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Cursor's Fury (Codex Alera #3)

by Jim Butcher (Goodreads Author)

4.34 of 5 stars 4.34 · rating details · 16,440 ratings · 475 reviews

The power-hungry High Lord of Kalare has launched a rebellion against the aging First Lord, Gaius Sextus, who with the loyal forces of Alera must fight beside the unlikeliest of allies-the equally contentious High Lord of Aquitaine.

Meanwhile, young Tavi of Calderon joins a newly formed legion under an assumed name even as the ruthless Kalare unites with the Canim, bestia...more

Hardcover, 442 pages

Published December 5th 2006 by Ace Hardcover (first published 2006)

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Jul 17, 2011 Jim rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Another good addition to the series, but some of the foreshadowing was heavy handed, so 3.5. A fun, quick read. This didn't appeal to me in some ways as much as the first or second because Butcher is getting a little too predictable, still it had its moments. The series is definitely worth continuing. No real need for a full review - if you liked the first 2 books, you'll like this one. I did & am moving on to the 4th.

Update: This book in the MMP edition, is the only one to have a map, so fa...more

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Apr 24, 2012 Kaila rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, fantasy, fantasy-aficionados-challenge-2012, magic

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This review is also available on my blog, Stumptown Books.

I have yet to actually like any of the books in the Codex Alera. Why do I keep reading them, you ask? Good fucking question. I guess at some point I couldn't tear my eyes away from the train wreck and I love a good groan as well as the next bloke. At this point I'm in gaped mouthed awe at how angry these books make me, and I just have to know if they continue to be so bad. Prepare for maximum bitchiness.

I'll begin with the title. Once you...more

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Jan 16, 2010 Amanda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow. This series has completely blown me away. What I thought was a good story turned into a GREAT story and shows no signs of abating anytime soon.

In Tavi, Amara, Bernard, and the countless others, Butcher has created a juggernaut-like cast of characters. In the first book, you like them, but in the following two, you grow to love them. Tavi inspires a feeling of awe, his characters is so well crafted(pun intended). What begins as a major handicap showcases Tavi's courage and intelligence. He d...more

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Jan 14, 2011 Qing rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Ahh Tavi <3 He's so smart... lol^^^^I was feeling very smug in figuring most stuff out before it was revealed, though one thing was kind of still surprising, which I won't mention (obviously... unless you *really* want to know, um, wiki it? lol).^^^^I felt that the book wrapped up some loose ends nicely and so am wary in starting the 4th book, but Minh sez that the 4th book is even better AND each book is really stand alone (which I didn't know)... and she also disagrees with book 3 tying up...more

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Dec 08, 2008 Julia rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: people who like fantasy

Recommended to Julia by: unknown

Shelves: fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Now that Tavi is a full- fledged Cursor, the First Lord sends Tavi to a new legion under an assumed name. There, with the whole command structure taken out of the picture, he ably, even miraculously, commands a misfit and new a few thousand troops against 90,000 wolf- like men named Canim.

Meanwhile, his aunt is saving the life of the man Fade/ Araris Valerian who has always been there for them. Also, his uncle Bernard and his aunt Amara go to Kalara to rescue people kidnapped by Kalara, who is...more

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May 22, 2013 Lucy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Haven't finished reading yet, and not sure I will:

-first lord+vaunted spy ring somehow miss an extra 4 legions an enemy has established

-first lord/vaunted spy ring can't even ascertain senatorial voting intentions which are known in a fairly large organisation (nation wide women's rights league) two weeks earlier

-for the past two books we've been led to understand that gaius is the best choice for leader because otherwise costly civil war. But now we're getting that anyway, so what is so great a...more

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Feb 23, 2013 Linda Jaejoong rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ok Leute nach Band 1 und 2 hab ich gedacht es könnte nicht mehr besser werden, aber dann hatte ich Band 3 in den Händen und ich kann einfach nur sagen Wahnsinn!! Diesmal werden Tavi und seine Freunde auf eine ganz heikle Mission geschickt. Die Streitmacht der Canim kam über das Meer und ihr Ziel ist die Eroberung von Alera. Doch sie haben nicht mit dem Mut und der Schlauheit von Tavi gerechnet.

Die "Erste Aleranische Legion" wurde ins Leben gerufen und steht nun einer scheinbar unlösbaren Aufgabe...more Ok Leute nach Band 1 und 2 hab ich gedacht es könnte nicht mehr besser werden, aber dann hatte ich Band 3 in den Händen und ich kann einfach nur sagen Wahnsinn!! Diesmal werden Tavi und seine Freunde auf eine ganz heikle Mission geschickt. Die Streitmacht der Canim kam über das Meer und ihr Ziel ist die Eroberung von Alera. Doch sie haben nicht mit dem Mut und der Schlauheit von Tavi gerechnet.

