Format: 352 pages, Hardcover Published: November 21, 2023 by Hodderscape ISBN: 9781399724685 (ISBN10: 1399724681) Language: English
Blurb
Marriage isn’t always sunshine and unicorns… sometimes it’s monsters and necromancy.
In a world of magic and adventure, Logan “the Bear” Theaker had hung up his axe and settled down with his sunshiny bard husband, Pie. But when Pie disappears, Logan is forced back into the world he thought he left behind.
The kingdom is in turmoil, and Logan must come out of retirement to save it. But first, he must save his beloved husband from whatever danger he’s in. With the help of an old adversary and a ghost from his past, Logan discovers that Pie has been blackmailed into stealing a powerful artifact capable of creating an undead army.
The fate of the kingdom hangs in the balance as Logan and his team set out to stop the brewing war and put an end to the king’s ban on magic. But in doing so, Logan must confront his own hero complex and come face to face with the one man who’s ever made him feel worthy of love.
Legends & Lattes meets Kings of the Wyld in this thrilling, queer, light fantasy. Follow Logan and Pie’s journey as they fight to save their love and the kingdom they call home.
My Review
I got myself a signed copy of this book from Goldsboro Books a couple of weeks ago and started reading it when it arrived two days ago. I’ve been busy with work and blog tours so I only got three chapters in, until this evening. Four and a half hours later I’ve finished reading the book.
We meet Pie and Logan at a village festival, a few months after they marry and settle down from their lives on the road as a bard and a hero. But things quickly go wrong when Pie disappears on a trip to the nearest city and Logan has to search for him. He calls on a necromancer he once arrested and that sets off a chain of events that eventually include grave robbing, nearly drowning, killing a king and unicorns, lots of unicorns.
This romp of a story is a D&D campaign! Seriously, it has the sorts of characters and structures you get in a really good game, with a really good DM. There’s an inciting event, a quest, a collection of characters who appear and join the expedition, monsters to defeat, an even bigger challenge to over come when it looks like you’ve got to the end, and a final big boss to destroy. It was a lot of fun to read.
It was also heart-breaking at times! Pie and Logan are absolutely wretchedly in love and their arguments are caused by love and their insecurities as they face their pasts and their feelings. I cried, a few times. I
I’m soppy, I know.
They’re so lovely though, and they develop over the course of the novel as they confront their fears and insecurities about being left behind, and express how overwhelming their love for each other is.
I found the countess hilariously funny, relentlessly positive and of all the secondary characters she’s my favourite. She has a sad history, uses her magic for seemingly trivial things like getting the gardening done, and is feared because she’s a necromancer. Yet, she comes through in the end, even though she sort of betrayed Logan before the story started. And she has a CHARTER!
I loved the descriptions of places and people in the book, they were very evocative and quite, quite amusing at times. The contrast between the ‘real’ world, the ‘pocket’ world of the unicorns, and death’s realm were very clear and stark. I loved the descriptions of the library in the capital. Also, totally agree with Logan on the suspended walkways. They are a baaaaaad idea.
Length: 13 hrs and 45 mins Unabridged Audiobook Release date: 22-02-22
Blurb
No man is above the law.
The Empire of the Wolf simmers with unrest. Rebels, heretics and powerful patricians all challenge the power of the imperial throne.
Only the Order of Justices stands in the way of chaos. Sir Konrad Vonvalt is the most feared Justice of all, upholding the law by way of his sharp mind, arcane powers and skill as a swordsman. At his side stands Helena Sedanka, his clerk and protégé, orphaned by the wars that forged the empire.
When the pair investigate the murder of a provincial aristocrat, they unearth a conspiracy that stretches to the very top of imperial society. As the stakes rise and become ever more personal, Vonvalt and Helena must make a choice: will they abandon the laws they’ve sworn to uphold in order to protect the empire?
Introducing an unforgettable protagonist destined to become a fantasy icon, The Justice of Kings is an unmissable debut where action, intrigue and magic collide.
