Having already read the first two books in this series, I was delighted to finish the third and latest installment, Brigands & Breadknives, just a few hours ago.
Brigands & Breadknives is the third book in the Legends & Lattes cozy fantasy series by Travis Baldree. In this new story, we take a break from witnessing the life of the orc Viv, and instead turn our focus to one of her friends from the second book, Fern, the rattkin bookseller from Murk.
Twenty years after their last encounter in the book Bookshops & Bonedust, Fern leaves her old bookshop and joins Viv in the city of Thune, eager to begin a new business close to her old friend – but something stops her. Almost immediately, Fern is riddled with doubt about her decision to leave her old life behind, only to start something new in order to be close to someone she hasn’t seen in two decades. Following a night of heavy drinking, Fern accidentally finds herself riding along with a famed elf adventuress, her grandiose and talkative magic sword, and a mischievous goblin prisoner with a fondness for stealing tableware.
For those that read the previous two books in the series, be prepared for a lot more action than before. Baldree really turns the stakes up on this one. In the company of the legendary Astryx the Oathmaiden, Fern begins a journey that crosses half the country, with many adventures along the way, from battles with mercenaries to encounters with potentially murderous but ultimately misunderstood cultists, our heroes must face newfound dangers along each way. If you’re a fan of the Hobbit and LotR, and you wanted to read something in a similar vibe but cozier, this may be your book.
Throughout the book, we follow Fern’s own internal battle, as she struggles with the guilt of abandoning her old friends so suddenly, and her uncertainty about what to do with her life from then on. Slowly, Fern will make new decisions and change drastically, changing Astryx along with her.
I had said something similar about the last book in the series (and I’ll probably say it again for a potential next one), but I think this is the best book in these series by Baldree so far. The stakes are much higher, but it doesn’t lose its cozy feeling at all, while also expanding the lore of the fictional world of the Territory, and allowing space for more growth of it later.
So, If, like many others, you’ve read the previous books and you were disappointed by the lack of traditional action, I suggest you give Brigands & Breadknives a chance. It is a very nice read for the season, and perfect for cold, winter nights.
by A_Guy195