Reading roundup and meme

[hamsterwoman]

I was going to wait to post until I'd finished Natural History of Dragons #2, but I'm stalled on the last 50 pages, it appears, since I got my Kindle back, and a neat fannish meme came along on Tumblr, so:

10. H.P.Mallory, To Kill a Warlock (Dulcie O'Neil book 1 -- not that I'm planning to read any more of them) -- Oh my god, this book was so bad

Comments

[hamsterwoman]

Ooh, good one! :D

My favorite parent-child relationship
There are not a lot of functional and ALIVE parent/child relationships in this series (though a lot of messed up ones -- Mab and Maeve, Lord Raith, Nicodemus. So I guess the Carpenters and their kids by default?

My favorite sibling relationship
Thomas and Harry for sure! But I also like Thomas and Lara's relationship.

My favorite family relationship (other)
Ebenezer and Harry. Especially once Harry got over his hissyfit about McCoy being the Blackstaff.

My favorite friendship between two people
Harry and Murphy, although I do ship them too. But also Harry and Michael and Harry and Butters and Harry and Carlos. Harry has a lot of great friendships. Oh, and also Harry and Bob.

My favorite friendship between a group
I feel like the only real "group" there is is the Alphas, and I actually don't really like them... Am I overlooking someone?

My favorite mentorship
Harry and Molly! If only Butcher would let go of the stupid thing with her crush already... I do really love the apprentice relationship they have/had.

Also, I can't say I *like* it, but I did find Lea's mentorship of Molly very interesting.

My favorite rivalry
I can't really think of any outright rivalries in the books... Maybe Harry and Kincaid? I do like their relationship (and I love Kincaid, so I want to work him in somewhere), even though I don't really think of it as a rivalry.

My favorite hatred/antipathy
I'm not sure whether Harry and Marcone should be here or under rivalry -- in any case, Harry's antipathy is one-sided and not sounding all that convincing anymore.

My favorite potential relationship between characters who never talk in canon
I don't think Kinkaid and Carlos have ever met/talked? But I think it would be fun to watch them interact, just 'cos I like them both, and Carlos would be all: *streams of cocky bullshit* and Kincaid would be all: *stonily unimpressed*

Oh, also! I'd love to see what Ebenezer would make of Thomas (I don't think they've met yet? Or did they interact any in Chichen Itza? not that chit-chat would've been a priority then.)

[bearshorty]

Ebenezer did meet Thomas in Changes. He doesn't know Thomas is his grandson, so he just distrusted him, called him 'vampire', at least to my recollection. It wasn't friendly. It would be fun when Ebenezer finds out.

[hamsterwoman]

It would be fun when Ebenezer finds out.

I'm definitely looking forward to that revelation! :)

[aletheiafelinea]

Harry and Murphy, although I do ship them too.
Hee, same here. Though I'm also generally in the "Let at least one male/female pair stay friends", so it's sort of a guilty shipping? :} I think my reason is that, frankly, Butcher isn't really great in writing love (mildly speaking... don't even start me on Thomas/Justine again >.<), but I like how he writes friendship. Therefore, I'm shipping Harry/Murphy because their relationship actually is there, as in shown, not just told. I mean, there's some actual life to it at least...

Oh, and also Harry and Bob.
Same here! Am I the only one who was sad that Bob isn't Harry's anymore?

Am I overlooking someone?
Unless we count Team Dresden as an actual group... How about the Wardens? There's also Paranet and maybe the Za Lord Guard, but all of those either are shown only as the whole group, but not single members (the Guard), or the other way around - single members, but not the group (Wardens), or just don't get any screentime at all (Paranet).

in any case, Harry's antipathy is one-sided and not sounding all that convincing anymore.
Ha, this. Harry is like "Okay, I kill and burn properties, and whatnot... but look, Marcone is running prostitution!!1!". I'm tired with all this "Marcone is sooo bad", and yet every time he shows up, he acts more noble than most of the involved... Probably the only time when he's gets in the canon anything really supporting his badness is, ironically, in his own short tale, when he considers pros and cons of shooting Justine.

what Ebenezer would make of Thomas
Argh, I'm waiting for this so badly. (Reportedly according to Word of Jim, Ebenezar actually does know, he's just in denial.)

[hamsterwoman]

I was just talking over on somebody else's LJ about how I'm actually dreading Harry/Murphy becoming a real thing, even though I low-level ship it, because Butcher is so bad at writing romance. XP

And, nope, you're not alone, I'm sad that Bob isn't Harry's anymore (or at least isn't for now), even though Butters is one of my favorites. Harry and Bob just had this really great dynamic.

I thought about the Wardens as a group, but Harry doesn't actually seem to interact with them much as a group, or have visibility into their relationships -- I mean, we're told the young ones all follow Ramirez, but it's all hearsay. Paranet probably would count, but I never cared about them much. Za Lord's Guard though! You may be onto something there :)

Probably the only time when he's gets in the canon anything really supporting his badness is, ironically, in his own short tale, when he considers pros and cons of shooting Justine

Wait, I don't think I've read this one... There's a Marcone POV short story out there??