My Review
I listened to this in August and September, but completely forgot to review it for you all. Since I’m doing my ‘favourite sci fi and fantasy of 2023’ list soon, I thought I’d better add it, because I really enjoyed the book.
In this first book in the Empire of the Wolf series we meet the main characters, Helena Sedanka, Konrad Vonvalt and Bressinger. They are on their rounds, as Vonvalt is a Justice of the Empire, applying the common law across fractious provinces. They are accompanied for part of their journey by Patria Bartholomew Claver, a fundamentalist priest with ambitions to even greater things. In the first village they visit, they find an enclave of ‘heretics’, people following their indigenous religion, instead of the imperial religion of Nema. Vonvalt tries to find a solution that helps everyone, while Claver demands they’re burnt and then leaves. After Vonvalt, Helena and Bressinger move on, Claver returns with Templars and kills everyone in the village, burning them to death.
Later, Vonvalt is called to a port town to investigate the murder of a noblewoman. They find a much deeper conspiracy involving a monastery funnelling money to Claver and the Templars, a woman held hostage, and a child murdered. Helena has to go under cover, while Vonvalt is diverted by the arrival of an old friend and his investigations take him elsewhere.
Claver brings his army to the same town to demand the release of one of the priests held for the murder. He attacks the town, slaughtering innocent residents to hide the evidence of the crimes he and his funders committed. Claver shows his new powers, stolen from the Justices.
Vonvalt becomes obsessed with defeating Claver, getting revenge for the death of his old friend and for the people murdered by the Templars.
That leads us to the start of The Tyranny of Faith.
Helena tells the story, moving between her present day and her past, her recollections of events that lead to the downfall of the Empire. The structure is really interesting and we see her character development from a young, naïve, secretary to an experienced investigator, a scholar of the law. We see her first love, sex, and loss, her heartbreak and her developing relationship with her colleagues. Bressinger is her best friend but he’s a less developed character, while Vonvalt is both her mentor and a man she is developing romantic feelings for. She is torn between her professional obligations and her personal feeling, both for her first love, for Vonvalt, and about her job, killing people, and the things she must give up to be a Justice.
Vonvalt is a highly developed character, a complex man who desperately wants to be a force for good in the Empire, but is torn between the law in theory and the way it’s practiced in reality.
Bressinger is not as well developed; we know he fought in the Riekskrieg, lost his wife and children, to an attack on his home town, and joined the service of the Empire only because Vonvalt was his friend and he wanted revenge.
The worldbuilding is amazing! It is a medieval Germanic inspired world. It reminds me of a cross between the Roman Empire and the Holy Roman Empire, with hints of earlier medieval European states. There’s Templar knights and hints of gun powder, while village ladies lead rituals around bonfires to forbidden gods. The supernatural elements are woven into the story completely; from Vonvalt’s necromancy to Helena’s unexpected trips to the ‘Holy Realm’ – the places where the dead and the spirits live. The ‘gods’ are shown to be questionable, while the magic, under different names and either allowed or not depending on who is using it, is a tool that people use or fight over.
The writing is really accomplished and the story flies by. I’d never heard of Richard Swan until I received a signed special edition of this book in the SFF Fellowship subscription in 2022. Now I follow him on Instagram and have the third book in the series on pre-order. I’m a bit of a fan of his writing.
The narrator is really good. We can hear the difference between young Helena and older Helena by the tone of her voice. She puts a lot of emotion into her narration.
If you’re looking for an epic fantasy, try this series.
Published February 14, 2023 by Hachette B and Blackstone Publishing ISBN: 9781668629963 (ISBN10: 1668629968)
Blurb
A Justice’s work is never done.
The Battle of Galen’s Vale is over, but the war for the Empire’s future has just begun. Concerned by rumors that the Magistratum’s authority is waning, Sir Konrad Vonvalt returns to Sova to find the capital city gripped by intrigue and whispers of rebellion. In the Senate, patricians speak openly against the Emperor, while fanatics preach holy vengeance on the streets.
