Orc opens coffeeshop, hilarity ensues (Legends and Lattes | Travis Baldree)

[@ribbonquest]

I love how "Unresolved Textual Tension" is saying "This text does not have enough tension!"

[@Strannik01]

Exactly! No textual tension to resolve!

[@willemijnvanhagen768]

LOL, when Will is not here it devolves into a food metaphor-battle within 10 min ;)

[@lunarcountdown]

To give some more context about the author, Travis Baldree is an extremely popular audiobook narrator within the progression fantasy/litrpg niche genres (to the point that a lot of fans of those genres will read books just because he's narrating them), and I think that pre-existing audience definitely helped give this book its initial boost before it was found and picked up by the wider fantasy audience. Legends and Lattes itself isn't progression fantasy, but cozy/slice of life is also fairly popular on Royal Road, the site where most progression fantasy/litrpg stories start, so there's some overlap in the communities and a lot of writing choices feel very in line with that.

[@83croissant]

I had to look up what progression fantasy / litrpg was, and I’m sorry that sounds tedious. It sounds like watching someone else play a video game? Are they any good

[@lunarcountdown]

@@83croissant Most litrpgs and progression fantasies fall into the "popcorn read" and power fantasy category. There’s some exceptions, but it’s really not a genre you go to for deep themes or beautiful prose haha. If you do want to try reading one, I’d recommend Dungeon Crawler Carl. It’s probably the best intro to litrpg in terms of the numbers and stats being well integrated into the world, and it’s very fun and entertaining.

[@83croissant]

@@lunarcountdown thanks! And I’m sorry I think I sounded way too confrontational in my comment the other day, I just had a headache I think.

[@lunarcountdown]

@@83croissant No worries, happy to help!

[@MechanicGopher]

When listening to this book I misheard Fennis the first time and so just pictured him as an elf version of Dennis from Always Sunny in my head and it fit so perfectly it made me chuckle more than the book intentionally ever did.

[@KeacePeeper]

Best line in this Episode: Katie about Will: "Look at him, he's backseat fucking!"

[@KristinaMarie96]

This whole book to me felt like fanfiction where I had not read the source material and so none of the moments really hit.

[@Jen37978]

1:51 the author was a voice actor to begin with and wrote this book partially cus they wanted to something cozy and fantasy cus he was getting a lot of crime dramas and heavy stuff apparently

[@Tyrannosaurus-Ritz]

I love Katie's shades

[@truthhurts5448]

Katie, you are so top tier today. The hair, the sunglasses, the dog listening intently. The only thing that would have made it better is if y'all forced Will to read and trash it. Great vid ladies 💯 This vid is more cozy than the book to me

[@dylantallman]

If you want this book to feel like the greatest book you've ever read, do what I did and read it as a reward for choking through ACOTAR. It was a nice, easy read and it really, really made me want some of Thimble's cinnamon rolls. Oh, and Cal is a real one, the best bros hands down.

[@CrisM779]

#fish and omg those glasses Katie! Those are gorgeous! I'm complete fanfic trash because I hear coffee shop and my brain auto-adds "AU" immediately. I agree with Maria, this is the sort of thing that works great for a canonically dark story but this concept as a stand-alone work sounds like a... parody? Having "no stakes" is a breath of fresh air for canon characters who have had it rough but when you don't come in with that sympathy and "fix it" wish, it just can't land the same.

[@Akigirl2004]

I’m 100% here for Maria’s Rurouni Kenshin passion rant. So many goose bumps! It was like I was pulled into my youth geeking out with friends!

[@marocat4749]

I thought of inuyasha as dramatic romance XD , oh thats what she meant. Good story , and i thought the anime romance with the 2 kids was cute, and it makes sense them building trus.

[@lieeeleeee]

I hate always comparing books to fanfic but….. if a fanfic is labelled as fluff I won’t read it. Not because I don’t like slice of life or low stakes stories, but because half the time it’s like advertising that the fic has no tension or conflict of any kind. I feel the same with any book advertised as cosy. If people are really going out of their way to emphasise how cosy it is I’m probably not going to like it because it won’t have enough tension. I love a story where the plot is just people talking and going about life, but there has to be some tension. Tension and conflict is what makes story.

[@83croissant]

Right, when I hear something described as “low stakes” I have to ask, do you mean the stakes are low as in, nobody is dying but it’s a character-based dramedy about kids at school competing in debate club or on the same soccer team and an upcoming competition drives them to uncover conflicts both interpersonal and external and etc or , do you mean literally there are no stakes that even matter ? Because I have been burned before

[@nimsnook]

everyone hyped this book up to me (notorious cosy fantasy lover) and i don't think ive ever been more disappointed. it honestly felt like a zero draft to me. just skating through the plot points without much connective tissue. the baking rat was a saving grace tho. loved that little dude

[@jo_helaci]

Oh I also loved Ruroni Kenshin. He was my hero as a teenager 😊

[@VegViking]

It's nothing amazing, but as a quick popcorn palate cleanser between chewier reads, I loved it.

