So the latest DF book came out on the 20th.

12 months, which almost acts like a epilogue to Peace Talks.

Considering this book was never planned, and is a chance to deal with the aftermath of Peace talks. And to a lesser extend, everything since Changes. It was never going to be amazing.

But for what it was, it was an enjoyable read.

Aside from dealing with grief, it didn’t have a A plot, it had… like 6 B plots. Some independent, several over lapping.

In an interview he said he is already 30-50% done with the next book Mirror Mirror and is flying through it.

Partly as it was part of writing this book. He tried to write MM but was having to deal with so much recovery it screwed the flow.

In a way it’s a giant filler episode, enjoyable but impossible to be amazing.

But, it deals with and sets up so much for the next books, I’m glad we got it.

6/10-6.5/10

 

... well. I literally had no idea the new book was out. At all.

 

And next book may be out late this year or early next. And that me the banger that everyone has been waiting for.

 

I have been waiting for Mirror, Mirror for years now. It has what kept me in the fandom lol.

I really didn't like PT or BG, so Twelve Months was already an improvement to that.

Overall, I liked it. Mab was a proper badass, and Drakul has peaked my interest. The lack of Marcone is unfortunate after the events of BG, but I can see why he wasn't in it. And I do love seeing what a wizard can do when he is prepared for the enemy.

That being said, Lara's character was butchered in twelve months, and I'm talking before Harry bewitched her.

Lara is a centuries-old vampire that can easily do monstrous things, and has. She is the reason White Night happened. Lara used innocent minor practitioners, knowing many would die horrifically, in order to consolidate power in the White Court. And she did it without anyone but Dresden being any wiser.

She was also pretty terrible to Thomas for years, even if it was partly for his own protection.

Yet you are telling me that this woman will tell Dresden (a man who DESTROYED the Red Court), the fundamental secrets of her entire family AND court just to save her brother? To allow her to be experimented on? Worse, she does this without barely an argument and at the beginning of her engagement.

Like even if she did all these terrible things in the past for long term good reasons (fewer people dying if she is the one with the power compared to the other houses), she is risking all that collapsing by telling/allowing Dresden to do this.

Lara turned from a major player to Dresden's women. She feels like a goddamn pawn to our main character now (and again, before Dresden starborn whammied her).

I have no issues with the actual hunger whammy bit and how Lara changes afterward, but before? Ugh. She lost all agency and became a piece on the board.

Oh, and now we are led to believe King Raith has been scheming behind her back (even though much of her power base hinges on him being a puppet) the malvora are able to pull off an ambush assault on the castle with only Drakul saving them with the information? Lara doesnt know whats going on in her own house much less her own territory all of a sudden?

I like most of 12 months, but Lara's treatment grinds my gears.

 

I liked it well enough. We've had so many books where huge events take place, then the next book smash cuts to after the new status quo has been established, so being able to spend so much time with the characters was a nice change of pace. The sex-brained, caveman Dresden seems to be getting reeled in as well, so that's a plus, and it's nice to see him doing some proper thaumaturgy again.

Personally, this is the sort of story I'd like to see in the novellas: slower, character focused periods that fill in the life that occurs in between shit going down, rather than the small cases we've typically seen. Other character PoV entries are always welcome though.

As for Lara getting magic-whipped, I'm neutral on it, but an important point needs to be made: she's not Dresden's woman, she's mab's bitch, just like him. Lara basically lays this out in the story, the marriage was really between Winter and the White Court, not her and Dresden. The reason she trusted Dresden is because she sees him as a fundamentally good man that could never actually successfully deceive her. Unfortunately, she underestimated Mab, and now her and Dresden are basically in the same boat together.

Do I think this plot was executed well? Not really. Bit too contrived, and things had to happen exactly the way they did for Mab to get what she wanted. Maybe she was bluffing? Who cares. The revenge on Nicodemus in Skin Game was a way better version of this sort of master-plan scheming.

I imagine this will still lead to Lara and Dresden becoming a couple for real, getting closer by trying to get out from under Mab together. A little bonding treason to get to know each other, if you will. Not the pairing I would have chosen, but I can see it going interesting places.

All in all, a worthy entry in my opinion, which is not something I'd say about Peace Talks. Here's hoping Mirror, Mirror lives up to the hype.

 

I pretty much dropped the series when I didn't manage to finish peace talks.
But I suppose it can't be read as a standalone? I would probably enjoy a smaller stakes Dresden adventure with familiar characters.

Nowadays my only contact with Dresden is checking @Todeswind s spacebattles profile for an update on his stories .

 

Not for some time, I think his house was in the way of a hurricane and a tree fell on it or something. He still says that he is getting back to writing eventually. Time will tell.

 

Just finished the book, had trouble remembering all the details from Peace Talks and Battleground, but had no issue remembering Skin Game, which shows how good the book was compared to the previous two.

I agree with the sentiment that this felt more like an Epilogue and I like Harry solving some B plots. I just wish it were more old school Dresden, like in the first books, him going Private Eye on the cases, but this time he is the man with the big stick.

Does anybody think Bear is Murph? Like when Bear mentions something about linear time? Or am I projecting?

Still a good intro back into Dresden Files before Mirror Mirror. Excited!

 

I found Dresden via DLP years ago. 12 Months - it was a bit choppy and repetitive in places; some of the reactions felt a bit unbelievable or rushed (ex. Eb, Thomas); I generally agree with Lindsey about Lara ... but I liked the book and I'm glad I read it. Harry with the castle was cool. Drakul was cool. And so on.

Also excited for Mirror Mirror and glad Jim's writing pace appears to have picked up. I read that he's 30% done already.

Edit: and damn, I wish Awaken Sleeper would update again. I end up re-reading it every couple years.

 

I also got the impression the Lara would have gotten addicted regardless of Harry feeding her magic, she just needed to feed on Harry and become an addict because of the Winter Mantle. Probably not on the scale she is now.

I also felt she got more and more cooperative since the kiss happened.