Warhammer 40,000: The Traitor’s Hand by Sandy Mitchell

On April 17, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Comedy/Satire, Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Throwback Thursday, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer10 Comments

The Traitor's Hand Cover

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 1 January 2005)

Series: Ciaphas Cain – Book Three

Length: 9 hours and 6 minutes

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

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After updating my list about my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels last week, I was keen for more action from this awesome franchise, so I decided to quickly listen to the entertaining and fun novel, The Traitor’s Hand by Sandy Mitchell.

One of the things that I like most about the Warhammer 40,000 franchise is the sheer range of different stories and genres that can be found within it. For example, one of the most popular series is a particularly funny and amusing series that focuses on a Blackadder-esque Imperial Commissar as he finds himself involved in all manner of over-the-top heroics. This series is the Ciaphas Cain books, which follows the titular protagonist who has accidently become regarded as a great hero of the Imperium of Man, despite most of his actions being more for self-preservation. The first two books in this series, For the Emperor and Caves of Ice, were extremely fun reads, and I have been meaning to check out the next book in the series for a while. As such, when I had my recent Warhammer 40,000 craving, the third Ciaphas Cain book, The Traitor’s Hand, was an easy choice.

Commissar Ciaphas Cain, hero of the Imperium or unrepentant coward? Constantly forced into the direst of circumstances despite doing everything in his power to avoid them, Cain has built up a reputation he considers entirely undeserved, especially as being known as a hero always seems to get him into trouble. His latest assignment will test him like none other, especially when he is forced to go up against the great archenemy of the Imperium, the forces of Chaos.

With a Chaos fleet approaching the tidally locked planet of Adumbria, Cain and the soldiers of the Valhallan 597^th are rapidly redeployed towards the planet to aid in its defence. Despite wishing to stay off the frontlines, Cain’s experience and uncanny ability to find trouble forces him to join in the hunt for a Chaos cult hidden throughout the planet that has awakened in advance of the coming fleet. However, the more he digs, the more he discovers that there is something far more sinister going on within the planet than anyone realises.

As the invading enemy arrives on the planet, it soon becomes apparent that two rival bands of Chaos worshippers are attacking Adumbria with very different goals in mind. Leading the fight against the enemy, Cain needs to work out just what their objectives are before the world is destroyed in the Chaos crossfire. However, with deadly enemy forces all around and a rival commissar determined to undermine him, can even the terminally lucky Cain stop them, especially when an old nightmare returns seeking revenge against him.

The Traitor’s Hand was an extremely awesome book from Mitchell that I had so much fun getting through. Containing the outstanding blend of action, humour and intriguing characters that the Ciaphas Cain series is known for, The Traitor’s Hand was pretty damn epic, and I managed to power through it in about a day of intense listening.

This third Ciaphas Cain novel had a great story behind it that I had a wonderful time listening to. While it does follow some similar story conventions to the previous books in the series, in that Cain and the Valhallan 597^th arrive on a planet to face one foe, only for Cain to inadvertently discover another threat hidden under the surface, I think Mitchell did a good job distinguishing this book from the previous entries. The introduction of a rival Commissar and alternating bands of Chaos worshippers makes for a great central storyline, and you get really involved in the battle for the planet and the attempts to discover a hidden Slaaneshi cult who are performing dark rituals. The entire story evolves in a familiar manner, with Cain’s attempts to avoid a fight leading him into darker situations each time, while his keen insights allow him to determine where the true threat to the planet is located. The big final sequence for The Traitor’s Hand was pretty damn awesome, as Cain leads a small force into a massive battle royale between warring Chaos warbands while also facing a dangerous foe from his past. While the big bad’s identity was overly foreshadowed, their inclusion was very intense and lead to a gripping conclusion. I do wonder if this repetitive story structure is going to be sustainable for the series in the future, but I really got stuck into this entertaining and exciting narrative and powered through it so damn quickly.

I absolutely loved the fun style of the Ciaphas Cain books which Mitchell once again uses to tell a fantastic story. Primarily told from the first-person chronicle perspective as Cain recounts his many adventures, you get to see his insights into events that occur. While on the surface this appears to be a typical Imperial Guard focused Warhammer 40,000 story, it is a much lighter read, as the book revolves around Cain’s continued attempts to get out of danger only to encounter worst problems. It is really entertaining to see his excuses and manipulations, especially as nearly every action he does is calculated to avoid danger, which he shamelessly admits to. The continued increase of stakes, desperate response from Cain and the inevitable lucky escape makes for some fun reading, and Mitchell does an excellent job of layering a strong amount of comedy into a usually dark universe. This humour is expertly enhanced by the overarching narration of the book, provided by Inquisitor Vail’s editorial notes as she collates Cain’s memoirs. Vail’s various notes, quotes and included histories of the story provides some much-needed context to the plot, while the entertaining and often sarcastic way they are delivered works extremely well. I think that Mitchell got the right blend of humour, action, and dark moments throughout the course of The Traitor’s Hand, and I really got engrossed in the hilarious and action-packed story that emerged. I did feel at times that Mitchell did get a bit repetitive with some of his phrases and lines, which you really notice with an extended read, but this is honestly a pretty minor complaint, and The Traitor’s Hand proved to be an amazing read.

I liked how well Mitchell featured the Warhammer 40,000 universe in The Traitor’s Hand, especially as he once again seeks to showcase the horrors of the franchise from the eyes of a human solider, even one as lucky as Ciaphas Cain. The various Chaos factions prove to be great villains in this story, and I loved the cool comparisons between the Slaaneshi cult and the Khorne-worshipping warband. You also get a great insight into the life of the common soldier or civilian, and it was fun to see the various responses many of them have to the reveals about Chaos and their dark designs.

Like most of the Ciaphas Cain novels The Traitor’s Hand can easily be read as a standalone book, and no real pre-knowledge of the Warhammer 40,000 universe is really needed. Indeed, I really appreciated how efficiently Mitchell is able to ease new readers into the wider Warhammer 40,000 universe. In addition, readers don’t really need to have checked out the prior Ciaphas Cain novels either, as Mitchell does a good job of summarising the necessary key points from these books when needed. There were some strong references to the Ciaphas Cain short story, The Beguiling, which if you had read would have increased the impact of The Traitor’ Hand to a degree, however, it is also not necessary to have read it first, as Mitchell recaps it very well. Overall, I felt this was a great piece of Warhammer 40,000 fiction that many people can get into.

A key highlight of any Ciaphas Cain novel is the excellent character work that Mitchell installs into the story. This is certainly the case in The Traitor’s Hand, with most of the character work revolving around the protagonist and main point-of-view character, Commissar Ciaphas Cain. While Mitchell has done a great job setting up this figure in the previous two books, it is always so much fun to see a story through Cain’s eyes, especially as the protagonist bears the duality of being a hero and a coward at the same time. Fitted with a well-honed sense of survival, Cain is constantly trying to find ways to get out of danger and has proven quite adept at manipulating people to get what he wants. However, due to bad luck or because he finds himself trapped by his own legend, Cain is constantly dragged into the most dangerous situations possible. While it would be easy to dislike a character like this, readers quickly become aware that Cain isn’t as big a coward as he believes, and instead he is quite a skilled, brave and caring leader whose “cowardly” actions are often borne by shrewd assessment and tactical awareness. Throw in his excellent sense of humour, his entertaining insights into the universe, and his vast experiences with the many different things trying to kill humans in the Warhammer universe, and Cain is such a great protagonist to follow.

Aside from Cain, The Traitor’s Hand features a raft of other great characters, each of whom bring a lot to the story. For example, Inquisitor Vail, despite not appearing in person, serves a big role in the book, editing Cain’s unreliable manuscripts. I loved her witty over-arching narration and notes throughout the book, and it was fun to have someone constantly calling out Cain for his wilder statements. I also loved the continued inclusion of Cain’s aid, Jurgen, the man capable of killing anything in the galaxy with his trusted meltagun. I love how Mitchell sets Jurgen up as the Baldrick to Cain’s Blackadder in this series, especially with his attitude, hygiene and loyalty, although he proves to be a vital ally. It was also interesting to see Mitchell continue to explore just how vital Jurgen is to Cain’s success, especially due to his status as a Blank, and I love the entertaining team the two characters combine into. New character Commissar Tomas Beije, an old school rival of Cain’s, serves as a great secondary antagonist for much of the story, and it was entertaining to finally see a character suspicious of Cain’s status as hero, especially as he looks deranged spouting out accusations we know to actually be true. Finally, the various members of the Valhallan 597^th, many of whom were introduced to us at the same time as Cain, continue to grow as characters and serve great supporting roles in the story, and it was touching to see how their relationship to the protagonist has grown over the years.

I have often said throughout my many reviews on the subject that the best way to enjoy a Warhammer 40,000 novel is its audiobook format. Nowhere is that truer than the Ciaphas Cain audiobooks, which really capture the zany feel of the series through its excellent narration and style. Most of this is due to the excellent use of multiple narrators, whose mixture of voices creates a particularly epic read (indeed this one of my favourite audiobook series with multiple narrators). The Traitor’s Hand features four separate narrators, each of whom add so much to my enjoyment of this audiobook. Each of these narrators has a distinctive role, with the amazing Stephen Perring providing the bulk of the narration in this series, as he narrates the chapters told from the protagonist’s perspective. Perring serves as an epic centre for this audiobook, especially as he does such a good job capturing the larger-than-life Ciaphas Cain with his acting. Perring’s take on Cain’s cocky dialogue, as well as his more honest chronicling of events, is impressive, and I love how he captured the various aspects of Cain’s character. There are some other great voices featured throughout these chapters as well, as Perring assigns fitting and entertaining voices to each of the major characters. My favourite of these is probably Jurgen, especially as Perring really tries to make him sound as much like Tony Robinson as possible.

While Perring does most of the narration in The Traitor’s Hand, the additional voice actors also add a lot to the story, especially Penelope Rawlins. Rawlins voices the character of Inquisitor Vail, the Imperial Inquisitor and acquaintance of Cain who is compiling the memoirs for publication. As such, Rawlins voices the prelude, chapter introductions and footnotes contained in this book to showcase the editorial notes that this character is adding in to make Cain’s ramblings easier to read. Rawlins serves as a good contrast to Perring, especially as her character’s more serious tones are the direct opposite of Perring’s flippant take on Cain. I love how seamlessly the production works Rawlins’ voice into the various points of the audiobook where her character cuts into the main story, and you really get into the groove of her explaining key details about the universe and the characters. Throw in the additional voice work of Emma Gregory and new narrator Andrew Spooner, who give their voices to various in-universe texts that provide additional information for the reader, and you have a strong team who masterfully enhance Mitchell’s brilliant story. These great actors really help to make this entire audiobook production so much fun to listen to, and with a runtime of just over nine hours, you can very easily sit back and listen to The Traitor’s Hand in one fantastic sitting.

With The Traitor’s Hand, Sandy Mitchell continues to showcase why he is one of the strongest, and funniest, authors of Warhammer 40,000 fiction. Filled with the series’ trademark humour, intriguing characters and intense action, The Traitor’s Hand was an entertaining audiobook from start to finish that I could not turn off. An outstanding and highly recommend novel, The Traitor’s Hand was so damn good, and I cannot wait to see how Mitchell continues this amazing series.

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Peace Talks by Jim Butcher

On April 4, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Throwback Thursday5 Comments

Publisher: Penguin Audio (Audiobook – 14 July 2020)

Series: Dresden Files – Book 16

Length: 12 hours and 52 minutes

My Rating: 5 out 5 stars

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After nearly four fantastic years, I have officially come full circle with the epic Dresden Files series as I check out the final book I needed to read with the entertaining and compelling entry, Peace Talks.

Back in 2020, I had the very great pleasure of discovering Jim Butcher’s iconic Dresden Files urban fantasy series. A powerful, action-packed, and intense read, Battle Ground was one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2020, even though I started with the 17^th entry in the series. I had so much fun with Battle Ground that I instantly went back and listened to the first Dresden Files novel, Storm Front, which cemented my love for the series. Since then, I have been slowly working my way through the entire Dresden Files audiobook collection, loving every second of it. There are so many exceptional entries in this amazing series, with some of my favourites including Fool Moon, Dead Beat, Small Favour, Changes, Ghost Story, and Skin Game, just to name a few. There was frankly not a single book in this series I didn’t love, and I had such a wonderful time with each of them. I have been on the final stretch of this series for the last couple of months, which ended when I got through the intriguing Peace Talks.