Reportedly according to Word of Jim, Ebenezar actually does know, he's just in denial.

Oh huh! I'm not surprised that McCoy would know -- it seems like the sort of thing that he would know, both in general and about his daughter. I do wonder about the denial bit, though... McCoy doesn't strike me as a person given to denial, but then again, I guess everybody has their blindspots...

[aletheiafelinea]

I'm actually dreading Harry/Murphy becoming a real thing, even though I low-level ship it, because Butcher is so bad at writing romance. XP
Yikes, you have a big point here.

even though Butters is one of my favorites
Exactly, same here.

Za Lord's Guard though! You may be onto something there :)
We need more Little Folk characters! I'm curious of Lacuna's further developement. :)

There's a Marcone POV short story out there??
Oh, there's, and how. :) "Even Hand" in antologies "Dark and Stormy Knights" and "Beyond the Pale". And it is Marcone's POV, the way Thomas, Karrin and Molly's stories are. And Justine gets there the biggest role after "Grave Peril", though still not so big. *cough* I might have a .mobi, you interested?

I'm also interested in Thomas's reaction, because as far as I know, he does not know yet. (And Harry is a paranoid/mindless jerk for not telling him, if you ask me. :P ) Anyway, I expect, no, I DEMAND a big confrontation and Thomas proving somehow himself to Ebenezar, who has to change his mind, grudgingly. Not necessarily at the same occasion.

[hamsterwoman]

Yeah, I'm intrigued by Lacuna, too. She was an interesting addition (also, pretty badass, for such a tiny thing!)

I definitely expect something spectacular from Thomas and Ebenezer figuring out/accepting the family relationship. Well, or at least I hope for something awesome.

I didn't realize there was a Molly-POV story either -- I've only read "Aftermath" and "Backup" of the non-Harry-POV ones. Where can the Molly one be found, do you remember offhand?

And yes, I'd be hypothetically interested in the hypothetical .mobi, since my library doesn't seem to have either anthology. :))

[aletheiafelinea]

I'm not sure whether I'm more offended or delighted that Thomas was too slow to catch her. *g* I feel a little bad for the poor Toot, though. Her manners are terrible. Then again, judging on his reaction, she must be the most charming lady he's ever met. And anyway, these manners were probably what earned her the command of the flying squad. Badass she is, oh yeah.

Heh, I expect explosive... And as for:
McCoy doesn't strike me as a person given to denial, but then again, I guess everybody has their blindspots...
I think it's "I have one grandson and he's human, period" sort of denial. From his words to Harry on Demonreach in "Turn Coat" it looks like he doesn't deem Thomas human not just in the literal Dresdenverse meaning, but also in the moral one. He'd probably consider him nothing more than fair game for hunting. It's like when Harry told Thomas "As far as I'm concerned, you don't exist. You look like a person, but you aren't" in "Blood Rites", but it was only a temporary spiteful impulse, while for Ebenezar it must be his permanent view.

Molly's one is "Bombshells" in "Dangerous Women" anthology. Speaking of what, have you noticed how Thomas makes a great damsel in distress once in a while? ;)

In such case, if anyone asks, two files totally didn't just fly your mailbox's way. *whistles*

[hamsterwoman]

Thank you for that entirely hypothetical email! Hypothetically :)

Poor Toot was so smitten, yeah XD

I think it's "I have one grandson and he's human, period" sort of denial.

I wonder, though. Because Harry naturally tends towards a very B&W view, and had to be trained/grow out of it, but one would think McCoy would have more room for nuance in his moral landscape. But I suppose nuance is one thing and being able to accept his daughter's choices about the White Court and consequences thereof is a different thing.

Ah, Dangerous Women! I didn't realize there was a Dresdenverse story in there.

[aletheiafelinea]

The White Court means her death for him after all... And being Blackstaff he's used to having the right of judgement over others and their right to live, while being dispensed from this himself.

Then again, when he accepts him, then Thomas is going to be really in troubles. Ebenezar sizing him up and down, very much unimpressed and disdainful. "Alright, so you're the family. Which means I'm seeing you on my farm, starting tomorrow. We'll make a man of you, city boy."
Excuse me for a sec, I need to scrub and bleach my brain. There are levels of viciousness even vampires don't deserve... *g*
(Harry would have a laugh of the year, though.)

[hamsterwoman]

Which means I'm seeing you on my farm, starting tomorrow. We'll make a man of you, city boy."

AHAHA, perfect! Man, now I want to read this fic/see art of this exact scenario XD Poor Thomas! (Harry, indeed, would laugh and laugh and laugh.)

[aletheiafelinea]

I'm cringing, and yet I want it, too. XD