Cursor's Fury (Codex Alera, Book 3) by Jim Butcher
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Book Reviews of Cursor's Fury (Codex Alera, Book 3)
Book Review: I loved this book - a fan of the series
Summary: 5 Stars
I love Jim Butcher's books. This one was great. I can't wait to read the next one.Book Review: Great Read!!
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is a great read in an exciting and hard to put down series.Book Review: The Codex Alera grows and develops, as does Tavi
Summary: 4 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 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.
Book Review: Another piece of the Codex Alera series
Summary: 4 Stars
Overall: 4 stars -- good action, some character development, advancement of the plot and the introduction of another enemy race (aka be ready for book 4).
I enjoyed the book quite a bit. It was a fairly quick read but it also was involving enough that I did not want to put it down. I am curious to see how much Tavi becomes powered up in the next book.
Detailed review:
Characters: The story line has advanced 2 or so years. Tavi develops his own voice and a style; you might say he is comfortable in his own skin and starts taking responsibility for others not just himself. Amara and Bernard get a fair bit of development in the book. It makes you want to read more of their interactions. Gaius seems to have recorvered a fair amount which seems a bit odd given the prior book. You find out a fair bit more about Maximum and Isala.
Action: The action sequences are consistent with the other books in the sequence. It does have some new tricks that the characters employ which is good to see development in tactics. The pacing is really quite good.
Plot: The plot lines were mostly setup in the prior book, but executed fairly well in this plot. The Canim seem to have joined forces with Kaladarus (sp?) in trying to take over Alera. It should be obvious to anyone that the Canim are really working their own large scale game of Ludus (chess) here. There is an interesting twist on Fidelius which has some intriguing implications.
Writing: It is very similiar in style and tone as Jim Butcher's other books. Nothing new here, nothing outstanding either.
Summary:
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Characters: 4 stars
Action: 4 stars
Plot: 3.5 stars
Writing: 3 stars
Book Review: Fun fantasy that could use a dose of tragedy
Summary: 4 Stars
The third volume of Jim Butcher's Codex Alera series, Cursor's Fury is a dependably thrilling, action-oriented fantasy adventure following the formula of the previous novels. Once again, Alera's only citizen unable to furycraft, Tavi, has to use all of his resourcefulness to save the empire against monstrous opponents--this time, the lupine Canim. In parallel storylines, Amara and Bernard, with some dubious assistance, embark on a rescue mission, and Isana must withstand a siege while healing a friend and confronting her past. Overall, there's plenty of combat, romance, and intrigue, and even a few revelations.
I liken the novel (and the series) to a solid blockbuster film such as Lethal Weapon 2. It is well-made, with likable characters and more than enough violence to satisfy. It doesn't aspire to be epic or award-winning. While many fantasies eclipse the 700-page mark, Cursor's Fury and its predecessors come under 500 pages, providing a brisk, straightforward read without much filler. The novel seeks to entertain, not revolutionize the genre. It's fun, and there's nothing wrong with that.
However, I think that the series is missing one crucial element: tragedy. While Butcher endangers his characters, the jeopardy never seems insurmountable. Considering the novels' events--civil war, invasion, assassination attempts--someone has to suffer. I believe that George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire remains popular primarily because the main characters suffer. Few people are unscathed by events, and the various tragedies forge them into more complete, complex characters. In my opinion, the Codex Alera series has the potential to have the long-lasting appeal of A Song of Ice and Fire if Butcher injects some tragedy into the novels.