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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
I read the first 3 books and was lukewarm on the series. But I roommate pushed me to keep going. And oh WOW does Book 4 deliver. Harry gets some allies and works as a team and kicks major butt. Solid 5 stars
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Yet another excellent instalment in the Dresden files! I really REALLY enjoyed this book the plot, cast of characters, hooks, and mystery were all really well put together and fantastic! I'll be using the CAWPILE system as per usual so lets dig into it:
Characters - 9
The characters in this book are the stars of the show, I thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of them. We had the return of some classics this time around with Billy (The Werewolf), Murph, and his Fairy Godmother and they absolutely delivered this book. Murph especially FINALLY had her moment in the light where she wasn't just the butch cop but was REALLY fucked up from her experience in Grave Peril. It was SO GREAT finnaly having her be around for Harry doing magic and fighting monsters pulling her a little deeper into the world. Meanwhile Billy was just ABSOLUTE comic relief and I loved him for it:
Characters - 9
The characters in this book are the stars of the show, I thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of them. We had the return of some classics this time around with Billy (The Werewolf), Murph, and his Fairy Godmother and they absolutely delivered this book. Murph especially FINALLY had her moment in the light where she wasn't just the butch cop but was REALLY fucked up from her experience in Grave Peril. It was SO GREAT finnaly having her be around for Harry doing magic and fighting monsters pulling her a little deeper into the world. Meanwhile Billy was just ABSOLUTE comic relief and I loved him for it:
"Woof", said Billy the Werewolf
This line actually made me chuckle pretty hard while reading it. Also! We finally got to meet some of the White Council and boy were they great for the split second they were in the book! Really cool to see someone other than Harry / The Villain casting some spells this time around!
Atmosphere/Setting - 4
This one's gonna probably be a short one since there were something along the lines of like 6 main places where this story took place. This is not the book where I go to in order to really feel like i'm experiencing the environment and it shows. That being said the set pieces were pretty fun! Especially all the stuff in the Fey.
Writing Style - 6
Jim Butcher's writing style is always a great time, not many additional notes from how the other books in the series were written. Though! There was a slight change in Harry's writing that really got on my nerves this time around:
Atmosphere/Setting - 4
This one's gonna probably be a short one since there were something along the lines of like 6 main places where this story took place. This is not the book where I go to in order to really feel like i'm experiencing the environment and it shows. That being said the set pieces were pretty fun! Especially all the stuff in the Fey.
Writing Style - 6
Jim Butcher's writing style is always a great time, not many additional notes from how the other books in the series were written. Though! There was a slight change in Harry's writing that really got on my nerves this time around:
Gulp - Harry Dresden
WHY DOES HE KEEP SAYING GULP???? The first time it was funny, the 5th time it was super annoying, I even went out of my way to make note of it while reading.
Plot - 9
Oooooooo BABY now in this category we were cooking with gas! This plot was EASILY the best plot of all the Dresden books i've read so far! (Is this because I love the fey in any fantasy book?) Not no! But I really like how he pulled it off! Spanning the Winter and Summer courts and going over a very fun, simple, and Fey power structure
Intrigue - 8
I thought the intrigue of this book was another one of its highlights! The actual mystery of
Logic/Relationships - 7
The relationships between the characters really was a standout section of this book, not heart wrenching by any means but substantial enough that we saw some pretty big developments. I already mentioned Murph (best girl) and Harry had a couple outstanding moments throughout the book. Billy and Harry also had some great repoir I hope we get to see more of him in future instalments. There was even some play between Harry and
Enjoyment - 10
GOD I just eat these books up! I think in total it took me a week of casual reading to finish this book. These are my pallet cleansers after a long or arduous read and I adore them. Loved this book and I can't wait until I read another monster (I'm looking at you Wind and Truth) so that I can read the next Dresden book.
Harry Dresden... The ultimate sucker when it comes to damsels in distress.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Harry Dresden is having a bad time. His half-vampire girlfriend is MIA, someone has sent an assassin to kill him, and one of the Queens of the Faeries has showed up and made him an offer he can't refuse. Meanwhile, Harry has to fend off his enemies in the White Council who are scheming against him. To make matters worse, someone Harry thought was dead appears as the Summer Emissary, counter to his position as Winter Emissary, and on top of all that, the crime that started Queen Mab's interest in Harry still needs solved. Can Harry solve the murder without getting anyone else killed along the way? Can he save himself from the schemes of his enemies, known and otherwise? And most importantly, will Billy and the Werewolves convince him to play a TTRPG with them?
