An epic fantasy world, where an orc, who is a retired warrior and mercenary, goes through the process of buying, opening and running a café, a coffee shop, in a town where no one has even heard of coffee.
It is as simple as that.No world ending stakes. No typical action heroics. No fantasy battles. There is a McGuffin stone, pulled from the forehead of a monster-type queen, but it is irrelevant in the overall grand picture; of friendship, fellowship, found family, and the fulfilling, wonderful power of starting over in life.
Ley lines and other bits of magic exist here and there, too.
As well as the green, musclebound orc, Viv, there is also her pink succubus partner, Tandri, and a shy chef rattkin (a human-sized rat, basically) named Thimble, a hob carpenter named Cal, an adorable giant dire-cat called Amity, a big but very shy bard named Pendry, gnomes (including one who is possibly a time traveller, but like every other fantasy element, it is highly understated), dwarves, stone elves, scholars, mobs, and nice - but flawed, like everyone, and dangerous when they feel the need - old ladies. Each character feels so real; they live and breathe on every page they appear in, and I fell in love with nearly all of them instantly.
'Legends & Lattes' - a quiet yet sumptuous cosy fantasy novel with no precise plot nor structure, but it is about life. The attention to detail over any realistic planning, steps, progresses and struggles when it comes to business (ad)venturing is well appreciated. The fully realised, distinct and likeable characters help it along the most. It absorbs you, fills your senses, and never lets you go, like your favourite brand of coffee. And I don't even like coffee! I'm a tea person. And a chocolate pastry and cake person, which this book also has an abundance of. It is lovely and warm, at around 260 pages, plus a 33-page prequel story, 'Pages to Fill', at the end.
'Legends & Lattes' exists to defy every expectation when it comes to fantasy rules, roles, tropes, conventions, and characters, and it does a great job in its execution. The debut author, Travis Baldree, simply wants his readers to relax and have a good, carefree time in his version of 'Lord of the Rings', like drinking a fresh, warm, earthy, tasty beverage at your regularly sojourned café.
Beautiful slow build-up of the, again, understated romance between Viv and Tandri, as well. It's as sweet as cinnamon. LBGTQ epic fantasy and cosy epic fantasy, together at last!
Final Score: 4/5
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