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Codex Alera #5
Princeps' Fury
From the New York Times bestselling author of Captain's Fury and the Dresden Files novels.
Tavi of Calderon, now recognized as Princeps Gaius Octavian and heir to the crown, has achieved a fragile alliance with Alera's oldest foes, the savage Canim. But when Tavi and his legions guide the Canim safely to their lands, his worst fears are realized.
The dreaded Vord - the enemy of Aleran and Cane alike - have spent the last three years laying waste to the Canim homeland. And when the Alerans are cut off from their ships, they find themselves with no choice but to fight shoulder to shoulder if they are to survive.
For a thousand years, Alera and her furies have withstood every enemy, and survived every foe.
The thousand years are over…
Tavi of Calderon, now recognized as Princeps Gaius Octavian and heir to the crown, has achieved a fragile alliance with Alera's oldest foes, the savage Canim. But when Tavi and his legions guide the Canim safely to their lands, his worst fears are realized.
The dreaded Vord - the enemy of Aleran and Cane alike - have spent the last three years laying waste to the Canim homeland. And when the Alerans are cut off from their ships, they find themselves with no choice but to fight shoulder to shoulder if they are to survive.
For a thousand years, Alera and her furies have withstood every enemy, and survived every foe.
The thousand years are over…
386 pages, Hardcover
First published November 25, 2008
1017 people are currently reading
12315 people want to read
About the author
Jim Butcher
203 books51.2k followersJim Butcher is the author of the Dresden Files, the Codex Alera, and a new steampunk series, the Cinder Spires. His resume includes a laundry list of skills which were useful a couple of centuries ago, and he plays guitar quite badly. An avid gamer, he plays tabletop games in varying systems, a variety of video games on PC and console, and LARPs whenever he can make time for it. Jim currently resides mostly inside his own head, but his head can generally be found in his home town of Independence, Missouri.
Jim goes by the moniker Longshot in a number of online locales. He came by this name in the early 1990′s when he decided he would become a published author. Usually only 3 in 1000 who make such an attempt actually manage to become published; of those, only 1 in 10 make enough money to call it a living. The sale of a second series was the breakthrough that let him beat the long odds against attaining a career as a novelist.
All the same, he refuses to change his nickname.
Jim goes by the moniker Longshot in a number of online locales. He came by this name in the early 1990′s when he decided he would become a published author. Usually only 3 in 1000 who make such an attempt actually manage to become published; of those, only 1 in 10 make enough money to call it a living. The sale of a second series was the breakthrough that let him beat the long odds against attaining a career as a novelist.
All the same, he refuses to change his nickname.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,373 reviews
May 17, 2020
Did I already fanboy about the Vord, an evil species I´ve already encountered in many Sci-Fi settings and that give the stereotypical „one evil emperor rules them all“ setting a fresh, new look? Often, there is any kind of control over minions with willpower, psi-tech, dark energy, that is directly linked to the power of the dictator, a dark source, sacrificing victims,… and the similarities between Sci-Fi and Fantasy are big.
In Fantasy, it´s always something metaphysical that is powered externally or internally or both, for instance the genetic predisposition of the chosen one described in an old prophecy who controls anything using his mindfulness and inner powers. Or hate. For external power feeding, the god emperor needs land, minions, victims, commodities, temples, power of faith of as many enslaved and forced to pray as possible, etc. I don´t know if it´s also necessary that they truly believe or just do as if. The third combination is a kind of renewable energy mix of both, the mad magician who has some concentrated power in his amulets or his battery wand or anywhere, some places with magical powers, glowing minerals, and the life energy of minions or victims. But it´s all, scientifically speaking, highly speculative bad science and fringe science.
In Sci-Fi, there is a speculative, unproven, rea-life theoretical concept or a theory about something including quanta, other worlds, clarketech, multiverse, time travel,… that links the magic abilities with reality, gives it a better explanation than that the witch is witchy, and is often described in very detail.
So we are coming closer to the end of this series that is getting better and better and can be easily entered with each novel (except the spoilers of course), so why not give it a try? It´s totally worth it.
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
In Fantasy, it´s always something metaphysical that is powered externally or internally or both, for instance the genetic predisposition of the chosen one described in an old prophecy who controls anything using his mindfulness and inner powers. Or hate. For external power feeding, the god emperor needs land, minions, victims, commodities, temples, power of faith of as many enslaved and forced to pray as possible, etc. I don´t know if it´s also necessary that they truly believe or just do as if. The third combination is a kind of renewable energy mix of both, the mad magician who has some concentrated power in his amulets or his battery wand or anywhere, some places with magical powers, glowing minerals, and the life energy of minions or victims. But it´s all, scientifically speaking, highly speculative bad science and fringe science.
In Sci-Fi, there is a speculative, unproven, rea-life theoretical concept or a theory about something including quanta, other worlds, clarketech, multiverse, time travel,… that links the magic abilities with reality, gives it a better explanation than that the witch is witchy, and is often described in very detail.
So we are coming closer to the end of this series that is getting better and better and can be easily entered with each novel (except the spoilers of course), so why not give it a try? It´s totally worth it.
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
December 24, 2019
3.5 stars
I liked this one quite a bit more than the last book, Captain's Fury because there just wasn't quite as much plodding around in forests and swamps while the action happened elsewhere.
The majority of the story is about Tavi & Co. taking their frenemy Varg and his troops back to the Canim continent, and trying to help them take on the Vord. I don't want to give anything away -unlike these fucking book titles - but Tavi continues to do all the things that made me originally love him. Naturally, his intelligence, courage, and goodness help him collect even more allies by the time this one is over. He's one of the most cheer-worthy heroes I've read about in a long time, and I love that Butcher created such a likable character to star in this series. It's nice to see that good guys don't always finish last!
