Fantasy Aficionados discussion

This thread is for the buddy read for the Codex Alera series by Jim Butcher.

This series includes:


Furies of Calderon
Academ's Fury
Cursor's Fury
Captain's Fury
Princeps' Fury
First Lord's Fury

Please try to mark all spoilers with spoiler tags:

< spoiler> spoilery stuff goes here< /spoiler>

Remove the spaces and you get:

(view spoiler)[You did it! Your spoilery stuff won't hurt anyone (hide spoiler)]


In order for the Mods to keep up with the book listed at the top of the group page, please mark which book you are discussing. Thanks!

Thanks for starting the thread Mrs J - don't think any of us knew what to do next lol.

So, Mark, Chelsea, anyone else joining - shall we read one book a month..? How should we play it?

I'd love to join in reading this series. One book a month sounds good to me - that is a pace I could do. But I'll go with whatever the group decides.

Thanks for starting the thread!

Yay!! I am enough of a saddo to re-read the series (for the eleventieth time) cos it'll be so much more fun reading it with the group!!

:-)

Welcome!

Hooray! I'll probably start Academ's Fury tomorrow, as I get to see Stevie nicks for free and also maybe meet her!

As I am leading this discussion (yikes!!) I thought I'd better outline a reading schedule. How about we start Academ's Furythen do one a month starting in the middle of the month ie

15th November - Cursor's Fury
15th December - Captain's Fury
15th January - Princeps' Fury
15th February - First Lord's Fury

That sound ok?

But if anyone wants to read ahead or gets behind, then as long as we are all very good with our spoiler tagging then there shouldn't be any probs.

That looks like a great schedule - thanks for setting it up. I am looking forward to reading these with all of you! I just got Academ's Fury, so I'm right on track =).

I just started Academ's Fury too. Is anyone else getting Harry Potter and Name of the Wind flashbacks with the Academy parts? I am enjoying the elemental magic parts so far.

testing (view spoiler)[spoiler (hide spoiler)]

Hi, everyone!

I haven't read any of the books....how are they?

Mark wrote: "I just started Academ's Fury too. Is anyone else getting Harry Potter and Name of the Wind flashbacks with the Academy parts? I am enjoying the elemental magic parts so far."

Yeah, there are a lot of similarities. I suppose the main difference is that while Harry & Kvothe are gifted at magic, Tavi is the opposite - a "furyless freak". Though definitely has the same knack of getting on the wrong side of obnoxious nobles sons a la Harry & Draco or Kvothe & Ambrose.

Hi Dustin! I for one am enjoying the books. If you want to join in, why not start with Furies of Calderon and then join us for the others?

So, if I want to discuss, Princeps' Fury the idea would be drop back in Jan? Okay. I've read that far and want to finish the series before I do rereads LOL.

I'd think if you wanted to discuss any book in the schedule it'd be fine as long as you put spoiler tags around it. It just may take some of us (like me) a bit of time to respond =).

It's cool. It's not like I have a dearth of books to read.

From Academ's Fury: (view spoiler)[ It seems there is something between between Isana and Gaius. I'm thinking Tavi is the son of one of them. I don't buy the story about his parents that Isana told to Amara. (hide spoiler)]

Academ's Fury seems to move much quicker than Furies of Calderon

Mark, I was thinking the same thing (about your spoiler). I'm guessing (view spoiler)[ Tavi is really Islana's son - and possibly Gaius' grandson, because wasn't his son killed when he was fighting a battle in Islana's neighborhood? (hide spoiler)] That is pure speculation, but I'm looking forward to finding out.

Mark/Suzanne (view spoiler)[I think you're right that Tavi could be Isana's son, and that Gaius is involved too (as grandfather or father)- but why do you think she hates Gaius so much? (hide spoiler)]

My guess on Isana/Gaius: (view spoiler)[ Isana is Tavi's mother and Gaius' dead son is Tavi's father. Isana hates Gaius for sending the prince to his death. Tavi is the true heir to Gaius. That's why he was brought in to Citadel: to be the next First Lord. (hide spoiler)]

I think you are right Snooze and Mark. I'm looking forward to finding out! But speculation is always fun =).

I really lost interest in the series after Academs fury ..It's a good book and a good series but don't you think it's too predictable??(view spoiler)[ just the books names kind of reveal everything!! and regarding your debate I don't think tavi is Isana and the princeps son..I know so!! and Isana hates Gaius for the same reason Fade does whatever that is, but the only thing that is against this theory is how would two powerful crafters have a furyless child?? (hide spoiler)]
I'm still considering finishing the series with the group ,I'll go read cursor's fury description and some reviews might help me make up my mind.

Snoozerider wrote: "Mark/Suzanne [spoilers removed]"

What I'm thinking is (view spoiler)[Isana is Tavi's mother and Gaius is his grandfather. I am wondering if the crux between Isana and Gaius's conflict is the First Lord wanting to bring Tavi to the capital as a baby, and not consulting Isana. For Gaius, it could strengthen his rule, because he would have a legitimate heir. However, a young child in that kind of situation is particularly vulnerable to his grandfather's political enemies. Tavi would also be exposed to all the political wheeling and dealing Isana so clearly despises. (hide spoiler)]

Just a theory...

