I saw her study my face and then ask, “How bad does it have to be for you not to be making jokes?” pg 3
The last book in the series, Peace Talks, set up the epic battle for Chicago between the wizard Harry Dresden and his various allies against a relic of the old world and her vassals.
Jim Butcher delivers that battle in a very major way in Battle Ground.
“I hadn’t even seen what was coming for Chicago, and I was already bloodied and exhausted. This was going to be a long night.” pg 17
As per usual, Butcher is heavy on the puns and pop culture references, but I thought he did a fantastic job with this installment. Long-time readers of the series get to enjoy scenes from characters who haven’t made an appearance for awhile.
There are also some serious consequences from this book which, I thought, would have made an epic conclusion to the whole thing. However, Butcher teases more to come at the end of the novel, so I suppose it will continue.
“But whatever happened, after tonight there would be walls coming down between the mortal world and the supernatural one that had stood solidly for centuries. Stars and stones, I didn’t think anyone knew what that might mean.” pg 72
Which I’m not opposed to. You’d think I’d be sick of Harry Dresden and his constant, and ever increasingly powerful, problems. But I’m not. I enjoy this urban fantasy series very much.
Part of that is because of the writing and the characters. Despite the fantasy setting, Butcher manages to make everybody feel very real. I like to imagine that if magic were real, that it would function similarly to how Butcher has crafted it in his books.
The other reason I probably enjoy it so much is because I’m a big nerd. Whenever Harry gets into a bind and makes a cheesy joke to relieve his tension, I always get the feeling that I’d do something similarly silly. When the end of the world is staring you in the face, what else is there to do but smile?
Battle Ground is a must-read for fans of the series. If you haven’t read any of the other books yet, please do yourself a favor and start from the beginning.
Harry Dresden’s life has become infinitely more complicated since the beginning of The Dresden Files. He constantly struggles to balance his responsibilities as a member of the Winter Court, the White Council, and familial concerns.
Not to mention his role as a warden of an island that protects the world from dangerous magical creatures.
“I slung the weighted vest over my shoulder and started trudging back to the car. I had that sinking feeling that things were about to get hectic again.” pg 8
He’s developed a little bit emotionally since his carefree days of “wizard for hire,” but, in other ways, his personality has remained exactly the same.
“…you can’t ignore things that are real just because they’re uncomfortable.” pg 4
The Dresden Files is a fun escape into a fantasy world of magic (one could call it ‘book candy’) but part of the problem with the series is that it has built to a major crescendo. What can one person really do against powers of the universe that are so strong that they can be described as “gods”?
“I think someone you don’t expect is going to stab you in the back, Hoss.” pg 30
Another issue is how often the “winter mantle” takes over Harry’s mind so that he’s constantly thinking about strutting his stuff in front of the opposite sex. I get that it’s a reoccurring problem for him, but it gets repetitive after the first half dozen incidents.
It doesn’t help that he hangs out with a literal queen of the succubus, but I digress. 🙂
Some of my Goodreads friends pointed out that the start of this book is somewhat ridiculous- hanging on the idea that the fairies always repay their debts though readers aren’t given the reason why a debt was needing to be repaid. I agree the setup could have been more carefully constructed.
That being said, I read the entire book in two days. (Book candy strikes again!) So there’s something very enjoyable about the whole thing even with the balance of power problems, repetitive sexual fantasies, and suspension of belief required to get in to it.
Highly recommended for readers who have enjoyed the previous books in the series or folks who like urban fantasy reads without too much complexity.
Harry Dresden, wizard-for-hire and Winter Knight, joins a group of unsavory characters to pay off a debt owed by Mab and to steal something incredibly valuable from a god. And he thought he had bad days before this. At least he still has a way with words.
“… Nicodemus is a murderous murdering murderer,” I said. “And if he’s picking a crew, they’re going to be just as bad.” pg 26, ebook
Is there anyone he can trust? Can he even trust himself with the strange “parasite”-thing growing in his head?
“Sometimes when you find yourself alone, for whatever reason, you review every little thing you know about someone, searching your memory for small, subtle things that you may have missed about them.”pg 10, ebook.
Any guesses on what they’re going to be stealing?
“My sources say he’s the collector of the supernatural world. He’s famous for it. Art, treasure, gems, jewels, antiques, you name.” pg 37, ebook.
Skin Game is a clever mix of heist and The Dresden Files. I thoroughly enjoyed it. And now my heart is broken because the next book isn’t written yet.
We were finally getting somewhere with Harry’s relationships with his friends and a certain someone in particular. (No spoilers!) Harry was learning how to juggle his “mantle of power”. Molly was coming into her own unique situation.
