Brief Cases - Peace Talks - Battle Ground
It consists of spoilers, you know.
So... Hm. After waiting so long and all, I’m not really sure if I have much to say. Maybe let’s figure it out on the way.
Not much to say for “Brief Cases”, at least. I knew half or two third of the collection before, and Jim keeps being better with series than with single novels and better with novels than with short stories.
# Idea of retelling the zoo story in three POVs worked out pretty nice, and to my surprise I really liked Maggie - that’s good, it’s pretty obvious she’s going to be a “big” character and it’s not a second too early for Jim to start “growing” her in literary terms. Mouse’s voice felt more in character than the previous time, too.
# Also, hm, the whole Winter Lady’s mantle thing explains a lot about Maeve’s general demeanor...
“Peace Talks + Battle Ground” being the combo they are, no point in talking about them separately. Maybe besides that while BG holds true to its title, there’s not much of PT in PT. Then again, it had lots of other talks, the inbetween sort, the sort that counts more. Me approves.
OK, so I’m easy, but I do find Harry’s conjuritis hilarious. The piece of mortar was best, though I appreciate also completing the turkey-anvil arc, which of course only now turned out being an arc, with Jim being Jim.
Ethniu is meh. Introduced too short before defeat she makes a crappy villain with not much personality. Jim, pardon, Harry keeps going on how tremendous her threat and power and her everything is, cross my heart, much horror, fear her, please!!! ...but I only see a statue-shaped crusty mould with not much but pulp-fiction-y hate shloshing inside. The way she rolls over Mab is supposed to present her magnitude, but I just didn’t buy it. First, Mab is a big C Character, and she’s a hard, cruel, calculating, unpredictable yet reliable, full of hidden depths and multifaceted bitch you’ve known for years and you can feel for. Ethniu is just a bitch. And second, isn’t a force of nature more than some mythical random, divine level or not?
Speaking of forces of nature, Jim needs to do something about Titania asap. Use her more and in a way that makes her stand on her own, and not just by proxy, drawing from Mab’s image. This time was a spectacular fail for her, not just in universe, but in literary terms. In the peak of summer, Mab gets 1:0 with Ethniu, and then Titania - plus Erlking, plus Odin, minus powered up air - is out in one hit, leaving the field to the Summer Lady? (Who didn’t show much, either.)
Heee! hamsterwoman, we have the Blackstaff --> Mother Winter theory all but confirmed!
Two things I’d never expect (should have, though, maybe) was Harry/Marcone fanservice AND Lara shipping it at that... There are consequences of marrying a fan, I guess. (Where was Lea, btw? And when we’re at absent, did Ivy fired Kincaid or what? Maybe he was busy running errands somewhere on another continent - a prom dress or something. I hope her nose is okay by then.)
I pointed at Evanna.
Everyone looked at her.
“There was . . . damage to that apartment during the attack,” she politely lied.
Wait, what? A svartalf? Is it Jim’s mistake or a hint? Is Evanna another nemesified or something?
Besides, it didn’t really get explained why Etri was the target. Did Nemesis wanted a disruption to the Talks (for many hypothetical reasons: easing the way to Ethniu & Fomor, undermining the Accords in long term, something in this general area) and decided this way was the most promising, ergo, Etri was as much a tool as Thomas, or was Etri targeted specifically because Etri, for reasons unknown, which would make the resulting mess a bonus rather than the goal? Or... what if the goal was actually neither of the two, but Evanna, and Thomas is the link between Justine and her? And what if Nemesis actually wanted Thomas eliminated, with Etri as a cover. Well, maybe Harry’s realization about what Thomas tried to tell was just half of the way and he needs to do some more thinking yet.