I mean, is there anything Tavi can't do when he puts his mind to it?!
Ok, now last time around, I whined a bit about Bernard and Amara being the most boring couple on the planet to read about. So when they were showed up again, and were sent on a mission by Gaius again, which meant more page time spent questing with them again...?
I felt a tad disappointed. Again.
And while I didn't particularly enjoy reading about the first part of their journey, they pulled a nice little twist on me at the end that made it all worthwhile.
Oh! And speaking of twists!
Isana learns some stuff that turns something that (I thought) was set in stone on its head. It makes a bad guy look like, well, maybe not a good guy, but perhaps a better guy.
It made me look at the character differently, at any rate.
Princeps' Fury was an improvement on the last installment for me in a lot of ways, but there was still a bit too much wah, wah, wah boring shit about battle strategy and other descriptive questing nonsense. I tend to skim that sort of thing to get to (what I consider) the good stuff. However, at least this time around there was a lot more action to hold my attention.
If you loved the other books, you'll love this one.
I liked this one quite a bit more than the last book, Captain's Fury because there just wasn't quite as much plodding around in forests and swamps while the action happened elsewhere.
The majority of the story is about Tavi & Co. taking their frenemy Varg and his troops back to the Canim continent, and trying to help them take on the Vord. I don't want to give anything away -unlike these fucking book titles - but Tavi continues to do all the things that made me originally love him. Naturally, his intelligence, courage, and goodness help him collect even more allies by the time this one is over. He's one of the most cheer-worthy heroes I've read about in a long time, and I love that Butcher created such a likable character to star in this series. It's nice to see that good guys don't always finish last!
I mean, is there anything Tavi can't do when he puts his mind to it?!
Ok, now last time around, I whined a bit about Bernard and Amara being the most boring couple on the planet to read about. So when they were showed up again, and were sent on a mission by Gaius again, which meant more page time spent questing with them again...?
I felt a tad disappointed. Again.
And while I didn't particularly enjoy reading about the first part of their journey, they pulled a nice little twist on me at the end that made it all worthwhile.
Oh! And speaking of twists!
Isana learns some stuff that turns something that (I thought) was set in stone on its head. It makes a bad guy look like, well, maybe not a good guy, but perhaps a better guy.
It made me look at the character differently, at any rate.
Princeps' Fury was an improvement on the last installment for me in a lot of ways, but there was still a bit too much wah, wah, wah boring shit about battle strategy and other descriptive questing nonsense. I tend to skim that sort of thing to get to (what I consider) the good stuff. However, at least this time around there was a lot more action to hold my attention.
If you loved the other books, you'll love this one.
December 17, 2011
Sadly, this is a classic example of a star crossed reader/book relationship.
I am only giving this 3.0 stars and yet I have almost nothing but positive comments to make about the novel. This is a well-written, terrific story with a nice balance between detail and pacing and with characters drawn and developed with enough weight that you can really care about them. The problem is simply that traditional high, epic fantasy and I have lately just not been clicking. It's all become a big, confusing mess of best intentions and shattered expectations and I'm mostly to blame.
Therefore, to this book and all other well done high fantasy epics*, let me say: it’s not you, it’s me.
*The above statement does not apply to the over abundance of crappy, “paint by numbers” never-ending BLOAT-athons that seem to meander and ramble on for decades without inching any closer to the finish line. In your case, it is definitely you that is the problem and your capacity for suckage has never been greater.
Based on the above and my comments below, when evaluating my rating to determine whether this book is right for you, please adjust upwards as follows:
1. If, excluding Lord of the Rings, more than half of your 10 favorite books are within the traditional, epic fantasy genre, add one star to my rating.
2. If the vast majority of your favorite books are traditional tolkienesque fantasy and you are also a fan of Butcher’s “Dresden Series,” add 2 stars as this is a no-brainer 5 star read for you.
3. If you have slept outside of a book store waiting to be the first in line to have Terry Brooks and/or Terry Goodkind sign either a copy of their newest book or a part of your body… than [******censored******] and I don’t know what else to say to you.
PLOT SUMMARY:
Potential spoiler warning: While I won’t divulge any of the critical events of this book, my plot summary will include reference to doings and goings on from the first four installments.
.
.
.
.
.
So book 5 picks up shortly after the end of Captain's Fury, in which Tavi was revealed to be the heir to the crown of Alera (i.e., the main human civilization patterned on ancient Rome). He has thus been elevated to the rank of Princeps and become among the most powerful individual in the country. Given the significant amount of political intrigue woven into the fabric of this series, you can imagine the plotting, scheming and othersordid assorted Machiavellian machinations brought to bear by factions trying to monkey-wrench Tavi’s elevation and new status.
Meanwhile, it turns out that the parasitic, body-snatching-body-cloning Vord have been much busier bees than anyone anticipated and the threat level has gone from very serious to “holy shit we’re all going to die.” Even the combined might of the fury-crafting Alerans and their new allies, the wolf-like Canim, do not appear adequate to save the planet from becoming Vord-kabobs. Their only hope appears to beObi-Wan Kenobi to add to the alliance the strength of the mysterious Icemen who have been engaged in a bitter war with the Alerans for millennia out beyond the giant northern wall.**
**I know what you are thinking and, YES, the giant northern wall bears a striking resemblance to The Wall in George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire and I think Jimmy Butcher owes Martin a fruit basket as a thank you.
THOUGHTS:
This is skillfully crafted, rock solid traditional epic fantasy that I can completely understand fans of the genre slobbering all over. If this is your bagbaby, than I certainly recommend this series as it is vastly superior in both writing and story to much of the aimless, ham-fisted drek that passes for large scale fantasy. Butcher has a gift for creating interesting magic systems and his elemental-based furies (fire, water, earth and air) is well defined and nicely done. His world-building is thoughtful and deftly spliced into the narrative and the characters are given room to breathe and differentiate themselves from one another.
