First Lord's Fury
Jim Butcher
Ace, Nov 2009, $25.95
ISBN: 9780441017690

Having come a long way since he was a fifteen years old shepherd assistant concerned with preventing predatory "herdbanes" from stealing his sheep, Gaius "Tavi" Octavian must find a way to unite ancient enemies to fight against the evil Vord. He knows none of those who he recruits will be docile like his sheep was; which is a positive in the sense of saving the world from destruction yet also a negative because each has a previous grudge with their new ally. Making matters worse for the recently named First Lord of Alera he has learned the Vord has swamped the Canim Blood Lands. To prove he is worthy of his title, Tavi must rally the forces in a desperate final defense in the Calderon Valley where his ascendancy and his people's dependency started.

Meanwhile all the news he receives s disheartening with desertions expected as the Vord Queen has gained control over elemental Furies; a magic that previously only those of Aleran blood could perform. Still Tavi knows he has no choice but to send people to die in battle so that others may survive; still not grasping idiots from within his side are betraying Alera.

This is an entertaining and great super finish to the Codex Alera coming of age fantasy saga. The story line is fast-paced and ties up the major overarching threads in a satisfactory way summed up by Kitai the female Marat who upon a Tavi explanation on a ceremony says "Alerans" in a frustrated mocking tone that denotes the word is a curse. Fans will relish the saga as Jim Butcher leaves Dresden in its' respective urban fantasy setting for an exciting quest fantasy.

Harriet Klausner