Author: Travis Baldree
Published: November 7, 2023 by Tor Trade
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Legends & Lattes #0
First Sentence: Prologue. “Eighteen!” bellowed Viv, bringing her saber around in a flat curve that battered the wight’s skull off its spine.
Blurb: Viv's career with the notorious mercenary company Rackam's Ravens isn't going as planned.
Wounded during the hunt for a powerful necromancer, she's packed off against her will to recuperate in the sleepy beach town of Murk—so far from the action that she worries she'll never be able to return to it.
What's a thwarted soldier of fortune to do?
Spending her hours at a beleaguered bookshop in the company of its foul-mouthed proprietor is the last thing Viv would have predicted, but it may be both exactly what she needs and the seed of changes she couldn't possibly imagine.
Still, adventure isn't all that far away. A suspicious traveler in gray, a gnome with a chip on her shoulder, a summer fling, and an improbable number of skeletons prove Murk to be more eventful than Viv could have ever expected.
My Opinion: Having come late to this book party, I decided to jump into this series with the prequel, Bookshops & Bonedust, instead of starting with the first book, Legends & Lattes. This prequel begins ten years before the main series, and it's packed with a touching mix of characters who bring their backstories to the table.
A blend of power and loss, budding romances, and heartbreak. It's filled with the kindness of strangers, the warmth of found family, and the joy of discovering a new passion and purpose. All wrapped up in humor that keeps the book flowing.
I'm still getting my feet wet in the fantasy genre. Yet, I believe this book leans towards epic fantasy since the reader is introduced to an orc mercenary, a rattkin book merchant, a dwarf baker, a gnome, a necromancer, and even a satchel of enslaved bones that, with the right dust, spring to life. And let's not forget Pot Roast, the adorable dog who seems to be part pug, part owl, and 100% charming. The genre might be confusing, but the fun and enjoyment are undeniable.
Blurb: Viv's career with the notorious mercenary company Rackam's Ravens isn't going as planned.
Wounded during the hunt for a powerful necromancer, she's packed off against her will to recuperate in the sleepy beach town of Murk—so far from the action that she worries she'll never be able to return to it.
What's a thwarted soldier of fortune to do?
Spending her hours at a beleaguered bookshop in the company of its foul-mouthed proprietor is the last thing Viv would have predicted, but it may be both exactly what she needs and the seed of changes she couldn't possibly imagine.
Still, adventure isn't all that far away. A suspicious traveler in gray, a gnome with a chip on her shoulder, a summer fling, and an improbable number of skeletons prove Murk to be more eventful than Viv could have ever expected.
My Opinion: Having come late to this book party, I decided to jump into this series with the prequel, Bookshops & Bonedust, instead of starting with the first book, Legends & Lattes. This prequel begins ten years before the main series, and it's packed with a touching mix of characters who bring their backstories to the table.
A blend of power and loss, budding romances, and heartbreak. It's filled with the kindness of strangers, the warmth of found family, and the joy of discovering a new passion and purpose. All wrapped up in humor that keeps the book flowing.
I'm still getting my feet wet in the fantasy genre. Yet, I believe this book leans towards epic fantasy since the reader is introduced to an orc mercenary, a rattkin book merchant, a dwarf baker, a gnome, a necromancer, and even a satchel of enslaved bones that, with the right dust, spring to life. And let's not forget Pot Roast, the adorable dog who seems to be part pug, part owl, and 100% charming. The genre might be confusing, but the fun and enjoyment are undeniable.