Yet facing down these threats to the throne will have to wait, for the Emperor’s grandson has been kidnapped – and Vonvalt is charged with rescuing the missing prince. His quest will lead him – and his allies Helena, Bressinger and Sir Radomir – to the southern frontier, where they will once again face the puritanical fury of Bartholomew Claver and his templar knights – and a dark power far more terrifying than they could have imagined.
Dellaria Wells – petty con artist, occasional thief, and partly educated fire witch – is behind on her rent. To make ends meet, Delly talks her way into a guard job in the city of Leiscourt, joining a team of unconventional women to protect an aristocrat from unseen assassins.
It looks like easy money and a chance to romance her confident companion Winn – but when did anything in Delly’s life go to plan? With the help of a necromancer, a shapeshifting schoolgirl and a reanimated mouse named Buttons, Delly and Winn find themselves facing an adversary who wields a twisted magic and has friends in the highest of places.
My Review
I think I got recommended this book as another example of a ‘cosy fantasy’ after I enjoyed Legends & Lattes. This book was originally published by Ace in 2021, and a new Penguin edition will be published in July. I might get the Penguin edition too, although the covers are the same. Ace books tend to be a bit rough and the printing quality can be not great, and this book isn’t an exception.
I’ve ordered the Penguin edition of Unnatural Magic, which is being published in July; it’s the other book in this series and was originally published by Ace in 2019. I’ll compare the quality of both and order the other editions if I think there’s any point.
Dellaria Wells is desperate for funds and can’t find her mum. In Leiscourt, her ability as a Firewitch marks her out among the poor and makes her an object of derision for the rich. Unfortunately, her ability to get in her own way and mess things up has led to any advantages her skills and natural talents might have given her being more a cause for trouble than a benefit.
She stumbles into a gig as a bodyguard for a wealthy woman about to get married. Here she meets some ‘properly trained’ magicians, all women. She is immediately attracted to a half-troll called Winn, who is an amazing shot and reasonable at illusions. Her dad also happens to know some very important people. Delly sets her cap at Winn, a prospect for possible expensive gifts, but finds she actually really likes Winn. The job looks easy, a bit of romance and enough money to pay the rent for a few months.
Except things get a bit dangerous when they’re attacked by the creations of necromancers and the bride is almost killed by one of the party. When another of the party is murdered by the necromancer and the guilty party goes on the run, the job changes – this time it’s about revenge and the pay is a lot better.
Delly, Winn and co head back to Leiscourt to find the murderer and bring down a crime ring providing drugs that are currently killing lots of people, including Delly’s mum.
Delly seems to be a rather uncomplicated person until we get into the meat of the story, when we discover her complicated relationship with her mother, who is addicted to drugs and alcohol, and was a neglectful parent. As a child she is neglected and as an adult she has to look after her mother. She is angry and sad when she discovers her in hospital or in bars. She hopes for her to be a better person and is distressed when her mother reverts back to her usual behaviour.
Delly also has a complicated relationship with Winn; Winn sees the best in her, which Delly can’t see in herself. She is convinced that Winn is being duped by her own sense of goodness. They do love each other but Delly can’t say it even after they save each others’ lives.
Mrs Totham is cool. I found her very sympathetic and increasingly funny as she goes from being a bird-obsessed elderly lady to a revenge-obsessed necromancer (sorry, body scientist) after her daughter is murdered.
The plot is entertaining and gets complicated as the crew start investigating a couple of crimes – a murder and a drugs gang. The excitement builds as they finally bring down their enemy and a house explodes.
The setting is something like a Victorian London with magic, and some customs that seem strange to the reader. It took me a bit to get used to things. I still don’t quite get some of the background like ‘householders’ and ‘Hexos’. What are these things? The society is fairly open to relationships that certainly would not have been acceptable in Victorian London.
It was a fun read and I’m looking forward to reading Unnatural Magic in July.
