Jim Butcher is a cliffhanger-writing BASTARD

[annathepiper]

So I just finished jimbutcher’s latest Dresden Files novel, Changes, and I have one thing to say: AUGH! *^_^*;;

This here is not a proper review post; it’s a spoiler-laden discussion thread! If you’ve also read the book and you want to talk about it, drop a comment! Gush or wail or both to your heart’s content! And needless to say, if you haven’t read it yet, stay far, far, far away from the comments until you do. You’ll thank us later.

My own reactions behind the cut!

And I totally need to get me a proper book!Harry icon, although tv!Harry will do for this purpose.

Oh good gods where do I start?

AUGH #1: The systematic steamrollering of every! single! thing! that we’ve come to know and love as a detail in Harry’s life: his office. His home. The Blue Beetle. His staff.

AUGH #2: OMG POOR MISTER where are you kitty?

AUGH #3: I TOTALLY CALLED that Susan was not going to survive the book, and I was halfway suspicious that she would in fact be forced to go full vamp before everything was done. I did not however call that Harry was GOING TO HAVE TO KILL HER HIMSELF. AUGH.

AUGH #4: I also totally called that there was no real way that Harry would be able to keep the kid even if he did actually successfully rescue her. I am pleased that Jim did in fact lay it out that it would be extremely stupid for Harry to try to keep the kid around. But I didn’t call that Harry would have to bring himself to hand poor Maggie off to Murphy and beg Murphy to take her to Father Forthill and ask that she be put somewhere safe that not even he knows about. When Harry stammered delivering that request my heart just cracked for the poor guy. AUGH.

AUGH #5: Of COURSE Ebenezer is Harry’s grandpa AUGH!

AUGH #6: This is me being whomperjawed that Team Dresden actually took out the ENTIRE RED COURT with the rebound of the death curse. HOLY CRAP. I guess this is putting a good heart stop to the vampire/wizard war, ain’t it? But we’re only halfway through the series! Who the hell’s going to be rising up to top the Reds as the Bad Guys?

AUGH #7: OH GOD Harry’s working for the Winter Court now. And while he was quite right in that Mab was the least evil of his options, and while my partiality to things Faerie takes pleasure in this particular development, I am nonetheless AUGH because Jim writes him some scary fey like whoa.

AUGH #8: OH GOD poor Molly really taking several hits for the team. I guess she’s not going to be a mere apprentice wizard too much longer, huh?

AUGH #9: MOUSE! I didn’t think it was possible for Harry’s dog to be any more awesome, but Jim has proved us wrong. (heart heart heart)

AUGH #10: MURPHY WITH THE SWORD! *awedface* How amazing was that?!

AUGH #11: And speaking of Murphy: JIM YOU UTTER BASTARD TEASING US WITH HARRY GOING OUT WITH MURPHY AND THEN GETTING SHOT AUGH AUGH AUGH AUGH AUGH.

AUGH #12: The title of the next novel is, if Jim’s Twitter account is to be believed, going to be Ghost Story. Any bets on whether he’s going to pull the same stunt rachelcaine did, and have Harry actually be dead, but then get better? ;) I can’t imagine that Mab’s going to actually let Harry stay dead for long.

AUGH #13: For those of you who don’t know yet, there’s going to be a post-Changes novella in the next Dresden release–not the next novel, but the anthology Side Jobs, due out in November. It is from Murphy’s point of view and I am SO TOTALLY BUYING THIS.

AUGH! AUGH! AUGH!

Mirrored from annathepiper.org.

Comments

[mamishka.livejournal.com]

I TOLD YOU SO! I TOLD YOU SO!

To your points now! ;)

#1 - Yeah, Changes is clearly the right name for this book. In one fell swoop Harry loses just about everything that he has and more than just the obvious ones you've listed. He loses the woman that he loves and never stopped loving. He loses his child. He loses his dog (potentially - said he was going to send Mouse with Maggie). He loses his cat. He's also lost his freedom and, as far as he knows, himself. He's convinced that Mab is going to crush him and remake him into something he is not. This book is all about BIG changes. Which in a way is good. Mr. Butcher has taken away all of the comfortable crutches and set everything back to zero. A daring and interesting choice.

#2 - I'm sure Mister is just fine. That cat is a survivor. ;)

#3 - Yeah, I knew that Susan wasn't going to survive the story. Totally didn't see her 'purpose' till the very end though and yeah, didn't think it was going to be Harry doing the deed. Ouch. Poor Harry.

#4 - Yeah, it was clear Harry couldn't keep the kid any more than Susan could. Poor schmoos.

#5 - *laugh* Yeah, didn't see that one coming, but it certainly did explain some things. ;)

#6 - Credit should go where credit is deserved - it was actually Martin who took out the entire Red Court. Harry just pulled the trigger of the gun that he provided, and Susan was the bullet. They all contributed though. Team effort, in a demented sort of way.

