Cursor's Fury (Codex Alera, Book 3) | 
 enlarge | Author: Jim Butcher
Publisher: Ace
Category: Book
List Price: $7.99
Buy New: $4.58
You Save: $3.41 (43%)
New (4) Used (21) from $3.99
Rating:  59 reviews
Sales Rank: 12444
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Pages: 544
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.3
ISBN: 0441015476
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
EAN: 9780441015474
ASIN: 0441015476
Publication Date: November 27, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: BRAND NEW
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Product Description
In his acclaimed Codex Alera novels, bestselling author Jim Butcher has created a fascinating world in which the powerful forces of nature take physical form. But even magic cannot sway the corruption that threatens to destroy the realm of Alera once and for all.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 54 more reviews...
 Another Butcher Grandslam! October 2, 2008
Christoph Agnoli (Jamestown, NY USA)
I started reading this series a few scant months ago, and the entire line of books reads very fast. I can't put them down once I start a new one. I would definately recommend the Codex Alera series to any avid fantasy reader. I am anxiously waiting the fourth installment, Captain's Fury in two weeks.
If you were a fan of the Drizzt novels, you will absolutely love this line of works. It is a truly unique perspective on the use of magic, and Tavi will quickly become one of your new hero's.
 Fun fantasy that could use a dose of tragedy September 16, 2008
Rich Gubitosi (NYC, USA)
The third volume of Jim Butcher's Codex Alera series, Cursor's Fury is a dependably thrilling, action-oriented fantasy adventure following the formula of the previous novels. Once again, Alera's only citizen unable to furycraft, Tavi, has to use all of his resourcefulness to save the empire against monstrous opponents--this time, the lupine Canim. In parallel storylines, Amara and Bernard, with some dubious assistance, embark on a rescue mission, and Isana must withstand a siege while healing a friend and confronting her past. Overall, there's plenty of combat, romance, and intrigue, and even a few revelations.
I liken the novel (and the series) to a solid blockbuster film such as Lethal Weapon 2. It is well-made, with likable characters and more than enough violence to satisfy. It doesn't aspire to be epic or award-winning. While many fantasies eclipse the 700-page mark, Cursor's Fury and its predecessors come under 500 pages, providing a brisk, straightforward read without much filler. The novel seeks to entertain, not revolutionize the genre. It's fun, and there's nothing wrong with that.
However, I think that the series is missing one crucial element: tragedy. While Butcher endangers his characters, the jeopardy never seems insurmountable. Considering the novels' events--civil war, invasion, assassination attempts--someone has to suffer. I believe that George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire remains popular primarily because the main characters suffer. Few people are unscathed by events, and the various tragedies forge them into more complete, complex characters. In my opinion, the Codex Alera series has the potential to have the long-lasting appeal of A Song of Ice and Fire if Butcher injects some tragedy into the novels.
Complex worldbuilding and a wonderful character in Tavi August 9, 2008
booksforabuck (Dallas)
Civil war is far from unknown in the post-Roman magical land of Alera, but with an aging First Lord and no heir in the picture, the high nobles are even more restive than usual. Even more unusual, though would be an alliance with the Varg. These non-human aliens have engaged in low-level warfare with the Alerans for centuries. When fhe First Lord tricks the High Lord of Kalare into launching his attack prematurely, Kalare's combination of hostages and an alliance with the Varg, threatens just might destroy the empire.
Still incapable of magic, Tavi has been sent to a new legion for training. But when Varg ritualists call down magics to destroy the legion's entire officer corps, Tavi must find a way to stem an invasion beyond anything Alera has known--with only the inexperienced troops on hand.
Author Jim Butcher continues his CODEX ALERA with a compelling story that follows two major plot lines. In one, Tavi continues to grow, learning to lead men, develop strategies, and develop an understanding of the powerful nobles who threaten the empire's stability, of Alera's enemies, and of the ordinary legionaires who form the basis of the empire's power. In the second, Tavi's "aunt" Amara, united with Lady Aquitaine only through their shared need to prevent Kalare from gaining the First Lordship, attempts to rescue Kalare's hostages--doing so would allow the First Lord to free up additional legions to confront Kalare, but Kalare guards these hostages with some of his most deadly troops.
Although Butcher is best known for his excellent DRESDEN FILES series, the CODEX ALERA series is a wonderful extension of his talent, with an intriguing alternate world diverging from our own when ancient Romans learned to control and personify the elements of air/earth/fire/water into elemental furies. Tavi, with his unique lack of any magical ability, makes a sympathetic character--as he grows to the point where he might make a claim to be First Lord himself.
one of the better series of books i've read in a long time August 9, 2008
Nicholas Lee (midwest)
I'll make this short, if you like epic fantasy this series is for you !!
Went from Dresden to Codex and love them both. June 21, 2008
John Cocktoeson (Tucson, AZ USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I've read the negative reviews here on Amazon for this book and I have to disagree. The one person who wrote a review and gave it two stars sounds as though he is much more well read than I, so I'll give it to him. He sounds like a very dedicated and educated sci-fi reader and I would imagine him to be very particular, somewhat like a sommelier is with wine.
When it comes to wine, I know what I like and I know what I don't. That's about as much as I can tell you outside of the basics. The same can be said about my reading. Don't get me wrong, I've read and enjoy the classics, but they are just not as much fun for me as other things.
I very much enjoy Jim Butcher as an author. I was put on to his Dresden series by a friend and ate them up. All of them. Can't wait for the next one. Then he also put me onto the Codex Alera series. LOVE them, too. Read the first three in about as many days and actually ponied up the dough for 2 day shipping from Amazon for the 4th, Captain's Fury.
I'm a huge, huge fan of George R.R. Martin's series, A Song of Ice and Fire. The Codex Alera is not as intricate or complex as Martin's series, but it doesn't make it any less enjoyable.
I enjoy a series with a character that has something special about him/her that developes over the storyline. I enjoyed that with Orson Scott Card's Alvin Maker series, Neo in the Matrix, Gambit and Wolverine in X-Men, so on and so forth. I enjoy that with Tavi in the Codex Alera. I have hope that he eventually finds his Furies and becomes an absolute monster of a powerhouse with them and reading about his journey on how to use them. I find that I'm also hoping the same thing happens to Dresden.
Anyway, I enjoy the series and can't wait to read the next one.
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