Furies of Calderon

Jim Butcher

Jun 2005 · Codex Alera Book 1 · Sold by Penguin

About this ebook

In this extraordinary fantasy epic, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Dresden Files leads readers into a world where the fate of the realm rests on the shoulders of a boy with no power to call his own...
 
For a thousand years, the people of Alera have united against the aggressive and threatening races that inhabit the world, using their unique bond with the furies—elementals of earth, air, fire, water, wood, and metal. But in the remote Calderon Valley, the boy Tavi struggles with his lack of furycrafting. At fifteen, he has no wind fury to help him fly, no fire fury to light his lamps. Yet as the Alerans’ most savage enemy—the Marat horde—return to the Valley, Tavi’s courage and resourcefulness will be a power greater than any fury, one that could turn the tides of war...

Ratings and reviews

The hero's journey is admittedly a difficult story to breathe new life into, but under the uncertain pen of Jim Butcher, it has somehow putrefied further. The characters are uninspired, the world grows dull on account of - or despite - the ubiquitous use of magic, and the tone flies recklessly between mature and childlike. The author can't decide whether battle scenes are horrifyingly stomach turning, or the perfect time for tired jokes and cliche. Modern fantasy can tell old stories. In fact, it has to. But it needs to be written well, or it isn't worth the paper on which it's printed. No new ground broken, nor even a seed taking root in last year's furrows.

Book one of the best Pokémon story ever written. Seriously though, this is a fantastic series. Also, it is a series that has been completed. By the end of it all, youbare left simultaneously satisfied and wishing to know more. The characters are three dimensional, and some of the side characters are even more memorable than main characters of other bestsellers. If you enjoy fantasy, wit, adventure, cleverness, and bravery, you will find this the start of a very satisfying read. Be warned, though, it is very likely you will, by the end of this novel, have your next five reads queued up and committed. Set aside the funds now.

At first I didn't think I would like this book, I thought to myself, this can't possibly be as good as Jim Butcher's "the Dresden Files." But the more I read, the more this book grew on me. By the end of the book I was thinking, "Jim Butcher has once again made a great book with a fascinating plot and excellent character development!" Cant wait to read the next book in this series!

About the author

A martial arts enthusiast whose résumé includes a long list of skills rendered obsolete at least two hundred years ago, #1 New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher turned to writing as a career because anything else probably would have driven him insane. He lives mostly inside his own head so that he can write down the conversation of his imaginary friends, but his head can generally be found in Independence, Missouri. Jim is the author of the Dresden Files, the Codex Alera novels, and the Cinder Spires series, which began with The Aeronaut’s Windlass.