Die "Erste Aleranische Legion" wurde ins Leben gerufen und steht nun einer scheinbar unlösbaren Aufgabe gegenüber. Eigentlich sollte Tavi gar nicht kämpfen sondern nur Informationen sammeln, doch durch ein tragisches Ereignis wird er plötzlich Hauptmann der gesamten Legion, wobei er doch keine Ahnung hat von Kriegsführung. Zum Glück hat er Freunde an seiner Seite die ihn auch in dieser brenzligen Lage nicht im Stich lassen. Wird er in der Lage sein Alera vor den Canim zu schützen??

Endlich hat Fidelias sein wahres Wesen gezeigt. Ich konnt ihn ja in den ersten Beiden Bändern nicht leiden, aber in diesem hat er alles schlechte was er jemals getan hat wieder gut gemacht. Er hat Tavie geholfen, für die richtige Sache gekämpft und vor allem hat er endlich Gefühle gezeigt. Er ist kein schlechter Mensch, er wollte immer nur das Beste für Alera und hielt seine Methoden für notwendig. Doch jetzt hat er jemanden gefunden der ihm Hoffnung gibt, jemanden der seine Treue verdient und wie er nur das Beste für Alera will. Er hat Gaius Octavian gefunden.

Ja jetzt wissen wir es endlich zu 100%, Tavi ist der Enkel von Gaius Sextus und der Sohn von Gaius Septimus und Isana, nur er weis es noch nicht. Und endlich, endlich hat er auch etwas Magie gewirkt, das hat er sich so verdient. Er hat sich als Hauptmann den Respekt seiner Legion verdient und Alera vor den Canim fürs erste gerettet. Er war so mutig und stark und einfach zum anbeißen, ich liebe ihn einfach, er ist für mich die sympathischste Hauptfigur die mir jemals in einem Buch begegnet ist. Sein Charakter ist einfach anziehend und niemand ist sicher vor ihm, nicht mal die "Bösen".

Isana muss ihren eigenen Kampf austragen. Araris Valerien wurde lebensgefährlich verwundet und nur Isana kann sein leben retten. Zum Glück konnte sie ihn retten, aber ich hab nicht verstanden warum sie ihn auf einmal liebt. Seit drei Bänden heult sie rum das sie die Liebe ihres Lebens verloren hat und nun liebt sie Arari?? Das ist nicht sehr glaubwürdig, aber seis drum. Miles kam diesmal auch wieder vor, aber leider wieder mal viel zu kurz, er hat viel mehr Seiten verdient. Wir lernen auch Crassus Max Halbbruder kennen. Ich liebe die Beiden einfach, sie sind so süß zusammen.

Fazit: "Die Verschwörer von Kalare" ist spannend, gewaltig und reine Meisterklasse. Es liest sich super flüssig und man will/kann es gar nicht mehr aus der Hand legen. 5 Sterne sind viel zu wenig für diese Handlung!!! Ich sterbe schon für Band 4!!(less)

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Feb 06, 2013 Melissa rated it 3 of 5 stars

First, let me say that I enjoyed the chapters that focused on Tavi. I like him as a character, and seeing him in a commanding role and developing as a leader is a nice set-up for what I'm assuming is going to be happening the future of the story.

Having said that, there were other parts of the story that were...aggravating to me. I'm an expecting first-time-mom, and let me tell you-- I spend nearly every waking second (and some REM cycle seconds) worrying about my baby. I have a 30-60 minute com...more First, let me say that I enjoyed the chapters that focused on Tavi. I like him as a character, and seeing him in a commanding role and developing as a leader is a nice set-up for what I'm assuming is going to be happening the future of the story.

Having said that, there were other parts of the story that were...aggravating to me. I'm an expecting first-time-mom, and let me tell you-- I spend nearly every waking second (and some REM cycle seconds) worrying about my baby. I have a 30-60 minute commute, depending on traffic. I work as a nanny for three boys. I come home and make dinner and do normal daily stuff. And in doing this, for some reason, I am TERRIFIED CONSTANTLY for the safety of my unborn child. Ask almost any expecting mother (especially first time moms, but any mother, really), and I'm betting they will tell you that they worry all the time, too.

