Academ's Fury (Codex Alera, Book 2) | 
 enlarge | Author: Jim Butcher
Publisher: Ace
Category: Book
List Price: $7.99
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Rating:  46 reviews
Sales Rank: 5945
Media: Paperback
Pages: 544
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.2
ISBN: 0441013406
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9780441013401
ASIN: 0441013406
Publication Date: November 28, 2006
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Product Description
In Furies of Calderon, bestselling author Jim Butcher introduced readers to a world where the forces of nature take physical form. But now, it's human nature that threatens to throw the realm into chaos.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 41 more reviews...
 More of the same June 15, 2008
Caine (Alexandria, VA)
Similar to various parallel plots in FURIES OF CALDERON, we find three concurrent plots in ACADEM'S FURY: Amara & Bernard's struggle against a virulent "vord" queen out in the country and their serialized romantic plight (this time, surrounding marriage and children), Isana's journey to Alera's "capital" Alera Imperia to meet with the First Lord and ask for his aid on her brother's Count Bernard's behalf, and finally, seventeen year-old Tavi's continuing maturation as page to First Lord Gaius and his evolution as an Academ studying at the Citadel in Alera Imperia. Of these three disparate and disjoint plots, I found Isana's the most engaging (again) as enemies from the past realign their alliances for political gain. I found Amara's storyline the most taxing to read. Like tall, dark and handsome rogues in historical romance, Bernard and Tavi's friend Max symbolizes sexual eye candy for the female readership, and Amara renews her ardor for Bernard's strong physique. Like an exasperating serial, Amara at first confronts Isana regarding Isana's resentment towards Amara, then grapples with her inability to give Bernard children, struggling to part with Bernard when the Cursor Serai comments that Amara must inevitably leave Bernard. From a pure entertainment standpoint, I most enjoyed Tavi's capture of the mysterious thief "Black Cat" and their subsequent breach of the impregnable Grey Tower to liberate his friend Max. Also like FURIES OF CALDERON, the ending here in ACADEM'S FURY exaggerates the theatrics from different perspectives and two locales like a soap opera (Amara's perspective out near Aricholt in the country and Tavi's perspective in Alera Imperia). Like the previous installment, the seemingly innocuous Fade showcases his mastery with the sword at the end, this time against 9-foot tall Canim creatures (we learn more about Fade's history also). The book crosses its t's and dots its i's in order to accommodate a role for every character from Tavi's small friend Ehren to Captain Miles. ACADEM'S FURY throws 17 year-old Tavi a bone in the finale when he must battle an injured Canim all by himself while a bruised and battle-weary Amara dispenses of a vord queen by herself. Despite threats to Tavi, Amara and Bernard, I never once felt like they were actually going to die. I thought Lady Aquitaine's impressive exhibition of power at the very end overshadowed everything else.
One of the big reasons to read SFF and historical fiction - world building and prose - disappointed in ACADEM'S FURY. Although the prose and world building in FURIES OF CALDERON wasn't great, it deteriorates tremendously here in ACADEM'S FURY. The people, creatures, world, society and magic of Alera never felt real. A good SFF book portrays its fictional magic, world and people so it feels and seems real. ACADEM'S FURY failed in this respect. Maybe it was just me, but reading Tavi's story, I felt like I was back in high school fighting a bully or back in college cramming for final exams. Reading Amara's storyline, I felt like I was was reading a potboiler romance. Random and seemingly arbitrary rules for the vord creatures exacerbates the reading experience. For example, each vord queen multiplies exactly three times (something simply known from Marat folklore), and there exists a hierarchy of vord from the queen to Keepers, to Takers, to Warriors. The Marat barbarian Doroga relays most of the vorg mythology via conversation. I thought ACADEM'S FURY consistently violated the cardinal sin in storytelling by telling us instead of showing us. Fancy names and titles like Maestro didn't change my feeling that all of this is just too fake. Amara even uses the phrase, "We will agree to disagree..." in a conversation with Isana once. In various conversations, the book further explains how country furies are more powerful than city furies (the rural vs. urban aspect). We as readers know the SFF story isn't real, but the base quality of the world building and conversationalist prose in ACADEM'S FURY mar the entire reading experience.
 Addictive... May 22, 2008
ArabianHorseFan (California)
We started out as fans of Jim's other series: The Dresden Files. Since we'd run out of those books, we thought we'd give the Codex Alera a try. We're now hooked on this series as well. All of Jim's work is a joy to read, full of plot twists, and always some humor, even in the middle of the worst battles. As long as Jim keeps writing them, we'll read!!!
A Thief in the Night May 11, 2008
Arthur W. Jordin (Smyrna, GA USA)
26 out of 26 found this review helpful
Academ's Fury (2005) is the second fantasy novel in the Codex Alera series, following Furies of Calderon. In the previous volume, Doroga -- head of the Gargant Horde -- led his and other Marat hordes against Atsurak's warriors and broke the siege of the Calderon Garrison. Fidelias forced the evidence of the betrayal from Tavi and returned it to Lady Acquitaine.
