The Jim Butcher Files: Dresden . Codex Alera . Cinder Spires & More

[alansplace]

Monday, November 2, 2015
The Aeronaut's Windlass by Jim Butcher

The Aeronaut’s Windlass is the opening book of a new steampunk series by Jim Butcher, and I love it!

Butcher is well known for both The Dresden Files, a paranormal fantasy series about a modern-day wizard with a storefront business in Chicago, and The Codex Alera, a fantasy series about a boy who’s bullied and demeaned because he seems to have no magical ability. Both series were excellent, and The Dresden Files made it in a short-lived but enjoyable way to television.

Steampunk, the strange melding of Victoriana and a projection of steam and gear-based technology that never evolved (think clockwork man), is not a passion of mine. Love the aesthetic but the fictional occurrences haven't tickled my fancy. However, Jim Butcher. Enough said.

A few interesting characters draw you in immediately—a dishonored but eminently honorable airship captain, a young etherealist who sadly seems half mad, a bossy rich girl trying to rebel against social expectations, and a sheltered young woman who wants nothing but to stay home and talk to cats. Next thing you know, you’re a hundred pages in and have barely bothered to breathe. A fascinating world opens before you, where the planet’s surface is a frightening wasteland, long abandoned, and humanity lives within towering spires, traveling from one to another in airships powered by ethereal energy. Each spire has its own economy and culture, and political rivalries arise within and between them.

But it’s about more than politics. Something terrible is coming up from the surface, hiding in the tunnels of Albion Spire. Why now? And who's behind it? Our heroes must find the answers to these questions, and quickly, if they want to survive.

Fans of epic fantasy and science fiction will enjoy The Aeronaut’s Windlass—perhaps fans of nautical books too, because of the descriptions of shipboard life and the battles between airships. Also, fans of talking cats. (If you think that’s too cutesy, don’t worry—these cats are sweet and furry, yes, but also red in tooth, claw, and mind, like good hunters should be.)

Photo by Dennis Carr/Postal 67 via Flickr/creative commons

Posted by Stacy at 8:00 AM

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by BuyMore

I've voted for Aeronaut's Windlass in the Goodreads Choice Awards, even though I don't read the book.

So did I but I read the book first!

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by red_phoenix

I really want to re-read The Cinder Spires but I loaned my book ( I know, I'm on an e-reader forum but I just have to have a physical copy of Jim's books ) to a friend.

Do you mean that when you get a physical copy then you don't get an ebook?

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

I just received The Aeronaut's Windlass from my library, I have a couple hundred more pages to go in The Forever War by Joe Haldeman but I may end up taking a short break if I find what seems like a good stopping point. This surprised me since I was #3 in line this morning. I wonder if the others who were in line got tired of waiting and just bought it.

Perhaps the library owns more than one copy of the book!?

[red_phoenix]

Originally Posted by alansplace

Do you mean that when you get a physical copy then you don't get an ebook?

yes...I'll go sit in the corner and think about what I have done.

[Nyssa]

Stopping by to say hello. Haven't read much of anything in a while. Too busy with work and trying to get back to school. Seems every time I take a step forward, I'm pushed two steps back....I hope all are well.

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by Nyssa

Stopping by to say hello. Haven't read much of anything in a while. Too busy with work and trying to get back to school. Seems every time I take a step forward, I'm pushed two steps back....I hope all are well.

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by alansplace

Perhaps the library owns more than one copy of the book!?

I don't think that is it; they show how many copies there are total and how many total people are in line. I think either one or both of the people in front of me decided for one reason or another to not check it out (hopefully because they got if from elsewhere). It is possible one of them got their notification a few days ago and then didn't get it checked out in time. Either way, it helped me out so I am not complaining.

I am now ~30% into it and so far it has been very good. I am enjoying it more than Dresden. I have only read the first 3 Dresden Files books and then lost interest in them. I keep intending to go back but ...

Maybe I shouldn't mention that in this thread.

I should go hide now.

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

. . . I am now ~30% into it and so far it has been very good. I am enjoying it more than Dresden. I have only read the first 3 Dresden Files books and then lost interest in them. I keep intending to go back but ...

Maybe I shouldn't mention that in this thread.

I should go hide now.

No matter where you hide I'll find you!

[alansplace]

[alansplace]

[red_phoenix]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

I don't think that is it; they show how many copies there are total and how many total people are in line. I think either one or both of the people in front of me decided for one reason or another to not check it out (hopefully because they got if from elsewhere). It is possible one of them got their notification a few days ago and then didn't get it checked out in time. Either way, it helped me out so I am not complaining.

I am now ~30% into it and so far it has been very good. I am enjoying it more than Dresden. I have only read the first 3 Dresden Files books and then lost interest in them. I keep intending to go back but ...

Maybe I shouldn't mention that in this thread.

I should go hide now.

Originally Posted by alansplace

No matter where you hide I'll find you!

There's this Wizard guy that can find just about anything.

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by red_phoenix

There's this Wizard guy that can find just about anything.

You must mean this guy!

[eschwartz]

John Taylor (Nightside series, by Simon R. Green).

He isn't a wizard, though he is a detective...


Anyway.
He has the Ability (capital A) to find anything.
In addition to the usual finding of lost things:
He's "found" the bullets in someone else's gun so often it's now his party trick.
He's "found" his enemy's death (that was an alien disguised as a living house, trying to eat him).
He's threatened to "find" peoples' internal organs if they don't stop bothering him.
And much, much more.

(Now imagine how bad the Big Bads must be, if they can threaten him...)

Rather handy, this Finding Things.

[Toxaris]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

I don't think that is it; they show how many copies there are total and how many total people are in line. I think either one or both of the people in front of me decided for one reason or another to not check it out (hopefully because they got if from elsewhere). It is possible one of them got their notification a few days ago and then didn't get it checked out in time. Either way, it helped me out so I am not complaining.

I am now ~30% into it and so far it has been very good. I am enjoying it more than Dresden. I have only read the first 3 Dresden Files books and then lost interest in them. I keep intending to go back but ...

Maybe I shouldn't mention that in this thread.

I should go hide now.

The Dresden Files get better a lot after the first three books. Jim was still finding his stride in the beginning and learning the ropes. I would strongly advise to keep going. You will be hooked. You like his current writing style after all.