Information About the Book Title: Lucha of the Night Forest Author: Tehlor Kay Mejia Release Date: 21st March 2023 Publisher: Random House Inc Genre: YA
Blurb
An edge-of-your-seat fantasy about a girl who will do anything to protect her sister–even if it means striking a dangerous bargain. Dark forces, forgotten magic, and a heart-stopping queer romance make this young adult novel a must-read.
A scorned god. A mysterious acolyte. A forgetting drug. A dangerous forest. One girl caught between the freedom she always wanted and a sister she can’t bear to leave behind. Under the cover of the Night Forest, will Lucha be able to step into her own power…or will she be consumed by it?
This gorgeous and fast-paced fantasy novel from acclaimed author Tehlor Kay Mejia is brimming with adventure, peril, romance, and family bonds–and asks what it means for a teen girl to become fully herself.
I will have a round up of all the books I really enjoyed from 2022 in January, but as a Midwinter treat, here’s my favourite SFF that I’ve read and/or listened to this year. I do like to mix media with books.
296 pages, Paperback Published January 1, 2009 by Middlesex University Press ISBN 9781904750680 (ISBN10: 1904750680)
Blurb
A history of the fantasy form, this work traces the genre from the earliest years with The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Odyssey through to the origins of modern fantasy in the 20th century with such acclaimed writers as Terry Pratchett and J. K. Rowling. An exploration of the great variety of fiction published under the heading “fantasy,” this engaging study seeks to explain its continuing and ever-growing popularity.
My Review
I bought myself this book because I am interested in fantasy as a genre. I have been reading fantasy seriously for almost thirty years, and I have joked that I learnt to be human by reading fantasy. I’ve learnt a lot about why people do what they do by reading fantasy. I am interested in the history and theory of the genre because I want to know why it is so popular, yet so disdained by the literary establishment*.
This book covers the development of fantasy as a genre up to 2008. It goes into detail in some areas but not in others. They cover Pratchett and Tolkien, of course, but also children’s fantasy and the cross-over between fantasy and sci fi. It is a comfortable balance between the popular and the academic.
I have only one problem with this book: I keep buying books. Oh, and it needs updating to 2022. Lots has happened in the last 14 years.
Paperback, 512 pages Published August 16th 2022 by Orbit ISBN:0316538566 (ISBN13: 9780316538565) Series The Burning Kingdoms #2
Audiobook Published August 16th 2022 by Orbit ISBN:1668613557 (ISBN13: 9781668613559)
Blurb
“Alluring, action-packed, and gut-wrenching,” (Publishers Weekly, starred review), The Oleander Sword continues Tasha Suri’s acclaimed Burning Kingdoms trilogy, in which a powerful priestess and a vengeful princess will change the fate of an empire.
The prophecy of the nameless god—the words that declared Malini the rightful empress of Parijatdvipa—has proven a blessing and curse. She is determined to claim the throne that fate offered her. But even with rage in her heart and the army of loyal men by her side, deposing her brother is going to be a brutal and bloody fight.
The power of the deathless waters flows through Priya’s blood. Now a thrice born priestess and an Elder of Ahiranya, she dreams of seeing her country rid of the rot that plagues it: both Parijatdvipa’s poisonous rule, and the blooming sickness that is spreading through all living things. But she doesn’t yet understand the truth of the magic she carries.
Their chosen paths once pulled them apart. But Malini and Priya’s souls remain as entwined as their destinies. And saving their kingdom from those who would rather see it burn will come at a terrible price.
Paperback, 480 pages Published July 7th 2022 by Head of Zeus (first published October 5th 2021) ISBN13: 9781788543248 Edition Language: English Series: Burningblade & Silvereye #2
Blurb
Standing on opposite sides of a looming civil war, two siblings discover that not even ties of blood will keep them from splitting the world in two.
Four hundred years ago, a cataclysmic war cracked the world open and exterminated the Elder races. Amid the ashes, their human inheritor, the Dawn Republic, stands guard over lands littered with eldritch relics and cursed by plaguespawn outbreaks. But a new conflict is looming and brother and sister Maya and Gyre have found themselves on opposite sides.
