Treachery, magic, and war are woven together in a fascinating tapestry as forces that truly live up to the word fury collide in Alera. Amidst this storm, Tavi, the hero from the prior novels in the Codex Alera series, finds himself working undercover and commanding a legion of troops. As before, he continues to wrestle with his prepossessing handicap of having no furycraft. Since he is the sole person in his land with such a "defect", it makes hiding his identity infinitely more challenging, but it also teaches him something.

Meanwhile, family faces their own challenges as war comes ever closer to being an actualized event. When the hidden truths behind the conflict emerge, even the most stout-hearted warrior will know fear.

Mr. Butcher's talent is something that cannot be disputed. He is able to build worlds that are vastly different from each other. Whether it is the Roman Empire like world of Alera or the laid-back, Jim Rockford with magic of the Dresden Files, he injects an air of reality into his fantasy that keeps the reader coming back for more.

Synopsis
The power-hungry High Lord of Kalare has launched a rebellion against the aging First Lord, Gaius Sextus, who with the loyal forces of Alera must fight beside the unlikeliest of allies - the equally contentious High Lord of Aquitaine.

Meanwhile, young Tavi of Calderon joins a newly formed legion under an assumed name even as the ruthless Kalare unites with the Canim, bestial enemies of the realm whose vast numbers spell certain doom for Alera. When treachery from within destroys the army's command structure, Tavi finds himself leading an inexperienced, poorly equipped legion - the only force standing between the Canim horde and the war-torn realm.