Ah I got ya. Begs the question, when will he stop aging like a normal person?

 

I considered that that might be the way it worked, but if it is, then Butcher should have explained it that way. He's never been shy about explaining the aging processes of wizards to this point, and something like that would be good to know.

The "he should still be a teenager" argument is easily explained in that we know Harry's powers didn't start to emerge until he was already a teenager. Having him continue to age normally for a while after that is to be expected, but by the time we meet him, he's already a full-fledged member of the White Council with over a decade's worth of practice channeling magic, and his more efficient healing abilities have already manifested. By then, it's reasonable that his aging process would have slowed.

 

I dont give a fuck how long you might live and how your body ages. Theres only so long that you can go full speed ahead, throwing spells left and right without a break. He has learned he can only do so much before he has nothing left. Even Dresden has limits on his power and endurance.

 

Butter's theory revolves around the ability of Wizard's body cells repairing themselves to perfect replica. If the Wizard doesn't have any major injuries, the process will be uniform throughout the body. In case of injuries, the healing takes priority and the rest of the process proceed at a slower rate.

Harry received some injuries from his fight with Justin. From SF to TC, Harry acquired lot of injuries than an average Wizard. His burned hand recovered faster than normal, also his occasional injuries (head injury, back problems, broken bones, bullet injury and much more) healed very quickly. It’s possible that the magic or whatever responsible for replicating the body cells focused totally on repairing his injuries and due to that his aging process is slightly higher than normal Wizard.

The current situation with BC is not good for Harry. He'll get more injuries in the upcoming fights with them. Until the crisis is over, he'll be aging like a normal person (maybe a little slower than normal humans).

 

That's been touched on several times in this discussion, and I've conceded that point, since it has nothing to do whatsoever with what I'm trying to say. I'm just commenting on a logic flaw that I believe has it's roots in the author over-identifying with his character.

On the other hand, we get a ringside seat for the toughest, most dangerous parts of Dresden's life. There are vast stretches of time that we don't have insight into between books (during "The Warrior", which takes place between Small Favor and this, Harry mentions that Michael had already been through "months of therapy, and more months of bed rest"), time that he likely uses to recover from his various adventures and injuries.

You just made that up, right? Because I can't remember Butters saying any such thing. It was more like: "I have no idea how this works, just that it's happening."

 

Spoiler

Butters said. "That's how you're able to heal these injuries. It's why you have the potential to live so long. Your copies are perfect. Or at least a hell of a lot closer to it than most folks."

"Why?" I asked.

"Why what?"

"Why am I able to make good copies?"

He blew out a breath and pushed his hand through his wiry hair, grinning. "I have no freaking clue. Neat, huh?"

He knows how, but not why its possible with Harry (or Wizards in general). Its my theory that healing takes priority than slow aging process. It makes sense. Although I agree that the author is over-identifying with Harry's character.

 

Yeah, I reread the entire applicable part of DB as well, and there's no mention of that. That "theory" of yours doesn't really make any sense at all, to me. Cellular growth/regeneration is faster in some tissues than others, but having to, for example, form a scab, doesn't inhibit your body's ability to grow the rest of your skin normally and shed it.

Harry's cells, by Butters' description, have more accurate DNA replication machinery that doesn't cut off the tail ends of the chromosomes (or at least doesn't do it as much/frequently). This has been implicated as one of the contributions to aging/death in recent scientific Biochemistry literature. That is all; there is no mention of having injuries "speed up" his aging process to something more human-like.

 

I liked the book, I felt that there was a lot of needed development in the Council front, after all The Fallen, Fae and Black council had been developed a lot during the last books, it was time for us to see a bi more of how WC worked.

This one is not my favorite, I still think Summer Knight is the best in the series so far, but I actually liked it and unlike some of you loved the shapeshifter thingie, it was tough but not Mab, Titania, Archangel, Outsider, Fallen, etc tough... I feel like he plays in a lower league, a league that Dresden can fight "mano a mano" and have a chance of beating wich of course might lead to Harry getting stronger.

 

Psychosomatism in da house.

Harry spends near every waking moment surrounded by normal humans. He hangs with Butters and Michael and Murphy, who certainly aren't getting younger. He watches Molly and Michael's other kids and Billy and his pack grow up. Everyone he sees on a day-to-day basis are either around his age and growing old and slowing down, or he remembers them as awkward half-grown teenagers and now they're all grown up and kicking arse.

