All Things Jim Butcher discussion
Codex Alera
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Kendall
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Mar 04, 2010 11:27AM
I just finished the first Codex book. I have them in hardcover. Why are they out of print so soon? Why is the first book selling for $400 when it came out in 2004? I love this series and cannot wait to get to the Dresden Files, but I didn't understand why someone offered me so much money for my hardback. Let me know is you understand this. Thanks!
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First, this is Jim Butcher's first ever hardcover book. The Dresden Files were originally published in paperback, and it wasn't until he signed the deal with Ace for the Codex Alera series that he earned the hardcover book status.
Secondly, the Furies of Calderon had a very limited printing. Butcher had been turned down numerous times before in the traditional fantasy realm, and I am thinking that Ace supplied low printing numbers for the first hardcover as they were not sure if the series would appeal.
Bottom line, if you have a hardcover edition of either the Furies of Calderon or Academ's Fury, then you are sitting on some valuable books my friend.
thats awesome, I actually have both. Thanks
I loved this series. It got me into the military fantasy genres. It had great characters, a great plot and even a little love.
I have read each of these books, and a few of the dresden files, but compared to Codex Alera, they suck.My friends think this is a boy girl thing, boys tend to like Dresden better, and Girls Alera.
Any thoughts?
I LOVE Dresden and couldn't slog through the boredom that was codex. My husband felt the same. So no it is not a gender thing. It blows my mind that the same man wrote both series.
I disagree completely, Dresden is far superior, Ive only managed to read the first of the codex series although I do own the rest.
I struggled with the Alera books at first, but I think the disconnect is that Butcher is using a completely different authorial voice in the two series...Dresden is funny, sassy, soap operary and written totally from Harry's point of view. We have got so used to hearing his voice, that the disconnect in the Alera series can be jarring.
The Alera series is more of a fantasy military epic (and it really does get epic), and is written as such. It is not as funny,sarcastic, and obviously doesn't have all the pop culture references of Dresden. It is also a much tighter stories that is over and done with in "just" six books long.
It is exciting, action packed, interesting , has an intruiging magic systems, characters pro and antagonists that you swiftly become invested in, and a subversion of some of the fantasy tropes.
It is just written in a completely different way to Dresden, and that just speaks to Butcher's strengths as a writer
I am looking for a new series for my son. He is not a passionate reader, but he loved this series.
Try the Rangers Apprentice by John Flanagan series
The Ender's Game books are ones my son loved and he also loves Star Wars novels especially the ones about the bounty hunters by Karen travis
Ranger Apprentice books are awsome its good one for young and old .
I've read a number of Dresden books and they are great. I've never read any codex books. How do they compare to Dresden?
I love Codex books. But they are different. They are fantasy not urban fantasy. Instead of a witty wizard, the hero is a young boy who is a bit of a misfit in his world.
I love both Codex and Dresden almost equally. For me, I think it's the way Jim writes characters as I adore both Tavi and Harry. I'm waiting to be able to afford Furies in hardcover as well as books 2-5 of Dresden. I have Academ's in hardcover but it's not a good copy so I also want to replace it - oh how I wish I was rich! lol
In short, yes - there are a handful of deaths within the following 5 sequels to that first volume. But Jim Butcher is no George R R Martin - you need not fear for the main characters you've come to adhere to to be at risk of sudden, unjust ends to their storylines. And IMHO, the series gets better book by book - I enjoyed the first, but I loved the later books more.
