You know, I am reminded of a supposed Chinese Curse, when it comes to Nicodemus.

May your dreams come true.

 

Just finished.

Was fucking amazing.

 

Truer words.

Spoiler

'dada'

The Michael talk. When Harry said "Sure" to Maggie. And oddly enough, when that single, precious, tear appeared and fell from the face of Nicodemus.

 

So I loved this. I want to reread it again after the reveal of the code there at the end.

Nic got nothing to lose now and he will probably start the apocalypse in the 20th book. I thought Tessa wanted to stop them because she knew that Nic will sacrifice Deidre.

As Jon said I hated the fact that Butters almost ruined everything.

I miss Bob

 

Parkour. Bitch.

8/10, setting the bar with 10/10 Turn Coat, 9.5/10 Changes. Top 5, I'd say. Now, where's Peace Talks? It's coming out soon, right?

BTW I mean to reread it, because I think I may have missed it, but what was the significance of the word "Rent," capital R, and a Trading Places level fee? I have ideas but no firm basis.

 

Well... Naglooshi can't live anywhere. I'm assuming it had something to do with that. I cried at the scene with Michael, the one with Maggie and when Deirdre died. Like Jon, I cried in a very manly fashion.

 

Naagloshii are supposed to lose power outside the American Southwest, so maybe it's got something to do with the "Rent" he owes to the local powers?

 

Blitzed through it all last night. Definitely in my top 2 alongside Changes, I'd have to reread it a bit slower to decide between the two.

Jedi Knight Butters, hell yeah

The talk with Michael and talking to Maggie made me feel my own feels.

 

Definitely worth the wait, IMO.

Emotional points for me were Dresden's first talk with Maggie, and then his epically cold conversation with Nicodemus.

Beyond that, I believe I'm going to need a little time to digest it before I start to mentally break it down for any less overt clues to the future.

 

5 hour power read completed... it's 5AM and time for bed. Made of win, one of the better books for sure. More thoughts later, after a slower read.

 

Bundles of fun. Good read. Love a good heist, some fun characters involved, and then seeing a simple progression of things (Harry/Lash's baby spirit! Karrin fucking up the sword! Michael joining the field again! Diedre! Hades! BUUUUUTTTTTTTEEEERRRRRRRSSSS. Everything in the last chapter!) just made me fistpump a few times. And the classic flashback heist reveal, of course, made me grin.

All Maggie made me d'aww/sob. Like a man. Kinda shocked it just went down so... easily, for lack of a better word. I was prepared for her never to be a factor in Dresden's life until the Apocalyptic Trilogy. No complaints, give us plenty of Harry with his daughters (I'm still d'awwing about Harry/Lash baby) next time, no big!

Not all that much in the way of Molly action (End of Cold Days: "Man there's going to be so much angst about the Winter Lady thing." First Molly meeting in Harry's dream: "Yeah it's not bad." Okay then.), even though I got my Molls mention and the "Michael and Charity thinking Dresden and Molly are banging" gag finally happening (Always wrote that one in myself), but hey, there wasn't enough of it, c'mon! And of course, had I been playing the drinking game, I'd've taken a shot for the usual "she's a kid"/"violation of trust"/blah blah lines, and not to mention that, yay, she's going down a possibly evil path reminders. Woo. Yeah. Eh, fuck it, I know I live in my own world for hoping those two kids work it out, but I'm still cool with Harry and Karrin finally taking a step forward-y.

Although, gotta say... Dres'll make elbow-y height difference-y sex with Karrin, he'll have Maggie in his life... How many books are left, again? If it's all permanent, and with probably no "Murph getting a Sword" gonna happen, then we've got a family unit straight to the endgame. I can see it sticking, just get that shit over with, but again, MANY BOOKS LEFT.

(Twenty bucks on getting Dresden/Molly in the alternate universe come Mirror Mirror, simply because it'll be an evil Harry over there probably. Onto you, Butcher.)

Anyways, awesome book overall. Wanted more, of course, but it flowed well as is and taking detours to visit other characters (Was happy to see Marcone again, however brief. But Billy and Georgia, Eb, ELAINE, Thomas... Et cetera) would've distracted, so. But it's only probably two years 'til the next one, sooooo.

Fuck it, rereading it now. Or writing DF fanfic. Whichever works.

 

Gonna do a re-read once I get the book. As for Dresden/Murphy... I think they'll be all couple-y next book and then something fucks that up.

I was kinda surprised, too, at how easily it went with Maggie. I figured she'd be all fucked up. Maybe when she gets older she'll remember and be pissed at Dresden. Maybe not.

I really liked the Warlock chick. Felt kinda sorry for her.

 

I was expecting Murphy to die for this entire book.

 

Might be the impetus for the next book. Dresden all cozy with Murphy, then BOOM. DEAD. Cue wrathful wizard.

 

Yeah, letting him actually get together with Murphy for more than half a book would mean that Dresden is actually happy which Butcher will never let happen.

 

How old is Murphy now anyway? Early-mid 40s?

She isn't a realistic long term love interest at this point imo.

Book was legit amazing. The first 5 or so chapters are pretty tame but it really takes off after that. Definitely top 2 with Turn Coat for me.

 

Anyone have any idea what the 4 artifacts were? Especially the one Nicodemus was really after.

 

Have to say, not really my favorite book. A bit too preachy, and I just don't dig that much proselytizing in my casual reading.

Highlights: Michael simply walking out of that gate. Conversation with Maggie - odd that she completely lead him into becoming daddy. Finding out that he and Lash had a daughter - that was one of those AWESOME moments. Conversation with DD about why she does what she does. Mouse as such.

Low points: Butters...with nearly everything, including becoming a knight. Johnny Marcone, yet again - my only hope is that the last scene between them means their next meeting will be a throw-down.

Also, the whole Molly and Dresden tension had built up in the last book and I was expecting something of it to come through here, some development in their relationship. Really bummed nothing came of it.

 

INRI, as from John 19:19.
The Crown of Thorns.
The Holy Grail.
Shroud of Turin.
Either Simon Peter's blade (I doubt it), or a reworked Lance of Longinus. The Lance is more likely, given how the blade is described as leaf-shaped, implying it began as a spear of some description, as you rarely, if ever, see blades of that shape on a knife. It'd be extremely impractical.