Correct on all counts! It's really funny, looking back, to see Thomas' introduction. It gains a lot of perspective when you reread it with hindsight.
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Me too; it's a little disappointing when over the course of a series, it starts to seem like everything's integrated into some larger picture and nothing just exists for its own sake; everything has to have some kind of deeper significance.
But it's not the messed-up fairies fault they're so much more interesting.Quote:
Plus it really cements a feeling I've had for a wihle: Winter favouritism. They just get so much more screen time.
If Changes is a wham episode/season finale and Ghost Story a breather episode, then Cold Days is the exposition carpet bombing setting up for the new arc.
While I don't expect my opinion of the middle part of that to change (I think all of you are being too harsh btw) all that much since I can almost imagine reading it independent of the series as a whole I honestly think I might drop the other parts further down my own list with time if only because they may well seem on reflections to be I don't know, plot developments with a story attached to meet the book requirement, rather then stories with plot developments in them.
I also suspect the last couple of books have probably been very difficult to write and there's an a massive pile of discarded drafts somewhere. And the series is going to have to abandon that whole "more or less in real time" thing its been trying.
I actually like Ghost Story and Cold Days, even though they're Breather Episode and Exposition Dump. It just makes them a wee bit clunky; there is just no way they were ever gonna be as elegant as Dead Beat or White Night, considering that burden.
But I don't get the bit about the abandonment of real time (which btw fyi apropos of nothing has always kind of annoyed me for some reason); to wit, how ya figure?
Huh. Both Butcher and Blackthorne are going to be at Dragoncon. This could be interesting...
I think I agree in broad strokes with Eldan, Carpe Guitarem, et al. There are a few idiosyncrasies, though. (Minor spoilers ahead.)
High
- Grave Peril. This is where the series ceases to be a generic urban fantasy. It introduces two of the best characters in the series (Michael and Thomas), sets up the main plotline, and establishes that the world is dangerous, that even if there's minimal protagonist fatality, that doesn't mean they (and those around them) don't suffer when they **** up.
- Summer Knight. Fairies! Also, Shakespeare! More of the Alphas, which I always appreciate, and their growing up emphasizes the fact that time actually passes in this series.
- Death Masks. The story itself is okay. But Shiro and Nicodemus are both amazing in their own right and are excellent foils for Harry that get brought up and that shape Harry throughout the series.
- Dead Beat. A) Butters. B) Zombie T. rex. C) Ramirez.
- White Night. See, this is what I want from a White Court story, not freaking porn-star cults. Actual intrigue, back-room deals that will bite everyone in the ass eventually, and Lash is nothing short of amazing.
- Turn Coat. Almost as much as Changes, this is a whammy. The relationship Harry deserved turns out to be the result of mental control, Morgan finally makes the heroic sacrifice we all knew he'd eventually make, and we learn a bit more about the politics of the White Council—and what we see is not encouraging.
- Changes. To quote Murphy, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Also, Hell's bells and stars and stones. Tightly written, tightly plotted, phenomenal characterization, and the worst cliffhanger I've read.
- Skin Game. First, it ties together so many plot threads. Nicodemus finally suffering as he deserves, Butters coming into his own and becoming everything we expected of him, the reappearance of both Jake and Michael acting as his namesake, Lash, IdHarry, and HarryxMurphy. Hades is awesome, though honestly I'd have preferred they use the Roman 'Pluto' since the association with wealth didn't come until the Classical period when he was already euphemistically called 'Plouton'. Also, the sex scene. The one in Death Masks was vaguely unsettling (normally I'm not much for mixing my erotica with my literature), but this one... left me empathizing with Harry. And honestly, after the last few years Harry deserves a book where all's well that ends well.
Medium
- Storm Front. A good start. Not polished, but the story itself is tight and a good introduction.
- Blood Rites. I dunno. This just feels flat to me, relying more on gimmick (cult of porn stars!) than plot. Saved from Low because of the significance of Thomas and his relationship with Harry.
- Small Favor. Nicodemus, as always, is awesome. Particularly his arrogance at the end. But aside from that it's not hugely special except for setting up Skin Game.
- Ghost Story. I actually like this better than is apparently the norm. In part because it sets up Molly for "Bombshells", in part because we see how Harry deals with being powerless (surprisingly well, actually), and because we get to see all the lovely trauma Changes inflicted.
- Cold Days. Yeah, it's an info-dump. It's also got a good plot. Santa riding with the Erlking, the building sexual tension between Murphy and Harry, and slowly adding on both pressure and power.
Low
- Fool Moon. Ugh. Boring antagonists, too much Dresden/Murphy conflict, and not enough significance to the series.
- Proven Guilty. I do like Molly, and I like Dresden's leap of faith by proxy. The rest feels scattered and the pacing is off.
What issue..? you really dont think someone at that age would know about the fun kind of handcuff, if they were the least bit adventurous..? :smallconfused:
Nah, that's just amusing. It's just that I'm not usually a fan of erotica in pieces I don't expect to have it. Too much whiplash, and before then I would have been fine recommending it to my 11-year old cousins, and when they reached Death Masks it would have been awkward. :smallannoyed:
Heh. How about that there chapter of Skin Game then? :smallamused:
That was just annoying because it seemed to go on forever.
Well, first, I shipped Harry and Murphy from basically Fool Moon, so my opinion is probably slanted a bit. But it is well-integrated into the story, we've been acclimatized to more sexuality and sexual banter since Harry got the mantle, and the ending is killer.
I had the Dresden Files pegged as being two maybe three modest steps from a romance novel since I read Storm Front personally. Even aside from the "love" potion incident the writing has always had a certain smutty quality to it even aside from the very restrained and censored actual smut. Which never entirely went away, this is the book series with a plot relevant bondage scene let's not forget
It was always a bit like PG-13 comedies I don't go see because I know they won't reward me with the R rated content I really wanted and I'm too old to be fooled by hinting, though I didn't mind Butcher pulling the same trick.
Through, I guess. The bondage scene, by the way, was another one that went on too long for my tastes. Was plot relevant, though.
I might agree albeit for the entirely different reason that I never really liked Susan so much as tolerated her. I nothing against love interests anymore then the oft maligned romance and smut (most of their "flaws" are necessary features) but she seemed extra contrived to me.
Might be overflow on the Lois Lane thing. I never quite believed an actual good journalist would work for a tabloid rag. That was a nice joke in MIB but wacky tabloids reporting the truth isn't really all that viable a concept. Maybe if that had just been a side job under a pseudonym or something.