I was totally afraid that Ghost Story was the last book, I wonder what is next for Harry and I hope we find out soon.
I was afraid of that after Changes, for obvious reasons. However, I've read the series is supposed to span over 20 books. Changes was half-time.
Spoiler:I'm wondering now, how are Murphy, Molly, and the others going to react when Harry shows up alive? Murphy spent most of the book doubting it was really him, after all. Then, after she's finally accepted his death, it turns out he's alive? I see problems.Spoiler:I see Molly as relieved, Murphy as angry (doubly so when he confirms Kincaid killed him and it was Harry's idea) Father Forthill of course will be serene. ;-)
Murphy will be relieved, but probably try to mask it. She will probably also be angry. However, I doubt she will have any opinion about the whole Kincaid thing, at least at first - because Harry will not mention it. He will actively not tell her. He knows her too well.
Another question: how will the whole thing between Harry and Murphy play out? Will they stop beating around the bush? Will they find more excuses to stay distant? Will they need another love spell put on them?
I guess that Murphy will rethink the whole "casual only" thing.
And what will Molly do about it all?
Spoiler:Since Kincaid agreed to kill the new Winter Knight, and since he technically failed to do so, does that mean that Kincaid is honor-bound to come after Harry again? I'm inclined to think that it does. As long as Harry remains the Winter Knight, that is.
So, does anyone have any theories about...
** spoiler omitted **
the only idea I really have is Lasciel still with him maybe....just an idle though on my part as Harry and Bob thought it was brain damage; did she or didnt she leave; hmm
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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[stuff that maybe needed spoilers]Response that definitely needs spoilers:** spoiler omitted **
** spoiler omitted **Re: Molly
** spoiler omitted **
As you said, Thomas is all about Justine.
And I don't think you can magic the demonic hunger out of a white court vampire. Even you're a prodigy (which she is - though she's inexperienced, and that apparently counts for a lot more than raw power. After all, one experienced wizard once created a complex battle plan for hundreds of other wizards and told it to them, with complex illustrations, in a lot less time than it takes to write or even read this)
Plus, Harry will kill him if he tries anything ;-)
** spoiler omitted **[stuff that maybe needed spoilers]Response that definitely needs spoilers:** spoiler omitted **
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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** spoiler omitted **** spoiler omitted **
** spoiler omitted **
Scary thing? When they got the Hellfire pentagram to cut off all magic in Small Favour? That apparently wasn't cheating.
** spoiler omitted **
My earlier post I meant the voice at the ends of Changes, about the whispering one... I have no idea :)
I thoguht in the earlier books they said the Denarians could not enter the church. If that's so how did Nick get in there?
Just an observation: It's Lasciel. No h for miles.
Pedant out.
Read the books. Lash is what he called the shadow of Lasciel.
If you're going to be pedant make sure you're right first.
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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Read the books. Lash is what he called the shadow of Lasciel. ** spoiler omitted **
If you're going to be pedant make sure you're right first.
Oooh, new thought. The 'dark and dirty Harry' he's always called his dark half, what if it's not part of Harry at all?
oooooh.... ** spoiler omitted **** spoiler omitted **
Ok, so I've been doing some thinking:
What the exact impact of this is (if I'm right), I don't know. But it is interesting.
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Seriously though it is probably Lash, who's been lurking around Harry's mind hiding until she could use him for something. She was forced to save Harry or die with him.
Mister is a familiar. Proves that Dresden really is a wizard. Mousse I think is a cohort.
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Mister is a familiar. Proves that Dresden really is a wizard.Nah. Harry is a familiar. Proves that Mister really is a cat.
All cats can find human familiars, but only wizards can reciprocate the bond.
On thing that is a hmm to me; is why did the author do a personality change of Thomas using the skinwalker. As far as themes go
Harry is alone
Harry finds he has a brother
Harry develops relationship with brother.
Brother gets taken by skinwalker
Brother becomes distant and cold
Harry at odd with new brother and...