Put simply, It’s good quality.
That said, for me personally this is just a bit too “traditional” and I’ve become seriously burned out on this kind of setting. While I still enjoy the truly grim side of epic fantasy as exemplified by the aforementioned Song of Ice and Fire by George Martin, most of my favorite recent fantasies have been either of the hip, swashbuckling variety (e.g., Steven Brust’s “Jhereg” series and Scott Lynch’s “Gentlemen Bastards” series) or of the truly subversive strain such as Joe Abercrombie’s “First Law” trilogy and Richard Morgan’s “Land Fit for Heroes.”
Thus, I was just never fully engaged in the story and it made for long, somewhat tiresome read during which I was constantly prone to distraction. I would be staring off into the middle distance and then something interesting would jerk my attention back to the story...only to have my attention wander off again a few minutes later.
And so on and so on….rinse and repeat.
In sum, an excellent traditional epic fantasy that I completely failed as a reader. This book and this series deserve someone better…maybe someone like you.
3.0 stars.
I am only giving this 3.0 stars and yet I have almost nothing but positive comments to make about the novel. This is a well-written, terrific story with a nice balance between detail and pacing and with characters drawn and developed with enough weight that you can really care about them. The problem is simply that traditional high, epic fantasy and I have lately just not been clicking. It's all become a big, confusing mess of best intentions and shattered expectations and I'm mostly to blame.
Therefore, to this book and all other well done high fantasy epics*, let me say: it’s not you, it’s me.
*The above statement does not apply to the over abundance of crappy, “paint by numbers” never-ending BLOAT-athons that seem to meander and ramble on for decades without inching any closer to the finish line. In your case, it is definitely you that is the problem and your capacity for suckage has never been greater.
Based on the above and my comments below, when evaluating my rating to determine whether this book is right for you, please adjust upwards as follows:
1. If, excluding Lord of the Rings, more than half of your 10 favorite books are within the traditional, epic fantasy genre, add one star to my rating.
2. If the vast majority of your favorite books are traditional tolkienesque fantasy and you are also a fan of Butcher’s “Dresden Series,” add 2 stars as this is a no-brainer 5 star read for you.
3. If you have slept outside of a book store waiting to be the first in line to have Terry Brooks and/or Terry Goodkind sign either a copy of their newest book or a part of your body… than [******censored******] and I don’t know what else to say to you.
PLOT SUMMARY:
Potential spoiler warning: While I won’t divulge any of the critical events of this book, my plot summary will include reference to doings and goings on from the first four installments.
.
.
.
.
.
So book 5 picks up shortly after the end of Captain's Fury, in which Tavi was revealed to be the heir to the crown of Alera (i.e., the main human civilization patterned on ancient Rome). He has thus been elevated to the rank of Princeps and become among the most powerful individual in the country. Given the significant amount of political intrigue woven into the fabric of this series, you can imagine the plotting, scheming and other
Meanwhile, it turns out that the parasitic, body-snatching-body-cloning Vord have been much busier bees than anyone anticipated and the threat level has gone from very serious to “holy shit we’re all going to die.” Even the combined might of the fury-crafting Alerans and their new allies, the wolf-like Canim, do not appear adequate to save the planet from becoming Vord-kabobs. Their only hope appears to be
**I know what you are thinking and, YES, the giant northern wall bears a striking resemblance to The Wall in George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire and I think Jimmy Butcher owes Martin a fruit basket as a thank you.
THOUGHTS:
This is skillfully crafted, rock solid traditional epic fantasy that I can completely understand fans of the genre slobbering all over. If this is your bag
Put simply, It’s good quality.
That said, for me personally this is just a bit too “traditional” and I’ve become seriously burned out on this kind of setting. While I still enjoy the truly grim side of epic fantasy as exemplified by the aforementioned Song of Ice and Fire by George Martin, most of my favorite recent fantasies have been either of the hip, swashbuckling variety (e.g., Steven Brust’s “Jhereg” series and Scott Lynch’s “Gentlemen Bastards” series) or of the truly subversive strain such as Joe Abercrombie’s “First Law” trilogy and Richard Morgan’s “Land Fit for Heroes.”
Thus, I was just never fully engaged in the story and it made for long, somewhat tiresome read during which I was constantly prone to distraction. I would be staring off into the middle distance and then something interesting would jerk my attention back to the story...only to have my attention wander off again a few minutes later.
And so on and so on….rinse and repeat.
In sum, an excellent traditional epic fantasy that I completely failed as a reader. This book and this series deserve someone better…maybe someone like you.
3.0 stars.
March 4, 2018
Puh. 3,5-4 Sterne!! Die Geschichte bewegt sich auf ihr großes Finale zu, es ging sehr brutal und düster daher, teilweise auch recht zäh mit vielen Kriegsbeschreibungen... dank des Hörbuchs hab ich trotzdem nur einen Tag dafür gebraucht 😝 Außerdem HASSE ich Parasiten und wer die Bücher kennt, kann verstehen, wieso es mich durchgehend gejuckt hat 🤢🤢🤢😷
September 28, 2017
Wowowowow. Gimme the last one, like now!! <- that is my official review for this book. ;P
November 14, 2021
The Codex Alera series gets better and more intense with each volume. Princeps' Fury, fifth in the series, is a whirlwind of battles, plots, and adventure, with truly horrifying bad guys that will give you nightmares for a days.
Our hero, Tavi, is more majestic than ever. The rest of the cast of characters are complex, well-drawn, and at this point in the series, as familiar as friends.
