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A review by kairosdreaming
Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher
4.0
I've read a good portion of the Dresden Files, which, while having issues in the first few books, matured and improved as the series went on. So I was very much looking forward to this series, which is still fantasy based, but more of the traditional fantasy. And I'm pleased to say that it was just as good as what I had heard. While there are some issues (mainly characterization), largely I enjoyed the magic system, world-building, and general premise of the book.
There are a few main characters in this; so I'm not going to go into too much detail. The most important are probably Tavi, a young boy who does not have the elemental abilities much of his people do, and as such has to be capable in his own ways. And Amara, a cursor working for the main top guy in the book and capable in her own right. There are plenty of other characters of course, as I said, but really, I only cared about Bernard, because he's supposed to be the fawnable guy in this one (and he is mostly, I guess, still can't get a good read on him).
Strife, intrigue, betrayal. This book has it all. It largely follows yours standard fantasy plotline of big evil coming against good against all odds, small but scrappy group fighting, different creatures or peoples with different abilities. But the magic (elementals) was good, the plotline mostly exciting and adventuresome, and it's easy to get caught up into it. I can definitely see myself continuing with the series (and hoping that maybe, just maybe, the female characters will be a bit more nuanced than they tend to be in Butcher's earlier books).
Review by M. Reynard 2023
There are a few main characters in this; so I'm not going to go into too much detail. The most important are probably Tavi, a young boy who does not have the elemental abilities much of his people do, and as such has to be capable in his own ways. And Amara, a cursor working for the main top guy in the book and capable in her own right. There are plenty of other characters of course, as I said, but really, I only cared about Bernard, because he's supposed to be the fawnable guy in this one (and he is mostly, I guess, still can't get a good read on him).
Strife, intrigue, betrayal. This book has it all. It largely follows yours standard fantasy plotline of big evil coming against good against all odds, small but scrappy group fighting, different creatures or peoples with different abilities. But the magic (elementals) was good, the plotline mostly exciting and adventuresome, and it's easy to get caught up into it. I can definitely see myself continuing with the series (and hoping that maybe, just maybe, the female characters will be a bit more nuanced than they tend to be in Butcher's earlier books).
Review by M. Reynard 2023