Tales from the Territory: A Cosy Collection of Legends & Lattes Short Stories

Legends & Lattes

by Travis Baldree (Author/Narrator)

Read by the author, Travis Baldree.

From international bestseller Travis Baldree, Tales from the Territory is a beautiful collection of cosy fantasy tales, set in the much-loved world of Legends & Lattes.

There are many tales yet untold . . .

'GOBLINS & GREATCOATS': Chaos goblin Zyll is involved in a case of mistaken identity, where she solves a murder at an inn whilst simultaneously stealing all the cutlery.

'JUST A THIMBLEFUL': The sweet rattkin baker Thimble finds a new home for his soon-to-be famous cinnamon rolls.

'PAGES TO FILL': An act of mercy leads to a life-changing discovery for warrior orc Viv.

In 'MIROGRAPH', young succubus Tandri assists a university professor on a mysterious project where art and science collide.

In 'CAVALIERS & COFFEES', Viv, now the owner of Legends & Lattes coffee shop, discovers that imitation is not the highest form of flattery.

Genres: Fantasy, Cozy, Cozy Fantasy, Short Stories, Fiction, Romance, Adult

2 pages, Audible Audio

Expected publication October 1, 2026

About the author

#1 New York Times Bestselling Author of Legends & Lattes, Bookshops & Bonedust, and Brigands & Breadknives. Audie-winning. Audiobook narrator. Erstwhile game developer. Made Fate, Torchlight & Rebel Galaxy.

Reviews

[Melanie (meltotheany)]

.5) Bookshops & Bonedust ★★★★★
1.) Legends & Lattes ★★★★★
*.) 2.) Goblins & Greatcoats ★★★★
2.) Brigands & Breadknives ★★★★

ohhhhhh i am excited for this <3

[Lexie]

Just about choked on my diet coke when I got the ARC approval email

[Mimi Schweid]

Give me the ISBN for the physical book dang it. Instagram is taunting me. https://www.instagram.com/p/DUtKkCtiuvK/

[Yuuto · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a digital review copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

Sometimes you read a book, and when you’re done, you just want to close it, sigh happily, and hold it to your chest. Well, this is one of those books. I love the Legends&Lattes universe…it’s just so darn cozy and feel-good, absolutely perfect to read when you’re sad or stressed or just existing in the tire fire that is the world.

I think the story featuring Thimble was my favorite, it gave me all sorts of emotions. The stories gave us a little bit of backstory on characters that we know and love.

If you’ve enjoyed the other books in this series, give this one some love in October! Treat yourself to the book and a nice hot beverage to enjoy with it.

[Madeline Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

—Thank you NetGalley.com for the ARC—

These stories were such a treat! The collection includes five short stories from the perspectives of Zyll, Thimble, Viv, and Tandri. I’m a huge fan of these types of lore-expanding narratives—little snippets from the lives of much loved characters after their main story has been told. My favorites were “Just a Thimbleful” (a peak into Thimble’s life before he joined up with our fave coffee crew) and “Mirograph” (a surprisingly eerie glimpse into Tandri’s past at school, which distinctly reminded me of the ickiness of artificially generated art). Per usual, in this newest addition to the world of Legends & Lattes, Baldree has created stories that I will be returning to again and again.

[Missyreadsromantasy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tales from the Territory is a collection of short stories that add to the Legends & Lattes series lore.

It was good to be back in this world, like seeing friends for the first time in a while. Each of these stories was a quick read:

- Zyll solves a murder and obtains “Breadlee”
- How Thimble begins baking for Viv’s shop
- The bounty hunting job that gives Viv her first taste of a new potential future
- Tandri’s experience as university student, working on a strange project that married magic, art, and science
- A copy cat coffee shop opens up nearby, siphoning business from Legends & Lattes

I especially enjoyed Zyll’s story. She’s such a lovable little weirdo, with her klepto tendencies and language quirks.

Overall, a cute return to Travis Baldree’s cozy fantasy realm.

Thanks to Subterranean Press for the gifted ARC! All opinions are my own.

[Scott Stelter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for an arc of this book.

Tremendously enjoyable short stories from the cozy, low stakes fantasy world of Legends & Lattes. Each story adds some depth to the world, and a lot of them do feature backstory for many main characters from the full novels. Highly fun and engaging.

[Raven Skidmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from Netgalley.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

If you haven't read the Legends and Lattes series yet stop reading this review and go read all of them immediately!

As much as I love Travis Baldree I wasn't so sure about cozy fantasy short stories. There's just not enough space in the stories to really build anything cozy!
However I was wrong! And I've since learned to never not trust Travis Baldree ever again. I think this was a brilliant way to bring unseen gaps between books!
I don't think a newer reader of this universe would be able to get into this collection of stories but why would they be starting from here anyway!

This was such a delightful way to return to this world! I loved the illustrations so much!

I did want to make note that I read this arc on my kindle and the formatting was a little off which could make it a little hard to read. But that is one of those things I'm sure will be fixed before it is officially published.

Tales from the Territory is split into 5 short stories so I'm going to break the rest of my review up by story.

Varying degrees of spoilers below!