So... My conclusion is that Amara should never, ever be a mother. There is no possible way that she would not stop for even one second and think, "hmmmm, this action might hurt the child" or "Oh no, I've been wounded, how might this affect the child?!" I really wish that the author had not introduced that story line because it sparked my pregnancy hormones big time, and it just made it terribly unrealistic for me to read. There should have been at least some consideration, if she thought she was pregnant, as to how her actions would affect the pregnancy-- and at least a little hesitancy, even if she still did exactly the same things. Why even bring up the idea of a baby if it was never going to be mentioned again, until the end when she is not, in fact, pregnant?

I actually think there is a possibility that she was pregnant and miscarried due to the physical and emotional stress of the mission-- a very good chance, in fact. Even if we had KNOWN she was pregnant for sure, there would be a high chance of miscarriage due to the circumstances she underwent...which, of course, Amara and Bernard did not consider for even a second. I found this highly out of character for Bernard. He didn't even mention the safety of an unborn child? He seems like the type who would worry over a pregnant wife.

Anyways. That's my rant. Really rubbed me the wrong way. I could say, " well, it WAS written by a guy," but my husband worries about the baby, too-- it's not just a mom thing. It's common sense. We're wired to protect our offspring.

I also wish we could have found out more about Fade/Araris without Isana having to sit there for a month healing him. I like Isana, but I would like to read about her being AWESOME and helping to save a lot of lives or ending up fighting off a powerful enemy. It seems like she always ends up off to the sidelines. Saving one person is meaningful, of course-- but she could have been out there guiding the medical teams and saving hundreds.

But like I said...I enjoyed Tavi. And I like Kitai, too. And Maximus. And basically Tavi's storyline. I hope we get to focus more on that in the next volume. (less)

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Dec 14, 2011 ***Dave Hill rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: text

(Original review: http://hill-kleerup.org/blog/2008/01/...)

Story: Good
Characters: Fair
Re-Readability: Good
Overall: Good

Story: This is a return to Butcher’s fantasy world, populated by apparent descendents of Ancient Rome (a mystery still only brushed against), and where magic manifests as bound / familiar elemental spirits, or furies. Furies can not only manifest themselves as elemental creatures. but also give to their controllers great power — strength for Earth, speed for Air, endurance for M...more

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Oct 19, 2011 Liyah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Unterhaltend, voller Action, diesmal richtig gut.

Der dritte Teil der Reihe. Die ersten beiden waren ja eher so Blockbuster-mäßig; es knallt an vielen Ecken, aber die Charaktere sind schwammig.
Im dritten Teil wird es nun endlich besser. Jedenfalls hatte ich das Gefühl, dass zumindest der Hauptcharakter sich endlich mal richtig anstrengen muss und über den Zeitraum des Buches dazulernt, besser wird, sich entwickelt. Erwartet man allerdings jetzt viele Charaktereinsichten zu bekommen, liegt man dan...more

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Sep 18, 2011 Kathleen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, read-in-2011

When Captain Hammer sings "everyone's a hero in their own way" it is a joke, but I really feel that is the best way to describe these books. Unlike in most fantasy novels, all of these characters are actually different, with different motivations and strengths.

Tavi continues to be the clever-yet-non-magical youth, though in this book he finds himself in command of a legion, which is fun because we get to see how very not!Roman the world is. In fact, Tavi and an archeologist get to play with som...more

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Aug 01, 2011 Madame X rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: breakneck-pacing, fantasy, favorites

I am a big fan of the Dresden Files series, and I occasionally like sword-and-sorcery books, so one day when I was waiting impatiently for the next Dresden book, I started the Codex Alera series. I picked up the first one in the series, Furies of Caderon, I read it, and I thought, "Well, what a good book, that Jim Butcher is a talented author." Then I went about my business for a while, without any burning desire to read book two. I checked bookstores when I passed the fantasy section, but for s...more

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Jul 10, 2011 Books-treasureortrash rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, fantasy

Book Review: 1 Treasure Box

The Vord are nowhere to be found and most people do not believe in their existence or in their proposed threat. The story-line takes place about 2 years after The Academ’s Fury. Tavi is just finishing school, continuing to fight against prejudice, working as an assistant to the First Lord and developing a relationship with the head of the Canin, who is being held prisoner. Due to the political struggles a civil war is breaking out. Tavi is sent away to start his spying...more Book Review: 1 Treasure Box

The Vord are nowhere to be found and most people do not believe in their existence or in their proposed threat. The story-line takes place about 2 years after The Academ’s Fury. Tavi is just finishing school, continuing to fight against prejudice, working as an assistant to the First Lord and developing a relationship with the head of the Canin, who is being held prisoner. Due to the political struggles a civil war is breaking out. Tavi is sent away to start his spying career as a junior officer, but he is really sent away to isolate him from harm.

