Dresden Files: Winter is coming (Cold Days Spoilers)

[KnightDisciple]

Well according to Jim's forums, it's also available in Montreal.

You guys get to lead the free world, we get early release for Dresden files.

Seems fair.

And I get mine 2 days "late", but signed by Jim.

Seems Fair!

[Somebloke]

All I want to know is: Does Mother Winter play a role in the book above cameo? And, if so is it awesome?

Really want to see her again.

Chapter 4 Spoilers

Spoiler

Show

So we see Maeve attempt to use her mental link with the Winter Knight to dominate Harry like she did Lord Slate only to find out Harry is having none of that. It's been stated before in earlier books and short stories that the Winter Queens all have a mental link to the Winter Knight and can use it to subtly influence his thought processes molding the Knight more to their liking. I speculate that while true its not the whole story. No, the full truth is that the link is two-way and the Winter Knight also has the power to influence the natures of the Winter Queens. Its just that Maeve always made a point of picking Knights too hidebound/weak-willed to realize it/do anything with it. But Mab chose the Knight this time specifically to help fight against the upcoming Outsider incursion and therefore sought out the strongest willed potential Knight she could find. Maeve is terrified by this Mab finds it exciting.

Spoiler

Show

yes, Mother Winter appears. It's only for a few chapters, but it is...more memorable this time. Lets just say that if Mab is thevarchetype for the wicked stepmother, then Mother Winter appears in fairy tails too.

[Lamech]

Almost here, almost here. Then I can read it and click the spoilers!

I do however have one question: Is there a train?

[Aidan305]

Curses. I went in to the bookshop (and subsequently several other book shops) only to find that it wasn't being released her until Thursday.

[hamlet]

Just got my copy on the Kindle this morning and read a few pages before running off to work. I like it already.

Now I have to fight the urge to become "sick" and leave early so I can keep on reading. Dratted need to earn a living.

[Weimann]

I have the book resting peacefully in my bag right now. Now I just have to make it through the day, including an English exam, before I can gluttonously indulge it.

I take comfort in that time always moves at 1 hour/hour (or thereabout, at least), not matter what it feels like.

[Somebloke]

Might as well post some sort of review. No spoilers:

The book continues the grand Dresden-Files tradition of supernatural mysteries, intense, it’s-over-nine thousand- set-piece battles, and soap-opera esque levels of continuity and drama. I would recommend reading this one without any spoilers- Dresden Files are best read with in a state of low-level fear as to which beloved character Jim is going to kill off, torture or otherwise screw with.

The Winter Queens get a thorough exploration, with insights into what they are, why they exist and what personalities and desires they have beyond their respective roles. In any other series, this may have lead to badass decay- with the Winter pantheon, however, it just makes their amoral, ruthless behaviour all the more shocking when they start torturing kittens (metaphysically speaking).

If there is a single outstanding feature about this book -I mean, other than the brilliantly witty/tragic dialogue that Jim does so well- it’s easily as good as any of his other books- it’s that Jim, after years of hints, mysteries, more mysteries, answers that turned out to be mysteries in themselves, finally goes nuts in explaining most of what on Earth has been going on under Harry’s (and our) nose over the last thirteen books. The book ends Jim’s long-running coyness with hard facts and it has been worth. Every. Damn. Moment.

The issue I had with this book? They aren’t bad, by any means, but a lot of the fight scenes seemed to be very ‘same old’- maybe it’s because I’ve recently re-read the series, but I found myself skipping over a lot of the early-to-mid fight chapters. They’re all very good, but after 14 books, they all have the same general feel, and they don’t hit the buttons like they used to.

Overall- excellently written book, well worth the read, and the ending means that I’m already desperate the read the next book to find out what happens next.

[Lamech]

I take comfort in that time always moves at 1 hour/hour (or thereabout, at least), not matter what it feels like.