At the age of five, Maya was taken by the Twilight Order and trained to be a centarch, wielding forbidden arcana to enforce the Dawn Republic’s rule. On that day, her brother, Gyre, swore to destroy the Order that stole his sister… whatever the cost.
Twelve years later, brother and sister are two very different people: she is Burningblade, the Twilight Order’s brightest prodigy; he is Silvereye, thief, bandit, revolutionary.
For centuries, the Dawn Republic has ruled over the land unopposed. No more.
Deep below the Gap, Gyre Silvereye discovered a city, hidden far from human eyes. There, the ghouls have dwelt for four hundred years in hibernation, awaiting the moment to wreak their vengeance on the Dawn Republic.
With their help, Gyre can finally see a way to overthrow the all-powerful Twilight Order. But the ghouls do not give their trust easily, and Gyre will need to secure the alliance of the human rebels to the south if they are to even stand a chance. And uniting the two won’t be simple.
His sister Maya still fights for the Order. But after recent events, she is no longer certain where her loyalties lie. Chasing the origins of a mysterious artefact to a long-lost library, she just might find the truth – whether she is ready for it or not.
My Review
I have two editions of this book, and the first one in the series. I have Goldsboro Books special editions in hardback, and paperbacks. The paperback from Head of Zeus arrived on Thursday, because I had it on pre-order. I have two copies of the first book in the Burningblade & Silvereye series too,Ashes of the Sun, which I reviewed in March 2021. I also have both as audiobooks. I couldn’t get on with the audiobook narration for this one, or I’d have reviewed it before now. It’s very unfortunate, since I quite liked the audiobook of Ashes of the Sun and was looking forward to listening to this one too.
Gyre Silvereye and Maya Burningblade are siblings on opposite sides of the social order. As a Centarch, Maya represents the ruling Order, heirs to the mysterious Chosen, while Gyre is a rebel, a thief and determined to bring the Order down, with the help of the ‘ghouls’, a sentient species who are almost extinct and hated by humanity.
The ghouls are a rather large, humanoid species, with hair and fangs, who use dhak, a form of magic. They live in the hidden Refuge, an ancient ghoul city that is now almost empty after 99% of the ghouls died because of the plague that also wiped out the Chosen. Ghouls use constructs to do all the heavy lifting, and have weapons that Gyre can use in his rebellion. He ropes Elariel, a ghoul who worked for Naumoriel (villain in the first book), into helping him. He offers the ruling parliament of the ghouls a way to get revenge on the Chosen and the Order by supporting his rebellion with weapons and tools. Elariel undergoes a terrible operation as punishment which makes her look human to help with the mission.
Kit is now happily running around in multiple construct bodies, lamenting only her inability to fuck, although she does discover how much she enjoys voyeurism and fighting in multiple places at once. The three leave Refuge for Deepfire, where they collect three large wagons and a lot of alchemical equipment, and Sarah, an alchemist formerly of the Order who joined the rebels in Deepfire. They travel through the Splintered Kingdoms to Khirkhaz, a mountainous and forested region where a Commune led by the ousted Apphia, Baron Kotzed, fights to retake the area from the Republic and return to her family’s tower.
Meanwhile, Maya, her partner Beq, and their scout, Varo, go looking for an Archive in the mountains in the north west, beyond Deepfire and near the coast. Many Centarchs had attempted to clear the place of plaguespawn to reach the Archive, but had failed. Maya and her small team find a village, a mystery and information about the Thing and Maya’s deiat. Beq gets over-excited by the possibilities of the archive. They return to the Forge, where they are sent out on a secret mission that involves them going to the capital of the Republic, Skyreach to break into Kyriliarch Prodominus’ private warehouse. There, they discover a great secret and more information about betrayal in the Order.