[@strategicgamingwithaacorns2874]

In Japan, there's a genre called Iyashikei where the whole point of the story is low tension and comfortable vibes. This book seems to try to be a Western example.

[@ahakuutti]

this book was perfect at the time when i read it, stakes so low they're in the earth's core and some nice character moments here and there but which don't really go anywhere 😂 i do love listening to your gripes abt this book as i agree with almost every single one of them, but it was just such a perfect book for me at the time that the problems don't really bother me 😅😂

[@hyenaedits3460]

Yeah this isn't high Literature but if you want a cozy story you're not looking for something super challenging.

[@nelsiegeografo9185]

I have PTSD issues on conflicts and tension and I like a cozy read but even I find this a slog to read for the lack of tension. I had to stop reading for a while before I pushed myself to finish it just for closure. It's an ok book. I can understand why people love it, but not for me.

[@asherscott3151]

It drives me nuts how many people have credited this author with inventing cosy fantasy because they were the first to get a trad book deal for one. It honestly drives me nuts that this was nominated for a Hugo. Such a shame Will wasn't there to rage as well

[@SalayaSkystone]

I don't particularly like a plain marshmallow. And coincidentally, for that same reason, haven't read this book yet. Now if it was chocolate, we'd be talking.

[@marocat4749]

Through good chocolate like red wine has deep flavours

[@CheshireKnepp]

Katie your pup is soooo cute 🥰 I haven’t read this one yet. But it was recommended to me with Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries as cozy and I loved that one.

[@Lee-rn9mz]

A book that is nothing like this but does a similar thing with learning about different people in a town/village is The Black Book of Secrets by F.E. Higgins.

[@GypsyScot1]

Me: Ah, at last, a UTT video that doesn't have "Roasting" in the title but for a book I know I won't like! I can at last watch a positive video without getting spoiled! The video: *is mostly roasting it anyway, and for all the reasons I knew I would hate it*

[@katsonaplane]

Yay! I read the prequel to this story not realising the order and felt it missed so many narrative opportunities. Will be interesting to see if the original had a bit more follow through.

[@readwithliszka5976]

I just finished listening to the audiobook of this book and BAM! So on time! ❤

[@eugenebezpalko1631]

1) #fish 2) I think it would be pretty cool to see Katie do the review of potentially unpublished writing. Tis quite inspirational to see other people writing

[@NaritaZaraki]

Completely irrelevant but them butterfly glasses are the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen! Also irrelevant but Maria absolutely killed that smooth slide into self/channel promo corner. 🤣 I'm happy to have watched this before eventually reading the book (when I need a break from my usual reads) so I'll be going in with the right expectations. Also also ... 🐟🐠

[@adriannak9169]

I thought there was lots of potential in the Legends and Lattes. I wanted the author to play with fantasy stereotypes, some mini-episodes of different races and classes of characters dealing with each other, having some funny moments (I did not find this book funny at all and I think it could have benefit on having some humour). There also could have been some scenes with clergy having issues with the coffee - I mean, one of the popes in real history thought that coffee is a satanic fluid, so wouldn't be interesting to have someone being loudly against it and then changing their mind? Or even the mafia episode - if Viv knew that everyone needs to pay this "protection tax", then she could have try to start some sort of protest against this along with other business owners. A moment of tension and some positive ending to it. Basically, I was disappointed with the book.

[@teslashark]

It's probably testing the water for an extended universe, I guess

[@83croissant]

I would have liked it as a slice of life manga or anime but I don’t think it works as a book

[@stephysteph8558]

OMG this would be the perfect setting for a 12 episode slice of life anime

[@83croissant]

Very much! It seemed kind of episodic. I don’t watch anime but if it was something like Shinya Shokudo, AKA Midnight Diner . A show where there’s a central location connecting everyone and each episode focuses on a different patron, and also just going into the process of making a cinnamon roll for like two minutes

[@Merve77772]

I personally preferred Can't Spell Treason without Tea. It's basically the same concept but with more stakes and a better romance

[@jamesm9560]

Depending on your camera, there's a setting to choke the focus range down to a set max and min. This will reduce the pulsing when you move in and out of the set focus range.

[@gabimarie7953]

I adore these glasses so much ❤

[@laurenalyssa4677]

Katie I am obsessed with your shades

[@jamesm9560]

Fun video. Good remix ideas.

