Skin Game (The Dresden Files #15)

Great Book, Great Series. WHEN ON GOD”S GREEN EARTH WILL WE GET TO READ THE NEXT ONE!!!!!! It’s been over 4 years man. You get writers block or just rich and lazy? I’d like to be able to finish the series before one of us dies. That’s not being flippant I started reading your first book in this series 18 years ago. You used to pump out 1 a year for 14 years straight. Now its been over 4 year’s and nothing?? Do your fans a favor and get back in front of your type writer, keyboard or hell pick up a pen and paper but finish the series. PLEASE!!!!!!

Short version, pertaining exclusively to this book: Best book in the series yet! Can’t wait for the next one.

Long version, regarding the whole series:

Warning: Polysyllabic words & some hinting at the characters who eventually show up in the story arc, spoiler-ish mentionings ahead.

When I first began reading this series, I had already read the Codex Alera, and thought it was pretty good. There was a good bit of obvious borrowing from real historical events in that one, and I feel like it both added credence to the story arc, but simultaneously detracted from the author’s creativity. But as my college art professor always half-jokingly said, “Good artists borrow. Great artists steal.” Having developed an appreciation for his writing style, I decided to take a dip in this pool of radiance, which at first was not nearly as radiant as it has eventually become. I would like to compare Jim Butcher’s writing to fine wine, only getting better with age. But who am I kidding, I drink wine out of boxes, and only really know anything about fine writing, which this definitely is, and I feel qualified to make that judgement call having read over a thousand books as of 2 years ago, and over half of them without pictures.

I would say that his use of esoteric vocabulary is surpassed only by Ayn Rand’s, but instead of espousing a thinly veiled message of society-ruining selfishness, bordering on pure evil, which if adopted by large enough numbers of people, would certainly lead to another reign of terror, like that of Robespierre, instead as counterpoint, Butcher delivers a protagonist espousing the opposite of selfishness as a philosophy of life. He imbues his protagonist, Dresden, with a worldview chocked full of Weltschmerz (google Sheldon Cooper Weltschmerz, for a video with a concise & mildly comical explanation), who uses his wizardly powers for the good of the many, instead of self-promotion. Quick-witted sarcasm & chivalrous courage in the face of villainous adversaries of varying ilk, running the gamut from trifling werewolves & faeries, to demons & fallen angels, with some vanilla human evildoers to balance the scales, make for some of the most entertaining literature I have ravenously devoured with insatiable hunger, similar to how Toot devours pizza (inside joke).

Initially I found the plots somewhat transparent, formulaic, and predictable, but after the first six-ish books, I realized that regardless of any predictability of pattern, I have become enamored of Butcher’s sense of humor, and without his puns, witticisms, and sci-fi references, I find other authors lacking, who are otherwise perfectly good writers. Even the comedy of comedy-genius, Christopher Moore, can no longer satiate my insatiable desire for the comic relief, provided by Butcher’s comical comedy stylings, using the supernatural world of Chicago as his tragicomical setting with Harry Dresden as his delivery medium for fantastically biting one-liners, and insults.

Despite the fantastic nature of the universe he has created, populated by pan-pantheonic gods & myths, Butcher still manages to include such geek-necessary concepts as the conservation of mass & energy, as well as momentum, without simply using magic, to explain away physically impossible supernatural feats. In other words, he’s a fantasy author for those who refuse to, or just can’t, suspend disbelief in the literally impossible, and not just the extremely improbable.

And when I say pan-pantheonic, I mean it. Dresden has encountered beings from every western religion, children’s story, & superstition I can think of, and then some. This voluminous of a collection of supernatural baddies hasn’t been compiled since Jakob & Wilhelm Grimm collected a whole cultures-worth of them. I’m still waiting on the tooth faerie, but that one might be too far of a stretch, even for grown-up & turned-badass-Harry Potter-meets-Stretch Armstrong, wizard Harry Dresden.

Adding one final note, as a personal thanks to the author, I appreciate the Tolkienian choice of staff, instead of wand, even if there is sometimes a blasting rod, the weightier focusing tool lends increased gravitas, and in my mind also greater veritas, in spite of the self-contradictory nature of the relationship between science and magic, to the magical aspects of Dresdens universe, in much the same way a heavier glass bottle makes people think their wine is higher quality. It is in the end, all about perception, just ask Molly.

Please, Mr. Butcher, release the next books as quickly as possible. I beg you. I don’t want to forget the nuances of the stories, because I have never been able to read a book more than once, even if just to refresh my memory. If it’s more than a few months until the next one, I will end up forgetting.

Though I’d love to give Skin Game a 5 star. I can’t in good conscious do so. After the story line of dresden attempt to killing himself pretty much ruin the story line. This story Gives a nice redemption sort of speak. Unfortunately I will no long read anymore of Jim Butcher Stories. Because he still needs to redeem his own self for the damage he did in the book Cold Days. Which ruin Jim Butchers himself. Its one thing to create a story it is another to join the world and support statement of the world in a book that isn’t necessary. Doing so mean the author had to continue support on a position that is really against God. (one of the commandments in fact, there are others besides the ten commandments where he mentions that are an abomination to God). The author gave support which many people read and because of that, the author now has to take responsibility for those fans that follow his work and start agreeing with worldly advice. I’m keeping the 11 books of the series but trashing the rest. Until somehow Jim Butcher somehow clears his disagreement with God, I can’t support this writing. Sadly I think you are lost (Jim Butcher) and following the rest of the world too a bad end. I hope that changes but as it stands, it mean taking a stand for what is right. Not sure if the author is courageous enough to do so. Right and wrong do matter.

This was pretty darned amazing. There’s a lot of action and so many twists I couldn’t keep track of them all. There are returning villains and allies all of whom are really distinct. His characters are never cardboard cutouts or vanilla bad (or good) guys or gals.

Mab has ‘loaned’ Harry’s services out to one of the baddest of the bad and he’s got to fulfill his assignment without getting himself or his associates killed and without doing anything more than the actual task he was given to help the bad guy.

There several times I had to stop reading for a minute and just tell myself what it seemed was about to happen wasn’t because Jim, hopefully, wouldn’t do that to us.

Once again a great story with great characters and a lesson that doesn’t beat you over the head – everyone makes mistakes and everyone makes a choice. Really makes you think

I have read every book in the Dresden Files series and even loved the television adaption of the books…me and two other people. I love these books and Harry as the Winter Knight having to take on Nicodemus is an awesome storyline. If you have read any of the other books, you know that these two are not friends as Nicodemus cares nothing for humanity and now that he is under Mab, Queen of the Winter court, Harry knows he is in trouble before this little mission begins. Harry knows that he will be double-crossed and comes up with a great hail mary to save the collective butts of his crew. This is Jim Butcher doing what he does best and taking us along for the ride!!!

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