Disclaimer: I received an advance
copy of this title thru NetGalley.
MINOR SPOILER INCLUDED. If you’ve seen the book trailer or visited
any official Jim Butcher social media sites (and probably some un-official
ones) you already know the spoiler, but you have been officially warned…
There are several long series in
various genres which I enjoy enough to collect and re-read: action adventure, fantasy,
mystery, science fiction. Unfortunately, they all suffer from a decrease in
enjoyment the longer they continue, usually around book 10. I still read the new titles, but I usually
don’t collect them, or if I do, I don’t re-read them as often as I do the first
ones in the series. And more than one of these series has a book that I actively
avoid and try to pretend doesn’t exist.
Except…
Except for The Dresden Files. Don’t
get me wrong: this series has its bumps, but far fewer than other series, with
no titles on my avoidance list. And this series is still going strong with book
16, Peace Talks. I’ve seen a lot of internet grumbling and whining about how
long the interval was between the last book and this one but if the quality is
going to remain this high, I’m not going to complain! Of course, now we know
that the time was spent writing not one, but two! books. And we get both within a couple of months of
each other! Mahalo nui loa, Jim Butcher! At least 2020 won’t be a complete suckfest.
All the Dresden books have plenty
of snark and tons of heart, continual intricate world-building, dozens of lines
that I want to memorize (“Home … It’s where the books are.”) at least
one scene that makes me laugh out loud every time I read it, even if it’s the
third or eighth or thirteenth time (Tyranosaurs don’t corner well), and at
least one scene that makes my eyes get misty, if not downright teary. Peace
Talks upholds all these traditions well.
And I have faith in Jim Butcher
that Battle Ground will be just as excellent – he shows no signs of losing the
magical gift that I am so grateful he chooses to share with the world.
If you haven’t seen the booktrailer, you really should – I’ve watched it at least a half dozen times and
each time my breath catches when I see the words “Followed by” on the screen.
Do yourself another favor and watch the April 1st version – the
subtlety in both videos (Marcone’s ear damage in the first and the slowly
increasing obviousness of the {redacted so as not to spoil the surprise} in the
second) is another indicator of Dresden Files Quality.
I’d also like to note that the
audiobook versions add extra value to an already fantastic experience. For some
reason when Ghost Story (book 13) first came out it had a different narrator and although
I like John Glover and listened to his version twice I couldn’t bring myself to
purchase it, to add it to the collection alongside the others narrated by James
Marsters. Fortunately, Marsters was able to perform GS later. The moment
Audible listed him as the narrator for Peace Talks, I pre-ordered. Because The
Dresden Files is still going strong with Book 16 and I’m still a fervent
devotee and admirer. And as soon as he is listed as the performer for Battle
Ground, I’ll click pre-order again. Because like Butcher, Marsters still has
his magic touch as well. Mahalo nui loa, James!
Dear Jim Butcher and James Marsters:
Live Long and Prosper! (I know that’s a different franchise. It’s a mashup.
Deal with it.)