*sigh* Jim, pretty please, leave writing porn to fandom, they do it better. Okay, often they don’t, but at least then I don’t have to live with it as canon. Me cringes. Then again, I understand the series has a sort of pulp genre obligation to keep up, so... *heavier sigh* At least he keeps writing friendship well to level things up. Or maybe even better, because Ethniu aside, some/many other characters and interactions felt more... alive? richer? unformulaic? more something. When Murphy set the matters with Freydis, I thought, geez, great, now it’s going to be this day is yours, mortal, and watch your back, mortal, and we’ll meet again, mortal, blah blah. So I was as much surprised with Freydis’ response as Murphy, only more snickering. I like valkyries’ no-nonsense approach. Actually almost everyone (except wizards :P) is more open and no-nonsense now (Lara vs Gray exchange! XD), which I appreciated greatly, please, keep it up, Jim. And speaking of richer, I didn’t think Lara or Mab or Marcone might be improved or even needed improving. And yet. Me delighted. They got more human (holy crap, Lara has a heart AND lets it to be seen?) without losing an ounce of wow factor, increasing it, if anything. That is, with one caveat and not a minor one. I’m really, really against the idea of demonizing Marcone up. Or rather down, is it? :P The core of his character was the same as Murphy’s - a vanilla mortal willing to go toe to toe with immortal big fish and being actually able to hold their own purely for their personality’s power. Marcone up to elbows in sorcery gains nothing I haven’t seen yet while losing the cool, if you ask me. Not to mention, come on, it’s very unlike him to be suddenly idiot enough to get in deals with Hell, especially on Hell’s terms! So when he got killed I thought, “Darn, looks like it’s a book of losses, this part”, and then...? “Huh, that’s a relief. But not like this!!! Ugh...”
Which leads us to the actual loss, ehhh... Thing is, I’m not even that mad. There are worse ways to kill a character and it actually feels more true this way than Murphy finally meeting some Big Bad Freak That Turned Out Too Big And Bad. And then the going out candle which was horrible in the good way... Harry feared what she could see, but they both probably wouldn’t see anything they hadn’t learned of each other already. So I obviously hate that she died but I’m okay with that she died. Kind of. In a way. If that makes sense. And, not long after I, er, dried up enough to see next pages I started thinking, hey, actually why couldn’t she join Einherjaren? They already know each other and all. So I keep reading and, huh, look at that. The “till you’re remembered” part is a damper (poetic, though) but I don’t consider it resolving. We all know how Harry is about rules. :P Btw, doesn’t the process of einherjaring demand a valkyrie, traditionally? Because now I’m totally headcanoning Freydis volunteering for the job (poor Gard was busy with her own crying, after all). “’Sup! Still Catholic? Or wanna lift?”, and Murphy’s groan. XD Odin must have some standing agreement about jurisdictions with the White God and hypothetical others, I guess, it would be a real mess otherwise.
I take it Murphy’s Harley is left where she fell? The battle then moved on, so big chances are it hasn’t been crushed under rubble. If it’s still there or someone took it, Harry should retrieve it and maybe learn to ride. He had some practice on the unicorn already and I’m pretty sure she’d rather him have it instead of her family. Actually what if it turns out she had a last will officially stashed somewhere and the second (after the house) point goes “Harley for the wizard. Remember, Dresden, the right oil only, or God help your ass, I’m coming for you from beyond my grave”. Harry: “Oh! Promise?” :)
Technically it’s glaringly obvious, of course, that both Murphy and Thomas got put on a backburner in a way that saves Jim coming up with excuses again and again as long as he needs them there, and I’m reluctantly okay about it. This at least is less annoying that said excuses. That is, Thomas for sure, and Murphy just maybe, though I’m fairly certain we’re seeing her again at least in “Mirror Mirror” - it’s only yet to be seen if it’s going to be just a nostalgia trip with Harry making tragic spaniel eyes behind her younger back or anything more, due of some classic Dresden loophole within the universe.
So all in all: a crappy villain, my fav killed, another fav put in a box with no clear expiration date and another yet spoil-hanced but not in the personality department, here enriched rather, together with some other faves.
