Bestselling Fantasy Author Announces 2027 Dungeon Crawler Carl Style LitRPG Release

Published Oct 26, 2026, 12:58 PM EDT

Amanda Kay Oaks is a writer and lifelong book nerd. She has been writing about books on the internet for over 10 years, with prior bylines at Book Riot and ComicBook.com. Though she reads across most genres, Amanda Kay is particularly fond of romance, cozy fantasy, and books with strong female characters. 

Fantasy author Travis Baldree is best known for his cozy fantasy novel Legends & Lattes, but that could be about to change. Since the massive success of Legends & Lattes, Baldree has penned several spin-off novels set in the same universe. As such, many fans know him best as a cozy fantasy author. His latest new release, Tales from the Territory, was yet another return to the familiar and comforting world of Thune. But as People revealed this morning, Travis Baldree's next novel will not be another cozy fantasy.

The beloved fantasy author and audiobook narrator does have a new book planned for release in 2027. But this time, he's leaning on his experience as an action RPG developer and LitRPG narrator. Four Bastards and a Baby, which will be published in 2027 by Tor Books, may be a departure for his cozy fantasy readers, but to Baldree, it feels, "like coming home."

Readers who've experienced Legends & Lattes on audio will no doubt recognize Travis Baldree's talent as an audiobook narrator. In fact, for years before he penned his iconic cozy fantasy, Baldree worked as a narrator in the LitRPG genre. Now is a fitting time to return to that genre, which has gained a massive surge in popularity thanks to Dungeon Crawler Carl. And from the sound of it, the next book readers are getting from the Legends & Lattes author will feel much more similar to the LitRPG hit than his prior work in the cozy fantasy space.

Four Bastards and a Baby centers on a half-devil named Brindle, who finds himself trapped in an underground labyrinth. In the Deepdown, Brindle must safely transport a mysterious egg to the surface to earn his freedom. As the book's title suggests, Brindle won't be able to accomplish this on his own. As many an adventurer before him has done, Brindle will join forces with a motley crew of companions to aid him in the quest. Two sisters, a giantess, and a tinker will make up his party. But like any good tabletop adventure, things take a surprising turn. Soon, the party finds themselves the guardians of something quite different from an egg.

Question 1 of 3

Given its setting in a dangerous labyrinth, this latest book isn't quite the cozy fantasy most readers associate with Baldree. But his experience designing video games and narrating LitRPGs suggests he's up to the task of crafting a dungeon-crawling fantasy with higher stakes. Indeed, while the stories we've seen in Thune are relatively cozy, the world itself has a life of its own, showing Baldree's world-building capabilities in full force.

While the genre for Travis Baldree's newest release may be a bit different, one thing will stay the same. Many readers love Legends & Lattes not just for its low-stakes, high-fantasy vibes, but for its characters. Though Brindle and his party of adventurers might be up against more deadly foes, they will almost certainly be as charming and lovingly drawn as Viv, Thimble, and Fern before them. As such, Four Bastards and a Baby is likely to resonate with fans of both Legends & Lattes and Dungeon Crawler Carl when it arrives in August of next year.