn’t get in the vault? No, turns out it was guarded by a dragon that breathes bureaucracy instead of flames”

James Logan builds on the fabulously entertaining Silverblood Promise with a worthy sequel in The Blackfire Blade. A sequel that leans on the adventurous strength of its predecessor while not being afraid to go dark and emotional as needed. The Blackfire Blade replaces some of the chaotic energy of The Silverblood Promise to craft a controlled novel that provides for character growth while providing a fresh direction on the overall mission of Lukan’s journey. I had a lot of fun with this book and the series, and I wait with bated breath for its sequel.

Rating – 4.5 Golems on 5

PS: Some of Jeff Brown’s artworks of this series are now online, and they are absolutely outstandin,g including the fabulous cover for this book.

The Blackfire Blade is due for publication November 6th – you can pre-order your copy on Bookshop.org