"Goblins and Greatcoats"

Right away I loved the little murder mystery with Zyll and the backstory of how she got "Breadlee" and why that tavern keep from the last book didn't want her around! I would love more stories about Zyll's life in the future!

"Just a Thimbleful"

Thimble's backstory isn't something I thought I needed but I was oh so wrong! I really loved seeing him make other sweets but I was sad and jealous to see that they didn't appreciate him for himself where he worked! I love knowing how valued he is working at Legends and Lattes! The only thing I was bummed by was that we didn't see what happened to Maddie! I started to feel for her and then we don't get to hear about her again? I really hope she's in a story in the future!

"Pages to Fill"

Not that any of these stories were bad, I really did thoroughly enjoy reading them all, but this one was my least favorite. Unfortunately, it just did not bring me into the story as much as I believe it could have. I would also love to see more of Viv's adventuring days in the future, but we know enough about her that I would love to learn about the other characters in this world more!

"Micrograph"
This is the short story I was the most excited about! I'm not aware if the author was specifically meaning to do this, but I immediately likened the story to the current climate surrounding AI. I think this was a beautiful way to share Tandri's backstory as well as touch on that subject (if that was the intention). I cannot stand to see AI take over so many artistic aspects in our world today! In the same way, Tandri had a hard time bringing up the topic of the micrograph, making her uncomfortable; I think many of us have a hard time expressing that about AI as well. For anyone reading this, it is a big deal, and we should be uncomfortable! A machine cannot create art!
Tandri said it best! "Art without the limitations of life wasn't art at all'

"Cavaliers & Coffees"

I love that we started off with Viv being so calm and understanding. I would definitely be more like Tandri in a scenario like this!
I absolutely loved that they turned to community instead of violence and brought back Pendry! It felt very full circle! We also got such a sweet scene where they shared all of the donations with the workers from the shop when they were fired without pay, and then on top of that, helped open the tea shop for them! And the Madrigal getting involved to close the other shop was a brilliant moment.

Overall I think this was a wonderful way to dive back into this world after Brigands and Breadknives and I would absolutely love to see more short story collections in the future!

[loosuntzu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought the best way to tackle a review for a short story compilation that I adored would be to write a little summary and review of each story and then finish it off with my thoughts as a whole, so that's what I've done... Apologies that it's lengthy. Here goes!

Goblins & Greatcoats - 'Goblins & Greatcoats' follows Zyll as she strolls into a pub, solves a mystery and steals some silverware while she's at it (obvs). This short story really solidifies my love for the chaotic little creature that is Zyll, and shows just how smart she really is. 

Just A Thimbleful - Thimble, my beloved. This story plays upon the impact of working in environments that tries to keep you in a box that doesn't fit you, and how you feel when you finally find the place you belong. This may have been my favourite of the short stories in this book because it was filled with great hope, good friends, and delicious baking.

Pages To Fill - I have previously read and reviewed 'Pages To Fill', as it's at the end of Legends & Lattes, but here's a lil recap. This story follows Viv and her adventuring party before she followed her dream of opening Legends & Lattes. I really like this story as it shows that Viv was never some heartless orc that kills willy nilly, and was always full of kindness and empathy. It also allows us to see her dream coming into fruition, which is lovely for someone who wants allllll the background on their favourite characters. 

Mirograph - This short story, following Tandri before she started work at Legends & Lattes made me feel a little tearful if I'm being honest. It made me think about how much I'd ignore my misgivings to please a friend,  and a lot about love and loss. Having recently lost my Dad, this one hit me harder than it probably would have done at another time. It also brought to my mind thoughts of how AI impacts art and artist's work, although I'm unsure if this was Baldree's intention. Nonetheless, this story moved me greatly. 

Cavaliers & Coffees - I won't say much about this one, as it isn't so much a flashback as a story between stories. This story falls somewhere between Legends & Lattes and Brigands & Breadknives, with a little unhealthy competition opening a coffee shop near Viv's. I enjoyed this story a lot as it got me back into the coffee shop that started my love for this series, and brought back lots of familiar faces. 

Overall, I love how this collection of short stories builds upon the characters we all know and love from the previous books in the series. I feel like it's all well and good reading a novel, but that shows only a small snippet of any given character's journey, so it makes me really happy that Baldree gives us just a little more than that in this collection. It shows us how all of our favourite characters grew into the people they needed to be to end up coming together and making Legends & Lattes a place to call home. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you to @netgalley, @travis_baldree, @panmacmillan and @torbooks for the e-ARC. I absolutely adore this series and feel so blessed that you continually allow me to read each installment early. You're the best<33

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tales from the Territory is a fun collection of short stories for fans of the Legends and Lattes series. This was a quick read, and an easy read to enjoy; truly, what’s not to love about a collection of vignettes from the lives of the characters you’ve already come to know and love? In lieu of an overarching review for the whole collection, I’ll write a brief review of each short story.

Goblins & Greatcoats was such a joy; following a chance encounter between Zyll and a murder investigation. This one is just pure fun. It’s a relatively short scene that’s more of what any reader of Brigands and Breadknives has come to love about Zyll. For me, it was an easy 4.5 out of 5.

