Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Debuts of 2024

On January 21, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn List13 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic for this week involved listing the 10 latest additions to your bookshelf, which while interesting, is something I’ll probably be covering in my next book haul post. Instead, for this week I am going to continue listing some of my favourite books of 2024 (make sure to check out my previous lists that highlighted my favourite sequels, audiobooks, pre-2024 novels, new-to-me-authors in 2024 and overall favourite books of 2024), by examining my favourite debuts released in 2024.

2024 was an awesome year for debuts as there were an excellent array of new authors releasing some impressive and entertaining first novels. I always love checking out new authors when they produce their first book or dive into a whole new genre, and I was blown away with some of the debut talent on display this year. As such, I am glad that I can highlight some of the absolute best of these releases in this Top Ten list.

To be eligible for this list, the book had to be a 2024 release that was either the author’s first novel ever, or a novel that was substantially different from an author’s previous work (their debut in the genre). I ended up reading quite a few good debuts in 2024, which allowed me to pull together a full list of 10 books, as well as a couple of honourable mentions. I am pretty happy with the results, and I feel that this list captures my favourite debuts of the year and highlights them accordingly. So, let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead by Jenny Hollander

A moving novel about guilt and secrets, as a damaged protagonist is confronted by a dark incident from her past.

Hollywood Hustle by Jon Lindstrom

An exciting, fast-paced thriller from actor Jon Lindstrom that was fun to check out.

Top Ten List:

Warhammer 40,000: Renegades: Lord of Excess by Rich McCormick

The first book I want to highlight is the epic debut novel from Rich McCormick, Lord of Excess. McCormick’s very first novel, Lord of Excess was part of the Renegades sub-series of Warhammer 40,000 fiction and followed a warband of the fallen Emperor’s Children Legion of Chaos Space Marines who have completely fallen to hedonism and the pursuit of pleasure. McCormick came up with an exceptional plot for Lord of Excess that saw the warband take over an isolated planet, only for their dark proclivities to turn on them in unexpected ways. This was such a clever and compelling read, and Lord of Excess ended up being one my favourite books and audiobooks of 2024 and is a very worthy addition to this list of great debuts.

Five Broken Blades by Mai Corland

I had a lot of fun reading the awesome fantasy novel, Five Broken Blades by Mai Corland last year and had to include it on this list. The first adult fantasy novel from Corland, who previously released children and young adult fiction under the name Meridith Ireland, Five Broken Blades was an excellent book that saw several dangerous killers and liars come together to assassinate an immortal king, only to betray each other time and time again. I had a really good time with Five Broken Blades, and I am actually listening to the sequel, Four Ruined Realms as I put this post up.

The Ascent by Adam Plantinga

The most recent 2024 debut I read; The Ascent was an extremely epic thriller loaded with action, excitement and over-the-top characters. The debut novel of author Adam Plantinga, The Ascent follows a desperate battle for survival as a small group find themselves trapped in a rioting prison and must fight their way up several levels of dangerous criminal to get to safety. An intense and ultra-thrilling book from start to finish, The Ascent was such a great read, and I am very glad I decided to check it out.

The Silverblood Promise by James Logan

A bold new fantasy author debuted in 2024 with James Logan, who released the outstanding book The Silverblood Promise. Setting a dishonoured scion on a desperate quest to find his father’s killers, The Silverblood Promise introduced a cool new fantasy city that the protagonist is forced to navigate as he tries to secure a vital clue. However, he soon finds himself caught up in an elaborate conspiracy and must rely on an unlikely group of allies to survive and overcome his new opponents. This was a particularly awesome novel that really impressed me, as Logan weaves together a compelling tale of adventure, magic and intrigue that I couldn’t get enough of. One of the stronger fantasy books of 2024, The Silverblood Promise was an amazing first novel from Logan and I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel, The Blackfire Blade, later this year.

Outrider by Mark Wales

Next on this list of amazing debuts is the intense first book from Australian author Mark Wales, Outrider. Envisioning a grim future for Australia, Wales sets out a thrilling tale of survival and war as an elite soldier traverses a conquered countryside with his young son, hoping to recover an asset that will allow his group of rebels to survive an enemy incursion. An exciting and compelling read, Outrider was a very distinctive Australian book and a great debut from Mark Wales.