We’ve learned about angels, demons, fairies, pixies, gods and more in this series. I’ve really come to enjoy the world and the strange things that happen in it. I love the shifting balance of power and how when Harry’s up, he’s really up. And when he’s down… well…
“And since when had I become the guy that things happened to ten years ago?” pg 49, ebook.
I think all of the readers are wondering that too. Not that we’re complaining because this series seems to have such staying power. I really wish it would keep going for awhile longer, just spit-balling here, how about another 15 books? 🙂 Or, at least, perhaps we could tie up the loose ends.
“I know that things happen to people,” he said. “And maybe you’ve got excellent and real reasons for doing what you’ve done. But… at the end of the day, there’s just no replacement for being here.” pg 84, ebook.
I like being in this world and I think plenty of other readers do too. Jim Butcher, give the people what they want. Write, please. Write now!
I liked having Harry back on this side of the veil, but I was so-so about the rest of Cold Days, the latest entry in The Dresden Files.
Man. Being mostly dead is hard on a guy. pg 11, ebook.
Harry Dresden, wizard for hire, is now the Winter Knight after a series of misadventures and serious adventures in the past couple of books. And the position isn’t very much fun.
The winter fae are hardcore. They’re mean, full of tricks and generally happy to kill without consideration for any consequences. So you can see how poorly Harry is going to fit in.
Queen Mab, his new boss, is smart and dangerous. She also has a lot of pans in the fire that the reader isn’t necessarily aware of until later in the book. But, being that it’s the freaking Queen of the Winter Fae, maybe I should have expected more backstabby things.
“Oh, the Sidhe’s influence had been waning as the Industrial Age gathered steam,” I said. “By making sure the tales kept being told to mortal children, she made sure that she and her folk were never forgotten.” pg 28
I didn’t like Harry’s character development as much in this book. It seems like much of his choice and free will was taken away when he took up the “mantle” of the Winter Knight. I’m not sure that my feeling is fair though. How much choice did he have when he was under the thumb of the White Council? Or being manipulated by the Red Court, etc.
See, that’s the tragedy of the human condition. No one wants to be corrupted by power when they set out to get it. They have good, even noble reasons for doing whatever it is they do. They don’t want to misuse it, they don’t want to abuse it, and they don’t want to become vicious monsters. Good people, decent people, set out to take the high road, to pick up power without letting it change them or push them away from their ideals. pg 30
Harry continues to use “blast first, ask questions later” but now he’s got ammunition made out of ice in addition to fire and he isn’t afraid to use it. His new job (and prior ghost experience) have driven some major wedges between Harry and his friends. I didn’t like that we saw less of the minor characters, some of whom I’ve grown quite fond of. Bob the Skull is the one that comes to mind first, but there were others.
I’m not entirely sure his relationship with Molly is ever going to be the same. The patchwork relationship fixes Harry makes with Karrin Murphy, Butters and Thomas are questionable. Overall, I just felt sad. Sometimes, we out grow our friends or they out grow us. I wanted Harry to be best of pals with those folks forever.
Butters tore off a final piece of medical tape, stuck the end of the bandage down with it, and sighed. “Yeah. Just try not to… well, move, or jump around, or do anything active, or touch anything dirty, or otherwise do anything else that I know you’re going to do anyway in the next twenty-four hours.” pg 287
That’s not to say there aren’t moments to enjoy in this book. There’s still magic, danger and adventure. But I feel like things have certainly changed since a few books ago, and Jim Butcher hasn’t necessarily recaptured the magic he conjured when his characters were racing to prevent the death of a little girl at the hands of Red Court vampires.
Wizarding just isn’t what it used to be. Not so many years ago, I’d think it was a busy week if someone asked me to locate a lost dog or a wedding ring. It had been horribly boring. I’d had lots and lots of free time. I hadn’t been rich, but I’d gotten to buy plenty of books to read, and I’d never gone hungry. And no one had tried to kill me, or asked me to make a horrible choice. Not once.pg 457
I’m dragging my feet on picking up the next entry, Skin Game, because I read that it was the last that Butcher has finished, for now. There are plans in the works for another book, Peace Talks but it isn’t finished yet. I’ve been burned by too many science fiction/fantasy writers like George R.R. Martin or Scott Lynch to expect that the next book will be finished any time in the near future.
Butcher writes on his professional website that he’s lost his dog, gotten a divorce, moved, been delayed in the construction of his new house and gotten engaged since the publication of the last book in the Dresden Files. That’s a lot of change. I wonder if it will come through in his writing…
Maybe I’m mourning the loss of Harry Dresden before the series even ends? The ending seems to be there or at least coming towards us, on the horizon. In addition to the approaching end, I feel like the quality of writing in the books isn’t as good as it was, even a few books ago, when Butcher almost blew up the world he had created with the awfulness that went on between Harry and Molly.