This is a new and interesting concept in Fantasy. The series is about a country called Alera on the world of Carna, where there are elemental beings that can control metal, air, water, earth or fire, they are called Furies. Some of these beings are wild and can do harm, but when they are wild they do not seem to have a lot of intelligence. There are also several peoples who live there. They all have different physical looks and abilities.

The Cursor’s Fury is the third of six books in the Codex Alera Series. This is a high fantasy taking place in the Aleran Empire in a society similar to that of ancient Rome. This book is told in the third person narrative from the various different characters point of view, but primarily from that of the main protagonist Tavi. Jim Butcher has also written numerous contemporary fantasy books, primarily the Dresden Files.

I enjoyed this book, though not as much as the first two, as it was not as compelling. I found it to have too many unbelievable battle scenes. Tavi still does not have any fury-craft abilities, yet he continues to develop in other ways. Although he was sent to a post that was to have little action, Tavi ends up being in charge of the only Aleran post between the Canin host and the rest of Alera. While facing several challenges he must lead his men to fight an almost impossible task.

The story did not have a proper conclusion; it left off in mid-story to be continued in the next book, Captain’s Fury. I prefer a story that is a standalone, rather than half a story; however, it highly motivated me to pick up the next book in the series to find out what happened.

For more of my reviews go to: http://books-treasureortrash.com (less)

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Jan 20, 2011 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: bought-copy, fantasy, series

Cursor's Fury is the third novel in the Codex Alera sequence by Jim Butcher. We return to events following Tavi, orphaned child - or, rather, young man by this stage - as he takes up a political position within the First Aleran Legion at the request of the First Lord. Gaius intends Tavi to learn the process of legion life, while trying to keep him away from the actual fighting - the First Legion is newly created and going through a drilling process. However, events conspire against the First Lor...more Cursor's Fury is the third novel in the Codex Alera sequence by Jim Butcher. We return to events following Tavi, orphaned child - or, rather, young man by this stage - as he takes up a political position within the First Aleran Legion at the request of the First Lord. Gaius intends Tavi to learn the process of legion life, while trying to keep him away from the actual fighting - the First Legion is newly created and going through a drilling process. However, events conspire against the First Lord, when Tavi gets caught up in leading the Legion against an invasion force of Canim, massive dog-like warriors with a curious code of honour. Can Tavi manage to hold the inexperienced Legion in the face of overwhelming odds until aid can be sent?

I don't really think I am revealing a big shock when I say yes, he can. These novels are not designed to present too many surprises, or dark endings - it is more the journey to the end of the book that provides pleasure and unusual events. If you have followed my reviews of this series, you will know that I deeply enjoyed the first novel, but was a little disappointed in the second. I am pleased to report that the third novel is better than both combined. Here, it seems as though Butcher finally hit his stride - he was no longer merely poking fun at fantasy cliches; rather, he was telling the tale of Tavi and doing it incredibly well.

Why did I enjoy this one more? For one reason, there was a deal more humour in this novel. We no longer had the poker-faced, quasi-serious delivery from Butcher. Instead we had the same delightful comedy moments that imbue his Dresden Files. There was one particular scene that made me laugh out loud, which is something to be treasured when reading a fantasy novel (I do find that sometimes they take themselves a little seriously!).

I also appreciated the shift in scene to the Legion. It provided excellent value in terms of relationships, new characters, and some brilliant dialogue. Having spent time so far in the Steadholt life, and then in the city of Alera, I am finding that the Legion is where Butcher does his best writing.

Butcher's prose is generally no-nonsense with flashes of pure poetry, and this was something I greatly enjoyed as well. It was surprising to me that this came mostly in the arena of romance! Butcher might well have a career as a romance author in front of him *grins*. The growing relationship between Tavi and Kitai is just beautiful - very touching moments as they hold each other before battle, and also very prosaic moments when Kitai will puncture Tavi's times of pride, just because she can.

Finally, I just want to mention that I was actually surprised by a particular reveal at the end of this novel concerning one of the characters - and that was just fine with me too. I like being surprised thanks to good writing, and this one made me want to go back through the novel to see whether I could spot any hints towards the character being more than what he seemed.