Harry Dresden, professional wizard, White Knight, and supernatural defender of Chicago is adjusting to many of the changes in his life, including a new romance and his duties as a father. However, things always have a way of becoming even more complicated for Dresden as the sins of his past and his twisted loyalties come back to haunt him, especially when an important gathering of supernatural entities is set to take place in his city.

Ever since Dresden destroyed the Red Court of vampires, the Fomor, an ancient and long hidden kingdom, have been making a play for power. Their dark exploits have led them into conflict with many supernatural nations, and after years of skirmishes, the Fomor are finally ready to talk peace with the larger supernatural world in Chicago. Assigned to summit as security for the White Council of wizards, as well as a liaison between the wizards and the Winter Court of Queen Mab, Dresden has his hands full, especially as he expects all hell to break loose.

As the various delegations descend upon Chicago, Dresden is proved right when his vampire half-brother, Thomas Raith, instigates a diplomatic incident that could lead to his death. Forced to work with Thomas’ sister, Lara Raith, Dresden works to free his brother without starting a war. But his actions soon draw the ire of several people close to him, especially as his loyalty to the White Council are in doubt. Worse, an ancient evil has arrived in Chicago, one determined to destroy all chances of peace and bring about untold disaster. Can Dresden save his brother while preparing for a force capable of destroying everything he has sworn to protect?

Peace Talks is a compelling addition to the long-running Dresden Files series that takes readers on an interesting ride in the lead up to the next big adventure. Filled with great character moments, intriguing revelations, and some cool world-building, this was a solid addition to the series that I absolutely powered through.

Butcher comes up with a good story for Peace Talks that not only sets up some interesting plot points for later, but also tells its own unique narrative that is hard to put down. To fully enjoy Peace Talks, you must appreciate that it is primarily a prelude for Butcher’s other 2020 release, Battle Ground, and as such a lot of story elements from it don’t get any real payoff until the second book. As I’d already read Battle Ground before getting to Peace Talks, I could see where a lot of the hints, character arcs and storylines were going, so I think that gave me a bit more appreciation for what Butcher was doing here.

The story itself is an excellent character-driven narrative that contains a lot of great elements I really appreciated. Starting off by showcasing the new normal for Dresden as a parent and partner, the story quickly moves along to the introduction of the summit, which brings several recurring characters back into the mix. As various troubles begin to build on the horizon, the story introduces its major hurdle as Thomas apparently attempts to assassinate the leader of a supernatural nation. Convinced of his innocence, Dresden reluctantly works with Thomas’ sister Lara to try to free him, resulting in a prison break sequence during a busy event. Dresden’s determination to save his secret brother even at the risk of war begins to alienate several of his allies, including his grandfather, eventually resulting in an epic confrontation that was the highpoint of the book. At the same time, the peace conference proves to be an intriguing addition to the plot, as you get to see some compelling interactions from multiple supporting characters, including many who haven’t been in the same book before. The conclusion of the summit comes rather fast and shockingly, with the major antagonist for the next book arriving and making their intentions clear, and you come away greatly anticipating the chaos to come in Battle Ground.

I loved how Peace Talks came together as Butcher brings his usual charm, sharp writing and entertaining wit to the table in a big way. Peace Talks features the trademark blend of mystery, adventure, character development, fantasy elements and snarky humour that I deeply enjoy about all the Dresden Files books, and it’s hard not to get caught up in the story. There is a great focus on intrigue, politics and personal perception in this book, and I liked how a lot of the threats were more subtle and in the realm of future consequences rather than direct action. Butcher also focused on setting up for the next book, and much of Peace Talks is geared towards providing context and character introductions for the coming war in Battle Ground. While in some ways this reliance on setting things up for the next book made the events of Peace Talks seem a little less important, it was an overall strong book, and a great entry to the wider Dresden Files series. While I do think that people should be really starting the series earlier than the 16^th entry, new readers could slot themselves into the Dresden Files series here as Butcher continues his accessible style, minus a few references to some short stories. Peace Talks also features some clever and subtle clues to major twists and big events in Battle Ground which you don’t fully appreciate until you read the following book. I honestly came away from Peace Talks with an even greater appreciate for Butcher’s long-term writing skills, as well as his ability to expertly telegraph some major events.

I did feel that certain elements of Peace Talks did feel a bit rushed, especially when it came to the big bad who was revealed at the end of the peace summit. Having already read Battle Ground, I was expecting more buildup for the villain Ethniu in Peace Talks, especially as she hasn’t been mentioned at all in any of the preceding 15 books. However, she kind of just shows up, kicks ass for a few seconds, and then leaves, making her threats for the next book. You don’t even get any history for her aside from the fact that she’s a long-dormant Titan who is annoyed at the world. In hindsight, this is a little weak, and some explanation about who she is, how she took over the Fomor, or her history with the other magical leaders would have been good. Butcher also failed to really set up any connection between her and Dresden before their fights in Battle Ground, which I think you needed. This and other rushed bits of character interaction towards the end of Peace Talks weakened the overall story of both books, and it was clear that Butcher was keen to finish Peace Talks off and get into the major war sequences of the sequel.

As with most Dresden Files entries, Peace Talks excelled in the character department, which was a major highlight of the book. Peace Talks features a huge cast of characters, most of whom are being reintroduced from previous novels so Butcher can feature them in Battle Ground. As such, Peace Talks is loaded with some compelling interactions and character moments, especially as the protagonist must deal with a range of friends, family and foes who he hasn’t seen in years.

Naturally, most of the character work revolves around protagonist and point of view character Harry Dresden. Dresden is such a fun character to follow, mainly because of his immaturity, sense of humour, and the lack of fear and respect he holds for powerful beings. However, while deep down Dresden is still the same loveable rogue we’ve been following for years, he has been experiencing some major changes in his life that have had some intriguing impacts on his personality. Peace Talks sees him dealing with a lot of these major life events in various ways, and it was interesting to see how much Dresden and his situation has changed since the start of the series. Much of the book revolves around his changing relationships with certain people, including his new romance with Karrin Murphey, which finally came official in the previous book Skin Game. This romance is one of the nicest parts of the whole book, and the two characters are just perfect for each other, which twists certain future emotional knives a little deeper. It was also sweet to see Dresden as a father, even with their complicated relationship and the trauma surrounding them.

However, I think the most dramatic character relationship that was featured in Peace Talks involved Dresden and his mentor/recently revealed grandfather Ebenezar McCoy. The two of them have been rocky for years, but their emotions finally spilled over in Peace Talks, especially when it came to Dresden’s relationship with Thomas and his plans to raise his daughter. The anger between the two bubbles over throughout the course of Peace Talks, mainly because Dresden is forced to hide the true reasons for helping Thomas due to McCoy’s hatred of vampires. The eventual and inevitable confrontation is very brutal as the two are unable to come to common ground and both think they are in the right. The big fight between them is one of the best scenes in the book, and it simultaneously showed how powerful McCoy truly is while also highlighting how much more skilled Dresden has gotten over the years. The eventual result is very heartbreaking, showcasing the fact that no one can hurt you more than family, while also containing a fun bit of sneakiness from Dresden. It will be interesting to see where this relationship goes in the future, but it’s clear this family has some major issue to work out.

In addition, it was also particularly interesting to see Lara Wraith, leader of the White Court and Thomas’s half-sister become such a prominent character again in Peace Talks. Butcher spent a good chunk of Peace Talks reintroducing Lara as a major character who is going to be a big part of the series going forward. While this does result in the usual overly sexualised shenanigans that have accompanied Lara since her introduction in the infamous adult-film focused Blood Rites, Lara mostly proves to be a compelling and complex character. Indeed, there were some moving examinations of her relationship with Thomas that showed just how much she cared for him. While the differing goals and expectations for Thomas result in some conflict between Dresden and Lara, they prove to be an effective team, with a bit of hostility buried beneath them. Considering these two are going to be forced to spend a lot of time together in the future, I liked how Butcher built up their relationship here, and it will be interesting to see how it develops in the future. Overall, I felt the characters featured in Peace Talks were handled really well, and I loved the unique and powerful interactions that emerged.

As with the entire Dresden Files series, I ended up listening to Peace Talks on audiobook, and frankly there is no better way to enjoy one of these epic novels. Coming in with a runtime just shy of 13 hours, this was slightly shorter Dresden Files book, especially when compared to the other later books in the series. This shorter runtime allowed me to power through Peace Talks in no time at all, especially as I was once again wrapped up in the silky tones of narrator James Marsters. Marsters, who is one of my favourite audiobook narrators, primarily due to his work in this series, is so damn good, and I love how effective he is at telling Butcher’s story. Marsters honestly gets the tone of each scene perfectly and the way he inhabits each of the featured characters is just amazing. I once again must highlight how well he portrays protagonist Harry Dresden in this book, and you can really sense the character’s conflicted emotions. Due to the large cast associated with Peace Talks, Butcher needs fill in quite a few roles, including a ton of recurring figures from previous novels. I felt that he did a great job voicing all of them, and it was fun to see him dust off a few voices that we haven’t seen in a few books. Everything came together perfectly with Masters narration in Peace Talks, and this was another epic Dresden Files audiobook that I just loved listening to.

Jim Butcher provides another powerful and intriguing addition to the Dresden Files series here in Peace Talks. Simultaneously setting up the events for the sequel Battle Ground while also telling a powerful, character-driven tale of betrayal and family trouble, Peace Talks was a great read that proves hard to put down, especially for established fans of the series. A highly recommended book that leads to bigger things.

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Skin Game by Jim Butcher

On March 10, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Throwback Thursday7 Comments

Publisher: Penguin Audio (Audiobook – 27 May 2014)

Series: Dresden Files – Book 15

Length: 15 hours and 49 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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I was once again in the mood for a guaranteed hit, so I looked no further than Jim Butcher’s exceptional Dresden Files series, with the 15^th book Skin Game.

As readers of this blog will know, for the last couple of years I have been having a wonderful time getting through Jim Butcher’s iconic Dresden Files series. One of the most well-known and impressive urban fantasy series, the Dresden Files follow the titular wizard, Harry Dresden, as he investigates magical crimes and protects Chicago from supernatural threats. This series is so damn cool, and I have loved the unique combination of mystery, great characters, and intensive world building as Butcher pulls together a brilliant, modern fantasy universe. I honestly have loved every single book in the Dresden Files series, although I feel that the last few additions I have read, including Changes, Ghost Story and Cold Days are Butcher at his finest, especially as he really built in some elaborate and original stories. As such, I had no reservations about checking out the 15^th book in the series, Skin Game, especially as it had a pretty damn awesome plot behind it.

Harry Dresden, Chicago’s sole practicing wizard and the new anointed Winter Knight, is in trouble. Trapped on his island in the middle of Lake Michigan with a magical parasite in his head, Dresden has only days left to live. Salvation soon appears when his boss, Queen Mab, arrives on the island, offering to save him. However, nothing from Mab is ever free, and the conditions for her help might prove even more lethal.

To pay off an old debt, Mab has loaned out Dresden to one of his most hated and dangerous foes, the fallen angel Nicodemus Archleone. To further his dark goals, Nicodemus is planning to break into the personal vault of the Greek god Hades to loot several valuable artefacts. However, Nicodemus can’t do it alone and he hires a group of rogues, thieves and specialists, as well as Dresden, to pull off the job. If they succeed, they will all come away insanely rich, but if they fail, their souls be trapped forever in the underworld.

As the job proceeds, it quickly becomes apparent that Nicodemus has no intention of letting any of his heist crew live, especially Dresden and his allies. To survive, Dresden needs to work out how to both counter the many obstacles between them and the treasure they seek, while also finding a way to stop Nicodemus without breaking the agreements that bind the two together. Can Dresden outsmart one of the most treacherous and deceptive beings in all creation while keeping everyone alive? Let the games begin!

Wow, what an awesome book. I am constantly impressed with how Butcher continues to produce outstanding and epic reads throughout this series, and nearly every Dresden Files book is better than the last. Skin Game was a pretty great example of this, as Butcher produces one of his most entertaining stories yet with so many twists, betrayals and fantastic revelations.