No wonder he feels old.

 

Now I think about it, I can see why it's wrong. After looking at Your explanation on aging process, My theory looks absurd. My theory says that the magic or whatever responsible is focusing on healing injuries (When there is no injuries, it'll focus on stopping the aging process). If it's true, then Wizards with lot of injuries should look more aged than normal. Which is clearly not the case in Dresden Files. After some search on aging process I found this.

So the aging process starts after 35 and that's where Butters explanation comes to play. When the cell copies are near perfect with each repair, it effectively stops the aging process. All the Wizards will have a normal growth up to age 35. After that the aging process will be very slow. It'll explain why Morgan looks like 40 when his actual age is over 100.

True, mentally Harry feels like an old man.

I don't think so. So far Harry comes out top on all of his encounters. Harry killed a Summer Lady, lot of Fallens and defeated an Outsider. In TC, he's clearly out of his league. If Injune Joe had not interfered, the Skinwalker would have killed him. Despite Harry's efforts, the BC won in the end. This is sort of turning point in the Dresden Series. From now on Harry will have lot more defeats than victories in the future.

 

I think that you guys are making to big a deal about the age thing. Okay, yes, compared to other wizards, he's practically a kid. Older wizards may look back on a time when they were thirty or so, and think 'Wow, I was so young and naive back then.'

Harry isn't an older wizard yet, though. He's actually thirty five years old. So when he says, 'I'm not in my twenties anymore', guess what, he's actually not.

He's not going to have that hindsight to let him realize that he's actually very fucking young.
I always took the healing/age issue as, yeah, they age normally, but when they reach that certain point where normal people's bodies break down and decay, wizards keep going.

 

Hmm...

After much consideration, I still cannot tell if you are being sarcastic. Just in case, I'll call you a nigger and walk away. Thanks for the advice on that plan of action, Mindless.

Also, I too cannot decide whether Harry/Molly is now more out of the question or more a possibility for a future pairing from this book. I need to reread the whole series or something in light of TC.

 

I kind of want Harry/Molly just to see Charity's reaction.
Turn coat was good. My only real problem with it was the lack of humour compared to the other books.
Also Soulfire is awesome, strangling the skinwalker was particularly cool.

 

Ok. I agree the Peabody thing was weak. I knew it was him from the moment they introduced him in the book. I just knew it.
Also. I am really disappointed in the White Council seeming to have zero IQ points. They just can't believe that Morgan was framed with all their knowledge of magic. But they believe that a magic user just decided to go kill someone and didn't use magic to do it, or to save himself? That is just about the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Especially from Mai. She is old, she should know that simple things are rarely true. If something looks too obvious, it probably is. Also, I am not buying this idea that killing innocent people stabelizes a government. I think it tends to make people have revolutions. Killing Morgan lost them a great war asset, and gained them absolutely nothing except that other powers now know that they can be manipulated into killing their own best people. How is that good? And just how would these people that wanted to secede be able to protect themselves if they walked? Too many things that make no sense. The Grey Council is fine by me. Thats as good a name as any.

I loved the Skinwalker, and I totally disagree about its lower league. Its the first thing that actually was clever enough to mess up Harry. It won where the Outsider totally lost. If it wasn't for Toot and Injun Joe Harry would have died. I thought it was just too cool. Im glad it survived, too. I picture it sort of like an overly huge Tasmanian devil from the cartoon. Orange fur and all.

NOPE he did not make that up. Butters said that exact thing about why Harrys hand has healed. That the cells do not degrade but are reproduced exactly the same as the originals. So, maybe you owe that poster an appology for saying he made it up.

 

If you remember, none of them believed on a personal level that Morgan did it. However, they're smart enough people, it seems, that they know that evidence > personal faith.

The evidence against Morgan was overwhelming.

You seem to be saying that if evidence is overwhelming then you should doubt it for being too convenient.

That just sounds rather stupid to me. It would make one screwed up justice system.

As the series goes on I'm sympathising more and more with the way the White Council does business (as is, I think, Harry). The little conversation in this book about how the White Council is about limiting power, not delivering justice, was good.

