The third book in the Codex Alera picks up another 2 years after the conclusion of the first and continues the parallel story lines approach with the main story featuring Tavi growing in influence and authority and the side story featuring rebellion amongst the nobility and the First Lords machinations to stop this.
In the main plot Tavi has become a cursor (a spy for the First Lord) and is researching the ways their ancestors (the lost Roman legion) lived without magic/furycraft. This peaceful life is ruined when he is instead tasked to join the newly formed First Aleran Legion under the name Rufus Scipio as a lowly ranked officer. The idea being that this legion is out of the way and it gives Tavi a chance to learn more about Alera and the military and build support.
Of course, that doesn’t work out and instead he finds himself facing a Canim invasion (giant wolf men with ritualistic magic abilities) and heading up the legion after pretty much every other office gets killed.
The secondary plot connects to the first as the invasion of Canim is timed in support of attacks by the High Lord Kalare that include attacks on Tavi’s family, and the kidnapping of the High Lady Placida and the daughter of the High Lord Aquitane to act as hostages preventing them marching to stop his attack on the city of Ceres.
Tavi’s plotline is excellent as he manages to cover up his own lack of magic with skill and ability. He once again manages to defeat an enemy much greater than himself through tactical genius and by inspiring loyalty in those around him including the veteran legionnaire Valiar Marcus (and there’s a plot twist right at the end about Marcus’s identity…).
The secondary plot is also stronger in this book featuring Amara and Bernard having to team up with the enemy in the shape of Lady Aquitane, the spy Rook, and the witch Odiana to rescue the kidnap victims. This plot is helped by the awareness that Invidia Aquitane is a backstabbing bitch so it’s amusing to see double and triple crosses.
The final plot string is one of my favourite bits in the series – Fade is poisoned and dying and the only chance to save him is if Isana spends days/weeks in a constant attempt to heal him. This little plot in the background brings out their true feelings as Isana realises that Araris/Fade has always loved her and always felt guilt that he couldn’t save Septimus because he chose to protect her instead. This makes Isana realise that she has also grown to love Araris and she forces him to choose to live because if he wants to die she will go with him because she won’t let him go alone. It also acknowledges her own guilt about restricting Tavi’s magic out of a desire to protect him and about not letting him know she’s his mother.
This is another good book in the series and sets up the bigger narrative in a way that just makes you head straight for the next book