Some matters due for resolving got resolved:
# you have two grandsons, Ebenezar;
# Harry’s not homeless anymore, which means Maggie as well; Mouse, obviously, but do Bob and Mister move in back? Now I’m also totally headcanoning Harry very sternly frowning down at the skull. “So, about Bonea. You know the trope with fathers and shotguns, right?” Speaking of whom, she was missing entirely from BG, should I also headcanon Jim waking up mid-night a week after the printers cooled down and going “@%&#%$@%#&!!! I KNEW I forgot something!!!”? :P
Numerous possibilities opened, for delightment and for grating on my nerves alike:
# Wtf with the wedding? I love that Lara is as much freaked out as Harry, that will teach her how coming into cahoots with Mab ends, hehe. And seems like Molly is still not over her broken heart, judging by her reaction. Btw, is Harry Whamp-proof until he makes a choice to lose it? Or does it wear off with time, when the other half is dead? Asking for science, though, for the record, I like that Lara must keep off now.
# Justine got put in motion but it’s not Justine, ughhh!!! Poor Gray, though, he lost teeth and gained bruises for nothing, looks like. XD Besides Harry’s retirement fund, that is. Man, you have a castle to furniture now, and apparently Michael doesn’t work for free when it’s not a heavenly commission. I hope at least Marcone got that pizza bill? And get some decent gear now when you have the lab back, I’m fed up with all the whining how the bracelet burns you at any opportunity.
Did I like it, overall? Yes, I did. I was a little anxious that I lost it, that waiting had been too long and it would turn out I finally came to what wasn’t there anymore, to me. But no, it’s still there and what’s more, I don’t just come back for single scenes and out of habit, as with many other things, while staying handwavy about plot and such. No, I’m actually itching to see the big picture’s development and how the things will turn out. The series is going strong, in my judgment, both for a lifetime book reader and a fan. We’re at 17th and Jim hasn’t screwed it up yet, miraculously. Will he? I feel if not certain for future then at least justified in holding hopes. He’s built a tall tower to fall from, in any case.
----------------------------------------------
It's okay to comment in whatever language fits you best, as long as I get it. Don't mind the entry's language.
Można komentować w języku, który najbardziej ci odpowiada, o ile go zrozumiem. Nie przejmuj się językiem notki.
So... Hm. After waiting so long and all, I’m not really sure if I have much to say. Maybe let’s figure it out on the way.
Not much to say for “Brief Cases”, at least. I knew half or two third of the collection before, and Jim keeps being better with series than with single novels and better with novels than with short stories.
# Idea of retelling the zoo story in three POVs worked out pretty nice, and to my surprise I really liked Maggie - that’s good, it’s pretty obvious she’s going to be a “big” character and it’s not a second too early for Jim to start “growing” her in literary terms. Mouse’s voice felt more in character than the previous time, too.
# Also, hm, the whole Winter Lady’s mantle thing explains a lot about Maeve’s general demeanor...
“Peace Talks + Battle Ground” being the combo they are, no point in talking about them separately. Maybe besides that while BG holds true to its title, there’s not much of PT in PT. Then again, it had lots of other talks, the inbetween sort, the sort that counts more. Me approves.
OK, so I’m easy, but I do find Harry’s conjuritis hilarious. The piece of mortar was best, though I appreciate also completing the turkey-anvil arc, which of course only now turned out being an arc, with Jim being Jim.
Ethniu is meh. Introduced too short before defeat she makes a crappy villain with not much personality. Jim, pardon, Harry keeps going on how tremendous her threat and power and her everything is, cross my heart, much horror, fear her, please!!! ...but I only see a statue-shaped crusty mould with not much but pulp-fiction-y hate shloshing inside. The way she rolls over Mab is supposed to present her magnitude, but I just didn’t buy it. First, Mab is a big C Character, and she’s a hard, cruel, calculating, unpredictable yet reliable, full of hidden depths and multifaceted bitch you’ve known for years and you can feel for. Ethniu is just a bitch. And second, isn’t a force of nature more than some mythical random, divine level or not?
