Blood Rites

The Dresden Files #6

by Jim Butcher

Harry Dresden, Chicago's only professional wizard, takes on a case as a favor to his friend Thomas-a vampire of dubious integrity-only to become the prime suspect in a series of ghastly murders.

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Audiobook, Paranormal, Magic

Audio CD

First published August 3, 2004

About the author

Jim Butcher is the author of the Dresden Files, the Codex Alera, and a new steampunk series, the Cinder Spires. His resume includes a laundry list of skills which were useful a couple of centuries ago, and he plays guitar quite badly. An avid gamer, he plays tabletop games in varying systems, a variety of video games on PC and console, and LARPs whenever he can make time for it. Jim currently resides mostly inside his own head, but his head can generally be found in his home town of Independence, Missouri.

Jim goes by the moniker Longshot in a number of online locales. He came by this name in the early 1990′s when he decided he would become a published author. Usually only 3 in 1000 who make such an attempt actually manage to become published; of those, only 1 in 10 make enough money to call it a living. The sale of a second series was the breakthrough that let him beat the long odds against attaining a career as a novelist.

All the same, he refuses to change his nickname.

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stick a fork in me, folks…I’m done. My relationship with the Dresden Files has officially hit rock bottom.


This is one review I've been dreading to write, both because A LOT of my friends passionately love these books, and because there are so many aspects of the series that are praise-worthy and enjoyable. The world-building is terrific, the magic system is well constructed, and there are host of likeable supporting characters, such as Thomas, Kincaid, Bob, Michael, Ebenezer...just to name a few. All of these are people I like hanging out with.

It's just...well, let me finish first with the positives.

In each of the previous 5 books, Butcher concocted a quality supernatural mysteries that, for lack of a better word, worked. This one is no exception. It’s clever, fast-paced, and generally makes sense enough to keep the reader engaged.

Plus, Butcher has a knack for great opening scenes and this may be the best one yet, with Harry going toe to furry toe with a pack of demon monkeys flinging steaming hell poo, while Dresden fights back with magic and witty one-liners. That kind of shit (no pun) is what makes this series fun.

Okay...*Big sigh*...here's the PROBLEM.

I…just…HATE…Harry.

The guy drives me seven different kinds of crazy. In this one, he finally found my last nerve, at which point he proceeded to twist it, strip it, soak it in lighter fluid, and set it ablaze.

This blossoming Harry issue stems from two main sources.

First, I don’t find Harry’s pathological protectiveness of women to be ingratiating or chivalrous. Quite the oppostive, I find it irritating, self-aggrandizing and chauvinistic...in the EXTREME. “Call me a Neanderthal if you like, but I get real irrational about bad things happening to women.” If he were to have said something like that once or twice in the earlier novels, and then let it go, I think I would have been okay with it. But it's a message repeated ad nauseam in each book and delivered with a shout IN YOUR FACE.

No matter what the rational part of my head thinks, when I see someone hurt a woman my inner gigantopithicus wants to reach for the nearest bone and go Kubrickian on someone’s head.

Beyond his attitude towards women, the other burr in my tuckus is Harry’s holier-than-thouness and his condescending moral superiority. Over time, this has bothered me more and more and has finally reached the point of “too much.” On at least two occasions in this novel (once with Thomas and once with Ebenezer), Harry gets a major judgmental on when someone reveals themselves to be less than stainless in the virtue department. His over-the-top reactions, especially with Ebenezer, made me irk all over.

Now, there’s nothing wrong with white hat heroes fighting the good fight, but I guess I like my good guys with a little more edge and a few more warts. That’s just a personal preference, but I like a little more “anti” with my hero. Give me Batman over Superman, Clint Eastwood over Roy Rogers, and Snake Plissken over Robin Hood.

In the end, I just started experiencing diminishing returns when comparing the things I liked about the series with my growing disenchantment/irritation with Harry. Thus, as much as I regret all of the clever, interesting world-building and magical marvels I’ll be missing in the subsequent Dresden books, I just think the hurdles to my enjoyment have become too high….and too mighty.

2.5 stars.

[Virginia Ronan ♥ Herondale ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

”I have a life, man. And my life isn’t all about feuding demigods and nations at war and solving a mystery before it kills me.”
Thomas lifted an eyebrow. “It’s also about mold demons and flaming monkey poo?”
“What can I say? I put the ‘ick’ in ‘magic’.”

