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.

The Long Earth

Background

The Long Earth is a science fiction novel by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter, first published in 2012. The story follows the adventures of a group of people who discover that they can step sideways into parallel universes that are almost identical to our own, but with subtle differences. The group uses this ability to explore these new worlds and to try to find a way to stop a mysterious force that is trying to destroy them.

The Long Earth was a critical and commercial success, and it was nominated for the Arthur C. Clarke Award. It has been praised for its humor, its originality, and its thought-provoking exploration of the nature of reality.

The Long Earth
The Long Earth

My Thoughts

This was such and interesting book and was one of those concepts you can step back and reflect on for some time. Terry Pratchett is a master of storytelling and really brought me into the story. Much can be extrapolated from the text; theories of evolution, science, chaos theory, multiverse, and so on.

Recommendation

Long but enjoyable.

The Carpet People

Background

The Carpet People is a comic fantasy novel by British writer Terry Pratchett. It was first published in 1971, and was later re-written by the author when his work became more widespread and well-known. The story follows the adventures of a group of small people who live on a carpet. The carpet is their world, and they have no knowledge of anything else.

The Carpet People
The Carpet People

My Thoughts

This was my first Terry Pratchett book and right from the beginning, I was hooked. I love his sense of humor and it is reflected in pretty much everything in the story. There are certainly some elements that are a little less refined and I’m curious to have read the original that he released when he was 17 to compare and contrast.

Recommendation

It was worth the time.

The Aeronaut’s Windlass

Background

Published in September of 2015, “The Aeronaut’s Windlass” by Jim Butcher is a steampunk adventure that follows the exploits of a group of characters as they navigate a world filled with airships, magic, and political intrigue.

The Aeronaut's Windlass
The Aeronaut’s Windlass

My Thoughts

I loved the “Dresden Files” series and so I thought I’d try another from the same author. This book started off pretty slow to me but picked up as it went along. I really enjoyed the new take on technologies, wildlife, and the world as a whole. Toward the end, I couldn’t get enough. I was sad to see the series hadn’t moved along for almost a decade.

Recommendation

I really enjoyed it.

Legacy Earth

Background

Published in September of 2021, “Legacy Earth” is a science fiction novel by author Mike Buzzell. Set in the year 2256, the story follows the adventures of a group of humans who have been living on a distant planet for generations after Earth was destroyed in a catastrophic event. When they discover evidence that Earth may still exist, a small team is sent on a dangerous mission to confirm the discovery and possibly reclaim their ancestral home. Along the way, they encounter unexpected allies and enemies, and must confront the consequences of the choices their ancestors made in order to survive. The novel explores themes of environmentalism, the search for identity and belonging, and the impact of technology on society.

Legacy Earth
Legacy Earth

My Thoughts

This was an interesting book as it took several liberties with history and the military to build out a possible scenario for the future. It took a bit to get started as the main character is a little too good for belief. He doesn’t seem to slow down as the book goes on but the other characters become more likeable as they become fleshed out. There were a few things that were discordant to me which likely shouldn’t have been given that it is set 500 years in the future. Still, my exposure to Marines makes me less-than-sympathetic to people who haven’t done their research on their culture. I got over it though.

Recommendation

It was a good enough book for me to get in the door to the series. Let’s see where it goes from here.

The Great Gatsby

Background

The Great Gatsby is a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald that tells the story of Jay Gatsby, a wealthy man known for throwing extravagant parties in 1920s New York. The narrator, Nick Carraway, becomes Gatsby’s neighbor and befriends him, learning of his mysterious past and his love for Nick’s cousin, Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby tries to win back Daisy’s heart, despite her marriage to the wealthy and unfaithful Tom Buchanan. The novel explores themes of love, wealth, power, and the corruption of the American Dream, culminating in a tragic and ultimately empty pursuit of a life that cannot be regained.

The Great Gatsby
The Great Gatsby

My Thoughts

That background was written by ChatGPT. I think it did a great job…

The book was quite the throwback and some of the thoughts were pretty jarring. (E.g. The treatment of Jewish characters and so on.) One can pull a number of lessons out of the text beyond the surface levels of money and power. The central notion of the fundamental character of people was so bleak that it was hard to read.

How much of our suffering is really for our own good? That’s a terrifying question when you stop to consider the implications.

Recommendations

It’s a classic so you should read it. However, I didn’t enjoy it.

The Fellowship of the Ring

Background

The Fellowship of the Ring is the first novel in J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic fantasy trilogy, The Lord of the Rings. The story begins in the peaceful Shire, where hobbit Frodo Baggins inherits a powerful and dangerous ring from his uncle Bilbo. Realizing the true nature of the ring, Frodo embarks on a perilous journey to destroy it in the fires of Mount Doom, aided by a fellowship of eight others, including the wizard Gandalf, the elf Legolas, the dwarf Gimli, and the humans Aragorn, Boromir, Merry, Pippin, and Sam. As they journey through treacherous terrain, they encounter dark forces in the form of the Ringwraiths, who are seeking the ring for their master, the evil Sauron. The Fellowship must overcome numerous obstacles and challenges in their quest to save Middle-earth from Sauron’s tyranny. (By ChatGPT)

The Fellowship of the Ring
The Fellowship of the Ring

My Thoughts

I ran a race Saturday and wanted to have something familiar to listen to while I ran. As this was a race, there usually isn’t a lot of brainpower to learn another story and this seemed to be a good choice. Also, my oldest son just finished it again in the last month so it’s good to keep up to date. The last time I read it, I was in the dentist’s chair so this was a little more comfortable.

Recommendation

It’s a classic… A little wordy at times and I can do without all the songs but a familiar story. I keep coming back!

Barbarian Lord

Background

Published in July of 2014, Barbarian Lord is a graphic novel of fighter who goes on adventures for honor and revenge.

Barbarian Lord
Barbarian Lord

My Thoughts

My son had read it and said my daughter had said it was basically He-Man in graphic novel form. So I was bound to read it. It didn’t take long at all to finish and I can’t say I’m a better person to have done so.

Visually, my daughter is correct. It is basically He-Man complete with a Skeletor-ish villain. However, there were some very graphic scenes in it which certainly wouldn’t have slipped by the censors of the early 80’s.

The plot was pretty sparce but you can’t really expect too much. It is basically a action movie in book form. (Spoiler alert, Barbarian Lord wins in the end…)

Recommendation

If this gets your kids to read then it’s all good. If not, you don’t need to spend any time with it.