The two groups meet in Khirkhaz during the fight to defend Apphia’s claim from the Republic. They go off on a mission of their own that could destroy or save the world…
The world and its history is explored further as the two groups travel across the continent by different means, and we learn more about the Chosen and the ghouls. It becomes increasingly obvious that humans have been lied to for centuries and that the Order is fractured. Who can anyone trust? The tension lies between what the reader knows from following Gyre and his group, and what Maya believes to be true based on what she is told and what she finds in her adventures. They are both driven by idealism, which doesn’t do well in the real world. Gyre finds his Khirkhaz Commune is really a collection of argumentative, disunited factions from different backgrounds, only nominally led by Apphia. Maya discovers that she’s been lied to repeatedly, although we don’t really see how it changes things for her, other than her internal confusion about who to trust. Hopefully, it’ll become clearer in the third book.
The relationship between Gyre and Maya is fraught before they meet up in battle, but it becomes more so as they realise they need to work together. Gyre is deeply affected by his sister’s actions in the last chapters, but still helps her. I’ll be interested to see the fall out in the next book. I have a feeling that Gyre and company might be arrested and Maya is placed in an even more compromised position, or the Corruptor will overcome the Order. Pretty sure Tanax and Basal are corrupted. I hope the ghouls are able to save themselves though and humanity gets its collective head out of its collective arse. The Order and Republic are clearly positioned as compromised and controlling in these books, while Gyre and the rebels as ‘heroes’, but it’s more complicated. No one group is evil or good. They’re humans; venal, greedy and selfish in some cases, deceived and deceptive, selfless, determined to improve the world, and generous. The technology has limits even if magic is involved and people get exhausted, no one can fight forever, weapons and tools break and ammunition or fuel runs out. Like in the real world.
There is a development of Maya and Beq’s relationship carries through their chapters, as they support each other and realise how important they are to each other. I like their relationship; they’re young and inexperienced, and trying to work out what they are to each other. It’s sweet. Thankfully, the author manages not to make their sexuality a big deal, it’s just a background fact that both are girls and they are in a relationship. It’s the development of their relationship that’s important, not the fact it exists.
Beq is a marvellous character, geeky, intelligent and brave, who doesn’t have much confidence in herself, but can do anything she sets her mind to. I also enjoyed the little scene where she’s reading while waiting for Maya to finish her visit Jaedia in the hospital, and doesn’t notice Maya come out of the room because the book is so engrossing. Been there, done that. Haven’t we all? She also struggles with jokes and is very literal. She’s practical and loves Maya deeply although she doesn’t seem to have many other relationships or friends.
Kit, having died and then returned as the controlling intellect in a construct army, is a lot more fun that in the first book. Death seems to have allowed her to put aside her angst and enjoy life. The abilities she has as a construct allow her to be in so many places at once, which helps her and Gyre to escape from various traps, fight battles and rescue each other. The image of chicken sized mechanical spiders carrying smoking ceramic bombs attacking Maya and Legionaries made me giggle but at the same time are very practical. They would be useful.
This is a world where both magic and technology mix to allow aircraft, long distance almost instantaneous travel, but humans still live in squalor in cities, hide behind high walls in the countryside, and the magic and tech developed by two species though to be extinct is limited to a certain class or group. It’s a blending of science fiction and fantasy that works well. I enjoyed Elariel’s questioning of the social rules and distinctions, because things are very different on ghoul society, where helping anyone in pain is an obligation, all the work is done by constructs, and decisions are made by a representative group. Her complaints about clothes are funny, and true. They are uncomfortable.
Details like Elariel being in pain because she isn’t used to walking in shoes or the difficulties of getting wagons along forest paths bring a touch of reality to this book. The descriptions of the environments people travel through and the different societies of the continent seem to have been well thought out. The writing is fluid and gripping, it’s punchy and fast paced at times while also having slower, more reflective sections. I stayed up rather later to finish the book and can’t wait for the next in the series. I know it’ll be out next year and the title ‘Emperor of Ruin’ which sounds promising.