I cannot emphasise enough just how cool the plot of Skin Game is, especially as Butcher comes up with a particularly clever and exciting heist storyline that the narrative is centred around. After effectively following through from the events of the prior novel, the reader is soon thrust into the new scenario, which sees Dresden forced to work for his old enemy Nicodemus. This leads to a classic heist scenario, with Dresden meeting Nicodemus’s unique crew, gathering up new members, and pulling together the resources need to break into the vault, even if the target is a much more supernatural than usual. Butcher also adds in the fantastic dynamic between Dresden and Nicodemus as they plot against each other. Both knows that the other is planning to betray them at some point, however they are forced to play by the rules in public to preserve the magical bargain between Nicodemus and Mab. This leads to a great series of betrayals, manipulations and confrontations, as Dresden walks a thin line while trying to stop Nicodemus. At the same time, several great recurring characters are brought back, which results in some powerful and personal character-driven storylines that I really got invested in.

There are so many great story elements ongoing through the bulk of Skin Game’s narrative, that by the time you get to the main event, the heist, you are extremely hooked. The heist in question is everything you would hope it to be, as Dresden and his erstwhile crew of rogues, engage in some daring exploits to achieve their goals. They are some brilliant set pieces, intriguing revelations, and several brutal twists, including one heartbreaking moment surrounding the main antagonist. Everything leads up to the inevitable betrayal which sees Dresden and Nicodemus finally face off after dancing around each other all book. I loved some of the scenes that followed, especially as there is a particularly great twist shown through a well-placed flashback that changes your entire perspective of the earlier story. A subsequent sequence also presents some of the most emotionally charged moments of Skin Game, especially when it comes to one of my favourite supporting characters. Everything gets wrapped up nicely by the end, and I loved some of the final revelations in the book, especially when you finally understand who was running the true game and why.

Butcher applies his usual excellent writing skills to Skin Game, and I love how effectively he tells this latest powerful and entertaining story; since it is once again told solely from the perspective of the protagonist, you are treated to Dresden’s typically amusing take on the events occurring around him. This proves to be quite funny at times, although Butcher adds in a good level of drama and highly personal character development which I think balances out the book and ensures Skin Game can hit you at multiple emotional levels. I love how Butcher experimented a bit with elements of Skin Game’s writing, especially with how he worked in some very clever, and well planned out twists and revelations, which I felt was one of the strongest points of the novel. Butcher also really amps up the unique action, intrigue and adventure of the story, and I was constantly engrossed with how the story was going. The depictions of the underworld and its defences were very striking, and I loved some of the unique scenarios Dresden found himself in. This entire story come across extremely well with the writing, and I enjoyed every second I spent listening to it.

One of the things I have enjoyed getting through the Dresden Files series is how accessible Butcher makes each novel, as any entry in the series can be read somewhat independently from the others. However, the deeper you get into the Dresden Files, the more the new book references elements from previous novels, while also building on existing storylines and character arcs. Skin Game is a great example of this, as new readers can come in and have a wonderful time reading it, especially as Butcher does a good job explaining all the key plot points new readers might be unfamiliar with. However, established fans of the series will get a lot more out of this book, as Butcher continues or concludes several amazing storylines here. In particular, there are a lot of references to the last two books that featured Nicodemus as an antagonist, Death Masks and Small Favour, as Dresden continues his deadly fight against his old foe, while remembering all the previous battles that have occurred. Several great character arcs also come full circle in Skin Game, which proves to be quite moving, especially to those readers who have laboured through the rest of the series and are already quite attached to the main cast. As such, I probably would recommend reading the rest of the series before trying out Skin Game, mainly because you are in for a much more impactful time if you do so. However, for those who want a fun and moving fantasy heist novel, you can easily dive into Skin Game and have an outstanding time witnessing all the betrayal, lies and deceit.

As always, one of the best elements of this Dresden Files novel was the exceptional character work. Butcher always excels at creating complex and powerful character arcs that showcase the many different layers of each excellent protagonist and villain, and Skin Game is no exception. Indeed, Skin Game was one of the best character-focused books Butcher has released, as it features an interesting cast and some deep and intense character arcs that showcase just how much many of the protagonists have changed.

Naturally, most of the focus of Skin Game revolves around protagonist and point-of-view character, Harry Dresden. The wizard defender of Chicago, Dresden has gone through a hell of a lot in the last few books, which starts to catch up to him in Skin Game. While he is still his usual flippant and disrespectful self, you can really see the cracks forming in Dresden’s psyche, especially as he balances the many responsibilities and traumas afflicting him. Not only is his personality being altered by his decision to become the Winter Knight, but he is dealing with so much guilt for some of his recent actions. This has made Dresden start to doubt himself, and he has trouble at times seeing whether he is still the same good guy he was at the start of the series, especially when some of his friends start to lose faith in him. However, thanks to the help of those closest to him, Dresden regains a bit of himself as Skin Game continues, although the dark battles along the way once again take their toll on him. Butcher works in some extremely powerful and emotional scenes around Dresden in Skin Game, especially as he finally gets closure with some other characters, including his daughter (the scene where they finally talk nearly had me in tears). While Butcher really did amp up the heavy emotion around Dresden here, you still get a healthy dose of the protagonist’s distinctive with and humour, especially when it comes to the outrageous events, he finds himself in. The unique situation where Dresden is forced to work with one his enemies prove a rich ground for the protagonist’s humour to come out. It also allowed the reader to see how much smarter and more mature Dresden has become after fighting against all comers for over a decade. I really loved how Dresden was able to anticipate many of the coming betrayals and pull together a particularly effective counter that shook up everything. Butcher does such a great job writing Dresden, and it has been extremely fun to see this character once again grow.

Aside from Dresden, Skin Game featured an excellent collection of recurring characters from the previous books, each of whom had their own unique and powerful character arc that Butcher expertly continued with. This includes Karrin Murphy, the former cop, who Dresden recruits as his muscle for the job. Murphy is always one of the best characters in a Dresden Files novel, and Skin Game was a great example of this, as she once again serves as Dresden’s unwavering backup and conscience. Skin Game proves to be a major novel for Murphy, especially as they finally resolved the romantic tension between Dresden and Murphy that had been building since the first book, Storm Front. I really appreciate how well Butcher kept up the will-they/won’t-they atmosphere of these two characters for so long, and it was great to finally get some closure on that, even if I know I’m going to get my heart broken in Battle Ground. Skin Game also saw the return of one of Butcher’s best characters, Michael Carpenter, the former Knight of the Cross who has been out of action for several books. Michael gets back into the fray for this novel, and it was so good to finally see him return to his old ways. The ultimate good-guy character, Michael is always a reassuring presence in any Dresden Files novel, and the interactions he has with Dresden are some of the most moving in the entire book, especially as he provides Dresden insights and emotional support like no one else can.

While I love Murphy and Michael, probably my favourite supporting character in the book is Waldo Butters. The nerdy and kind medical examiner has been getting a real glow-up as the series continues, and you finally see how serious he has become by the events of Skin Game, especially after having to hold down the fort during Dresden’s enforced absence. The events of the last few years have really changed Butters, and some of the interactions he has with Dresden are surprisingly intense, especially as Butters no longer trusts the main character. Butcher had a lot of fun turning Butters into a magical superhero in Skin Game, and I loved some of the unique magical inventions that Butters uses to face off against forces way outside his weight class. There is also the major turning point for Butters at the end of the book, where he shows just how noble he truly is, and the universe rewards him in a big way. In many ways, Butter is the true MVP of Skin Game, and his future storyline looks very bright, especially as Butcher could easily do a whole spinoff series focused solely on him.

Of course, no Dresden Files book would be complete without a great villain, and Skin Game has one of the very best with the return of Nicodemus. A fallen angel possessing an ancient, evil human, Nicodemus is a particularly suave and dapper figure, who always makes a huge impact when he appears. Nicodemus falls into the role of heist leader extremely well, and I loved the fun dynamic that emerges between him and Dresden, especially as they both hate each other and known that betrayal is imminent on both fronts. Some of the confrontations he has with the protagonists are pretty brutal, and you get to see just how dangerous he can be as a villain. While Nicodemus is mostly his usual calm self for most of the book, certain big events push him over the edge, especially as he makes some big sacrifices. It was both satisfying and a little heartbreaking to see him so damaged as a result, especially when the truth about the events are fully revealed. I cannot wait to see Nicodemus return in some future books, especially as he is going to be even more dangerous and desperate. Throw in a truly entertaining and dangerous group of fellow heisters, old enemies, Dresden’s loveable dog, Mouse, and a fantastic Greek god who proves surprisingly similar to the protagonist, and you have an incredible group of characters who help turn Skin Game into something truly special.

Unsurprisingly, I chose to listen to Skin Game on audiobook, which is frankly the best way to enjoy a Dresden Files book. Coming in with a runtime of just under 16 hours, Skin Game was a decently long audiobook, although I was able to power through it very quickly, especially after getting caught up in Butcher’s impressive story. As always, the audiobook format really enhances Skin Game’s presentation, and the novel’s humour, intense action and great characters really come through when read out. Most of this is due to one of my favourite narrators, actor James Marsters, who has lent his voice to all the books in the series. Marsters is so damn entertaining as a narrator, and I love how well he inhabits the various characters featured in the book, especially the protagonist. Each character is given a very fitting voice, whether it be the dapper voice of Nicodemus, the calm tones of Michael Carpenter, or the hilariously British voice of Binder (which always reminds me of Spike). Not only are these voices entertaining, but Marsters does such a good job of conveying emotion and feeling through his characters, including through the protagonist’s deep narration. This was such a great way to enjoy Skin Game, and I cannot recommend the audiobook format of this book enough.

Overall, Skin Game proved to be an exceptional and highly addictive addition to Jim Butcher’s always impressive Dresden Files series. Loaded with an outstanding heist story, amazing characters, and tons of sacrifice and betrayal, Skin Game was a particularly strong Dresden Files book and one I cannot recommend enough. An incredible read that gets a very easy five-star rating from me.

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Throwback Thursday – Cold Days by Jim Butcher

On January 21, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Throwback Thursday3 Comments

Publisher: Penguin Audio (Audiobook – 27 November 2012)

Series: Dresden Files – Book 14

Length: 18 hours and 47 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Welcome back to my Throwback Thursday series, where I republish old reviews, review books I have read before or review older books I have only just had a chance to read. For this week’s Throwback Thursday, I check out yet another exceptional entry in Jim Butcher’s outstanding Dresden Files urban fantasy series with Cold Days.

Readers of this blog will know that I have been having an incredible time getting through the epic Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher. An iconic urban fantasy series, the Dresden Files follows maverick wizard Harry Dresden as he defends the city of Chicago from all manner of supernatural threats. This series is so impressive, and I have been steadily making my way through out it since 2020. My previous burst of reading saw me get through four of these amazing books in a row, including Small Favor, Turn Coat, Changes and Ghost Story, and while that momentarily sated my interest in this series, I am still very keen to continue, and I’m hoping to finish it off this year. I’m already off to a good start as I just knocked off the 14^th book in the series, Cold Days, which proved to be another gripping and clever read.

Despite his best efforts, professional wizard Harry Dresden is once again alive, and his troubles are only just beginning. Forced into a Faustian deal to gain the power he needed to save his daughter, Dresden, now finds himself indebted to Mab, Queen of Air and Darkness and ruler of the Winter Court of the Faerie. While he’d hoped his murder would get him out of this dark responsibility, Mab had other plans and now Dresden finds himself dragged back to life as the Winter Knight, Mab’s personal champion and hitman.

Determined not to fall under the alluring sway of his new position and power, Dresden finds himself once again thrust into the middle of a conflict outside of his abilities when Mab sets him on his first mission, killing her own immortal daughter. Grappling with such an impossible task, Dresden returns to his beloved Chicago, only to find even more trouble awaiting him there. Demonreach, the mystical island in the middle of Lake Michigan that Dresden bound himself to, is under magical siege, and it if falls, billions will die.