Well, Harry, let’s just agree that your always have a lot on your plate? ;-P Because quite honestly, monkey poo and mold demons are the least of your problems! There are more important things you’ll have to tackle. Like for instance the set of an erm - let’s say - particular kind of movie only adults are allowed to watch. *lol* Then again Thomas was the one who recruited you for this case and we all know what the White Court thrives on, right? *wriggles eyebrows*

For some reason Harry seems to have no trouble to fit into this world though. Should we be concerned or happy? I can’t decide. Guess whatever floats your boat, Harry? *lol* Like for instance a sexy as hell vampire from the White Court that goes by the name Lara?! I’d be careful with this kind of company though. Hell, no actually I wouldn’t. Lara and Thomas would be welcome in my bed flat anytime. ;-P Did I say that out lout? Anyway, moving on!

”It made me feel sad, but not bitter. If we had to do it again, he and I would make the same choices. I just wished I’d been able to know him longer than I had. It’s not everyone who can teach you something about faith without saying a word to do it.”

Between Harry’s new case and his other activities we get reminded of the earlier books. The memory of a certain knight unexpectedly catching us off guard. Or at least it caught me off guard. I didn’t expect to feel so sad about this tiny remark but boy was it bittersweet to read Harry’s thoughts when he entered that room. >_< I guess it’s no wonder our favourite wizard decided to get another pet. There can never be enough fluffy fur in your life. XD Especially if you have a life like Harry, who’s sort of constantly dancing at the edge of life.

”My worry and tension slowly grew, and as they did I took a perverse comfort in the familiar emotions. It actually felt good to feel my survival instincts put me on guard against premature mortality.
Hell’s bells. Is that insane or what?”

Yep, yes it is! Okay, I think now I’m really concerned about his mental health! *lol* All the fluffy fur in the world won’t be able to set that right. Maybe a psychiatrist? I genuinely doubt Kincaid or Ebenezar McCoy will be able to get back Harry’s sanity. This said it was still nice that they made an appearance in this book. Unfortunately I can’t say the same about Mavra. I really don’t like that woman! Erm vampire. >_<

”You’re probably right,” she said, nodding. “So I’m not going to kill you for shoving your well-intentioned opinion down my throat in a vulnerable moment. Just this once.”

”A-and you will be glad to know that every exotic dancer in Chicago is alive and well. Safeguarded by your friendly neighborhood air spirit,” Bob said. “Um. Say, Harry, that is quite the homicidal gleam in your eyes.”

As for our two sidekicks Bob and Murphy? Guess Bob needs to get his priorities straight first. *lol* I can’t blame him for all those lovely exotic dancers though. Life as a spirit without a body must be tiresome so I suppose he figured there would be no harm in looking. Well, no other harm than Harry’s “homicidal gleam in his eyes”. Which must have been pretty bad if even Bob got worried. But what can I say? Harry has no time to mess around. Between Mavra, the Raith Clan, payment for Kincaid and one hell of a really nasty entropy curse that threatens not only the people at the set but also his own life Harry clearly has his work cut out for him!

”Will you take care of my daughter?”
“Yes, ma’am. Of course I will.”
Her blue eyes flashed fiercely, and she said, “Let me get you a piece of cake.”

Bless Mama Murphy for feeding him in order to regain his strength! *lol* Speaking of which, I consider this to be a blessing for marriage!!! I mean nothing screams “you’re allowed to propose to my daughter” more than to feed her potential love interest! Harry what the freaking hell are you waiting for?! You most definitely have the wrong taste in women, because if I’d be you, I’d have proposed to Murphy about a thousand times! This woman is amazing and she’s able to put up with you! Can’t ask for more than that. ;-P

This said I once again enjoyed another “Harry Dresden” book! As always “Blood Rites” wasn’t only a fast and entertaining read but also kind of cleared the way for even bigger plots in the future. I guess after six books we have quite a lot of storylines that can be picked up and used for further books. And I’m not gonna lie here, I’m so ready for some of them to unfold! ;-P I need book 7 asap!

