Was a sale on Amazon yesterday, and I used the chance to get my hands on Summer Knight and Death Masks. I've been going slow on this series because it was not avilable on Kindle when I started reading it, and getting books overseas seems like such an ordeal when there's an easy electronic alternative. Now, though, given how shot the books are, I can start making serious progress in the series.
Gotta say that Grave Peril was kinda bad, though. I hope later books are more like the first two (with tight, tense crime plots rather than a jumble of waaaay over the top action scenes).
Hmm. The investigative aspects are downplayed in the later books, but not to the series' detriment. It shifts in tone, as all of the plots from the earlier books' mysteries start feeding into each other, new information is revealed, etc.
The whole SERIES basically becomes one giant mystery, with each individual book having plots within plots and Harry getting swept up into them and nearly killed each time (until he starts kicking it up a notch and using his magic more creatively and intelligently).
Also, frsrs, don't even lie. You loved Grave Peril. It had a wizard riding a zombie t-rex to fight necromancers. You can't not love that.
Though on a more serious note yeah, other than that it was one of the weaker books to an extent. But it introduced some important concepts and a character (Butters).
Though i think he showed up once before, but Grave Peril was definitely the book taht elevated him from extra.
Was Grave Peril the one with the T-Rex? I thought that was later? Grave Peril is book 3, the one that introduces Thomas and Justine, and focuses on the Nightmare killer.
Oh, doy. Got Grave Peril and Dead Beat mixed up, my bad.
I don't remember particularly liking Grave Peril myself then, if it's the one with the nightmare guy.
Oh, doy. Got Grave Peril and Dead Beat mixed up, my bad.
I don't remember particularly liking Grave Peril myself then, if it's the one with the nightmare guy.
Could be worse, I managed to get Dead Beat and Good Omens (You know, the book by Pratchett and Gaiman, not Butcher) mixed up somehow earlier today... man did I feel stupid after that.
Grave Peril was actually my introduction to the series, which I see as a good thing. I enjoyed it enough to pick up books 1, 2 and 4, and enjoyed them even more. If I'd started with Storm Front and got to Grave Peril in the order it's meant to be reached, I suspect I probably would have been far less likely to pick up the following books.
And yeah, Dead Beat was awesome. That one scene alone had me nearly cheering while I was reading it.
At some point I really need to catch up with the series.
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Yeah the dead T-Rex thing sounded like something I should remember, and it confused me that I didn't. At least now I know I have to read at least until dead beat.
It's good to here that Grave Peril was a weak one. It's not exactly that I specifically want more investigation, it's that I want less "Dresden and another 3 random people face off an entire mansion full of vampires and win". Also, the book was cluttered with too many things going on, to the point where it just felt silly. So Harry has an evil godmother from the nevernever, and also there are the vampires and that dragon dude who appeared for one scene, and then there are Jesus powers in the story now, and there's this forgettable nightmare villain... it felt a little like the entire point of the book was to set up things that come later.
Also, searching "Summer Knight" in Amazon yielded some very unexpected results.
Yeah, there are a lot of things set up in Grave Peril that get explained or pay off later, and a few that haven't yet.
That said, "Harry (and sometimes an ally or handful of allies) overcome overwhelming odds" does pop up again pretty frequently. About as often as someone else coming and pulling his bacon out of the fire at the last second, really. I think the series mostly avoids putting Harry up on a pedestal by alternating between pretty frequently beating him down and fairly constantly reminding us that while Harry is the protagonist, has a few unique tricks, and is pretty potent in his own right, there are a lot of more powerful people out there.
Dragon dude (Ferrovax I think his name was) has been confirmed as going to reappear in a later novel. Thomas is likewise very important as the series continues. Like Orthos said, Grave Peril really was the "setup" novel.
Lord Snow, you think that's a weird result for Summer Knight? I was talking with some friends about the series, and another friend walked in as I brought up Summer Knight, and just heard the title. Gave me a weird look and said that he didn't realise I was into that scene. Obviously I was confused, so I asked for clarification. Turns out there's an escort that tours here sometimes who uses Summer Knight as her working name. I chose not to ask how he knew, and let the matter drop there. There are some things about my friends I don't need to know.
Skin Game... soooo much good.
I was not thrilled when I first heard about the Oceans-11 theme, but the level of paranoid betrayal was just awesome.
Looking forward to all of the geek speculation once other folks have had a chance to finish it… especially with...
-TimD
My third worst book in the series in my opinion, after Fool Moon and Ghost Story.
Got it yesterday, halfway through..
I like we are getting both new and old.
Got it yesterday...finished it by the end of the evening.
Pretty solid Dresden volume....will comment more later probably
My third worst book in the series in my opinion, after Fool Moon and Ghost Story.
It'll likely be in my top 5 then - those were two of my favourite books.
My third worst book in the series in my opinion, after Fool Moon and Ghost Story.It'll likely be in my top 5 then - those were two of my favourite books.
Ditto. Fool Moon admittedly was not one of my favorites, but I loved Ghost Story.
Should have my copy by Saturday. Was sadly out of town the day it was supposed to be shipped to me.