Speaking of forces of nature, Jim needs to do something about Titania asap. Use her more and in a way that makes her stand on her own, and not just by proxy, drawing from Mab’s image. This time was a spectacular fail for her, not just in universe, but in literary terms. In the peak of summer, Mab gets 1:0 with Ethniu, and then Titania - plus Erlking, plus Odin, minus powered up air - is out in one hit, leaving the field to the Summer Lady? (Who didn’t show much, either.)
Heee! hamsterwoman, we have the Blackstaff --> Mother Winter theory all but confirmed!
Two things I’d never expect (should have, though, maybe) was Harry/Marcone fanservice AND Lara shipping it at that... There are consequences of marrying a fan, I guess. (Where was Lea, btw? And when we’re at absent, did Ivy fired Kincaid or what? Maybe he was busy running errands somewhere on another continent - a prom dress or something. I hope her nose is okay by then.)
I pointed at Evanna.
Everyone looked at her.
“There was . . . damage to that apartment during the attack,” she politely lied.
Wait, what? A svartalf? Is it Jim’s mistake or a hint? Is Evanna another nemesified or something?
Besides, it didn’t really get explained why Etri was the target. Did Nemesis wanted a disruption to the Talks (for many hypothetical reasons: easing the way to Ethniu & Fomor, undermining the Accords in long term, something in this general area) and decided this way was the most promising, ergo, Etri was as much a tool as Thomas, or was Etri targeted specifically because Etri, for reasons unknown, which would make the resulting mess a bonus rather than the goal? Or... what if the goal was actually neither of the two, but Evanna, and Thomas is the link between Justine and her? And what if Nemesis actually wanted Thomas eliminated, with Etri as a cover. Well, maybe Harry’s realization about what Thomas tried to tell was just half of the way and he needs to do some more thinking yet.
*sigh* Jim, pretty please, leave writing porn to fandom, they do it better. Okay, often they don’t, but at least then I don’t have to live with it as canon. Me cringes. Then again, I understand the series has a sort of pulp genre obligation to keep up, so... *heavier sigh* At least he keeps writing friendship well to level things up. Or maybe even better, because Ethniu aside, some/many other characters and interactions felt more... alive? richer? unformulaic? more something. When Murphy set the matters with Freydis, I thought, geez, great, now it’s going to be this day is yours, mortal, and watch your back, mortal, and we’ll meet again, mortal, blah blah. So I was as much surprised with Freydis’ response as Murphy, only more snickering. I like valkyries’ no-nonsense approach. Actually almost everyone (except wizards :P) is more open and no-nonsense now (Lara vs Gray exchange! XD), which I appreciated greatly, please, keep it up, Jim. And speaking of richer, I didn’t think Lara or Mab or Marcone might be improved or even needed improving. And yet. Me delighted. They got more human (holy crap, Lara has a heart AND lets it to be seen?) without losing an ounce of wow factor, increasing it, if anything. That is, with one caveat and not a minor one. I’m really, really against the idea of demonizing Marcone up. Or rather down, is it? :P The core of his character was the same as Murphy’s - a vanilla mortal willing to go toe to toe with immortal big fish and being actually able to hold their own purely for their personality’s power. Marcone up to elbows in sorcery gains nothing I haven’t seen yet while losing the cool, if you ask me. Not to mention, come on, it’s very unlike him to be suddenly idiot enough to get in deals with Hell, especially on Hell’s terms! So when he got killed I thought, “Darn, looks like it’s a book of losses, this part”, and then...? “Huh, that’s a relief. But not like this!!! Ugh...”
Which leads us to the actual loss, ehhh... Thing is, I’m not even that mad. There are worse ways to kill a character and it actually feels more true this way than Murphy finally meeting some Big Bad Freak That Turned Out Too Big And Bad. And then the going out candle which was horrible in the good way... Harry feared what she could see, but they both probably wouldn’t see anything they hadn’t learned of each other already. So I obviously hate that she died but I’m okay with that she died. Kind of. In a way. If that makes sense. And, not long after I, er, dried up enough to see next pages I started thinking, hey, actually why couldn’t she join Einherjaren? They already know each other and all. So I keep reading and, huh, look at that. The “till you’re remembered” part is a damper (poetic, though) but I don’t consider it resolving. We all know how Harry is about rules. :P Btw, doesn’t the process of einherjaring demand a valkyrie, traditionally? Because now I’m totally headcanoning Freydis volunteering for the job (poor Gard was busy with her own crying, after all). “’Sup! Still Catholic? Or wanna lift?”, and Murphy’s groan. XD Odin must have some standing agreement about jurisdictions with the White God and hypothetical others, I guess, it would be a real mess otherwise.
