This is a military science fantasy series that is full of action, adventure, suspense, intrigue, romance—everything needed to make a good read. And Jim Butcher delivers. He proves once again why he is consistently on the top of the best seller lists.

In this book, the action takes up two years after the previous book. Tavi is still captain and still fighting the Canim. He is forced to resort to desperate measures when an ambitious senator sets in motion a plan that can only lead to disaster for everyone involved. Tavi comes into his own with his furies and Butcher handles it in a way that will leave fans satisfied and leaves just enough unsaid to make you eager for the next book and yet satisfied with the way this one ends. I think my favorite line in the book – the one that has stayed with me – is “I’ve never lost a duel to the death. Not one.” I’m not going to tell you who says it or where it is in the book. But it is an important moment, one that brings much to fruition.

Butcher is a master in world creation, characterization and plot development. He brings all these together in a satisfying read. I do not recommend you start with this book. Though it reads well as a stand alone, I believe you would be missing key parts of the story if you didn’t read the other three first. Not having read them, I can only recommend them on the strength of this one – and I do. Butcher is an excellent writer whose stories entertain and keep you interested from page one to the end.