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4.27 AVERAGE
4.27 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
Predicted a few things well ahead of their happening/discovery but its what happens when you're an avid reader who hunts for foreshadowing. Stronger than the first book, more secure in how the society/magic works, but Mr. Butcher repeats himself in the "Clever witty plan defeats the unbelievably huge opposing force". Perhaps if the Bad Guys(tm) weren't always so terrifyingly powerful and the Good Guys(tm) so obviously outmatched from the start, that clever witty plan wouldn't feel so thin. But I can skim battle scenes and the characters keep me reading because.
The fourth book in the Codex Alera series does not scrimp on the epicness. Essentially, this one is a war novel, without very many scenes actually involving the war. The Alerans continue their defense against the Canim invasion that began in the previous volume but the emphasis this time around is not on the grand and glorious battles but rather the behind-the-scenes attempts to negotiate a conclusion to hostilities.
Picking up two years after the last novel, Tavi is now firmly in command of the 1st Aleran Legion, a Captain loved by his troops but anxious to find a way out of the current quagmire. All the major characters undertake missions of a stealthy nature and their subplots are a nice departure from the fighting off of wave after wave of bad guys.
This book is an important entry in the series. Not only do we get to see Tavi fully realizing his potential as a leader of men, but he learns the big secrets of his life, knowledge that by the end of the book is common knowledge to all. As before, he relies on his cleverness and applies creativity to solve major problems but his skills with swords and, at last, his fury skill is also growing quickly. He has a knack for turning enemies into allies and seeing him accomplish this is always a delight. The other major characters also have big story plots and with just two more books remaining, we can start to see the end zone.
For a while now, it has been fairly easy to see where this series is headed. But Jim Butcher’s story-telling style really endears me to the characters and just watching them achieve what I expect is reward in itself.
Looking forward to the next one.
Picking up two years after the last novel, Tavi is now firmly in command of the 1st Aleran Legion, a Captain loved by his troops but anxious to find a way out of the current quagmire. All the major characters undertake missions of a stealthy nature and their subplots are a nice departure from the fighting off of wave after wave of bad guys.
This book is an important entry in the series. Not only do we get to see Tavi fully realizing his potential as a leader of men, but he learns the big secrets of his life, knowledge that by the end of the book is common knowledge to all. As before, he relies on his cleverness and applies creativity to solve major problems but his skills with swords and, at last, his fury skill is also growing quickly. He has a knack for turning enemies into allies and seeing him accomplish this is always a delight. The other major characters also have big story plots and with just two more books remaining, we can start to see the end zone.
For a while now, it has been fairly easy to see where this series is headed. But Jim Butcher’s story-telling style really endears me to the characters and just watching them achieve what I expect is reward in itself.
Looking forward to the next one.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Another great installment. I really enjoy the small moments of hilarity intertwined with serious events.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ahhhhh this was great! Maintaining my 5 star rating. Tavi coming into his own here is fantastic, and I can say little else without major spoilers. The series is fully underway, major events happening in Alera, allegiances made and loyalties shattered, and just all in all a fantastic story. I've loved this re-read, and am happy to say I still have immense difficulty putting these books down- in fact, as soon as I finished this one, I picked up the next. The best series work that way!