Little know fact: Extreme anticipation and desire can accelerate your brain functions to extreme speeds. So your brain processes faster, so when it seems like time is crawling along at 1 second every several minutes its because from your point of view it is! Now, don't think you can exploit the extra processing power. Its all used in anticipation for whatever you are looking forward too.

[123456789blaaa]

Alright, just finished the second half of the book yesterday and...damn. It was great.

One question though:

Spoiler

Show

I was a little tired when finishing the end so I couldn't quite understand the reveal about Sarrisa. I get that she was being groomed to be the next Winter Lady but I think I missed something. Was she Mab's lover instead of a BFF?

[datalaughing]

Alright, just finished the second half of the book yesterday and...damn. It was great.

One question though:

Spoiler

Show

I was a little tired when finishing the end so I couldn't quite understand the reveal about Sarrisa. I get that she was being groomed to be the next Winter Lady but I think I missed something. Was she Mab's lover instead of a BFF?

Spoiler

Show

she was Mab's daughter

Just finished the book. Loved it! Ghost Story was my least favorite of the whole series. So I was worried we were on a downhill slope, but this was flat out awesome. So many answers and each one just shows us that Harry is in even further over his head that we or he ever imagined. Still on a high from finishing the book, but right now I both love and hate Jim Butcher.

Spoiler

Show

Also, Odin is Santa Clause? Wtf?

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Picked up Cold Days on the way home from work today. Three hours later, I just have one question:

When's the next one come out? I don't know if I can wait that long!

[Somebloke]

Picked up Cold Days on the way home from work today. Three hours later, I just have one question:

When's the next one come out? I don't know if I can wait that long!

Yeah that was my reaction to the ending.

Apparently the next one is called 'Mirror mirror'.

[Feytalist]

So. I am now in possession of one copy of Cold Days.

Yeah, I'm probably not going to sleep until I finish it.

[Thiyr]

So. Recieved and finished the book today. Trying to be vague, but spoilers regardless.

Spoiler

Show

Thoughts: Overall, it was a well done book. Mostly what I expected. I stopped trying to tally the times I had a good reaction. That said, I don't feel it was one of the stronger outings in the series.

New mysteries were introduced, old ones solved. That's good. But the new ones felt very...small, at least by comparison. Not unlike the power vacuum left by the fall of the Reds, the magnitude of mystery lost has left a hole here, and while there's stuff trying to fill it in, nothing quite managed to do it. Kills just a little suspense. No longer is it "who's behind it all", now it's just "What's up with Mac", which is as much an answer as question, "What's gonna happen with Molls", which is nebulous but not mysterious, "What's the deal with this parasite", which was set up last book and was only barely touched on so I'm not counting it with as much weight, and...what happens next, the perpetual question in any ongoing series. I may have missed some, but it certainly doesn't balance the scales compared to what was revealed.

The whole Mab/Maeve thing was interesting. I actually really enjoyed watching how slowly Dresden got educated on it, and how he managed to figure out what was going on in terms of the plot of the book. But in relation to above, my gut reaction to the major reveals were that they lacked the subtle, slow reveal that the above managed to pull off. I may be horribly, horribly wrong, but it felt like where the involvement of the outsiders facilitated a slow, dawning realization for what happens with the Lady and Queen, so too did it rush the answer to the Black Council and the underlying thread of all the baddies before.