Just A Thimbleful was sweet. The story shows us how Thimble found himself at Legends and Lattes, and it’s nice to get more of a look into his life and backstory. He’s an easy character to root for; someone who just wants his baking to be well and truly appreciated. I enjoyed this; so, 4 out of 5.

Pages to Fill is a story I’ve read before and really liked. It follows Viv as she’s starting to think about a life beyond adventuring parties, and it’s fun to see how she interacted with the world even before she put down her greatsword. This one is a 4.5 out of 5 once again; I enjoyed the story and was happy to revisit it.

Mirograph was, honestly, a bit more challenging. The short story is a bit puzzling, but felt to me like a fantasy take on generative AI—Tandri works with her mentor, a scientist and lover of art, as she works to perfect a magic capable of recording and even iterating on visual art and music. I think, just because the whole idea of a Mirograph is not super clear to me, I felt that the purpose of this one got a bit lost. I wanted the story to just do a bit more explaining to tell me what’s happening so I could get a better appreciation for what Tandri actually thinks and feels about it. For me, this was a 3 out of 5.

And, finally, Cavaliers & Coffees was a fun tale featuring much more of the Legends & Lattes crew as they realize that another coffee shop has opened in town, blatantly copying their success and stealing their customer base. I liked this one a lot; it’s nice to see how the relationships between the characters has been shaped by more time working together. Also, as someone who has spent far too much time thinking about the definition, requirements, and tropes of ‘cozy fantasy’, it was interesting to see the book reckon with a corrupt businessman. This was another 4 out of 5 for me.

All in all, I’m happy to give this collection 4 out of 5 stars overall. I’m glad I read this book, and I know that fans of the series will enjoy a few short tales with some beloved characters.

Thank you to Subterranean Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Anna W · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've only read Legends & Lattes prior to this short story collection, i found the main conflict was a bit unconvincing considering I had no context to the history of our proprietor or to the dangers her ex-bandmate held. I went into this one with higher hopes for the cozy vibe in a shorter, punchier format. This book does succeed in that regard, with just a few minor notes I had, but otherwise this was a great time, really delivery on the cozy.

Goblins & Greatcoats - Zyll is investigating a muer mystery in an inn on a rainy night. Fun and funny, but this one was too short, moving directly from point A to solved point B without enough meandering for a true murder mystery, or explanation to how Zyll new the answer. Side note, i didn't enjoy getting 5 detailed descriptions of new characters back to back listed to me in that way.

Just A Thimbleful - The backstory of Thimble the rattkin baker of Legends & Latte. This one was so very sweet, just like all the pastries described. One of my favorites.

Pages To Fill - Viv and her crew on a mission prior to her retirement, a great little background adventure that reinforces our coffee shop proprietor and all her values. We rushed a bit through the target's life and background and Viv's decision point but I still enjoyed this one.

Mirograph - Tandri's backstory about her time in university. This one has a more melancholic tone but probably one of my favorites, if not my favorite. My only gripe was my lack of understanding of the initial goal of the project. I felt like I was missing part of the story until about halfway through.

Cavaliers & Coffees - This one takes place after the first book and involves our beloved Legends & Latte crew taking on a competing coffee shop. No many notes, this one was the type of story we've come to expect, know, and love. Maybe a little more detail on the Cavaliers & Coffees baristas and their love/dislike for their beverage of choice would have made the ending more impactful.

This was 224 for 5 stories so on average less than 50 pages per story and I believe a number of them could have been longer. I may have been more clueless about some of the background because I've only read the first book in this series though. Overall, I had a great time in this world again and I think the format are great little tasters of the world.
Thank you to NetGalley, Subterranean Press, and Travis Baldree for the advanced ebook copy.

[bookdragon891 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley, Pan Macmillan, Tor and Travis Baldree for the ARC copy of Tales from the Territory. This is my honest review, which expresses my personal opinion of the book.

Tales from the Territory is a collection of five short stories set in the Legends and Lattes world at various points in time. Each short story focuses on a different character, offering insight into their lives either before the events of the series, as in Pages to Fill, or after, as in Cavaliers and Coffees. Three of these stories are brand-new, never-before-seen stories, whilst two (Goblins and Greatcoats, and Pages to Fill) have been published previously, though I had only read Pages to Fill before. Given the nature of this book, I'm going to structure this review a little differently from how I normally do.

From a worldbuilding and character standpoint, I would recommend reading this book after the third book in the series, Brigands and Breadknives. This is because I believe it is more impactful for the reader to experience these stories with an understanding of the world and its magic systems, and a love for the characters. I absolutely loved learning what some of my favourite characters, like Zyll and Thimble, were doing before we meet them in their respective Legends and Lattes books, but I don't think it would have had the same effect if I hadn't read the other stories first.

