Battle Ground - A Novel of the Dresden Files (Book 17)

What better way to celebrate my 600th blog posting than to review a book that has to one of the most exciting, heart-breaking, powerful, energy-filled, suspenseful, and outright FANTASTIC books that I have read in a while.  As I told a friend recently, reading this book was like watching the second half of the Avengers: Endgame movie.  When the blurb on the back of the book says that by the end of this novel, Harry, Chicago, and the whole world will be changed forever - it definitely means it!  I mean, quite literally, the only three words I can think to describe this book as I was reading it are:  OH MY GOD!

Battle Ground is the seventeenth novel of the Dresden Files, the series that stars Harry Dresden, a down-to-earth, every-day man who happens to be a wizard who lives in Chicago and puts his life on the line time and time again to save his family, his friends, and his city.  Jim Butcher went several years without a new Dresden Files novel, and book 16 (Peace Talks) and this book came out pretty much one right after another - and considering how interwoven they are, I can see why.  While Peace Talks was the set up and the warning of what was to come (much as Infinity War was for the Avengers), Battle Ground is, from page one, non-stop action.  Literally.  Picking up exactly where the previous book left off, Dresden, Murphy, Lara, and Freydis have left the island where Dresden buried his brother to protect (and hopefully one day save) him and are heading back to Chicago to prepare for the coming war with the Titan, Ethniu. And, as with everything else in Dresden's life, even that short trip across the lake can't be easy...

Butcher holds back no punches in this book.  Right off the bat, Dresden and gang find themselves fighting a kraken before they can even make it to the Chicago shore line.  Already weary and worn down, Dresden still fights with everything he has, alongside the vampire queen of the Red Court and the Valkyrie and the cop.  But just when all seems lost, unexpected help arrives from Dresden's own padawan - he has definitely taught her well!  Molly Carpenter my be the Winter Lady now, but she is still Dresden's friend first and foremost, so when he's in trouble, she'll be there!  And this first fight sets the stage for the 500+ pages of story to come, as all kinds of nightmarish creatures begin swarming the streets of Chicago.  So many, in fact, that the members of the Accord are not able to contain them and keep the regular humans from seeing what is going on.  Thus, change #1 - the mundane human world is about to discover the supernatural world exists right alongside them, and it will forever change the landscape of Chicago!

Amidst all of the fighting, though, Dresden begins to discover things about himself, as well as about the White Council.  There are still secrets, and Dresden does not like the idea that the Council is keeping things from him - particularly when it seems they are bound and determined to undermine his new role as the White Knight for Mab.  But Dresden does what Dresden always does - he looks out for his family and friends, and the for the city around him that cannot defend itself from the nightmare about to be unleashed by a destructive Titan, and the Council and their rules be damned.  Of course, Dresden has been gradually building up his own army who will stand with him no matter what - Murphy, who may be human, but she is one heck of a fighter; the werewolves, who call anytime they are needed; Butters, who now wields the Sword of Faith; Toot-Toot and his guard of little folk, who can be quite formidable when they need to be; and Michael Carpenter, who still believes in his friend and will stand by him to the very end.  But this Titan is something more powerful than any of them have ever faced, and with its coming comes change #2 - the city of Chicago is more than half demolished, as the Titan destroys building after building, reducing the city skyline with a mere thought!

One thing I definitely have to mention here - from the very beginning of the series, Dresden has had a little Volkswagon Beetle that he referred to as "Blue Beetle," which I always assumed was because it was painted blue.  I mean, let's face it - a big-time author like this could not be referring to the old Charlton/DC comic book hero, could he?  Well, in this book, Butcher answers that question once and for all.  When Murphy shows up to rescue a wounded Dresden, he climbs onto the back of her motorcycle and says, "This is Valkyrie.  I've got Booster Gold" (p. 207).  A simple, throw-away line, and yet those seven words (eight, if you count "I've" as "I have") answer everything!  Because as any DC Comics fan knows, Blue Beetle and Booster Gold are BFFs that were the comic relief of the Justice League for many years, and even today, they are the Laurel and Hardy of DC Comics.  So, for Butcher to finally acknowledge this comic book reference - well, it made the geek in me totally geek out and cheer when I read the line!