At this point of the series, you will need to have read the prior books to have the relevant context for the books to come. The first three can kind of work as standalones, but no more!
I think even more than Grave Peril, Butcher hits his stride with the Faerie Courts. The complexity of the layered politics and the specific rules of Faerie interacting with the increasing tensions that Harry finds himself navigating are very interesting and show a well-developed world and characters who feel complex and variously empowered. Seeing Harry in position of being comparable to some, more powerful than others, and hopelessly small compared to a few does a lot to add to the sense of urgency and danger that permeates his quest to save himself and the people who are endangered.
I really love the set up of the faerie Courts (Queens who Were, The Queens who Are, and the Queens who Are to Come, and the Knights). There is balance and a sense of an entire world that is bound by different rules and permissions than the mortal world. The faeries are unpredictable in some ways, but also their reactions can somewhat be anticipated based on the way that they are so entirely as they are (if that makes sense). The dynamics between them are cyclical, even when they are preparing for extreme measures. I also like the way that the power is brought into play through bargains and deals, and how they can twist language to basically lie without actually telling any untruths. All the best elements of traditional fairy tale story versions of faeries!!!! Very much enjoy.
I think that the book glosses over some traumas more than others. Harry experiences a few shocks that I would think would have greater impact on him, but we don't have time to feel trauma reactions so he doesn't. Murphy, however, is still feeling rough after the events of Grave Peril, especially. Harry tries to be sympathetic, but Murphy is very much an action hero when circumstances call for it and that's partly what brings her back out of her trauma. It's not implausible, but it feels a bit like a speedrun of the fallout. On the other hand, it's more than I expected in this kind of film noir-esque novel, so, there's that.
The romance plot generally takes a backseat in this book, so if you're interested in that plotline, you'll have to wait until after this book to get that updated. The biggest difference is that Harry rethinks his approach to solving the problem Susan is suffering from from a sustainability standpoint. We do get some backstory information that explains why Harry is the way he is when it comes to relationships.
Overall, I love this as the setup for future plots with faeries and also as a backstory reveal. It works very well and my complaints (mostly for Harry being misogynist and aware of that but refusing to change) are minimal.
At this point of the series, you will need to have read the prior books to have the relevant context for the books to come. The first three can kind of work as standalones, but no more!
I think even more than Grave Peril, Butcher hits his stride with the Faerie Courts. The complexity of the layered politics and the specific rules of Faerie interacting with the increasing tensions that Harry finds himself navigating are very interesting and show a well-developed world and characters who feel complex and variously empowered. Seeing Harry in position of being comparable to some, more powerful than others, and hopelessly small compared to a few does a lot to add to the sense of urgency and danger that permeates his quest to save himself and the people who are endangered.
I really love the set up of the faerie Courts (Queens who Were, The Queens who Are, and the Queens who Are to Come, and the Knights). There is balance and a sense of an entire world that is bound by different rules and permissions than the mortal world. The faeries are unpredictable in some ways, but also their reactions can somewhat be anticipated based on the way that they are so entirely as they are (if that makes sense). The dynamics between them are cyclical, even when they are preparing for extreme measures. I also like the way that the power is brought into play through bargains and deals, and how they can twist language to basically lie without actually telling any untruths. All the best elements of traditional fairy tale story versions of faeries!!!! Very much enjoy.
I think that the book glosses over some traumas more than others. Harry experiences a few shocks that I would think would have greater impact on him, but we don't have time to feel trauma reactions so he doesn't. Murphy, however, is still feeling rough after the events of Grave Peril, especially. Harry tries to be sympathetic, but Murphy is very much an action hero when circumstances call for it and that's partly what brings her back out of her trauma. It's not implausible, but it feels a bit like a speedrun of the fallout. On the other hand, it's more than I expected in this kind of film noir-esque novel, so, there's that.
The romance plot generally takes a backseat in this book, so if you're interested in that plotline, you'll have to wait until after this book to get that updated. The biggest difference is that Harry rethinks his approach to solving the problem Susan is suffering from from a sustainability standpoint. We do get some backstory information that explains why Harry is the way he is when it comes to relationships.
Overall, I love this as the setup for future plots with faeries and also as a backstory reveal. It works very well and my complaints (mostly for Harry being misogynist and aware of that but refusing to change) are minimal.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot