🔗 Share this article

The author, known for his acclaimed comfort fantasy novels, recently released his latest novel in the set. Called Brigands and Breadknives, this story focuses on Fern the ratkin as she embarks on a traditional fantasy adventure subsequent to leaving her flourishing bookstore.

A Departure from Cozy Themes

Unlike the earlier novels in the set, which highlighted establishing a business, Brigands and Breadknives examines the idea of disappointing friends and family. Travis Baldree explained that this book is focused on grasping to disappoint people whom you value.

"This book is about learning to let people down who you care about, and understanding to refuse," the author said. "I'm creating a new project. Will readers end up let down? Is it important? Must I do my true passion to me, though it might disappoint others?"

Life Challenges Informing the Narrative

Travis Baldree mentioned that his personal experiences have always influenced his books. Earlier, he had a career in game development, co-creating titles like the game Torchlight and the space combat game Rebel Galaxy. The choice to abandon game design to produce audiobooks led to the character Viv's new path in Legends & Lattes.

"I realized during the debut story that during writing a tale, you unavoidably infuse a much of your own experience into it," he stated. "Then when readers react to that, there's this really amazing moment of connection."

Growing Popularity of Cozy Fantasy

According to the author, the popularity of cozy fantasy has surged in the past few years, partly due to a desire for relief and community in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The world feels a somewhat in turmoil, and I think with the media we consume, many people desire something that simply feels good," the author noted. "I recall COVID, the show Game of Thrones came out, and I thought, 'I enjoy Game of Thrones, but I am not interested in viewing my beloved characters beheaded.'"

Exploring Different Paths

Although Viv obtained her satisfying conclusion in Legends and Lattes, the author felt he should not take that away from her by making her out from the cafe. Following Fern gave him the opportunity to examine an individual taking the opposite path—abandoning a secure life to begin an quest.

"I believe that the only way for issues are to stay put and open a small business," the author said. "Each person is different, and more than that, we're all different at different points in our journey. What worked for me 10 years ago doesn't work for me today."

Building the Universe

In contrast to the prior novels, which were located in quiet villages, Brigands and Breadknives involves a road trip that enabled the author to develop his fictional universe eschewing lengthy explanations. Fern's journey with the elf warrior and her talking sword the sword Nigel contains deadly poultry, horrifying beasts, honorable mercenaries, and a surprisingly chill monastery devoted to worshiping a Cthulhu-like god.

Future Projects

In terms of his upcoming book, the author is venturing even further afield with a game-lit novel working-titled Four Bastards & a Baby.

"I have read many LitRPGs, and now I have formed views about what I desire in such a book," he explained. "I want more characterization. I prefer a conclusion. Numerous such stories aim to maintain the status quo, and I reject that."

Returning to the World

Enthusiasts of the setting of the original book, Baldree has created a collection of tales involving tales about the baker character the ratkin and Viv's succubus partner the succubus, which will be issued in an future compilation. He also believes he'll return to the setting to address his experience authoring his new book, which is considerably more extensive and more plot-driven than his earlier works.

"I plan to write a story about squeezing something into being that was incredibly tough for you to do," Baldree notes.