Author: Ryan

First Contact

Background

Published in ???, “First Contact” is the second book in the Legacy Earth series written by Ross Buzzell. Lance Warder is stationed on Mars when first contact is made by the alien race known as the “Galio”. Lance is at the right place and right time to be selected to act as diplomatic security and is the first to learn about this new race and the 5 others in our galaxy. However, the radical group known as the Veles does not want contact to occur and attempts to sabotage the mission.

Legacy Earth
Legacy Earth

My Thoughts

This book was somewhat like a teenager’s idea of what would make a good Sci-Fi. Lance is very overpowered and is the only one who really understands what is going on. The other characters are two dimensional and are hardly needed by Lance or the story as a whole. Even the love scenes read like someone didn’t quite know what kissing a girl was like.

Of course, this doesn’t mean it wasn’t a fun read. The action keeps the book moving along but there are some groan-worthy moments.

Recommendation

I’m on the fence but I will continue through the series.

The Terraformers

Background

Published in January of 2023, “The Terraformers” is a book by Annalee Newtiz about the distance future and on a planet called Sask-E. It starts with an Environmental Rescue Team member named Destry who discovers a city full of people that shouldn’t exist, hidden inside a massive volcano. She brokers a treaty with the owners of the planet so that these people can live in peace. Thousands of years later, this treaty and the ideas stemming from it tip the balance of power.

The Terraformers
The Terraformers

My Thoughts

This book was garbage. It is full of ridiculous concepts and is completely barren of morality. It promotes socialistic goals from the most childish formats imaginable. Everyone and everything is a person in this book complete with rights, feelings, and so on. (E.g. Worms, machines, a door…) Seriously, the only requirement is the ability to speak. By this definition my washing machine is alive because it announces when a load is complete. Should I have to consider how it feels when it breaks down and respect it’s rights to live in it’s “home”? Does it have equal say in my home with everyone else that lives there? These are the deep questions asked by this book. I kept reading to the end and hoping it would get better. It didn’t…

Recommendation

Pure crap.

First Lord’s Fury

Background

Published in 2009, “First Lord’s Fury” is the final book in the “Codex Alera” series by Jim Butcher. The vord are launching the slow systematic takeover of the people of Alera and will destroy all life as they know it across their entire continent. Tavi, now First Lord of Alera, must engage this enemy with limited resources and flagging resistance against a seemingly unstoppable enemy. As the war rages it comes down to a simple few to can change the fate of the kingdom.

First Lord's Fury
First Lord’s Fury

My Thoughts

As much as I don’t like the vord as a villain or literary device, I have to say this book came back around to a more interesting enemy. Rather than the usual semi-zombie type automatons, the vord queen seemed to have a feel more like the movie, “Species”. This book gave her color and character which were sadly missed by the others. Tavi became much to overpowered as did several others but it’s all in good fun.

Recommendation

It was a nice ending to the series.

Princep’s Fury

Background

“Princeps’ Fury” is the fifth book in the “Codex Alera” series by Jim Butcher. The Vord, a deadly and mysterious enemy, are back and now they threatens to overwhelm Alera and its people. Tavi took the Carnim back to their homeland but find the Vord have taken that places as well. With the help of his loyal friends and allies, “Octavian” must rally his forces and use every tool at his disposal to defend his homeland and defeat the Vord. Along the way, he faces personal struggles and difficult choices that test his character and his commitment to his people.

Princep's Fury
Princep’s Fury

My Thoughts

Not a bad book but I liked the previous one better. I’m just not that excited about the Vord and I hope the resolves in the next book as something better than just beating back these zombie-insect-things.

Again, the reader isn’t disappointed by the author’s imagination and story telling. There are some pretty disturbing images in a few parts but the majority was fun.

Recommendation

Not my favorite in the series but still not bad.

Captain’s Fury

Background

“Captain’s Fury” is the fourth book in the “Codex Alera” series by Jim Butcher. The humble protagonist, “Tavi” is really Gaius Octavian, nephew and heir to the First Lord Gaius Sextus of Alera. Sextus is dying, and although Tavi is the heir he is still on a mission as a “cursor” for the First Lord and is not known in the legion under his real name. All of the officers are killed in a Carnim attack and Tavi must prove himself as a capable leader in the midst of war. Along the way, he learns important lessons about leadership, sacrifice, and the true nature of power.

Captains Fury
Captains Fury

My Thoughts

This book brought together a number of issues and answered a lot of questions. Tavi is outed as his true self and finally is able to access his birthright of power to fantastic effect. His entire life has given him training to be outside of the norm and he brings that perspective to bear against every road block.

His is a great character full of integrity and a concern for his responsibilities. You can’t help but like him even if he has more luck than a field of 4 leaf clovers… I worry he is getting a little too powerful but the series is almost over so I guess I have no complaints.

Recommendation

Great book.

