Travis Baldree

Viv spent her life killing monsters and looting treasures and had fun doing it, but now she feels it's time for something different. She decides to open a coffee shop and change her violent ways, but when old and new enemies appear, that decision will be put to the test.

I enjoyed reading this story, but I could tell it isn't necessarily my cup of coffee (for one, I actually hate coffee). In the beginning, the lack of action made me a bit bored with the book. However, as the story progressed and new characters were introduced, I couldn't help but be drawn in completely. (I even tried to drink coffee again, but unfortunately, the book didn't magically turn me into a coffee lover, although it certainly made me want to be one.)

What I really loved in this book were all the personal stories. The atmosphere of the place seems to attract the lonely and the troubled, and it slowly grows into a friendly community. With some very unlikely members, too.

Another theme that I enjoyed was how the problems that might be easily solved with violence had to be solved peacefully. It almost gave the story the POV of your common fantasy world dweller.

This is just a great heartwarming story that you can read to take a break after some grisly dark fantasy. I am interested to see what this newly popularised subgenre might bring in the future.

I received a copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.… (meer)

I am reviewing the Editorial Roma Spanish language edition of this book. To this day, I have never read the book in English.

It seems like this is a Spain editorial. For unexplained reasons, the translation is an unusual mixture between the exotic (veering into archaic) Spanish equivalent word terminologies used in Lord of the Rings and modern Mexico City style Spanish.

The prose feels kind of weird mixing more prosaic terminology such as trasgo with Mexicanisms such as the verb chacharear or Viv's petate bed. To this day since I have not read the book in English, I have no idea regarding the exact wording the original version uses for Viv's bed. Petate has a very specific meaning in Spanish. It is a type of thin woven straw matting that can be rolled up and stored somewhere during the day.

Prose also combines more literary Spanish words that are not in common everyday use. I would have to open the book and search for them, but it gives hints the translator either has a full-fledged Spanish Literature college background or reads a ton of classic literature. Without reading the book in English to know how the English word lexicon is used, I can't define the degree the translation takes huge liberties to change the tone and maybe even refinement of the prose (which in any way was nice, I think the translation is quite good). To give English readers of this review an idea, it feels like mixing LOTR prose in all its British sounding glory with occasional modern US slang.

As for the book, I can instantly see why this book landed the jackpot win for a trad deal and multiple book language translations. Whether it was just the stars aligning in the right angle or very clever marketing, Legends & lattes was the kind of feel-good story with smaller stakes, minimal romance and new takes on the maligned Orc stereotypes that were needed during the pandemic lockdowns. If people continue berating self published books as inferior, this book should serve as a great example that some of the most exciting and ground-breaking trad books that are not just carbon copies of nostalgic stories of lore start out as indies. And unlike 50 Shades of Grey (which I still can't believe I finished reading the entire dratted book even though I really hated every minute of it), this book in every sense is as rock-solid as the magical stone that starts the whole initial story conflict.

I don't think there should be much of a need to resume the story. It's actually quite obvious. Orc mercenary woman is tired of bashing & killing, so she saves money, buys a dilapidated shack in a medium sized city, opens a restaurant, makes new friends along the way. It feels more like a women's fiction story about the misadventures of an entrepeneur than a fantasy book. So, if readers want explosions and dragons and save the king, look elsewhere because this story will bore you.

But if you enter the book knowing the conflict is the success of this new restaurant where magic exists but plays a minimal role in the plot, then cuddle down, sip some coccoa and enjoy the ride. A very worthy 4 star read for me!… (meer)