Talkin' about Ghost Story
Andy and Claudia, I'm mostly looking at you to read this as you're the ones who I sat and speculated with last time.
Ok so general thoughts about Ghost Story:
Did anyone else feel like they were watching the beginning of season 6 of Buffy? The world going to hell in a handbasket with the main character gone, other main characters having major personality shifts, not wanting to accept Harry's (Buffy's) death. Just a thought
Was it just me or was this book more obviously written in the past tense? Generally personal narritive is written that way yes, but there were times when Harry was obviously telling this story to someone as a memory. I used phrases like "I remember" and "at the time". I don't recall having seen things like that in any of the other books, and having just mowed through them I feel fairly confident in this.
I was intrigued by they way Ghost Magic works. It was a lot of fun getting to relive a bunch of Harry's old memories.
Butcher really seems to be enjoying making us think he's killed characters we're fond of. Especially Butters! Poor Butters! :(
All in all I enjoyed this book, but it is far from my favorite. Too dark, too angry, and generally too depressing. Though I did enjoy the end when Harry was chilling with Uriel. Which reminds me, Uriel is fucking scary!
Side thought: The Dresden RPG is nice and all, but needs some serious reworking to cover the more recent books as it only goes up through White Night, maybe Small Favor, but definitely does not cover Turn Coat and onwards. So it needs Sanctum invocation rules, better rules for Sponsored Magic vis-a-vis the Sidhe Knights, and even just in general. Don't get me wrong, I like the Dresden system, especially how straight forward it's magic system is, but I feel like there are some rules missing from it.
Speculations, some carried over from last time:
Harry obviously didn't get rid of the Mantle like he and we all hoped, so it seems pretty obvious that Cold Days is going to involve a fairly Mab-centric plot. So I'm betting the next book is going to be set mostly in the Nevernever.
Thomas is going to get Amoracchius.
I think there's a serious chance Murphy will take up Fidelacchius next book. Kind of as a thanks for getting Harry back.
Harry's new base of operations will obviously be Demonreach...when he gets the chance to set up a base/home again.
The Eebs may in fact return, or at the very least some Red Court will, and try to take on Harry in revenge, though maybe not in Cold Days.
Questions I would like thoughts on:
How are people going to react to Harry not being dead? I have this image of Harry calling Kincaid and saying "That favor you did me, it didn't stick...you still owe me one," and hanging up. Murphy...I really don't know how she'll react. I know deep down she'll be happy, but she took Harry's death the hardest and fought it the most. By the time Ghost Story was over she had accepted he'd died. Part of me worries she's not going to be able to feel close to him again, that accepting his death hurt her too much for her to let him in again. Molly is another big question as to how she's going to react and what's going to happen with her now. Will Harry take over mentoring her again? Will he take her to the Council and get her instated as a full Wizard (this seems most likely to me given the number of comments Harry made about how much stronger she'd gotten in those six months, at the very least I think it will be a major plot point in Cold Days). Or most terrifyingly, will Lea continue being her teacher as Harry will be too busy to help. I expect most other characters will take it in stride, just smiling and hugging Harry, and wondering if there's anything magic can't do.
Will Harry take Bob back from Butters? Part of me really hopes so, I like having Bob around for snark and to help Harry out, but part of me things Butters having him is a good thing too...
How the fuck does Deamonreach have power that far inland!?!?! Graceland is not on the water or anywhere near it's island for that matter. HOW!?!
What's the deal with the fallen angel whispering in Dresden's ear? It couldn't be Lash, she wouldn't do that too him even if she could have at that point (that was before taking the mantle, so that part of his brain was still fried). I still don't know if she's going to come back. I'd like her to, but I don't know. If Bob stays with Butters maybe she will so that Harry will still have an assistant.
We still don't know who whispered "Hush, now." My best guess now though is Mab.
That's all I've got for now. Thoughts, ideas, differences of opinion, please post them.
Ok so general thoughts about Ghost Story:
Did anyone else feel like they were watching the beginning of season 6 of Buffy? The world going to hell in a handbasket with the main character gone, other main characters having major personality shifts, not wanting to accept Harry's (Buffy's) death. Just a thought
Was it just me or was this book more obviously written in the past tense? Generally personal narritive is written that way yes, but there were times when Harry was obviously telling this story to someone as a memory. I used phrases like "I remember" and "at the time". I don't recall having seen things like that in any of the other books, and having just mowed through them I feel fairly confident in this.
I was intrigued by they way Ghost Magic works. It was a lot of fun getting to relive a bunch of Harry's old memories.
Butcher really seems to be enjoying making us think he's killed characters we're fond of. Especially Butters! Poor Butters! :(
All in all I enjoyed this book, but it is far from my favorite. Too dark, too angry, and generally too depressing. Though I did enjoy the end when Harry was chilling with Uriel. Which reminds me, Uriel is fucking scary!
Side thought: The Dresden RPG is nice and all, but needs some serious reworking to cover the more recent books as it only goes up through White Night, maybe Small Favor, but definitely does not cover Turn Coat and onwards. So it needs Sanctum invocation rules, better rules for Sponsored Magic vis-a-vis the Sidhe Knights, and even just in general. Don't get me wrong, I like the Dresden system, especially how straight forward it's magic system is, but I feel like there are some rules missing from it.
Speculations, some carried over from last time:
Harry obviously didn't get rid of the Mantle like he and we all hoped, so it seems pretty obvious that Cold Days is going to involve a fairly Mab-centric plot. So I'm betting the next book is going to be set mostly in the Nevernever.
Thomas is going to get Amoracchius.
I think there's a serious chance Murphy will take up Fidelacchius next book. Kind of as a thanks for getting Harry back.
Harry's new base of operations will obviously be Demonreach...when he gets the chance to set up a base/home again.
The Eebs may in fact return, or at the very least some Red Court will, and try to take on Harry in revenge, though maybe not in Cold Days.
Questions I would like thoughts on:
How are people going to react to Harry not being dead? I have this image of Harry calling Kincaid and saying "That favor you did me, it didn't stick...you still owe me one," and hanging up. Murphy...I really don't know how she'll react. I know deep down she'll be happy, but she took Harry's death the hardest and fought it the most. By the time Ghost Story was over she had accepted he'd died. Part of me worries she's not going to be able to feel close to him again, that accepting his death hurt her too much for her to let him in again. Molly is another big question as to how she's going to react and what's going to happen with her now. Will Harry take over mentoring her again? Will he take her to the Council and get her instated as a full Wizard (this seems most likely to me given the number of comments Harry made about how much stronger she'd gotten in those six months, at the very least I think it will be a major plot point in Cold Days). Or most terrifyingly, will Lea continue being her teacher as Harry will be too busy to help. I expect most other characters will take it in stride, just smiling and hugging Harry, and wondering if there's anything magic can't do.
Will Harry take Bob back from Butters? Part of me really hopes so, I like having Bob around for snark and to help Harry out, but part of me things Butters having him is a good thing too...
How the fuck does Deamonreach have power that far inland!?!?! Graceland is not on the water or anywhere near it's island for that matter. HOW!?!
What's the deal with the fallen angel whispering in Dresden's ear? It couldn't be Lash, she wouldn't do that too him even if she could have at that point (that was before taking the mantle, so that part of his brain was still fried). I still don't know if she's going to come back. I'd like her to, but I don't know. If Bob stays with Butters maybe she will so that Harry will still have an assistant.
We still don't know who whispered "Hush, now." My best guess now though is Mab.
That's all I've got for now. Thoughts, ideas, differences of opinion, please post them.