Codex Alera – Book 1: The Furies of Calderon – By Jim Butcher

Hey Robert,

So you mentioned that Jim Butcher who writes the Dresden Files also wrote a book about the Roman Legion and Pokemon. After that conversation, I went to my library website and politely asked for them to send me the audio book.

Title:aloc-square-1536 Furies of Calderon
Series: Codex Alera; Book 1
Author: Jim Butcher
Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Teen
ROTS Setting: Iron age, elemental magic, UU
Synopsis: For a thousand years, the people of Alera have united against the aggressive and threatening races that inhabit the world, using their unique bond with the furies – elementals of earth, air, fire, water, and metal. But now, Gaius Sextus, First Lord of Alera, grows old and lacks an heir. Ambitious High Lords plot and maneuver to place their Houses in positions of power, and a war of succession looms on the horizon.” “Far from city politics in the Calderon Valley, the boy Tavi struggles with his lack of furycrafting. At fifteen, he has no wind fury to help him fly, no fire fury to light his lamps. Yet as the Alerans’ most savage enemy – the Marat – return to the Valley, he will discover that his destiny is much greater than he could ever imagine.” Caught in a storm of deadly wind furies, Tavi saves the life of a runaway slave named Amara. But she is actually a spy for Gaius Sextus, sent to the Valley to gather intelligence on traitors to the Crown, who may be in league with the barbaric Marat horde. And when the Valley erupts in chaos – when rebels war with loyalists and furies clash with furies – Amara will find Tavi’s courage and resourcefulness to be a power greater than any fury – one that could turn the tides of war. -Synopsis from Goodreads
Recommendation: This is such a cool idea I love it. It is a late teen book. There is way too much gore for it to be for the same age of kids that Pokemon is marketed to. WARNING: There are some strong themes of sexual assault and rape in this book.

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Codex Alera – Book 1: The Furies of Calderon – By Jim Butcher

Path of Zaan – Book 0: Father of Zaan – By C. K. Rieke

Jared,

I’ve been prowling for short fiction lately, especially intros to new series or authors, and I found this one. The cover and synopsis caught my attention and since it’s short I could give it a shot without investing too heavily.

fatherofzaan.jpgTitle: Father of Zaan
Series:
Path of Zaan; Book 0
Author: C. K. Rieke
Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Adult
ROTS Setting: UU, Medieval, Magic
Synopsis: Adventure. Wonder. Fear. Danger. The first of his family to leave their hometown in generations, Janos Talabard seeks the adventure of his life. Traveling out into the open lands of Essill, he finds himself truly vulnerable for the first time. Because of unforeseen circumstances on the road, he must find a way to continue on, or chose to return home in shame.
Recommendation: Based solely on this, it is not recommended.

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Path of Zaan – Book 0: Father of Zaan – By C. K. Rieke

Warbreaker – By Brandon Sanderson

Jared,

Things have been crazy, and I’d taken a step back from reading these past couple of weeks assuming that I’d scheduled everything as I should and I discover now that I hadn’t. And we all know what happens when you assume.

warbreaker.jpgTitle: Warbreaker
Series: Warbreaker (Cosmere Universe)
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Adult
ROTS Setting: Unique Universe, Cosmere, Magic, Medieval,
Synopsis: Sisters Vivenna and Siri are princesses of Idris. Susebron is the God King one must marry. Lightsong is the reluctant minor god of bravery. Vasher is an immortal still trying to undo mistakes of centuries before. Magic from individual breath from everyday objects can perform all manner of miracles and mischief.
Recommendation: Highly recommended.

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Warbreaker – By Brandon Sanderson

The Riyria Chronicles – The Viscount and the Witch (Short Story) – By Michael J. Sullivan

Jared,

12746970I’ve begun trying to clear out my backlog of stuff I want to read. This had been on my list for since before the blog started. I really like the idea of works of short fiction that introduce authors and series that I’m interested in. Sample chapters are good too but they’re always incomplete by nature. At least with a novella or short story it’s intended to be a more complete story.

In this short it’s clearly a part of something bigger but it provided everything that I was hoping for. I got a feel for the character dynamics, the setting in general terms and the author’s style. And I liked what I saw.

So Mr. Sullivan is now firmly on my authors to watch list and Riyria is a series I want to make time for.

Robert

The Riyria Chronicles – The Viscount and the Witch (Short Story) – By Michael J. Sullivan

Wax and Wayne Series – Book 3: The Bands of Mourning – By Brandon Sanderson

Hey Robert,

So I have read all the books prior to this in the series but I didn’t have the time to re-read all of them before this one called to me from the audiobook library and made me listen.

