Butcher prepared the end fight by creating the different magic abilities and their military equivalents of a mixed army of the good vs the uniform, enButcher prepared the end fight by creating the different magic abilities and their military equivalents of a mixed army of the good vs the uniform, endless forces of evil. There is still much room to play with the element of the armies in battles in Sci-Fi and fantasy and this is one of the freshest ideas, as it shows the advantages of both „quantity has a quality all its own“ and highly specialized elite forces.
Subjectively I would use mind controlled, brainwashed clone troops out of a pool of the best of the best of each magic fraction, integrate some random mutation by allowing them to mate, diversify a bit, evolve to newer forms, play with new spells and elemental power combinations, while staying draconian, but it´s each ones´ own choice how to build an individualized dark army.
The magic system evolved in a way that it was first more of a special trait to pimp characters and do worldbuilding and got more and more plot relevant during the series, to become one of the crucial factors for the conclusion.
I liked the badass girl/indulgent boy love that grew over the novels, a great example of how to play with character tropes. Nothing against strong women, but I believe that there are not many who could handle her as he does without being fearful of saying a wrong word with potentially fatal consequences. Not to forget the father in law, holy heck. Imagine what kind of species may evolve after hundreds of generations of mixing dark elves with magic humans.
There is some propaganda use of magic, something I could imagine handy in a dystopian fantasy setting, where earth-, wind-, water-, or fire (might get tricky, dangerous, and hot) magic and elemental powers could be used to spread propaganda or for forced, permanent indoctrination such as the displays and tech in Orwellian police state sci-fi.
(view spoiler)[ So what to do if your whole country is besieged and the enemy is coming closer? Many approaches, each one with its advantage and disadvantages and Butcher shows classic, real historical methods for doing it, just as with the military. Salting anything scorched earth policy style may seem like a desperate cry for help and close to a capitulation, but if one looks at how often it changed word history to a win for the ones who used it, it might be better to bulldoze and burn everything down than to leave anything intact. (hide spoiler)]
There seems to be no universal acclaim to the greatness of this series as it´s with behemoths like Sanderson, RoRoman legions rock the Pokemon house.
There seems to be no universal acclaim to the greatness of this series as it´s with behemoths like Sanderson, Rothfuß, Brett, Simmons, Williams,… and I guess one of the reasons for this is that there is nothing really new in this one while people got used to reading one genre revolution after the other.
So we have: The hive mind organism evil enemy, check. A frenemy whose culture is used to describe different societal systems, showing a kind of alternative higher future evolution of pack animals, check. The fighting system, a mixture of oldfashioned military discipline with elemental powers.
But I would say that this unique mixture of known ideas is something new too, with its complexity, interwoven plot lines, accessibility for readers of any age and simply Butchers´ amazing writing style, he didn´t study creative writing for nothing.
For the ones who are searching the next big new thing in fantasy, for one similar to the mentioned authors who break conventions and form subgenres, it might be just an average fantasy series. But for me, it was perfect and if one doesn´t want the next genre revolution, that is very probably dark and gritty, but an entertaining and oldfashioned piece of fast fantasy telling, it´s the pick of choice.
I had to think of Sandersons´ Laws of magic while reading the novels because there are more and more differences between oldfashioned worlds that use I had to think of Sandersons´ Laws of magic while reading the novels because there are more and more differences between oldfashioned worlds that use the inner character personalization universe as a contrast point in mixture with the world and the fantasy and the new works that unite all elements. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_an...
And I would subjectively say that the amalgamation of every aspect of the story in the character makes the works more complex and opens plot options that wouldn´t be possible if the intrinsic motivation of the protagonists isn´t directly linked to their abilities, superpowers, sheer will,...
This is of cause a huge matter and question of taste too, as some might like their magic info dumping separated from their beloved characters and their development curve and hero´s journey, but for the readers who like the more and more dominating quick, fast cut, cliffhangery, newer writing style, many of the new fantasy authors, who often do great characterization too, may be the revelation.
I do like the Canim, it may be possible that mammals evolve to higher intelligence, but don´t lose their instincts, scent, hierarchies, archaic warrior castes,… and it´s an interesting topic in Sci-Fi and fantasy, but a bit underrepresented in fantasy. The evil may be pure evil or something between or not evil in the real sense, just forced to do it, but a whole evolution of complex species is often more something for the main protagonists or their allies, not the standard orcs and evil minions.
In sci-fi, on the other hand, it´s logical that with the advanced technological development each fraction that is relevant to the plot has to have a certain military strength and the endless source for new ideas is creating fresh and tasty combinations of the level of how society, mentality, and tech cooperate.
Did I already fanboy about the Vord, an evil species I´ve already encountered in many Sci-Fi settings and that give the stereotypical „one evil emperoDid I already fanboy about the Vord, an evil species I´ve already encountered in many Sci-Fi settings and that give the stereotypical „one evil emperor rules them all“ setting a fresh, new look? Often, there is any kind of control over minions with willpower, psi-tech, dark energy, that is directly linked to the power of the dictator, a dark source, sacrificing victims,… and the similarities between Sci-Fi and Fantasy are big.
