Dresden Files discussion

Iiiiintroducing.... Michael Carpenter and the Swords!

(Since nobody else is starting the thread, I will :P )

Thanks, Justin.

I'm curious. Is this the very first time we meet Michael, or is there a short story in between Fool Moon and this book that I missed?

Natasha wrote: "Is this the very first time we meet Michael, or is there a short story in between Fool Moon and this book that I missed?"

As far as I know, it's our first time meeting Michael or even hearing about him. According to the Dresden Files wiki, he doesn't appear in anything set chronologically earlier. Not yet, anyway :)

Yeah, that was one of the things I found a bit jarring about Grave Peril. It felt like we should have met Michael before this.

Yeah, I figured it was a new character JB was slipping in. You could say maybe Harry became friendly with him since the last case file. Either way, I'm happy with the addition. Michael rocks.

(view spoiler)[I have always wondered about the soul gaze they shared, though. Michael had insisted they share a soul gaze when they met. Harry says Michael's soul made him weep. I would love to see that scene. Harry must have been terrified of the idea of Michael seeing his soul. I imagine he protested strongly. But when Michael is set on something, there's no changing his mind. (hide spoiler)]

Anyone have ideas on what Harry saw that caused the waterworks? What do you think Michael thought of Harry's soul? Perhaps he knows Harry better than Harry does?

Question about Lea's encounter with Harry, but I'll use spoilers.

(view spoiler)[Does anyone think Lea's encounter with Harry in the graveyard was rather more ...vicious than later meetings? She seemed a lot more hostile than she does later on. I got the sense she hadn't bothered contacting him in a long while, like perhaps since he made the contract with her, when escaping from Justin. She seemed to expect him to go with her willingly, and perhaps she was justified, since that seemed to be the essence of the contract. When he didn't, she acted as if he was betraying her, and I guess that pissed her off. But she still seemed more hostile than she usually is with him.

Also, she mentions his mother, but now I can't remember what her role played in making that contract, if any. Can someone refresh my memory? He promised his fealty to Lea for power? What sort of power? And what's his mother got to do with it? (hide spoiler)]

I've been waiting for this book, as a library download, for almost 2 weeks. I read the 4 chapter sample this morning and had to buy it; can't wait any longer! I am really enjoying the action so far, and also really love Michael! This book seems to get off to a better start than the first two. I like how JB took us straight to the ghost fight before giving us the back story. Great way to bring me into the story.

Nickie wrote: "I like how JB took us straight to the ghost fight before giving us the back story."

That's something he seems to do more and more as the series goes on: Start the book right in the middle of either some action or something that sounds like action in the first few paragraphs before you find out that it's, I dunno, him trying to brush Mister's fur.

Compare the opening of Grave Peril to the opening of Book 1, where he's receiving his mail :P

Speaking of that, I love the one where it starts out with : (view spoiler)[Him and Thomas fighting the monkeys with the flaming poo. :-) (hide spoiler)] I forgot which book it was though.

Mike wrote: "Speaking of that, I love the one where it starts out with : [spoilers removed] I forgot which book it was though."

The book your thinking of is Blood Rites

Mike wrote: "Speaking of that, I love the one where it starts out with : [spoilers removed] I forgot which book it was though."

That was just a quick sidestop, lol.

Yes but (view spoiler)[It's also where he got Mouse. (hide spoiler)]

Monica, Lea was involved in a deal between Margaret LaFey, and with Harry, two separate deals. The former, while we don't know what exactly Margaret gave or if she got anything else, it is the deal that causes Lea to be Harry's fairy godmother. (Though, that may not be formal, (view spoiler)[ because later in the series! When Harry is presumed dead, the deals with Harry caused Lea to take up Molly's training, as passed down obligation. (hide spoiler)] The latter, was a deal with Harry to give him the power to defeat Justin and live, in return for being hers. (view spoiler)[ later modified, twice. Once gives him an year and a day untouched, after the impasse where he had taken amantia poison and offered to go and be hers, for the 24-72 hours he had left of life. The second when the debt passed to Mab, and she traded it for three favors, starting with Summer Knight. (hide spoiler)] Though it is pretty much stated that what Lea gave him was like Dumbo's feather - confidence to use a power he already had.

Just finished Grave Peril and can't wait to start the next one!

Liked the addition of Michael and Lea. I find it interesting how we learn a little bit more about Harry's past in each book. I liked reading about how Harry saw Murphy with his wizard sight. Susan was kind of annoying me with how much she used Harry to do her job and, in a way, I'm glad she's gone. Of course, I'm sad for Harry and I didn't want her to be turned into a vampire, but she endangered a lot of people by going to that party.

I am curious as to how Bianca teamed up with Kravos. It seems like a lot of planning went into this just to get a little revenge. Makes for a good story but seems very farfetched that they would rile up all the ghosts and Kravos kills himself and they had to know that they would somehow get the sword from Lea... Anyway, I enjoyed the book a lot.

WOW! I finished this book last night and was blown away by how much "more" this one is compared to the first two (which I liked). I really like Michael and the balance he provides for Harry. I also like Charity and find that her irritations regarding Harry often mimick my own. Lea-scary cool!

I am really enjoying the depth that we are beginning to see in Harry--his persona, his powers,thought processes, his guilt complex! It is good that he has friends to help him see other options/lines of thinking. I have already started #5 and like how we see one of his friends confront his state of mind (don't want to give any spoilers!).

Thomas was an intersting character to me. Being a vamp adds this little thrill of should Harry work with him or shouldn't he...you just never know what is going to happen, and for me that really added to the adventure. Justine was kinda of annoying, but I get how her character helps us to see Thomas and his vamp court.

Overall, I love this book and am glad that I purchased it.

Glad you're having fun :)

In my opinion, each of the Dresden books get better with each one. Butcher definitely improves his writing with each book.

By the time you hit Changes it'll blow you away.

Hmmm....
So, no speculation on what Harry saw in Michael's soul? [poke, poke]

I think he saw Michael's innate goodness. He is a man without ulterior motives who truly puts his life on the line just to help people he often doesn't even know. He also 100% believes in God. I think it shames Harry a little since Harry struggles with guilt over just about everything.

I think Michael sees that Harry is a good man. He has morals and he almost always does the right thing. He might grumble about it and make smart ass remarks about it, but he will still do the right thing, even if it might be stupid.

He probably also saw the darkness that Harry fights against within himself. Harry knows how easy it is to use destructive magic to get what he wants, and I think that often tugs at him.

I wonder if we'll ever find out what's in Harry's soul...

I too think Harry saw some of Michael's innate goodness; however I couldn't help but wonder while reading this book if Harry saw some life changing event(s) in Michael's soul. I wonder if Michael had one or more negative experiences that helped lead him to his devotion.

That's a good thought, Nickie.

Okay, so I'm way behind but Grave Peril is making me feel like one of those Muppet critics. I like JB's writing but am irritated that the bad guy in this story was apparently created off-page, in an adventure that Harry had with Michael. All of it, off-page. And that bugs me. *deep cleansing breath* I'm good, moving on now.

Am i alone in thinking Molly is Siriothrax daughter?

Bear wrote: "Am i alone in thinking Molly is Siriothrax daughter?"

Hmm. It's an interesting speculation but I just don't think so. I really think she is Michael's child. Making her half dragon would make her choices less interesting, IMO. The idea that she is the wizard offspring of a Fist of God is irony and tragedy enough for me.

Sharon, It was the comment about not remembering anything about the kidnapping in combination with the two of them getting immediately married after he saved her.
I am grabbing at everything in anticipation of the release date.