And finally...The whole thing at the end with Molly felt kinda like an asspull. Even when it was happening, I was calling shenanigans, then I saw the justification, and then I went back and reread the justification, and then it still felt like an asspull. While I guess we haven't had more than two prior instances of this happening before (one being a few pages earlier at that), the terminology had been fairly clear. A Vessel of Faerie. Not "one with allegiance to Faerie", or "A person with ties to Faerie", but a Vessel. While that's a tad unclear by itself, each other instance was a changeling who was undecided. Not yet fae, but still with that potential (an unfilled cup, to use metaphor. Or, in this case, an unfilled VESSEL. Textual Bludgeoning, go!). Molly had been a student of a fae due to obligation. She had been given the "rights and privileges" of things that I'm assuming to be fae. The first bit doesn't feel deep enough, and the depth of association was said moments before to be important. Student by proxy, not in debt, and no direct blood tie. You could make the argument for the svartalf, but that doesn't hold. She made a deal with them, which is all well and good. Heck, that she had those rights and privileges could be seen as a justification, even if personally I'd count it more as a duty. Except that she only has said rights and privileges while on their property. They were nowhere near said property. So how the hell is she qualified? The only justification I can see is "'cause Mab said so", which...feels just as unsatisfying. I didn't enjoy that it happened to Sarissa, mostly 'cause I don't enjoy characters like that being introduced just to have that all flipped at the end out of nowhere, but it was at least a mystery set up in the book, something that you could see coming. But Molly? That just came from left field in a bad way.

Probably doesn't hurt that she's easily my favorite character in the series, and given the revelations in this book as to the nature of what happened, this is pretty much a death sentence to the character (Even more than the massive change that broke my heart in the last book.)

That said, I did appreciate the out that slapped Harry in the face, both for himself and for Molls.

Spoiler

Show

"Many, many mantles are worn -or discarded- on Halloween." That Vadderung was disguising himself as Kringle was great, and in fitting with the whole bit (assuming it was a disguise and that they're not just the same person). That he just slapped that answer in his face? And I can easily see that applying both to the mantle of Knight and to the mantle of Lady. Or maybe I'm just a bit too hopeful for my poor, poor Molls.

[Aidan305]

Picked up Cold Days on the way home from work today. Three hours later, I just have one question:

When's the next one come out? I don't know if I can wait that long!

To quote a particular bowl of petunias: "Oh no, not again"

[datalaughing]

So here's an interesting thing I noticed:

Spoiler

Show

Mab says no knight has given her nobles as much crap as Harry since the days of Tam Lin. If you read the wiki article on Tam Lin, the story has some interesting parallels. Tam Lin was a fae knight who used to be human. He impregnates a human girl, and the two of them want to be together. Also, Tam is afraid the fae are going to sacrifice him on Halloween night. So he tells the girl that when he rides by with all the faeries she must grab hold of him. Then the other fae will change him into a succession of animals to try to make her let go, but she has to hold on. Then when he's turned into a hot coal, she has to drop him in the well. After this he reappears as a man, human again.

Is it possible that Mab was telling him the way out of his service as her knight? Maybe even a way out for Molly? Odin/Kringle does hint at the end that Halloween is a night when mantles can be put on or taken off.

[Socratov]

To quote a particular bowl of petunias: "Oh no, not again"

I see what you did there

Well, I still have to wait untill christmas (damn my ingenious idea of asking for the book as a christmas present), but I have read all the spoilers. I'm so happy I am not a spoiler sensitive type and can still enjoy a book or series if I knwo what's going to happen... (besides my imagination demands the actual text deeming everything else until proven, non canon)

[loopy]

Spoiler

Show

Also, Odin is Santa Clause? Wtf?

Spoiler

Show

Apparently Odin had a bit of a reputation as a gift giver before the whole Santa Claus myth rolled around.

Fantastic book, I'm now waiting for everyone else to finish so I can start squeeing.

[The Glyphstone]

Excellent, just finished today.

Spoiler

Show

If Vadderung really is Kringle, rather than just pretending to be Kringle for a night, I'd actually be disappointed. I was so looking forward to meeting Kringle, the Winter King, and he lived up to my expectations completely. To find out he's just a mask worn by another character, one who has his own realm and doesn't even need to live in Winter, would be sad - not to mention how if he's been changed to the modern Santa Claus and can only shed that visage on Halloween, how is he Vadderung the rest of the year?

On Demonreach:
Demonreach said Harry can free the prisoners. He can communicate with the prisoners.