Warhammer 40,000: Deathworlder by Victoria Hayward

The other incredible Warhammer 40,000 debut of 2024 that I want to highlight in this post was the dark and chilling Deathworlder by new author Victoria Hayward. Set on a doomed planet being consumed by the alien Tyranids, Deathworlder follows a small group of rugged human soldiers as they attempt to complete one last mission against their ravenous enemies. A powerful Warhammer read, Hayward did an outstanding job of balancing complex characters with a particularly grim scenario, as the protagonists witness the world being digested around them as they are being stalked by deadly monsters. Easily one of the more haunting books of 2024, Deathworlder was an outstanding debut, and Hayward is a Warhammer author to keep an eye on in the future.

The Recruiter by Gregg Podolski

2024 was full of fun thrillers but one of the most entertaining was the cool first book from Gregg Podolski, The Recruiter. Following a criminal recruiter who specialises in bringing together professional killers with potential clients, The Recruiter sees the protagonist forced to fight against his best assassins when the family he left behind is targeted by a sinister organisation. Featuring a distinctive story and fantastic characters, The Recruiter was a very fun book to get through, and I look forward to any sequels Podolski plans to release.

Song of the Samurai by C. A. Parker

Fans of Japanese history where in for a real treat last year with the amazing debut, Song of the Samurai by C. A. Parker. An extremely fascinating tale of a celebrated historical samurai musician and pilgrim, Song of the Samurai followed this figure as he traversed Japan, learning about the people of his country and the true nature of the music that he played. This was such a great first book from Parker, who does an amazing job envisioning the classic setting of historical Japan and following a compelling figure across the intricately described landscape. A deep and memorable read from a passionate author.

The Chilling by Riley James

Another great Australian debut from 2024 was The Chilling by Riley James. Following the members of an Antarctica research expedition who encounter a sunken ship on the way to their base camp, The Chilling sees the characters thrust into a dark adventure as secrets, lies and the debilitating isolation, turn the researchers against each other as they try to uncover the truth. The Chilling was a really cool (ha ha) book, and a fantastic first foray into Australian fiction from new author Riley James.

Argylle by Elly Conway

The final debut I want to highlight on this list is the spy thriller Argylle, by “debuting author” Elly Conway. A tie-in to the film of the same name, Argylle was an exciting and very easy-to-read book from the start of 2024 that I had a bit of fun getting through. Actually written by the team of Terry Hayes and Tammy Cohen, I am still counting Argylle as a debut and it proved to be an entertaining final book to feature on this list.

Well, that is the end of this list. As you can, there were some incredible debut novels that came out this year and I had a blast getting through all of them. Each of the above debuts are really worth checking out, and I had an amazing time exploring these talented authors’ first forays into fiction. I am excited to see what these authors produce next, and I have a feeling that quite a few are going to become major names in their genres. I am also excited to see what amazing debuts come out in 2025, and I have already enjoyed my first debut from this year with Gunnawah by Ronni Salt. Make sure to check back this time next year to see what debuts from 2025 are the best from this year.

Quick Review – The Chilling by Riley James

On December 17, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Quick Review, Thriller3 Comments

Publisher: Allen & Unwin Australia (ebook – 3 September 2024)

Series: Standalone

Length: 312 pages

My Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars

Australian author Riley James presents a captivating and amazing debut novel with The Chilling, a distinctive debut novel that I had an outstanding time getting through.

Plot Synopsis:

An unputdownable thriller set in the pressure-cooker environment of an Antarctic winter.

An isolated research station. A storm approaching.

There’s nowhere to run. But so much to hide.

Keen to flee the wreckage of her marriage, Australian scientist Kit Bitterfeld accepts a coveted winter research position at Macpherson Station in Antarctica. On the way there, Kit and her fellow researchers field a distress call from a nearby ship.

By the time they reach the vessel it is on fire and the crew has vanished. A lone survivor is found, but he can’t remember who he is or what has happened.