But the joy doesn't last long, as the battle gets more intense, more fierce, and more deadly - and one of Dresden's closest allies is taken out.  And when I say taken out, I don't mean knocked out, injured severely, or maimed.  I mean TAKEN OUT.  Someone dies.  Someone close to Dresden, someone I thought Butcher would never, ever write out of the series.  It's a meaningful death, as it very nearly breaks Dresden and opens him to the full fury of the Winter Knight burning with him.  But it's also a tragic death, as it is not a nightmarish creature of the Never-Never that kills this person.  No, it's another human that has become so unhinged by everything happening in Chicago right now that he can't make sense of anything and ends up shooting this person without warning.  So, yes, it is the villainous Titan and her group of baddies that cause the death, but the tool is a simply human being who is brought to madness by the sight of everything that is happening.  Which makes the death more real, more sad, and more devastating to Dresden and to the reader.  This is most definitely, without a doubt, one of the biggest changes in the series (we'll call it Change #3 with a capital "c").

Oh, but it doesn't end there.  The battle is huge, and the members of the Accord have a plan to stop the Titan before she can obliterate Chicago and move on to the world.  And wouldn't you know it, Harry Dresden is smack dab in the middle of that plan - in fact, the most important part of the plan.  Because he is the only one who can actually trap the Titan.  Because you can't actually kill the Titan (none of them have that kind of power, even combined), but the Titan can be contained.  And by the end of the battle, there are a number of revelations that come to light that basically show us change #4 as it relates to "Gentleman" John Marcone, change #5 as it pertains to the White Council's decision about Dresden after everything is over, and change #6 as it concerns Dresden's marital status (yeah, you don't really think I'm going to spoil THAT one, do you?).

There is so much that happens in this book, there is no possible way I could go into all of it.  I will say it was well worth the read and well worth the wait.  Now comes the impossible task of waiting for book 18 (tentatively titled Twelve Months) and book 19 (set to be called Mirror, Mirror).  Here's hoping there's not as much a delay here as there was between books 15 and 16!

 

EXTRA - this book also contained a short story at the end titled "Christmas Eve," which is clearly set after the events of this book.  It's a touching little story that reminds readers of exactly what, and who, Dresden is fighting for in his battle against the supernatural baddies!

RATING:  10 unassembled bicycles out of 10 for giving readers the payoff they deserve with this climactic battle that is unparalleled in scope and suspense!

Peace Talks - A Novel of the Dresden Files (Book 16)

When I picked up Storm Front and Fool Moon, the first two novels in the Dresden Files series way back in 2001 (both of which were first printings, as Storm Front had come out in 2000, while Fool Moon was a new release in 2001), I certainly never expected that I would be here, 20 years later, still following this series of a wizard living in Chicago in the present day, trying to stop the supernatural world from taking over this one.  I will be the first one to say that, for me, I definitely judge a book by its cover.  Those first printings of Storm Front and Fool Moon had some great, stylistic covers with art that quickly drew you into the scene.  The fact that the stories involved vampires and werewolves only cinched the deal for me, having always been a huge fan of the supernatural worlds since watching my first episode of Dark Shadows back in the day.  Over the years, Jim Butcher's Dresden Files has expanded and evolved - starting out as only paperbacks, but eventually changing into hardcover editions first, with paperback versions being published a year later (which annoyed me at first, since that meant I had to wait nearly two years between Blood Rites and Dead Beat to read the next book...); going from covers that never featured the lead character to covers that focused solely on Dresden in his beat up coat and staff; expanding into comic book stories, collections of short stories, and even a one-season long television show.  It's clear that author Jim Butcher created a character that resonated with tons and tons of fans (and having met Butcher multiple times at DragonCon in Atlanta, I can attest to the enormous fan-following this author and series has!).  However, after Skin Games came out back in 2014, Butcher took a break.  And that break continued ... and continued ... to the point where six years passed with absolutely no Dresden book being published! There were a couple of comic book series published by Dynamite Entertainment that helped soothe fans' need for more Dresden, but quite frankly, I was beginning to give up.