Highly recommended, whether you're a Lord of the Rings fan, a Dresden files fan... or just a fan of well-written, exciting fiction. Can't wait for the next (and last) in the series.
Ratings:-⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Our hero, Tavi, is more majestic than ever. The rest of the cast of characters are complex, well-drawn, and at this point in the series, as familiar as friends.
Highly recommended, whether you're a Lord of the Rings fan, a Dresden files fan... or just a fan of well-written, exciting fiction. Can't wait for the next (and last) in the series.
Ratings:-⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
December 19, 2018
4.5 Stars, my favourit Codex Alera book so far :)
April 9, 2021
Princeps' Fury is the 5th out of 6 books in Jim Butcher’s Codex Alera series.
I enjoyed this one as much as the previous books. Some of the things I’d anticipated would happen as the series approached the end happened in this book, such as .
This was the shortest book in the series, and I think the next book is the longest. In some ways this one felt like a transition book as the story is clearly working its way toward the final climactic events, but it did tell a complete and interesting segment of the story and didn’t end on a cliff hanger or anything. As always, there was a lot of action and all the viewpoints held my interest.
I’m really looking forward to reading the final book!
I enjoyed this one as much as the previous books. Some of the things I’d anticipated would happen as the series approached the end happened in this book, such as .
This was the shortest book in the series, and I think the next book is the longest. In some ways this one felt like a transition book as the story is clearly working its way toward the final climactic events, but it did tell a complete and interesting segment of the story and didn’t end on a cliff hanger or anything. As always, there was a lot of action and all the viewpoints held my interest.
I’m really looking forward to reading the final book!
April 4, 2017
5 down and 1 to go. This series has definitely been very good since the first two books which were mediocre. Everything is setup for an epic ending. Some of the visuals in this book in particular I would love to see on the big screen. Those battles if done right would be epic and with today's CGI completely possible.
November 30, 2021
4 Sterne (:
Freue Mich auf das Finale!
Freue Mich auf das Finale!
October 8, 2019
My reviews for these novels keep getting shorter and shorter. I dislike writing reviews for sequels since I find it hard to write about the novel without spoiling anything.
I have been skimming reviews for Princeps’ Fury and found that many people rated this as their least favourite of the series. I, however, thoroughly enjoyed Princeps’ Fury and its set up for the final novel, First Lord’s Fury. I especially enjoyed the final few pages.
Isana’s chapters are usually not my favourite since they are not as action packed or detail oriented as Tavi’s or Amara’s, however Isana’s chapters in Princeps’ Fury are incredible. Not only do readers get to see Isana in a new badass light, but also readers are treated to some interesting world building that had me rereading certain passages.
Tavi’s campaign and exploration of the Cane homeland were some of the best parts of the novel. I am always a fan of new or game changing information no matter how far in the series it comes.
That is about all I can say without spoiling anything more than the title already spoils. I am very excited to read the final novel, though I may procrastinate a bit since I do not want this story to end.
As always, I highly recommend this series. It’s fun and easy to read with badass characters and an interesting magic system.
I have been skimming reviews for Princeps’ Fury and found that many people rated this as their least favourite of the series. I, however, thoroughly enjoyed Princeps’ Fury and its set up for the final novel, First Lord’s Fury. I especially enjoyed the final few pages.
Isana’s chapters are usually not my favourite since they are not as action packed or detail oriented as Tavi’s or Amara’s, however Isana’s chapters in Princeps’ Fury are incredible. Not only do readers get to see Isana in a new badass light, but also readers are treated to some interesting world building that had me rereading certain passages.
Tavi’s campaign and exploration of the Cane homeland were some of the best parts of the novel. I am always a fan of new or game changing information no matter how far in the series it comes.
That is about all I can say without spoiling anything more than the title already spoils. I am very excited to read the final novel, though I may procrastinate a bit since I do not want this story to end.
As always, I highly recommend this series. It’s fun and easy to read with badass characters and an interesting magic system.
November 17, 2015
In a fantastical setting, this plot involves a desperate and clever escape from hoards of merciless invaders. I enjoyed it, even though the plot didn't seem to require a whole book. But Butcher certainly created a sense of emergency. Apocalypse. Some sweet scenes (breakfast on the ship), some poignant scenes (reunion) and some surprising scenes (no telling).
I like the Canum wolf-people, including Varg and his son Nasaug. We also meet the Icemen, but...huh...they didn't add much to the book. Maybe they'll play a larger role in the next book. The Vord are the big bad once again, with some nasty surprises there, and some predicted tropes. A sad death takes place, but we also spend lots of time with a handful of characters we've learned to love across the series: Tavi, Katai, Crassus. Max. Ehren, etc etc etc
Butcher writes well. But I'm tired of "wolfish grin" (repetitive description for how men smile). Also, his portrayal of Isana's character is inconsistent.
I am not sure I like where Butcher is going with a certain traitor. He's a ruthless, murderous character who in past novels showed himself to be a pathetically poor judge of character. Redemption should not be so easy.
I like the Canum wolf-people, including Varg and his son Nasaug. We also meet the Icemen, but...huh...they didn't add much to the book. Maybe they'll play a larger role in the next book. The Vord are the big bad once again, with some nasty surprises there, and some predicted tropes. A sad death takes place, but we also spend lots of time with a handful of characters we've learned to love across the series: Tavi, Katai, Crassus. Max. Ehren, etc etc etc
Butcher writes well. But I'm tired of "wolfish grin" (repetitive description for how men smile). Also, his portrayal of Isana's character is inconsistent.
I am not sure I like where Butcher is going with a certain traitor. He's a ruthless, murderous character who in past novels showed himself to be a pathetically poor judge of character. Redemption should not be so easy.
