I Should Read That

Book review¹

Fern has weathered the stillness and storms of a bookseller’s life for decades, but now, in the face of crippling ennui, transplants herself to the city of Thune to hang out her shingle beside a long-absent friend’s coffee shop. What could be a better pairing? Surely a charming renovation montage will cure what ails her!

If only things were so simple . . .

It turns out that fixing your life isn’t a one-time prospect, nor as easy as a change of scenery and a lick of paint.

A drunken and desperate night sees the rattkin waking far from home in the company of a legendary warrior surviving on inertia, an imprisoned chaos-goblin with a fondness for silverware, and an absolutely thumping hangover.

As together they fend off a rogue’s gallery of ne’er-do-wells trying to claim the bounty the goblin represents, Fern may finally reconnect with the person she actually is when anything is possible . . .

I absolutely love Travis Baldree’s brand of cosy fantasy fiction, and the third book in his Legends and Lattes series was right at the top of my most anticipated releases of 2025. While he leans away from cosy in this new book, his world, characters, and storytelling are no less delightful.

Brigands and Breadknives is less cosy and more swashbuckling midlife crisis adventure, and I’m totally here for it. Fern, the foul-mouthed bookselling rattkin from Bookshops and Bonedust, is one of my favourite characters in the series and I am unreasonably happy to see her get her own book. Fern is an older character at a crossroads in life and a silly, drunken decision thrusts her onto a new path to find meaning. I think most people will be able to relate to her internal crisis, as well as her desire for something new. I love that Fern is not a legendary hero or warrior, but she manages to navigate this adventure in her own way. Fern is such a wonderful character and Brigands expands on her character beautifully.

I also loved the rich cast of secondary and side characters – this is one of the places Baldree always shines. Astryx One-Ear, the legendary warrior who’s current quest collides with Fern’s quiet life, is a wonderful character with a fantastic story arc. Even after a centuries-long life she still grows and changes because of her friendship with Fern. My heart, however, belongs to Zyll, chaotic goblin extraordinaire and unlikely friend. Zyll doesn’t say a lot, but she’s absolutely hilarious and the cornerstone of the adventure. She’s sure to be a fan favourite – just make sure you lock up your silverware.

Brigand and Breadknives is a slight departure for Baldree, but still contains all the heart and humour of his previous books. With slightly diminished great swords, a rogues gallery of villains, highly opinionated blades, and adventure abound, this book is an absolute delight. I would recommend reading at least Bookshops and Bonedust before picking this one up (and if you haven’t already, you’re in for a treat).

This book releases in November in both the US and UK in November 2025

1. I received a copy of this book from Tor US in exchange for an honest review. ↩︎