[@eugenebezpalko1631]

Didn't expect this! This book has been on my TBR for the last... long time. I might as well just listen to you instead :)

[@83croissant]

I could have sworn you covered this book before

[@racheltheradiant4675]

One of these days I'd love to self-publish my book and hope you guys review it, so I could take notes on what worked and what didn't.😆😆

[@shay5555]

I love Katie's glasses

[@mpd1732]

I'm curious if the Redwall book(s) are on y'alls radar. The first one's entirety is all about the siege of an Abby by a horde of bandits and the resident's united effort to fend them off in true medieval style, villager tactics. Also they're all rodents. Heh, probably important to mention, lol. Yeah, it's the books with the mice, rats, otters, badgers, and great long descriptions of food. It's my idea of a cozy fantasy.

[@ribbonquest]

He's done hundreds of audiobooks by now. Big in LitRPG (people will buy a book just because he's the narrator.)

[@sabrinabeeart]

Listening to this really just makes me want to make cinnamon rolls

[@maximilianlopez196]

Katie's glasses are 🔥 also, waaaaaay too boring for me, but I can see the appeal. People like plain Cheerios still so... 😂 also #fish 🎉

[@GilTheDragon]

This has me curious about seeing them a) review food b) hear what they think about the The Excentric Family animea

[@zionengine]

Production note: 31:24 to 31:47 could triple your views. I mean *all three of you*. This is a varied, inclusive audience.

[@ravent3016]

Hmmm, I am a purchaser of gourmet mashmallows. Strawberry ones especially. TBH, I think people know what they are getting when they hear "cozy fantasy involving a coffee shop". Caveat emptor.

[@83croissant]

This was the progenitor of the genre , so when it came out, I had no idea what “cozy fantasy” was. So yes it’s possible to be told that this is a cozy fantasy involving an orc starting a coffee shop, and yet still, be let down. Not everyone is on the cutting edge of what alll the micro-genres are

[@ravent3016]

@@83croissant I won't argue with you on not being prepared for a new genre. No one likes that sort of surprise. However, that is not the first cozy fantasy novel. You could go back to Howl's Moving Castle or Discworld, or Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking (2020) and Swordheart (2018) by T. Kingfisher if you don't want to go back that far. The latter two have more violence/action even with a cozy vibe.

[@PetalsAndPlague]

Lack (idk how it's spelled) looked like Jarlaxle in my mind...

[@georgethompson1460]

From the sounds of it the story could've benefitted from her taking out a loan to start up her business, that she has to pay off before a set date.

[@ericapereira6924]

#fish 😂 Maria, I love your shirt!

[@caitlinfitzgibbon9410]

those are some sexy glasses

[@MechanicGopher]

I thought this book seemed really interesting and borrowed the audiobook from the library. I thought it was a neat idea, but in the end I really didn’t like this book. I had to force myself to finish listening to it. My problems are many, and I’ve listed them better on my goodreads review, but to put it simply: I don’t think the book is: Funny enough to be charming Cozy enough to be relaxing Romantic enough to be heartwarming It just didn’t feel like anything really worked. There was no real tension with the antagonists, barely even hostility for the most part. There was barely any romantic interactions, or any meaningful interactions, for the romance to engage me. There’s really not any struggle to accomplish anything because of the magic luck stone. It just felt empty, after finishing it. I don’t even remember a single character’s name. It felt like the bare minimum for what’s necessary for this kind of story, like comedy, romance / sexual tension, cozy atmosphere, but each element is so far and few between that it feels like a white bread sandwich. I also noticed how both protagonists are fantasy races often seen as villainous, orc and succubus. It’s hinted at early on that they both experience pretty regular prejudice because of this. This could act as both a way for them to bond, but also drama if used against her. We see very little of the prejudice, and in some cases it’s even acknowledged to be a misunderstanding. My point in mentioning this is to show that this book doesn’t really do what I think it could, and what I think it set up to, do. Idk this is all rambling and my own personal opinion, not a professional critic. I’m just bringing it up because I was frankly disappointed, and saddened, after realizing that I wouldn’t like it half way through, and waiting every chapter for something to change my mind, but it never came.

[@83croissant]

I thought I was the only one who didn’t care for this novel

[@byounie]

My problem with this book was that every conflict was resolved too easily. There was no real drama, threat, danger, or anything exciting. Sure, you can argue that some of those things existed, yet you quickly discover that none of them will pan out. Thus, you quickly stop worrying about anything. I firmly believe a fantasy book can be cozy and still have real drama. I still enjoyed it. But it was pretty boring.

[@huntedsnark7507]

Do Americans use the word 'twee'? This sounds twee. Orcs notwithstanding.

