Cursor's Fury (Codex Alera, Book 3) | Jim Butcher

Cursor's Fury (Codex Alera, Book 3) | Jim Butcher | Fantasy at War

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Cursor's Fury (Cod...

	Cursor's Fury (Codex Alera, Book 3) Jim Butcher Ace, 2007 - 544 pages average customer review:based on 57 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

In his acclaimed Codex Alera novels, 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.

Sent To the Legion

Cursor's Fury (2006) is the third fantasy novel in the Codex Alera series, following Academ's Fury. In the previous volume, Doroga and his horde destroyed one vord nest at great cost. Then Doroga and Walker assisted Bernard, Amara and the Calderon garrison attack another vord nest in the valley.

A third vord queen had started a nest in the Deeps under Alera Imperia. Then she led the Taken Canim and her spiders in an attack on the First Lord in his meditation chamber far underground. Tavi learned of the attack and warned the Royal Guards barely in time. All the attackers except the queen were killed, but she escaped and couldn't be found anywhere within the capital. The Canim Ambassador was imprisoned despite his innocence.

In this novel, two years have passed and Ambassador Varg is still locked up in the Grey Tower. Tavi often visits the Ambassador and plays ludus with him. Since Varg has been playing the game for six hundred years, Tavi doesn't win any games, but the ambassador is impressed by his progress.

Gaius Sextus -- the First Lord -- decides to incite High Lord Kalare into starting the civil war prematurely. He has Tavi ask Gaele to deliver some letters, including one to High Lord Aquitaine stating that he will be declared as the First Lord's heir. Since Gaele is really Rook, the message will surely reach High Lord Kalare quickly.

Tavi rushes off to pack, for he is being sent to the ruins of Appia to study with Maestro Magnus. The Maestro needs a research assistant and Gaius needs a spy in the south. Unfortunately, Tavi will be going alone to Appia, since the First Lord won't let Fade or Kitai go with him.

Magnus is a reconstructionist. Since the legends tell of mechanical means of throwing stones, he tries to build a trebucket. The models break every time, but the fifth attempt is successful. Magnus yells and dances with glee and Tavi lets out an excited laugh. Then the same stone comes back toward them and smashes the device.

The stone had nearly knocked off the head of Antillar Maximus, so he had thrown it back. Tavi yells when Max comes in sight at full charge and the other cursor recognizes him. Still, Max is astounded at the power of the trebucket.

Max has come to give Tavi new orders. He will be joining the First Aleran Legion as the third subtribune to the Tribune Logistica. This legion is the first one with volunteers from every city. Max is going along as a centurion to teach Tavi the ways and skills of the legions. Magnus is also going as senior valet for much the same reason.

In this story, Rook takes a Kaleran air coach back home to deliver her information. The most significant is the letter to Lord Aquitaine. As Gaius guessed, Lord Kalare quickly starts mustering his troops for the war.

Lord Kalare lets Rook visit her daughter Masha for a short while after the information is delivered. Masha wants to know when they can move to the country so she can have a pony. Then Masha wants her to stay even longer, but Lord Kalare has other tasks for Rook.

Ehren is working to untangle the books of Master Ullus -- a fence at Westmission in the Sunset Islands -- and gathering information for the First Lord. One day, Captain Demos drops by to sell some goods that he doesn't yet have, but he does have a detailed list of the items. While he is dressed like pirate, Ehren assumes he is a cutter from his roving eyes and graceful movements. Ehren reckons that Demos is headed west to the Canim.

When Demos comes back to Westmission, the Canim ships are close behind. Ehren bargains for a ride to the mainland. He has to tell someone that the Canim are invading.

This tale leaves the First Lord with two problems (not counting Lord Aquitaine's future ambitions). The first is the revolt by Lord Kalare. The second is the Canim invasion. Of course, Gaius doesn't know about the invasion quite yet, since messages from the First Aleran are still in transit.

Tavi is up to his ears in problems. At least he has friends with him, including Kitai. He is learning much about being a legion commander.

