This takes up the story directly after the events of book
three, Cursors Fury, and all the main dramatis personae are
there. Tavi is revelling in his new-found abilities, while his relatives are busy
finishing off the chief rebel from book three. The intrigue is ratcheted up a notch, and
Tavi is soon removed from command of the Legion he commanded for most of the preceding
adventure as he refuses to countenance gross stupidity. He still uses his brain more than
the average Aleran, and carefully guards the secret of who he is (Tavi, the furyless
Aleran) as well as a couple of other secrets. Well, one he decides to exploit to the full
when almost all other options are closed to him. The Canim are still ensconced in Alera,
and driving them out is the prime concern of most of the powerful and the Senate too. The
slaves the Alerans kept are in revolt and have thrown in their lot with the Canim, if only
because they are better treated. (It is difficult reviewing this book without giving away
too many of the salient plot points from the previous.) Lets just say that Tavi is
more powerful and better connected that one might expect from the first books.
Once more intrigue takes centre stage, with factions jockeying for position to be the
ones in charge when the First Lord dies. The Canim are not the villains one might expect
them to be, and may an interesting change from the usual cardboard aliens (or meta-humans)
one typically meets in high fantasy. Like the others in the series, Captains
Fury is a worthwhile read, and I am frustrated that the story wont
finish until the end of the next book, which sees Tavi go into exile to help the Canim
defeat a common foe.
|