With only 24 hours to complete both his allotted assassination and save Demonreach, Dresden soon finds himself under attack from all manner of foes, including manipulative faeries, dangerous beings originating from outside of reality, and former friends with new agendas. To survive, Dresden will need to reconnect with his old allies and work with them to prevent a dark cataclysm. But faced with impossible choices and hidden enemies, Dresden soon finds himself unsure who to trust. Worse, his new powers are working to change him into something primal and dark. Can Harry defeat both his foes and his own inner darkness before it is too late?

I doubt anyone is going to be surprised to find out that I loved Cold Days. Butcher did a wonderful job continuing his exceptional series, especially as he presents the reader with a complex and intriguing new adventure, loaded with mystery, sacrifice and surprises. A gripping read from start to finish, Cold Days gets another easy five-star rating from me, and I had an amazing time getting through it.

At this point in the series, Butcher had been on a real roll, and the last two books, Changes and Ghost Story, had exceptional stories that dramatically shifted the status quo for the protagonist. This trend continued in Cold Days as Butcher simultaneously reintroduced Dresden back to the world after his death, showed his first adventure as the Winter Knight, and provided some massive detail about the major antagonist that his been hinted about since the start of the series. I honestly was hooked on Cold Days the second I started it, especially as it begins with a particularly entertaining training montage, before dumping the protagonist right into the midst of complex Winter Court politics. From there, Dresden is given an impossible task, and his attempts to understand his new mission reveal additional obstacles, including the danger posed by Demonreach. This swiftly morphs into a classic Dresden Files novel, with the protagonist attempting to solve several concurrent mysteries, while entertaining antagonists try to take him off the board. A lot of the story involves the always fascinating and manipulative Faeries, and I liked how well Butcher expanded the lore surrounding them. Naturally, this means that the protagonist must deal with politics, intrigue, and so many betrayals, as he finds himself in the middle of their deadly games.

Once Dresden fully understands the stakes of his new mission, he is forced to make some big decisions, especially as the true antagonists of this book are obscured and hidden. Everything leads up to a massive and extended final confrontation, which was pretty damn awesome to see, especially as Dresden leads some interesting forces to war and finds himself going up against some big players. There are some brilliant and well-setup twists at the end of Cold Days that really highlight just how manipulative a certain character is, as well as how good Butcher is at planning ahead with his writing, and the status-quo of the series changes once again. This entire story was so damn entertaining, clever and moving, and I just flew through it.

As always, I love the excellent first-person style that Butcher utilises to tell his Dresden Files stories, and Cold Days came across in a fun and entertaining way. Told exclusively from the perspective of protagonist Harry Dresden, you are given a front row seat to the chaotic events of the book as they occur, and I always love the fantastic blend of mystery, action, humour and character moments that result from this. Cold Days was a particularly good example of this, and it featured an amazing pace, loaded with major set pieces and powerful interactions between the protagonist and other characters. The action scenes were particularly fun, and I loved how well Butcher was able to enhance the battles with the continuously expanding lore surrounding his excellent series. Everything about this book was a lot of fun, and this ended up being an impressive entry in the wilder Dresden Files series.

One of the things I particularly enjoyed about Cold Days was the intriguing and impressive ways that Butcher provides some massive expansions to his universe. Cold Days features some major revelations which completely shift the entire perspective of the Dresden Files, especially as you get some reveals about who the true antagonists of previous books were. The protagonist’s place in this universe is greatly enhanced, as not only does he get some major power boosts but the true responsibilities of certain posts he took on are revealed. As such, the stakes of Cold Days and the future books in the series are now higher than ever, which I personally enjoyed. These changes were an outstanding natural progression of story elements from the previous 13 novels, and it was great to get some payoffs to some of the clever hints Butcher has been lacing into the series since book one. Because of this, I would strongly recommend that readers go back and read the series from the start rather than beginning with Cold Days, as you will get so much more out of it. At the very least, I think you need to read the previous two novels, Changes and Ghost Story first, as some of the major story elements and character arcs from there are concluded or continued here. However, if you decide to start reading the series here at Cold Days, you should still be able to follow along, especially as Butcher always ensures that key elements and characters are always succinctly and effectively reintroduced.

I must really highlight the excellent character work featured in Cold Days, as Butcher does an outstanding job featuring a huge cast of fascinating figures, each of whom plays an important role in the complex plot. Naturally most of this focus revolves around the point of view protagonist, Harry Dresden, who has been going through a real emotional and personal roller coaster in the last few books. Not only did he recently find out he had a daughter who was hidden from him, but he was forced to accept a deal with Mab to save her, which he then tried to get out of by dying. Fully resurrected by the start of Cold Days, Dresden is forced to deal with the consequences of his choices. It was interesting to see the usually moral and independent Dresden under the control of a historically malevolent figure like Mab, and his attempts to understand her motivations and his place in this new regime are a huge part of the plot. At the same time, his new powers are slowly changing him, and he is constantly forced to fight back against various primal urges. This results in some very interesting personal moments, especially as Dresden is finally properly reunited with his friends and family. I loved how emotional and powerful parts of this book get, especially as Dresden comes to terms with some of the darker moments and thoughts that have plagued him over the last few adventures. As such, this is an important entry in Dresden’s personal story, and I look forward to seeing what other develops occur in the future. Of course, while this book does get emotional and moving at times, Dresden was still mostly the same funny and disrespectful figure he always was, and much of Cold Days’ humour was derived from him making fun of and picking fights with people way outside his weight class. I have so much love for most of Dresden’s character traits, even when being turned slowly evil, and Cold Days is so much more entertaining with him as the narrator.

In addition to Dresden, Cold Days featured a great batch of returning figures, each of whose storylines are also expanded on once Dresden returns. I loved some of the interactions that occurred in Cold Days, especially as we once again got to see the fun sibling relationship Dresden has with his brother, Thomas, and there was finally some movement on the long-simmering romance between Dresden and Karin Murphy. It was great to also see more of recurring characters Butters, Bob the skull and Dresden’s dog, Mouse, who are all quite entertaining in their own way. However, I think the most interesting character development occurred around Dresden’s apprentice, Molly Carpenter. Like Dresden, Molly has gone through a ton of trauma in the last few books, and it was great to see her mostly on her feet in this novel. Of course, as Butcher is a cruel author, we had to know it wouldn’t last, and some very significant changes occur to Molly in the big conclusion. Butcher did a great job setting the scene for these changes, and it will be interesting to see how much her personality changes in the next few books. I still don’t love the constant hints about a potential romance between Dresden and Molly that were featured here; if they ever get together in a future book, it will be gross.

Aside from these familiar figures, Butcher also loads Cold Days up with nearly every Faerie character and figure he had, including several sinister new antagonists. The Dresden Files books featuring the Faerie Courts and characters can often be quite entertaining and I think Butcher did a really good job of showcasing the intricate figures who make up these courts in Cold Days. Mab was a fantastic, dark and sinister figure for much of the book as Dresden’s new master, and I enjoyed how she cast a big shadow over much of the plot. While mostly shown to be villainous, Butcher did attempt to humanise her in places, and it was great to finally get some more depth around her. The rest of Faeries all had their own unique purpose in the story, and you are never quite certain whose side they are on, especially when more revelations come through as part of this book. All the characters in Cold Days were very impressive and well-written, and I really appreciated how their complex character arcs helped to enhance an already powerful story.

As usual, I ended up enjoying Cold Days on audiobook, which is honestly just the best way to enjoy a Dresden Files novel. Coming in with a run time of just under 19 hours, Cold Days was one of the longest Dresden Files audiobooks, but I still managed to power through it in one fantastic week. Butcher’s outstanding storytelling is always deeply enhanced by this format, and you really get the full experience of the action, unique fantasy elements and cool characters through it. Of course, the epic voice work from long-running narrator James Marsters is a huge factor in this. Marsters always moves the story along perfectly, and it is hard not to get caught up in the plot when he dives into the cool features and narrative. I still really love all the unique and enthusiastic voices he brings to the table, and all the characters, be they new or established, came across perfectly here. I always deeply appreciate how well Marsters can dive into protagonist and point of view character Harry Dresden, and his narration once again pulled out all this character’s pain, inner turmoil, and relentless cheek. Marsters also has a lot of fun with the various monsters, faeries and other ethereal figures featured throughout Cold Days, and he always ensures these mysterious creatures come across as something inhuman or terrifying. This great voicework really turns the Cold Days audiobook into something deeply addictive and fun, and I really cannot recommend this format enough.

Look, there was no way I wasn’t going to enjoy Cold Days, as frankly the entirety of the Dresden Files series has been pretty damn impressive. However, I felt that Jim Butcher did a really good job with this 14^th book, as Cold Days features a compelling and emotionally charged narrative that expertly continues some of the most impressive storylines from the last few entries. Loaded with action, compelling lore expansion, and Butcher’s distinctive humour, Cold Days was an exceptional book that I cannot recommend enough. I love this series so much and I cannot wait to finish it off this year.

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Throwback Thursday – Warhammer: Grudge Bearer by Gav Thorpe

On December 9, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Extended Universe, Fantasy, Quick Review, Throwback Thursday, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer3 Comments

Grudge Bearer Cover

Publisher: Black Library (Paperback – 12 June 2005)

Series: Warhammer Fantasy

Length: 250 pages

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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For this week’s Throwback Thursday I am doing a double feature. In addition to my review of the awesome Warhammer 40,000 novel Lords of the Night by Simon Spurrier, I am also doing a quick review of the classic Warhammer Fantasy novel, Grudge Bearer by Gav Thorpe.

I have a lot of love for all forms of Warhammer fiction across the various genres, but I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the intense and elaborate adventures that took place in the Warhammer Fantasy realm. Before its destruction, the Warhammer Fantasy universe featured a raft of epic novels and stories, most of which tied into the gaming events surrounding the various campaigns or model releases. While I haven’t read nearly as much Warhammer Fantasy books in recent years as Warhammer 40,000 fiction, there are still some amazing books there, including the Gotrek and Felix books by William King (Trollslayer, Skavenslayer, Daemonslayer, Dragonslayer, Beastslayer, Vampireslayer and Giantslayer), Van Horstmann by Ben Counter, Runefang by C. L. Werner and Broken Honour by Rober Earl.

All of these fantasy books have been very impressive, and I am always keen to check out more from this awesome setting. As such, I eagerly read the second-hand copy of Grudge Bearer by Gav Thorpe earlier this year. Thorpe has been one of the main authors of Warhammer fiction over the years, with books across the various sub-series. I know him from his outstanding Warhammer 40,000 Last Chancers novels, which followed a doomed group of convicts sent to complete a suicide mission. The first two books in this series, 13^th Legion and Kill Team, were so much fun, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the rest of the Last Chancers books. Grudge Bearer was the first Warhammer Fantasy novel of his I have read and it proved to be an excellent book that focussed on some of the most entertaining and determined figures in the Warhammer Fantasy canon, the dwarfs.

Plot Synopsis:

When his father dies, Barundin, prince of Zhufbar, becomes king of that realm and lord of one of the mightiest outposts of the ancient and powerful dwarf empire. Over the centuries that follow, he sets out to right many of the wrongs done to his people, fulfilling ancient grudges and bringing death to his foes as he wages war against his father’s killers, and strives to protect Zhufbar from the dark forces of Chaos.

Grudge Bearer ended up being quite a fun and quick paced read that I had a wonderful time getting through. As the somewhat sparse plot synopsis above indicates, Grudge Bearer follows Barundin, a prince who becomes king of Zhufbar, a dwarf stronghold after his father’s death in battle. Due to the betrayal of a local human lord whose cowardice resulted in his father’s death, Barundin swears a grudge against the man who betrayed him and becomes determined to get appropriate vengeance. However, before he can marshal enough of his forces and resources to lead an army into an assault on the lord’s castle, he needs to get his realm in order.

As such the book turns into a series of short stories, which cover different periods of Barundin’s reign and the events that lead up to him attempting to settle his grudge. While the first two chapters deal with the events that result in Barundin becoming king, each of the following chapters is essentially a connected short story, that see the protagonist and his forces go up against a series of different traditional Dwarf enemies, including the forces of Chaos, the skaven and goblins, as well as deal with other issues, such as an overly-inventive dwarf engineer and Barundin’s attempts to get married. Each of these stories are pretty intriguing in their own right, giving some fantastic insights into the dwarfs as a race, and they come together to tell an intriguing and action-packed overarching story. Most of these stories result in a pretty typical hack-and-slash battle, and Thorpe has a good eye for action, producing intense and bloody scenes throughout Grudge Bearer. Some of the stories within this book are really cool, and I especially loved the eventual resolution of the grudge against the treacherous human lord and his family, especially as it proves just how ridiculously determined the dwarfs can be. I did think the overall end of Grudge Bearer was a little sudden, especially as it could resulted in one more fantastic battle, but this ended up being a pretty strong and easy to read piece of Warhammer Fantasy fiction.