____________________________

Seriously, every time I finish another Harry Dresden book my first thought is:
Hell’s bells! How come Harry is in even more trouble now?! O_o

Well, "Blood Rites" is no exception!
After reading this sixth book I think the only reason Harry didn’t die yet is because he’s just too stubborn to. *lol* AND because he has sexy as hell Murphy as his backup!
If I’d be him I’d marry that woman! <3

Full RTC soon-ish! Stay tuned! ;-)
___________________________________

Time to tackle the next Harry Dresden book! XD

I need something light and not all too serious right now and I think this might be the right choice. Harry never disappoints and Jim Butcher’s books are always easy to read. If you want to compare it to food Harry Dresden most certainly would be the equivalent of fast food for me. *lol*

Also this book features Thomas, Harry’s "flirtatious vampire acquaintance" and if that’s not enough reason to read this, then I don’t know. ;-P

[Petrik · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The building was on fire, and it wasn’t my fault.”

As if anyone would believe that, Harry.

Chased by flaming poop of flying monkeys, tasked to work in a porn filming industry as a production assistant, and dealing with vampires; Blood Rites, the sixth installment in The Dresden Files series, hasn’t stopped Harry Dresden’s life from being filled with chaos, excitement, and suffering. Unlike Summer Knight and Death Masks where the repercussion of the conflict seemed more global, Blood Rites takes the story structure back to the cases based storyline of the first three books. The strong focus on developing relationships of the characters, revelations regarding Harry’s family, and the importance of love in Blood Rites really made it one of the better entries in the series so far.

“Love is another kind of power, which shouldn't surprise you. Magic comes from emotions, among other things. And when two people are together, in that intimacy, when they really, selflessly love each other it changes them both. It lingers on in the energy of their lives, even when they are apart.”

I think one of the most enjoyable parts of reading this series is to witness how far Butcher has developed as a storyteller. I know I’m only six books into this long series, but the differences in quality have improved exponentially since Storm Front and Fool Moon. I didn’t find myself too invested in the main story here, but the characters and their development were superb, and they’re the ones who kept me entertained. For six books now, Harry and Murphy’s relationship and the trust they have with each other have been developed in a very gradual style, and this situation can be applied here. The highlight of this book, though, for me was Thomas Raith and his characterization. There’s quite a lot of new information to learn here; don’t let the cases story structure trick you into thinking this is a filler installment; it’s not. I also loved that despite having a life full of hardship, Harry Dresden always managed to rises from it stronger.

“The world might be vicious and treacherous and deadly, but it couldn’t kill laughter. Laughter, like love, has power to survive the worst things life has to offer.”

I know I’m being repetitive about the next thing I’m going to say, but unfortunately I stumbled upon the same issue once again. It’s definitely subjective, but I kept on feeling that the action scenes in some sections still felt too long for its own good. This has happened at least once or twice in each installment, and it happened once again here. I hope this is something that I’ll find being improved in the next books because I do enjoy reading this series so much, and it’s a bit sad that there’s always one or two action sequences where I became a bit bored.

“Jobs are a part of life. Maybe you've heard of the concept. It's called work? See, what happens is that you suffer through doing annoying and humiliating things until you get paid not enough money. Like those Japanese game shows, only without all the glory.”

Blood Rites is hilarious, wholesome, and imbued with revelations that would be pivotal for the continuation of the series. So far, out of the six books in the series that I’ve read, I definitely laughed the most reading this one. A huge plus, there’s a puppy here! I look forward to reading the next one.

Picture: Blood Rites by Vincent Chong


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[Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

BROWN CHICKEN, BROWN COW!

(Sleazy saxophone riff)

Dresden magic on a porn movie set.

I have to admit that when I read the trailers for this, I smiled to myself but did not expect much. Oh, I knew I’d probably like it, it’s Jim Butcher’s wise cracking wizard for hire after all, but the premise seemed off. I imagined Burt Reynolds and Heather Graham in Boogie Nights doing magic; Jackie Treehorn producing Log Jammin’ with werewolves fixing the cable.

But I was very pleasantly surprised. I think this is one of his better books.

Butcher builds and expands his vision of the world Harry lives in, where he’s in the Chicago Yellow Pages and there be boogeymen afoot if not altogether in plain sight. What is particularly engrossing was his further description and explanation of the different courts of vampires. The Black Court are the ones Bram Stoker described (at the behest of the Wizards White Council) and all the normal rules apply, except Butcher’s Black Court vamps are more stinkingly undead, almost a cross with a zombie or ghoul. The Red Court are the more demon like, less human in reality but powerful and able to disguise themselves. We learned about them in Grave Peril and Death Masks.

Then there are the adult entertainment side of the house, the White Court. These are the succubi and incubi, the most human like and the ones who feed off emotions and life force.