Can he control the prisoners? Does Demonreach have an inmate employment program? Is Harry not just a Warden, but the potential commander of an army of evil gods?

Dammit Jim, just let Harry and Murphy hook up already.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Excellent, just finished today.

Spoiler

Show

If Vadderung really is Kringle, rather than just pretending to be Kringle for a night, I'd actually be disappointed. I was so looking forward to meeting Kringle, the Winter King, and he lived up to my expectations completely. To find out he's just a mask worn by another character, one who has his own realm and doesn't even need to live in Winter, would be sad - not to mention how if he's been changed to the modern Santa Claus and can only shed that visage on Halloween, how is he Vadderung the rest of the year?

Spoiler

Show

Odin and Santa Claus are different enough that I doubt they're the same person (recall that a mantle of power changes a person to match the archetype, and the two are different enough that one person playing both roles and/or having both mantles would be difficult), and Vadderung being free to do his thing while Kringle is attending Mab backs that up, like you said. The fact that the Erlking and Kringle both deliberately played weak to let Harry borrow the Hunt, plus his reference to taking up and putting down mantles on Halloween, only reinforces the idea that he's just pretending.

[Mr._Blinky]

Spoiler

Show

Dammit Jim, just let Harry and Murphy hook up already.

Spoiler

Show

Seriously, that was the thing that disappointed me most after all the awesome in this book. I understand that they're supposed to have a complicated relationship, but it's been fourteen goddamn books, taking place over fourteen years, not to mention the end of Changes, the stuff in Ghost Story, and all the stuff that happens in this book. Keeping them apart at this point is starting to get more tedious than anything. Just let it happen already!

[Lamech]

Spoiler

Show

Seriously, that was the thing that disappointed me most after all the awesome in this book. I understand that they're supposed to have a complicated relationship, but it's been fourteen goddamn books, taking place over fourteen years, not to mention the end of Changes, the stuff in Ghost Story, and all the stuff that happens in this book. Keeping them apart at this point is starting to get more tedious than anything. Just let it happen already!

Spoiler

Show

No, the Harry/Molly ship must go through! Plus Harry is running out of those silly "ethical" excuses not to do it. "Oh, no I couldn't take advantage of her, that would be abusing my power." no longer really applies.

Harry/Molly, Forever!

P.S. Can the adversary infect Mantles of Power?

[Somebloke]

Based on the ending of Cold Days, I was able to determine the opening line to Mirror Mirror:

Spoiler

Show

At Mab's funeral, I reflected that no matter how careful Mab's plans, no matter her many contingencies and plots, she missed on essential, vital detail: Charity knew where she lived.

[Feytalist]

Finished it. In less than a day, which is impressive given that I have to work and, y'know, sleep and stuff.

It was just that good.

Couple of thoughts:

Spoiler

Show

Good book. I also noticed the higher swearing quotient. It doesn't distract, it's just... noticeable. Lots of witty lines that made me stop and reread, which was cool. Abundance of pop culture, as usual. Plus We Will Rock You. Yeah.

This thing in Harry's head. I wonder. It probably can't be the adversary, since someone would probably have noticed or said something. Probably the plot of the next book?

Also the Well seems like another source of power for the Apocalyptic Trilogy. If he could somehow control all the monsters locked up in there, that would be... cool. Dangerous. Moronic. And totally something he would do.

Molly. Yeah. Should've seen that one coming. She's turning into Jim's biggest punching bag, after Harry.

The thing with Kringle. Odin was known as a trickster and illusionist in Norse myths, so it's very possible it was Odin pretending to be Santy Claus. He also explicitly says at the end that he was just wearing a mask that night. It's obviously meant to relate to the Hunt, but who's to say he wasn't also speaking about himself? Also a nice little hint about the mantles. Kinda surprised Harry got it so easily, heh.

