Biggs' Zone

A Gamer Geek's Cogitations, Conjectures and other Cortical Experiences

Tag: Dresden Files

Book Review: Battle Ground

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On October 3, 2022

In Book Review, Fantasy

Battle Ground

Book in Series: The Dresden Files #17
Author: Jim Butcher

I am finally caught up; it only took me the better part of 3-4 years. Granted I was reading other books scattered throughout that timeframe. Had I been reading these books back-to-back I’m sure I would have caught up sooner. I rarely review any of the Dresden books but I feel like I have some things I want to share following the events of Battle Ground but they will contain spoilers.

Before I get into that, I will first say that I did enjoy this book. Unlike any of the other 16 books, the flow of this book is completely different. There are no time skips (until the very end). There isn’t even a time jump from the end of Peace Talks to the beginning of this book. He does shake things up a little bit but not as dramatically as Changes. However, there is still apart of me that’s hurting after this book. IYKYK.

Spoiler Alert!!

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Book Review: Changes (Dresden Files Book 12)

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On April 6, 2021

In Book Review, Fantasy

Dresden Files ChangesChanges by Jim Butcher
My rating: [rating=5]
(Click here to view at Goodreads)

I know, I know. The last book review I wrote for the Dresden Files was book 8. What can I say, I enjoy these books so much I immediately jump into the next book. In fact I do it so quickly that I don’t allow myself enough time to properly digest the book and, thus, write a book review. If you’ve read “Changes” then you know as well as I do, this is a good time to take a step back and breath before embarking on book 13.

Soooo, WoW! This book is aptly named! If you haven’t read it yet then I’m warning you now, there are MAJOR SPOILERS ahead! I was not expecting half the events that unfold for poor Harry in this book. With that said, there are few books that have me shaking and/or tearing up at the end; this book managed to accomplish both.

spoiler alert!!!

The following content contains spoilers for Dresden Files Book 12 – Changes.

A Brief Synopsis/Biggs’ Review

Susan Rodriguez, Harry’s old fling, has returned. She needs Harry’s help, which is always seems to get Harry in trouble. Except this time he has no choice. Susan’s daughter, Maggie, has been taken by the Red Court and she needs Harry’s help to find her; after all … it’s his daughter too??!?!

Over the past several books we have seen Harry Dresden change quite a bit. A rogue wizard who is under the White Council’s constant vigilance to a Warden and now a father! While these are typical changes every person and/or character may go through, this book, literally, changes everything! I’d have to read the book again (which I intend to do) to fully catalog all the terrible things that happens to Harry. By the end you’re wondering where will Harry live now? When will Queen Mab come to collect? WHERE IS MISTER???!? And then … that happens …

A fellow Dresdenite (is that a thing?) said to me that this book could also be called “Harry Dresden and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day”. Every book is, essentially, Harry’s worst day/week out of the year. However, this book turns it up to 11. Despite the rapid change in landscape, I really like this book. Easily one of my favorite books in the series. I love it when an author suddenly decides to flip everything on its head. Hit the reset button, as it were. I mean, if I didn’t know there were 4 more books, I would have thought this was the end of the series. In fact this book, more than any other book I’ve read, leaves you wondering … where do we go from here???

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diablo3-reading“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
– Dr. Seuss

 

Book Review: Proven Guilty (Dresden Files Book 8)

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On June 1, 2020

In Book Review, Fantasy

Proven Guilty (The Dresden Files, #8)Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher
My rating: [rating=4]
(Click here to go to Goodreads.)

The previous Dresden book (Dead Beat) was so good that it’s difficult to follow up a book like that. Personally I thought Proven Guilty struggled with that a little bit, but it doesn’t lack in it’s usual Harry Dresden charm. There is a lot of character development in this book and perhaps that is it’s ultimate purpose.

The story of this book felt a little underwhelming. In fact when someone asked me what this book was about I struggled to remember. Granted that’s not saying much because 1) I don’t have a great memory to begin with and 2) I’m also reading The Swarm at the same time. While the books are polar opposites I still had to remember that “Victor” and “Imala” are not characters in this book. Be that as it may, this is definitely not a book you want to skip (if skipping books is your thing).

Short Synopsis/Biggs’ Review

The daughter of Harry’s best friend, Michael, gets herself into trouble and Harry comes to her rescue. Michael is away so Harry has to work with Michael’s wife, so that’s an interesting dynamic since she doesn’t really care for Harry. I’d say that the best part of the book is the end when Harry has a new responsibility that, if this were Star Wars, all Jedi Master’s ultimately take on. There are a couple of surprises that do help redeem the dark and languid tone of this book.

Despite the slow plot it never, once, occurred to me to stop reading. I still enjoyed it and I will read it again (when I do my Dresden Files re-read). There is character development that is pivotal to the remaining books in the franchise and that alone makes this book worth reading.

View all my reviews

diablo3-reading“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
– Dr. Seuss

 

Book Review: Dead Beat (Dresden Files Book 7)

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On February 10, 2020

In Book Review

Dead Beat (The Dresden Files, #7)Dead Beat by Jim Butcher
My rating: [rating=5]
(Click here to go to Goodreads.)

I haven’t been posting reviews for the Dresden books I’ve been reading. Its not from lack of enjoyment, I’m definitely hooked on Harry Dresden. It helps that these books take place in Chicago, my favorite city. The books have been around since April 2000 (in fact the 16th book comes out this July). I just assumed everyone has already read or heard about these books so writing a review seemed superfluous. However I’m committed to writing more book reviews this year so here goes.

Biggs’ Review

I can see why this book is the favorite of many Dresden fans. I’ve been in love with Harry Dresden’s wit since Storm Front but there’s more to love than his personality in this book. I’m not going to plunge into too many details because I don’t want to ruin anything. Basically Harry agrees, reluctantly again, to another dangerous case (from an even more dangerous person) and you wonder, the entire book, how he’s going to survive this one. All I can say is Bob plays an awesome role in the outcome. There are some new characters and a few other twists and surprises in this book that I’m not going to mention so you’ll just have to read to find out.

I loved this book; easily one of the best ones so far (though, I do have a long way to go before Peace Talks). I can definitely see myself reading this book again after I’ve finally caught up.

View all my reviews

diablo3-reading“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
– Dr. Seuss

 

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