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A review by aggressive_nostalgia
Captain's Fury by Jim Butcher
4.0
This installment of the Codex Alera wasn’t quite as exhilarating as the previous one, but I was quite pleased with it overall. Butcher’s clean and precise prose continues to make for a fun and easily navigable read. His dialogue continues to excel in striking exactly the tone he needs for any given scene. I had four or five good laugh-out-loud moments (a rarity for me in any reading endeavor). There was some clever wordbuilding, especially in regards to the cultural and linguistic differences between the Alerans and the Canim. I particularly liked the emphasis on body language and the importance that plays, and the contrast between that and the very different gap that exists between the Alerans and the Marat. A very nice nod to diversity and realism.
I felt like the supporting character development took a step up in this installment—especially Kitai, who always seemed a little bit flat to me in the last few books. It was nice to see her fleshed out a little more, especially in her interactions with Isana. I was surprised by how much I like Crassus, despite that he doesn’t actually have a lot of page time. Given the growth he underwent in Cursor’s Fury and the new role he is given in this book (and I suspect yet again in the next book), I think he has a lot of potential to be a well-rounded and interesting character. Isana’s internal struggle about telling Tavi the truth about his heritage was very well-played, I thought, and I don’t think Butcher dragged out the tension between them too long, either. Tavi’s character growth, arguably the hardest to pull off of all the POV characters, especially given how often similar arcs are done in fantasy novels, remains very well-paced and feels very natural.
On a less happy note about characters, though, I feel like Amara’s interactions with Bernard have become just a constant arguing/flirting cycle, with some aside to save each other’s skin in combat or peel each other’s clothes off. While I’m glad they have a solid relationship…I feel like I’m just reading the same thing all the time. By the last third of the book, I was almost at a point of wanting to skip over all of Amara’s POV scenes that didn’t involve major events. They’re just not interesting to read about anymore, because I can pretty much always predict exactly how one or the other will react in a given situation. That said, the bit where
There is one big caveat to my enjoyment of this book, though. The most frustrating thing by far was the lack of real suspense—life-or-death tension. Don’t get me wrong, the plot affords plenty of opportunities for it, but Butcher doesn’t follow through by ever actually allowing anyone to suffer lasting injury. Every main character was in mortal peril at least once in this book, and yet I never felt like we were reasonably entertaining the notion that one of them might actually die. One of my favorite moments in this book was actually That was a chilling and heartwrenching line, and amazing chapter end. It was also the only moment when I really, truly believed that major characters might really die. It honestly would have been a smashing way for them to go out, yet all the tension of that end was instantly killed off when their next chapter opened with someone (of course) bursting in to save them. And it’s not as if this is a series where there isn’t a lot of death. No, they’re in the middle of at least three different military conflicts. Thousands of soldiers and at least a few hundred steadholders (and usually an important noble supporting character or two) are slaughtered in every book. But virtually all the character-death emotional trauma is in the past, with the death of Septimus. I might think that Butcher just held off in this volume because he thought Tavi coming to grips with his heritage and relationship with Isana was enough trauma for one book, except that this bothered me a little bit in Cursor’s Fury as well. I’m really hoping something unexpected happens in book five, because it’s hard to connect with the fates of characters that you are not actually very worried about. It’s a shame, because I think that Butcher writes all the other emotional aspects and possibilities of his characters very well, but it feels almost like he’s afraid to face this one.
Also, there was just not enough Max in this book. *sadface*
So I do have to deduct a star for the lack of palpable tension (and lack of Max), but I nevertheless have full intention of continuing the series and loving all of it (and honestly, I like these characters so much that I might have trouble killing them off, too, if I were writing them)!
I felt like the supporting character development took a step up in this installment—especially Kitai, who always seemed a little bit flat to me in the last few books. It was nice to see her fleshed out a little more, especially in her interactions with Isana. I was surprised by how much I like Crassus, despite that he doesn’t actually have a lot of page time. Given the growth he underwent in Cursor’s Fury and the new role he is given in this book (and I suspect yet again in the next book), I think he has a lot of potential to be a well-rounded and interesting character. Isana’s internal struggle about telling Tavi the truth about his heritage was very well-played, I thought, and I don’t think Butcher dragged out the tension between them too long, either. Tavi’s character growth, arguably the hardest to pull off of all the POV characters, especially given how often similar arcs are done in fantasy novels, remains very well-paced and feels very natural.
On a less happy note about characters, though, I feel like Amara’s interactions with Bernard have become just a constant arguing/flirting cycle, with some aside to save each other’s skin in combat or peel each other’s clothes off. While I’m glad they have a solid relationship…I feel like I’m just reading the same thing all the time. By the last third of the book, I was almost at a point of wanting to skip over all of Amara’s POV scenes that didn’t involve major events. They’re just not interesting to read about anymore, because I can pretty much always predict exactly how one or the other will react in a given situation. That said, the bit where
Spoiler
Gaius detonates the Kalus volcano was a pretty amazing scene all around. Spot-on imagery, drama, and emotional conflict from all three characters. Well done.There is one big caveat to my enjoyment of this book, though. The most frustrating thing by far was the lack of real suspense—life-or-death tension. Don’t get me wrong, the plot affords plenty of opportunities for it, but Butcher doesn’t follow through by ever actually allowing anyone to suffer lasting injury. Every main character was in mortal peril at least once in this book, and yet I never felt like we were reasonably entertaining the notion that one of them might actually die. One of my favorite moments in this book was actually
Spoiler
right after Araris asks Isana to marry him when they’re being held hostage, and they’re both laughing at the absurdity of the situation, and then the chapter ends with the sentence “They were still laughing together when the tent flap rustled, and Phrygiar Navaris ripped off their hoods, a naked sword in her hand.”Also, there was just not enough Max in this book. *sadface*
So I do have to deduct a star for the lack of palpable tension (and lack of Max), but I nevertheless have full intention of continuing the series and loving all of it (and honestly, I like these characters so much that I might have trouble killing them off, too, if I were writing them)!