In fact, the only point of criticism I wish to make is that the novels are starting to feel a little formulaic. Not in terms of a central conflict being solved in the overall arc of the series, but more because each book has featured a main storyline, and then a subplot where some of the key protagonists end up going off on their own adventure. It allows Butcher to skip between them and create cliff-hanger endings to chapters, but it feels very artificial in this third novel. I look forward to seeing if he changes this formula in the fourth, since it is getting tired in my opinion.

Overall, though, an incredibly strong entry to the series and my favourite to this point. Butcher has created a memorable protagonist in the form of Tavi of Calderon and the fact I keep picking up the next book in the series when I really have commitments to read other novels shows, I think, how compelling these are. A highly under-rated high fantasy epic. (less)

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Dec 21, 2010 Jacqie rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was not my favorite Jim Butcher. So far, my favorite in the Codex Alera series has been the second book. This one was a bit too fragmented. We had Tavi's storyline, but also one with Amara and Bernard, and one with Isana. I've never had much patience with Isana, and that doesn't change in this book. Butcher seems to have a bit of difficulty in writing a female point of view- they're all so humorless.
The Tavi storyline was straight military fantasy. By the end of the book, I was skimming th...more

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Aug 25, 2010 Nicholas rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: npr-s-top-100-sci-fi-fantasy

Good, good, good book. Tavi is growing up, and his mysterious past, and why he has no furies is finally revealed.

Things that are really good:
1. Maximus
2. Maximus
3. Grown-up Ehren
4. Kitai
5. Tavi as a legionnaire captain

oh wait, .5. The Freaking Canim.

Finally Tavi's got some worthy adversaries and while treachery is always afoot in the Kingdom of Alera, this time, there's far more open conflict. Butcher continues to write really well and put his characters through legitimately believable emotion...more

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Jan 17, 2010 Paul rated it 4 of 5 stars

Cursor's Fury is third in the Codex Alera Series by Jim Butcher and continues the story of Tavi, the fury-less young man whose skill, intelligence and bravery have saved the Empire falling apart around him, twice.

In this third novel, noew that his school studies are behind him, Tavi is sent off to be an officer in the Legions, in specific a new Legion formed by the Gaius in a bid to try and create a force that will not be caught up in the tensions rising in his Empire.

However, the rise of a reb...more Cursor's Fury is third in the Codex Alera Series by Jim Butcher and continues the story of Tavi, the fury-less young man whose skill, intelligence and bravery have saved the Empire falling apart around him, twice.

In this third novel, noew that his school studies are behind him, Tavi is sent off to be an officer in the Legions, in specific a new Legion formed by the Gaius in a bid to try and create a force that will not be caught up in the tensions rising in his Empire.

However, the rise of a rebellion causes the Gaius to send Tavi's Legion out of the way--and, unwittingly, straight into the path of something even worse: An invasion of the canine, wolf like Canim. Tavi's Legion has been moved out of the way of the frying pan of the rebellion, into the fire of being the only force in the area between the Canim and a large chunk of the Empire.

In the meantime, as always, the story follows Tavi's Aunt Isana, Uncle Bernard and Bernard's lover (now wife) Amara as they are sent to try and counter the rebellion threat.

And just where is Tavi's "barbarian" friend, lover and possible lifemate Kitai in all this?

The Codex Alera universe grows and expands in this third novel, and a couple of characters actions, going back to the first novel, are reviewed and reinterpreted. And again, characters and the world change, develop and progress. Butcher has a real sense of moving events in this books--things do not merely happen only when characters are there to see it, and none of his characters are perfect. And the ending. Anyone can write a decent opening to a novel. Butcher, with the sting in the tail of this ending, proves he can end a book as forcefully as he begins one.

I am definitely looking forward to getting to and reading the next novel in one of the most entertaining epic fantasy series out there.

Butcher's novels may not be high literary fantasy in the sense of George R R Martin, but they provide "value for money" in terms of entertainment. And, in a mild digressive criticism of Mr. Martin, Butcher has shown little trouble in turning out novel after novel in this entertaining series.

Again, though, don't start here with this novel if you are new to the Codex Alera universe. Start with Furies of Calderon, and see for yourself.(less)

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Sep 19, 2009 Irisheyz77 rated it 5 of 5 stars

Holy freakin' wow. My love affair with Jim Butcher's The Codex Alera series continues with Cursor's Fury. This story picks up two years after the second book in the series, Academ's Fury, where life in Alera has settled somewhat back into the normal routines of political intrigue and espionage. Tavi is continuing to not only survive but thrive in a world where most people consider him to be a freak because he has no furies of his own to control.

