Title: Changes (Dresden Files bk. 12)
Author: Jim Butcher
Length: 438 pages
Genre: Urban fantasy
Where Word Nerd's Copy Came From: Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library
Plot Basics: Chicago's professional wizard, sometimes Warden of the White Council, and generally smart-mouthed Harry Dresden gets a call from his former lover Susan, letting him know that their daughter has been kidnapped by Red Court vampires. Harry vows that he will save his little girl -- who he knew nothing about -- and swings into action, bringing with him all allies he can muster. But, the powers he is up against is greater than Harry may be able to bring down unless he makes some radical choices that will change his life forever.
Banter Points: Some people, supposedly, yell at the TV during sporting matches. Word Nerd yelled several times at Harry (or maybe at Jim Butcher), unhappy with what he was doing or incredulous that Harry did was he did. Yelling sounds like the mark of a bad book, but it's not. It was that Word Nerd has gotten so engrossed in Harry's story that she couldn't believe what Butcher was putting his character through. Word Nerd's guess is that Butcher likes Harry as a character -- obviously, he's been writing this series for 12 books. It takes guts to do that to a beloved character. GUTS. And he did it well with all the panache and verbal reparte that characterizes this series.
Bummer Points: One word -- cliff-hanger. It's bad enough that Harry had to do what he did during the 438 pages of this novel but then, it just leaves off and there is now WAITING for the next book. Butcher also sprinkles these books with pop-culture references of the sci-fi variety, but the Lord of the Rings comparison just was a bit much.
Word Nerd Recommendation: Hold on to your seat while read this one. And this feels like the appropriate place for Word Nerd as well to go back and re-read the whole series before the next one because it ain't going to be the same from here on out.
Other reactions: When was your "No he didn't" moment as you read this one? Try to avoid spoilers in comments if you can, but Word Nerd's curious...
2 comments:
In all honesty, I didn't really have a shocked look on my face until... what to call it? "The Final Solution?"
Considering this is the "middle" book and it was called "Changes," I sort of expected what was coming. For the most part.
This is what I wrote on my Facebook page:
How to review this? Since this is the midpoint book for Dresden, imagine if Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire had ended like so:
Ron is dead, Snape is Harry's father, the school has burned to the ground, Voldemort and all his minions are dead, and Harry has just been killed.
I am DYING to know what happens next, and I have to wait a whole year...
In conclusion, J. K. Rowling had no backbone when to killing characters. Butcher is a brutal, brutal dude.
Mouse was my "NO WAY" moment. Yes, I should have seen it coming. But I didn't. I kinda got used to him just being a cool, laid back dog that loves his owner.
The truth about the Red Court leaders was pretty eye popping too.
And the daughter thing? I can't remember if I read about it or not, but I sure as heck didn't remember it until I picked up Changes. That was a "What the--" moment for me too.
And the LOTR reference was over the top.
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