Just finished it a few minutes ago. I may still be affected by the adrenaline rush I got when I started reading it a few hours ago, but I found this to be extremely awesome. A bit more back to basics in many respects, but otherwise a book which advances crucial storylines and has a story which stands very well on its own. I can't wait for the next book!
some people are thinking its the original merlin
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I think that for the forseeable future I'm incapable of rolling acrobatics without yelling Parkour!
some people are thinking its the original merlin
I do believe that was my first thought as well.
I think that for the forseeable future I'm incapable of rolling acrobatics without yelling Parkour!
I think I've just been yelling it randomly for the last few days now... It's the little things. :)
So... Can we talk about things now without spoiler tags?... because I also find myself shouting
I think I laughed about like Murphy did when that was revealed.
Picked it up last night, started it. It's interfering with my plans to finish up some stuff for my game. Have to find time for both and Malificent. Game now, Malificent in 2 hours, reading like a fool later tonight... thank God for summer vacation. No more grading!
Maleficent down. And good. My kids are dragging me, not entirely unwillingly, to X-Men Days of Future Past. Two movies one day. my aching back / rear. Butcher comes after that. And my game... *sigh* must finish this part I'm working on and e-mail to a friend / player. Good day. Not enough hours in it though :)
*edit* I did get 40 pages in while eating. I like it :D
Picked up my copy today.
To Dresden, AWAAAAAAY!
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RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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Incidentally, I'm listening to the Dresden series audiobooks during my car trips these days, and I'm currently listening to Ghost Story.
Stars and stones, are there a lot of digressions!! And long ones. I understand that it's a book about Harry's memories; I get that. But every so often, I have gotten exasperated and called out, "Butcher, get on with it, already."
Ghost story was a bit tedious, but I actually rather liked all the metaphysics explanations.
The thing about Ghost Story which I didn't like was the story with Fitz, which went absolutely nowhere. I don't know, I expected the kid to at least show up again in the next book, but it seems like it was just a side-story which robbed the main story of pages to be told in.
I enjoyed this book more than the last few, most old characters had an important part.
Tough Uriel seems too powerful, compared to other mythologies.
Stars and stones, are there a lot of digressions!! And long ones. I understand that it's a book about Harry's memories; I get that. But every so often, I have gotten exasperated and called out, "Butcher, get on with it, already."
Yeah, that's the advantage to reading. It's a lot easier to skim, and if I miss something important - bad on me. I can go back and read it. But I don't find the digressions nearly as distracting as you seem to on audio. Whew!
Finally managed to finish Skin Game last night. After a Very long day and even longer week. But there was NO way I was going to bed without finishing it! :)
I liked it. It will not rank as my favorite Dresden novel, but certainly not the worst. Harry's banter was spot on, but yet mollified down somewhat from earlier books. Certainly justifiable character-wise as he becomes more worried about what is happening/may happen to him in the long run. And yet there were still moments I had to put the book down, I was laughing so hard.
As a wannabe-writer, I have always admired Butcher's ability to speak in first person, let you know that the character has planned something, but yet NOT give it away until the appropriate dramatic moment. He's still got it. ;)
Regarding the coffin-sized crystal in Demonreach:
I was also concerned:
Dangit, now knowing the end, I HAVE to go and immediately re-read it, just to catch all the clues I missed the first time!
:/
In general, how are the audio books?
I do not own any yet, but was thinking if I'm going to start it would probably be with Dresden novels! :)
In general, how are the audio books?
I do not own any yet, but was thinking if I'm going to start it would probably be with Dresden novels! :)
I "read" most of the dresden books on audiobook via Audible.com. I liked them.
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RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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Well, the audiobooks from Audible-dot-com are expensive; cover price is $50 per book. Happily, I own a library card.
All of the novels except Ghost Story are narrated by James Marsters, the actor ho portrayed Spike on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". He does a great job of making the characters clear, and so far, I've never heard him read a sentence and think to myself No, that's not the way that sentence should go.
This current book is read by another actor, who has couple of irritating habits: over-enunciating, slipping into, or out of, an accent a sentence or two early, and the aforementioned "No, I think you're reading that sentence wrong."
Good to know, thanks guys.
Although at a $50 cover price, I'm going to go to the library myself!
:)
I do the monthly thing with audible. I get them for around 12-ish.
Finished it last night. Couldn't not. That's the first book I've read in the last year that once into it I couldn't put down until it was done. I read the first 50 or so pages the day before. Once into it the pace really picked up and the characters were good. I needed to know how it turned out for them. The last couple have been good, but not as good as previous Dresden books. This was back on track.
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Huh, I'll have to re-visit Changes. Again. I always thought the 'couldn't do more for you' was because of all the rules he has to follow.
Just came back from the library. My closest one only had Side jobs on the shelf in audio. But they do own a couple more. I've put in for those and any others than care to get their hands on.
(The last time I asked for a new Butcher novel, they went out and bought it. I like to pretend it was just for me.) :)
I am going to read Skin Game again tonight, and no one can stop me..
I mean, the first read through was so fast I am realizing I might have missed some hints..
But he trusted Michael.
Freaking. Awesome.