December 24, 2014
My least favorite book in the series so far. Hoping the final book is better!
April 3, 2010
Another superb book in the codex alera. The novel has three or four plot lines going on at once. Tavi is in the Canim homeland where he finds the Vord swarming. At home in Alera, the Vord have attacked and although Gaius has a plan he is weak and ill. He dispatches Tavi's mother north to get the Legions led by Maximus and Crassus father, but first she has to make peace with the Icemen. Gaius also dispatches Amara and Bernard on a secret mission to find out how the Vord are fury crafting and stop it. All of the stories move quickly to a conclusion, but Tavi's ingenuity is again the real star of this novel.
This book is the fifth in a continuous series and readers would be ill served to start here
As expected this is not the last of the codex alera, and I for one am glad b/c the story is still fresh and fun.
This book is the fifth in a continuous series and readers would be ill served to start here
As expected this is not the last of the codex alera, and I for one am glad b/c the story is still fresh and fun.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 23, 2014
Again, no bloody map in the book! The only maps are in the 3d & 6th books. I paid over $10 each for these paperbacks, so you'd think they could spring for a damn map. There's a good selection here:
http://www.jim-butcher.com/posts/2009...
They're supposed to be for your computer wall paper, but print out in monochrome well.
http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/in...
contains a lot of maps of specific areas. I didn't find it all that useful & there are maps throughout the series, so it contains spoilers.
Again, this was a fun romp without any real surprises or emotional hits. Butcher could have easily made it a tougher, more emotional ride, but instead he takes the easy way out most of the time. I enjoyed the Belgariad too, though. In many ways this series reminds me of that. Not bad, but certainly not great literature.
http://www.jim-butcher.com/posts/2009...
They're supposed to be for your computer wall paper, but print out in monochrome well.
http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/in...
contains a lot of maps of specific areas. I didn't find it all that useful & there are maps throughout the series, so it contains spoilers.
Again, this was a fun romp without any real surprises or emotional hits. Butcher could have easily made it a tougher, more emotional ride, but instead he takes the easy way out most of the time. I enjoyed the Belgariad too, though. In many ways this series reminds me of that. Not bad, but certainly not great literature.
January 22, 2024
I think the reviews of the Alera books are getting repetitive, so all I will say is that this goes back and forth with Cursor's Fury as my favorite in the series, and this time I loved it even more.
It is really fantastic, and is the only book so far on this reread that got tears from me.
9.2/10
It is really fantastic, and is the only book so far on this reread that got tears from me.
9.2/10
October 4, 2023
*** 4.60 ***
April 4, 2017
There have been ups and downs throughout this series. There were moments when I was emotionally hurting because of what has happened to the characters, moments I suddenly perked up and my eyes enlarged in anticipation, moments when I felt complete satisfaction for a story coming to a close and moments I was thankful I had the next book because the one I had just read ended on such a perfect cliffhanger. This book had almost none of these moments.
After 5 books, I am pretty attached to some of these characters. Most of them have had really good character development throughout the series so the one thing I liked about this book was that I was still with them. Unfortunately, I really had to slog through most of this one to have that positive experience. Tavi's character didn't really grow, but we heard all about how clever he is over and over again. I like Tavi, but I already know that he's clever. Let's see that brilliant mind at work rather than just hear about it.
I'm all for good eucatastrophy. It's what makes fantasy believable: epic events that show how awesome our favourite characters are, offset by tragedy. Even fantastic worlds aren't perfect. But Alera freaking sucks. I like villains that take wit and awesome powers to defeat, but .
The awesome epic successes of the main characters were a lot less awesome and epic that the previous books in this series and I was just never really satisfied with anything great that happened to the characters because it happened after a monumental wave of failure and slog. At that point, I didn't even feel bad for them, but rather, I started questioning the author.
When things starting coming together, a lot of the things felt unbelievable. For example:
These are just two things, but these two made me question the veracity of the events of the book and the powers of the characters.
Here's to hoping that this one was just setting up for a phenomenal ending in book 6.
After 5 books, I am pretty attached to some of these characters. Most of them have had really good character development throughout the series so the one thing I liked about this book was that I was still with them. Unfortunately, I really had to slog through most of this one to have that positive experience. Tavi's character didn't really grow, but we heard all about how clever he is over and over again. I like Tavi, but I already know that he's clever. Let's see that brilliant mind at work rather than just hear about it.
I'm all for good eucatastrophy. It's what makes fantasy believable: epic events that show how awesome our favourite characters are, offset by tragedy. Even fantastic worlds aren't perfect. But Alera freaking sucks. I like villains that take wit and awesome powers to defeat, but .
The awesome epic successes of the main characters were a lot less awesome and epic that the previous books in this series and I was just never really satisfied with anything great that happened to the characters because it happened after a monumental wave of failure and slog. At that point, I didn't even feel bad for them, but rather, I started questioning the author.
When things starting coming together, a lot of the things felt unbelievable. For example:
These are just two things, but these two made me question the veracity of the events of the book and the powers of the characters.
Here's to hoping that this one was just setting up for a phenomenal ending in book 6.
June 2, 2015
"All things pass in time.
We are far less significant than we imagine ourselves to be. All that we are, all that we have wrought, is but a shadow, no matter how durable it may seem. One day, when the last man has breathed his last breath, the sun will shine, the mountains will stand, the rain will fall, the streams
will whisper—and they will not miss him."
You may be right Gaius Sextus,but until that day,the ones who matter will remember.People will remember a great man.He can achieve immortality through his actions and his legacy.Words are not enough to thank Jim Butcher for creating such men.His characters ARE real,they bleed,they plot,they make mistakes,they die,they sacrifice themselves while battling with their inner demons.I fell in love with this series from the very first moment and now,that I'm one step from the great finale,I'm terrified,because I know I will not find such good friends as Tavi,Kitai,Max,Bernard,Amara and the rest of the Alerans.
