Some of the Dresden Files novels work as stand-alone stories, or "Read this first and go back and start with Storm Front if you like it" entry-point books. This is definitely not one of them. If I judged Twelve Months on its own, I wouldn't like it. But after the massive nonstop screaming chaos of Battle Grounds, taking a novel to breathe and look around is allowed.
The closest I can compare 12 Months to is the TNG episode "Family." It was one of the few follow up episodes that I remember that dealt with the crew (and the ship) recovering after an incident--in this case, the Borg in "The Best of Both Worlds."
After Battle Ground, I was almost afraid to pick up Twelve Months, wondering how much worse things can get for Harry. But as it turns out it provided some much-needed breathing room to process everything that's happened in the last couple of books.
I didn't think it possible to review this book without spoilers, but you did it! Congratulations! Enjoyed the essay and yes I am going to re-read it now ;-)
So, I read the Alex Verus stories before I even knew about Harry Dresden. I was shocked to discover that the former were just a flagrant ripoff of the latter, not a tribute, even though Verus paid lip service to a “practicing wizard from Chicago” - just an outright appropriation of concept, characters and dramatic arc. How did this escape lawyers? I found my way to Dresden, though, and agree that Butcher sets the standard. Great work.
Reading thru it now slowly. Let's just say it hits hard.
It does
Some of the Dresden Files novels work as stand-alone stories, or "Read this first and go back and start with Storm Front if you like it" entry-point books. This is definitely not one of them. If I judged Twelve Months on its own, I wouldn't like it. But after the massive nonstop screaming chaos of Battle Grounds, taking a novel to breathe and look around is allowed.
The closest I can compare 12 Months to is the TNG episode "Family." It was one of the few follow up episodes that I remember that dealt with the crew (and the ship) recovering after an incident--in this case, the Borg in "The Best of Both Worlds."
After Battle Ground, I was almost afraid to pick up Twelve Months, wondering how much worse things can get for Harry. But as it turns out it provided some much-needed breathing room to process everything that's happened in the last couple of books.
Twelve Months really was a lot of unpacking the previous two books.... which, face it, was one really long book.
Agree with and heartily endorse everything you wrote here.
Thank you.
I didn't think it possible to review this book without spoilers, but you did it! Congratulations! Enjoyed the essay and yes I am going to re-read it now ;-)
Thank you.
The Dresden Files is a great series.
So, I read the Alex Verus stories before I even knew about Harry Dresden. I was shocked to discover that the former were just a flagrant ripoff of the latter, not a tribute, even though Verus paid lip service to a “practicing wizard from Chicago” - just an outright appropriation of concept, characters and dramatic arc. How did this escape lawyers? I found my way to Dresden, though, and agree that Butcher sets the standard. Great work.
It could always be worse. It could be Iron Druid.
If Harry Dresden is "If Peter Parker was a wizard," Iron Druid would be "If Harry Dresden was House, MD."