Customer Reviews

Princeps' Fury (Codex Alera)

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The latest Codex Alera book is arguably the best in this excellent series. I am a big Jim Butcher fan and have been going back and forth as to what his better series is, Dresden or Alera. This most recent Alera book definitely has improved Alera's standing in the race.

I admit I was slightly disappointed in Captain's Fury (still a 4 star book) due to the fact that I felt it was the most "cliched" book in the series. One of the reasons I like Jim Butcher so much is after years of reading Fantasy, he has been able to show me something new and exciting in the genre.

In Dresden it is the Urban Fantasy and Alera utilizes the Roman Empire as a setting. However, Captains Fury felt too much like a synthesis of other great fantasy stories (like LotR). I just felt that I knew what was coming in Captain's Fury and was never surprised when things turned out as they did.

Not so with Princep's Fury. This book really takes the series to a new height and sets up what promises to be an amazing final chapter.

I must say, again, that I am a bit tired of Amazon listing its books with inflated page numbers. PR is only 386 pages instead of 400 ( a minor quibble, but I dont understand why they always seem to list books as being larger than they are?), but there is barely any downtime in the entire novel, almost entirely action-packed with little exposition or monologuing.

What I was very impressed with was Butcher's ability to provide more background and surprises on Septimus and his death, while simultaneously advancing the story in the present. The ability to weave in dangling plot elements while advancing the current plot is tricky, but Butcher pulls it off with his usual deft skill.

I do not like to give book reports in reviews, so I do not wish to explicate the plot and give a rundown. Suffice to say that Princep's Fury advances the plot on all fronts: Tavi and the Canim, Amara and the First Lord, The Vord, Isana and Septimus, as well as providing a nice look into the War at the Shieldwall with the Icemen and Antillar Raucus (an excellent character addition to the series).

Tavi is at his usual cunning best. The cleverest Aleran in centuries once again proves why he is so compelling and why Men are willing to follow him into one perilous situation after another.

The Canim and Icemen are both explored in depth in this one, and they are every bit as interesting and cool as you expected (or knew) them to be. Even the Vord are evolved to a point where they are still the enemy you know, without being rote or boring, but significantly different enough to make the reader feel as if he/she never really "knew" them as well as he/she thought they did.

What is also impressive is that every character is where they SHOULD be, no one seems at any point to be out of place or stick out. All the main characters are given roles that meet their potential and do not diminish their potency. It takes true literary skill to make the reader feel as if every character is in their proper role and acting according to their established character. Butcher never "reaches", never tries to fit an extra chapter in here or there just to have more about one character or another.

While it is the shortest book in the series, it is in many ways the best. I do not think it would have worked as well had he not written the other four books so well to set this one up, but it still manages to deliver on all the potential the previous books promised. The brevity also makes this one a real page turner, as a previous reviewer has mentioned. I stayed up reading for 5 hours straight once I got to a certain point because I just could NOT wait til morning to see what transpired. How would Tavi or Isana or Gaius get out of this situation? What would they do next? I could not stop turning pages to answer these burning questions, and I was never disappointed when I finally did get there. By the end I was left so eager for the next installment I regretted reading it so fast with the prospect of another YEAR to wait to follow up on the final end note!!!!

Being a History major in college and having a particular affinity for Rome, this series is just sensational to me. It has become everything I would expect and hope for from a Fantasy series set in the Roman Empire. The parallels between Gaius Sextus and Caesar and Octavian and (duh Octavian/Augustus) are very striking, and I am impressed that Jim is able to incorporate these elements without making it seem like a History lesson. If you know Rome, it is an added bonus, if not it is still an excellent Fantasy series with fresh new ideas and take on the genre.

I have read hundreds of Fantasy books by now, but Codex Alera definitely holds its own against ANY non-Tolkien (the undisputed King of Fantasy for my money) Fantasy I have read, and while I am excited for the next installment, I am also a bit sad that it will likely be the last entry in this amazing world.

Well worth the price of admission at any cost, be sure you do not miss out on what is the BEST "Swords and Horses" (Butcher's description of the Genre) Fantasy going right now.