I take it Murphy’s Harley is left where she fell? The battle then moved on, so big chances are it hasn’t been crushed under rubble. If it’s still there or someone took it, Harry should retrieve it and maybe learn to ride. He had some practice on the unicorn already and I’m pretty sure she’d rather him have it instead of her family. Actually what if it turns out she had a last will officially stashed somewhere and the second (after the house) point goes “Harley for the wizard. Remember, Dresden, the right oil only, or God help your ass, I’m coming for you from beyond my grave”. Harry: “Oh! Promise?” :)
Technically it’s glaringly obvious, of course, that both Murphy and Thomas got put on a backburner in a way that saves Jim coming up with excuses again and again as long as he needs them there, and I’m reluctantly okay about it. This at least is less annoying that said excuses. That is, Thomas for sure, and Murphy just maybe, though I’m fairly certain we’re seeing her again at least in “Mirror Mirror” - it’s only yet to be seen if it’s going to be just a nostalgia trip with Harry making tragic spaniel eyes behind her younger back or anything more, due of some classic Dresden loophole within the universe.
So all in all: a crappy villain, my fav killed, another fav put in a box with no clear expiration date and another yet spoil-hanced but not in the personality department, here enriched rather, together with some other faves.
Some matters due for resolving got resolved:
# you have two grandsons, Ebenezar;
# Harry’s not homeless anymore, which means Maggie as well; Mouse, obviously, but do Bob and Mister move in back? Now I’m also totally headcanoning Harry very sternly frowning down at the skull. “So, about Bonea. You know the trope with fathers and shotguns, right?” Speaking of whom, she was missing entirely from BG, should I also headcanon Jim waking up mid-night a week after the printers cooled down and going “@%&#%$@%#&!!! I KNEW I forgot something!!!”? :P
Numerous possibilities opened, for delightment and for grating on my nerves alike:
# Wtf with the wedding? I love that Lara is as much freaked out as Harry, that will teach her how coming into cahoots with Mab ends, hehe. And seems like Molly is still not over her broken heart, judging by her reaction. Btw, is Harry Whamp-proof until he makes a choice to lose it? Or does it wear off with time, when the other half is dead? Asking for science, though, for the record, I like that Lara must keep off now.
# Justine got put in motion but it’s not Justine, ughhh!!! Poor Gray, though, he lost teeth and gained bruises for nothing, looks like. XD Besides Harry’s retirement fund, that is. Man, you have a castle to furniture now, and apparently Michael doesn’t work for free when it’s not a heavenly commission. I hope at least Marcone got that pizza bill? And get some decent gear now when you have the lab back, I’m fed up with all the whining how the bracelet burns you at any opportunity.
Did I like it, overall? Yes, I did. I was a little anxious that I lost it, that waiting had been too long and it would turn out I finally came to what wasn’t there anymore, to me. But no, it’s still there and what’s more, I don’t just come back for single scenes and out of habit, as with many other things, while staying handwavy about plot and such. No, I’m actually itching to see the big picture’s development and how the things will turn out. The series is going strong, in my judgment, both for a lifetime book reader and a fan. We’re at 17th and Jim hasn’t screwed it up yet, miraculously. Will he? I feel if not certain for future then at least justified in holding hopes. He’s built a tall tower to fall from, in any case.
----------------------------------------------
It's okay to comment in whatever language fits you best, as long as I get it. Don't mind the entry's language.
Można komentować w języku, który najbardziej ci odpowiada, o ile go zrozumiem. Nie przejmuj się językiem notki.