Countess Amara sent her report of the incident to the First Lord. Gaius Sextus came to Bernardholt and gave rewards to the survivors. Tavi's reward was to gain Gaius's patronage in the Academy.
In this novel, Kitai discovers that the Wax Forest has been abandoned. She shows the frozen and rotten valley to her father Doroga and tells him that tracks led out of the valley to the west. She wants to warn the Alerans, but Doroga refuses to let her go. Instead, he will carry a warning to the Garrison.
Tavi is a student in the Academy and also being trained as a Cursor. He becomes friends with Ehren and Antillar Maximus. Despite his lack of fury talent, Tavi manages to save Ehren and himself from the efforts of Kalarus Brencis Minoris and his minions. Naturally, he has more than a little help from Max.
Sir Miles tries to get Gaius Sextus to rest, but Gaius shows him why he has been so exhausted. A series of powerful storms have been breaking on the Aleran coast. Gaius believes the storms are being sent by the Canims. In any case, Gaius has been trying to reduce the effects of these storm and thus has lost much sleep.
In this story, Tavi, Max, Ehren and Gaelle undergo weapons testing by their Cursor Maestro. Tavi is tested first in each skill and shows a different flaw in each test. Yet his mates perform in an exemplary fashion. After the others are dismissed, Tavi stays behind to discuss his deficiencies with the Maestro.
The Maestro compliments Tavi for reminding his mates of their weak points and gives him another assignment. The city has been inflicted with a burglar who commits his crimes without the aid of a fury. The civic legion has not been able to apprehend the thief, so the Maestro gives Tavi until Wintersend to catch him.
Doroga and two thousand of his warriors follow the trail and attack the vord. He takes the two hundred survivors to the Calderon Garrison for treatment. But one of the creatures has escaped and is headed toward the capital.
This story interweaves the stories of the Alerans, the Marat, and the Canim. Tavi somewhat knows how to deal with the Marat and learns even more from Kitai. So now he finds out how to interact with the Canim.
This tale keeps expanding, but also explores previous threads that were left unexplained. We learn more about Tavi's father and mother and more about Alera itself. The next volume will explain even more and further broaden the action. Enjoy!
Highly recommended for Butcher fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of covert operations, crime investigation, and a bit of romance.
-Arthur W. Jordin
No Sequel Slump...Excellent Follow-Up April 25, 2008
N. Bilmes (Vernon, CT United States)
This sequel takes place two years after the ending of the first book, and it doesn't take Butcher long to catch us up on the activities of them all. Tavi is our main character though, and this book is largely his tale. There are surprises in store, with both new characters and creatures being introduced into the book's world. The action and magic are portrayed well, and the dialogue and mysteries continue to hold my attention.
My one minor quibble is that Butcher is borrowing one of Robert Jordan's least-likeable traits; dragging out secrets from one book to the next when it's not neccessary since the rest of the story is so good.
 Final exams can be terminal... March 18, 2008
L. C Glover (Half Moon Bay Ca, USA)
Overall: I rate this 4.5 stars. It is a very good continuation of the Codex Alera series of books by Jim Butcher. Tavi's life at the Academy shows an interesting view into the political intrigue of the "civilized" Alerians. He is forced to hone and refine his mental skills in order to pass his classes and become a Cursor. The other students in the Academy will no doubt play interesting and fun roles in the upcoming books. Tavi's relationship with Kitai becomes clear to him after he understands the bond she has formed to him.
Details:
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Characters -- the characters are developed a bit further than in the first book. Tavi is clearly a "special" person besides the fact he has been effectively handicapped by a lack of Furies. Tavi, Kitai and Gaius get the most character development. Bernard and Amara work out their situation which was nicely handled.
The character development is intermixed with the typical Butcher level of action / excitement.
Action -- The bulk of the action is in dealing with the Vord (think Aliens meets Invasion of the Body Snatchers). The Vord are very smart, deadly and effective. The tension produced by the combats is very well done as the Vord are a clear and present danger to all life in Alera. The action sequences are well written and snappy. You can be sure the Vord will be back in a later book.
Writing -- Typical Jim Butcher --> clear to the point but leaves enough the imagination to heighten your reading pleasure.
Plot -- The plot is pretty simple -- Destroy the Vord before they destroy you (but do it without exposing the weakness of Giaus to avoid a war of succession / civil war). The relationship with Kitai gets a nice little twist at the end of the book.
The political intrigue of the rest of the key players in the world are developed in preparation for the next three books. The Canines will be a very interesting group to deal with in the next book.
Overall:
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Characters: 4 stars
Action: 5 stars
Writing: 4 stars
Plot: 3 stars
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