Jim Butcher – Academ’s Fury

The second book in the Codex Alera series, published July 5, 2005.
Genre: fantasy
Cover: good



In Furies of Calderon, bestselling author Jim Butcher introduced readers to a world where the forces of nature take physical form. But now, it is human nature that threatens to throw the realm into chaos...
For centuries, the people of Alera have harnessed the furies – elementals of earth, air, fire, water, wood, and metal – to protect their land from aggressors. But no fury can save them from the dangers they face within. A mysterious attack from across the sea has weakened the First Lord. Should he fall, a bloody civil war is inevitable. The responsibility of fending off assassination attempts and treachery within the First Lord’s circle of spies falls on Tavi, the one man with no fury to call ...


As soon as I finished writing my review of the first book, I stared this one. Two years have passed, and all their lives have changed. Bernard is now a Count, and the militairy leader of the region. His sister is the very first female Steadholder and a Citizen in her own right. And Tavi has gone to the Academy, to study how to be a Cursor. Amara and Bernard have fallen in love, and when duty allows it, they spend some time together.

But when Tavi and Kitai were in the Wax Forest, they awoke a big evil, and it is on the loose now, killing people and taking their bodies over, creating an army for its own purpose. It made me think of the Borg from Star Trek. They are so difficult to fight, and lots of people die.
Doroga and his tribe set out to find and kill them. They are the ancient evil that has almost killed all of their people three times before. When he does not succeed, and loses most of his tribe, he comes to Bernard to warn him and ask for his help. They will have to find and kill the Vord Queen before she spawns more Queens who will fly out in one week time.

When his aunt Isana finds out that Tavi might be in danger from one of those creatures, she leaves at once to warn the First Lord of this danger, see Tavi, and also get some help back home to fight those creatures before it is too late. But Isana herself is in danger as well. As the only female Steadholder, she has a great political importance. And with the First Lord in danger of being de-throned, being her ally or causing her death is of a great consequence to the High Lords of the Realm.
With the help of a female Cursor, who is one of the most famous Courtesans in the country, and a retired Knight, Isana tries to get a hold of the First Lord and of Tavi. Unsuccessfully. As time is short, she has no choice but to go into the lions den to seek other people’s help in gaining an audience with the First Lord.

Tavi is doing well in the Academy, as the First Lord’s protegée, and his personal page. But he has made a nasty enemy out of one of the other students. Benis hates him for being a freak, being without a fury himself. Luckily for Tavi he has some loyal friends as well, who are also studying to become a Cursor. But when the First Lord becomes comatose after overextending himself with furycrafting, it is up to Tavi to keep it all secret to avoid a civil war. The First Lord still has no heir after all.

And then there is the Ambassador of the Cane, an enemy of the Alerans. He sure tries to tell Tavi something important, not acting in character at all. And when Tavi doesn’t listen good enough, or act quickly enough, he makes sure that Tavi has no choice but to come after him.

And the biggest surprise for Tavi is Kitai. He doesn’t know it yet, but he bonded with her in the first book when he saved her life in the wax forest. And now he finds her in the city, when he tries to capture a notorious thief. This is a good thing, as he really needs her help getting his friend Max out of jail.


I loved this book. It is so full of action and danger, and then those creepy creatures, the Vord. Bernard and Amara lose so many of their people, fighting them. And Isana faces so many dangerous situations, and necessity forces her to make a deal with the devil himself to save her brother. I really felt for her, but she is such a strong woman.
My suspicions about Tavi’s heritage are stronger than ever, it is almost confirmed at this point. But he still has no magic of his own, no fury to call. So I wonder if that will ever happen.

I really enjoyed the parts with Tavi and his friends, and of course with Kitai. I love where their storyline is going. Bernard lost so many good people in the fight, some characters I really did not expect to, died. But thanks to the waterfuries, they are able to mend the most grievous of wounds, so other people miraculously survive.

The bad guy in the first book appears in this one as well, he is still dedicated to his cause, and to the Aquitaines, even though they disregard his personal safety by ordering him to the capital and the Citadel. I liked his conversation with Isana as well, after he has kidnapped her/saved her life.

I will read book 3 very soon. I do recommend this series.

9 stars.

© 2014 Reviews by Aurian