Rating: 9/10 Stars
Plot Synopsis
When an injury throws a young, battle-hungry orc off her chosen path, she may find that what we need isn't always what we seek.
Set in the world of New York Times bestselling Legends & Lattes, Travis Baldree's Bookshops & Bonedust takes us on a journey of high fantasy, first loves, and secondhand books.
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.
Set in the world of New York Times bestselling Legends & Lattes, Travis Baldree's Bookshops & Bonedust takes us on a journey of high fantasy, first loves, and secondhand books.
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.
Review
When I first read Legends and Lattes, I was completely transported into the world the author created, and was excited to see what he came up with next in this fun, cozy universe he created. With Bookshops & Bonedust, he takes us back to Viv's early days as an adventurer, not as the mature warrior, but as a brash, devil may care newb, who learns quickly that rash actions have consequences.
The world building totally fits the idea of a cozy fantasy. After dungeon delving that went wrong for Viv, she's now recovering from her injuries in the beach town of Murk, waiting for her mercenary companions to return after she heals. It's a well ordered town, with a town guard force that keeps things orderly, not something a free spirit like Viv enjoys. There is a mix of new and old, and it just seems like an idyllic town to recover in. The town is described in loving detail without going too far, and you really get a sense of what he is trying to create here. As an author and audio narrator, he is obviously aware of how important a good description is for immersion in the story. Well played, sir. Well played, indeed.
The characters are a treat as well. Viv is much younger in this. more impatient and quick tempered, and prone to rash decisions. That's how she ends up injured and missing out on the big score. She has to reconcile her wanting to get rehabbed and get back into action and the town's desire to remain peaceful, which are sometimes at cross purposes. It's interesting watching her grow emotionally as she interacts with the various characters in the town.
The secondary characters are such a blast. I had high hopes for them after Legend & Latte introduced so many good side characters, and that trend continues here. The fun starts with Fern, a rattkin (small humanoid rat person) who owns the Thistledown bookstore. She is foul mouthed and stubborn, but she also makes a great friend for Viv, and really has a heart of gold. She finds a way to help bring Viv out of her funk, and she and Viv form a tight bond throughout the story. Gallina is another character that is a lot of fun. A gnome adventurer just getting started, shes quick with her mouth and her knives, and is desperate for Viv to introduce her to Rackham, the head of Viv's mercenary crew, and put the word in for her to join the crew. She's brassy and overconfident, but turns out to be a friend in the long run. These two are just a couple of the well plotted characters in the story, and reflect well on the author's storytelling skills.
The antagonists of the book isn't seen in person until the end, but her minions are seen. Varine is a Necromancer who has been terrorizing the kingdoms, but has lost a certain item that Viv has come into possession of. She is powerful and evil, and confident in it. As she should be, since even a knife in the heart isn't enough to stop her. She makes a good mastermind, but its a quicker resolution to her arc than I was expecting that left me surprised. But with this kind of story, that worked better than I would have thought. All in all, a worthy antagonist for Viv.
A sequel that's actually a prequel could have been a recipe for disaster, but in this case, it really works. It gives us a look into Viv's growth as a person, and we can understand her motivations a bit more. It also introduces fun new characters, one of which, Fern, will be in the next book, meeting Viv once again in the current day. I'm definitely looking forward to that later this year. I highly recommend this story, and the series as a whole. It's a great example that every story doesn't need world shaking consequences. Check it out today, you won't regret it.
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