Jim Butcher: Furies of Calderon

Hi everyone

Furies of Calderon is het first book in The Codex Alera series, written by Jim Butcher. I read this on my e-reader.

"For a thousand years, the people of Alera have united against the aggressive and threatening races that inhabit the world, using their unique bond with the furies - elementals of earth, air, fire, water, and metal. But now, Gaius Sextus, First Lord of Alera, grows old and lacks an heir. Ambitious High Lords plot and maneuver to place their Houses in positions of power, and a war of succession looms on the horizon. Far from city politics in the Calderon Valley, the boy Tavi struggles with his lack of furycrafting. At fifteen, he has no wind fury to help him fly, no fire fury to light his lamps. Yet as the Alerans' most savage enemy - the Marat - return to the Valley, he will discover that his destiny is much greater than he could ever imagine. Caught in a storm of deadly wind furies, Tavi saves the life of a runaway slave named Amara. But she is actually a spy for Gaius Sextus, sent to the Valley to gather intelligence on traitors to the Crown, who may be in league with the barbaric Marat horde. And when the Valley erupts in chaos - when rebels war with loyalists and furies clash with furies - Amara will find Tavi's courage and resourcefulness to be a power greater than any fury - one that could turn the tides of war."

I liked this but I didn't love it.  

The characters were great, they were nuanced, relatable and well -developed. Tavi, in particular, is a compelling protagonist because of his lack of furycrafting, which forces him to rely on wit and courage instead of magic.
The magic is interesting (but I would like to know more about it) and the worldbuilding is solid and immersive.

The plot felt rather thin and predictable. Some things were repeated too often, which started to grate on my nerves. That said, the pace is fast, and there’s plenty of action to keep things engaging, even if the story doesn’t surprise you much.

I will read the second book because the series has promise and I'm curious to see where it goes, but we'll see about reading the complete series after the second (or third) book.
Plus, since I really, really enjoy The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, I’m willing to give The Codex Alera series more of a chance. 

Have you read Furies of Calderon? Did you feel the same way, or did it grab you more than it did me? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy reading!
Helena