It may be a little predictable but I like the nasty turn things are taking. Furies of Calderon was a bit tepid but Academ's Fury is brutally fun. It's starting to remind me of Joe Abercrombie's graphic action without all the bloat of George RR Martin's fluff.

I read the bit about when Frederic finds a Taker last night (after watching The Rite with Anthony Hopkins. I was in the mood for a scary movie) and I had the scariest dream combining the two of them. I woke up so freaked out!

Also, as I read this volume, I'm getting a better idea of what Jim Butcher's narrative voice is, outside of just the Dresden Files. Do you think he'll write an epic or urban fantasy after the Dresden Files are done? At this point, I'm kinda hoping for another epic!

I sure hope so. I've only read the first Dresden book but it was one of the funniest books I've read in a long time. I think I'm going to alternate between Dresden and Codex Alera books when I need a break from the heavy reading of the Hugo-Nebula books I'm trying to finish. I know Neuromancer and Dune are going to take alot out of me so Butcher's books are nice breaks.

As I understand it he still has quite a number of Dresden Files books planned ending in a sort of apocalyptic trilogy.

Chelsea wrote: "I read the bit about when Frederic finds a Taker last night (after watching The Rite with Anthony Hopkins. I was in the mood for a scary movie) and I had the scariest dream combining the two of th..."

oooh, scary stuff! I think the Vord is a wonderfully sinister concept - as Mark said "brutally fun".

I've only read the first Dresden but loved it as much or maybe more than the Codex Alera books (so far) so be happy with whichever direction Jim decides to go :-)

And Fidelias is a great bad guy too. Enjoying all the political battles as well.

Mark wrote: "And Fidelias is a great bad guy too. Enjoying all the political battles as well."

I like him too!!, though I liked Aldrik more but he hardly made an appearance in Academ's fury

Yeah. I'm 272 pages in and no Aldrik yet :(

Snoozerider, just my take but the Dresden books start out good and about the third or fourth really take off. They're good and they get even better.

Has anyone finished Academ's Fury? What did you think?

(view spoiler)[ I thought the foreshadowing at the end between Miles and Gaius was a little heavy-handed. However, I like how Butcher used the ring on the chain between Bernard and Amara to demonstrate what Isana wore around her neck. I really liked how Butcher handled the fight scenes between Tavi and the Canim. I'm definitely going to refer back to those parts if I need inspiration for a fight scene. (hide spoiler)]

Chelsea wrote: "Has anyone finished Academ's Fury? What did you think?

[spoilers removed]"

I have only a few pages left. I should be done tomorrow!

Finished! Great ending although I could see some of the stuff coming.

I enjoyed Academ's Fury. (view spoiler)[ I could totally understand why Isana joined with her former enemies, given her situation, and I am interested to see where that leads. I also thought it was interesting to see how very strong the aristocracy was in furycrafting - I would like to see more. Good point about the rings Chelsea! (hide spoiler)].

Chelsea - (view spoiler)[I agree with the heavy handedness. Jim clearly wants to make real sure we know there is some bad stuff between them!! I am still intrigued as to what it is tho ;-).

I am a bit of a skim-reader of fight scenes but I agree that the climactic one with Tavi and the Canim was cool. I love the Canim as bad guys, although I do have this kind of mental image of Scooby-Doo with bloody fangs lol.

I liked how the character of Fidelias was developed in Academ's Fury, and hope we're going to be seeing more of him in Cursors. (hide spoiler)]

So, looks like we're all pretty much ready to roll with Cursor's Fury then?

Let's do this! There's an actual map in Cursor's Fury!

Chelsea wrote: "Let's do this! There's an actual map in Cursor's Fury!"

My copy of Cursor's Fury doesn't have a map. Do you have the hardback edition?

Suzanne wrote: "I enjoyed Academ's Fury. [spoilers removed]."

Indeed. Invidia Aquatine is quite the powerful villain. So are the Canim.

Mark wrote: "Chelsea wrote: "Let's do this! There's an actual map in Cursor's Fury!"

My copy of Cursor's Fury doesn't have a map. Do you have the hardback edition?"

I have the paperback with the nice matte finish. It's a little taller than the standard MMPB. I think they redid all of Butcher's books this way to distinguish his books even more...like he needed it.

I started Cursors fury yesterday and it looks promising ,no map though.

No map in mine either...ok if we all come over to yours for a peek at the map, Chelsea?

Snoozerider wrote: "No map in mine either...ok if we all come over to yours for a peek at the map, Chelsea?"

Sure. I'm making stuffed pumpkin tonight.

Ooo suddenly I really feel the need to see a map!

It's this:
http://homesicktexan.blogspot.com/201...
but no bacon (I have a vegetarian in the house).

err not that I don't like pumpkin..but I googled the map and it's so cool, I also saved it for future reference.

Yes my brother and I spent so much time debating & devising our own maps... then we checked Google *shamefaced*. I think a map is really helpful to get a good picture of Carna but I guess any truly accurate map would be a major spoiler.

So, chapter 9...(view spoiler)[ Lady Antillus...is she the archetypal wicked stepmother or what?! Looking forward to seeing more of her villainy. (hide spoiler)]

Liking Cursor's Fury a lot so far.

I'm only 30 pages in, but (view spoiler)[the stuff about the Romans is cool, and changes the series from a typical fantasy into a sort of speculative fiction. I'm curious why Butcher chose that name, as I do not think he's after that kind of story. (hide spoiler)]