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This was a rollercoaster ride and the title is spot on. This is a clear inflection point in the series and afterwards, nothing is the same. All of Team Dresden (Murphy, Thomas, Molly, the Knights of the Cross, and the Grey Council) saddle up to save Harry's SECRET DAUGHTER! The last time Susan and Harry saw each other, they had an intimate reunion. She got pregnant and never told him. She named the baby Maggie (short for Margaret, for Harry's mom) and gave her in to the care of vanilla mortal family. She felt like both hers and Harry's lives were too dangerous to give her a happy and secure childhood. Unfortunately, the Red Court vampires found out about Maggie and plan to kill her with a bloodline curse that will end Susan, Harry, and all their kin.
We all know that Harry's righteousness is more Old Testament fire and brimstone and less New Testament mercy and forgiveness. The shock of finding out he has a daughter he's never been able to meet who is in imminent danger, makes him angrier than he's ever been. He's ready to kill first and ask questions later. But of course it's not that easy because the vampires are trying to kill him. His apartment gets set on fire and while trying to climb a ladder to rescue his elderly neighbors, he falls and breaks his back. He's instantly paralyzed from the waist down and as a result, he decides to take Mab up on her offer to become the Winter Knight so he will have the power he needs to save his daughter. Part of the deal is that his evil fairy godmother Lea will accompany him to take out the vampires.
The ritual is taking place at Chichen Itza. We get some really cool battle scenes but of course, nothing is ever straightforward in the Dresdenverse. Right when Harry and Susan are about to save Maggie, they get betrayed. Susan's vamp-fighting partner, Martin, is actually a mole for the Red Court who infiltrated the Brotherhood of St. Giles in order to destroy resistance against the Reds. But actually it's a triple cross. Martin is a true rebel, who played a long con and went to the Red King hoping that it would get him close enough to take the whole thing down. He knows that Susan's vampire rage comes up when she's emotional. Harry catches on to the play in an instant. Simply by telling Susan that Martin set her up to betray her, he helps to throw her into a killing rage, triggering her transformation into a vampire. Harry then points out that as the youngest Red Court vampire, she can be substituted as the sacrifice, and her death will wipe out the whole bunch.
Susan agrees in order to save their daughter. To his credit, Harry strikes the killing blow himself.
Molly gets shot in the leg, Sanya breaks an arm, and Murphy wields one of the swords to great effect. We also find out that Ebenezar is Harry's grandfather! He had an estranged relationship with Margaret and took Harry in as a way to make things right.
Back home when it's all done, Harry is staying on Thomas's boat since his apartment got torched. Murphy comes over and after some banter, she and Harry decide to cross the friendship line and make a date. Harry's heading out to meet her when he gets shot. He goes over the edge of the boat and into the cold waters of Lake Michigan. And that's where it ends!
We all know that Harry's righteousness is more Old Testament fire and brimstone and less New Testament mercy and forgiveness. The shock of finding out he has a daughter he's never been able to meet who is in imminent danger, makes him angrier than he's ever been. He's ready to kill first and ask questions later. But of course it's not that easy because the vampires are trying to kill him. His apartment gets set on fire and while trying to climb a ladder to rescue his elderly neighbors, he falls and breaks his back. He's instantly paralyzed from the waist down and as a result, he decides to take Mab up on her offer to become the Winter Knight so he will have the power he needs to save his daughter. Part of the deal is that his evil fairy godmother Lea will accompany him to take out the vampires.
The ritual is taking place at Chichen Itza. We get some really cool battle scenes but of course, nothing is ever straightforward in the Dresdenverse. Right when Harry and Susan are about to save Maggie, they get betrayed. Susan's vamp-fighting partner, Martin, is actually a mole for the Red Court who infiltrated the Brotherhood of St. Giles in order to destroy resistance against the Reds. But actually it's a triple cross. Martin is a true rebel, who played a long con and went to the Red King hoping that it would get him close enough to take the whole thing down. He knows that Susan's vampire rage comes up when she's emotional. Harry catches on to the play in an instant. Simply by telling Susan that Martin set her up to betray her, he helps to throw her into a killing rage, triggering her transformation into a vampire. Harry then points out that as the youngest Red Court vampire, she can be substituted as the sacrifice, and her death will wipe out the whole bunch.
Susan agrees in order to save their daughter. To his credit, Harry strikes the killing blow himself.
Molly gets shot in the leg, Sanya breaks an arm, and Murphy wields one of the swords to great effect. We also find out that Ebenezar is Harry's grandfather! He had an estranged relationship with Margaret and took Harry in as a way to make things right.
Back home when it's all done, Harry is staying on Thomas's boat since his apartment got torched. Murphy comes over and after some banter, she and Harry decide to cross the friendship line and make a date. Harry's heading out to meet her when he gets shot. He goes over the edge of the boat and into the cold waters of Lake Michigan. And that's where it ends!