If you're looking at this and thinking "That has a striking resemblance to Legends & Lattes", you'd be right. This is a prequel to that. If you've read Legends & Lattes, you may remember Viv mentioning a bookshop that she spent a lot of time in. Well. this is that bookshop and about that time!
The Plot
Viv is at the beginning of her adventuring career as a member of mercenary company Rackam's Ravens. During a hunt for a powerful necromancer she's severely injured, and is forced to recover in a tiny seaside village called Murk while the rest of Rackam's Ravens continue their hunt for the necromancer. Away from the adventure she desperately craves and filled with worry that Rackam won't return for her, she begins her painful road to recovery.
The recovery, however, is rushed along somewhat when a mysterious cloaked figure comes into town and kickstarts a series of events that soon bring all the necromantic action to her seaside doorstep!
There are also a few sub-plots alongside that add heavily to the cosy feel of this book and definitely left me feeling like I needed a warm bread roll to eat while reading it.
The Characters
When Viv is finally more mobile, she discovers a bookshop run by a foul-mouthed Ratkin named Fern where she whiles away much of her recovery time and, reluctantly at first, is introduced to reading books. More main characters are introduced in the shape of a baker and another merc for hire, as well as an enchanted skeleton with subtle but brilliant comedic timing.
The characters are diverse and, for the most part, lovable. I wouldn't say there's a lot of character development outside of Viv, but the characters are nice to read about and add well to the story.
The World
The world is once again your classic Dungeons & Dragons setting, complete with races you'd expect and a classic D&D plot type to boot.
Summary
The difference between this and Legends & Lattes for me is that the cosy feel of it comes from the characters, their relationships, and sub-plot(s) as opposed to being tied more to the main story arc. So if you like your cosy fantasy with just a little more focus on a classic D&D campaign, then this is the book you need.
Plot or Character driven | Character |
Strong Character Development | No |
Lovable Characters | Yes |
Diverse Cast | Yes |
Pace | Medium |
Should I read it?
Yes
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