They bring the survivor, identified as geophysicist Nick Coltheart, to Macpherson but it’s clear that something is wrong. More and more of Kit’s colleagues are acting strangely. And she can’t shake the suspicion that Nick knows more than he’s letting on. With the winter darkness setting in, Kit must figure out the truth before they are completely cut off from the outside world. But is the danger lurking out on the ice, or is it closer than she thinks?

The Chilling offers a compellingly icy twist on the winter thriller setting, transplanting the most haunting elements of Scandi noir to the southern hemisphere, and announces Riley James as a brilliant new talent writing in a fresh corner of Australian crime fiction.

The Chilling was a great novel from Riley James that features a fascinating story of survival, identity and secrets. Set on and around Antarctica, the story initially focuses on damaged protagonist, Kit Bitterfeld, who attempts to escape her failed marriage by volunteering for a lengthy expedition. Things get interesting very quickly when the protagonist attempts to assist another research ship in distress, but instead finds it abandoned and on fire, with one mysterious and seemingly amnesiac survivor hidden aboard. While this injured survivor, Nick Coltheart, appears to have no knowledge of what happened aboard the ship or his past life, Kit soon becomes suspicious of him and the behaviour of her fellow scientists, especially when mysterious deaths and disappearances occur around the research compound. At the same time, a separate storyline follows the survivors of the damaged ship, who are attempting to cross the treacherous ice on foot and encounter danger, death and despair, especially as some of the survivors consider the lies and crimes that led them there. The separate storylines come together in an impressive manner as the book continues, and the converging secrets lead to some excellent reveals and moving moments.

This ended up being a deep and intriguing novel that blended a cool thriller storyline with a compelling and moving character-focused plot line. I loved the blend of mystery, drama and intrigue that emerges as James dives further into her narrative, and the resulting twists and swerves are well set up and have a satisfying impact. I felt that the reveals about who was responsible for the various crimes where quite clever, and the slow-burn dive into each of the figures in question allowed for great plot. While some thriller fans may not enjoy how much character drama was contained within The Chilling, I felt that the protagonist’s powerful arc about trauma, lack of trust and finding herself was particularly heartfelt, and it will no doubt resonate with many readers. Other character storylines have some interesting focus on guilt, as the sins of the past come back to haunt them, and it proves very moving to see the various lines of this unravel to discover who did what.

I can’t finish this review without highlighting the way that James featured Antarctica throughout The Chilling, as the continent served as a haunting background to her story. Not only does the author provide some vivid and powerful descriptions of the setting through her writing, but she also describes the impacts of the isolation and desolation of the ice continent on the people who visit it. I loved the complex sense of duality you get from the author’s depictions of Antarctica, as there is both hope and despair hidden within it, and it was fascinating to see some of the characters find themselves there for good or for ill. James also did an excellent job incorporating the aspects and features of Antarctica into the overarching plot, and the problems caused by the remoteness, the weather, and other complicating factors really amps up the thriller aspect of the plot in some fantastic ways. This was such a cool (ha ha) background setting, and it made James first book really striking and memorable.

Riley James really impresses with her debut novel, and I felt that The Chilling was one of the stronger Australian novels I read in 2024. Featuring a complex and multi-layered story of survival, intrigue and deep characters, The Chilling was an outstanding read which is worth checking out, especially if you are interested in something distinctive from a fresh Australian author.

Quick Review – Song of the Samurai by C. A. Parker

On July 29, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction, Quick Review3 Comments

Publisher: Running Wild Press (ebook – 7 May 2024)

Series: Standalone

Length: 283 pages

My Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars

Intriguing new author C. A. Parker dives into an intriguing area of Japanese history with his debut novel, Song of the Samurai, a fantastic and deeply compelling historical read that I had a wonderful time getting through.

Fans of this blog will know that I have a lot of love for historical fiction, as it was one of the original genres that I started with as a book reviewer, and I still try to enjoy a range of great historical reads whenever I get the chance. I also have a lot of love for Japanese history due to some amazing personal travels as well as my long-running fandom of the Usagi Yojimbo comics by Stan Sakai. While there have been some very interesting Japanese historical fiction novels over the years (Child of Vengeance by David Kirk comes to mind), this setting doesn’t get utilised as some other historical backgrounds, which is a real shame when you consider just how awesome and complex the setting truly is. As such, when I came across Song of the Samurai, I couldn’t pass it up, as it sounded like such an intriguing read.