Now I do have to get a little cynical in that while Grudge Bearer is good, it was a marketing tool to help boost sales for the 6^th edition of the Dwarfs Warhammer Army book that also came out in 2005. I actually recall reading a few extracts from Grudge Bearer that appeared in White Dwarf, so I had a couple of early moments ruined for me. Still, Grudge Bearer was a pretty fun book to read, and Thorpe clearly had fun exploring the lore and diving into what makes the dwarfs tick, both in combat and in real life. The compelling focus on the dwarven grudge was particularly fun, and it was interesting to see how much their desire for vengeance ruled their lives. It also covers several quite a substantial period of Warhammer Fantasy history due to the long lives of the dwarf protagonists, and it was very entertaining to see them watch their human neighbours go through major historical events while the dwarfs constantly remain the same. There was even a tie-in to the Storms of Chaos campaign that happened in the game the year before, so there is a lot going on for established fans. At the same time, Grudge Bearer serves as a pretty good starting point for those readers unfamiliar with either the dwarfs or the Warhammer Fantasy setting and it makes for a great introductory novel.

One thing that I was a little disappointed by in Grudge Bearer is that we didn’t get to see more of the legendary White Dwarf character. The White Dwarf had a pretty major role at the start of the book, and there are even some hints to his origin at the start, but after this initial appearance we never see him again, which I think was a bit of a waste. It would have been cool to see him come back a few times to offer advice or help in battle, possibly while providing more clues to who he really is. I know this is a pretty minor complaint which doesn’t dramatically impact my enjoyment of Grudge Bearer, but it was something that bothered me as I was reading as a wasted opportunity.

Overall, Grudge Bearer was a fun action and lore packed novel that managed to fit in several fantastic and exciting shorter stories. Containing one of the best and compact examinations of the always entertaining dwarf faction you will likely see in a Warhammer Fantasy novel, Grudge Bearer is well worth checking out, especially if you were a fan of the tabletop game and its lore back in the day.

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Throwback Thursday – Lord of the Night by Simon Spurrier

On December 9, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Science Fiction, Throwback Thursday, Warhammer4 Comments

Lord of the Night Cover

Publisher: Black Library (Paperback – 25 January 2005)

Series: Warhammer 40,000

Length: 413 pages

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

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Welcome back to my Throwback Thursday series, where I republish old reviews, review books I have read before or review older books I have only just had a chance to read. This week I check out an impressive and dark older entry from the excellent Warhammer 40,000 extended universe, Lord of the Night by Simon Spurrier.

Readers of this blog will know that I have a lot of love for the always intense and fun Warhammer 40,000 fiction, having read quite a bit of it this year. One of the better older pieces of this fiction I managed to check out this year was the awesome novel Lord of the Night by acclaimed author Simon Spurrier. Spurrier is an excellent author who is best known for his work on various graphic novels and comics series across the major companies. I have read a couple of his comics over the years, although my favourite is probably his run on the original Doctor Aphra series (check out my reviews for the awesome volumes Unspeakable Rebel Superweapon and A Rogue’s End). Spurrier also wrote several Warhammer 40,000 novels back in the mid-2000s, including the highly regarded Lord of the Night. I was lucky enough to get a copy of Lord of the Night second-hand, and I ended up reading it while away on holiday. Unsurprisingly I loved it, as Spurrier came up with a powerful story about two complex characters caught up in a deadly game of cat and mouse.

Interrogator Mita Ashyn of the Ordo Xenos is newly arrived in the service of veteran Inquisitor Kaustus after the death of her previous master. Desperately trying to earn her place amongst the Inquisitor’s haughty acolytes and her mysterious new master, Mita is isolated due to the taint associated with her advanced psychic powers. Seeking alien cultists on the hive-world of Equixus, Mita is tasked with rooting out minor corruption and heresy. However, when an ancient ship crash lands on the planet, Mita receives psychic warnings of a dark and terrible foe.

Ten thousand years ago at the end of the Horus Heresy, Commander Sahaal was chosen by his crazed Primarch, Konrad Cruz, as the heir to the Night Lords legion of Space Marines. However, before Sahaal could take command of the Legion, his Primarch’s most sacred artefact was stolen, and Sahaal’s pursuit of the thief saw him trapped out in the depths of space for millennia. Awaking on his crashed ship on Equixus, Sahaal finds the artefact gone, stolen by thieves from the planet. Determined to claim lordship of his legion, Sahaal will stop at nothing to reclaim what is rightfully his, no matter how many people he has to kill.

As Sahaal begins a deadly campaign of fear in the underbelly of Equixus, Mita appears to be the only person in the Inquisitor’s retinue concerned about the danger. Working against the wishes of her master, Mita attempts to destroy the traitor Astartes that has invaded the city before it is too late. However, Sahaal is a master of urban warfare and soon his solo campaign of destruction has the entire hive on its knees. As the two lost souls move to confront each other, they soon discover that there are even greater secrets at work than either of them realises, and soon the fate of Equixus hangs in the balance.

This was a powerful and compelling Warhammer 40,000 story from Spurrier that had me hooked from the very beginning. Focussed on the two unique perspective characters of Mita and Sahaal, Spurrier sets up an intriguing and vicious story with great thriller elements in a fantastic and gloomy hive-city setting. Starting off with some effective set-up that introduces both protagonists and their complex lives, Lord of the Night soon evolves into an impressive cat and mouse scenario between the two as Mita fights to stop Sahaal before he recovers his prize and destroys the city from within.

This leads to all manner of chaos and destruction, as Sahaal initiates a brutal urban warfare campaign by enlisting the help of a curious raft of unconventional allies, while Mita manipulates the city’s official resources to her use. While this battle rages, Spurrier also introduces some compelling and highly important side storylines which see Mita trying to gain the respect and aid of her secretive Inquisitor master, while Sahaal comes to terms with his missing years, his complex past, and what it is to be a Night Lord. This leads up to several great confrontations before all the characters finally come together a brutal final sequence. There are some great reveals here, especially about who is pulling all the strings surrounding the characters, and I loved some the brilliant twists that emerged. The book ends on a pretty dark note, with both protagonists getting what they wanted, even though it nearly destroys them, and this ended up being quite an epic and captivating read.

I love how dark and intense Spurrier made this novel, and it has such an elaborate and complex narrative surrounding it. The split between the two main characters works extremely well to tell an elaborate and multilayered story, and I enjoyed how the two separate arcs bounced off each other, with both dealing with betrayals, personal lows and the realisation that nothing is as it seems. The grim setting of the hive city is also very impressive, and there is a reason that Warhammer 40,000 authors use it as a prime location for their stories. The multiple layers of tunnels, caverns, and cityscapes makes for an outstanding background to this story of urban warfare and bloody revenge, and you can easily feel the confinement, corruption and fear that Spurrier envisions in this epic location.

Lord of the Night also turns out to be quite an impressive and elaborate piece of Warhammer 40,000 fiction. Spurrier clearly has a great appreciation and love for the lore, and it really shows in his portrayal of both a secretive Inquisitor squad and the Night Lords Space Marines. While Inquisitors are well covered in Warhammer 40,000 fiction, such as the Eisenhorn books by Dan Abnett (Xenos, Malleus and Hereticus), I personally loved seeing a book focussing on a Night Lord, especially as they are a little unrepresented in the extended universe fiction. Spurrier really dives into what it is to be a Night Lord, especially during the Horus Heresy and before their full corruption, and his primary Night Lord character gives the reader a full course on how to terrorise and manipulate a city to get what you want. It was so cool to see a Night Lord in all his fear-bringing glory, and it made for quite a dark and bloody read as a result. Spurrier also does a great job of exploring some of the wider lore of the Warhammer 40,000 universe and working it into the plot of Lord of the Night. This ensures that readers a little less familiar with the canon can enjoy this book fairly easily and not have to worry about external lore details. That being said, fans of the franchise are always going to get a little more out this book and Lord of the Night proved to be a particularly good earlier novel in the canon, especially with its great insights into both the protagonist and antagonist.

One of the things that I most liked about Lord of the Night was the complex and impressive protagonists that the story was set around. Despite being on different sides, Mita Ashyn and Sahaal have a lot in common with each other, having been lost and reviled in various different ways. Mita proves to be a great example of how dark and unfair the Warhammer 40,000 universe is, as the thing that makes her a useful servant to the Imperium, her psychic abilities, also ensures that everyone sees her as unclean and tainted. Watching her desperately trying to prove herself to the Inquisitor, his cronies, and the people of Equixus, only to be rejected and reviled, is very heartbreaking, and you can’t help but feel for Mita as she is routinely betrayed, spurned, or ignored. Spurrier does some wonderful work with Mita as Lord of the Night continues, and it was great to see her find her confidence, fight back against those who oppress her, and start to question her superior and the teachings that bound her and her powers. Watching her come to terms with her place in the Imperium, and still try to do the right thing was extremely powerful, and it leads to some impressive and emotionally charged scenes.

Sahaal also prove to be a surprisingly deep and complex character to follow. Before reading Lord of the Night, I thought Sahaal would be a deranged Chaos Space Marine, and indeed the first few scenes with Sahaal show him to be a deadly and remorseless killer who uses terror as an effective weapon. However, as the book continues, you start to realise that there is more to Sahaal than meets the eyes. While he kills to achieve his goals, often in brutal ways, some of the interactions he has with his surprising allies, as well as a series of compelling flashbacks, paint him in a somewhat noble light defined by his loyalty to his Primarch and his ideals for control and order. This paints a bit more as a victim of circumstance rather than a full Chaos infected traitor, and it was fascinating to see him act very differently from other antagonistic Space Marines characters. There are some intriguing hidden depths to Sahaal that are revealed towards the end of the book, especially when certain manipulations are uncovered, and there are some good revelations regarding his actual mindset and mental status. I also loved the scene where he is finally reunited with his beloved Legion, only to realise just how far they have fallen in his absence. Sahaal ends up having some intriguing interactions with Mita throughout the course of the book, and the two play off each other perfectly, representing different angles of betrayal, loyalty and misunderstood misuse. I deeply appreciated how well Spurrier utilised both of these point of view characters in Lord of the Night and the helped to turn this into quite an amazing read.

Overall, Lord of the Night was an exceptional read and a wonderful piece of Warhammer 40,000 fiction. Simon Spurrier does an excellent job of bringing together two amazing, misunderstood characters together in a brutal battle across a terrified city and I was hooked the entire way through this plot. Clever, intense, and loaded with some intriguing pieces of Warhammer lore, Lord of the Night is an outstanding read and it was one of the better pre-2023 Warhammer 40,000 novels I enjoyed in 2023.

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Throwback Thursday – Ghost Story by Jim Butcher

On November 2, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Throwback Thursday5 Comments

Publisher: Penguin Audio (Audiobook – 4 August 2011)

Series: Dresden Files – Book 13

Length: 17 hours and 36 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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So by this point in my explosion of Throwback Thursday articles I think I’ve made it pretty clear that I have been really enjoying the epic Dresden Files series lately. This amazing series has so much going for it, and after listening to and reviewing Small Favour, Turncoat and Changes, I honestly had no choice but to dive into the 13^th entry in the series, Ghost Story, especially as it continued on from a great cliffhanger at the end of Changes, and boy am I glad that I did.

Harry Dresden is dead. Brutally and suddenly gunned down following his victory over the Red Court of vampires and his decision to sell his soul to Queen Mab, Dresden’s life is over, and his body is lost to the murky depths of Lake Michigan. However, nothing is ever simple for Chicago’s only professional wizard and supernatural protector, and even his own death proves to be far too complicated for his own good.

Waking up in spiritual realm between life and death, Dresden is given an option to travel back to Chicago as ghost to clear up his irregular death. If he manages to find out who killed him, he may save the lives of the friends he left behind, but if he fails, he will be wiped from existence completely. Determined to save those he loved, Dresden elects to return home and finds himself back in his city, but in the six months he has been away, everything has changed.