Because I’m a bit obsessive, and I have Ashes of the Sun in the Orbit paperback edition (US publisher), and Blood of the Chosen in the Head of Zeus edition (UK publisher). I’ve just bought the opposites so I have both books in both editions. I’ll get the Goldsboro Books special hardback of the third book and the two different paperbacks. They have different covers, I’m not just being pedantic about having matching publisher’s editions. I am however aware that most people don’t do this,
Now to my criticisms. There aren’t many. Elariel’s appearance, especially the comments about her attractiveness get a bit repetitive and aren’t really adding to the plot. Other people’s reactions and her utter cluelessness get the message across adequately. The ability of the ghoul swords to cut through unmetal armour where it’s thin is mentioned in every fight, which is just unnecessary, the reader won’t forget that these swords are pretty amazing even if they do have limits. I knew we were heading into the final fight when Maya and Gyre meet up to go to the Purifier and that they would be betrayed, because the same thing happened in Ashes of the Sun. It’s a little formulaic, even though it works.
Generally, I was impressed by this solid sequel, even with the minor irritants. I recommend it to fans of science fiction and fantasy.
Paperback, 305 pages Published February 22nd 2022 ISBN13: 9798985663211
Blurb
High Fantasy with a double-shot of self-reinvention
Worn out after decades of packing steel and raising hell, Viv the orc barbarian cashes out of the warrior’s life with one final score. A forgotten legend, a fabled artifact, and an unreasonable amount of hope lead her to the streets of Thune, where she plans to open the first coffee shop the city has ever seen.
However, her dreams of a fresh start pulling shots instead of swinging swords are hardly a sure bet. Old frenemies and Thune’s shady underbelly may just upset her plans. To finally build something that will last, Viv will need some new partners and a different kind of resolve.
A hot cup of fantasy slice-of-life with a dollop of romantic froth.
My Review
This book arrived on Monday and to be honest it didn’t make it to the TBR pile. I took it upstairs to add to the pile and instead spent two hours reading. I finished it today. Didn’t have the energy yesterday after work, but I’m okay today. Not going to the Wellbeing Hub at the leisure centre on Monday might have something to do with that. I’m disappointed in myself and my body that a fairly gentle exercise routine two days a week and working one afternoon a week results is enough to knock me off my feet for two to three days. It’s ridiculous.
But ignore all that, you’re not here for updates on my dodgy health and energy levels, you’re here for the book review.
Viv is an orc adventurer, sick of all the travelling and killing. After one final mission she settles down in the town of Thune and opens a coffee shop, an utterly unheard-of venture. Making friends with a giant cat, a succubus in a sweater, a rattkin baker, a hob carpenter, Arcanist (wizard but with scientist overtones) who refuses to drink hot drinks and a musician who invents soft rock, Viv finds a home. She also has to cope with the local crime family demanding protection money and an old companion who thinks her good fortune is unfair. Their friendship sees them through trials and tribulations, and Viv finally finds love.
I enjoyed this novel. The plot is not new. Lots of cosy romances have a similar plot, but none I’ve ever heard of involve fantasy creations. I don’t read romance much, but if you add it to a fantasy setting and don’t make the romance overwhelming, I’m fine with it. I found the characters fun and realistic. The worldbuilding is really good. It’s not heavy handed, but there’s enough detail added as colour, like mentions of far off places and organisations that it comes across as a complex complete world. It was easy to read and I rooted for Viv and her friends.
I had a read of the acknowledgements. It looks like Baldree wrote this book for NaNoWriMo 2021, and somehow managed to publish it by February 2022. The press, Cryptid Press, looks like it’s the author’s own press, so I assume it’s self-published. I also looked briefly at the author’s website https://travisbaldree.com/ which seems to confirm it. It’s well edited. The benefits of having a proper editor and plenty of beta readers. Having tried something similar, without those benefits, I can only doff my overly large hat to Baldree. Nice work.
If you want to try a fantasy that is light and fun, with high fantasy elements, I recommend this novel.
Everything Is Better With Dragons 