Plot Synopsis:

Japan, 1745, is a land under the iron grip of the Tokugawa shoguns. Roads are monitored, dissent stifled, and order maintained through blackmail and an extensive network of informers. Amid rumors of rebellion, Kurosawa Kinko– samurai and monk– is expelled in disgrace as the head music instructor of his Zen temple in Nagasaki. He begins an odyssey across Japan, dogged by agents and assassins from an unknown foe. Along his journey, Kinko encounters a compelling cast of merchants, ronin, courtesans, spies, warriors, hermits, and spirits, on a quest to redeem his honor. Inspired by the life of the historical Kurosawa Kinko (1710-1771), master of the shakuhachi flute and founder of the Kinko-ryu school, Song of the Samurai takes the reader on a richly-textured exploration of feudal Japan and the complexities of the human spirit.

Song of the Samurai is the debut novel of C. A. Parker and provides readers with a compelling and fascinating historical adventure that also utilises the author’s personal passions and passes on a heartfelt message about spirituality and self-determination.

The plot of Song of the Samurai is a fictionalised narrative of real-life historical figure Kurosawa Kinko, who is known for his teachings and spiritual journeys to learn the Japanese shakuhachi flute. Parker reimagines Kinko’s history somewhat by showing him as a young man who undertakes an extended pilgrimage from his original temple in Nagasaki all the way to the capital in Edo. Banished from his temple due to a romantic scandal, Kinko initially starts the journey in disgrace, but soon embraces his pilgrimage, learning more and more about the people of Japan. This ended up feeling like a bit of a quest narrative, and Parker throws in some fantastic side stories brought on by the multitude of intriguing and unique supporting characters the protagonist encounters along the way, including bandits, spies, courtesans, peasants, fellow monks and more.

While many of these side storylines don’t last too long, they do weave together into a compelling tapestry of events that aim to enhance Kinko’s personal journey. There is a particular focus on the spiritual, as Kinko begins to fully appreciate the significance of the shakuhachi and the music that he plays, as well as the many different people who make up the nation of Japan. I loved the impressive character development that surrounded the protagonist throughout this book, and the growth in spirit and attitude makes for a moving heart to this great narrative. Parker also works in a compelling recurring storyline about espionage and potential rebellion against the ruling Shogun family, as Kinko finds himself wandering the outskirts of dangerous actions. This part of the book adds in a little necessary excitement and action, and I think it balanced well with the historical and personal elements of the narrative. While I did think this espionage element could have been a stronger part of the plot, especially as it gets sidelined several times throughout Song of the Samurai, for the most part this was a particularly engrossing and captivating story, and one that I had had a fun time getting through.

As a huge admirer of Japanese history, I felt that Parker did an exceptional job of capturing the feel and impact of the setting throughout his narrative, and the many, many depictions of Feudal Japan was an impressive part of Song of the Samurai. Thanks to his wandering protagonist, Parker visits a ton of major cities and towns throughout Japan, and I loved the elaborate descriptions that were featured, especially as the author goes out of his way to cover some of the most intriguing parts of the country. I personally loved it when Kinko visited locations I have been to, and you can really feel the author’s love for the setting through his writing. Parker also makes sure to fit in a lot of discussion about key parts of Japanese history and mythology throughout the book, often included as part of a conversation or the protagonist’s thoughts. While some of these historical inclusions weren’t as organic as they could have been, for the most part I found them to be very fascinating, and they added some excellent context to the locations the protagonist visited.

Unsurprisingly when you consider the title of the book and the author’s passion for the shakuhachi flute, there is a huge focus on music in Song of the Samurai. The playing of the shakuhachi is a huge part of the protagonist’s identity as a monk and as a man, and the author really tries to capture Kinko’s love of the flute with his excellent writing. The many, many scenes of Kinko playing his music are some of the best parts of Song of the Samurai, and it allowed the author to showcase the protagonist’s spiritual connection to the music and provide him with new insights into the world around him, especially as he finds music in many different people and locations. The extended sequence where Kinko spent time learning music from a hermit monk on-top of the mountain was particularly fascinating, and I liked how moving those scenes came across. I felt that the author did an excellent job of readapting Kurosawa Kinko’s life story in the book by showcasing these early stages of his lifelong mission to collect and understand music, and you will come away from Song of the Samurai with a whole new appreciation for traditional Japanese music.