However, its this lack of furies that makes Tavi in...more Holy freakin' wow. My love affair with Jim Butcher's The Codex Alera series continues with Cursor's Fury. This story picks up two years after the second book in the series, Academ's Fury, where life in Alera has settled somewhat back into the normal routines of political intrigue and espionage. Tavi is continuing to not only survive but thrive in a world where most people consider him to be a freak because he has no furies of his own to control.

However, its this lack of furies that makes Tavi into the man that he is. He has had to learn to use other methods in order to deal with the dangers that surround him. To rely on his wits to get him through tense and difficult situations when those around him might simply fly away.

In the third installment Tavi is sent to a remote region of the country by the First Lord. Gaius Sextus knows that trouble, in the form of High Lord Kalare, is brewing and wants to get Tavi out of the way. Instead he ends up sending Tavi deep into the heart of the lions den. For at the same time that High Lord Kalare is making his play for the thrown, a host of ferocious Canim warriors have begun to invade and their path will take them straight through the legion camp where Tavi is stationed. The odds seem impossible - sixty thousand Canim against one legion of rag tag warriors made up of all the counties in the realm.

Butcher has a talent for taking the tension that exists on the battle field and bringing it to life on the page. The idea that one false step could mean the death of thousands. Butcher also has a diabolical sense of creating suspense. Knowing just the right moment to cut away from the action to look in on one of his other principal characters. Forcing the reader to want to turn the pages faster to get back there where he left off.....needing to know what happens next with Tavi, or Isana, or Amara and Bernard.

Part of what I loved so much about this story is that Butcher continues to develop Tavi's character. In Cursor's Fury, he is far from the boy that he was in Furies of Calderon and this is shown through his thought process. His thoughts are well detailed and thought out. He considers all the angles and often manages to find the path that is so crazy and unimaginable that it just has to work. And while doing so he manages to create a loyal following and create unity in a place that none thought possible.

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Jul 01, 2009 Nicole Talucci rated it 5 of 5 stars

Book three in the Codex Alera series surpasses the previous two by miles. Cursor's Fury introduces an Aleran empire still reeling from the destruction of their foes, the Vord. Newly appointed Cursor, Tavi, is put into the legions as Rufus Scipio, a young officer fresh out of the academy and green. He is quickly introduced to a marauding horde of Canim warriors that easily outnumbers his own troops and is forced into the action by the hand of his enemies.

Meanwhile, a rebellion is growing in the...more

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May 08, 2009 Andy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am going to review this, the third in the series. The first two don't really deserve a review of their own, and in some ways 1, 2 and 3 should be taken together to make one really pretty good book. The first was an establishment of the series but besides the world building and some really cool ideas it was very....meh. But not a bad meh, just sort of predictable, sort of cookie cutter. I couldn't tell if there was something more there or it just struck my fancy for bad fantasy.

So I continued...more

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Jan 04, 2013 Cassie rated it 1 of 5 stars

Jim Butcher has completely baffled me with the Codex Alera books, and with this one especially. Mr. Butcher admittedly set high standards for himself with the Dresden novels, but that's precisely the reason why I took a chance on this series. I wanted more of what I thought was Butcher's stellar understanding of the importance of character--character motive, development, and voice. But where Harry Dresden sparkles with wit, insight, and believability, Tavi What'shisface falls flat in the dirt. N...more Jim Butcher has completely baffled me with the Codex Alera books, and with this one especially. Mr. Butcher admittedly set high standards for himself with the Dresden novels, but that's precisely the reason why I took a chance on this series. I wanted more of what I thought was Butcher's stellar understanding of the importance of character--character motive, development, and voice. But where Harry Dresden sparkles with wit, insight, and believability, Tavi What'shisface falls flat in the dirt. No--he trips over his own feet, falls on his face, gets up, then runs off the edge of a cliff into the ocean, where he disappoints everyone by not drowning immediately and instead floats on his back for a few days until he drifts into the vicinity of a pack of sharks, who normally wouldn't eat something so bland but are hungry enough that they eat him, anyway.

But seriously.

I think Butcher is aiming in this series to create some kind of epic bildungsroman relating the heroic rise of a sympathetic underdog, no longer relying mostly on character voice to carry the reader through the story. The end result was no voice and no story. Butcher seriously overreached his current abilities as a writer, and in so doing, he apparently confused himself to the point that he forgot stories need to actually have a middle. A body. The part that tells us HOW Tavi turned from a sheep-chasing shrimp into a warlord assassin, or whatever the heck he's supposed to be.

Newsflash: telling the audience that Tavi went to "Cursor School" is not enough foundation on which to set the absurdly capable character Tavi appears to be in Cursor's Fury.

