The Griffin or the Agate

    So, I'll admit I approached Jim Butcher's new release, Furies of Calderon, with a bit of apprehension. I've been making a lot of noise lately about how amazing a writer Butcher's turning out to be and that his Harry Dresden books should be considered some of the new classics of modern fantasy. But now he's stepping our of the first-person POV and leaving Harry, Murphy, and the rest of the crew behind to make a foray into the land of the fat, epic fantasy hardcover. What if he stumbles, if he doesn't make a smooth transformation? Forget my reputation as a reviewer, that and a dollar will get you the Sunday Daily News. No, I'm talking about my own potential disappointment here. This job forces me to read a whole slew of lousy books – I wouldn't like it at all if one of my stalwarts spit the bit. Can you empathize with my anxiety?
    Turns out I was worrying needlessly. Butcher switches mantles with nary a hitch to produce a solid, entertaining introduction to the world of Alera. In typical Butcher fashion Furies has numerous twists, betrayals, unlikely alliances, and surprises to keep a reader entranced and somewhat off balance. Political machinations and schemes begin to emerge as the aging Gaius Sextus, First Lord of Alera, has not provided an heir to his position. Even members of his Cursors, a sort of secret police, have turned against him and joined the would be rulers, setting the young but gifted Amara against her former teacher, Fidelias. While swords and other hand to hand weapons are the major part of warfare, the magic of the realm comes from elementals that are under the command of humans and bear the name Furies. For one young boy on a seemingly quiet homestead in the Calderon Valley, Furies are a source of frustration – because he has none of his own. When a poor decision involving a young girl lands him in the wrong place at the wrong time, Tavi realizes that the savage tribes of the Marat are invading his home. But what can one untrained, non-Furied boy do?
    One of Butcher's strengths has always been his ability to breathe life into his characters – not just giving them a quirk or two and sending them off like windup toys, but giving them abilities and flaws that both hamper and help them and, perhaps most importantly, staying true to them. Furies cruises along with numerous subplots that enhance rather than detract from the main thread, and, as usual, leaves the reader hungering for more. With Furies of Calderon Butcher proves he's not a one trick pony, and with the second book in the chute for Spring/Summer 2005 we might be seeing the emergence of a major player in the fat-book fantasy epic world.   §

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