In Fantasy, it´s always something metaphysical that is powered externally or internally or both, for instance the genetic predisposition of the chosen one described in an old prophecy who controls anything using his mindfulness and inner powers. Or hate. For external power feeding, the god emperor needs land, minions, victims, commodities, temples, power of faith of as many enslaved and forced to pray as possible, etc. I don´t know if it´s also necessary that they truly believe or just do as if. The third combination is a kind of renewable energy mix of both, the mad magician who has some concentrated power in his amulets or his battery wand or anywhere, some places with magical powers, glowing minerals, and the life energy of minions or victims. But it´s all, scientifically speaking, highly speculative bad science and fringe science.
In Sci-Fi, there is a speculative, unproven, rea-life theoretical concept or a theory about something including quanta, other worlds, clarketech, multiverse, time travel,… that links the magic abilities with reality, gives it a better explanation than that the witch is witchy, and is often described in very detail.
So we are coming closer to the end of this series that is getting better and better and can be easily entered with each novel (except the spoilers of course), so why not give it a try? It´s totally worth it.
A good, old-fashioned fantasy series that doesn´t try to reinvent something, break with genre conventions, or be progressive, but instead tells a greaA good, old-fashioned fantasy series that doesn´t try to reinvent something, break with genre conventions, or be progressive, but instead tells a great story, has a cool magic system, an interesting enemy, and very good characterizations.
Oldschool fantasy aimed at YA It has become a bit difficult for fantasy authors who don´t go the dark way and make everything grimmer and dirtier, but stay instead with a bit of the cheerful, Tolkien, happy go lucky style, reminiscing the good old days when bad was bad and good was good.
Don´t compare it with the revolutionary stuff Some of the readers not liking this series may be simply too strict with it, because not every novel can or wants to be the next Rothfuss or Sanderson and I am sure that many are appreciating the conventional and entertaining way fantasy used to be told since just a few years ago.
Good combination I like the mixture of ideas, the avatars, and elementary powers, the evil Vord that will become a cool, evil collective intelligence, something a bit closer to Sci-Fi than to Fantasy, and a stylish, unusual enemy for the genre.
Give the thing a chance, Butcher is a great storyteller and hey, one can never run out of fantasy series. For instance, if there comes a time when nothing too seductive is waiting in the TBR.
This is a unique series, I could instantly describe a few happenings, settings and character progressions out of each part because everything fits so This is a unique series, I could instantly describe a few happenings, settings and character progressions out of each part because everything fits so perfectly together and is described in an ultimate Wow! style.
The enemies, my gosh, this is such a fresh setting and I love how the author got the idea for the whole series as someone told him in a kind of bet or joke or something he should write a novel including pokemon fighting characteristics.
The fighting scenes brought me to the idea of how many combinations may arise by integrating video game ideas and play mechanic in books and vice versa. And the rock paper scissor system with an intuitive understanding of when it might get hairy or an easy win, wonderful.
A sacrilege by the way: I prefer the Codex Alera series over the Dresden files, I would go so far as to say that the Dresden files are probably more a money printing machine than Codex Alera, that must have taken an immense effort in writing it. While the Dresden files are this one cynical character, wandering through the history of horror, mixing film noir with badass supercop attitude.
But in the Codex Alera, we have this high fantasy world, the coming of age character walking the hero´s journey, freaking cool abilities and settings and the feeling to be in an epic super battle mixture of famous TV- and video game series.
What makes this series unique is Butchers´ highly professional style, earned in long years of writing and study of creative writing and the wit, dynamWhat makes this series unique is Butchers´ highly professional style, earned in long years of writing and study of creative writing and the wit, dynamic, immense density of tropes, quick cuts, cliffhangers and a general ultra coolness of the main protagonist.
Like a history of the horror and suspense genre, as much as possible is included in as less space as necessary to culminate in the unique, quick and sometimes even philosophical new interpretation of the fantasy, werewolf, vampire, monster, etc. genre.
Another great example that crossover hybrids of popular genres are part of the future of writing because the restriction to just one genre with it´s unwritten rules is something that can reduce the potential for future super reads like that one.
Just as I can highly recommend the Codex Alera series, which has reinterpreted and reinvented parts of the fantasy genre, this series is a unique reading pleasure. Butcher seems to be amazing in crossing borders lines and creating new subgenres each time he writes a new series.
The evolution of genres is very interesting in this case, because out of Douglas Adams´ metaphysical Dirk Gently grew variations like Flavia de Luce by Alan Bradley, Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross, Thursday Next by Jasper Ffjorde, etc. Many horror and extreme horror novels deal with the crossover mix and I would put Rick and Morty in this row too. The mixture is always great, no matter if for kids or adults like me with, ahem, special reading interests.
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