As usual, the writing hooked you in, and the stories were fast-paced, given their very short nature (216 pages for 5 stories, so approximately 43 pages per story). The emphasis was definitely on cosy, so for four out of the five stories, there were no stakes, and they were very much a slice of life. I enjoyed the mystery elements of Goblins and Greatcoats and Mirograph. However, I thought Mirograph could have been expanded further (Tandri has reservations about the Mirograph, but it is never explained why). There were more stakes in Cavaliers and Coffee; I definitely felt more stressed when reading to learn the fate of Legends and Lattes (although I shouldn't have worried, it's a cosy fantasy after all). Admittedly, I was a little disappointed with the resolution, though, as I was hoping for something more; it felt like the 'conflict' just ended, but I was still happy with the outcome.

Overall, a cosy, low-stakes collection of slice-of-life stories from one of my favourite cosy fantasy worlds. An absolute must-read if you love the Legends and Lattes world!

[Ryan Lawler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended. Caveat upfront - I have not read Legends & Lattes but I have admired it and other low stakes / “cozy” fantasy from afar. So when a collection of shorter stories from the Legends & Lattes universe popped up, I figured it was a good opportunity to see if this type of book is for me. The answer is a resounding yes.

The only prior knowledge I had going into this book was that Legends & Lattes is about an orc who hangs up her sword to run a cafe. I didn’t know any of the characters or any of the story, and I knew that meant my experience would be different and that I would miss a few things as a result. I am certain that for fans of the series, things like the origins of a talking knife will mean a lot more to them than to me.

This book collects five short stories, the first four focused on a different character, and the fifth story bringing them all together at the Legends & Lattes cafe.

Goblins and Greatcoats focuses on the goblin Zyll and is a comedic murder mystery where Zyll is playing a Benoit Blanc like detective. So much fun and a great way to kick off the collection.

Just a Thimbleful focuses on Thimble, a rattkin chef who is stuck in an unfulfilling dead end job where his creativity and aptitude for pastries goes unappreciated. This story had heart and was so meaningful, a true slice of life story.

Pages to Fill focuses on Viv, her teams chase of a high value bounty hunt, and her growing distaste for all types of mercenary work. This story provided great insight into the type of orc that Viv is, but didn’t do much more than that.

Mirograph focuses on Tandri, a succubus who is trying to find meaning and purpose for her life, and finds herself working with an eccentric professor on a magical device. This might just be my favourite story - it tackles the pitfalls of AI from an artist’s perspective, examines the various different ways people can build and leave a legacy, and has some strong emotional character work.

Cavaliers & Coffee is the final story and focuses on the Legends & Latte cafe as they respond to the challenge of a competitor setting up shop nearby. This story examines the nature of plagiarism, imitation vs the real deal, and delivers with a fantastic conclusion.

So yeah I loved this collection, and I can’t wait to read more from Baldree in the future!

[Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Subterranean Press [the publisher] for an eARC of Tales from the Territory by Travis Baldree with an expected publication date of September 30, 2026, in return for an honest review. This is a collection of five short stories in the cozy fantasy series, Legends & Lattes universe, which is currently comprised of three novels [Bookshops & Bonedust, Legends & Lattes, and Brigands & Breadknives].

Two of these stories were previously published and I had read them. Three are published for the first time in this series. It’s worth reading all five, even if you’ve previously read two before, because each story gives you additional background characterization of significant players in this universe. If you’ve never read a hardcover published by Subterranean Press, you are in for a treat. The books are a work of art in themselves, and in this book, each story is accompanied by an illustration.

“Goblins & Greatcoats” was published in 2024 and introduces the delightful Zyll, a goblin with a lot of pockets, and a propensity to fill them with miscellaneous cutlery. She is a major character in Brigands & Breadknives.

“Just a Thimbleful” is new, and gives us the backstory of Thimble, the incredible rattkin baker in Legends & Lattes. As much as this series is an ode to coffee, it also revels in incredible baked goods, from the master baker Thimble.

“Pages to Fill” was also previously published, in 2022, and adds background to Viv’s life while still part of a gang, before going off to start her latte shop.

“Mirograph” gives us the background to the succubus from Legends & Lattes, focused on her days as art student.

In “Cavaliers & Coffee” Viv has to deal with a copycat competitor to her Latte shop, which is an almost perfect copy, with LOWER prices. Viv learns how much her shop has become a part of the community.

If you are a fan of the series, this book is an essential accompaniment, providing background and additional information on the characters you have come across in the three novels. Highly recommended, and you won’t be disappointed with the Subterranean Press version!