Overall, I felt that Song of the Samurai was an outstanding and intriguing debut novel from C. A. Parker, and one I was very glad I decided to check out. Featuring an outstanding historical story that blended great characters with unique locations, Song of the Samurai was an excellent read, and one of the more unique novels of 2024.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Debut Books – July 2024

On July 24, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn List3 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants are challenged to list their favourite debut novels. I actually have listed my favourite debuts in the past, both at the end of the last few years, and in a 2020 list, where I looked at some of the very best debut novels I have ever read.

Over the years I have had the great pleasure of reading a number of impressive and captivating debut novels, many of which formed the start of an amazing series, or which helped launch the writing career of some of the best authors of a variety of different genres. Some of these debuts have been so good that they have stuck with me for life, and I look forward to once again listing my absolute favourites. I am taking a rather broad stroke approach with this list, and I am going to make any debut that I have read eligible to be included. It does not matter if I read this book out of order, whether I enjoyed later entries from the author first, or whether I have gone back and read this book years after it came out; as long as it is the first full-length novel from an author, it can appear on this list.

This proved to be a rather intriguing list to pull together, as I had a rather large collection of debut novels to sort through, and I ended up discarding several great books from the previous version of this list. I think that my new Top Ten list (with a generous Honourable Mentions section), has a much better selection of debut books, and I quite like how it turned out. Unsurprisingly, as many of these books are written by my favourite authors, I have mentioned some of these entries and their authors before in prior lists, and for many of these authors, I am still reading a number of their current novels. So let us see what I was able to come up with.

Honourable Mentions:

Under the Eagle by Simon Scarrow

The very first book in Simon Scarrow’s Eagles of the Empire series, Under the Eagle was a fantastic and exciting debut, and one that made me a huge fan of the historical fiction genre.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J. K. Rowling

While the author may have shown her true colours, you still have to respect this classic debut that spawned an iconic world.

Fire In the East by Harry Sidebottom

Another iconic historical fiction debut from a great author, Fire in the East is an amazing book that features one of my very favourite sieges.

Planetside by Michael Mammay

A particularly epic science fiction thriller guaranteed to keep you on your toes. Planetside was an amazing read with an exceedingly epic ending that served as the perfect introduction to talented author Michael Mammay.

Top Ten List:

Magician by Raymond E. Feist

Right off the bat we have Magician by Raymond E. Feist, which may be one of my favourite fantasy novels of all time. I first read this book years ago, and its clever story and substantial universe building has helped make me a lifelong fan of both the author and the fantasy genre. This was the first book in the epic and long-running Riftwar Cycle, which included the fantastic spinoff series, The Empire trilogy. I am still enjoying Feist’s books to this day, and I am planning to read his newest novel, A Darkness Returns, in the next couple of weeks.

Storm Front by Jim Butcher

A massive debut I finally got around to reading after my first version of this list was Storm Front by Jim Butcher. The first book in his iconic Dresden Files urban fantasy series, Storm Front was an outstanding novel that I decided to check out after reading the explosive 17^th novel in the series, Battle Ground. Going back to Storm Front after that was an interesting experience, but it proved to be an amazing first novel that expertly set up the rest of the series. I have so much love for everything that followed Storm Front, and the Dresden Files wouldn’t be what it is today without this excellent first novel.

Legend by David Gemmell

Back in 1984, fantasy readers were gifted with an outstanding debut in the form of Legend by the late, great David Gemmell. A debut that is epic in every sense of the word, Legend saw an unstoppable army attempt to take the world’s greatest fortress, defended by a legendary hero. A simple, but highly effective premise, that produced an exceptional and highly addictive read, Legend ended up being an incredible read, and one that all fans of fantasy fiction, especially awesome sieges, need to check out.

