Captain's Fury (Codex Alera, Book 4) by Jim Butcher Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Captain's Fury (Codex Alera, Book 4)
Book Review: Lots of enjoyable action, but some of it in slow motion
Summary: 4 Stars
(No spoilers.)
I've really enjoyed Butcher's series in this world. He tantalizes us with the intimation that this is somehow an alternate history which took a side trip from Roman history... with alien (to us) races, plus "furies" that offer magical abilities using air, water, earth and fire.
Captain's Fury is well into the story, and if you're reading this you undoubtedly have read the earlier novels. I can assure you: this one is better than the last one, and it makes me feel as though the next will exceed what we see here. Things do actively _happen_; people take risks, go into danger, make choices, fall in love.
Somehow, though, the pace isn't very fast. There are a lot of characters to keep track of, the story is told from multiple viewpoints, and (sometimes I liked this, sometimes I didn't) Butcher invests a lot of time (and pages) in giving blow-by-blow descriptions of battle scenes.
And I do love the guy's writing. It isn't as wonderfully sardonic as some of his other work, but hey, that's okay. It's still a fun read.
Book Review: The Saga Continues
Summary: 5 Stars
Captain's Fury earns its place among Butcher's books with violence, beautifully written background characters and humor. When Butcher describes his fight scenes you can imagine every crash of swords on shields and every arrow fired. I have never read a book that contains more wonderfully written background characters. When a author writes a background character he/she tends to make them hard to imagine while Butcher spends almost as much time describing the side characters as his main characters. Butcher's sense of humor never seems to run out. In every book I've read by him, he gets increasingly funnier. All in all, Captain's Fury is a masterpiece.
Book Review: Codex Alera is still going strong
Summary: 5 Stars
The Codex Alera is fast becoming one of my favorite series and one I have wait impatiently for the next book to come out. I have even been drawn into buying a hardcover! The characters are really well writing and distinct from each other, they are not acting in character sets. And while the action is fantastic and the magic great to imagine this book and series also has a lot to say on the nature of humanity and doing the right thing even if it is the more difficult thing. This is just a really good book.Book Review: a commanding fantasy [no spoilers]
Summary: 4 Stars
"Captain's Fury" continues Tavi's military career two years following the Vord threat in "The Codex Alera" novels. The author improved the saga by cleaning up minor annoyances, such as toning down the romantic interludes and sullen feelings of characters, but keeps the purely positive cliffhanging conclusion. Since the story around Tavi focuses more on a local disturbance compared to the earlier realm threatening plots, the political intrigue shifts towards a military aspect where opponents to Captain Tavi of the First Aleran Legion seek to reduce his growing influence.
Some series notables are worth mentioning; the fury crafting by Gaius Sextus, the absence of Aldrick ex Gladius and Odiana, and Tavi's history, one that has been manipulated and protected, is entirely revealed. The storyline continues to illustrate cause and affect from decisions based on previous events. The battles and individual fighting are well explained. Yet while there are clever uses of furies, some ideas like the coldstone become debatable. A coldstone by releasing a contained fire fury can quickly draw enough heat to make water freeze, in theory it would cause a great problem by drawing heat from a nearby person's body that is about 60% water.
After three books of adventures between various characters and cultures, a detailed map of the significant terrains and comprehensive appendix would be useful.
I recommend this series to any fan of the fantasy genre.
Thank you.
Book Review: The Codex Alera just gets better and better!
Summary: 5 Stars
I was desperate to get my hands on this book after reading the tantalizing appetizers that were made available prior to release on the author's web site. I, however, deliberately kept my hopes down while the book was on its way to me, telling myself: "It would be too much to expect another great sequel like Cursor's Fury!. After all, the fourth installment of a fantasy series by a fantasy writer is when the story usually begins to falter and wander.."
I was glad to be proved totally wrong! I loved Captain's Fury just as much as I loved its predecessor. Butcher looks to be one of those remarkable writers who actually grow better and better over time ... just like vintage wine. :).
Its been two hard years and the First Aleran Legion with their captain have kept the Canim at bay since the Battle of Elinarch, despite being heavily outnumbered. Though Nasaug no longer actively presses war, he has grown his forces by freeing Aleran slaves in occupied territory - many of whom have chosen to join his army. Now, the senate has appointed Senator Arnos, a pawn of the Aquitanes, as the primary military commander. He arrives at Elinarch with two full legions under his command (and a bigger ego) with the aim of exterminating all Canim and executing all Aleran families who voluntarily or involutarily supported the Canim. Tavi is dismayed by such ruthlessness and also believes that the cost of such a push would be very high, especially when it appears that the Canim are now open to negotiations. However, his plans for peace come to moot when Arnos removes him from command, declares him traitor and incarcerates him.
Tavi uses all of his poise, courage and cunning to determine a way to peace, escape from incarceration, fashion an alliance between Aleran and Cane *and* turn the tables on Arnos - and he does so with the help of his family, friends and Kitai through many adventures. :)
*Small Spoiler*: This is also the book in which Tavi gets to know who he really is. :)