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

****NetGalley Review*****

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A Perfect Return to Baldree’s Cozy, Clever Fantasy World
Tales from the Territory is another absolute triumph from Travis Baldree—warm, witty, and full of the low‑stakes, high‑heart magic that made Legends & Lattes such a phenomenon. This collection proves that Baldree doesn’t just write stories; he builds worlds you want to live in and characters you want to linger with.
“Goblins & Greatcoats” kicks things off with delightful chaos: a rain‑soaked night, two corpses, four adventurers, a junk‑drawer knife, some truly questionable taxidermy, and Zyll—a goblin with too many pockets and an unsettling love of cutlery. It’s a murder mystery wrapped in charm and mischief, and it sets the tone perfectly.
“Just a Thimbleful” is pure heart. We all know how Viv’s dream of a café blossomed into found family, but here we learn how Thimble—one of the most beloved members of that family—found his way from an unhappy home to the sweet creations that helped bring Legends & Lattes to life. It’s tender, hopeful, and quietly powerful.
In “Mirograph,” we meet Tandri before the café days—an art student at Ackers University, wrestling with the expectations that come with being a succubus and searching for a way to be seen as something more. It’s thoughtful, introspective, and beautifully human.
And then there’s “Cavaliers & Coffees,” the longest and most tension-filled tale. When an unscrupulous new business arrives in town, stealing Viv and Tandri’s ideas and undercutting their prices, the cozy café we love suddenly feels threatened. It’s a story about creativity, community, and the quiet courage it takes to protect what you’ve built.
Together, these stories form a collection that is everything Baldree does best: gentle, funny, heartfelt, and full of characters who feel like friends. Tales from the Territory is a celebration of kindness in a challenging world—and a reminder that sometimes the smallest stories leave the biggest mark.
Five stars, without hesitation.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tales from the Territory comprised of five short stories. It was so fun to enjoy some time back in the cozy world of Legends & Lattes and I especially loved the addition of the art for each story. I think this collection is perfect for fans of Travis Baldree’s books.

The first story was Goblins & Greatcoats. I realized as I started this I had read it before, but liked this quick tale set in an inn with a particularly fun goblin named Zyll as the main character with a murder mystery to solve.

Next is Just a Thimbleful, the story of Thimble from just before the time of Legends & Lattes when he works in the kitchen of a grand mansion. I loved the cozy baking vibes and this quiet story of a mouse who wants to bake his own recipes and create a little baking magic. This was my favorite story in the collection.

Pages to Fill tells a story about Viv and her old crew as they hunt down a wanted thief. This story was enjoyable, more of an adventure than really cozy, but I liked it and it was full of action. I did really like the ending.

Mirograph was unusual and I didn’t really enjoy it. We get to know more about Tandri from Legends & Lattes, which was nice, but the professor and the machine were odd. I tried to get into it but couldn’t and then it got a little strange at the end. It felt more like a science fiction story than cozy fantasy.

The final part of the collection was Cavaliers & Coffees. The separate stories about Thimble, Viv and Tandri earlier in the book come together this this last short story set at Legends & Lattes. A copycat coffee shop has opened up nearby and the L&L crew has to decide what to do about it. I really enjoyed this and felt it fit right in with the L&L vibe.

I would like to say a sincere thank you to the publisher Subterranean Press, author Travis Baldree, and NetGalley for the gifted digital ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Jillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is a fun, cozy collection of short stories set in the Legends & Lattes universe. It would be a bit of a weird place to start, but the stories are standalone. It’s probably best read at least after book 1.

In Goblins & Greatcoats, Zyll (the goblin from Brigands & Breadknives) shows up at a tavern after a murder, and we learn more about her love of stealing flatware. Just a Thimbleful features Thimble, the ratkin baker from Legends & Lattes, and explores their old job and love of baking. In Pages to Fill, Viv’s old crew has one last job in the town where she first tries coffee. Mirograph is succubus Tandri’s story at university with an important mentor. And last but not least, Cavaliers & Coffees is the longest story, set after Legends & Lattes, when a competing coffee shop comes to town.

I really loved this collection and getting a little more time in this universe. I liked seeing some of the smaller side characters again, and the larger story felt like a nice “how are they doing now?” check-in. It kept the cozy fantasy vibes, but also included not only some action, but somber and touching moments. Each story had its own charming illustration, which was a nice way to visualize the characters.

Overall, a delightful companion to the series. There is so much going on in this universe and so many compelling side characters, I could read a dozen more of these stories. I hope to see more full-length and short stories from Baldree in the future.

Art 5/5
Plot: 4.5/5
Writing: 5/5
My Enjoyment: 5/5

*** I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

[PJ✨ Pivec · Rating 5 out of 5]

Travis Baldree was my first exposure to the Cozy Fantasy genre. Since that first Legends and Lattes book, I have dipped my toe into some TJ Klune, some Kingfisher, but nothing quite hits like this universe has for me. And to break a book from this world into short stories just feels like it makes sense.


Goblins and Greatcoats: Felt like the appetizer. Fun little story which walks the reader back into the Legends and Lattes world. This story does feel like the odd one out compared to the other four, not prominently featuring our most familiar characters, but has the familiar air of the other short stories.

Just a Thimbleful: The appertif. Probably the purest, most snug story of the bunch. Thimble is my guy...err rattkin

Pages to Fill: You know, at first I wasn't entirely sure I liked the direction of this story, but by the end it may have been my favorite of the bunch. Ended up feeling like the main course of the meal. This story brought the most characterization of the bunch.

Micrograph: The mysterious story. The story I think about the most having finished the book. The sipping drink with the meal

Cavaliers & Coffees: And of course, the warm, buttery, and sweet dessert. Look, we knew where this story would end up, but this is one I read straight through without putting the book down.


If I had a criticism, this cozy fantasy is so cozy that it often cozied me to sleep despite me wanting to read on.

HUGE shoutout to Subterranean Press as well as NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of this book. Books like these are the reason I signed up for NetGalley.