386 HC pages 4.5 out of 5 stars

I must admit that when I read the synopsis of this book, I was a little under-thrilled. I'm glad to say that what I thought was going to be a drawn out chapter before the ending turned out to be extremely riveting and fast paced. I wrongly surmised that the novel would be only about Tavi's development, but while yes, it's about that, it's also about developments in Alera leading up to Book 6. This book really sets us up for a good old fashioned spectacular ending. Previous Alera novels have seemed to me to lack character dimensions. While only Tavi had been in my opinion well explored, the characters of Isana and Amara were thoroughly put through the ringer in this installment and so many of their inner workings and mindsets seemed to come alive in this book. The plot surrounding the death of Septimus starts to make sense, as does the political wranglings and power struggles of the realm. Lords of whom we haven't seen much so far are brought into play. I feel that many of the previous books plots and devices are explained in this book. This book is a page turner, and is very hard to put down. Absolutely a great read.

Much like the predecessors of this novel, Jim Butcher continues to evolve his writing style, and we are all rewarded as he continues to deliver remarkable results. This book is undoubtedly the most entertaining and thrilling novel in the Codex Alera series thus far. I was quite literally on the edge of my seat for the vast majority of the book, and I can't even remember the last time that I found myself craving more of a novel before even finishing it. Not to give away any spoilers, but the ending of this novel most definitely leaves the reader eager for more from the world of Codex Alera.

If you're a fan of Jim Butcher, or even one of fantasy/fiction in general, I would highly recommend this book.

As I read the other reviews posted here, I can't help but wonder if we all read the same book. I agree that the character growth was good, and Jim's writing style is enjoyable to me in both his Codex Alera and Dresden files novels, but this book felt like filler to me.

Perhaps it is necessary at times in the world of serial novels to write an installment that doesn't accomplish too much. Although there was plenty of action, only one major plot point really helped advance the story for me.

Jim Butcher's fans tend to be rabidly supportive, so I expect to be panned for this viewpoint, but really - without including plot spoilers, I felt like much of the novel was just illustrating more of Tavi's cleverness, educating everyone on the racial peculiarities of the Canim and sending Amara and Bernard on another improbable mission.

Ah well, we all have opinions, and this was still enjoyable enough of a read - I'm not sure Jim Butcher CAN write a poor book at this point in his career. I eagerly (and impatiently) await the next installment. Thank goodness Turn Coat comes out in April.

This book is one combat situation to another, with the breaks being natural disasters, assigned missions, and build-up scenes. I found a couple of transitions extremely funny, and Butcher's sense of pacing never makes the book into a forced story. The characters are in-character, and the plot well-done.

Still, while I liked the novel, I wish it had been a little more drawn out. It felt like only the high-lights of combat were really shown/hit. The atrocity going on around the characters was not adequately described, and I had a hard time achieving immersion in half the battle scenes. I guess I found parts of the novel superficial, compared with what they could have been. (Actual battle maps would have added a lot.)

This is still a good novel, but the amount of combat is high for my taste. My favorite scene involved Tavi and Kitai inside a frozen mud puddle; I thought it was hilarious. I wish the novel had more scenes like that instead of yet another description of Vord limbs being chopped off.

If you like Butcher, this is a must read. The man knows how to write, and Book Five is a good addition to the Codex Alera.

For me, the biggest thing when grading how well a novel is written is determined by one thing. How much sleep do I lose because I can't put the book down. Although this book was shorter than the previous installments of Codex Alera, I still found myself satisfied at the ending and wanting more.
Now my only real issue with the book was the Bernard and Amara storylines. I guess I just want to read more about Tavi and what he will do next. Isana probably stood out as the stronger of the characters, and Doroga's wit once again made me laugh. I felt thoroughly satisfied with the money I spent on this novel and will try to get as many of my friends into the series as I can.
I am not a literary buff or anything like that. I just want to be entertained and if a writer can draw me into the world that they create hook line and sinker, I will rate them well everytime.

It was a great, fun read. The characters are well written and the story keeps your attention all the way through. Its very hard to put down.

Plain and simple, Butcher delivers. The Codex recently skyrocketed to one of my favorite series, and this latest installment is superb. I literally didnt put it down once i picked it up.

A significant improvement over the last book (which is in no way a bad addition), Pincepts Fury is quite literally on the cutting edge of fantasy. With a plot that keep you hooked, and a nonchalance in Butcher's talent, make for a read that will make you think to yourself "Where did the past 2 hours go?"

Easily one of my favorites so far.
5 out of 5

Princep's Fury (2008) is the fifth fantasy novel in the Codex Alera series, following Captain's Fury. In the previous volume, Tavi learned that he was the son of lady Isana and the heir of Gaius Sextus. Assuming the authority of his position, Tavi calls a truce with the Canim. He also has the First Aleran Legion assist the Canim in preparing ships to return to Canea, their homeland.

