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4.25 AVERAGE
4.25 AVERAGE
Not really 4 stars, but the short story at the end was good enough to make me round it round it up.
TL;DR Peace Talks and Battle Ground are parts 1 and 2 of the "Infinity War" of the Dresden universe (at least we didn't have to wait a year between the installments).
All the words... I met Jim Butcher at ComicCon shortly after Dead Beat came out back in 2005 or 2006 and I got a chance to talk to him for a few minutes because his line was short compared to Robert Jordan sitting next to him. I remember asking him if he was worried about the "power up" problem wherein the character has just defeated an enemy of X power and so in the next story he must deal with an enemy who is X+1 or 2X power so the main character keeps getting stronger and stronger and the consequences of the stories have to keep getting larger and larger to the point where the character is constantly saving the world from one book to the next. He didn't think so, he felt at that point that he knew where the overall story was going and that that wouldn't be a problem.
I think with these last several books, we've definitely gotten to that level where the "fate of world" is resting squarely on Harry's shoulders all the time (though Skin Game was nice in that it felt more like a traditional heist story, even with potential world shattering consequences). I find it a bit disappointing because I enjoyed the smaller, less massively consequential stories. Harry just a being the hometown wizard trying to good. Your basic Phillip Marlowe detective with a wizard staff, a talking skull, and some skeletons in the closet.
I'm also saving some trouble with this whole "starborn" thing, it feels like we're moving into "The Chosen One" trope territory.
Also, while I'm venting, when Harry is all guilting out about how everything is his fault and how he is guilty of for all these deaths and everyone is reassuring him that it's not his fault and that these things would have happened anyway... it is literally all his fault, and it can all be traced back to when he tried to back out on his bargain with the Leanansidhe back in Grave Peril. He failed to honor his deal and she took Amoracchius. The efforts to recover the sword result in Susan Rodriguez being turned into a vampire which more or less directly leads to the war with the Red Court and all the death and destruction that follows...
TL;DR Peace Talks and Battle Ground are parts 1 and 2 of the "Infinity War" of the Dresden universe (at least we didn't have to wait a year between the installments).
All the words... I met Jim Butcher at ComicCon shortly after Dead Beat came out back in 2005 or 2006 and I got a chance to talk to him for a few minutes because his line was short compared to Robert Jordan sitting next to him. I remember asking him if he was worried about the "power up" problem wherein the character has just defeated an enemy of X power and so in the next story he must deal with an enemy who is X+1 or 2X power so the main character keeps getting stronger and stronger and the consequences of the stories have to keep getting larger and larger to the point where the character is constantly saving the world from one book to the next. He didn't think so, he felt at that point that he knew where the overall story was going and that that wouldn't be a problem.
I think with these last several books, we've definitely gotten to that level where the "fate of world" is resting squarely on Harry's shoulders all the time (though Skin Game was nice in that it felt more like a traditional heist story, even with potential world shattering consequences). I find it a bit disappointing because I enjoyed the smaller, less massively consequential stories. Harry just a being the hometown wizard trying to good. Your basic Phillip Marlowe detective with a wizard staff, a talking skull, and some skeletons in the closet.
I'm also saving some trouble with this whole "starborn" thing, it feels like we're moving into "The Chosen One" trope territory.
Also, while I'm venting, when Harry is all guilting out about how everything is his fault and how he is guilty of for all these deaths and everyone is reassuring him that it's not his fault and that these things would have happened anyway... it is literally all his fault, and it can all be traced back to when he tried to back out on his bargain with the Leanansidhe back in Grave Peril. He failed to honor his deal and she took Amoracchius. The efforts to recover the sword result in Susan Rodriguez being turned into a vampire which more or less directly leads to the war with the Red Court and all the death and destruction that follows...
I love the Dresden files and Jim Butcher really took me on the rollercoaster ride I expected. As always it was so hard to put down
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
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:
Yes
dark
emotional
tense
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:
Yes
I procrastinated reading this newest part of the Dresden Files for over a year because I knew some characters would die. It’s a supernatural war in Chicago and nothing would be the same again. This book broke me. I’m an emotional wreck. The stakes were high, and the sacrifices... I thought Changes was a big battle, oh boy, was I not prepared. I predicted one or two of the twists, but was absolutely surprised by the dozens of other twists. Jim Butcher is still the master of emotional impact and mythology world building. Excited for how the next books will build on these big world-changing developments. 4.8/5 stars.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book for review.
I love superhero movies. I love movies with great big special effects and amazing fight scenes. And this book is ONE BIG FIGHT SCENE. And Butcher knows how to write them! This is all I ever wanted from a Butcher book.