Harry is alone, more or less.
also makes me wonder what other skeletons are yet to surface from Harry's mother. Also, makes me wonder who sent the skinwalker, seems like more than happenstance. We are yet to have any mention of:
Harry was offered to be trained by Listens To The Wind
this training; and is it a wash now that Harry is with Mab?
as for the other thing; Lash, being the artificial construct Harry carried for a long time; I am not convinced we have heard the last of her; I dont think she wants to be destroyed by being absorbed into coin Lasciel and she is very very clever.
great set of books; lots of depth.
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. We are yet to have any mention of:
** spoiler omitted **
this training; and is it a wash now that Harry is with Mab?
On the contrary, I think its more important now. he started to learn in ghost story how
First: thanks to everyone for using spoilers. It is a sign of how great this community is that you do not want to spoil anything for anyone else. :)
Fool Moon is one of my favorites, but that may be because I like werewolves, I think the various werewolves allowed a depth missing from most werewolf stories. (and I think most werewolf stories are based soley on the myth of the underworld series :)
Ghost story was awesome. I laughed* I cheered** I cried*** among many other things.
'**when Uriel explained the DOZENS of gaurdian angels on Michael's house 'after the service of Michael has given he, deserves it.'
***when Mouse thumped his tail at the sight of Harry.
I will have to reread the last chapter now :)
Michael is what all paladins should aspire to. Made me start playing paladins again.Amen
I really wish more authors would take this kind of character into account. Or I wish Butcher's spin off series would feature the knights.
In fact I think the para-net or the knights could be Butchers redemption at a TV series. Mate pointed out something from ghost story that has me thinking this is possible.
good points; me too.
. We are yet to have any mention of:
** spoiler omitted **
this training; and is it a wash now that Harry is with Mab?On the contrary, I think its more important now. he started to learn in ghost story how ** spoiler omitted ** I think that knowledge will make him want to learn how not to create ripples. I have a feeling he's going to do a few things:
** spoiler omitted **
you might enjoy Simon Green's Something from the Nightside series; not as good IMHO, but is what I read waiting for the next Dresden book.
Michael is what all paladins should aspire to. Made me start playing paladins again.AmenI really wish more authors would take this kind of character into account. Or I wish Butcher's spin off series would feature the knights.
In fact I think the para-net or the knights could be Butchers redemption at a TV series. Mate pointed out something from ghost story that has me thinking this is possible.
** spoiler omitted **
you might enjoy Simon Green's Something from the Nightside series; not as good IMHO, but is what I read waiting for the next Dresden book.
Michael is what all paladins should aspire to. Made me start playing paladins again.AmenI really wish more authors would take this kind of character into account. Or I wish Butcher's spin off series would feature the knights.
In fact I think the para-net or the knights could be Butchers redemption at a TV series. Mate pointed out something from ghost story that has me thinking this is possible.
** spoiler omitted **
Aye, I have tried a couple & did not like them as much as the blue wine series. I am told Fisher and Hawke are even better, but have not made it there yet :)
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Aye, I have tried a couple & did not like them as much as the blue wine series. I am told Fisher and Hawke are even better, but have not made it there yet :)you might enjoy Simon Green's Something from the Nightside series; not as good IMHO, but is what I read waiting for the next Dresden book.
Michael is what all paladins should aspire to. Made me start playing paladins again.AmenI really wish more authors would take this kind of character into account. Or I wish Butcher's spin off series would feature the knights.
In fact I think the para-net or the knights could be Butchers redemption at a TV series. Mate pointed out something from ghost story that has me thinking this is possible.
** spoiler omitted **
I recommend the Fisher and Hawke series, it's really enjoyable, better than the other stuff by Simon Green. I just really couldn't get into the Nightside series.
Other books in the same world as Fisher and Hawke are the Forest Kingdom Series which are Blue Moon Rising, Blood and Honour, Down Among the Dead Men, and Beyond the Blue Moon (this one does tie that Hawke and Fisher are the same characters as in Blue Moon Rising...)
I recommend the Fisher and Hawke series, it's really enjoyable, better than the other stuff by Simon Green. I just really couldn't get into the Nightside series.
Other books in the same world as Fisher and Hawke are the Forest Kingdom Series which are Blue Moon Rising, Blood and Honour, Down Among the Dead Men, and Beyond the Blue Moon (this one does tie that Hawke and Fisher are the same characters as in Blue Moon Rising...)
