Month: February 2016

Circumstances

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I’ve planned to keep my book reviews and news up to date on a regular basis, but sometimes life is hectic.  There has been a lot going on in my personal life, across the spectrum between good and bad.  Family members have passed away, and my husband and I have bought our first house.

Worry not, despite everything, I am still reading, writing, planning, plotting.

Expect to see some changes around here in the near future.  I’ve decided that I’ll drop the nom de’plume and go by Amy S. Brown, quite different from the Lizzy March some might have come familiar with.

Review of Captain’s Fury by Jim Butcher

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Captain’s Fury
Codex Alera Book 4
By Jim Butcher

Star Rating: 
Genre: High Fantasy
Number of Pages: 464

Date Started: February 11, 2016
Date Finished: February 14, 2016
captain's
Synopsis: (From Amazon)
After two years of bitter conflict with the hordes of invading Canim, Tavi of Calderon, now Captain of the First Aleran Legion, realizes that a peril far greater than the Canim exists-the terrifying Vord, who drove the savage Canim from their homeland. Now, Tavi must find a way to overcome the centuries-old animosities between Aleran and Cane if an alliance is to be forged against their mutual enemy. And he must lead his legion in defiance of the law, against friend and foe-before the hammerstroke of the Vord descends on them all.

Review:
While Tavi had no experience in military before joining the First Aleran, now it would be hard to find anyone that people would trust as much as him.  Though the Canim represent a significant threat, Tavi knows that there is a way to end the fighting and bloodshed.  The trust between a leader who goes with their men and the warriors is accurately represented here, and many who have been in a situation with a trusted leader would likely agree.

Unfortunately this book was very heavy in fighting without as much interaction that wasn’t in the field.  There were a lot of frustrating moments when things go wrong, and the sadness Tavi feels over consequences of his tactics can be felt by the reader.  Nevertheless, one cannot help but want to know exactly what happens to Tavi of Calderon.

Author Information:
The Dresden Files are the first books that Jim Butcher managed to get published.  He is also the author of the Codex Alera, and a new steampunk series, Cinder spires.  He is a gamer, including tabletop, video games, as well as LARP.  He still lives in his hometown, Independence, Missouri.

For a detailed biography of Jim Butcher, and a way to purchase his books, see his Amazon page.

If you like this review, and the writing style of this quirky reviewer, please consider visiting and liking my Facebook author page: Lizzy March.


Thank you! 

Review of Cursor’s Fury by Jim Butcher

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Cursor’s Fury
Codex Alera Book 3
By Jim Butcher

Star Rating: 
Genre: High Fantasy
Number of Pages: 448Date Started: January 31, 2016
Date Finished: February 11, 2016
200px-Cursors_fury
Synopsis:(From Amazon)
The power-hungry High Lord of Kalare has launched a rebellion against the aging First Lord, Gaius Sextus, who with the loyal forces of Alera must fight beside the unlikeliest of allies-the equally contentious High Lord of Aquitaine.

Meanwhile, young Tavi of Calderon joins a newly formed legion under an assumed name even as the ruthless Kalare unites with the Canim, bestial enemies of the realm whose vast numbers spell certain doom for Alera. When treachery from within destroys the army’s command structure, Tavi finds himself leading an inexperienced, poorly equipped legion-the only force standing between the Canim horde and the war-torn realm.

Review:
Tavi shows here that while he might have smarts from not having furies, he certainly hadn’t gained any sudden military intelligence.  Luckily Tavi is returned with some friends who do have experience and can help him along.  Stuck dealing with warriors that were known for being extremely tricky to kill and even harder to understand, Tavi finds himself having to use every weapon in his arsenal to find out exactly what is going on around him.

Though there are some ups and downs in this mostly military style story, Butcher shows that treachery can be anywhere and anyone, and that warriors can never be too careful.  Like the previous novels in the Codex Alera, you cannot help but want to know where everyone will end up in the end.
Author Information:
The Dresden Files are the first books that Jim Butcher managed to get published.  He is also the author of the Codex Alera, and a new steampunk series, Cinder spires.  He is a gamer, including tabletop, video games, as well as LARP.  He still lives in his hometown, Independence, Missouri.

For a detailed biography of Jim Butcher, and a way to purchase his books, see his Amazon page.

If you like this review, and the writing style of this quirky reviewer, please consider visiting and liking my Facebook author page: Lizzy March.


Thank you! 

Review of Academ’s Fury by Jim Butcher

/ lizzymarch / Leave a comment

Academ’s Fury
Codex Alera Book 2
By Jim Butcher

Star Rating: 
Genre: High Fantasy
Number of Pages: 720academ

Date Started: January 21, 2016
Date Finished: January 31, 2016

Synopsis:(From Amazon)
For centuries, the people of Alera have harnessed the furies—elementals of earth, air, fire, water, wood, and metal—to protect their land from aggressors. But no fury can save them from the dangers they face within. A mysterious attack from across the sea has weakened the First Lord. Should he fall, a bloody civil war is inevitable. The responsibility of fending off assassination attempts and treachery within the First Lord’s circle of spies falls on Tavi, the one man with no fury to call…

Review:
Tavi no longer has the safety and the security of his home and family.  Having spent the majority of his years learning how to deal with live handicapped– without the advantages every other person has, he had gotten used to it.  As with the first book in the series there is a lot of unexpected and unseen betrayal, and Tavi has to rely on his own senses to tell him who to trust.

This book, just like the one before it, endlessly connects different characters situations together, and flows in a way that makes the book almost impossible to set down.

Author Information:
The Dresden Files are the first books that Jim Butcher managed to get published.  He is also the author of the Codex Alera, and a new steampunk series, Cinder spires.  He is a gamer, including tabletop, video games, as well as LARP.  He still lives in his hometown, Independence, Missouri.

For a detailed biography of Jim Butcher, and a way to purchase his books, see his Amazon page.

If you like this review, and the writing style of this quirky reviewer, please consider visiting and liking my Facebook author page: Lizzy March.


Thank you!