We are far less significant than we imagine ourselves to be. All that we are, all that we have wrought, is but a shadow, no matter how durable it may seem. One day, when the last man has breathed his last breath, the sun will shine, the mountains will stand, the rain will fall, the streams
will whisper—and they will not miss him."
You may be right Gaius Sextus,but until that day,the ones who matter will remember.People will remember a great man.He can achieve immortality through his actions and his legacy.Words are not enough to thank Jim Butcher for creating such men.His characters ARE real,they bleed,they plot,they make mistakes,they die,they sacrifice themselves while battling with their inner demons.I fell in love with this series from the very first moment and now,that I'm one step from the great finale,I'm terrified,because I know I will not find such good friends as Tavi,Kitai,Max,Bernard,Amara and the rest of the Alerans.
July 22, 2024
Another great book in the series!
I've really enjoyed the series so far, though maybe this one falls a bit in comparison to the superb first 4 books in the series. But the ending was great though.
4.75-5 /5
I've really enjoyed the series so far, though maybe this one falls a bit in comparison to the superb first 4 books in the series. But the ending was great though.
4.75-5 /5
July 31, 2020
Princeps' Fury (Codex Alera #5) by Jim Butcher is a brilliant epic fantasy from one of my favorite authors. As far as I'm concerned, this series just keeps getting better as it goes along. It's been quite a journey following Tavi and company all this way. I can't believe there's only one book left before it's all over. I need to know what's going to happen.
February 16, 2009
My five stars are for the entire series, but I'm too busy (lazy!) to write a review for each book. I had faithfully read all of the Dresden Files books, but was less interested in the Alera series. Then I picked up the first one, and pretty soon I was madly reading the other four, completely engrossed. When I read something this compelling, I'm reminded why I'm a Reader!
When we first meet our hero, Tavi, he lives on a steadholt in the outer reaches of Alera with his uncle Bernard and his aunt Isana (brother and sister, not a married couple). Bernard has a magical gift for earthcrafting, while Isana has a gift for watercrafting--gifts called furies that partly shape the social hierarchy in Alera. To his great dismay, Tavi is furyless. This makes him something like a cripple in his society.
The Alera books are about political scheming, lost heirs, and deadly enemies. They also spend a lot of time on military campaigns. Tavi overcomes his lack of gifts through wiliness, good sense, and diplomacy--he's one for creative problem solving. But when the ruthless Vord invade Alera (kind of like Star Trek's Borg, only more organic and with creepy new aspects), even Tavi's cleverness may not be enough.
I lost myself in these stories and found myself rooting for these characters. Highly recommended for sci-fi/fantasy readers!
When we first meet our hero, Tavi, he lives on a steadholt in the outer reaches of Alera with his uncle Bernard and his aunt Isana (brother and sister, not a married couple). Bernard has a magical gift for earthcrafting, while Isana has a gift for watercrafting--gifts called furies that partly shape the social hierarchy in Alera. To his great dismay, Tavi is furyless. This makes him something like a cripple in his society.
The Alera books are about political scheming, lost heirs, and deadly enemies. They also spend a lot of time on military campaigns. Tavi overcomes his lack of gifts through wiliness, good sense, and diplomacy--he's one for creative problem solving. But when the ruthless Vord invade Alera (kind of like Star Trek's Borg, only more organic and with creepy new aspects), even Tavi's cleverness may not be enough.
I lost myself in these stories and found myself rooting for these characters. Highly recommended for sci-fi/fantasy readers!
May 29, 2011
By this fifth volume all I'm interested in is to finish this series and get it over with.
It's not that it's a badly written story, or that the characters are unlikable, it's just that the plot is so ridiculously apocalyptic, the dialogue bombastically heroic and the good guys always face ridiculous odds and almost always come up to fight another day. The one exception is easy to guess if you check the title of the next book.
This fifth volume maintains the tone and the pace set in the previous books, only raising the stacks higher and higher. Few new characters are introduced (we get to see the Icewall and a part of a new continent), so the story is very easy to follow and Butcher style makes little demands from the reader.
Another reader made a spot on observation in a forum that some of the new fantasy authors make the mistake of going into a new series with all guns blazing and equip their heroes with superpowers. And later on in the epic they are stuck, having to come up with bigger and bigger threats, stronger than strong magic and impossible odds to overcome. I think this is what happened with Codex Alera.
Fortunately, there is only one more book to put my compulsion to finish series I've started to rest.
It's not that it's a badly written story, or that the characters are unlikable, it's just that the plot is so ridiculously apocalyptic, the dialogue bombastically heroic and the good guys always face ridiculous odds and almost always come up to fight another day. The one exception is easy to guess if you check the title of the next book.
This fifth volume maintains the tone and the pace set in the previous books, only raising the stacks higher and higher. Few new characters are introduced (we get to see the Icewall and a part of a new continent), so the story is very easy to follow and Butcher style makes little demands from the reader.
Another reader made a spot on observation in a forum that some of the new fantasy authors make the mistake of going into a new series with all guns blazing and equip their heroes with superpowers. And later on in the epic they are stuck, having to come up with bigger and bigger threats, stronger than strong magic and impossible odds to overcome. I think this is what happened with Codex Alera.
Fortunately, there is only one more book to put my compulsion to finish series I've started to rest.
October 22, 2017
This is the 5th book in the Codex Alera series by Jim Butcher. They have between 4 and 5 stars for me. I have enjoyed this. It is creative and it has characters that I love.
