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Some thoughts on "Cold Days"
First off, to echo a sentiment of a friend, I really wish Butcher put out the books faster, because I'm already waiting for the next book.
At the beginning of the book, our hero,Bob the Skull Harry Dresden is finally getting back on his feet after being mostly dead for about a year. This is followed by three months of physical therapy/Mab throwing deadly things at him, because that's just how Mab is.
Harry gets introduced to the Winter Court with his date (the physical therapist, who is BFFs with Mab), kills a couple of the Court, and he and the rest get along exactly like a house on fire. Harry then gets his first official job ashitman Winter Knight for Mab.
Kill Maeve, the Winter Lady. From there, it only goes downhill. (The post-therapy stuff, i.e. the entire rest of the book, takes place in a day and a half.)
As is fairly bog-standard in the Dresden Files, there are a couple other plot-lines going on, which end up nesting together by the end of the book. And as is also bog-standard in the Dresden Files, there are a few plot threads left hanging by the end of the book.
We get what amounts to the first overt evidence that Mac (heretofore a bit character and sounding board for Harry) is something other then a normal guy. Frankly, this should have been evident by Mac somehow getting his pub declared Neutral Ground many books ago. However, Mac does not break out with funky magic powers, or inhuman strength, or reveal himself to be the demigod of micro-brews. No... what we get instead is an Outsider recognizing Mac. At least by some sort of position or whatever. And odds are that Mac is far older than Harry thought.
So, what is Mac? Good question. Mac refuses to talk about it, basically saying "he's out." My money is him being another Outsider, who said to hell with trying to destroy everything. I mean, we've already had an Outsider named "He Who Walks Behind" and (in this book) one named "He Who Walks Before". Mac is therefore "He Who Said Fuck This And Opened A Bar". (Although Jim Butcher has said that Mac is not a god or the scion of a god... but that he is dangerous.)
Other plot threads:
Two of the Swords of the Cross are being kept... well, we don't know. Karrin refuses to tell Harry where they are. She is working with Einherjar (on loan/rent from Odin) and the local crimelord, but it's extremely unlikely that anyone other than Karrin or maybe Sanya know where they are. Possibly Father Forthill as well.
Harry has something (a parasite) living in him (probably his head) that will go all chest-burster on him (well, skull-burster) unless he gets it out 'soon'. The being that told him this (Demonreach) didn't say how long 'soon' was, but I'm betting it will happen in the next book. Of course, since Butcher tends to have the books take place roughly the same amount of time apart it takes for the books to be published..... it wouldn't do to kill your main character again that quickly. Of course, it will probably be painful as hell, because (a) why not and (b) it's happening to Harry Dresden.
Harry's personality is starting to shift a little from being the Winter Knight, and he's not always good at recognizing that he's being a little too violent or whatever. This is brought up time and time again, but by the end of the book, he might have a handle on it.
Molly did something while Harry was 'dead' (probably going to be a future short story) for the svartelves and got a really nice apartment out of the deal. I foresee that Harry will be crashing there until he gets his own place again.
And the big one... Molly is the new Winter Lady. Mind you, she's also still technically Harry's apprentice while being one of his bosses, and still technically wanted by the White Council. Quite frankly, I look forward to the Merlin of the White Council having an apoplectic fit when he finds out about all of this.
At the beginning of the book, our hero,
Harry gets introduced to the Winter Court with his date (the physical therapist, who is BFFs with Mab), kills a couple of the Court, and he and the rest get along exactly like a house on fire. Harry then gets his first official job as
Kill Maeve, the Winter Lady. From there, it only goes downhill. (The post-therapy stuff, i.e. the entire rest of the book, takes place in a day and a half.)
As is fairly bog-standard in the Dresden Files, there are a couple other plot-lines going on, which end up nesting together by the end of the book. And as is also bog-standard in the Dresden Files, there are a few plot threads left hanging by the end of the book.
We get what amounts to the first overt evidence that Mac (heretofore a bit character and sounding board for Harry) is something other then a normal guy. Frankly, this should have been evident by Mac somehow getting his pub declared Neutral Ground many books ago. However, Mac does not break out with funky magic powers, or inhuman strength, or reveal himself to be the demigod of micro-brews. No... what we get instead is an Outsider recognizing Mac. At least by some sort of position or whatever. And odds are that Mac is far older than Harry thought.
So, what is Mac? Good question. Mac refuses to talk about it, basically saying "he's out." My money is him being another Outsider, who said to hell with trying to destroy everything. I mean, we've already had an Outsider named "He Who Walks Behind" and (in this book) one named "He Who Walks Before". Mac is therefore "He Who Said Fuck This And Opened A Bar". (Although Jim Butcher has said that Mac is not a god or the scion of a god... but that he is dangerous.)
Other plot threads:
Two of the Swords of the Cross are being kept... well, we don't know. Karrin refuses to tell Harry where they are. She is working with Einherjar (on loan/rent from Odin) and the local crimelord, but it's extremely unlikely that anyone other than Karrin or maybe Sanya know where they are. Possibly Father Forthill as well.
Harry has something (a parasite) living in him (probably his head) that will go all chest-burster on him (well, skull-burster) unless he gets it out 'soon'. The being that told him this (Demonreach) didn't say how long 'soon' was, but I'm betting it will happen in the next book. Of course, since Butcher tends to have the books take place roughly the same amount of time apart it takes for the books to be published..... it wouldn't do to kill your main character again that quickly. Of course, it will probably be painful as hell, because (a) why not and (b) it's happening to Harry Dresden.
Harry's personality is starting to shift a little from being the Winter Knight, and he's not always good at recognizing that he's being a little too violent or whatever. This is brought up time and time again, but by the end of the book, he might have a handle on it.
Molly did something while Harry was 'dead' (probably going to be a future short story) for the svartelves and got a really nice apartment out of the deal. I foresee that Harry will be crashing there until he gets his own place again.
And the big one... Molly is the new Winter Lady. Mind you, she's also still technically Harry's apprentice while being one of his bosses, and still technically wanted by the White Council. Quite frankly, I look forward to the Merlin of the White Council having an apoplectic fit when he finds out about all of this.
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(Anonymous) 2012-12-03 04:39 am (UTC)(link)no subject