So, I've given you the plot. Ethniu, a Titan, has declared her intention to remake the whole world in her image. She's pissed off about a lot of things and is ready to fight EVERYBODY. This means that the wizard's High Council, the White Court of Vampires, the entire Faerie Court, Gentleman John Marcone and his crew, River Shoulders the sasquatch, and pretty much any character who's ever been in a Dresden book has to come out to fight for the city of Chicago.
Also, the city of Chicago is about to become violently aware that the supernatural exists. The genie's not going back in that bottle.
So, there's not too much more I can say because it's a BIG BRAWL and spoilers abound. There's a pretty massive Chekhov's gun that Harry is gathering on a shelf and I wonder when it will be fired- undoubtedly, as bad as this Big Bad is, there is worse to come. We don't get any real hints of that yet in this book, but clearly everyone is leveling up for a reason.
FUN! I'm waiting for the next one now. Too bad they are so much faster to read than to write!
I love superhero movies. I love movies with great big special effects and amazing fight scenes. And this book is ONE BIG FIGHT SCENE. And Butcher knows how to write them! This is all I ever wanted from a Butcher book.
So, I've given you the plot. Ethniu, a Titan, has declared her intention to remake the whole world in her image. She's pissed off about a lot of things and is ready to fight EVERYBODY. This means that the wizard's High Council, the White Court of Vampires, the entire Faerie Court, Gentleman John Marcone and his crew, River Shoulders the sasquatch, and pretty much any character who's ever been in a Dresden book has to come out to fight for the city of Chicago.
Also, the city of Chicago is about to become violently aware that the supernatural exists. The genie's not going back in that bottle.
So, there's not too much more I can say because it's a BIG BRAWL and spoilers abound. There's a pretty massive Chekhov's gun that Harry is gathering on a shelf and I wonder when it will be fired- undoubtedly, as bad as this Big Bad is, there is worse to come. We don't get any real hints of that yet in this book, but clearly everyone is leveling up for a reason.
FUN! I'm waiting for the next one now. Too bad they are so much faster to read than to write!
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.5 Stars
Let me start off with this: I do not agree with the decision to slice this story into two parts. For various reasons including but not limited to:
1. Neither story is complete without the other half. Each leaves you feeling like it wasn't a complete book.
2. Feels/looks like a cash grab.
3. I don't know if this is directly related to splicing the book but either a) new editor and not a great one or b) Butcher is starting to really lean on repeating not only words but also sentiments. I'm not actually sure how many times I read about muddy ground.
4. Maybe 3 isn't something new but Marsters does a phenomenal job of inflection so I just never picked up on it?
5. Last one: The first few chapters feel off- in a way that they seem like filler was built in (which, in splitting this story makes sense). Don't let that stop you. The story picks up and flows naturally just a few chapters in.
Okay, now that my cons are out of the way, let's discuss what Butcher does well.
Love. Loss. Binding. Bonds. Calculation.
I cried more than once because Butcher knows how to write loss. Heavy loss. Like someone who has experienced true grief.
I laughed more than once because Butcher knows how to inject tense situations with the perfect amount of humor to balance the utter despair that Dresden faces. Not as often in Battle Ground but it shouldn't have been as light hearted as stories of the past so it balances perfectly.
I gasped more than once because while I had suspicions of certain characters from Peace Talks, I also didn't have THOSE suspicions.
Butcher is a king at building a world that doesn't only revolve around his main character. We see the story from Dresden's recounting but the world is happening around him in ways that he [Dresden] couldn't see. Every step of the way, the reader is given front row to the memories while Butcher also makes it possible for us to piece together the frame that Harry cannot.
Also, I'm just going to say- I never knew just what exactly made the Dresden Files lure me in. In Battle Ground I got it- It's the pure Urban, this world is ours and exists but it's also full of magic we will never know balance that works. Humans are limited in knowledge of the supernatural of Dresden's world, and despite it being thrown around, the average person isn't going to pick up on it. Dresden may be overpowered by his mantle but it's also breaking him. This is something that he chose not for himself, it was chosen to help others that he loves. I appreciate that he isn't becoming more and more powerful because he is a chosen one but because of his decisions- which directly impact his world. His decisions (rarely) lead to everything working out for him. But he is doing the best he can with the knowledge he has.
In Peace Talk we see the White Court fracturing from him- they see the forest where Harry sees the trees. He blunders ahead, reacting to threats put in front of him. Battle Ground is a turning point- Harry has seen the forest and it is dark and full of danger.
Now I want to jump back to my point #1. Butcher is becoming a master at weaving story lines and excels at fight sequences. PT is pure build. It's necessary for BG to be what it is. We NEED that back story. Likewise, PT is pure build- there isn't enough tension to make it a full story. BG balances and completes that. I'd rather see a 400 page story than half of one.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.