Ahh Forest Kindgom, that was the name I dinnae remember.
Patricia Briggs is the second best urban fantasy imho if you need something to read before the next dresden files :)
The Dresden Files #3: Grave Peril
Harry Dresden, Chicago-based wizard for hire, finds himself drawn into a new case. A plea from a helpless young woman sets him on a course that will lead to a cataclysmic showdown with an old enemy, and may cost Dresden that which he cares about the most...
Grave Peril is the third novel in the Dresden Files series of urban fantasies and an important turning-point in the series. The first two novels, Storm Front and Fool Moon, were entertaining but little more than enjoyable fluff. Grave Peril is a considerably darker and more personal book, with Butcher's writing much more confident and assured as he puts Dresden through the emotional wringer. Whilst reading the book I was in put in mind of those 'gamechanger' episodes of Buffy and Angel when Joss Whedon would rip up the status quo by doing something to the characters that hurt them badly and established a new paradigm he would have fun setting up and exploring.
Grave Peril expands the cast of the Dresden Files with Michael Carpenter, a Christian knight armed with a magical sword, joining Dresden in his battle with the forces of evil. We also get a greater depth of worldbuilding, with both the vampire and Sidhe inhabitants of Dresden's world being fleshed out in a lot of detail. Whilst Butcher's approach does not stray too far from standard fantasy/horror depictions of these creatures, he succeeds in making them feel fresh and interesting, a near-impossible task given how ubiquitous these forces have become in recent supernatural fiction.
Butcher's writing is fun and enjoyable, with more of Dresden's attitude, character and humour bleeding through the first-person prose. His writing has definitely stepped up in quality from the first two books in the series and he effectively conveys the horror of several disturbing scenes in the book. He's become better at conveying emotion since the opening volumes of the series and several scenes are real gut-punches. There's also a more epic feeling to events, with ramifications from this book likely to extend over several books to come, opening up the story to something larger and more interesting in scale.
Some complaints remain. As with Fool Moon, Dresden is injured several times in the book and Butcher goes a bit overboard in his descriptions of how tired, hurt and helpless Dresden feels due to these injuries. There is the feeling that with each successive volume, Dresden's powers and abilities with magic are growing (along with those of his allies) and this requires Butcher to go to some lengths to 'nerf' Dresden's abilities to simply stop him using a hand-wave of magic to solve all of his problems. However, this is a minor issue, and Butcher's impressive improvement in the areas of prose and characterisation overcome it quite handily.
Grave Peril (****) is where The Dresden Files comes of age, and it does so with aplomb. The novel is available now in the UK and USA.
Michael is what all paladins should aspire to. Made me start playing paladins again.AmenI really wish more authors would take this kind of character into account. Or I wish Butcher's spin off series would feature the knights.
In fact I think the para-net or the knights could be Butchers redemption at a TV series. Mate pointed out something from ghost story that has me thinking this is possible.
** spoiler omitted **
More like 7th Heaven meets Supernatural, I think. ;)
So hi, yes, I'm a Dresden Files fan. Jim Butcher is definitely one of the best at urban fantasy, which I love. Well, I love it as long as it isn't paranormal romance in disguise. "You got romance novel tropes in my spec-fic action-adventure!" "So? You got werewolves in my contemporary romance!" "Urban fantasy used to mean something; now I have to check and make sure that it isn't just a marketing ploy!" "Romance used to mean normal rich, buff men with large packages, and now I have to check and make sure that they aren't vampires too! I hate you!" "I hate you more! ...are you as turned on as I am?" "Wh-what? No!!" <slap> Hmm... maybe I should avoid that conversation.
Aside from that other wizard named Harry, I really like the Mercy series by Patricia Briggs and the Kitty series by Carrie Vaughn. And not just characters whose names end in "y"! Hamilton's Anita Blake series was good up to a point, but I could tell it was changing, so I used the Amazon reviews to tell me when to stop instead of going one book too far. Kim Harrison's Hollows series is fun, and the Ilona Andrews husband/wife team also have an interesting thing going in the Kate Daniels series.