In this novel, Gaius Octavian is having trouble adjusting to his new role. As Princep and heir, he is due much respect and ceremony. Since he is seasick for most of the journey, Tavi just skips the rituals and concentrates on the essentials. Besides, he likes it that way.

Kitai is a Murat woman, the Murat ambassador to Alera, and Tavi's lover. However, she isn't very concerned with ceremonies. Kitai does respect practicality, with its resulting efficiency and effectiveness, but has more scorn that otherwise for Aleran rituals.

Varg is the Canim ambassador to Alera. After Tavi broke him out of the Grey Tower, Varg happily reverted to Tavi's gadara -- enemy -- with all the proper modes of respect. It so happens that Varg's son -- Nasaug -- is the commander of the Canim troops. Thus, Varg is Warmaster of the Canim returning to the homeland.

Valiar Marcus is the current identity of Fidelias, the former cursor and spy for Lady Aquitaine. He is First Spear -- equivalent to Command Sergeant Major -- of the First Aleran. He is also thoroughly dedicated to Gaius Octavian, despite his contempt for Gaius Sextus.

Gradash is the Canim equivalent of Valiar Marcus, the senior military adviser to his commander. Gradash is also one Canim giving, and receiving, language instruction with the Alerans. Of course, Tavi had a head start, but his usage of the Canim language is close to native fluency. Marcus also has studied with Gradash and has gained a high level of proficiency in Canim cursing.

In this story, the Canim return fleet and the Aleran ships have neared the Canim coastline when a storm strikes. During the next six days, the fleets are scattered and some ships are lost or damaged. They have been driven north away from their destination and now need to go to the nearest available port for refitting.

Although the Canim have kept knowledge of their home waters from the Alerans, they now suggest that the fleets sail toward the port of Molvar in the Shuar Range. The Shuar are another Canim realm and not necessarily friendly with Varg's realm of Narash. All this is new intelligence to the Alerans.

As they turn toward Molvar, Tavi notices that the sea is crowded with icebergs. Apparently these waters are far enough north for the bergs to be very common. Gradash warns Tavi to not take his ships too close to the bergs since they have underwater projections that can tear holes in the hulls.

At Molvar harbor, the Canim pack leader demands that they leave the port. Varg refuses. Then Tavi joins the conversation. The pack leader asks his identity and then orders his Canes to kill him.

Meanwhile, the Alerans at home have encountered the Vord. A queen has established her nest in the Waste beyond the destroyed city of Kalare. The Vord then destroy three legions, with only two survivors. They are following the causeway toward Alera Imperia. They are also using furies.

In the North, Isana is trying to negotiate a truce with the Icemen. The Antillans think that she is a fool and the Icemen are not much more convinced that a truce would work. Isana has to convince Lord Antillus to work with her and free his legions to go south. Alera needs them to fight the Vord.

This tale shows Tavi becoming more proficient in his control of furies. He is still not as accomplished as Maximus, but he has more subtlety. By the time Tavi returns to Alera, he will be much more practiced in his talents.

This is the penultimate volume in the series. All depends upon the Aleran citizens recognizing the right of Tavi to the position of First Lord. Of course, Tavi must survive to reach Alera.

These volumes have successively widened their political and military scope as Tavi advanced within Aleran society. Starting with the Calderon Valley, they now include the whole of Canea as well as Alera. The cast has also increased, but not as rapidly as the scope.

The High Lords and Ladies who oppose Tavi have suffered losses and his close friends have gained more power. His closest friends are mostly the same crew who have been with him since the third volume, but other supporters have been added during the series. He is also becoming well known to the people of Alera.

Note: Aleran are Romans. As mentioned in Cursor's Fury, the ruins at Appia were built by a colony of Romans. One suspects that a Roman group inadvertently slipped through an interdimensional crack into Alera and have slowly adapted to their new environment. Thus, this series is really alternate history.

This volume sets the stage for the final work. All the principals are on -- or cleared from -- the stage and the final battle is apparent. Almost all the secrets are disclosed. Enjoy!

Highly recommended for Butcher fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of personal magic, political intrigue, and a touch of romance.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Jim Butcher is among my favorite authors for a reason. I am a huge fan of the Codex Alera and the Harry Dresden series and I eagerly anticipated this new release, "Princeps' Fury". I was more than pleased. The book was compelling, exciting, even gripping. I judge a book on its ability to lose yourself in it, and this book suceeded very well. Jim Butcher does something unusual; he will develop a character in one book that seems evil, then alter our perception in a later book so that his or her actions become more understandable, sometimes attaching us to the character. I enjoyed the journey and anticipate the next release.