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The aging First Lord of Alera has fallen in battle. Yet his people must continue to resist an invading inhuman army. Desperate Alerans even pledge fealty to the Vord Queen to survive, turning the incredible power of Aleran furies back on their own people. And despite all efforts, the Alerans are being ground into dust and pushed to the farthest reaches of their own realm. However, Tavi has returned with vital insights from the Canim Blood Lands. He knows how to counter the Vord and, more importantly, believes human ingenuity can equal fury-born powers. Now events are rushing towards a last stand, where Tavi and the last Aleran legions must formulate a dangerous new strategy, together. For a civilisation is on the brink of extinction.
REVIEW:
Whilst I’m a huge fan of Jim’s Dresden series, I’ve only really become a convert to his fantasy offering over the last few. I still feel it’s a tad clunky but the world building is of a level that few others delve into. The magic’s interesting, the characters well rounded. Add to the mix a solid writing style with a solid narrative and you’ve got an offering that will hit the right spots for a number of readers. One word of caution is that this tale is part of a series and as such will make it a difficult if nigh impossible place to begin. If you do fancy this offering please start with book one and enjoy the journey.
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After bitter fighting, Tavi of Calderon has eventually forged an alliance with Alera's oldest foes, the savage Canim, and he must escort them on their long sea-voyage home. This will strain their fragile accord - but the worst is yet to come. The inhuman Vord have spent the last three years laying waste to the Canim homeland, making it a desolate place indeed. Then the Alerans become stranded there, cut off from their ships. The Canim alliance will be tested as they enter the killing fields together, depending on each other's strengths if they both are to survive. For a thousand years, Alera and her furies have withstood every enemy, and survived every foe. The thousand years are over.
REVIEW:
Whilst its not a secret that I love Butcher’s Dresden files I am starting to get a bit more into his Codex Alera as the characters have grown from what felt like 2d parodies to a more rounded and established set that we come to know in this the fifth offering in the series.
It’s well written, its pretty light on its feet and he brings the sort of stuff that fantasy fans dream of to the pages. Add to the mix some sweet twists and turns and it ticks all the boxes. Great fun for all.
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Power-hungry Kalare has rebelled against Alera's aging First Lord, Gaius Sextus. Ill-equipped to face this attack, Gaius must seek support - even from the combative High Lord of Aquitaine. Kalare has also seized valuable hostages that could mean the difference between victory and failure. And Amara, the First Lord's Cursor, has been tasked with their rescue. She has earned this trust but are her allies as worthy - or does the Lady Aquitaine see the time as ripe for betrayal? Treachery is rife elsewhere, as young Tavi of Calderon will find. Posted away from the war, Tavi joins a legion anyway, under an assumed name. Then Kalare does the unthinkable - uniting with the brutish Canim. When treason wipes out the army's command structure, Tavi finds himself leading an inexperienced legion against the might of the Canim horde - the very last resort of a war-torn realm.
REVIEW:
After the difficulty I had getting behind the original novel, I decided to persevere with the series at least for another couple of books. What unfurled has done a lot to restore my faith with Jims writing although it’s still not on par with Harry from my own POV.
Many will just wax lyrical about whatever Jim writes but I have to be impressed heavily by an author with an established reputation as I won’t forgive what I perceive as newbie errors. He has learned as the series has gone on and added to the mythos with accrued world-building. It’s interesting and it’s a series that has numerous twists to keep the readers glued but for me its still standard fantasy fare that’s a tad too predictable although that said his character building is working better and with each successive tale increasing the readers pleasure at the result. With a few more books I think its going to be something special but for me, its been a very slow fuse of a start.
BOOK BLURB:
Tavi of Calderon, now captain of his own Legion, has been fighting a bitter war for two years. Then he discovers the invading Canim warriors are harbingers of a far greater threat. The Canim are being hunted in their turn by a savage race that forced them from their homeland - and which has pursued them to the Aleran borders. With options fast running out, Tavi proposes an alliance with the Canim. But the Senate's new military commander wishes only to wipe out the Canim 'scourge', and would also kill Aleran slaves that have sought freedom with these aggressors. Tavi must reconcile Aleran and Canim, slavemaster and slave, Citizen and Proletarian, if an alliance is to be forced. And he must lead his Legion in defiance of the law, against both friend and enemy - before the greatest army of all launches its assault.
REVIEW:
In this latest release of Jim’s Codex series that some are comparing to a modern Tolkien interpretation. Personally I prefer his Dresden Files over this one, however that said since I treated these as something completely different and started to get behind it on its own merits. Its acceptable but nothing new and definitely owes more than a tip of the hat to Tolkiens world, however, it also goes on to expand into its own through the use of a mythical battle where the forces of good and evil are struggling for the upper hand.
It is well written and with the sheer scope available for Jim to explore it’s a series that should have legs for a good number more tales. It will be interesting to see what Jim does next and with the growth available between each book it’s a series that might yet win me round.
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