I can now safely say that Logan breezily surpassed my expectations with The Blackfire Blade, making everything that worked great in book one even better, avoiding previous mistakes, and vaulting right over the feared sophomore slump. Indeed, this series is quickly and easily carving out a spot for itself as the perfect entry into the genre for new fantasy readers, and as a comfort read for those of us seasoned in classic epic fantasy. Everything I said for book one remains true; Logan’s worldbuilding is strong and, his take on beloved tropes, fresh and engaging.
Arcadia
Review: Play of Shadows (Court of Shadows #1) by Sebastien de Castell
Play of Shadows is many things, just like its crew of colourful characters, but most of all, it is a fast-paced joy-ride from start to finish, filled to the brim with swashbuckling action, multilayered protagonists, bombastic and/or bawdy personalities, and self-aware melodrama, that is in no way held back by the dark events and ominous foes it presents.