Revelations about Winter's purpose, the Gatekeeper, the overarching enemy, the familial ties in Winter and Summer. All very cool. Seems like the series is coming to a head, but there's still like, what, 6 books to go? Whoa. Also the scene with Mothers Winter and Summer was just the best. I just love those two biddies.

[The Glyphstone]

Spoiler

Show

No, the Harry/Molly ship must go through! Plus Harry is running out of those silly "ethical" excuses not to do it. "Oh, no I couldn't take advantage of her, that would be abusing my power." no longer really applies.

Harry/Molly, Forever!

P.S. Can the adversary infect Mantles of Power?

Spoiler

Show

If the Adversary could infect the Mantles themselves, there wouldn't be any need to get a infected vessel in position to be the next recipient of the Mantle.


Further notes:
So, there are multiple Walkers. We've met He-Who-Walks-Behind and his decidedly less badass brother, He-Who-Walks-Before. So, is there a He-Who-Walks-Beside or He-Who-Walks Between?

WMG of total insanity: Mac is an Outsider, who spent so much time existing beside/between mortals that he 'went native' and withdrew from the fight entirely. It's how he got his bar accorded as Neutral territory, because no one involved in the Accords wanted to tangle with him, and as long as he was a declared neutral he couldn't take sides against their enemies.

[hamlet]

*twitch*

Must . . . avoid . . . spoilers . . .

* twitch twitch*

Seriously, it's nigh impossible to avoid them. I have a friend in the office who already read it and can't help himself from walking over and spoiling the entire thing for me as I go through my own read. I'm only 25% done now (Molly just came back) and I'm trying like hell to fend my buddy off with a stick so I can be properly surprised.

[Drolyt]

Spoiler

Show

Also, Odin is Santa Clause? Wtf?

Spoiler

Show

They actually have some mythological similarities, and some people believe Santa Clause was based on Odin. I don't know if that is true, or even if it is a valid scholarly theory or just random bullcrap, but that is probably where Butcher got his idea.

On another note, awesome book.

[datalaughing]

Something else that just occured to me, something we learned in this book throws a very interesting light on a bit from book 11

Spoiler

Show

The Gatekeeper said he couldn't set foot on the island because it holds a grudge. We know now that the spirit ofthe island is the prison incarnate. It's walls and bars and guards all rolled into one, and the only thing it cares about is keeping its prisoners where they are. So what did Rashid do to piss it off? There are possibilities, I suppose, but the most logical conclusion is that he tried (and maybe succeeded?) to break someone or something out. So who or what that was is, to me, a very interesting question.

[Socratov]

Something else that just occured to me, something we learned in this book throws a very interesting light on a bit from book 11

Spoiler

Show

The Gatekeeper said he couldn't set foot on the island because it holds a grudge. We know now that the spirit ofthe island is the prison incarnate. It's walls and bars and guards all rolled into one, and the only thing it cares about is keeping its prisoners where they are. So what did Rashid do to piss it off? There are possibilities, I suppose, but the most logical conclusion is that he tried (and maybe succeeded?) to break someone or something out. So who or what that was is, to me, a very interesting question.

Spoiler

Show

It coudl be that Rashid was the one before Harry to create a sanctum there. I mean, Gatekeeper might just have referred to something wouldn't it? fail your duties and the sanctum is gone. It would also solve the question of why Rashid is good at nevernever gates and knowledgable on leylines. He must have studied them somehwere... Why not there?

[datalaughing]

Spoiler

Show

It coudl be that Rashid was the one before Harry to create a sanctum there. I mean, Gatekeeper might just have referred to something wouldn't it? fail your duties and the sanctum is gone. It would also solve the question of why Rashid is good at nevernever gates and knowledgable on leylines. He must have studied them somehwere... Why not there?

Spoiler

Show

Gatekeeper DOES, in fact, refer to something that we learned in this book, but it's not that. There are some really big gates that he's keeping. I doubt he has time to have been doing both jobs at any point.