Review: Bookshops & Bonedust, by Travis Baldree
by
Stuart Holland
Potroast is the best.
Honestly, I wondered how a prequel would work for this series. The conceit of Legends & Lattes is that it’s about Viv’s retirement, and it takes place immediately after that happens. So would a book with Viv as the protagonist and set before that not be a much more standard fantasy novel?
I’m very glad to be wrong. This book strikes a great balance, finding a believable reason why Viv was previously in a situation that both throws her into a story that fits the motif of Legends & Lattes and is true to who she is.
It’s interesting to see a younger Viv with less of a cork on her temper. But at the same time, you can see the seeds of what eventually becomes her personality in Legends & Lattes. She’s different in a way that feels authentic, but also the same in a way that feels like it would really lead to the orc we know.
The surrounding cast all do a great job, and there is a little more action overall, as makes sense for Viv’s life as a mercenary-at-present. Strong recommend.
Have I mentioned that Potroast is the best?