[Bookjunky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of Tales from the Territory from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Every time I pick up a new book by Travis, it feels like a warm hug from an old friend who I haven't seen in a while. Tales is a collection of short stories featuring the beloved characters from his previous books and it scratched an itch I wasn't aware that I had.

Baldree's writing is the definition of cozy fantasy- low stakes, light hearted, whimsical, and clever. His characters are so well written that it's easy to forget they aren't well established characters from a long running series.

The stakes may not be high, the solutions are usually pretty simple, and the villians are more like angry marshmallows, but the world building is top tier and the characters pull you right in. I really enjoy the depth he builds between characters with heavy emphasis on family, love, and acceptance.

Zyll is a literal chaos goblin and brings me untold amounts of joy. I sincerely hope to see more of her in later books, because she's probably one of the best characters I've ever read. Unapologetically quirky, she just bops along to the beat of her own drum and everyone else can either bop with her or get out of her way. (probably minus their silverware)

Viv and Gallina also make an appearance, and we get a little more backstory for Thimble and Tandri. I really enjoyed this quick little journey back to Thune.

If you're looking for sweeping love stories, epic battles, or larger than life heroes, you won't find them here... but if you're looking for easy, comfortable, and feel-good, I HIGHLY reccomend this and all of his other books. 10/10

[Library Mouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tales from the Territory was a charming return to the world of Legends & Lattes, offering a collection of short stories that instantly brought me back to the cosy, low-stakes vibes I love so much about the series.

Having recently read "Goblins and Greatcoats", I wasn't sure if it would be too soon for a reread, but it turned out to be just as delightful the second time around. It helped me ease back into the world quickly, and set the tone well for the rest of the collection.

The standout for me was "Just a Thimbleful". I'm definitely biased (Thimble is my favourite character) but it perfectly demonstrated everything that makes him special. His unrelenting urge to bake the most delicious treats imaginable, and his quiet rebellion in the face of the strictest and most culinarily-boring of employers. His steadfast, heartfelt determination to do what he loved, and seeing how that ultimately led him to the doors of Legends & Lattes, made my heart feel so full.

Viv's story, "Pages to Fill" was another highlight, giving us a glimpse into the pivotal moment when she first encountered coffee. Watching the seed that would eventually grow into Legends & Lattes being planted was such a treat.

I also really enjoyed "Mirograph", following Tandri's time helping a university professor with her experiments. I will say, it felt quite different tone-wise. Just as beautiful, but with a layer of tension and sadness to it. Also, I'm pretty sure just witnessed the almost-development of fantasy ChatGPT, and I'm very glad about that "almost".

The last story, "Cavaliers & Coffees", about the arrival of a new competitor for the coffee shop, felt like coming home. It captured all the cosy, low-stakes charm that defined Legends & Lattes, packed into a smaller, but still satisfying narrative. It was cosy, comforting, and a lovely note to end on.

Overall, I loved every story in this collection - not a single miss! This will be an absolute treat for fans who want more time with these characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan | Tor for this arc <3

[Natalie | EdgesandEndpapers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thankyou so much to BookBreakUK, Pan Macmillan and Tor Books for the physical copy of this book and the opportunity to read and review this it early, I am forever thankful.

I’m sorry but I quite literally NEVER want to leave this world, I want to spend every single day curled up in a booth in Legends & Lattes with a good coffee, one of Thimbles pastries and a fabulous adventure book!

This collection of short stories was not only cosy, but filled a little hole in my heart. I think I experienced every single emotion imaginable within these pages, it was so lovely to see the beginnings of some characters alongside the development of others throughout time.

Zyll and her story made me laugh uncontrollably. The comedic murder mystery vibes alongside an insatiable need for cutlery theft, absolutely perfect. And Thimble??? Thimble has my whole heart. I wanted to step into the pages within the book and throttle the masters for sleeping on such a sweet and talented little mites skill (and cuddle him because he is honestly the most adorable character I honestly would die for him).

This is a series of books that I hold dear to my heart, the ONLY cosy fantasy that has ever really gripped me. Viv and Tandri are perfect - and let me tell you now Tandris story absolutely broke my heart (I was sobbing by the end of it, an absolute blubbering mess like honestly Travis why do you want to see me cry so much??).

I wasn’t sure how I would feel about a short story layout, unsure if I could truly get the same vibes from short snippets, but this SOLD it to me. 10/10, no notes.

[Steve Bewley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tales From The Territory by Travis Baldree

Rating : 4⭐
Format : eBook 💻
Released : Not Yet
Pages : no idea, let's say 160
Duration : 5 days

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Wooohooo more stories from the world of Legends and Lattes and I am here for it, I love this world and every word that has been written in it, every image it creates in my mind and every smile I get when reading them. I don't however love how hungry I get every time Thimble enters the page.

5 short stories set in the territories, old friends get a bit of a padding and a chance to shine. We see Zyll stealing cutlery (whilst solving a murder) We find sweet little Thimble creating more delicious recipes, Viv find coffee, Tandri sends a tear at university and finally Viv learn that there's an imitation coffee shop out there.