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

A more recent debut that I need to feature on this list is The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. A highly entertaining crime fiction novel, The Thursday Murder Club followed four residents of a retirement village who decide to solve murders in their spare time, including the deaths of several people around their community. Osman did a very impressive job with The Thursday Murder Club, blending a complex mystery with some intriguing characters and his trademark subtle, but highly effective humour. I cannot emphasise just how enjoyable this debut proved to be, and Osman showed himself to be an immensely skilled author with this outstanding read, and the following books, The Man Who Died Twice, The Bullet That Missed and The Last Devil to Die, all of which were exceptional five-star reads. A highly recommended debut, I look forward to seeing how the film adaptation currently in production turns out.

Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan

Another particularly epic fantasy debut is Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan. A compelling and intense flintlock fantasy story, Promise of Blood sets up McClellan’s The Powder Mage trilogy, which follows a compelling group of protagonists, including several mages whose magic is derived from gunpowder, as they attempt to save a nation from revolution, war, and their own vengeful god. It is frankly impossible not to love this amazing debut, and McClellan produced an outstanding story in Promise of Blood that was impossible to put down. I really need to read the rest of The Powder Mage books, although McClellan’s most recent novel, In the Shadow of Lightning, proved to be extremely impressive.

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

This was an exceedingly entertaining and wildly impressive fantasy novel which followed a group of conmen in a dangerous, magical city. The Lies of Locke Lamora was a really good book, and I think it would be impossible for someone to read it and not instantly fall in love with it. This book also served as the first entry in the outstanding Gentleman Bastards series, which currently contains three amazing books, with the fourth novel, The Thorn of Emberlain, hopefully coming out at some point in the future.

The Gray Man by Mark Greaney

A great spy thriller debut I had to feature here was The Gray Man. The first novel from one of the world’s current premiere thriller authors, The Gray Man was an action-packed extravaganza that pitted a legendary assassin against a raft of hit-teams and contract killers. Fast-paced, fun and featuring some truly exceptional action sequences, The Gray Man was extremely awesome, and I honestly could not stop listening to this outstanding book. Greaney has since parlayed this debut into an iconic thriller series of the same name, and the Gray Man books are routinely my favourite thrillers of the year (such as the latest Gray Man book, The Chaos Agent).

The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie

One of the best fantasy debuts of all time has to be The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie. An outstanding and epic dark fantasy novel that follows several complex and highly flawed protagonists through a brutal journey, The Blade Itself is an exceptional debut that perfectly sets up the rest of Abercrombie’s The First Law series. I have been a massive fan of the author ever since I read The Blade Itself, and I cannot wait to read his next novel, The Devils, in 2025.

The Kingdom of Liars by Nick Martell

Another recently released debut I had to feature here was The Kingdom of Liars by Nick Martell. The first book in the author’s Legacy of the Mercenary Kings series, The Kingdom of Liars was an amazing 2020 release, that proved to be a particularly complex and impressive read. Following the scion of a disgraced noble house who attempts to clear his father’s name and find out who is trying to destroy his city, The Kingdom of Liars was a particularly complex and captivating novel that I could not get enough of. One of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2020, The Kingdom of Liars was so much fun when I first read it, and my appreciation for it has only grown in hindsight after seeing where all the outstanding storylines Martell set up here ended up going. An epic debut that starts something truly wonderful.

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

The final book I want to feature here is The Name of the Wind, which might be one of the best fantasy novels of all time. The debut novel of Patrick Rothfuss, The Name of the Wind is a particularly impressive, character-driven story that follows the early days of a man destined to become an infamous legend. I cannot emphasise how much I loved this book, and it is pretty much the epitome of the chronicle narrative. While many have started to fall out of love with this series due to lack of progress on the final entry, The Name of the Wind is still an exceptional novel, made even more impressive with-it being Rothfuss’ very first book.

Well, that’s my Top Ten List for this week. I rather liked the new version list that I came up with here, and there are some incredible novels here, although it is still very fantasy heavy. Each of these books comes very highly recommended, and they all proved to be exceptional first outings from some very talented authors. This is probably a list that I will come back to again in the future, as there are always impressive new debuts coming out, and I cannot wait to see what new author is on the horizon.