 Title: Bands of Mourningbtsw-square-orig
Series: Wax and Wayne Series; Book 3
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Fantasy
Audience:  Adult
ROTS Setting: Cosmere, Magic
Synopsis: It’s six months after the end of Shadows of Self and Wax is getting married.
Recommendation: Good book for adults or late teens. Not my favorite Mistborn novel but talked more about the Cosmere which is slowly fascinating me more and more while also driving me insane.

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Wax and Wayne Series – Book 3: The Bands of Mourning – By Brandon Sanderson

Old Man’s War Series – Book 1: Old Man’s War – By John Scalzi

Hi Jared,

 

oldmanswarTitle: Old Man’s War
Series:
Old Man’s War; Book 1
Author: John Scalzi
Genre: Science Fiction, Space Opera
Audience: Adult
ROTS Setting: Distant-Future, FTL (Skip-Drive), Aliens,
Synopsis: The good news is that humanity finally made it into interstellar space. The bad news is that planets fit to live on are scarce– and alien races willing to fight us for them are common. So: we fight. To defend Earth, and to stake our own claim to planetary real estate. Far from Earth, the war has been going on for decades: brutal, bloody, unyielding. Earth itself is a backwater. The bulk of humanity’s resources are in the hands of the Colonial Defense Force. Everybody knows that when you reach retirement age, you can join the CDF. They don’t want young people; they want people who carry the knowledge and skills of decades of living. You’ll be taken off Earth and never allowed to return. You’ll serve two years at the front. And if you survive, you’ll be given a generous homestead stake of your own, on one of our hard-won colony planets.
Recommendation: Highly Recommended. Gore and adult scenes.

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Old Man’s War Series – Book 1: Old Man’s War – By John Scalzi

Imperial Radch Trilogy – Book 3: Ancillary Mercy – By Ann Leckie

Jared,

This was on my list of series to finish. Sadly, it looks like there will be another series set in the same universe set to start this Fall. Oh well, I’ll just have to read and finish that one too.

ancillarymercy.jpgTitle: Ancillary Mercy
Series: Imperial Radch Trilogy; Book 3
Author: Ann Leckie
Genre: Science Fiction, Space Opera
Audience: Adult
ROTS Setting: CU, Distant Future, AI, FTL
Synopsis: For a moment, things seemed to be under control for Breq, the soldier who used to be a warship. Then a search of Athoek Station’s slums turns up someone who shouldn’t exist, and a messenger from the mysterious Presger empire arrives, as does Breq’s enemy, the divided and quite possibly insane Anaander Mianaai – ruler of an empire at war with itself. Breq refuses to flee with her ship and crew, because that would leave the people of Athoek in terrible danger. The odds aren’t good, but that’s never stopped her before.
Recommendation: This could have been in the YA section. The style may not be for everyone, it’s basically a gender-less society so a persons sex or sexual preference/orientation are completely ignored.

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Imperial Radch Trilogy – Book 3: Ancillary Mercy – By Ann Leckie

Dragonlance Legends – Vol 1: Time of the Twins – By Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman

Hey Jared,

I’m back in Dragonlance, with the Brother’s Majere. The whole time I was thinking about us as kids talking about these epic characters. If I remember correctly you really liked Caramon. I also recall thinking that, as kids, we were a lot like them…..expect for the sudden but inevitable betrayal part.

timeofthetwinsTitle: Time of the Twins
Series: Dragonlance Legends; Vol. 1
Author: Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman
Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Adult
ROTS Setting: UU, Medieval, Higher Magic, Dragons
Synopsis: Sequestered in the blackness of the dreaded Tower of High Sorcery in Palanthas, surrounded by nameless creatures of evil, Raistlin Majere weaves a plan to conquer the darkness–to bring it under his control. Crysania, a beautiful and devoted cleric of Paladine, tries to use her faith to lead Raistlin from the darkness. She is blind to his shadowed designs, and he draws her slowly into his neatly woven trap. Made aware of Raistlin’s plan, a distraught Caramon travels back in time to the doomed city of Istar in the days before the Cataclysm. There, together with the ever-present kender Tasslehoff, Caramon will make his stand to save Raistlin’s soul. Or so he believes.
Recommendation: Adult, maybe late teens. Any admirer of high fantasy should be familiar with this series.

Continue reading “Dragonlance Legends – Vol 1: Time of the Twins – By Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman”

Dragonlance Legends – Vol 1: Time of the Twins – By Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman