For questions about "Codex Alera", a six book fantasy series written by Jim Butcher, following the fate of an empire of Roman magic-users, and the only boy who can't use magic.
The Codex Alera series consists of six novels:
- Furies of Calderon
- Academ's Fury
- Cursor's Fury
- Captain's Fury
- Princeps' Fury
- First Lord's Fury
The concept for the novels originated when writer Jim Butcher entered a debate as to whether writing a good story required a good idea to start with, or that a good story could be written even with a bad idea to base it on, with Butcher choosing the latter side. He was challenged to prove it could be done, and in response requested not one but two bad ideas to work from. He was given the lost Roman Legion, and Pokemon. Although not as popular as his Dresden Files series, the reception of the Codex Alera indicates he has successfully completed the challenge.
The setting is the continent of Alera, home to a thriving human civilization modeled after the old Roman Empire. Infused in everything about them are elemental spirits called furies, which can be claimed, channeled, and commanded by humans. Everyone has some small talent for furycrafting, even if just one element (earth, air, water, fire, wood, metal), and the setup of the Aleran nation moves those with the strongest and broadest talents to the top ranks of nobility and military command. The Legions of Alera serve the High Lords and keep the country safe from the many surrounding non-human and non-friendly nations, each with their own unique powers to contend with. At the beginning of the series, Alera is beginning to fragment, as the only heir to the First Lord is dead from a brief invasion by the savage and cannibal Marat tribes; the High Lords spend much of their time jockeying for political position to be highest when the First Lord finally falls.
Enter Tavi, a young shephard who seems to be the only Aleran to have zero ability to manipulate furies. At best he is treated as a simple child, unable to use even basic conveniences based on fury power; at worst he is mocked as a cripple and a freak. Raised by his uncle Bernard, who is a local leader, and aunt Isana, a healer and watercrafter of some renown, he learns to rely on his wits and intelligence to make up for his lack, dreaming of finding a place away from the frontier homestead where he thinks can use his potential to its full. As the series progresses, Tavi continually finds himself in more complicated situations where he should be powerless and outnumbered, but is able to outthink his enemies and take advantage of their overreliance on the power they possess.
The first plot kicks off when Amara, agent of the First Lord and skilled flier, barely escapes a traitor agent to find shelter at Tavi's steadholdt. Tavi himself finds evidence the Marat are planning another invasion, with Bernard injured and his home in the crosshairs. Pursued by assassins and savages alike, stumbling into proof that the two are linked in a plot to destabilize the kingdom, and meeting a Marat named Kitai that shows not all the Marat are as bloodthirsty, Tavi and his friends and family find themselves thrust into the key events and roles that will enable them to save their nation many times over.
More information and sample chapters can be found on the author's website. For other questions related to the author, try the jim-butcher or the-dresden-files tags.