The Silverblood Promise by James Logan

On May 12, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy10 Comments

The Silverblood Promise Cover

Publisher: Arcardia (Trade Paperback – 30 April 2024)

Series: The Last Legacy – Book One

Length: 595 pages

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

Promising new author James Logan presents an epic fantasy debut in the form of The Silverblood Promise, the first entry in his planned The Last Legacy series, and one of my most anticipated books of 2024.

Lukan Gardova, the disgraced heir of a noble family, is a man who has lost everything following a duel that ended tragically. Forced to drop out of his prestigious academy and abandoned by his family, Lukan travels the wild edges of the world, gambling, drinking, and seeking what adventure he can. Despite his malaise and despair, Lukan is still shaken when he is informed that his estranged father has been murdered by mysterious assassins.

Armed with fresh purpose and a determination to find out who was responsible for his father’s death, Lukan follows the only clue he has, a note his dying father wrote in his own blood. The names it contains lead him to Saphrona, an old and prosperous city ruled by merchant princes where everything can be bought. Filled with rogues, scoundrels, thieves, and miscreants, Saphrona seems an unlikely place to find his reclusive, academic father’s killers.

Engaging in an exhaustive search throughout Saphrona, Lukan discovers that the answers he seeks lie with one of the city’s merchant princes. Unfortunately, they have been condemned to death for the murder of another merchant prince, and if Lukan wants the information they have, he will first have to prove their innocence. Working with an unlikely group of criminal acquaintances, Lukan follows the few clues surrounding the merchant prince’s unusual murder. But the further he digs, the more danger he finds himself in. There is a deadly conspiracy at work in Saphrona, one that seeks to undermine everything the city stands for. Forced to contend with desperate nobles, deadly criminals, and dangerous forces beyond his comprehension, Lukan fights to keep his promise and find the truth behind his father’s murder.

Wow, now this was an awesome debut from Logan and one that I was really glad I got the chance to read. The Silverblood Promise has been on my radar for a while, and Logan did not disappoint with its excellent and exciting story, which is loaded with action, intrigue, cool fantasy elements and some great characters. Entertaining and fast-paced, The Silverblood Promise was an absolute joy to read, and I had an amazing time getting through it.

The Silverblood Promise has a deeply compelling narrative behind it that kept drawing me in with its intrigue, revelations and exciting adventure. While this is a lengthy novel, I honestly powered through it as it proved very easy to get caught up in the story. Logan maintains a very fast pace the entire way through The Silverblood Promise, and I enjoyed the mixture of action, character development and unique fantasy inclusions that the reader is treated to. Starting off with a strong introduction that effectively showcases the protagonist and his current situation, the reader is quickly thrust into the main background city of Saphrona, which proves to be a fantastic setting. Able to quickly interpret his one clue, the protagonist works with several connected figures to try and contact the person his father sent him after. What follows is a series of interlocking quests as Lukan must befriend a master forger, mastermind a break-in to a notorious prison, and then discover who set up one of the city’s leaders for murder. This results in a constant stream of adventures as Lukan jumps from one hurdle to the next, uncovering dark secrets about the city, and making unlikely friends.

The revelations about the true villain of the story occurs about two-thirds of the way through The Silverblood Promise, and while it isn’t too surprising, their methods and motivations are, especially as they reveal some interesting figures to the story. Forced to go up against some big fish, Lukan is caught up in their power play, which adds a lot of chaos to the narrative, and must desperately come up with a plan to fight back. The resulting carnage and confrontations are well handled, and I loved the great combinations of intrigue, battles and clever ploys that brought everything together. All the action within The Silverblood Promise is sharp and well written, and you get drawn into the many confrontations and battles of wits that emerge. Logan proved very able at hiding hints about the big bad’s schemes throughout much of the plot, and it was fun to see it all come together. I had such a great time with this impressive story, and I ended up reading the last 300 pages of the book in less than a day, it was that damn good. The reader comes away both satisfied and wanting more, which is lucky as it is clear Logan has some big plans for the series, with the adventure set to continue.