Cursor’s Fury

Background

Cursor’s Fury is the third book in Jim Butcher’s Codex Alera series. It is set in a world where people can bond with elemental spirits called furies. Tavi is a young man who does not have a fury, but he is still determined to be a soldier at the request of the First Lord. He joins a new legion and is sent on a mission to investigate a rebellion. Along the way, he learns more about himself and his abilities. He also makes new friends and allies, and he comes to realize that he is capable of great things in spite of the powers he lacks.

Cursor's Fury
Cursor’s Fury

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed this book. Jim Butcher did a great job imbuing Tavi with a good heart and spun a great tale demonstrating how adversity can strengthen someone and prepare them for bigger and better things.

The book itself is a great story but it is building to an even bigger climax in the later books. I’m excited to see where it goes.

Recommendation

Great book. I really enjoyed it.

The Witch’s Vacuum Cleaner and Other Stories

Background

The Witch’s Vacuum Cleaner and Other Stories is a collection of short stories by Terry Pratchett, first published in 1987. The short stories are set in a variety of different worlds, and feature a wide range of characters, from witches to wizards to pirates.

The Witch's Vacuum Cleaner
The Witch’s Vacuum Cleaner

My Thoughts

I enjoyed some of these stories such as the Trolls hunting for their crown jewel but some just felt like they needed a lot more story. These read like Terry Pratchett’s lost idea book though he did capitalize on some of the stories for later books. In that sense, it felt like Tolkien’s “The Silmarillion”. There just wasn’t enough there really get grounded and enjoy the story.

Recommendations

Pratchett is a master story teller but the shorter stories didn’t give quite the punch that I’d come to expect from his work.

Academ’s Fury

Background

Academ’s Fury is the second book in the Codex Alera series by Jim Butcher. It takes place two years after the events of the first book, Furies of Calderon. The story follows Tavi, a young man who has no furycrafting abilities, but is still determined to protect his people from the dangers they face. In this book, Tavi is a student at the Alera Imperial Academy, where he is training to become a Cursor, one of the First Lord’s elite spies. He also serves as the First Lord’s page, and is privy to many of the secrets of the realm. As the book progresses, Tavi must use all of his courage and resourcefulness to save his people from a new threat that is even more dangerous than the ones they faced before.

Academ's Fury
Academ’s Fury

My Thoughts

Much like the first book, it took a minute to get this one going but it did hook me after a bit.

It finally dawned on me that this series features the main character who has no magic in a world of people who do, which is in nice juxtaposition to the Dresden Files where the protagonist is the only person with magic in a world without. Sorry Mr. Butcher, I’m a little slow sometimes.

The evil in this book amounts to the same as zombies though of a decidedly different flavor. I’ve always thought the zombie to be the least frightening of the monsters. However, the whole concept of something that is already dead, that you can’t kill, that you can’t reason with, that wants to take the “you” from you does make a good monster.

Recommendation

As the 2nd book, I feel like the series is just getting going.

Furies of Calderon

Background

Furies of Calderon is the first novel in the Codex Alera series by Jim Butcher, published on October 5, 2004. The story takes place in the Aleran Empire, where people can bond with elemental furies to gain elemental powers. Tavi is a young man who lacks any furycrafting abilities, but he is determined to prove himself to his family and his people. When the Marat horde, a savage and warlike people, invades the Calderon Valley, Tavi must use all of his courage and resourcefulness to save his home and his people.

Furies of Calderon
Furies of Calderon

My Thoughts

This book took me a long time to get into and I’m still not quite hooked. I loved Jim Butcher’s “Dresden Files” series so I’m going to hang with it till the end. However, this book was pretty long winded and didn’t really have the same whimsy that I came to expect from the author.

Recommendation

I’m on the fence with this one.

Dodger

Background

Dodger is a historical fiction novel by Terry Pratchett, set in early Victorian London. It was first published in 2012. The story follows the adventures of Dodger, a young orphan who lives in the slums of London. Dodger is a clever and resourceful boy, and he uses his wits to survive on the streets. One day, Dodger meets a young woman named Simplicity, who is being pursued by her abusive husband. Dodger helps Simplicity to escape, and the two of them set out on a journey to find a new life together. Along the way, they encounter a variety of characters, including Charles Dickens, Henry Mayhew, and William Morris.

Dodger
Dodger

My Thoughts

This book had me thinking in a cockney accent for a full day after I was done. The story itself is somewhat like Forrest Gump as the main character “Dodger” keeps blundering into historical events and people. However, it is forgivable because he is just such a likeable person as a whole.

I think there is something very primal about a man with integrity and a code of honor. Dodger is definitely a thief but has a Robin Hood like view of wealth redistribution and he genuinely cares for people. It’s fun to see him put in all types of circumstances and particularly facing the usual traps and pitfalls of youth.

I was also surprised by the publication date as there is a good deal of stereotyping of Jewish people in the character of Solomon. Perhaps it was historically accurate though…

Recommendation

Slightly unbelievable but I enjoyed it.