And I could go on and on! It annoys me that I have to be more careful now that the genre is so popular that a lot of "urban fantasy" is really something else with some magic thrown in, but I can't really complain, since there's so much good stuff out there.
You know Butcher is, like, ten books past that now, right?
Indeed. However, posting reviews of the earlier books in the series seems a viable thing to do in a general thread about the series overall, and not just the latest book specifically.
Michael is what all paladins should aspire to. Made me start playing paladins again.AmenI really wish more authors would take this kind of character into account. Or I wish Butcher's spin off series would feature the knights.
In fact I think the para-net or the knights could be Butchers redemption at a TV series. Mate pointed out something from ghost story that has me thinking this is possible.
** spoiler omitted **More like 7th Heaven meets Supernatural, I think. ;)
So hi, yes, I'm a Dresden Files fan. Jim Butcher is definitely one of the best at urban fantasy, which I love. Well, I love it as long as it isn't paranormal romance in disguise. "You got romance novel tropes in my spec-fic action-adventure!" "So? You got werewolves in my contemporary romance!" "Urban fantasy used to mean something; now I have to check and make sure that it isn't just a marketing ploy!" "Romance used to mean normal rich, buff men with large packages, and now I have to check and make sure that they aren't vampires too! I hate you!" "I hate you more! ...are you as turned on as I am?" "Wh-what? No!!" <slap> Hmm... maybe I should avoid that conversation.
Aside from that other wizard named Harry, I really like the Mercy series by Patricia Briggs and the Kitty series by Carrie Vaughn. And not just characters whose names end in "y"! Hamilton's Anita Blake series was good up to a point, but I could tell it was changing, so I used the Amazon reviews to tell me when to stop instead of going one book too far. Kim Harrison's Hollows series is fun, and the Ilona Andrews husband/wife team also have an interesting thing going in the Kate Daniels series.
And I could go on and on! It annoys me that I have to be more careful now that the genre is so popular that a lot of "urban fantasy" is really something else with some magic thrown in, but I can't really complain, since there's so much good stuff out there.
Have you read the anything by Simon R Green? He has three urban fantasy series: Nightside, Ghost Finders and Secret Histories. They're all pretty good, I recommend.
The Alphas aren't my favorite characters, but I by no means hate them, and it's nice to get some supernaturals in the mix who aren't heavy hitters but can still take care of themselves. I've found the books to steadily escalate in 'amazing'. Being a slow reader with a tendency to put a book down and forget about it for a month before picking it up again, I can never pick up a Butcher book and simply set it down. I count on late nights, a computer that remains mostly 'off', and really cutting those 15 minute breaks close whenever I pick up one of his novels. If the second one is the weakest I'd say it's about on par with the first, the first being better only by virtue of introducing the amazing character that is Dresden and the world he lives in, beyond that they just keep getting better so it's natural for one of the first three to be a 'weaker' book in the series.
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The Alphas aren't my favorite characters, but I by no means hate them, and it's nice to get some supernaturals in the mix who aren't heavy hitters but can still take care of themselves. I've found the books to steadily escalate in 'amazing'. Being a slow reader with a tendency to put a book down and forget about it for a month before picking it up again, I can never pick up a Butcher book and simply set it down. I count on late nights, a computer that remains mostly 'off', and really cutting those 15 minute breaks close whenever I pick up one of his novels. If the second one is the weakest I'd say it's about on par with the first, the first being better only by virtue of introducing the amazing character that is Dresden and the world he lives in, beyond that they just keep getting better so it's natural for one of the first three to be a 'weaker' book in the series.
Many people consider the 2nd the worst of the series.... for me it's the one after Death Masks.. the characters introduced in that book are good, but I just could never get into the story
The Dresden Files #4: Summer Knight
Harry Dresden is in trouble. He's inadvertently started a war between the vampires and the wizards' White Council, his girlfriend has suffered an unplanned magical transformation and he's in danger of being booted out of his house and office. When a new paying job comes along it seems like a great opportunity for Harry to get on top of his troubles...until he finds himself in the middle of another magical war.
Summer Knight, the fourth novel in The Dresden Files, picks up some months after the events of Grave Peril and is the first book in the series to feature extensive continuity call-backs to previous volumes without a huge amount of exposition about what's been going on. Four books and twelve hundred pages into the series, I guess Butcher decided it was time to stop catering for newcomers and get on with business.
