A complaint about The Dresden Files (books)
I'm just going to cut this, since it likely contains spoilers of the first three Dresden Files books.
I have two main problems with Murphy as written in the first three Dresden Files books. When I say that I "have problems" with the character, it's more like, "I want the character to come to a violent, messy end." I really just don't like the character.
The two problems are intertwined, and both stem from what I think is just a problem of writing. First off, any time Murphy needs help, she calls Dresden. She expects him to immediately drop what he's doing to help because either he's a paid consultant to her division of the police, or because she's a friend. Regardless of on what grounds she's invoking his help, she expects him to have a solution to the problem immediately, with no research, with the barest of explanations of the situation and often with only the barest glance at the scene of the problem.
The second problem is that Jim Butcher, when writing about Murphy, keeps writing about her from Dresden's point of view in a way that compliments her appearance, her loyalty, her friendship, her intelligence, her athleticism, etc. Nothing but praise. It comes across as attraction. That wouldn't be that bad, except that it gets almost immediately followed up by Murphy's reaction in my first problem.
Generally speaking, Murphy will call Dresden in to ask his help with a problem. She'll be nice and polite, or at least courteously professional He will then say that he needs to research on whatever the problem is. Murphy will then turn nasty on him. She'll threaten him with arrest or violence. She may blame him for being the source of the problem, even though she's got *no* idea what's going on. She comes across as a petulant thug. And then *right* after that she'll be supportive and Dresden will completely forget her hostile treatment of him.
Overall, Murphy comes off as a bully, and Dresden just takes it. I really don't like Murphy's character.
I have two main problems with Murphy as written in the first three Dresden Files books. When I say that I "have problems" with the character, it's more like, "I want the character to come to a violent, messy end." I really just don't like the character.
The two problems are intertwined, and both stem from what I think is just a problem of writing. First off, any time Murphy needs help, she calls Dresden. She expects him to immediately drop what he's doing to help because either he's a paid consultant to her division of the police, or because she's a friend. Regardless of on what grounds she's invoking his help, she expects him to have a solution to the problem immediately, with no research, with the barest of explanations of the situation and often with only the barest glance at the scene of the problem.
The second problem is that Jim Butcher, when writing about Murphy, keeps writing about her from Dresden's point of view in a way that compliments her appearance, her loyalty, her friendship, her intelligence, her athleticism, etc. Nothing but praise. It comes across as attraction. That wouldn't be that bad, except that it gets almost immediately followed up by Murphy's reaction in my first problem.
Generally speaking, Murphy will call Dresden in to ask his help with a problem. She'll be nice and polite, or at least courteously professional He will then say that he needs to research on whatever the problem is. Murphy will then turn nasty on him. She'll threaten him with arrest or violence. She may blame him for being the source of the problem, even though she's got *no* idea what's going on. She comes across as a petulant thug. And then *right* after that she'll be supportive and Dresden will completely forget her hostile treatment of him.
Overall, Murphy comes off as a bully, and Dresden just takes it. I really don't like Murphy's character.