The other characters aren't any better. I can't even remember the main female protagonist's name because my interest in her was just that low, and the other leading lady--Isana--is almost as boring. To make matters worse, the magic system in the book is given almost zero explanation and is about as exciting as a clump of dryer lint. Thus, what could have made these attribute-confused characters at least nominally cool just makes them even more confusing and stupid.

I put up with the poor character writing in this series for two books because there was plenty of well-written action in Book 1, and after dragging myself reluctantly through Book 2, I felt I should give Butcher one more chance with Book 3. I quit about halfway into it, and the first half was a waste of my time.

Sorry, Jim Butcher. I still love the Dresden Files, but I'm no longer in love with you as an author. More's the pity.(less)

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Sep 14, 2011 trishtrash rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-fiction, young-adult

High Lord Kalare makes his move on the throne in this third instalment of Butcher’s engaging Codex Alera series.

Tavi, still undercover as a Cursor, this time in the role of military subtribune, all too quickly finds himself commanding a fresh and untried legion against a cunning and furious Canim army, in alliance with Kalare but now outside of even his control. Using only the wits and tactical brilliance he has forged out of necessity - through not having even a modicum of furycraft available...more High Lord Kalare makes his move on the throne in this third instalment of Butcher’s engaging Codex Alera series.

Tavi, still undercover as a Cursor, this time in the role of military subtribune, all too quickly finds himself commanding a fresh and untried legion against a cunning and furious Canim army, in alliance with Kalare but now outside of even his control. Using only the wits and tactical brilliance he has forged out of necessity - through not having even a modicum of furycraft available to him – Tavi must hold off the largest army of giant canine-warriors that Alera has ever seen. Count Bernard and Cursor Amara are, meanwhile, making some disturbing temporary alliances of their own, in order to release several Lords’ family members from Kalare’s clutches; once free of his blackmail, the Lords would be at liberty to suspend their forced ‘neutrality’ and aid the First Lord in the fight against the seven fully functioning legions that Kalare has amassed. Isana is using her healing craft on Fade, no longer (to the reader) just the family’s loyal indentured servant; and while she works, more back-story is revealed.

I’ve been enjoying these books more than I expected to, and I think this is my favourite in the series so far (overlooking the entirely unlikely catastrophe-caused promotion of Tavi to command actual troops) … it has a longer lead-in which gives more time for positioning the characters, and thus watch them exist at an other-than-frantic pace, which makes the politics and character relationships seem as important as the fun … excuse me … horror of battle. And while Butcher sometimes reminds me of David Eddings in his character interaction and relationships, he can also out-write David Gemmell when it comes to fictional battle crafting and is in a class of his with the political structure – he keeps it easy enough to maintain the ‘young adult’ appeal of the series, but layered and interesting enough not to loose older fantasy fiction readers, not an easy balance at all. They aren’t perfect, but they are really good.(less)

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Aug 31, 2011 James rated it 5 of 5 stars

(NB. This review will be short, as I am reading the series way too fast and barely remember distinct thoughts on this book)

Cursor's Fury picks up where Academ's Fury left off, and then some. This book is easily the match of Furies of Calderon and entertains as thoroughly as any other book in the series. It is the quality of books like these in this series that is making this one of the best series I have ever read. Yet.

The plot line is much more fun than the previous one, and somehow more invol...more

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Aug 27, 2010 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm too lazy to review each of these books separately. Instead, I'll review my favorite in the series.

I must say that the first book was a decent universe setter with excellent plot twists and subversions of what one expects in a fantasy novel (was I the only one who assumed at first reading that Amara and Tavi were supposed to be a couple?). The second ramped things up with excellent political intrigue and really letting the audience in on how ingenious Tavi is.

Now that we're in book 3, I can s...more

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Apr 16, 2010 Noah Bogart rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Jim Butcher Fans

Shelves: books-i-own, novels-read

Cursor's Fury, third in the sextology, is waaaaay fucking better than Academ's Fury. I really really didn't like the shitty writing of that one, especially as compared to the chronologically equivalent Dresden Files novel and also as compared to the first Alera Book, Furies of Calderon.

