In his acclaimed Codex Alera novels, #1 New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher has created a fascinating world in which the powerful forces of nature take physical form. But even magic cannot sway the corruption that threatens to destroy the realm of Alera once and for all… When the power-hungry High Lord of Kalare launches a merciless rebellion against the First Lord, young Tavi of … First Lord, young Tavi of Calderon joins a newly formed legion under an assumed name. And when the ruthless Kalare allies himself with a savage enemy of the realm, Tavi finds himself leading an inexperienced, poorly equipped legion—the only force standing between Alera and certain doom…
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One of my favorite author’s.
Big fan of the Dresden story’s. Great books.
I was never a fan of Fantasy, but this series changed my mind. I have read it through three times over the past 10 years and have enjoyed every reading just as much as the first. Though there are spirit-like creatures and magic-like control of them, Butcher presents it as if it is normal without the all-too-common over-the-top flair and gusto of many fantasy authors. The character development is very strong, even in the secondary characters. The setting is interesting and well described, but just close enough to reality to allow you to enjoy the story rather than spend so much energy trying to visualize and make sense of the fantasy world. The characters have depth – Tavi (the main character) is not a perfect hero who rushes in to save the day. He is saved more often than he helps other people. The female characters are as powerful as the males and play as strong a role in the story line. Relationships between the characters evolve through time and not in the “I hate you, now you’re my soulmate” way – their relationships change as they share experiences, grow, and mature. The plot is well developed and complex. Though there are some predictable plot arcs, even those are made interesting by the complexities of the subplots and the twists in the stories. The books need to be read in order, but at the end of each book, you feel a sense of closure (though still excited to read the next). I highly recommend this whole series!
If you have read the Dresden Files, you know Jim Butcher has a witty, humorous side. I mean, Harry Dresden is a goldmine of one liners and funny mistakes. This is a completely different side of Jim Butcher. I don’t know how he did it, but he captured my imagination with this fantast series. I voraciously read every book. Jim is a favorite and an inspiration to my writing.
Jim Butcher hinted at this in the first two books in this series, but it is not until this book that it becomes clear that the Aleran people are descended from misplaced Romans, specifically a lost Roman legion. He may have started from the same point as Drake in ‘Ranks of Bronze’ or Pournelle’s Jannissaries series, but he has molded that history into a society and a new original mythos which still preserves the typical characteristics of Roman society as recorded by our history. Because of that, this particular novel has the feel of historical military fantasy in an alternate history setting, which is not usual for an epic fantasy novel.
Yet another example of Butcher’s genius. The entire Codex Alera series is captivating. Get it. Read it. Devour it. And then do it again.
Read the entire Codex Alera series.
Not near as good as Dresden, okay. Lacks the charm of Dresden Files
i love this whole series….they are my go to stories to re-read
This book is awesome, just awesome.
Enjoyable series. Could have used another book
The entire “Codex Alera” series is fantastic. A must-read for anyone who likes a good, gripping fantasy. Rumor has it that it was written on a bet, to combine the ideas of a lost Roman legion with, of all things, Pokemon. As far as I’m concerned, it wins that bet hands down.
Not impressed with this series.