And can party like porn stars.

Besides these fun descriptions and some cool recurring characters and some amusing new ones, Butcher also adds depth to his characterizations and further develops the characters, particularly Harry, Thomas and Karrin Murphy. Like any dynamic grouping, theirs is a complicated one and made all the more dramatic by the realization of some Jerry Springer show family dynamics.

Blood Rites, escapist and fun urban fantasy that it is, also is good enough to explore themes of family, love, relationships and the primal need we have for one another.

So not just another magic wielding shoot ‘em up; an honest to God, I’ll be damned, good book.

*** 2025 reread -

Good fun on the set of a porn film.

And why not? Wise cracking professional wizard Harry Dresden's latest assignment is to go behind the scenes in the adult film industry. Of course this is where the White Court vampires hang out and we learn more about this branch of the bad guys, these are sucubbi and they feed off emotions, especially those released during sex.

Butcher also expands his world building and we get to learn more about Ebenezer and Kincaid.

Good times!

[Adina ( back from Vacay…slowly recovering) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5* but I have to differentiate this somehow so 3* only.

Blood rites was fun, although I was expecting a disaster when I read that the plot includes a porn movie set. I mean, what the hell? As unlikely as it may seem, it was not a stupid installment and by the end of the story there were some important developments in the overall arc of the series. Yeah, quite a big reveal so do not read spoilers. Also, there were some sad moments where we learn more about Dresden past. Yes, Harry still acted like he is morally above everyone else at times, which annoyed me, but by now I can tolerate his defects. I got to know him in 6 books so I guess our relationship will continue for the foreseeable future

[Will M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Urban Fantasy is the genre I choose when I'm in the mood for a light read, and The Dresden Files is my number 1 choice in that particular genre. I like the characters, plot, and writing. This series keeps getting better along the way, but sometimes it tends to feel like it has a routine.

No money. New enemies. Girl problem. New job. Almost died. Didn't die. Saved the day.

That's the particular routine of The Dresden Files, and it's slowly starting to get boring. Sure I like reading about Dresden, but I also need something huge that would make me want to read on. That was my problem with the fifth book, but this one had a few great moments.

We all love a good plot twist, or a revelation that we didn't see coming. Blood Rites had that, and I'm really glad. If it didn't have those moments then I would've rated this a 3. When people tell you that the series gets better along the way, sometimes it doesn't hurt to trust them. I bought the next 13 books in the series after reading book 1. Sometimes I feel like I'm obligated to read all of them, but while reading them I feel the sense of enjoyment. The novels are relatively short, so it's not much of a chore to finish it. Add in the fact that you'd be finished by day 2 because you just have to know what happens next. Let's just call these books as page turners.

4/5 stars. While this one is among the good ones of the series, it was still a bit underwhelming. It needs a bit more tricks up Butcher's sleeves.

[Heidi Wiechert · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this entry in The Dresden Files, the vampire Thomas asks Harry to help his friend, an adult film maker. People keep dying on set and Thomas thinks its magic-related.

Part-mystery, part-comedy and 100 percent wizard, I think Blood Rites is one of the best in the series so far.

"I was agreeing to help him and taking a job, just as though Thomas were any other client. It probably wasn't the smartest thing I'd ever done. It had the potential to lead to lethally unhealthy decisions." pg 17

As usual, Harry can't seem to get his life together long enough to get anything done. He runs from crisis to crisis. But, he's become self-aware enough to realize what he's doing.

"My worry and tension slowly grew, and as they did I took a perverse comfort in the familiar emotions. It actually felt good to feel my survival instincts put me on guard against premature mortality. Hell's bells. Is that insane or what?" pg 93

We learn a lot more about Harry's personal life in this story.

"The hardest lesson a wizard has to learn is that even with so much power, there are some things you can't control. No matter how much you want to." pg 353.

And we also get to meet a shady character or two from his past.

Highly recommended for urban fiction fans.

[Rick Riordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My guilty pleasure reading is the Harry Dresden series, featuring Chicago’s only professional wizard. Butcher has the first-person hardboiled narrator voice down pat, and throws out one-liners and rock ‘em sock ‘em action with equal abandon. Harry Dresden’s world gets increasingly complicated in this book with new allies and new enemies, and I’m glad I went back and started at the beginning of the series. This book, like the rest of the series, offers a wild ride and lots of fun.