This book wasn't my favorite in the series, but still 4 star worthy for me. There is usually so much action in his books, but this one felt a little slow to start. Once it got started though, I was completely sucked in. I have the next one in this series, and I am hoping to get to it this week.
This book wasn't my favorite in the series, but still 4 star worthy for me. There is usually so much action in his books, but this one felt a little slow to start. Once it got started though, I was completely sucked in. I have the next one in this series, and I am hoping to get to it this week.
May 19, 2010
An epic fantasy series that's getting too epic for it's own good. A lot of the fun in the first novels came from big personalities colliding, and from the sense of skill and resourcefulness shown by the protagonists during those collisions. The best parts in this book follow similar parameters, but the series' need to continue raising the stakes has forced most of the rest of the plot into bloated battles featuring hundreds of thousands of combatants. There isn't much room, anymore, for the clever details and the personal drama that made the first books exciting--now it's just blurry masses of bodies moving. I also feel like the author, who's shown remarkable creativity up to this point, is finally reaching the limits of his imagination. This book, like the others, did have a few moments where I found myself thinking "What a great idea!" But I didn't feel quite the same level of delight when I had those thoughts this time. I'm not sure if the ideas just aren't as good as they were, or if, at this point, there have been so many great ideas that the magic has finally started to feel mundane.
May 30, 2017
A very hesitant 3 stars.
Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy this 5th installment as much as previous books. I slogged through the last 150 pages or so. I just wanted it over. Maybe I need a break, or maybe it just wasn't that good. I think I’ll take a break before completing the series.
Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy this 5th installment as much as previous books. I slogged through the last 150 pages or so. I just wanted it over. Maybe I need a break, or maybe it just wasn't that good. I think I’ll take a break before completing the series.
April 2, 2017
I finished all six volumes in Jim Butcher’s Codex Alera series, so I’m writing one review to cover the whole set. Regardless of which of the books this review is attached to, if you want to read this epic saga, start with the first book:
Furies of Calderon
. I’ve also read all fourteen of the full-length books in his
Dresden Files
, and there are some interesting points of comparison.
First and foremost, this is a well-crafted and engrossing tale — definitely worth reading.
The tale follows the life of young Tavi of the backwater province of Calderon over the course of several years, as his world is riven by existential threats and as he grows up and plays a larger and larger role. There really isn’t anything fundamentally innovative here — most of the elements of the plot are echoed in other epic fantasies. The system of magic plays a large role and is well thought-out, but while it is fresh, it isn’t radical. What makes Codex Alera an excellent addition to the fantasy shelf is in the story and its telling. The characters are engaging and adequately complex, the plot starts well and grows satisfyingly convoluted, and there is plenty of action to drive things forward.
Because the story begins when Tavi is still only fifteen, the first volume is weaker than the sequels. His relationships and option for acting aren’t as complex as they soon become, and his circle of acquaintances is also more limited. Starting with the second book, the scope of story broadens dramatically, with a wider range of characters getting in-depth treatment. Eventually, Butcher brings a small measure of romance into the mix, with even a little non-puritanical treatment of sex. Considering how poorly these last topics are dealt with in the Dresden Files, that’s a nice change.
Fans of the Dresden Files will still find some aspects of the tone and style very familiar. Since the new series is set in a completely fictional world (as opposed to contemporary Chicago), the ironic sarcasm is toned down dramatically, but there is still plenty around. All the clever characters still banter and tease, especially in times of mortal peril. This isn’t exactly a rare device in genre fiction (and probably anachronistic here, given the period is a rough approximation of feudalism, to the extent that can apply to fantasy), but Butcher does it pretty well.
Codex Alera is a more mature effort, though. The earlier series is locked into a first-person narrative, for example, which means the voice of a single character is loud, flaws and all. Here, instead, there are several point-of-view characters, although unfortunately Butcher only lets us hear the thoughts of his protagonists. As limiting as that still is, there is more psychological depth. A major theme that grows more pressing through the series is the inevitable compromises a leader must make between opposing values, and how horrifying it is to be required to make decisions whose outcomes are all nauseating. Because the various viewpoint characters are at differing points in their understanding of this “dirty hands” dynamic, Butcher can simultaneously illuminate a ruler’s imperative for pragmatism as well as the revulsion towards apparent amorality felt by those not confronted with the need for decisive action.
Unfortunately, there is also still a bit too much untimely introspection and moralising. The multiple viewpoints ameliorate this a bit, but we’re still treated to characters pausing in the middle of a tense situation (a battle scene, for example, or a political debate) and expounding on their personal convictions — which aren’t particularly interesting, since they are fairly predictable. This is another aspect that makes the first book weaker — because Tavi is still growing emotionally, there are too many opportunities for the author to indulge himself with the self-righteous attitudes of adolescence.
Butcher has a long way to go before he can honestly portray real nuance in personality types. Judging by both series, I’d bet that he’s what I’ll call a “heartland liberal”. His heroes are socially progressive multiculturalists, without much tolerance for faiths or creeds that require uncritical obedience. Religions are frequently portrayed benevolently, but religious leaders seem to be corrupt even more often than other powerful characters. Butcher portrays political and military institutions in a somewhat more favorable light. While both have plenty of power-hungry and venal characters, he depicts kings and generals as responsible people struggling to do the right thing.
Where the nuance is missing is in a genuinely sympathetic portrayal of those that don’t fit his morality. For example, late in the series there is a conflict between the secular leaders of a military group and its religious leadership. The flaws of the latter group are quite plausible, but make things morally simplistic. Instead of having two groups both of which are honestly striving to do the right thing, one of the two has already made choices that signify their corruption. Even though Butcher doesn’t fall into the common trap of casting the whole story into a good-versus-evil conflict (a la Sauron of Mordor, or the Dark Side of the Force, or the Death Eaters, et cetera ad nauseum), he still relies on evil at the individual level. The good might be complex, but his villains really aren’t.
