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4.25 AVERAGE
4.25 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Wow. What a ride. This has some major twists and turns and changes the game for future books. Emotional gut punches abound in this one.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book floored me. Jim Butcher doesn’t pull any punches here. Battle Ground is exactly what the title promises. It is one massive, relentless, emotional showdown. From the very first chapter, it’s action stacked on action, but what makes it brilliant is that the stakes aren’t just explosions and monsters. They are deeply personal. Every battle feels like it matters because you care about the people fighting them.
What really stood out for me was how much heart is packed into the chaos. There are devastating losses, moments of sacrifice, and scenes that remind you why Harry Dresden remains such a compelling protagonist. The quieter character beats hit just as hard as the big set pieces.
I gave it five stars because it’s rare for a book this fast-paced to also land such an emotional punch. It’s raw, it’s exhausting in the best way, and it sets the stage for the future of the series in a way that makes me desperate to see what comes next.
If you’ve been with the Dresden Files this long, this one is both a payoff and a gut-punch. Absolutely worth the read.
What really stood out for me was how much heart is packed into the chaos. There are devastating losses, moments of sacrifice, and scenes that remind you why Harry Dresden remains such a compelling protagonist. The quieter character beats hit just as hard as the big set pieces.
I gave it five stars because it’s rare for a book this fast-paced to also land such an emotional punch. It’s raw, it’s exhausting in the best way, and it sets the stage for the future of the series in a way that makes me desperate to see what comes next.
If you’ve been with the Dresden Files this long, this one is both a payoff and a gut-punch. Absolutely worth the read.
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Contrived. Manipulating. Self-immolating. The final spasms of a dying franchise. So many characters and arcs have built to this moment and then take complete left turns for no reason making their moments of impact muted, sad or limp. Marcone takes a coin? Please, he's more stubborn than Dresden. Murphy? Such an inept waste of what she means to the series. The villain is boring. What happened to Thomas? Rather than tapping into growth over years and taking the on mantle his enemies and allies feared he would, he gets some random booster from Mab and the situation, things align to where most survive; and I'm left wishing he had just gone Daenerys on everyone.
Updated August 2022. I’m even more annoyed with time. I re-read some of the early books and feel even more dejected that the years of build-up were so ineptly rewarded. Characters and arcs are betrayed in sacrifice to a “big” plot. I really wish I had stopped reading two books ago. I try to forget these last two but I can’t and it ruins the others. Needless to say even after 17 books and countless short stories, I will certainly not read the final chapter in Harry’s journey.
Updated August 2022. I’m even more annoyed with time. I re-read some of the early books and feel even more dejected that the years of build-up were so ineptly rewarded. Characters and arcs are betrayed in sacrifice to a “big” plot. I really wish I had stopped reading two books ago. I try to forget these last two but I can’t and it ruins the others. Needless to say even after 17 books and countless short stories, I will certainly not read the final chapter in Harry’s journey.
Mr. Butcher. One question. WHY???
I am sure you have pissed off a lot of fans. That's twice now. Does the man not deserve some happiness.
Other then that, a much better book than the one before it. Oh the action in this one is non stop. This one played like a movie in my head. I enjoyed it very much.
I have found another question for you. Now i have read all your books and I am a big fan of Mouse, wish he was more then just Maggie's bodyguard, but I don't remember what happened to Mister. I know it would be hard for Harry to care for him as he no longer has a permanent home and i know Murphy had him for a while but he seems to have just vanished in the last couple of books. Maybe he returns now that Harry has a castle.
And speaking of Harry and returning, Jim. It would be nice if we didnt need to wait so lone for Harry to put in another appearance. I know you have a ton of projects on the go but this is the meat and potatoes of your fame and probably fortune. This is the guy we want to read about. You once said he could write 20 books about Harry, this is 17. The short stories are cute but we want novels. Thanks.
I am sure you have pissed off a lot of fans. That's twice now. Does the man not deserve some happiness.
Other then that, a much better book than the one before it. Oh the action in this one is non stop. This one played like a movie in my head. I enjoyed it very much.
I have found another question for you. Now i have read all your books and I am a big fan of Mouse, wish he was more then just Maggie's bodyguard, but I don't remember what happened to Mister. I know it would be hard for Harry to care for him as he no longer has a permanent home and i know Murphy had him for a while but he seems to have just vanished in the last couple of books. Maybe he returns now that Harry has a castle.
And speaking of Harry and returning, Jim. It would be nice if we didnt need to wait so lone for Harry to put in another appearance. I know you have a ton of projects on the go but this is the meat and potatoes of your fame and probably fortune. This is the guy we want to read about. You once said he could write 20 books about Harry, this is 17. The short stories are cute but we want novels. Thanks.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Iron Rain of the Dresden Files YEAAAAAAA!!
fast-paced