Absolutely sublime and I loved it entirely, the only reason I didn't 5 star this? Well 2 of the stories exist in either tacked onto the end of Legends @ Lattes or as free to read short story, so put of the 5 I had already read 2. Still they are damn good stories but I just want more, there better be more.

Stand out story for me was Viv and Tandri one, Cavaliers & Coffee, I just love the world, the characters and everything

Dive into this world, it's really sweet and well worth a read.

I still don't like coffee

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This is due to be released 1st October, if this interests you then add it to you want to read list

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You can find more reviews on my blog here : https://bookshelf018.wordpress.com/

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[Michelle G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC review; thanks to NetGalley and Subterranean Press for the early access to this ebook. Pub date: Sep 30, 2026.

I love the Legends and Lattes series, characters, and world, so of course I loved this.

This short story collection is set in the Legends and Lattes world, and we follow some of the characters we know and love from the books. Some stories are set before, but others are set during and also after the events of the books. I loved that mix, and all the stories were good. Cozy, slice-of-life, entertaining, and just nice and easy to read.

2 of the stories I already read before: Goblins & Greatcoats, which first appeared online for free and is so freaking good, and Pages to Fill, which is an extra story that came in the Legends and Lattes book. The 3 other stories are appearing for the first time here, and I think that's great value. Just a Thimbleful was a nice glimpse into Thimble's life before landing the job at the coffee shop, and it provides more perspective into his passion for baking; Mirograph was also a nice look into what Tandri was doing in college, and it was a tragic little story too; and in Cavaliers & Coffees, we see our Legends and Lattes friends dealing with a copycat.

Overall, this is a great collection of short stories that provide more info about these characters and add a little more depth to what we know of them. I had a lovely time with it!

Individual ratings:

Goblins & Greatcoats ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pages to Fill ⭐⭐⭐
Just a Thimbleful ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mirograph ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Cavaliers & Coffees ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Heather Connolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Subterranean Press for the opportunity to ARC read this collection!

If you loved the cozy, low-stakes vibes of Legends & Lattes, Bookshops & Bonedust, and Brigands & Breadknives, then you definitely need to pick up this collection of short stories!

Not only does it dive deeper into Viv’s past adventures, but we also get a look into the backgrounds of some of our favorite side characters, like Thimble and Zyll (my personal favorite goblin of all time!).

These stories bring even more color and depth to the already familiar world of the Territories while adding new layers to the lovable characters we meet throughout the main books. I especially enjoyed learning more about characters who previously played supporting roles and seeing how their stories helped make the world feel even more vibrant and lived-in.

I highly recommend this collection, and I love that it can be read in five different parts if you so choose! They’re perfect little stories to break up longer fantasy reads while still letting you spend time in a world and with characters you already love.

On the other hand, Micrograph (the fourth short story) did not resonate with me as strongly as the others. I found the plot somewhat difficult to follow and struggled to stay engaged, which led me to skim portions of the latter half of the story. While the rest of the collection was an easy five-star read for me, this particular story lowered my final rating to 4 stars.

Overall, another excellent addition to the series and another wonderful book from Travis Baldree!

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Subterranean Press for providing me with an advanced copy of this text in exchange for an honest review!

Short stories aren't usually my thing (I'm more of a 500+ pages girl), but when I saw this was set in the world of Legends and Lattes with some of our favorite characters, I knew this was a set of short stories I wanted to read. We get to revisit some of our favorite characters from the series (mainly the cast from Legends and Lattes, though there is a Zyll story to kick things off which was very funny), and read more about what they were doing before joining the crew, and how things have been since. Once again, this is a very cozy fantasy that makes you want to curl up under a big fluffy blanket with a mug of hot chocolate. I particularly enjoyed Thimble's story, I think because he was the character I wanted to know more about after finishing the first book. Also, it's just adorable.

I think if you've read and enjoyed Legends and Lattes, and particularly if you've enjoyed the whole series, you will enjoy this book. It's a return to the land and feel that we've come to expect from Mr. Baldree, and adds some new fun details to the mix. If you're new to the series, I'd recommend reading Legends and Lattes first, but don't think you need to read Bookshops and Bonedust or Brigands and Breadknives to know most of the characters in this (with the exception of story 1) and have a good time. Happy reading everyone!

[Booksblabbering || Cait❣️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet lat-te (lot of) stories from the Legends and Lattes cast.

You get glimpses of the endearing characters from before L&L as well as finale that takes place after, introducing a villain and new venture in a tea cake-sized short story.

You get a delightful romp with Zyll, the little goblin, who has always been a troublemaker and quirky individual.

You get a heartfelt glimpse at Thimble before he joined L&L. This one was the most insight into a character and the most tender.

You get a glimpse of Viv as a mercenary who is considerate even as a scary orc.

Unfortunately, Tandri the succubus had the most boring story, set around her time at university. This is about the power of art, but I didn’t connect to the characters or mini plot.

As they sat together at one of the square, rawwood tables with cups of frothy green before them, Viv eyed hers dubiously. “I think they forgot to take the leaves out. Looks…mossy,” she whispered.
Tandri took a contemplative sip. “That’s surprisingly judgmental for someone who tried to convince a city to drink bean water.”

The closing story managed to provide a satisfying, complete arc that also set up a new partnership. This was most similar to the feeling of L&L.

A sweet, one-sitting read that lets you dip your toes back into the cosy world.

Physical arc gifted by Tor.

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[Morgan Mizell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I was very happy to return to the world of Legends and Lattes! As with any collection of short stories there were some I adored more than others, but I did enjoy each one! I hope this isn’t the last time I get to read about the adventures of Viv, Tandri, and the rest of the gang.

Goblins and Greatcoats gives a little more insight into what Zyll is like while also giving absolutely no insight at all. She is truly ineffable. I liked this story though it was my least favorite of the collection.

Just a Thimbleful was absolutely my favorite story from these tales! I’d read an entire book about Thimble. He’s such a quiet character and I enjoyed getting more background about him and what led him to Legends and Lattes!

Pages to Fill was a nice little slice of adventure, but I was more interested in the parts that related to Viv’s journey towards finding her dream.

Mirograph was a strange little story that seemed to carry themes that reminded me of AI’s imitation of art. I didn’t know what to make of the story at first, but it ended up leaving me unsettled and a bit emotional.

Last but not least, Cavaliers and Coffees was a welcome return to the found family I grew to love in Legends and Lattes! It was so nice to be back with the gang even if it was for a short time. I enjoyed seeing how the group overcomes obstacles threatening their livelihood. I got a little misty eyed with this one.

[Nigel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read for fans of the Territory.

In full
I am a fan of Travis Baldree's books so I was really pleased to get a copy of this book of short stories. There are five stories here, none are particularly short, about the Territory. Assuming you have read the previous books, the characters will be familiar to you. I guess to enjoy these at their best having read Legends and Lattes before this and probably Brigands and Breadknives would be good.

The first story - Goblins and Greatcoats - is about one of my favourite fantasy characters. Zyll is the goblin in Brigands and Breadknives and I just loved this story which takes place just before the main book I rather think - something of a backstory. In addition to this you get a good Viv backstory and the same for Tandri. The last story looks ahead from the books and concerns Legends and Lattes. It called Cavaliers and Coffees and I enjoyed that too.

Special mention as far as I am concerned for the 2nd story. It's called Just a Thimbleful and is Thimble's backstory. Thimble is the exceptionally talented baker in Viv coffee bar. For me this was the stand out story of the collection. I loved getting to know Thimble better Brilliant, understated and powerful writing I thought - Travis Baldree at his best as far as I am concerned.

I do realise that these books are categorised as "cosy fantasy". For the first two book I do get that. For me Brigands and Breadknives was a little less cosy and a bit more edgy. Zyll's story in this follows that for me. However it's Thimble's story that really moved me. Highly recommended for fans of this great and developing series.

My thanks to the author and the publisher for an advance copy of this book

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Tales from the Territory" is a collection of 5 short stories set in the "Legends and Lattes" world, following characters we know an love from the series. I was so excited to be back in this world to learn some of my fav characters backstories!

I LOVED the first story, following Zyll - I could read 10 books about Zyll, she is one of my favorite characters of all time. It always entertaining to see what she's up to.

I also enjoyed reading Thimble's story - and how he came to be at Legends and Latte's as the baker. One of my favorite hobbies is baking, so I could really relate to his need to try new recipes and share them with others.

I had previously read the short story about how Viv first found her love of coffee, but as I didn't remember much of it, it was a pleasant reread. I also thoroughly enjoyed the last short story about the cafe in competition with "Legends and Lattes".

However, I HATED the Tandri short story. It was on the verge of being a horror/thriller - the entire thing made me uncomfortable from the very first page to the very last. This is NOT what I expect from the Legends and Lattes universe - especially considering how this series kicked of the cozy fantasy trend. I had to take a star rating off for this short story collection it bothered me so much. I also was really confused by the machine the entire time, and the relationship between Tandri and her mentor felt really weird, even though nothing weird happened. It also left a lot of questions unanswered and I'm just going to have to pretend this didn't exist because it's so wildly out of sync with the rest of the Legends and Lattes world.

Overall, really enjoyed 4/5 stories, and am giving this short story collection 4/5 stars.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Subterranean Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars, more if I could. A superb addition to the fantasy Legends and Lattes series books from author Travis Baldree.

I have loved the main books, and I loved the little extra insights and back stories in this one, Tales from the Territory.

Read these stories and you will understand the blend of characters and humour that the author is able to pour into the narrative for our enjoyment. I’m not a coffee drinker, but they have all been my cup of tea. (Pun intended. Please note: I’m not a tea drinker either. Which is pertinent to the Cavaliers story.) But I really liked the satisfying flavour that steeped into my soul from this potted collection.

Zyll was, for me, a laugh out loud character in Brigands and Breadknives. She is such a kleptomaniac where cutlery is concerned. So I knew the first story was going to make me happy. It did, big style.

The other four stories are all excellent too. In particular Travis takes a swipe at our modern world
in Cavaliers & Coffees. The outcome/ending of each brought me a little bit of joy.

If you have read and enjoyed this series you must read this one too. If you haven’t started reading them, what are you waiting for. Fun easy read fantasy, all.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.