#7 - Yeah, Queen Mab is going to be pretty interesting and intense. I'll be curious to see what happens with that.

#8 - I do have to wonder what is going to happen with Molly. If/when Harry becomes the Winter Knight, what will that do to his standing with the White Council? Will he even be considered a member any more? Will her life be forfeit because Harry can't fulfill his obligations of being her mentor? There could be some major repercussions here.

#9 - I kinda knew, ever since that moment in Grave Peril, that Murphy was going to take up the sword at some point. Remember that moment, when she comes in after Harry has pulled the wire out of Micky? And I quote, "The door burst open. Murphy came through it, her eyes living flames of azure blue, her hair a golden coronet around her. She held a blazing sword in her hand and she shone so bright and beautiful and terrifying in her anger that it was hard to see. The Sight, I realized, dimly. I was seeing her for who she was." >;)

#10 - Your shipping of Harry and Murphy is not mine, but yeah, that was still a low blow. I would like them to find happiness, and if they can find it in each others arms, then kudos.

#11 - I hadn't actually put much thought into this, but this is what I think it means. Harry is going to have something to do that he can only do 'dead'. But in the end, after all the stuff he does in the book, he will only have been dead for a minute or so, coming back after being rescucitated by Murphy or EMTs. I don't think he'll get better or have to be saved by Mab, I think it will be a time differential thing between being in the place that he gets taken to 'dead' and being alive. But we shall see. ;)

#12 - Oh yes, I am SO buying it as well. I've read most of the short stories therein and would like to own them anyways, so it's all good. ;)

Oh, and another thing...

[mamishka.livejournal.com]

Maggie. She's gonna be a pretty powerful wizard considering her lineage. So you gotta wonder, is she gonna go dark? Because considering what the went through and saw? There's no way that kid isn't going to be HUGELY f*cked in the head as a result of that.

Maybe Mouse will keep her sane. I dunno, but I can only hear Bartok in my head whispering, "This can only end in tears..."

[agrimony.livejournal.com]

Stupid LJ pretended I was logged out for my comment.

Anyway, all in all a wonderful book. I was intrigued by the throw-away comment about Mouse being a demon.

I did see a lot of the surprises coming before they were revealed, but it wasn't in a bad way - I suspect it was more in a 'I know the working's of Jim's mind' kind of way. :)

I've been so busy processing everything else in the book that I almost forgot about Harry being shot at the end.

[annathepiper]

Yeah, I noted the demon remark, and that's very much a "hMRmRmRmRmrm!" sort of moment! ;)

I think it's safe to say that this is the best thing I've seen Jim do yet!

[denelian.livejournal.com]

i am daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaays late -

i've been stomping around being mightily *pissed* that Pete has JUST started reading the Dresdin Files - he's on BOOK 3! he knows JUST ENOUGH to be completely spoiled if i say ANYTHING.


PHEWY! sigh.


you're points are all wonderful, aside from the "Ebanezer is his Grandad?" point, because i've been assuming he WAS a relation of some sort...

[annathepiper]

Yeah, looking back on it, it ain't like Jim didn't really telegraph it to us--but that's the lovely thing about Jim's writing. Even when he slings you clues, he does it in such a way as to not make it blatantly obvious at the time. Only afterwards, when the thing he's been hinting at is actually revealed, do you go WELL DUH OF COURSE IT'S THIS WAY.

Or I do, anyway!

Man, I'm looking forward to the anthology in November. :D

And glad to give you a spot to sound out if you can't talk to Pete about the books!

[denelian.livejournal.com]

no, you're totally right - i see the hints but don't piece 'em all together until after the fact, like over 90% of the time. which is EXCELLENT! i hate "easy" in my mysteries :)


and thanks :)

[annathepiper]

You're very welcome!

[prettyshrub.livejournal.com]

Just because the Red Court is out of it, doesn't mean the Black Council won't find another way to screw with everyone.

[annathepiper]

Oh, INDEED. mamishka and I were remembering that the Black Court is NOT out of commission, and certainly the White Court may suddenly get very, very interested in this power vacuum.

[prettyshrub.livejournal.com]

Also, am I the only one who thinks Thomas should get Amoracchius?

[annathepiper]

Oooo... that's an interesting call. And we already know that the Swords clearly don't care necessarily if their wielders are in fact Christian, since Sanya's a professed atheist. It'd be very interesting to see if Amoracchius would put up with being wielded by a vampire. ;)

[denelian.livejournal.com]

no NOT alone!
[it's of the few fanfics i have EVER written. erm... yeah, Justine and all :) because Love conquers all, don'tchaknow!