Without his protection, Chicago has become a target of deadly dark powers wishing to capitalise on the destruction of the Red Court. Worse, his allies have each been affected by his death, and their attempts to keep Chicago safe in his absence have led many of them upon a dark path. Determined to save who he can, Dresden calls upon the services of ectomancer Mortimer Lindquist. However, Mortimer is facing his own difficulties as a sinister force seeks to capture him using an army of dark spirits. To help Mortimer and his friends, and to discover who has behind his death, Dresden will need to master his new ghostly abilities and face down some of the deadliest creatures stalking the afterlife of Chicago. But even if he succeeds, is the remnants of Dresden’s soul ready for the dark truths and hidden secrets lurking just around the corner?

Well damn, the further I get in this series the more I appreciate just how good an author Jim Butcher is. Ghost Story is another exceptional and epic Dresden Files book, and it might be one of the very best things he has ever written. A dark and complex character-focused tale that places its protagonist is his most unique situation yet, Ghost Story has so much going for it, and I loved every second I spent reading it.

Ghost Story probably has one of the most unique and memorable narratives in the entire Dresden Files series, primarily because the protagonist and narrator is dead. Cleverly following on from the intense cliffhanger of Changes, in which Dresden gets shot and killed in the final scene of the book, Ghost Story sees Dresden’s shade sent back to Chicago six months later to solve his own murder. The initial scenes of Ghost Story are pretty interesting, and I quite liked how Butcher set up the scenario and reinforced it with the book’s first major action sequence at Mortimer Lindquist’s house, where the protagonist learns some of the rules about being a spirit and has his first encounter with the book’s antagonist. The story really takes off when Dresden meets up with all his old friends and sees how much things have changed since his death. The emotional damage his murder has caused is pretty damn moving, and the unintended consequences of his victory against the Red Court serve as a good set-up for some new long-running storylines.

The narrative from here continues at a brisk pace as Dresden attempts to simultaneously solve his murder, aid his lost apprentice, help a bunch of street kids being controlled by a minor sorcerer, and save Mortimer from a dangerous entity. The last one proves to be the major storyline of the book, especially as it involves an old foe of Dresden’s, and the protagonist is forced to use all his limited ghost powers to save him. This leads to several intense and distinctively dark set pieces, including a memorable storming of the beaches, an invisible ghost duel, and some major sacrifices. The final confrontation of the book is very impressive, especially as it helps to reveal the full truth behind Dresden’s murder. Butcher was really clever in setting this up big reveal, and I thought it was very fitting and complex, especially as it ties nicely to some events in Changes and hints at some great evils yet to come. The scenes that follow are some of the best and most emotionally charged, as many of the characters get closure, and you get to see just how important Dresden is to his friends and family. In some ways I kind of wish that Butcher ended series here, as there was a certain finality to some of the storylines that I really appreciated. However, I’m also not upset that Butcher chose to continue the Dresden Files even further, and the inevitable scene returning Dresden to life was handled extremely well, setting up a whole new course for the protagonist.

I really liked how effectively Butcher wrote Ghost Story so that it had a different feel to most of the other Dresden Files books. Thanks to the protagonist’s ghostly form, there is less traditional action and adventure, although Dresden compensates for this by bringing in a lot more world building and a lot of emotional character moments. Thanks to the situation of the protagonist and the general gloomy atmosphere of the current setting, this is a much more subdued and grimmer Dresden Files novel than you might be used to. Luckily, Butcher does try to break through this darker content with Dresden’s usual humour, which helped to lighten up some of the other characters in the book. The usual investigative elements are still strongly represented here, especially as Dresden has to find his own killer, and I really enjoyed how the protagonist’s new limitations forced him to think about the case in new ways. The main mystery is set up extremely well throughout this book, with clues hidden both in Ghost Story and Changes. I particularly appreciated how the subtle absence or mention of a recurring character ended up being a clue, and it’s a brilliant bit of writing once you understand it. Butcher really got the right blend of story elements here in Ghost Story, and I liked how he made the book a bit darker while still allowing established readers the sense of familiarity to keep them going. These excellent writing decisions really enhanced the overall impact of the book, especially when combined with the exceptional character work and intriguing new fantasy elements.

Ghost Story is honestly one of the most significant entries in the entire Dresden Files series, not only because it resolves the cliffhanger from the previous novel but because it starts to change the status quo of the series’ wider world. A lot of major ongoing storylines start in Ghost Story, and the six-month gap between Changes and Ghost Story also results in some intriguing changes to the main setting and supporting cast. These changes are pretty jarring for established fans but are really clever, and I liked the darker picture of the world they painted. Unlike most of the books in the Dresden Files series, Ghost Story really should not be read as a standalone novel or an entry into the series. While Butcher does do his usual excellent recaps, there are just too many big story elements going on in Ghost Story for it to be an effective launchpad for new readers. The emotional impact of the character interactions will also be reduced for those unfamiliar with the characters, and the big reveal at the end also loses a lot of punch if you haven’t read Changes.

One of the things that I really enjoyed about Ghost Story was the way in which Butcher worked some cool new fantasy elements into the story. The spiritual world and the undead aren’t unfamiliar concepts to the series, especially with previous entries like Grave Peril and Dead Beat, but Ghost Story takes it in a whole new fascinating direction with Dresden’s death and return as a spirt. This transformation forces Dresden to learn about spirits and ghosts extremely quickly, especially when he needs to utilise all his new abilities to save his friends. This proves to be an excellent and complex inclusion, and Butcher does an amazing job of completely changing the abilities of his protagonist for an entire book. The resultant changes and new talents are very cool, and I loved the dive into what ghosts are and how they can affect the world around them. It also allows for some impressive scenes, and it was a lot of fun seeing pitched battles between ghostly magical practitioners while the mortals are completely unaware. Throw in some intriguing new long-term baddies, the Fomor, and some new abilities for established characters, and Ghost Stories proves to be a book where Butcher was at his most inventive.

As with all the Dresden Files novels, one of the key highlights of Ghost Story is the excellent characters and the elaborate personal stories that Butcher weaves around them. The characters arcs in Ghost Story are particularly poignant and moving, even compared to Butcher’s usual high emotional standard, as the lingering impacts of the protagonist’s death drive many of them to do things they would never expect.

Naturally, most of the focus returns to protagonist Harry Dresden, who experiences some major life changes after dying. Despite losing his physical body, Dresden maintains much of his usual drive, humour and general disrespect for all the dangerous and scary creatures out there, and if there were ever a character who would excel as a nosey and noble ghost, it would be Dresden. However, despite his outer façade of good cheer and comedic charm, Dresden is experiencing a great deal of emotional turmoil, because of both the events of the previous books and his regrets of leaving those close to him behind. There are some brilliant examinations of the pure guilt he feels, especially around his destructive choices in Changes and their impact on his friends. Despite all this, Dresden is still his usual bold and determined self, and I had an excellent time watching him come to terms with his spiritual nature and his new abilities. Dresden had to be a lot more passive in this book, which honestly drove him a little crazy at times, and it was an interesting change of pace to see him so helpless. Butcher also used this book to dive back into Dresden’s past, providing us with some intriguing looks at his early adventures, including his first traumatic apprenticeship, which has been mentioned but not fully explored until now. I really enjoyed how Dresden was portrayed in this book, especially as Butcher wrote some particularly emotional and hard-hitting scenes for him, and this was one of his most unique adventures. I look forward to seeing what happens to him next, especially as he comes to terms with certain new facts of his life in the rest of the series.

While Dresden does get a lot of compelling and emotionally rich development in Ghost Story, I really need to highlight how exceptionally well Butcher featured several of his key supporting characters in this novel. Many of the characters the reader has grown to know and love throughout the course of this series really change in Ghost Story, especially as they have all had to spend six months dealing with the death of Dresden and the crazy world that developed in his absence. There is some outstanding and brilliant development here as a result, and I really appreciated how effectively Butcher examined the impacts of grief, anger and guilt.

This excellent development can be particularly seen in the character of Karrin Murphey, who, after losing her position in the police and her potential romantic partner in Dresden, was forced into a dangerous war to keep Chicago safe from supernatural threats. The resulting fights made her a lot more dangerous and unforgiving than we’ve previously seen, especially as she barely manages to keep her grief and anger contained. The always fun Waldo Butters also grows up a lot for Ghost Story, especially now he is the holder of Bob the Skull. Butters honestly becomes a better character with each appearance in the series, and it was great to see him being a more determined and bold figure here to try and live up to Dresden’s example. I also really loved how well Butcher featured the character of Mortimer Lindquist in Ghost Story, as he had a sizeable role here. A somewhat minor figure from several of the previous Dresden Files novels, Mortimer has been slowly growing into a better person with each appearance, something attributed to Dresden’s influence. However, Ghost Story is the book were he finally shines, as you get some real insights into his abilities and heart. While he might not be a traditional heroic figure, he does his best in this book, especially when it comes to helping the lost spirits of Chicago, and I really enjoyed how Butcher featured him, and his ghostly companions, in this novel.

While I loved all the work for the characters above, the most impactful and tragic character development revolves around the fascinating character of Molly Carpenter, Dresden’s wizard apprentice. Molly has always been a potentially dangerous figure due to her talent for mental magic. However, the loss of Dresden drives her off the deep end as her guilt and sorrow turn her into something a lot more dangerous and unhinged. Molly ends up becoming the murderous, magical vigilante, the Rag Lady, to scare sinister creatures away from Chicago, and begins living on the streets, untrusted by her former friends. This is such a powerful and surprising transformation from her previous appearances, although it’s not too surprising considering some of the darker things she’s done in the past. Butcher does an exceptional job of diving into her grief, her growing power, and the reasons behind her actions, and it is very heartbreaking to see Molly go down such a dark path. The full extent of her mental issues is a major part of the book’s plot, and I think that Molly had some of the best development in this whole emotionally charged novel.

As with all the other Dresden Files novels I enjoyed, I made sure to check out Ghost Story on audiobook, which frankly never fails to impress me. Coming in with a runtime of just over 17 and a half hours, Ghost Story is one of the longer Dresden Files audiobooks, but you really don’t mind as Butcher packed so much awesome moments into this complex story. Interestingly enough, Ghost Story is the only Dresden Files audiobook that has two separate versions to it, as actor John Glover provided the narration for the first version before James Marsters narrated a second edition a few years later. While I did love John Glover in Smallville, I decided to listen to the Marsters version, mainly because I have gotten so used to him over the previous 12 Dresden Files audiobooks. Marsters of course was exceptional here, and his particularly emotional and heartfelt performance in Ghost Story really highlights why he is one of my favourite audiobook narrators at the moment. There is honestly no better way to enjoy a Dresden Files novel than by having it read out by James Marsters, and this format comes very highly recommended.

Overall, the fourth and final Dresden Files novel I review here today, Ghost Story, was an impressive and highly captivating read, especially when it comes to powerful characters and intriguing fantasy changes as Jim Butcher really showcased his writing skills here. Exciting, emotionally charged and featuring a very different story than fans are used to, Ghost Story is one of the strongest books Butcher has ever written, and I was hooked the entire way through. I honestly cannot express just how epic and awesome this series is at times, and I look forward to getting through the last few Dresden Files novels in the coming months.

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Throwback Thursday – Changes by Jim Butcher

On November 2, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Throwback Thursday8 Comments

Publisher: Penguin Audio (Audiobook – 15 April 2010)

Series: Dresden Files – Book 12

Length: 15 hours and 26 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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As promised in the previous posts for Small Favour and Turn Coat, this Throwback Thursday is a four-way special as I look at another epic entry in the exciting and fun Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher. This review looks at the 12th entry in the series, Changes, which is one of the most intense and compelling books that Butcher has so far produced.

It is Harry Dresden’s darkest hour. For years, Dresden has been Chicago’s only defence against the various mystical and monstrous threats that seek to destroy it. His crusade to keep Chicago safe resulted in a deadly war between the White Council of wizards and the vampires of the Red Court, with Dresden firmly in the centre of the battle. After years of fighting, the Red Court look set to launch their final killing blow, aimed directly at a weak spot Dresden was unaware he even had: his daughter.