[Jody · Rating 4 out of 5]

About halfway through Blood Rites I was thinking this was probably one of the weakest books in the series I have read so far. But, as soon as I start to think this the story takes a turn and it ends up being one of my favorites. Butcher supplied some interesting twists in this one. And just when you thought Harry's life couldn't get any crazier....it always does.

This series continues to supply an endless amount of humor, magic, and just plain old fun. You never know what type of situation Harry is going to find himself in. Blood Rites starts out with Harry running from some fire pooping demon monkeys. The next minute, he is working on the set of a porno flick trying to track down a curse slinging murderer. Shake in a little of Harry's personal life, which at times is just as interesting as his job. Voila! Suspense, action, and intrigue all rolled up into the average day for Harry Dresden.

One of my favorite things about this series is how any book in the series can be read by itself and would be entertaining. You may not have the history of the previous books to fall back on when it comes to characters and certain situations. But, you definitely wouldn't be bored with it.

I recently recommended this series to a friend of mine, and now she is absolutely hooked. So, if there are any urban fantasy fans out there who haven't started or read this series yet, I strongly urge you walk a day in Harry Dresden's shoes. You won't be disappointed!

Actual Rating: 4.5 stars ****

[Jim C · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is part of a series and the series should be read in order as each book builds on the previous one. In this one Harry is hired to discover who is cursing a pornography shoot. This curse threatens to shut down the shoot as accidents are piling up.

This offering is easily my favorite one of the series. Everything worked in this book. I was hooked right away with the opening scene. I have come to realize that these books open with a scene that puts Harry in a weird situation but this one was terrific. Harry carrying a box of puppies and being chased by flying monkeys flinging their explosive poo at Harry is just wonderful. I knew right away I was in for a wild ride. And the book just got better from there. The humor was on point, the cultural references worked, and throughout the whole novel there was a message about family. We saw this message with every single character. We saw different variations about family with ones we are born into, ones we did not know we had, and ones we are adopted into. This book also had consequences as Harry's current situation changed. There were also hints at what might be coming up in future books.

I have enjoyed this series up to this point. I have seen in previous books hints at what this series can be and does become according to fans. I see all that come to fruition now with this book. I really do not believe there was one single flaw with this book. We had it all. Humor, consequences, thrilling action, and forward movement for our characters. By far this is the best Dresden book in the series up to this point.

[Celeste · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full review now posted!

It’s a thankless job, being Chicago’s only professional wizard. But it’s what Harry Dresden signed up for, and he is up to the challenge. Usually. But for someone always so swamped with work, the poor man never has two quarters to rub together. That lack of funds always ends up getting him in trouble, whether because of the jobs he takes to get some cash or because he ends up owing some sketchy people money.

This book opens with Dresden rescuing puppies from demonic purple flying monkeys. No, really. Demonic purple flying monkeys that hurl incendiary poo. And can join forces to create one giant purple King Kong demon. Needless to say, the beginning was hilarious. One of the puppies, the one that manages to sneak his way into Dresden’s life, is the cutest thing ever. I can’t wait to get more of him in future books!

Later in the book, Dresden helps an adult film maker dodge a curse targeting the women on set as a favor to Thomas, the sexy White Court vampire that always has his back for some unexplained reason. The curse is completely wonky. Seriously, someone got taken out by a frozen turkey that fell out of an airplane. There are freaky Black Court vampires on the hunt for Dresden, and during all of this other craziness Harry gets some family bombshells dropped on him. Lots of stuff goes down.

Here is my problem with the Dresden Files; the writing is just so scattered. Butcher writes an entertaining story, but when he’s trying to bring plot points together things just fall apart for some reason. I can see where Butcher is trying to go with the story, and I can follow what he’s getting at, but the writing itself doesn’t convey the plot twists in any kind of concise manner. Are these five-star quality books? No. Will I continue to read them when I need a break from denser, better written books? Yes. Because Dresden might not be the best written book series on the market, but it sure is fun.

[Alex Nieves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full video review here: https://youtu.be/KY6fB2fYMDo

Another solid Dresden entry. I didn't like this quite as much as Death Masks or even Grave Peril, but it was good. I think the premise and the story were actually the weaker aspect of it this time around but it gave me some excellent character moments and reveals that I wasn't expecting. Murphy is really starting to grow on me and is no longer just the annoying cop that gets in the way and tries to get Harry arrested.