As for Dresden's aging, I think Tehan's right. He probably is pretty spry for a 38 year old. He just feels old. And what person doesn't begin to feel old at that age? Hell, I'm 20, and I feel old <_<

 

They believed that a Warden (known for wielding big fuck-off swords), specifically Morgan (known for executing people with a big fuck-off sword), killed someone with a dagger (like a big fuck-off sword, only smaller). LaFortier would have had layers upon layers of defences against magic, and having to say a spell would've given him time to react, not to mention getting the attention of every fucking magic-user in the building. A dagger shoved in something vital from behind when he doesn't expect it doesn't do any of that.

And all those beliefs only apply to the few people that aren't politicking, or fucked over by Peabody's ink to the point of going along with it, or biding their time, or quietly trying to uncover evidence to clear Morgan.

Oh, and by the way, you're an idiot.

 

He admitted he basically made it up. Choke on a dick.

 

Montclair

Some more info on it, Area 51 series of books goes deep in depth about this stuff, and it's pretty awesome. You currently probably know someone with the ability to live forever... at least part of them. Telomere and Telomerase levels are skyhigh inside cancer cells. They duplicate the cancer nearly flawlessly making it nigh impossible in some situation to get rid of the cancer.

To be fair he's always "just" barely won. He always gets the shit kicked out of him to near death. Which I hate, but still.

And to the rest of you about the age thing. You do feel vastly different just between 18 and 27, trust me on that. You gain 20lbs and it slows you down, makes you sore, less agile. Harry's mentioned putting on weight, he's gotten the shit kicked out of him for 8+ years. He's got every right to be bitching about it.

Harry's fighting for his life multiple times a year, shit just stress from work slows me down, makes me grumpy, imagine if it was you in his shoes.

 

I just got finished reading it on Sunday and yes it was completely awesome. Peabody, I knew he was the traitor just by reading his name. If you name your kid Peabody I guarantee that he's going to be a psycho. Luccio was a freak! I guess when Harry said mind-blowing sex he wasn't kidding. I'm pretty sure Lara taught her a few things. But since it wasn't of her own free will, wouldn't it be rape? I'm was just reminded of Supernatural when Sam slept with Ruby and all the fans went batshit insane because they thought he was raping a innocent woman who was trapped inside her own body. Poor Thomas, he was one of my favorites. I really hope he comes back soon somehow. Maybe Justine will be able to help him. Morgan was awesome in this book. But I've always like him since book 6 so I was a little happy to see him be a main character in this one. But then he died! I would've loved to see him join the Grey Council (which has to be the stupidest name for a organization ever. What next? Turquoise?). And I hope they don't go the Harry/Molly or Harry/Murphy route. I don't think that he would ever go for Molly and Harry/Murphy has become the new Harry/Ginny because of the horrendous fanfiction. And as for ages, I think that Harry is about 34-36. Butcher said that Harry's age will be important in one of the upcoming books so maybe we'll finally learn something.

My favorite scenes were:
-All three times Molly and Morgan tried to kill each other.
-Harry getting a little homoerotic with the Merlin.
-Morgan checking out Molly.
-Any part with Demonreach or the Gatekeeper. Hopefully they'll be in the next book too.
-Thomas and Justine tagteaming Madeline.
-Madeline getting her guts ripped out by Lara (and appearently enjoying it)
-And for some reason, the part with Morgan sitting in his wheelchair holding a juice box and Molly standing there with shotgun had me giggling for an hour or so.

And does anybody else think that Shagnasty sounds like a villian from an Austin Powers movie?

 

I've got my hands on the book last thursday... at midnight... and I was hesitant. The next day I had lectures since 8am.

But it was the book I've been waiting for so long.
And I was like: the book... lectures... THE BOOK... lectures... THE BOOK!!!

I was done with it by 6am and slept off the rest of the day. Totally worth it.

The fun parts:

Indeed, the third episode of Molly/Morgan stand-off was the best. Hary came in, saw the situation and helped himself to a can of coke

What can I say? An ass he can be, but he still is a man and can appreciate the joys of life.

And the most epic thing IMHO:

Morgan NUKED a skinwalker

As to the book itself, after the first 5 chapters being discussed here, I was convinced that Morgan was going to receive a new sword... It is a pity that he is no more. One can only wonder who will be assigned as the next watcher of Molly/Dresden.

The part with Injun Joe being pointed out as the possible traitor was too obvious to even be considered as a possibility... The premise of Dresden undergoing further training is appreciated. The sheer improvement of his skills brought by training Molly and revising the basics is impressive, now perhaps he will learn how to heal himself... he sure could use it