Kept from him by his former lover, Susan Rodriguez, Dresden is shocked to discover that he has a child and that she has been kidnapped by a vengeful vampire noble. Determined to get his daughter back no matter the cost, a reckless Dresden begins a new battle against the Red Court. However, with the White Council unwilling to back him, Dresden has few options available to him as he is relentlessly hunted by agents of the Red King.

Injured, tired and desperate, Dresden will need all his most powerful allies to survive, but even the full might of Dresden’s most loyal friends isn’t enough to overwhelm the forces in front of them. To succeed, Dresden may be forced to compromise everything he has ever believed in, especially if it brings him the tools and power he needs to save his daughter. But the price demanded may be far more terrible than anything he could imagine.

Well damn, now this must be one of the most intense and powerful entries in this already outstanding series. Butcher outdid himself with Changes as he wraps up several brilliant storylines while also taking his protagonist to the very edge in the worst ways possible.

Butcher provides a very powerful start to Changes, which places Harry in a dark position as he finds out that he has a daughter and that she has been kidnapped by Red Court vampires. This expertly follows on from several long-running storylines around Dresden’s war with the Red Court (including those started Grave Peril and Death Masks), and it was really interesting to see an emotionally untethered Dresden trying to come to terms with having a child and the evils being done to them. The first half of Changes is highly compelling, especially as Dresden faces attacks and obstacles he hasn’t seen before, with his office building getting blown up and increased interest from law enforcement in the city. There are several great set pieces here, and Butcher quickly builds up the many threats surrounding Dresden as well as unprecedented stakes.

However, Butcher really saves the best for the second half of the book, as Dresden finds himself going down some dark roads to save his child. After a particularly heartbreaking moment in the centre of the book, the weakened Dresden is forced to make a Faustian deal in one of Changes most powerful scenes. However, this proves to be only the beginning as Dresden leads all his allies to the big final battle, which was something particularly impressive. There are several outstanding fight sequences, including a magical pitched battle with everyone involved, and the ending sequence of the entire event is pretty dark. There are losses, tragedies and massive changes featured here, and you really are left blown away by just how epic and brutal Butcher made everything. However, that is only the beginning as, after a series of revelations and sacrifices, Butcher chooses to end Changes on a massive cliffhanger, one that is guaranteed to shock every Dresden Files fan and force them to dive right into the next book.

Changes is definitely one of the most impressive and expansive entries in the entire Dresden Files series, and it had me hooked the entire way through. Thanks to the massive battles, intense and extremely epic action scenes, and the game-changing and emotionally charged moments where the protagonist is forced to make all the hard decisions, it honestly proves very hard to put Changes down and I loved how well Butcher wrapped up several long-running storylines while setting up key elements for some of the later novels. This is one of the darker books in the Dresden Files series, although Butcher still manages to maintain a good amount of inherent humour and investigative focus. I felt that the typical Dresden humour blended well with the more desperate and brutal parts of the book, especially as it helps to underline just how grim Changes becomes in places. Unlike some of the previous books in the series, I would not recommend Changes as a place to start reading the Dresden Files books. While Butcher provides his usual excellent recap of prior events throughout the book, there are way too many ongoing storylines and complex character moments featured here that you won’t get the full effect of unless you understand the full history of the protagonist and all he’s overcome. This was honestly one of the better books in the entire series, especially with how much Butcher raised the stakes, and I love just how well the entire story came together.

Out of all the Dresden Files novels Changes has some of the best character moments in the entire series, mainly because of just how big events turned out to be. Dresden, despite his attempts to keep his usual defiant humour intact, is emotionally wrecked time and time again in this book following the revelation that he has a daughter he didn’t know about. Enraged, desperate and determined to not leave her alone like he was as a child, Dresden is forced into some very dark places to save her, and the resulting scenes where he sells his soul are very heartbreaking and emotionally charged. A lot of these compromises come after he has been physically chopped away at throughout the book, and you can really understand why he is forced to make these decisions and just how much they cost him spiritually and morally to do so. As such, Dresden spends a good chunk of this book unsure of whether he is making the right decisions, but he remains determined to do so all the same and would even go further if needed. Despite this, Dresden still has the support of his friends, and it was great to see how they kept him grounded and certain that he was on the right path. I particularly enjoyed the fun Lord of the Rings analogy that was revealed to him by his friends to show how they see him (he’s more of a Sam than a Gandalf), and Dresden’s concern that he might instead be a different, less heroic character from the series hits you right in the feels. I may never forgive Butcher for how brutally and effectively he tugged at my heartstrings in Changes when it came to Dresden and this is probably one of the most substantial novels in the entire series when it comes to his character development.

Aside from Dresden, Changes features a great range of supporting characters, many of whom return to help the protagonist in his hour of need. A lot of focus went into Susan Rodriguez, Dresden’s former lover and the secret mother of his child, who has struggled with her vampiric corruption since the third book. While there is a certain amount of resentment towards her for her actions, you can completely understand why Susan might try to keep her daughter away from both herself and Dresden, which is honestly heartbreaking. Butcher does a great job of featuring Susan again here after a lengthy absence, and I felt that he wrapped up her storyline and the relationship she had with Dresden really well. Several other characters get a great showing in Changes, with Murphy becoming a literal Holy Knight for one particularly glorious sequence and Dresden’s apprentice Molly really showcasing her skills and her emotional vulnerability. I also must mention one of my favourite characters, Dresden’s dog, Mouse, who continues to be one of the best figures in the series, especially here where he reveals more of his supernatural potential and his actual intelligence. The scene where you can hear him talking is just hilarious, especially as Mouse has a very different view about his relationship with his human. These characters and more really help to turn Changes into one of the most emotionally charged books in the entire Dresden Files series, and I loved seeing each and every one of them.

As has been the recurring theme with the Dresden Files, I checked out Changes on audiobook, which was another epic listen. Narrator James Marsters can do no wrong with this audiobook, and with a runtime of 15.5 hours, you will find yourself quite engrossed with this elaborate tale. Thanks to Marsters’s exceptional narration, I absolutely powered through this audiobook, and I loved the sheer emotion and power he brought to the production. The epic set pieces were particularly cool in this audiobook, and I loved how well the climatic battles came across in this format. As a result, Changes is definitely best enjoyed as an audiobook and I cannot recommend this format enough.

Unsurprisingly, Changes also gets a five-star rating from me and it was honestly one of the most impressive Dresden Files novels that Butcher has written. The powerful character work and brutal story had me hooked the entire way through, and it honestly has some of the most significant moments in the entire series. In fact it was so good that it instantly made me start listening to yet another Dresden Files novel, Ghost Story (that cliffhanger at the end left me no choice), which I am also reviewing today. This is an exceptional read that once again shows why Butcher is such an incredible author.

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Throwback Thursday – Turn Coat by Jim Butcher

On November 2, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Throwback Thursday4 Comments

Publisher: Penguin Audio (Audiobook – 7 April 2009)

Series: Dresden Files – Book 11

Length: 14 hours and 36 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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It’s a Dresden Files multi-feature today! In addition to reviewing Small Favour, I also check out the 11^th book in the series, Turn Coat.

As I mentioned in my other post tonight, I have been in a real Dresden Files mood recently. Thanks to how much fun I had with Small Favour, I immediately started listening to the 11^th entry in the series, Turn Coat, which was another excellent novel. I managed to finish off Turn Coat in a couple of days, and it proved to be another amazing entry in the series, tying up several long-running storylines while diving into some of the unique relationships surrounding the protagonist.

Throughout his entire magical career, professional wizard Harry Dresden has been feared and despised by the White Council of Wizard after killing his crazed mentor with magic. Despite his crime being in self-defence, Dresden was watched and harassed for most of his life by a Warden of the White Council tasked with slicing his head off if he showed any dark magical inclinations. The man who so relentlessly watched him was the implacable Warden Morgan, who still suspects Dresden of dark magic to this day. So when Morgan shows up wounded at Dresden’s apartment asking for help, Dresden is reluctant to provide it.

Morgan has been accused of betraying the White Council and murdering one of its most senior members. Despite the long history of hatred, Dresden agrees to help him, fully aware that Morgan is incapable of committing the acts he is accused of. But by sheltering Morgan, Dresden has made himself a target of the White Council, and the only way to survive is to identify the real murderer before Morgan is discovered.

Digging into the case, Dresden soon uncovers an insidious conspiracy that threatens the fragile stability of the White Council and the world of magic it governs. Forced to face off against friends, mercenaries, rogue vampires and one of the most dangerous mystical creatures in existence, a skinwalker, Dresden finds himself walking a razor’s edge. If he succeeds, he could start a civil war within the White Council, but if he fails, he will be executed alongside Morgan. With danger all around, can Dresden survive both his enemies and his own complicated feelings for Morgan?

This was a very interesting and compelling entry in the Dresden Files series, and I had quite a bit of fun with it. Unlike the preceding novel, Small Favour, Turn Coat has a bit of a slower pace to it, and there is more of a focus on conspiracy, mystery and character growth rather than full on action. The story has a very strong start, especially as Butcher brings back one of the more complex supporting characters: Morgan. A lot of the story revolves around the contentious history between Dresden and Morgan, and the powerful tension between them makes for some excellent moments in the story. I liked the central premise of Dresden attempting to uncover a conspiracy at the heart of the White Council and it follows up several key storylines from the rest of the series. The shadowy plot that emerges is very intriguing, and the mixture of players, as well as a particularly terrifying antagonist, really ensures that the story is highly compelling the entire way through. Everything leads up to the big fight sequence at the end of the book quite nicely and it was fun to see the unusual array of Dresden’s allies face off against a dangerous and deadly force. The following big reveal of who the real antagonist of the story is was also very well set up and quite clever, although I was able to figure out the culprit some time in advance. Still, this really didn’t detract from the impact of the reveal and the subsequent tragic events really hit the reader hard. Butcher ends Turn Coat on a troubled and tragic note, with more questions than answers, and I quite enjoyed the darker, less hopeful tone that emerged as a result.

Butcher applied his typical writing style to Turn Coat, which I greatly appreciated, especially as it makes jumping from book to book in the series easy when I’m in the mood for something familiar to escape into. Thanks to Butcher’s great continued use of the first-person perspective, you get a complex and intense story in Turn Coat, especially as much of the narrative focussed on Dresden’s hunt for the traitor and his other personal issues. The protagonist’s usual glib outlook on life helped to provide much of the book’s humour, which melded well with the compelling fantasy and investigation elements of the book. Butcher made Turn Coat particularly dark in places, and the haunting depictions of certain creatures and the inherent tragedy of much of the plot helped Turn Coat really stand out. I personally enjoyed how well Butcher expanded the lore surrounding the White Council and the subsequent magical politics and backstabbing that emerged was a fascinating inclusion. As with most of the Dresden Files books, Turn Coat can be read as a standalone novel or a starting point to the larger series, although much of the enjoyment of this 11^th book relies on the continuation of key storylines and character arcs from the previous novels. However, Butcher does an outstanding job of rehashing key events and characters were needed, so it is very easy to follow along if you start here.

I once again need to highlight some of the amazing characters featured in Turn Coat, each of whom expertly enhance the overall story. Obviously, Dresden gets most of focus in Turn Coat and he proves to be as entertaining and enraging as usual. Dresden has quite a lot of emotional baggage to unpack here, especially when it comes to his past with Morgan, and their hostility and inability to agree on the White Council and the laws of magic makes for some excellent scenes. That being said, it is clear that Dresden has grown a lot as a person and a mentor by this point in the series, and his ability to plan ahead and outthink his opponents is quite impressive. Thanks to how the story unfolds, the intriguing and harsh character Morgan got quite a lot of focus and I was really glad to see more of him here in Turn Coat. Morgan has only had a few appearances in the series and is usually treated as a secondary antagonist thanks to his hostile attitude towards Dresden. Butcher spends much of Turn Coat unpacking Morgan’s personality, and you finally get to understand why he’s so strict and concerned about dark wizardry. The scenes featuring both Dresden and Morgan are some of the best in the book, and I deeply appreciated how Butcher was able to both expand upon and wrap up their turbulent relationship here.