I like how each book continues to expand on the Vampires of this world and we get to see more and more reveals about each of the different courts and the power plays that are taking place between the various factions and families. I'm of course looking forward to continuing and I'm sure I'll find myself reading Dead Beat here shortly.

[The Fantasy Review · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I didn’t know that The Dresden Files only gets better from here, and that this is the last book that’s a bit meh, I would stop reading Jim Butcher‘s series right now.

That isn’t to say that I hated everything about Blood Rites, so I’m going to try and keep to the positives of this fantasy book!

We saw much more of Murphy
(To those who have read the book – not like that!)

She’s an awesome character and I said in my Storm Front review – her character being side-lined is a real shame as she could have a lot to offer. I was so right!

The reveals in this entry were great

Despite giving me answers to questions I didn’t even know I had, Blood Rites continued to add more hints at what is to come, or might be important, in the future books.

Those hints alone kept me from putting the book down.

I love how with every book we learn more about two main things:
One is Harry’s past, and some of the things we learn he never knew himself. This was the only bit of character development he seemed to have in Blood Rites, but it was great all the same.

The second thing is worldbuilding. It’s hard to create a fantasy world in an urban fantasy book that is inspired by pulp detective novels, but Jim Butcher has found a way around that and is doing an amazing job.

Final Thoughts

The humour is still there, and it rarely doesn’t make me at least smile. The opening scene is a bit over the top, but Butcher embraces it and I laughed when the flaming monkey poo was thrown as Harry carried a basket of puppies.

I have a few theories about what might happen, but I’ll keep this all spoiler free and keep them to myself! I think some hints about certain things were supposed to be obvious enough to keep you reading onto the next book, Dead Beat.

Overall, I hope that the fans of this series are right, and that the series never gets as low as this book again. It was a steep cliff for me to get up as I wasn’t massively into the first three books of The Dresden Files, but there were enough elements to keep me reading.

Now I want to see more of what I love about these books and little to none of the slowness of the plot or flatness of the characters that I hate.

View the full review at The Fantasy Review

[Lena K. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this one...

The whole porn movie production and Dresden working on the set of one, didn't sit well with me at all.

It feels like all of Harry's progress and attitude towards women regresses here, with all of the female characters being objectified by him, one way or another... AGAIN. This is seriously annoying.

The pretty much only good thing was the characters around Dresden, mainly Thomas and Murphy.

[Choko · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** 4.66 ***

"...“Jobs are a part of life. Maybe you've heard of the concept. It's called work? See, what happens is that you suffer through doing annoying and humiliating things until you get paid not enough money. Like those Japanese game shows, only without all the glory.”
― Jim Butcher, Blood Rites..."

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rereading with the Lobster. :)

[seak · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can honestly say, Blood Rites is my favorite in the series so far. Now, this was also my first audiobook of the series so that could have something to do with it. It's hard to tell at this point, but either way, I highly enjoyed Bood Rites.

At first, I thought Marsters was a bit too serious for Harry, at least the Harry I had in my head, but the more I read, the more I realized Marsters is pretty much as perfect as you can get. Harry's wit and constant one-liners were actually made more hilarious by this narrator who is serious for the majority of the time. I think the heightened seriousness really works better for these books because it gives you a sense of this highly dangerous world where Harry works on a daily basis.

It's hard to separate the story from Harry himself because it's told in first person so you're in Harry's head the entire time (outside of dialogue from other characters). I thought this was a brilliant way to handle it though, where you get Harry's sense of humor through his dialogue mostly, his thoughts as well of course, but a seriousness that anchors the narrative because Harry still lives in a world of scary monsters.

I hope any of that made some remote bit of sense.

Anyhow, Blood Rites gets back into the vampires (they seem to be a pretty regular fall back for Butcher) and that makes sense because the set up has been an all-out war between vampires and wizards. Someone's taking out people on an adult film set and Harry has to go undercover to discover who's behind it. Of course, it goes deeper than he imagined at first and there's where the money is for this series... Harry getting into stuff only to get beaten down and beaten on ... a lot.

I struggled a slight bit with the first books in the series, but they have really hit their stride now. I didn't even notice the typical repetitions this time (Harry disrupts electricity, Harry gets really protective of women, etc. etc.) that are explained in each volume as if no one's ever heard about them before. It probably helps that it's been a year or so since I last read in the series.