Anyway, of course I will read the next book. Maybe over the holidays, which are swiftly approaching.
In conclusion, I wish Cold Days was more whimsical like the first books in the series or action-packed like some of the last. Because it seems to exist in this middling reality where Harry can’t do anything right and seems to be losing friends faster than he’s making them, all the while spinning his wheels on ice and being manipulated by others who are far more powerful and inventive than he will ever be.
Harry Dresden, wizard for hire, is dead. And he still has to save the world by discovering his killer. How is that fair?
Maybe I was dead, but I was sure as hell not ready to go. I had to make sure the people who’d helped me take on the Red King were taken care of. pgs 32-33
He quickly discovers that magic and dead people don’t mix. Now, instead of taking on god-like enemies with the backing of the Winter Queen, he can’t even pass through thresholds without permission.
It’s frustrating for both Harry and the reader. I didn’t realize how much I enjoyed reading about Harry blowing stuff up until he couldn’t do it anymore.
One of the things a lot of people don’t understand about magic is that the rules of how it works aren’t hard-and-fast; they’re fluid, changing with time, with the seasons, with location, and with the intent of a practitioner. pg 179. And if you’re alive or dead.
We spend a lot of time in Harry’s mind and memory in Ghost Story and less time in action. Frankly, it’s not as much fun as the other books in the series.
“You have entered a new world. Your old life is no more. You cannot be a part of it any longer. The wide universe stretches before you.” pg 185
I also didn’t realize how much I enjoyed the give-and-take of the characters in this series until the main character couldn’t interact with most of them anymore.
Ghosts who weren’t supermighty manifested all the time. It wasn’t a question of raw power, and it never had been — it was a matter of desire. You just had to be crazy enough to make it happen.” pg 550
That being said, the ending of this book was strangely satisfying. And I cried at the part with Mouse. Overall, I’m glad I read it, but I’m not of the opinion that it was the best in the series.
Changes was, in my opinion, the best of The Dresden Files so far. We have Harry with his usual hang-ups but the problem is more thorny than anything he’s faced so far. Susan Rodriguez, an old flame who’s been turned into a half-vampire, kept a major secret. Now Harry’s enemies know it and they’re out for revenge.
… I could feel the emotions that were stirring somewhere deep inside me, gathering power like a storm far out to sea. I couldn’t see them. I could only feel their effects, but it was enough to know that whatever was rising inside me was potent. Violent. Dangerous. pg 19, ebook
Because of the nature of the secret, Harry is going to need to call in all the favors he’s owed. And, maybe, make a few bargains he’d rather not make.
The man once wrote: Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger. Tolkien had that one mostly right. I stepped forward, let the door bang closed, and snarled, “F*ck subtle.” pg 46
In the past few books, Harry has become more powerful but also has more responsibilities. What will happen to his apprentice Molly if he goes off the deep end? There’s also Mister, Mouse and Bob to consider.
So we do what a good wizard always does when the odds are stacked up against us: We cheat. pg 95, ebook
Readers are treated to more information about Harry’s murky past and a cliffhanger of an ending that will have you immediately reaching for the next book. Highly recommended for fans of urban fantasy. I loved it.
For once, Harry Dresden was minding his own business when trouble showed up at his doorstep. Morgan, one of the wardens of the White Council who has hounded Harry for nearly his entire life, needs saving… from the wardens of the White Council. Oh how the mighty have fallen.
Why would Harry stick his neck out for one of the few men on the planet who has never liked him?
“Because Morgan wouldn’t break the Laws of Magic,” I said quietly. “Not even if it cost him his life.” pg 19, ebook.
Something strange is going on and, as usual, Harry’s going to get to the bottom of it. But, this time, the solution comes at great personal cost and Harry’s life may never be the same.
Excellent entry in the Dresden Files which, despite concerns that after 11 books it may have become repetitive or go off the rails, continues to impress. Jim Butcher seems to have found a sweet spot between bringing in old characters and plot lines while introducing new twists. It is an urban fantasy reader’s treat.
There are bad things in the world. There’s no getting away from that. But that doesn’t mean nothing can be done about them. You can’t abandon life just because it’s scary, and just because sometimes you get hurt.” pg 45, ebook.
The lines between good and evil are truly becoming blurred as the White Council continues to be assaulted from the outside. As a reader, I thought of the wizards of the highest council as unassailable gods, but in Turn Coat, they are revealed to be as human as the next person. They can be confused, manipulated and used for other ends.
Harry’s sardonic humor is in evidence throughout this tale, delivering his one-liners with his usual flair: “They always have good coffee here,” Ebenezar said a few moments later. “And they don’t call it funny names,” I said. “It’s just coffee. Not frappalattegrandechino.” pg 138
But as the story lines get darker, I can’t help but wonder how much more Harry can take before he snaps. Or the bad guys finally win the day.
