[grymauch]

These books are fun. I don't think the author attempts to step outside fantasy's comfort zone so we are left with some very enjoyable escapist fare.

[wolf_2099]

First Lord's Fury came out yesterday for your information.

It's shipped from amazon for me. Going to save it for my birthday.

[Stalker]

Got it tuesday. Finished it today, because I didn't want to finish it in one day haha.
It certainly keeps with the Butcher trend- fast read but awesome.

[Chaeone]

Very jealous. Princep's fury doesn't come out in ireland until the start of december!!! don't even know when first lord's fury comes out.
To be honest, the alera series is just fantasy by numbers, but because its Butcher, its well written mind-blowingly action packed battle scene awesomesauce fantasy by numbers, which is fine by me.

I actually read the first 4 Alera books before i read Dresden, and i'm glad i did, because his quality of writing in Alera allowed me to get over my fear of the first person perspective( i had a harrowing encounter with an L.E. Modessitt Jr. book when i was younger, i still have nightmares) and i've lost more sleep thanks to harry dresden, wizard PI than i care to count.

Having said that, i love the alternate Roman reality setting, although it has been done before by Katherine Kerr with the Celts, butcher does it better with Romans. and fuck me but Furies rock!!!#

Rant over.

[QuickTidal]

I am nearing the end of Cursor's Fury and OH. MY. GOD. Now, most folk know that I loves me some Butcher. I've been a die hard Dresden fan for a while now and good god damn can Jim write! The Alera books are action packed, well written, not to mention increasingly interesting with each successive volume. Just like Dresden, after the first two books, the pace picks up exponentially. Cursor's Fury is huge effing drums of awesomesauce, poured over me and it's like I'm on a beach in the Caribbean, with an endless supply of beer, on goofballs, getting laid by two hot flight attendants from Finland, whilst my Porsche idles nearby.


Yup....THAT good.


Man I love this series.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 27 November 2009 - 10:28 PM

[Imperial Historian]

Argh, I somehow got first lord's fury and princeps fury mixed up, I had princeps fury on pre-order thinking it was the next butcher book when I already had it. Must have got confused by the release dates being so similar. Good job I noticed, now to import first lords fury!

[Stalker]

@QT- and it gets even better from there hah. I think Captain's Fury may be my favorite of the six.

[Eddie Dean]

Ooooh. I forgot about this coming out, going to have to start a reread.

[QuickTidal]

Stalker, on 28 November 2009 - 08:58 AM, said:

@QT- and it gets even better from there hah. I think Captain's Fury may be my favorite of the six.

Nice! So glad to hear that Stalker. I will likely finish Cursor's Fury tonight, and will most certainly be picking Captain's Fury up on my way home tonight so I have it ready to go. Woot!

[QuickTidal]

Okay finished CURSOR'S FURY today, and holy effing shit! What a book! The pace is just ridiculous for the last 100 pages as in the end I was reading it like some sort of speed demon.

If Jim's place as my favourite author wasn't entirely secured before, it certainly is now!

Revelations that blew my mind in this one:

Spoiler

I know it's simple and I knew it was coming from the last book, but I never even put the name Tavi into Octavian. Duh! LOL. When Isana gives birth in the minds-eye flashback and Alia says "Hail Octavian", I was like....OHHHHHH. Right. LOL.

The revelation that Valerian Marcus was Fidelias the whole time, not to mention that he is still working for Gaius and turn-coating Lady Aquitaine in turn. Brilliant! I loved their convo on the bridge. It was a really good one, and I loved Fidelias' comment "You know what he is don't you?" "Hope". Love it.

The female Cane they find with her young....the Canim are RUNNING from something in their homeland? Interesting! (Vord perhaps?)

Last but certainly not least Tavi discovering his Furycraft?! Wicked! Let alone Kitai being able to somehow manipulate Furies as well?! Huh? Do the Marat just ignore their Fury abilities, or does it have something to do with Tavi and Kitai's link?

Also, why does a niggling little part of me think that Septimus survived First Calderon? We haven't officially seen or heard about his death....merely that Araris took Isana and Alia away from the action and Araris feels he abandoned him and that me MUST have died.....

So many questions....can't WAIT to find out the answers!

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 29 November 2009 - 03:25 PM

[Pilgrim]

I'm about halfway through with Book 1 and I'm glad to read that it only gets better. I like it so far, but my one complaint is there seems to be too much action, if that's possible. I'm not sure why I'm getting that impression, but it feels like each new battle is getting in the way of the story. Hopefully, it will even out. This is a new one on me, don't think I've ever complained before about a story having too much action.

This post has been edited by Pilgrim: 18 December 2009 - 07:27 PM

[HoosierDaddy]

First Lord's Fury was a bit of a let down for me, but that may be because I thought Captain's Fury and Princep's Fury were spectacular.

[Hetan]

I had the first book for Christmas and I've finished it but I am trying to think of a good reason as to why I should get the second one
I found it a bit juvenile in style and a little clumsy. I almost threw the damned thing away at one point

Spoiler

when the woman Odiana (?) was collared

as I guess the overtones of Jordan and Goodkind were a bit too much for me.

[HoosierDaddy]

The first book, for me, was by far the worst in the series. It takes massive jumps foward in the second and third installments in enjoyability factor, imo. Give the second a try, and if you don't find the improvement, then I'd say lay it down. However, I'd give the second a chance, because odds are that you are just like the rest of us who don't find Calderon's Fury all that good, but end up loving the series.

[QuickTidal]

H.D., on 28 December 2009 - 01:44 PM, said:

The first book, for me, was by far the worst in the series. It takes massive jumps foward in the second and third installments in enjoyability factor, imo. Give the second a try, and if you don't find the improvement, then I'd say lay it down. However, I'd give the second a chance, because odds are that you are just like the rest of us who don't find Calderon's Fury all that good, but end up loving the series.

A very true statement. When Butcher starts a series he usually does so in a low key way and it doesn't blow everyone away, but he ramps things up as the series goes on. Calderon is definitely the worst of the lot, they only get better and better from there, at least give Academs Fury and Cursors Fury a go...Cursor's is my fave so far.

[Slow Ben]

Thirded. If Eddie and HD hadnt talked about how good the series gets after the first i would have stopped after the first one also. But it gets really friggin good.

[Morgoth]

A major problem for me when it comes to Codex Alara is that Butcher suffers from Eddings-a-vities.

Spoiler

Gods forbid I kill a main character

.. Apart from that though I found it enjoyable in a light sort of way.

[HoosierDaddy]

Morgoth, on 21 January 2010 - 05:12 PM, said:

A major problem for me when it comes to Codex Alara is that Butcher suffers from Eddings-a-vities.

Spoiler

Gods forbid I kill a main character

.. Apart from that though I found it enjoyable in a light sort of way.

This is a very valid statement. But, I'll answer it by stating tht Butcher is fantastic at putting his characters in impossibly bad situations.

This post has been edited by H.D.: 29 January 2010 - 10:05 AM

[Pig Iron]

Butcher seems to have improved alot since his first books. First Dresden book was so-so and first Fury book too, and then they take off. And I was on the verge on not continuing after the first Fury book, thought the blend of YA-vibe and descriptions of sexual torture was a bit weird. Series as a whole is very nice, I especially love the furies. And though sometimes getting too much I also like the way you have main characters who are actually in stable/mature relationships. Guess I'm getting old.

[QuickTidal]

I am 50 pages into (and enjoying the shit out of already!!) PRINCEP'S FURY, and FIRST LORDS FURY is awaiting me on my shelf when I am done this one. WOOT!!!