[@83croissant]

Yes , I am American and it was very twee. It was a very precious, declawed narrative. I am fond of the writing of Terry Pratchett and Dianna Wynne Jones which can be whimsical but has a degree of satirical edge to it. This was written like an American with Anglophilia, just , tea biscuits and Keep Calm And Carry On posters , gift shop kitcsch, zero irony

[@ems220]

love seeing your pets, give them a big smooch （づ￣3￣）づ╭❤～

[@marocat4749]

Ayyyy dat and pumpkin visit. Sounds like that story could have been more funny, , like it could have cutr mini arts and stakes, yeah being everyday problems. , or just petty debates, or her old gang apearing making her insecure and the pertty elf, just being petty. Not a problem, just a petty dude harassing her and making her insecure. And her and her partner apreciating each other and caring, but also making each other crazy or just problems coming up but they figure out the friends there are talöents that can help?! But them also having problems and figuring out and , change viv and make them closer?. or viv could be overly protective of her partner and learn to trust her that she doesnt need to? A thing wher eshe has to tearn to accep help and the succubus gets to be funny it could have kenshin vibes but she meets more and more ex collueges and she has to learn to talk out misunderstandings? Except the petty elf who is petty, visits just to be passive agtressive and trigger her buttons but gets less petty, maybe even friendly??

[@the_travelingbreeze]

“Coffe shop A.U.”? What’s that?

[@83croissant]

They pretty much explained it in the video. “A.U.” Stands for Alternate Universe. In fanfiction a “coffeeshop AU” is usually a low-angst contemporary slice of life story involving the characters of a very stressful angsty piece of media. Like, all your favorite characters that died in Game of Thrones, but they’re fine, and aren’t in a fantasy universe, they’re just co-workers and students at a small university town coffeehouse in Ohio or something. It’s not satisfying for anyone not already attached to the characters, as other writers have already done the work there.

[@HarukoZ001]

I think it was an okay book that worked as a decent pallet cleanser after I had read a lengthy series. As someone who ha splayed D&D for years, I thought the idea was cute, but would have found Viv more believable had she been a Half Orc.

[@bj71000]

As a child of the south, I am deeply offended by Katie’s accent. Of all my years, I have never once heard some say “Hello y’all”. It is “Hey y’all”. The south has worked very hard to cut syllables out of our sentences and that just angered me.

[@unresolvedtextualtension]

LOL -Kt

[@cheeseflavourskittle]

#fish!

[@fern-v9s]

I needed Will to demolish this book, Katie was too generous lol

[@83croissant]

I could have sworn they did one of these with all three of them talking about this book . Why do I have this memory

[@83croissant]

Maybe they have an alternative channel I forgot. I remember Will saying something about how, it felt like the author was writing in a coffee shop, and just looking around and adding things that are in a coffee shop when he ran out of ideas. I remember particularly they ragged on the entire chapter about “installing an HVAC system” because it’s the very same thought I had when I was reading it.

[@Dylan_Devine]

​@@83croissantMaybe that was KrimsonRogue?

[@83croissant]

@@Dylan_Devine no it does not seem like KrimsonRogue has done a review of it but thanks for the channel recommendation!

[@user-mr1qw2bl6w]

#fish ❤

[@WritingbyAnexisMatos]

This review put into words my feelings regarding this book. I really enjoyed it, but something is missing for me. A cozy fantasy that did slice of life with tension better is The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna.

[@Amaiguri]

#fish

[@denderrant]

#fish =)

[@migmit]

I hated this book. I went into it with a couple expectations that I think were reasonable. One was fantastic racism: "we are not going to buy things from a filthy orc" kind of stuff. Another was business troubles: that orc would be very inexperienced in running a business, so, we could expect lots of blunders. I was OK with getting only one of those things. I was even OK with getting neither, but getting some other excitement. I felt cheated. And then that picnic happened, and it looked like the author suddenly remembered that he wanted to insert some fantastic racism, but already wrote most of the book without it, so he tried to shoehorn it into Tandri's backstory in the weirdest way possible. Apparently, people on the street have no problem dealing with an orc and a succubus, but students in a university make Tandri's life unbearable? What? Why is it not the other way around? Plus, the whole backstory was described in a really vague way. The romance came pretty much from nowhere, and I felt like it could've been cut out completely without changing anything in the story. Tandri does help Viv to rebuild the coffee shop, but so does everybody else. And the ending was infuriating. They said specifically "because of how the stone works, the bad dude would eventually be killed", which would be a nice touch; but then he IS killed without the stone being involved in any way, very quickly, completely ruining it.

[@bookworm209]

I was not impressed by this one. It's not exactly bad, but it is very underdeveloped. The characters felt like sketches, not full pictures. I didn't feel like I know them. Very NPC and not real characters.

[@joriesilver5318]

Oh man, this is so interesting because I hated this book so much. I thought it was so boring.

[@Alexandra-ms9jj]

I started listening to this book about 2 weeks ago, and I was just sooo bored! I was so in the mood for a cozy read, and it was so disappointing.

[@kathdudek1673]

Disappointed. Thought the book was going to be read.

[@83croissant]

They have another video that’s more of a traditional review of it

[@speedysavant]

#fish