In this extraordinary fantasy epic, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Dresden Files leads readers into a world where the fate of the realm rests on the shoulders of a boy with no power to call his own... 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, wood, and metal. But in the remote 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 horde—return to the Valley, Tavi’s courage and resourcefulness will be a power greater than any fury, one that could turn the tides of war...
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"I loved this book...action packed all the way through. I was never bored at all. I like the concept of the story and the world. The only complaint I have is that there are too many furies...it takes a fury to light a lamp or run a faucet? Just seemed lazy and like overkill on the author's part. I'm eager to start the next book!"
— Cheryl (5 out of 5 stars)
“Absorbing…Butcher does a thorough job of world building, to say nothing of developing his action scenes with an abundance of convincing detail. This page-turner bodes well for future volumes.”
— Publishers Weekly“Delivered by Kate Reading, this otherworldly story becomes an introspective look at the power of destruction through the eyes of a child. Reading’s ability to provide original characters with their own personalities and voices is apparent from the start, and her ability to relate those characters, no matter how futuristic and unfamiliar they may seem, is truly a marvel.”
— AudioFile“A real page-turner, with the classic plot of a kingdom threatened by both an outside invader and internal treachery enlivened by an abundance of original details and sheer storytelling gusto…A promising series launcher.”
— Booklist" Seriously I am so agitated with the NOISE between the sections in this book I couldn’t finish it , it made me so angry, if you ever listen while going to sleep DON’T get this one. The VERY LOUD STUPID music is unbearable "
— RMG22, 5/21/2018" A solid fantasy series, but not my absolute favorite. Certainly good enough for me to keep reading and see where he takes it. While I thought some of the characters were flat, the main character Tavi had enough interest for me to want to keep reading to figure out his story. I thought the world was well-drawn, though the overuse of the magical insta-heal is something that tends to bug me in fantasy novels and was certainly present here. I'll revisit this series, but maybe not immediately. "
— Emily, 2/20/2014" This was a... I don't know that fun is the right word...fantasy novel. It was a change from what most fantasy books seem to be and I loved that. I did find the story at times a little predictable and never felt compelled to get to the end of a chapter to see what happened before putting it down. For all that I still enjoyed it and always picked it back up again. "
— Vanessa, 2/15/2014" Having been a Harry Dresden fan I wasn't sure what to expect from this series but these fantasy books are wonderful. I could not put them down! "
— Trista, 2/2/2014" I like the storyline, but was not impressed with the writing itself. Which is odd, since I like Butcher's other series (Dresden Files). There was a lot of listening to characters puzzle things out ("If this, happens, then this, then if that, then maybe this?"), and using the same descriptions for a character every time someone met them (yes, her hair and skin are the same color, yes, it reminds you of a statue, I get it). But, whether it was because the story was really interesting or because it was an easy thing to listen to on my commute to work, I finished it. And I'm intrigued enough to listen to the next one. "
— Norah, 1/11/2014" As always, for me, Jim Butcher delivers! "
— Adam, 1/7/2014" Interesting fantasy novel. Magical powers have an different twist. Kept me guessing. "
— Candace, 1/4/2014" I love Jim Butcher's writing, but I'm not a big fantasy fan "
— Paige, 12/23/2013Jim Butcher is a martial arts enthusiast whose résumé includes a long list of skills rendered obsolete at least two hundred years ago. He turned to writing as a career because anything else probably would have driven him insane. He is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Dresden Files, the Codex Alera, and the Cinder Spires novels.
Kate Reading, named an AudioFile Golden Voice, has recorded hundreds of audiobooks across many genres, over a thirty–year plus career and won the prestigious Audie Award for Best Narration. Among other awards, she has been recognized as an AudioFile Magazine Voice of the Century, Narrator of the Year, Best Voice in Science Fiction and Fantasy, and winner of an Publisher’s Weekly’s Listen-Up Award. She records at her home studio, Madison Productions, Inc., in Maryland.