Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Changes

Book review 2010.08

Author: Jim Butcher

It goes without saying that this is my favorite novel series of all time. Storm Front, the first novel in the series, is the book I spent several years trying to write. After reading Storm Front, and then subsequent novels in the series, I realized that I was done. There was no need for me to write a novel of any sort, Jim Butcher did it for me and I don't think I have anything to add to the genre.

One of the reasons I like the Dresden Files so much is that Butcher surrounds his flawed protagonist with clever, funny, and most importantly, interesting characters. And it's always been clear to me that Jim Butcher is a gamer because his characters all level up in between books. They aren't static. They have their own storylines that grow and change over time, just like Harry does.

I'm not going into details of this story because the book is still new. All I'll say is that like the previous couple of books, Harry Dresden continues to come into his own as a Wizard, and as usual, the name of the book symbolizes the story on several levels. Well, in this case, the one word says it all; we don't need symbolism to tie it together. And true to Butcher-form, the action and intrigue in this story starts from page one and never lets up.

Butcher continuously expands the world and setting with every book, and this one holds to that trend. He takes us to new parts of our world and the Nevernever. And Harry Dresden learns things about his world and the people in it, too. Some very surprising and painful things.

Changes is one of the best books to date, and I'm looking forward to the next one. And there WILL be a next one. You hear me, Butcher? I loved this book so much that as soon as I finished the last page, I wanted to simultaneously punch Jim Butcher in the head and pat him on the back.

Just as in the previous book, Turn Coat, one of my favorite supporting characters got some of the spotlight: Mouse. I've loved Mouse since his introduction in the novel Blood Rites, where he helped Harry escape from the flaming-poo-flinging monkey demons. Best opening scene in the history of literature.

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