An Instant #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Indie Bestseller
A Barnes & Noble Best Fantasy Book of 2023
An Amazon Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Book of 2023
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.
"Take a break from epic battles and saving the world. This is a low-stakes fantasy that delivers exactly what's advertised: a wholesome, cozy novel that feels like a warm hug. This is my new comfort read."—Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch's Heart, on Legends & Lattes
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
0 of 2 copies available
Wait time: Available soon
-
Creators
-
Series
-
Publisher
-
Release date
November 7, 2023 -
Formats
-
Kindle Book
-
OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9781250886118
-
EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9781250886118
- File size: 4210 KB
-
-
Languages
- English
-
Reviews
-
October 1, 2023
Baldree's prequel to Legends and Lattes (2022) cements his talent for cozy fantasy, engaging characters, and anachronistic references that would be at home in a Discworld novel. Bookshops & Bonedust follows established main character Viv, an orc barbarian, on her first major escapade as an adventurer. This younger, more impatient Viv is injured and forced to wait out her convalescence in the sleepy seaside village of Murk. She's whiling away her days discovering a love of reading from feisty bookstore owner Fern, flirting with the dwarven lady who runs the bakery, and ignoring an eager gnome who also wants to be a mercenary, when excitement of the bloody kind finds her and her new friends. Knowing where a character ends up often drains tension from a prequel, but Baldree avoids that pitfall because the joy of reading here isn't a simple uncertainty over who lives or dies but rather watching friendships blossom and characters grow. Folks who enjoyed the camaraderie and settings of this year's Dungeons & Dragons movie--as well as anyone who likes the idea of an orc warrior becoming a devotee of the power of reading and its ability to broaden your horizons--should check out Viv's adventures.COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
-
October 23, 2023
Bestseller Baldree’s cozy standalone sequel to Legends & Lattes shows that even a battle-hungry orc can find happiness in life’s simple pleasures. Orc Viv devotes herself to the mercenary team she works with, Rackam’s Ravens. While hunting a powerful necromancer, she’s gravely injured in battle and is forced to stay in a nearby small town to recuperate. The quaint village of Murk is initially far too quiet for her—until, while exploring, Viv stumbles upon a run-down bookshop overseen by a loud, foulmouthed rattkin (a mix of a human and a rat) named Fern. Fern grew up in the bookshop and hasn’t noticed how dilapidated it’s become, but does have a gift for matching books and customers. After Fern picks the perfect book for Viv, she falls in love with it and the bookshop—and possibly Fern as well. She offers to help make the shop more presentable, finding unexpected contentment and purpose in doing handiwork. The peace doesn’t last, however; the necromancer’s reach extends into the town after the discovery of a mysterious body and a satchel full of bones. The innocent joy of Viv and Fern’s love is delightful and Baldree’s formula of placing low-stakes stories in high-fantasy settings remains good fun. Series fans will eat this up.
-