Photo by Amanda Kay Oaks
Although Romantasy remains a juggernaut in the book world, cozy fantasy is starting to make its mark. And few cozy fantasy books have had quite the impression as Travis Baldree’s Legends & Lattes. The high fantasy with low stakes introduced us to an orc who retires from adventuring to chase her dream of opening a coffee shop. We’ve gotten a lot of Viv’s story through the first book and prequel, Bookshops & Bonedust. Now, Baldree returns with the first true sequel to the cozy fantasy in Brigands & Breadknives.
This new installment follows Fern, a foul-mouthed bookseller and long-time friend of Viv. We first met her in Bookshops & Bonedust, but now, she takes center stage as our protagonist. Fern travels to Thune to reunite with Viv and open a brand-new bookshop, but something in her yearns for more. Soon, she gets caught up in an adventure no one expected. This book brings many of the same cozy vibes as the other entries in the series, but leans more into the fantasy and action than its predecessors. It makes for a fun refresh on the formula, keeping the world fresh and expanding it while still reminding us of the cozy delights of coffee and books.
Key Details
- Publisher: Tor Books
- Author: Travis Baldree
- Price: $18.99 via Amazon
- ARC Received: Yes
Brigands & Breadknives Is An Uno Reverse on the First Book in the Series
In Legends & Lattes, Viv hangs up her adventuring ways to open a shop. In many ways, Brigands & Breadknives is the antithesis of Viv’s story. Fern might initially come to Thune with the same goal, spurred on by Viv’s idea of adding a bookshop next to her coffee shop. But while Viv was tired of adventure, Fern didn’t quite realize she might be yearning for it. Bookselling isn’t quite hitting the spot as it used to, and Fern doesn’t know what to do about it.
This book is a good reminder that not everyone has the same idea of cozy or fulfilling. Fern’s lived a life that might seem cozy to some, but it’s left her unfulfilled. I really appreciated how Baldree turned Viv’s story on its head to look at what it might be like to live in a world where adventurers exist, but not being one yourself. Fern’s love of stories leads her to step into one, however unintentionally at first, and it makes a lot of sense.
I appreciated getting to see more of Fern’s story, and we get a good mix of new and familiar characters here. Viv and Tandri make an appearance, as does the wonderful Potroast. But we also meet with a new legend in Astryx the Oathmaiden. For those who read the novella, Zyll will also be familiar, but to the rest, she’s a lively new addition. Each character has a good bit of nuance, and no one fully behaves the way you expect them to. I did get pretty annoyed with Fern at a few points, but I did still understand why she did what she did… even if I wanted to shake her and suggest another path at times.
Slightly More Fantasy than Cozy, But a Wholesome Treat Nonetheless
While the prior books in the Legends & Lattes series rely a lot on vibes and characters, Brigands & Breadknives has a bit more of a plot-driven element. Fern finds herself on an adventure with Astryx, and as such, we get into some tangles on the road. There’s more swordfighting and tense moments here than in prior installments. If you aren’t used to fantasy, this could be a bit jarring compared to the rest of the series. But if you come to cozy fantasy through a love for the broader genre, this feels like a nice uptick in stakes without losing the wholesomeness. We still get lovely descriptions of tasty meals and plenty of quiet, reflective moments mixed in with some more action-packed sequences.
As far as stories go, this was a fun one. It had some twists and turns I didn’t quite expect, and it was well-paced to maintain a sense of coziness despite the heightened stakes. Some elements of the ending did feel a bit abrupt, but they matched well with Fern’s character development and ultimately felt satisfying, if a bit rushed.
Final Score: 9/10
If you love fantasy and a good, classic adventure a la Dungeons & Dragons, I highly recommend Brigands & Breadknives. I do think it helps to read the first two books first. That said, this could also work as a standalone. You’d miss some references to previous books in the series, but should still be able to follow Fern’s story just fine.
**Bonus Action received a review copy of Brigands and Breadknives via NetGalley for the purpose of this review**
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