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calbowen's review against another edition
5.0
I enjoyed the series as a whole - there were twists and turns and I liked that - and things were wrapped up completely and I am not left with anything unanswered - this was the final battle and the results of everything within the series and I feel that things came full circle quite well - without spoiling, there is a scene near the end of the book that calls back directly to the beginning of the series - though intentional (I'm Sure) I wonder if Jim Butcher knew how symbolic it would be when it happened in book one, or if he made it so six years later - either way it worked well, and was a completely cool way to end the battle - the epilogue was unneeded, but I know that there are people that want the final resolutions that are not within the general chapters of the story - but, as a whole, this was a fun and interesting journey that has come to a close - I wonder if there will be a second series later in the timeline or if this is it for Alera - but well done, and highly recommended for High Fantasy lovers.
hirvimaki's review against another edition
5.0
After a seeming loss of steam in Princeps' Fury, which wandered about a bit too much for my tastes, this was an excellent book which brought the series to a satisfying end. Kind of an all-action-all-the-time wrap-up. This book is gorgeous in its descriptions, exciting and suspenseful, and filled with hope and heartache. Butcher is not afraid to kill off characters for the sake of the story. And this is Butcher at his over-reaching story arc best. I love when a plot can come full-circle, both figuratively and literally. I highly recommend this series.
shandyt's review against another edition
3.0
Book review: 3.5 stars (rounded down)
Series review: 3.5 stars
I didn't have high hopes for this series after the first book, but was told to stick it out with the assurance that things got better over time, and that the last two books were the highlight of the series. Things did get somewhat better after book 1, with a noticeable jump in quality between books 1 and 2, but they never quite lived up to my expectations. The series remains what I'd call "bog standard fantasy." There are only a few truly complex characters, the plots are simple, and the pacing alternates between boring filler and speeding through sections it would have been interesting to see more detail from. The rules of magic seem to twist to fit whatever scenario they need to, and certain revelations in the last couple of books smack of deus ex machina. I also disagree with the assessment that the last two books are the best. Book 3, Cursor's Fury, was my favorite by a considerable margin. It had the most intriguing setup, the tightest plot, and didn't spend too long on extraneous side characters.
That's a major problem I had with the series overall. Few of the side characters are actually interesting. Worse is that while Tavi's story is the pillar on which the series stands, Tavi himself is just... not that compelling of a character. If you cut out those side plots, I'm not sure he could carry the series by himself. In fact, the whole series is somehow shallow in a way that's hard to define. None of these books are short, and yet it's like they don't manage to actually say much in all that time. We miss out on details and backstory in favor repeating things we already knew, and getting mired in endless, endless battles. There's no true backbone to these books. No real heart.
What follows are my more specific complaints about this book and the series in general, which naturally contain spoilers.
-Furies are never explored or explained in detail. Why are some furies more powerful than others? Are all of them sentient? Do they "follow" their owners when they travel, or are they tied to specific trees/rocks/bodies of water? If so, how is Isana's fury Rill (presumably named after the Rillwater River) able to manifest in other parts of the world? Why did furies resonate only with Alerans, and not with any of the native races of Carna? Why did it take so long for "great furies" to be introduced? Why are some furies named and others not? (I don't buy the idea that it's a city vs countryside thing; what social impetus is there to make such a distinction? I honestly think it came about because Butcher realized after Book 1 that he'd have to name a lot more furies, and ran out of steam or thought no one would be able to keep track of it.)
-I was a little surprised at the inclusion of different species, even when I first encountered the Marat. The Canem race are another rung down the ladder into cheese, the point where I have to start wondering what they truly contribute to the story and setting. Don't get me started on the Icemen. Why were they a thing at all? Why were they necessary? And who the heck were the Children of the Sun, or whatever? If you're not going to explore them as a race, why mention them at all? I half suspect Butcher had to include them because he'd mentioned them offhandedly in Book 1.
-The Vord are too cheesy as an Ultimate Enemy, basically reskinned Borg. They're always just a bit better than you, smarter than you, faster than you, and oh, look! They can do furycrafting now! The prime queen's "becoming defective" plot was marginally interesting, but it never gets taken to a place where you actually wonder whether she'll change her ways or not. Wasted potential there.
-A lot of plotlines and "realities" get dropped without enough exploration. Isana is a stooge of the Aquitaines, until she kind of... isn't. She didn't resolve to break free, or tell them she refused to be their puppet. She just stopped working for them, and it went largely unremarked upon. Similarly, Max calls out Tavi on the problematic nature of his and Kitai's relationship and specifically warns him against having children out of wedlock. Then that exact thing happens, and no one has much of anything to say about it. Why make such a big deal about Max's bastardy and the potential of Tavi and Kitai's relationship to upset the balance of society if it's not going to come to anything in the end?
-So. Many. Injuries. Yes, it's true that injury is cheap when you have watercrafters around to fix you up and send you back into the fight, but I swear most of the main characters spend more time sick or injured than healthy. Amara in particular seems to hurt herself every time she goes up against an enemy in physical combat. Isana gets run through, and there's that interminable section where she's trying to save Araris from infection. I almost wanted him to die just so we could get it over with! Even worse was Gaius Sextus's Swamp Quest. What an absolute drag.
-Almost nothing was a surprise. I guessed who Tavi was, I guessed that Isana was his mother, I guessed that she was secretly married to Septimus, I guessed that Tavi (and by extension Kitai) would get furycrafting, I guessed that they would have a kid (and what a perfunctory plotline, by the way).
-The best, most interesting characters (Fidelius, Max, Sextus) were underused. In fact, most characters were underused, aside from Isana and Amara, whom I could have done with less of.
-Not enough battle tactics or discussion thereof, for a series largely centered around Romanesque legions. Tavi pulls off all these sneaky gambits, but we never get any real lead-up to the payoff. He just outmaneuvers everyone without explanation or precedent. Also, an awful lot of soldiers get chewed up over the course of the series. I understand that a period of service is mandatory, but still. It seems like with the number of deaths described, there should be no young men of marrying age left when the war is over.
-The stakes were too low. That seems odd to say about a series in which 9/10 of the Canem and a huge number of Alerans are slaughtered, but how many of the casualties were main characters? You never had to wonder whether Isana or Amara or Bernard would make it out of a battle alive, much less Kitai or Tavi. Not even the truly extraneous characters like Ehren, Max/Crassus, or Magnus died. In fact, the only "good guy" death in the last book of any note that I remember was Foss, the legion healer. Aquitainus Attis' death was probably the best major death in the series, better than Invidia's, the Vord Queen's, or even Gaius Sextus's death. And that's really a shame. The complete aversion to any sort of risk taking makes an already shallow series seem that much more superficial.
-It wasn't an issue in FLF as much as the previous two books, but there were, again, a number of repeated words, a few misused words, and the occasional typo. These mistakes only contributed to the impression that Butcher's entire investment in this series was limited, perhaps even perfunctory. And for as long as all of these books are, and as long as it takes to read the series, that's just disappointing.
Series review: 3.5 stars
I didn't have high hopes for this series after the first book, but was told to stick it out with the assurance that things got better over time, and that the last two books were the highlight of the series. Things did get somewhat better after book 1, with a noticeable jump in quality between books 1 and 2, but they never quite lived up to my expectations. The series remains what I'd call "bog standard fantasy." There are only a few truly complex characters, the plots are simple, and the pacing alternates between boring filler and speeding through sections it would have been interesting to see more detail from. The rules of magic seem to twist to fit whatever scenario they need to, and certain revelations in the last couple of books smack of deus ex machina. I also disagree with the assessment that the last two books are the best. Book 3, Cursor's Fury, was my favorite by a considerable margin. It had the most intriguing setup, the tightest plot, and didn't spend too long on extraneous side characters.
That's a major problem I had with the series overall. Few of the side characters are actually interesting. Worse is that while Tavi's story is the pillar on which the series stands, Tavi himself is just... not that compelling of a character. If you cut out those side plots, I'm not sure he could carry the series by himself. In fact, the whole series is somehow shallow in a way that's hard to define. None of these books are short, and yet it's like they don't manage to actually say much in all that time. We miss out on details and backstory in favor repeating things we already knew, and getting mired in endless, endless battles. There's no true backbone to these books. No real heart.
What follows are my more specific complaints about this book and the series in general, which naturally contain spoilers.
Spoiler
-Tavi is too perfect. I have a lot of experience with the "sooooo smart" variety of hero (see Kvothe), but Tavi is an egregious one. Few of his plans ever end in disaster, nor does he ever have to fumble his way to success through trial and error, except in the matter of furycraft, a skill with which he winds up with godlike ability anyway. He never really has to cope with the guilt of his decisions or the burden of leadership in anything more than a superficial way. One thing that's particularly galling is that it's barely acknowledged that he (and Kitai) are responsible for the Vord invasion that decimates two entire species' populations. When Kitai mentions it at the end of this book, Tavi's only reaction is mild chagrin, like, "You're never going to let me live that one down, are you?" I can only think that if Varg knew that Tavi was responsible for the deaths of 90% of his people, he wouldn't take the issue so lightly. Tavi is presented as heroic, but I think that's only possible because a deeper examination of his character would reveal that his "goodness" is quite shallow indeed.-Furies are never explored or explained in detail. Why are some furies more powerful than others? Are all of them sentient? Do they "follow" their owners when they travel, or are they tied to specific trees/rocks/bodies of water? If so, how is Isana's fury Rill (presumably named after the Rillwater River) able to manifest in other parts of the world? Why did furies resonate only with Alerans, and not with any of the native races of Carna? Why did it take so long for "great furies" to be introduced? Why are some furies named and others not? (I don't buy the idea that it's a city vs countryside thing; what social impetus is there to make such a distinction? I honestly think it came about because Butcher realized after Book 1 that he'd have to name a lot more furies, and ran out of steam or thought no one would be able to keep track of it.)