Having covered evil warlocks, werewolves, vampires and ghosts in the first three books, Butcher explores the faeries of his setting in this volume (though they showed up in the previous book, there's more revealed about them this time around). Making faeries work as threatening forces is tricky in supernatural fiction due to the cliches that come to mind when they show up, but Butcher does a good job here, defining the Sidhe of Dresden's world in some detail as threatening and sometimes malevolent beings who are dangerous and tricky to deal with. Their addition to the story, along with more information about Dresden's wizardly colleagues, expands the scope of the worldbuilding nicely.
Butcher's prose is as enjoyable as ever, with Butcher continuing a nice line in black humour. This book is notably lighter in tone than the dark Grave Peril, but things are still grimmer than in the first two, slighter novels in the series. The continuation of an over-arcing story arc from the third book (which still isn't resolved at the end of this volume) gives a more epic feel to events, with Harry's mission in the book having larger and more important ramifications in the wider conflict and world. It's good to see returning characters like Billy and his werewolf pack, the Alphas, whilst Karrin Murphy returns to the forefront of the action and, as she puts it, successfully kicks some major supernatural arse in one well-realised action sequence.
At this point The Dresden Files is becoming an enjoyable television series in novel form (which makes the failure of the TV version of the series more of a shame, though that may be down to how much they deviated from the source material). Each novel so far has had a satisfying self-contained narrative, but also added to the mythology and, in the third and fourth books, has brought in larger storylines spanning multiple volumes that bring a more epic feel to the series.
Summer Knight (****) is another well-written entry in a highly enjoyable fantasy series. It is available now in the UK and USA.
More like 7th Heaven meets Supernatural, I think. ;)
These are TV series? would you recommend either to a fan of Butcher?
Many people consider the 2nd the worst of the series.... for me it's the one after Death Masks.. the characters introduced in that book are good, but I just could never get into the story
I like Two better than Three. I think the vampire market is just way too full (and has been since Louis got interviewed. :) Werewolves on the other hand, not so much. And rarely in a role outside of baddy. (it was before Underworld for me :). Then Butcher brings in four different types of lycanthropy covering four different mythos and still ties them all together under his already impressive magic rules... It is one I will go back and re-read, (maybe after reading the rest my goggles will come off :)
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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Personally, I thought the TV series was horrible compared to the books. I like camp, but I wish they hadn't made Bob apparate, and I wish they had more closely followed the plots of the books, or at least been closer to canon.
I actually liked series-Bob, and still 'hear' book Bob talk like him.
Though I'd loved to have seen the blasting rod and staff instead of a hocky stick.
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Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 6
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I actually liked series-Bob, and still 'hear' book Bob talk like him.
Though I'd loved to have seen the blasting rod and staff instead of a hocky stick.
It's a real hoot to listen to the DVD commentary and hear "Bob" talking with a southern accent. *head explodes*
Personally, I thought the TV series was horrible compared to the books. I like camp, but I wish they hadn't made Bob apparate, and I wish they had more closely followed the plots of the books, or at least been closer to canon.I actually liked series-Bob, and still 'hear' book Bob talk like him.
Though I'd loved to have seen the blasting rod and staff instead of a hocky stick.
+1, +1 but it was terrible.
I also think if you had tried to make an intelligent cloud of orange you would have failed... not to mention the spirit aspect would frighten off the right...If I get a million dollars I will produce the Alphas or the Carters/Knights or the para-net series.
These are TV series? would you recommend either to a fan of Butcher?
More like 7th Heaven meets Supernatural, I think. ;)
Yes. Maybe Supernatural, though it's pretty dark, as is clear right from the beginning. Not 7th Heaven; it's about a contemporary preacher and his large family, and far too saccharine for even the Carpenters. Which is exactly what makes that combo the perfect description of what a series focusing on them would be like. ;)
In a world where demons live in Judas's silver, one man stands against the dark with faith and a sword. (And two other men with swords, and a wizard, and a priest.) And he also has to make sure that his kids' homework gets done. These are... The Carpenter Files.