Aside from Dresden and Morgan, Turn Coat also features an outstanding and compelling supporting cast, each of whom adds a lot to the overall story. Recurring characters Molly Carpenter and Thomas Raith each get a great focus in Turn Coat for different reasons, with Molly trying to deal with the inherent prejudice of the White Council against her and Dresden, while Thomas is tortured for a good part of the book and reverts to his baser instincts. Dresden’s current love interest, Anastasia Luccio, also has a great outing in Turn Coat, and certain elements of her emotional state prove quite vital to the story in some clever and quite tragic ways. Dresden’s giant dog, Mouse, who is always a scene stealer, has some fantastic moments in Turn Coat, especially when he proves to be the only intelligent adult in the room when it comes to Molly, Morgan and Luccio. There are also some great scenes featuring small pixie Toot-Toot and wizard elder Listens-to-Wind, who are very entertaining and fun in their own ways. Finally, I really need to highlight one of the more sinister figures of the book, the skinwalker (also known as a Naagloshii), a Native American spirit who bursts into the scene by driving Dresden insane with fear. Butcher did an amazing job building them up as a mega shapeshifting threat quite early in the story, and their powerful abilities and dark nature really comes across throughout the entire story. These characters and more each added so much to the story and I had an amazing time seeing all of them get even further developed by this talented author.

As with Small Favour and the other Dresden Files books I have enjoyed over the years, I chose to grab the audiobook version of Turn Coat, which is just the best way to enjoy this amazing novel. Thanks to the narration of the always talented James Marsters, Turn Coat was a real joy to listen to, and I love how well Marsters dives into the various characters. His fun takes on many of the figures, especially protagonist Harry Dresden, are just perfect, and you must appreciate how well he knows all of the cast at this point. Marsters does a lot of fantastic voices in Turn Coat, although I particularly enjoyed the voice he used for new character Binder, who sounds an awful lot like a certain blonde vampire from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I absolutely powered through this outstanding audiobook, and despite its 14 and a half hour run time, I managed to listen to it in an enjoyable two days. Easily to best way to enjoy a Dresden Files novel, you will not be disappointed by the Turn Coat audiobook.

As you can no doubt tell from the gushy review about, I had a lot of fun with Turn Coat, and it was an outstanding addition to one of the very best fantasy series out there. Slick, emotionally rich and building on some amazing long-running storylines, Turn Coat had so much going for it that I honestly could not put it down. Heck, thanks to how awesome both Turn Coat and Small Favour was, I listened to yet another Dresden Files book, Changes, which I am also featuring today. This is such an epic series, and Turn Coat is another five-star read that I cannot recommend enough.

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Throwback Thursday – Small Favour by Jim Butcher

On November 2, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Throwback Thursday8 Comments

Publisher: Penguin Audio (Audiobook – 1 April 2008)

Series: Dresden Files – Book Ten

Length: 13 hours and 49 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Welcome back to my Throwback Thursday series, where I republish old reviews, review books I have read before or review older books I have only just had a chance to read. In a very special Throwback Thursday, I present reviews for four books in the legendary Dresden Files urban fantasy series by Jim Butcher starting with the 10^th book in the series, Small Favour.

Over the last few years, I have been having an absolute blast getting through the outstanding and highly addictive Dresden Files urban fantasy series by Jim Butcher. Following a maverick wizard as he investigates supernatural crimes in Chicago while also facing all manner of dark threats, the Dresden Files books are some of the best urban fantasy novels out there and I have had such a great time reading the rest of the series. All the other Dresden Files novels I have read, including Storm Front, Fool Moon, Grave Peril, Summer Knight, Death Masks, Blood Rites, Dead Beat, Proven Guilty, White Knight, Battle Ground and The Law have gotten a full five-star rating from me and I have been very eager to continue this great long-running series. As such, when I was travelling around and needed an audiobook I could listen to extremely easily, there was no better choice than the next Dresden Files book, Small Favour, which really did not disappoint.

Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard and protector against the supernatural, has been enjoying a period of rare peace and productivity in his chaotic life. But nothing ever lasts forever, and soon Dresden finds himself thrust into a dark battle between dangerous old enemies with the fate of the world at stake.

Thanks to a debt from his reckless youth, Dresden owes three favours to Queen Mab, manipulative monarch of the Winter Court of the fae, who seeks to turn Dresden into her greatest weapon. Her latest favour sees Dresden drawn into a surprising conflict surrounding his old rival, Chicago crime boss John Marcone. Marcone has been kidnapped by another deadly foe of Dresden’s, the Denarians, fallen angels who are determined to turn Marcone into a new host for one of their brethren.

Strongarmed by Mab, Dresden reluctantly agrees to help save Marcone from his fate and begins a new search for his foe throughout Chicago. However, his acceptance not only forces him up against the Denarians and their twisted leader, Nicodemus, but also puts him in the sights of Mab’s rival, the Queen of the Summer Court, who sends her deadliest servants to kill him. Caught between two unstoppable mystical forces can Dresden and his allies survive their deadliest battle yet, especially when Nicodemus’s full destructive plot is unleashed?

Unsurprisingly I loved Small Favour, which is easily one of the better Dresden File books in this already excellent series. Combining a fast-paced story with elaborate world building, amazing action sequences and great characters, Small Favours masterfully builds on so many of the previous books and proves to be a highly addictive read that gets another five-star rating from me.

Butcher came up with an extremely amazing story for this 10^th entry in the series, and I deeply enjoyed the elaborate and complex narrative that emerged. Once again told solely through the troubled eyes of protagonist Harry Dresden, Small Favour sees the protagonist immediately under attack again as he is dragged into a deadly series of confrontations. Thanks to a long-running story arc surrounding his relationship with the Winter Court, Dresden is forced to save his least favourite person in the world while also contending with the deadly Summer Court and his old enemies the Denarians. Butcher does a great job of setting up this compelling scenario, and the early action scenes where Dresden faces down gun-wielding fairies really gets you caught up in the excitement. Thanks to the inclusion of several excellent supporting characters, as well as some of Butcher’s best antagonists, the story moves along at a cracking pace, and there are two excellent, elaborate and bloody set pieces near the centre that really caught my attention, including a dark supernatural brawl at a train station, and a parley turned war at an aquarian, both of which are very well set out and which consistently raise the stakes again and again.

After the big twist in the middle of the book, where the antagonist’s full plot is revealed, the last third of Small Favour has a desperate and dark feel to it as Dresden and his allies attempt to save the day, while also dealing with darker concerns surrounding the protagonist. There are several interesting reveals here, as well as good closure to several long-running storylines surrounding the attempted corruption of Dresden. Everything leads up perfectly to the big final confrontation where Dresden and his allies face off against all manner of foes in his usual flippant and creative way. There are some great moments here, including tragedies, sacrifices, intriguing confrontations, tricks, and Dresden finally getting his own against a superior foe. I was one the edge of my seat the entire way through this massive confrontation and it was everything I hoped it would be and more. The reader comes away from this part of the book very satisfied, if a little traumatised by certain heartbreaking moments, and Butcher really pulls together a great ending for Small Favour.

One of the things that I really like about the Dresden Files books is that Butcher has an effective and distinctive style that will be instantly recognisable to anyone reading one of his novels. This style, which focuses on the first-person perspective of the protagonist, really brings out the best of the story and you are always guaranteed a great blend of action, adventure, comedy, mystery and impressive character moments while Butcher constantly builds up his extended universe around the story. Small Favour is a great example of this as Butcher pulls out all the stops to make his excellent story even more enjoyable. The action is fast-paced and powerful, the world according to Harry Dresden is both dark and hopeful, and the humour is continuous and hilarious as the main character constantly seeks to make light of all the terrible things he encounters. I particularly enjoyed how well several of the major action pieces came together (the dark scene in the subway station is just amazing), and I loved the undercurrent of suspicion and dread that surrounded many of the scenes and this book can get quite bleak at times. I also need to highlight a very clever bit of writing that Butcher worked into the story where certain typical elements of Dresden’s usual magical practice are missing, hinting at some darker elements behind his actions. These writing elements and more really help to turn Small Favour into an excellent read and I had such a great time getting through it.

Like most of the books in the Dresden Files series, Small Favour can easily be read as a standalone read and Butcher does a great job recapping key events from the prior novels that are necessary to the main story. However, the further you get into the series the more certain characters and storylines keep recurring, so dedicated fans of the series are probably going to get the most out of reading this novel. Small Favour also proves to be an intriguing overall novel in the wider series, especially as Butcher introduces some key story elements and settings, as well as masterfully expanding on several characters from the previous novels. There is a certain sense of a bigger evil starting to stir here (something that is explored a lot more in the next couple of books) and there are some very cool developments here as a result. However, this is one of the easier books to start the Dresden Files series on then some others later in the series, although I will always recommend starting at the beginning to get the full impact of Butcher’s masterful work.

One of the true highlights of the Dresden Files series has to be the excellent characters featured within it. Butcher builds up a complex and powerful cast in each novel, including several recurring characters, and it is always a real joy to see how they develop and grow with each book. Of course, most of the focus is on the wise-cracking wizard protagonist and narrator Harry Dresden, who is such a fantastic character to focus on. Witty, loyal, highly perceptive and utterly disrespectful of every evil creature he encounters, Dresden is an outstanding protagonist to set this series around, especially as Butcher always effectively dives into his deeper psyche. Despite his comedic and irreverent exterior, which is responsible for most of the book’s humour, Dresden is a deeply troubled and damaged figure, having been forced to deal with so much pain and suffering throughout the series, all of which leaves a mark on him. Small Favour really dives into his past trauma, especially when it comes to looking at certain dark influences that he only recently threw off, and Butcher manages to put some real unease around Dresden motivations and actions as a result. I also liked seeing the continued growth of Dresden’s magical abilities, and the fun story around Dresden being forced to save one of his rivals is quite entertaining at times. This works wonderfully along Butcher’s typical excellent portrayal of Dresden to tell a brilliant character-driven story ,and I really enjoyed some of the complex development that occurred around the protagonist as a result.

In addition to Dresden, Butcher did an excellent job utilising an extended cast of supporting characters and villains in Small Favour, and I really enjoyed how the author was able to weave them into his elaborate tale. Many of Butcher’s best recurring characters make an appearance here, although I think the best in this book was Michael Carpenter, the calm and redemptive Knight of the Cross who serves as a voice of reason to Dresden’s more reactive desires. Butcher has made great use of Michael in several of the previous novels, although this is probably one of his best, especially as he is forced to deal with both Dresden’s erratic behaviour and the return of his mortal enemies. This leads nicely into the main antagonists of the story, Nicodemus and the Denarians, who are some of the more insidious foes in the series. The Denarians have had one major appearance in the past and Butcher nicely expands on them here in Small Favour, diving into their motivations, introducing new members, and showcasing just how sinister, manipulative and destructive they can be. The physical, mental and moral threat they represent to both the protagonists and the world are really well built up, and I loved the complex plan that Butcher attributed to them. Throw in the assassins of the Summer Court, the Gruffs (based on the Three Billy Goats Gruff), who get bigger and more deadly with each appearance, and this was an excellent group of characters who really enhanced and already great story.

As with all the other Dresden Files books I have enjoyed so far, I chose to listen to Small Favour on audiobook. This once again proved to be an outstanding choice, as the audiobooks are so damn good. This is primarily because of narrator James Marsters, who is perfect for this series. Marsters, who is one of my favourite audiobook narrators at the moment, does such a great job when reading these books out, and I love how enthusiastically he dives into the story and the characters. Each of the figures in Small Favour is given a perfectly fitting voice, and I have so much love for how well he encapsulates protagonist Harry Dresden and his unique personality. Marsters clearly has a lot of fun narrating these amazing books, and it proves near impossible to stop listening to his work as he narrates this cool series. Coming in at just under 14 hours, this was an easy audiobook to get through quickly, and I cannot recommend this format enough to anyone interested in checking it out.

Jim Butcher does it again as his 10^th Dresden Files book, Small Favour, proves to be another epic read. Featuring a clever and compelling plot, loaded with emotion, action and complex characters, Small Favour was an addictive read from start to finish which I really could not stop enjoying. I can think of no higher praise for this book than to say that the second I finished Small Favour, I immediately dove into the next book in the series, Turn Coat, because I wanted more Dresden Files goodness, and I ended up continuing and reading four Dresden Files books in a row.

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