-I was a little surprised at the inclusion of different species, even when I first encountered the Marat. The Canem race are another rung down the ladder into cheese, the point where I have to start wondering what they truly contribute to the story and setting. Don't get me started on the Icemen. Why were they a thing at all? Why were they necessary? And who the heck were the Children of the Sun, or whatever? If you're not going to explore them as a race, why mention them at all? I half suspect Butcher had to include them because he'd mentioned them offhandedly in Book 1.
-The Vord are too cheesy as an Ultimate Enemy, basically reskinned Borg. They're always just a bit better than you, smarter than you, faster than you, and oh, look! They can do furycrafting now! The prime queen's "becoming defective" plot was marginally interesting, but it never gets taken to a place where you actually wonder whether she'll change her ways or not. Wasted potential there.
-A lot of plotlines and "realities" get dropped without enough exploration. Isana is a stooge of the Aquitaines, until she kind of... isn't. She didn't resolve to break free, or tell them she refused to be their puppet. She just stopped working for them, and it went largely unremarked upon. Similarly, Max calls out Tavi on the problematic nature of his and Kitai's relationship and specifically warns him against having children out of wedlock. Then that exact thing happens, and no one has much of anything to say about it. Why make such a big deal about Max's bastardy and the potential of Tavi and Kitai's relationship to upset the balance of society if it's not going to come to anything in the end?
-So. Many. Injuries. Yes, it's true that injury is cheap when you have watercrafters around to fix you up and send you back into the fight, but I swear most of the main characters spend more time sick or injured than healthy. Amara in particular seems to hurt herself every time she goes up against an enemy in physical combat. Isana gets run through, and there's that interminable section where she's trying to save Araris from infection. I almost wanted him to die just so we could get it over with! Even worse was Gaius Sextus's Swamp Quest. What an absolute drag.
-Almost nothing was a surprise. I guessed who Tavi was, I guessed that Isana was his mother, I guessed that she was secretly married to Septimus, I guessed that Tavi (and by extension Kitai) would get furycrafting, I guessed that they would have a kid (and what a perfunctory plotline, by the way).
-The best, most interesting characters (Fidelius, Max, Sextus) were underused. In fact, most characters were underused, aside from Isana and Amara, whom I could have done with less of.
-Not enough battle tactics or discussion thereof, for a series largely centered around Romanesque legions. Tavi pulls off all these sneaky gambits, but we never get any real lead-up to the payoff. He just outmaneuvers everyone without explanation or precedent. Also, an awful lot of soldiers get chewed up over the course of the series. I understand that a period of service is mandatory, but still. It seems like with the number of deaths described, there should be no young men of marrying age left when the war is over.
-The stakes were too low. That seems odd to say about a series in which 9/10 of the Canem and a huge number of Alerans are slaughtered, but how many of the casualties were main characters? You never had to wonder whether Isana or Amara or Bernard would make it out of a battle alive, much less Kitai or Tavi. Not even the truly extraneous characters like Ehren, Max/Crassus, or Magnus died. In fact, the only "good guy" death in the last book of any note that I remember was Foss, the legion healer. Aquitainus Attis' death was probably the best major death in the series, better than Invidia's, the Vord Queen's, or even Gaius Sextus's death. And that's really a shame. The complete aversion to any sort of risk taking makes an already shallow series seem that much more superficial.
-It wasn't an issue in FLF as much as the previous two books, but there were, again, a number of repeated words, a few misused words, and the occasional typo. These mistakes only contributed to the impression that Butcher's entire investment in this series was limited, perhaps even perfunctory. And for as long as all of these books are, and as long as it takes to read the series, that's just disappointing.
yodamom's review against another edition
5.0
Oh Mr. Butcher, You are so good, you left me in sad/happy tears. I hated to say goodbye to Tavi after spending a year with him and his companions. I loved and hated them, they became a part of me. His story ended so well, so beautifully weaved through horrors, happiness and heartbreaks. I was there riding the moving earth with him and I was there for the signing of the final contract. What an amazing trip it has been.
eryal's review against another edition
5.0
So sad the series is over with. I was wanting it to never end! But alas all good things come to an end. And I greatly enjoyed the series.
agnewjacob120's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
katieinca's review against another edition
3.0
Fun, and keeping in tone with the rest of the series. I think I just expected it to have a little more emotional impact, since I'd been with these characters for six books. I'm a big crier, and I shed not a tear during this one.
mlenore's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
dromwald's review against another edition
4.0
Following the fate of Tavi and his companions over this series of books has been a long one but a journey I have enjoyed immensely. Jim Butcher has created a fantastic world for his characters to inhabit with some unique enemies to keep them busy. There were times when I thought the journey could have been a bit shorter and the story would not have suffered for it, then the author would throw something into the mix to grab back my interest.
I'm looking forward to exploring more of this author's work.
I'm looking forward to exploring more of this author's work.
jdrizzle44's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0