Except for a need to make every character, at one point or other, display a "wolfish" grin or grimace, Butcher's fantasy cadence worked a lot better in this installment. This book does have the tendency to mimic t...more

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Apr 02, 2010 Mark rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

First thing you notice about this book that's surprising in a way: time actually passes between books. It's amazing how unusual this seems for reading fantasy. It's good because it means you get to read about when things actually happen. There are weak parts of the book but as with the second book, once you really get swept into the plot, it's easy to overlook them. I felt like it took a little while to find his voice again in this book, with a little slang more in line with the real world slipp...more

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Feb 08, 2009 Samantha rated it 4 of 5 stars

After the crapfest that was book 2, I was a bit ambivalent about tackling 3. I'm glad I did, however. All in all, this is a pretty solid adventure story.. with a couple of really good twists that I didnt see coming (and some cheesy ones that I did, to be fair).

Some of the flaws that have plagued the series remain. Bernard continues to be a dull, 1-dimensional waste of paperspace, and Tavi and company continue with their near supernatural luck. But some of the other details of this universe are...more

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Mar 19, 2009 Mel Allred added it

The same clerk at Barnes and Noble in Tulsa OK recommended this series to me as she did "The Sparrow" and the reason I say this is that I wish I could talk to her again. Quite possibly two of the best recommendations I have received. See my review of the other, but this book being the third in a series beginning with " The Furies of Calderon" brings new light to the field of fantasy that has heretofore been haunted by wizards, witches, and other spellcasters. The Furies are living entities, ele...more

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Jun 01, 2012 Tish rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I started this book and while I was enjoying it, I remember thinking that maybe it was time to take a break from the Codex Alera series before I got too burned out. But like in the previous book, just when I'm thinking maybe it's not quite as good as the first one, Butcher manages to grab me again and I couldn't put it down.

Some things I've been waiting for since the first book are finally revealed here, but there were still surprises in store. And, I swear, I must be the slowest person on the f...more

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Sep 19, 2010 Nancy O'Toole rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: borrowed-reads, fantasy

Tavi lives in a world where every person can control one of the elements, except for him. No longer a scared teenager, Tavi is now a Cursor (think undercover spy) for the First Lord Gaius. One of his assignments is to serve as an officer in charge of a legion of young, inexperienced troops. When one of Gaius's political enemies declares war on the First Lord, Tavi finds himself on the front lines of a bloody battle.

Cursor's Fury is the third book in The Codex Alera and probably the best one yet...more Tavi lives in a world where every person can control one of the elements, except for him. No longer a scared teenager, Tavi is now a Cursor (think undercover spy) for the First Lord Gaius. One of his assignments is to serve as an officer in charge of a legion of young, inexperienced troops. When one of Gaius's political enemies declares war on the First Lord, Tavi finds himself on the front lines of a bloody battle.

Cursor's Fury is the third book in The Codex Alera and probably the best one yet. One of the most satisfying parts of this series is watching Tavi grow from book to book. Cursor's Fury shows him at his most heroic, and most clever. Like the two previous books, Cursor's Fury also has two secondary plots involving the characters Isana and Amara, who are also impacted by the war. Amara must rescue two politically important hostages with the help of a dangerous ally. Isana must save the life of an old friend with life-threatening magic. I'm beginning to notice a trend with these three storylines. Tavi's storyline often involves him overcoming his disadvantages to prove himself a hero. Amara usually deals with situations that puts her duty to the First Lord at odds with her personal feelings. Isana must make difficult decisions to protect those dear to her. I wonder if these themes will continue through the rest of the series.

Part of what makes Cursor's Fury so enjoyable is the large cast of interesting characters. I was happy to see Kitai return, as well as Bernard. Another one of it's strengths is in it's suspenseful action sequences. Some of the most riveting scenes in Cursor's Fury are it's scenes of aerial combat, or dramatic battle sequences. I also like the fact that Cursor's Fury continues to reveal more about the past. In Academ's Fury, we learned that Isana is actually Tavi's mother. This book explores how Tavi came to be born in more detail, and even gives us a reason for why Tavi has no furies. Cursor's Fury also has satisfying romantic side plots, which I appreciated. One drawback of Cursor's Fury (and the series in general) is it's predictability, but I find it didn't mar my enjoyment of the book that much anyway.

Cursor's Fury is a great addition to The Codex Alera series. It's an incredibly fun read filled with interesting characters and great action sequences. This novel, along with Academ's Fury, proves that Jim Butcher is not only a force to be reckoned with when it comes to urban fantasy, but traditional fantasy as well. I'm looking forward to continuing the series.(less)

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About Jim Butcher

A martial arts enthusiast whose resume includes a long list of skills rendered obsolete at least two hundred years ago, Jim Butcher turned to writing as a career because anything else probably would have driven him insane. He lives in Independence, Missouri, with his wife, his son, and a ferocious guard dog.

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Cursor's Fury (Codex Alera #3)

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