Knowledge of the truth about Tavi's parents is spreading. So far, only his friends know, but they are not telling him for various reasons. Even the First Lords knows, but keeps it quiet to protect him. Enjoy!

Highly recommended for Butcher fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of sword and lance, exotic magic and passionate romance.

-Arthur W. Jordin

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Fantasy at War

Magic takes a decided step away from center-stage in this 3rd entry in the Codex Alera series as the focus is on Tavi assuming the role of a legionairre. The action, strategy, and interactions between characters are very strong in this book. Even better, past history is finally addressed, and the truth of Tavi's origin and lack of furies is revealed.

A taut, engaging book that will have you turning pages quickly.

Went from Dresden to Codex and love them both.

I've read the negative reviews here on Amazon for this book and I have to disagree. The one person who wrote a review and gave it two stars sounds as though he is much more well read than I, so I'll give it to him. He sounds like a very dedicated and educated sci-fi reader and I would imagine him to be very particular, somewhat like a sommelier is with wine.

When it comes to wine, I know what I like and I know what I don't. That's about as much as I can tell you outside of the basics. The same can be said about my reading. Don't get me wrong, I've read and enjoy the classics, but they are just not as much fun for me as other things.

I very much enjoy Jim Butcher as an author. I was put on to his Dresden series by a friend and ate them up. All of them. Can't wait for the next one. Then he also put me onto the Codex Alera series. LOVE them, too. Read the first three in about as many days and actually ponied up the dough for 2 day shipping from Amazon for the 4th, Captain's Fury.

I'm a huge, huge fan of George R.R. Martin's series, A Song of Ice and Fire. The Codex Alera is not as intricate or complex as Martin's series, but it doesn't make it any less enjoyable.

I enjoy a series with a character that has something special about him/her that developes over the storyline. I enjoyed that with Orson Scott Card's Alvin Maker series, Neo in the Matrix, Gambit and Wolverine in X-Men, so on and so forth. I enjoy that with Tavi in the Codex Alera. I have hope that he eventually finds his Furies and becomes an absolute monster of a powerhouse with them and reading about his journey on how to use them. I find that I'm also hoping the same thing happens to Dresden.

Anyway, I enjoy the series and can't wait to read the next one.

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one of the better series of books i've read in a long time

I'll make this short, if you like epic fantasy this series is for you !!

Complex worldbuilding and a wonderful character in Tavi

Civil war is far from unknown in the post-Roman magical land of Alera, but with an aging First Lord and no heir in the picture, the high nobles are even more restive than usual. Even more unusual, though would be an alliance with the Varg. These non-human aliens have engaged in low-level warfare with the Alerans for centuries. When fhe First Lord tricks the High Lord of Kalare into launching his attack prematurely, Kalare's combination of hostages and an alliance with the Varg, threatens just might destroy the empire.

Still incapable of magic, Tavi has been sent to a new legion for training. But when Varg ritualists call down magics to destroy the legion's entire officer corps, Tavi must find a way to stem an invasion beyond anything Alera has known--with only the inexperienced troops on hand.

Author Jim Butcher continues his CODEX ALERA with a compelling story that follows two major plot lines. In one, Tavi continues to grow, learning to lead men, develop strategies, and develop an understanding of the powerful nobles who threaten the empire's stability, of Alera's enemies, and of the ordinary legionaires who form the basis of the empire's power. In the second, Tavi's "aunt" Amara, united with Lady Aquitaine only through their shared need to prevent Kalare from gaining the First Lordship, attempts to rescue Kalare's hostages--doing so would allow the First Lord to free up additional legions to confront Kalare, but Kalare guards these hostages with some of his most deadly troops.

Although Butcher is best known for his excellent DRESDEN FILES series, the CODEX ALERA series is a wonderful extension of his talent, with an intriguing alternate world diverging from our own when ancient Romans learned to control and personify the elements of air/earth/fire/water into elemental furies. Tavi, with his unique lack of any magical ability, makes a sympathetic character--as he grows to the point where he might make a claim to be First Lord himself.

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