Legends & Lattes Review
Author: Travis Baldree
Rating: 7.5 GOOD
What’s it about? After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv is hanging up her sword for the last time. The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success ― not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is. If Viv wants to put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won't be able to go it alone.But the true rewards of the uncharted path are the travelers you meet along the way. And whether drawn together by ancient magic, flaky pastry, or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she ever could have dreamed.
Having just finished the incredible Faithful and the Fallen series by John Gwynne, needless to say I was skeptical that a book about an orc opening a coffee shop could hold my interest. Wait, no chosen one to save humanity?! No lurking dormant ancient evil?! That skepticism quickly vanished. After the first few chapters, it was apparent that the author Travis Baldree really knows how to make a story compelling by building a hand-crafted world that feels lived-in. It is perfect in what it sets out to do. It is light on plot and leans into more of a slice-of-life. The book has a cozy and wholesome feel to it that I enjoyed.
Unfortunately, I did feel my interest start to wane as the third act of the book dragged a bit for me. The light-on-plot approach both helped and hindered the story as it went on. To the author's credit, even though he focused all of his efforts on Viv's coffee shop, he still managed to create a large compelling world. Unfortunately, we never get to explore it. In this regard the contained story really holds the book back from being great for me. I understand that a small story is the point. However, it's important to note that, for some, the story may be too small.
"Yes, I'm sure you'd know about squeezing blood from things. Or extracting it in…other ways. I imagine you can be quite resourceful. Rest assured, we are similarly talented.”
This is cozy and wholesome? Ok…
Characters are where Legends & Lattes really shines. There is an underlying grit to the world at times that grounds them. Their interactions, coupled with the heartfelt storytelling really carried the book for me. Every character is so fully realized and multidimensional I felt as though each one has a backstory worth exploring. As new characters are introduced, they carry with them baggage, the good, the bad, and the unknown. These subtle hints and nods to unexplained backstories really lead to the believability that these individuals all had lives before they met our main protagonist. This brings a real depth to the cast of characters. The author should be commended for bringing them to life in this way.
“I was just thinking that you don’t have to forget who you were ... because that’s what brought you here.”
Baldree had me flipping the pages to find out if a new oven would fit into Viv’s shop. I can't believe I cared, but I did. That says a lot about his writing. The author skillfully makes you care about each and every interaction. The dialogue is heartfelt, genuine, and true to the well-developed cast. He gives you details when they are needed, and then purposefully leaves things to the imagination. The result is a hand-crafted feel to the world that you can formulate in your mind with ease. It seems as though Baldree really had fun writing this book, and it shows. The writing is fantastic.
Much like Viv, my decision to pick up and read this book was a bit out of my comfort zone, but it was time for something new. I'm used to sprawling fantasy epics with a thousand characters and the fate of the world in the balance. If that is what you are looking for, then Legends & Lattes is not for you. If however, you are a fantasy fan looking for a more contained story with very low stakes, then this book may be the perfect aperitif.