Brigands & Breadknives by Travis Baldree

Brigands & Breadknives by Travis Baldree

I’m a fan of the cozy fantasy genre, specifically the low-stakes, slice-of-life world Travis Baldree has created in his Legends & Lattes series (currently Legends & Lattes and Bookshops & Bonedust). My only complaint so far has been Fern, the rattkin from the second book, who has a filthy mouth. She swears constantly. I’m not fond of excessive profanity in the books I read as it often feels like a shortcut in writing. Instead of meeting the challenge of expressing emotion creatively, authors sometimes rely too heavily on crude language as a stand-in for depth or authenticity.

That said, I was more than willing to overlook Fern’s colorful vocabulary because I truly enjoy Baldree’s storytelling. His writing is warm and immersive, his descriptions engaging, and his character arcs both enchanting and emotionally satisfying. He even manages to breathe life into inanimate objects turning them into sentient, endearing companions that feel integral to the story (hello, Satchel!). Baldree also excels at the “found family” theme, portraying genuine loyalty and friendship in a way that feels heartfelt and comforting.

When I learned about the upcoming third book, Brigands and Breadknives, I expected the stakes to rise even higher than in the previous two books. Bookshops & Bonedust already showed an increase in tension, so it seemed natural that the trend would continue. What gave me pause, however, was discovering that Fern (not Viv the orc, who anchored the first two books) would take center stage. It’s not that I dislike Fern (or her faithful dog, Potroast), but I did worry her swearing would once again pull me out of the story. Despite those reservations, I requested an e-ARC and was thrilled to be approved.

I ended up flying through all 336 pages. Aside from Fern, we’re introduced to an entirely new cast of characters to fall in love with. This is very much a journey-style story, which I know isn’t everyone’s favorite, but I found it kept the pacing brisk. As expected, the stakes are indeed higher in Brigands and Breadknives, with more intense fight scenes and violence. Yet, true to form, Baldree balances that intensity by including two sentient beings whose quirky personalities provide warmth and levity when things get heavy. If you loved Legends & Lattes for its charm and comfort but are ready for a bit more adventure, Brigands and Breadknives delivers exactly that.

Brigands and Breadknives follows Fern on a perilous mission that tests her loyalty, resilience, and ability to find connection in unexpected places. Though Fern’s language still grated on me at times, seeing the world through her perspective gave me a deeper appreciation for her courage and loyalty. I didn’t expect to connect with her as much as I did but her struggles with feeling lost and dissatisfied with her current career, and consequently unsure about her next steps in life was so relatable.

There is a fairly shocking part of the ending resolution that left me with my mouth hanging open which I did wish had a different solution but ultimately I closed the book feeling satisfied. I am curious and hopeful about where Baldree might take this world next but regardless, I’ll be first in line to read it.