I felt that Logan came up with an excellent fantasy setting for The Silverblood Promise, and I really enjoyed how he utilised the new world throughout his plot. Filled with magic, adventurers, complex cities, mysterious interdimensional beings, and powerful artefacts from long-lost advanced races, there is so much for the reader to enjoy here, especially when hints about far greater hidden powers are also included. While a couple of the fantasy elements in The Silverblood Promise are a little derivative of other fantasy works, I personally didn’t mind, mainly because Logan makes them his own and they fit nicely into the fast and intense narrative of The Silverblood Promise.

While I loved the new fantasy world as a whole, the setting highlight of this book is the city of Saphrona, where most of the plot is set. Saphrona proves to be a complex and compelling trade city ruled by merchant princes and filled with dangerous commerce, criminal enterprises, alien structures, unlikely monsters, and all manner of political intricacies and plots. Readers will really enjoy unwinding the various elements of this city and it proved to be fun watching the protagonist explore Saphrona and attempt to find answers and stop a major disaster unfold. In a way Saphrona becomes a character in its own right as the book progresses, and I really appreciated how effectively Logan introduced the reader to the setting and inserted the story in its survival and underlying politics. Logan also ensured that readers got a good deal of information about some of the other locations outside of Saphrona, which are likely to become relevant to the plot in future books of the series. While a of map of the continent or Saphrona would have been appreciated, readers come away with a great sense of the world and will be interested in seeing more stories within it. Indeed, it looks like Logan plans to set each of The Last Legacy books in a different city of the world, and I for one am very excited to see what other memorable locations Logan will come up with.

I also really need to highlight the fun and memorable characters who were featured throughout The Silverblood Promise. Logan did a great job pulling together an intriguing and often outrageous cast for his first book, and I loved some of the awesome storylines that emerged. Most of the focus revolves around protagonist and primary point-of-view character, Lukan Gardova, a former noble turned roguish adventurer who finds himself way over his head in Saphrona. Lukan is a great central figure for this book, and he brings a lot of emotion to the story due to his disastrous past and determination to find his father’s killer. I felt that Logan provided just the right amount tragic history for his protagonist to enhance the dramatic tone of the book, and the character’s frustrations at the dangerous tasks he finds himself involved with, as well as his own stubborn need to move forward, were very relatable. Lukan also provides a fun scoundrel vibe to the plot at times, and it was interesting to see his cynical perspective on events throughout the book. I liked how Logan set Lukan up as a newcomer to the main setting of Saphrona, as this allowed the reader to see the city fresh through the eyes of someone unfamiliar with it, which enhanced the majesty, strangeness and cruelty of the setting. As such, I felt that Lukan was an excellent central protagonist, and I look forward to seeing how his story evolves in the future, especially as there are many more secrets around his family that need to be revealed, and other character elements that need to be expanded upon.

Aside from Lukan, The Silverblood Promise features an interesting array of fun figures, the majority of whom are locals to Saphrona. I loved all the unique characters that emerged, especially as Lukan is forced to deal with killers, scheming nobles, a mysterious forger, a blind beggar with way too much knowledge, an unlikely crime lord and a notorious band of mercenaries that Lukan is forced to alternatively fight or make deals with. One of the most distinctive characters is an infamous thief who joins the main cast late in the story, but who proves to be a fantastic addition thanks to her skills, kindness and pragmatism. However, my favourite character would have to be the young street urchin and pickpocket, Flea, who forms an unlikely partnership with Lukan early in the story. Hired by Lukan to help him around the city, Flea proves to be an invaluable ally, despite her age, and works to keep her benefactor alive against all manner of dangers. Bold, curious and utterly unflappable, Flea is a highly entertaining figure, especially as she keeps jumping into danger while also proving to be far wiser than Lukan. Flea and Lukan serve as fun contrasts to each other, and I liked their entertaining banter and the touching bond they form throughout the course of the book. This fantastic partnership really helped to make The Silverblood Promise that much more special, and all the characters featured within this book were really well written and cleverly featured.

Overall, The Silverblood Promise is an excellent and exciting fantasy novel that had me hooked the entire way through. Intense, compelling and wildly entertaining, The Silverblood Promise was very awesome, and James Logan did wonders with his debut novel. I will definitely be grabbing the eventual sequel to The Silverblood Promise when it comes out, and I cannot wait to see how this adventure continues and how Logan develops as an author.