“Everyone dies, honey,” I said, very quietly. “Everyone. There’s no ‘if.’ There’s only ‘when.’… When you die, do you want to feel ashamed of what you’ve done with your life? Feel ashamed of what your life meant?” pg 338, ebook.
When Mab, the Winter Queen, comes to cash in on one of the favors Harry owes her, things go from bad to worse. And snow won’t stop falling on Chicago. Could the two possibly be related?
Instinct told me that reason had disappointed me more than once, and that it wasn’t thinking in the long term anyway. Over the years, my instincts and I have gotten cozy. pg 57, ebook.
Memorable characters from the previous entries in The Dresden Files make a reappearance in this, the tenth book in the series. We get to enjoy the company of Toot-Toot (the pizza-loving pixie), “gentleman” Johnny Marcone and Mab, among others.
Our instincts were a long time in the making, though, and the threats that can come after us now have outpaced them. You can’t outrun a bullet, and you don’t go hand-to-hand with a gunman unless you’re certain you are about to die anyway. pg 79, ebook.
There’s also a major villain from Harry’s past, but I won’t go into details and spoil it for you.
At one time in my life, a shapeshifted, demonically possessed maniac crashing through a window and trying to rip my face off would have come as an enormous and nasty surprise. But that time was pretty much in the past. pg 143, ebook.
I have read a few reviews in which some readers believe The Dresden Files is ridiculous because Jim Butcher puts Harry into situations that he couldn’t possibly survive. But I beg to differ. As the stakes and bad guys increase, so do Harry’s friends and allies. Yes, perhaps the wizard from book one would have been crushed by the baddie in book ten, but they’re both at different places now.
Dare I say it… Harry has “learned” things? Through his nearly constant trials and tribulations, he’s become a stronger magic user, more adept and emphatic? But no, that may be going a bit too far.
The prime rule of combat wizardry is simple too: Be prepared. pg 143, ebook.
At least he’s nailed down his wardrobe game…
Going forth to do battle with the forces of darkness is one thing. Doing it in a pair of borrowed sweatpants and an ill-fitting T-shirt is something else entirely. pg 427, ebook.
One final thought, in the other books in this series, I felt like things were getting worse and worse for our intrepid hero. But, as readers discover in this entry, there may be a silver lining on all those clouds after all.
And all I have to say about that is: it’s about time!
I’ve been adding reviews as I’ve worked my way through this series. You can view the others here:
Someone is killing people in Chicago and leaving clues that only a person with magical ability, like a wizard named Harry Dresden, could see. Why would they do that?
Meanwhile, most everything else in Harry’s life is going spectacularly wrong. He has an unruly apprentice who had an unfortunate brush with dark magic awhile back. The White Council is still at war with the Red Vampire Court which was Harry’s fault to begin with, but we don’t need to go into all that.
He’s still got a fallen angel’s shadow in his head, trying to convince him to wield a coin that will give Harry unimaginable power but also consume his soul. Thomas, the vampire, has been acting really weird and he’s probably eating people again which, vampires do, but it’s kind of a problem because Harry is supposed to be protecting people.
And now this, a serial killer. Perfect.
The Dresden Files, as a series, is really starting to come together. I like how Jim Butcher starts to layer the books on top of each other, each plot line leading to more complications and depth.
Normally, Wardens existed to police wizards, to make sure that they didn’t use their power against the rest of humanity in violation of the Laws of Magic. Things weren’t normal.” pg 59, ebook.
Harry has to juggle the politics between the wizards, the vampires, humanity, the faeries… and also keep his sanity when someone from his past shows up and he has to rehash some old wounds.
Real fright isn’t like the movies. Real fear is an ugly, quiet, relentless thing. It’s a kind of pain, and I hated seeing it…” pg 129, ebook
And we can’t forget Bob the Skull, one of my favorite characters. He seems to always get a few good lines in, no matter how busy the plot is.
“What’s up, boss?” “Evil’s afoot.” “Well, sure,” Bob said, “because it refuses to learn the metric system. Otherwise it’d be up to a meter by now.” pg 154, ebook.
Though I had some difficulties with the way Harry behaved in the latter part of the last book, I feel like he’s more of the flawed character I’ve come to know in this entry. Yes, he still makes mistakes sometimes and can be an idiot, but it makes more sense. There are circumstances beyond his control that are acting on his mind in ways he may not be aware of yet. But he’s learning about that, and his friends won’t let him get too out of hand.
Or, at least, they’ll all go down together… probably spectacularly and in flames. Highly recommended for urban fantasy readers.
Here are more reviews I’ve written for this series:
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