Granted, that’s asking a lot. The much more experienced George R. R. Martin has humanized a few of his villains in his Song of Ice and Fire series, but he generally still makes it hard to like them. Martin’s real strength is that he makes it harder to actually decide who is a villain. Butcher’s stories are still morally unambiguous, even with his gradually growing skill at giving us characters that struggle with their choices in increasingly realistic ways.
Oh, by the way: this might help. There was, frustratingly, no map in the editions I read until the final volume. But Butcher’s website provides this one (click through to a larger version):
First and foremost, this is a well-crafted and engrossing tale — definitely worth reading.
The tale follows the life of young Tavi of the backwater province of Calderon over the course of several years, as his world is riven by existential threats and as he grows up and plays a larger and larger role. There really isn’t anything fundamentally innovative here — most of the elements of the plot are echoed in other epic fantasies. The system of magic plays a large role and is well thought-out, but while it is fresh, it isn’t radical. What makes Codex Alera an excellent addition to the fantasy shelf is in the story and its telling. The characters are engaging and adequately complex, the plot starts well and grows satisfyingly convoluted, and there is plenty of action to drive things forward.
Because the story begins when Tavi is still only fifteen, the first volume is weaker than the sequels. His relationships and option for acting aren’t as complex as they soon become, and his circle of acquaintances is also more limited. Starting with the second book, the scope of story broadens dramatically, with a wider range of characters getting in-depth treatment. Eventually, Butcher brings a small measure of romance into the mix, with even a little non-puritanical treatment of sex. Considering how poorly these last topics are dealt with in the Dresden Files, that’s a nice change.
Fans of the Dresden Files will still find some aspects of the tone and style very familiar. Since the new series is set in a completely fictional world (as opposed to contemporary Chicago), the ironic sarcasm is toned down dramatically, but there is still plenty around. All the clever characters still banter and tease, especially in times of mortal peril. This isn’t exactly a rare device in genre fiction (and probably anachronistic here, given the period is a rough approximation of feudalism, to the extent that can apply to fantasy), but Butcher does it pretty well.
Codex Alera is a more mature effort, though. The earlier series is locked into a first-person narrative, for example, which means the voice of a single character is loud, flaws and all. Here, instead, there are several point-of-view characters, although unfortunately Butcher only lets us hear the thoughts of his protagonists. As limiting as that still is, there is more psychological depth. A major theme that grows more pressing through the series is the inevitable compromises a leader must make between opposing values, and how horrifying it is to be required to make decisions whose outcomes are all nauseating. Because the various viewpoint characters are at differing points in their understanding of this “dirty hands” dynamic, Butcher can simultaneously illuminate a ruler’s imperative for pragmatism as well as the revulsion towards apparent amorality felt by those not confronted with the need for decisive action.
Unfortunately, there is also still a bit too much untimely introspection and moralising. The multiple viewpoints ameliorate this a bit, but we’re still treated to characters pausing in the middle of a tense situation (a battle scene, for example, or a political debate) and expounding on their personal convictions — which aren’t particularly interesting, since they are fairly predictable. This is another aspect that makes the first book weaker — because Tavi is still growing emotionally, there are too many opportunities for the author to indulge himself with the self-righteous attitudes of adolescence.
Butcher has a long way to go before he can honestly portray real nuance in personality types. Judging by both series, I’d bet that he’s what I’ll call a “heartland liberal”. His heroes are socially progressive multiculturalists, without much tolerance for faiths or creeds that require uncritical obedience. Religions are frequently portrayed benevolently, but religious leaders seem to be corrupt even more often than other powerful characters. Butcher portrays political and military institutions in a somewhat more favorable light. While both have plenty of power-hungry and venal characters, he depicts kings and generals as responsible people struggling to do the right thing.
Where the nuance is missing is in a genuinely sympathetic portrayal of those that don’t fit his morality. For example, late in the series there is a conflict between the secular leaders of a military group and its religious leadership. The flaws of the latter group are quite plausible, but make things morally simplistic. Instead of having two groups both of which are honestly striving to do the right thing, one of the two has already made choices that signify their corruption. Even though Butcher doesn’t fall into the common trap of casting the whole story into a good-versus-evil conflict (a la Sauron of Mordor, or the Dark Side of the Force, or the Death Eaters, et cetera ad nauseum), he still relies on evil at the individual level. The good might be complex, but his villains really aren’t.
Granted, that’s asking a lot. The much more experienced George R. R. Martin has humanized a few of his villains in his Song of Ice and Fire series, but he generally still makes it hard to like them. Martin’s real strength is that he makes it harder to actually decide who is a villain. Butcher’s stories are still morally unambiguous, even with his gradually growing skill at giving us characters that struggle with their choices in increasingly realistic ways.
Oh, by the way: this might help. There was, frustratingly, no map in the editions I read until the final volume. But Butcher’s website provides this one (click through to a larger version):
The first book in the series was the fantasy selection for the Goodreads SciFi and Fantasy Book Club for the month of July 2010. Visit this link to see all of the discussions, group member reviews, etc.
January 4, 2018
The series is building toward a final awesome final book. Fantastic read with excellent characters and plot. The storyline moves the characters along perfectly and grows with them. If you have enjoyed a Jim Butcher book then you have been missing out of some fantastic writing. My Highest recommendation
December 24, 2023
Tavi of Calderon, now recognized as Princeps Gaius Octavian and heir to the crown, has achieved a fragile alliance with Alera’s oldest foes, the savage Canim. But things are not easy either at home or abroad. Is Tavi up to the challenge? Will his grandfather live long enough for him to grow into his new responsibilities?
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