Blood Rites was excellent. James Marsters is so perfectly Harry Dresden it's almost scary. What a great combination. I've already broken my rule of leaving a year between each Dresden file read and started on Dead Beat.

4.5 out of 5 Stars (highly recommended)

[Carole (Carole's Random Life) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.

I think that I might have enjoyed this book even more than I did the first time I read it. It has been several years since I worked my way through the Harry Dresden series the first time and I have been slowing re-reading the series on audio. I am somewhat surprised that I remembered as much of this story as I did but I think that this is really a pivotal book in the series and it stood out in memory for that reason. I really had a blast with the story and am glad that I made the decision to pick it up when I did.

Once again, Harry has his hands full. The book starts out with Harry delivering some temple dogs to a monk which sounds like it should be a lot easier than it actually is. One of the dogs stows away in Harry's car and I really enjoyed having the pup along for much of the story. Harry is a good guy and always seems to do what is right even when it costs him. This book takes Harry on quite the ride and spends some time on the set of an adult film where things don't really go as planned.

This felt like a pivotal book in the series because there are some pretty big revelations that are made. You get some insight into several characters which will have an impact for the rest of the series. I also liked the fact that we see others make some sacrifices for Harry. Harry always seems to give but it is nice to see that he does have some true friends that are there for him and can be trusted.

James Marsters does a phenomenal job with this series. I am really quite in awe of his ability to bring Harry and the story to life. If I were to read one of these books, the voice that I would hear in my head for Harry would be James's voice. He is able to add excitement to the story when needed and seems to have perfectly captured Harry's sense of humor. He handles all of the voices very well and is easy to listen to for hours at a time.

I would highly recommend this series to others. It is a series that needs to be read in order since each book builds on the previous installments. I had a great time with this wonderful story and can't wait to continue my re-read of the series.

Initial Thoughts
I actually remember a whole lot of this book from the first time I read it which is kind of amazing since my memory sucks these days. This book does not suck though. It was great. There are a lot of important things revealed in this book which is probably one reason it stayed in my mind. Plus there is a puppy in this book...how can you do anything but love a puppy?! Lot of excitement and fantastic narration.

Book source: Audible purchase

[Joshita ❤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75✨

I can't believe how WHOLESOME that ending was?!
God I need more of Harry, Thomas, MOUSE, AND MISTER FJDSKFDSKJFDSJFDSFBSJ

[TS Chan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the character development in this volume, a bit lesser on the plot. I've forgotten how hilarious Harry can be. True that some of the humour is quite sexist in nature, but it didn't bother me.

[Lindsey Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

[4.5 Stars]

[Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was about here in the first reading of this series that I realized that the potential reveals could theoretically outweigh the great plots, humor, and stakes.

No spoilers, but Harry has family. He has no worse weaknesses than family. It's really pretty great.

Of course, the humor is no slouch. Between the banter between Harry and Murphy and the emotional aid he provided with her in-laws, the whole porn industry plot, and Bob, I was chuckling an awful lot.

The series is super strong. There's a reason why it became so big and even a mainstay for the whole UF industry. It's well-rounded and wonderfully snarky and it has meat in a lot of places where you wouldn't expect an UF to have meat.

I can't wait to pick up the next, again. :)

[Alex Nieves · Rating 4 out of 5]

I definitely liked it more this time around but the main case and/or central mystery just isn't as cool as some of the other books up to this point. I do love all of the stuff we learn about the vampires though and certain relationships in this book.

[carol. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three and a half stars. Haven't hit it for a re-read in a while, so I'll eventually have to come back to this review. Liked the developing relationship with Thomas. Notable for the introduction of Mouse.

[Pat the Book Goblin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to admit, the first hundred or so pages weren't all that great. However, once I got to the part about Harry's life and family I couldn't put it down. I really like these characters. I love Thomas and Murphy more after reading this book. I got to see more of their humanity and not so much of their hard exteriors. After just reading this I think this is one of the best books yet. It will be one sad day in this house when there are no more Dresden File books left to read. Such a great series!!

[Gergana]

Many gave up on the series after Blood Rites and I can see why...