Then came Peace Talks in 2020 (a year when we definitely needed something good to happen!).  And if that weren't enough, a few months after Peace Talks came out in hardback, it was followed up by Battle Ground!  After such a long gap, I was overjoyed to see not one, but two new books come out in the same year!  Of course, both came out in hardback, and being the cheapskate that I am, I was willing to wait for paperback versions.  And Peace Talks finally made its paperback appearance last month, so I snagged it the first day it was on the shelves.  Normally, I put my new books on a shelf in the order that I buy them so that I can read those books I bought previously - but with Dresden, I couldn't wait, so he immediately moved to the top of the stack!

Peace Talks picks up a bit after Dresden's gang descended into Hades' vault to steal the Holy Grail.  Karin Murphy is still recovering from the severe injuries she received during that heist, and Dresden is coming to terms with all of the changes in his life - he is now the Winter Knight; Molly is the Winter Lady; Karin is gravely injured, likely to never fully recover; Butters is a Knight of the Cross; his basement apartment is destroyed; his Blue Beetle is gone, replaced with a hearse; he has a brother who is a vampire in the White Court; and probably the biggest of all of his changes is the fact that he is the father of a little girl, for whom he will do just about anything to protect.  Dresden is hoping for just a little bit of down time, but of course, we all know that will never happen!

This book brings together the various factions of the supernatural world at a summit for the Accords, in which the various supernatural nations hope to reach and agreement for peace.  Dresden is called in by the Council to help provide security for the Accords, which doesn't sound too difficult.  Until his brother breaks into the svartalf embassy in Chicago (which happens to be where Harry and his daughter are living to keep her protected) and kills on of the svartalf guards.  One who was very important to the svartalf royalty.  And this places Dresden in a very precarious position.  The svartalf laws dictate that Thomas be put to death for his crime.  But Thomas is Dresden's brother.  He can't just let him die.  But if he takes action to rescue him, he could place himself at odds with not only the svartalf nation, but with the wizarding council as well, and he could destroy any chance the Accords have of brokering peace.  Just another typical Tuesday in the life of Harry Dresden!

It was such a true joy to fall back into the world of Harry Dresden - just like catching up with old friends that you haven't seen in a while.  The sarcasm, the tricks, the determination, the battles, the surprises, the plots, the villains, the twists, the allies, the enemies, and the sexual tension... wait, what? Sexual tension?  Since when did the Dresden Files heat up like that? I can honestly say the amount of sex and sexual tension in this book eclipses that of all the previous books combined!  Obviously, I never though Harry Dresden was celibate, but man - my friends and I wondered if perhaps Butcher was going through a dry spell in his life and compensated by releasing all that pent-up energy through Dresden in this book.  While none of it is explicit, it definitely heats up quite often in the book, leaving the reader rather ... uhm ... exhilarated? ... by the end of the book.  (Oh, and in this context, let's just say that Butters finally gets his due in this aspect - you'll definitely have to read the book to see what I'm talking about here!)

The battle between Dresden and McCoy has been a long time coming, and it was actually good to see that finally come to head in this book.  And I'm glad that Butcher has kept Dresden true to his nature by doing whatever it takes to protect his family, while juggling the Accords, the Council, and the city of Chicago (not to mention, the world!) at the same time.  If anyone can manage it, it's Dresden, and his multi-tasking capabilities and tactical planning really shine through in this book.  There are quite the number of subplots building in this book, and considering the cliffhanger at the end, I have no doubt many of them will get resolved (or at the very least, moved forward considerably) in Battle Ground. 

I also like the direction Dresden and Murphy's relationship is going.  That has been building for 20 years, and it's about darned time they started to build something.  And I absolutely love the fact that Murphy has no problems standing up to Dresden and the supernatural ilk of his world (including a Valkyrie that Murphy actually outsmarts and defeats!), proving that even a normal human being can have what it takes to defeat otherworldly creatures.

Overall a very satisfying read and a more-then-welcome return to the Dresden Files.  The only drawback to the book is that I managed to read all 455 pages in just a few days, leaving me now without a Dresden Files book to read until Battle Ground comes out in paperback!  ARGH!!!!

RATING:  10 pancakes made from scratch out of 10 for satisfying the Dresden-craving that has been growing for the past seven years with a spectacular new tale filled with more danger and disaster than every before!

Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files - Brief Cases

Ah, Harry Dresden, Wizard Extraordinaire - oh, how I miss thee! It's been way too long since Jim Butcher gave us a full length novel. He's allowed a few comic book mini-series from Dynamite Entertainment to be published, and he's written a short story here and there over the past few years. Thankfully, his recent short stories have been collected into a large volume titled Brief Cases, and it has sustained my love for the character and need for more stories!

With 12 stories, Brief Cases covered a lot of different times (at various points in Dresden's history - between books, during books, and even after the last book). This provides fans with the opportunity to see the characters at various points in their history. And I specifically say "characters" because Butcher treats us to stories of not just Dresden, but also tales from the point of view of Molly Carpenter (Dresden's apprentice) and Marcone (the mob boss) and, my personal favorite, Waldo Butters (the coroner). In addition, the final story, which, quite frankly, was the least of my favorite of the 12 short tales, features not one, not two, but three different view points...but more on that later.

First, let's discuss those three tales with bigfoot. As Butcher indicates in his introduction to the first tale, bigfoot is a character he never has touched upon in the ongoing series, so it was a nice change of pace to see him integrate the character into Dresden's world. It was also fun to see that bigfoot was not only NOT a villain by any means, but that he had an offspring by a rather imposing woman - an offspring that Dresden finds himself helping not once, not twice, but on three separate occasions throughout the young bigfoot's life. All three stories are unique and stand on their own, but when taken together, they create an amazing tale of parental love, sacrifice, and reunion. Of all the stories in this anthology, I would have to say that these three are my favorite Dresden tales.

With regard to Molly - when her character was first introduced into the series, I wasn't overly impressed. She seemed to be the stereotypical rebellious teenager. No big deal. But then she started using magic. And then she got in trouble - big time trouble! Then Dresden bailed her out and took her on as his apprentice. And then ... well, for those who may not have read all the books in the series yet, I won't spoil it. But she does manage to get two stories in this book, and both of them are quite powerful. Once is set just after Changes, when everyone is mourning Dresden's death. The other deals with Molly's new role following the unspoken change to her life mentioned (or rather, not mentioned) above. In both stories, she proves herself to be a true protege of Harry Dresden, acting just like him in so many ways. The second story, however, is a very tough pill to swallow, as Molly learns a lesson the hard way, at the cost of quite a few lives...

The story about John Marcone was interesting - we've never really seen anything from his point of view before. And to see how he deals with supernatural threats ... how he uses what he has learned from Dresden over the years ... and how he is able to discern the truth from subterfuge within the supernatural community ... well, it shows just how devious, conniving, and downright dirty he can be.

Now, my favorite of all the stories in this book has to be the story about Waldo Butters. Butcher admits in the preface to the story that Butters was originally just a throw-away character. But over the years, he has grown into something much more than that - a likable geek who has been thrown into a world he doesn't truly understand, yet one that he accepts and willingly throws himself into whenever someone is in need. And now, as the chosen keep of the Sword of Faith, he has even more responsibility than ever. In this story, Butters gets his first "call," and his faith is put to the test when he goes toe-to-toe with a deadly supernatural creature. He must have faith in himself, in his calling, and in his righteous mission in order to defeat the creature and save the soul of the man he and Michael found on the bench...

And the last story. Dresden takes a trip to the zoo. With his daughter. And his dog. And what should be an uneventful family outing turns into three separate battles! Dresden takes on a warlock with newfound powers - - Maggie takes on some ghouls in children's clothing - - and Mouse takes on a shadowy villain.  The same story, told from three different perspectives, fighting three different villains totally unbeknownst to the other two. Truly an ingenious idea, and while it was cute, it just did not have the Dresden feel that the other stories did. Maybe it was too light-hearted, or maybe it was too family oriented, I'm not sure. But, while it wasn't bad, it was not the best either.  Then again, when you have a book of 12 stories, they can't all be the best, can they?

Overall, the book is another win for Butcher in his Dresden universe and satiates the Dresden craving we fans have until he finally gets around to writing and publishing the next novel.

RATING:  10 giant oyster shell bombs out of 10 for feeding the Dresden fix for all of us fans going into withdrawals!