No, it wasn't Harry that I had problems with (I'm actually quite loving his chivalrous tendencies). Nor was it the porn movie plot or the inconsistencies. It's just so... predictable . Not the plot, but the structure. Each book has all of the following:
- 1. There is a main case that, eventually, threatens the general public, so Harry gets hired to solve it. (Book 4 - the two fairy courts going to war, Book 5 - the plague, Book 6 - the curse that's killing random women )
- 2. There is an "unrelated to the main-case" villain who is targeting Harry, specifically. (Book 4 - The winter lady/red court goons, Book 5 - the red court vampire dude (forgot his name), Book 6 - the black court vampire bitch (Marve? forgot her name too - one of the main flaws of listening to audiobooks).
- 3. Harry and Co. defeat all villains.
- 4. There is at least ONE unresolved plot that is hinted at the end. (Book 4 - Harry still owes the Winter Queen two more favors, Book 5 - Harry picks up the fallen angel's coin, Book 6 - the walker-demon-thingy is back and has his eyes on Harry) My reaction - great, so now we'll have at least one more book dealing with each one of these separately.
- 5. All villains hate Harry, all villains want him dead, all villains are evil.
- 6. WHERE THE $%#@ IS THE WHITE COUNCIL WHEN YOU $%#@ING NEED THEM?!? AAAARGGGGGGHHHHHHHH! How come Harry has to save the world every book and nobody is like: Hey, this guy's pretty useful! Maybe we should stop wanting him dead. Duh! Hey, Chicago seems to be attracting a lot of nasty creatures that want to destroy the world, maybe we should send more magicians there.You'd think?

What happened to the war with the Red Court?

So here is my main PERSONAL problem - the series don't seem to have an end . I don't feel like the story is progressing or heading in any specific direction. I don't know if Harry will ever meet his past mentor, I don't know if he has a future goal that is giving him purpose, or whether he's doing what he's doing because...he's used to it, nothing better to do. Basically, it's like a soap opera with very repetitive plot points. Whatever character development there is, feels meaningless if there is no purpose for it. Or maybe I'm wrong and the series has a very clear direction that I'm unable to see, please feel free to share.

Nevertheless, I like Harry Dresden. I like him as a character and I am thoroughly enjoying the humor. Plus, I want to prove myself wrong - maybe there's something that I'm missing and it will become clear to me soon.

[Ivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhere between 3 and 4. I really enjoy it but some annoyances persist throughout whole series.

Interactions between characters are pure fun but it's 6th book and story just can't stay away from overused tropes and predictability. Also every book ends in a way that starting point for the next book is same for the next one and every change in Harry's, despite that they look major, feel like just a gimmick as they don't really change tones or the way story unfolds.

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

This 6th installment not only had Harry working in the porn industry - causing all kinds of hilarious conversations - but also Harry finding out he still has family after all.

Thomas, the vampire from the White Court and often Harry's little helper, is asking Harry to take a case with a human friend who so happens to be a virtuoso in the porn industry. Who knew such a thing existed. Thus, Harry becomes an errand boy on set while trying desperately not to look at genitals or even only say the word "boobs" to Murphy. *snickers*
Speaking of Murphy, she's torturned by a family reunion and it's Harry who kinda sorta saves the day. Her mother really was an interesting character but the way she's treating her oldest daughter is unacceptable. And don't get me started on the others (especially the younger sister).
Meanwhile, things are kinda getting out of hand when the ritual killing people at the porn set is turning pro. That plus a master vampire from the Black Court means that Harry needs help - in the form of an assassin who is even more than he seems, apparently. At least if Ebenezar can be believed. Which definitely is in question.

I think the main red thread of this volume is family. Murphy's, Harry's - past and present. The families we're born into as well as the ones we make with the people we meet throughout our lives. And what we are willing to do to protect and keep them. Or how much it hurts if they betray us.

My favorite bits in this book had to do with Mister trying to be more liked than the puppy, Murphy kicking the teeth of one or another male idiot underestimating her, or Harry being droll ways. I bet he's a blusher, too. *cackles*

Sure, the action was great, too. I also appreciated the reveals (especially about Harry's mother) and am looking forward to getting the payoff on those (there will be a reckoning), but the humour was the most enjoyable element this time.

Delicious and fun.

[Lisazj1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, just wow. 😳 Harry's books are never just magic and action but this one, I think this might have had more emotional and personal revelations than any of the books before it.

And I really do love the way magic is portrayed in this series, the effort and physical cost to Harry in wielding it.

Whispers of things to come, some not good and some downright chilling. I really look forward to where this goes from here. 🔥

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I totally screw up and spoiled this book for myself. I read ONE sentence of book #16 Peace Talks and BAM! that was the big reveal in book #6. OMG who would have thought.... 😅