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Dead Beat (The Dresden Files #7)

by Jim Butcher (Goodreads Author)

4.41 of 5 stars 4.41 · rating details · 35,679 ratings · 1,142 reviews

When a killer vampire threatens to destroy head of Special Investigations Karrin Murphy's reputation unless Harry delivers the powerful Word of Kemmler to her, he has no choice. Now Harry is in a race against time to find the Word before Chicago experiences a Halloween night to wake the dead.

Mass Market Paperback, 517 pages

Published May 2nd 2006 by Roc (first published May 3rd 2005)

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Apr 30, 2013 David Green rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, 2013-reads

The chaotic events in his life may have Harry Dresden feeling Dead Beat...but his books have never been more energized!

dresdenad

As an accountant, when I have a bad day at work, it often means I spent hours poring through various mind-numbingly dull spreadsheets trying to rectify a discrepancy. Now here's Harry Dresden's version of a bad day at work. One of his most dangerous enemies has pictures that could destroy the life of Harry's closest friend and ally. In order to stop the evil vampire-sorceress Ma...more

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May 10, 2013 Callista rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, mystery-contemp-american, four-star-novels, werecreatures

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. First read: March, 2010.
Re-reading: May, 2013...

“Listen to me,” I snarled. “We are not going to die.”
Butters stared at me, pale, his eyes terrified. “We’re not?”
“No. And do you know why?”
He shook his head.
“Because Thomas is too pretty to die. And because I’m too stubborn to die. …And most of all because tomorrow is Oktoberfest, Butters, and polka will never die.”
He blinked.
“Polka will never die!” I shouted at him. “Say it!” (pg. 212)

Passages like that are just one reason why I’m addicted to the...more First read: March, 2010.
Re-reading: May, 2013...

“Listen to me,” I snarled. “We are not going to die.”
Butters stared at me, pale, his eyes terrified. “We’re not?”
“No. And do you know why?”
He shook his head.
“Because Thomas is too pretty to die. And because I’m too stubborn to die. …And most of all because tomorrow is Oktoberfest, Butters, and polka will never die.”
He blinked.
“Polka will never die!” I shouted at him. “Say it!” (pg. 212)

Passages like that are just one reason why I’m addicted to the Harry Dresden books. Jim Butcher has a wonderful sense of humour; and so far he always leaves me wanting more.
I don’t want to include too many detailed spoilers in this review, because part of the fun of reading a Harry Dresden novel is wondering where things are going to go next.
This one is another winner. Inventive, fun, and at times harrowing. Lots of new developments and further complications. And there’s a lot of heart, too; especially now that Harry has more allies than he formerly did. The Lasciel twists have me a bit worried for Harry, although there seemed to be more hope at the end of the novel than previous events had me thinking might be possible earlier on. The zombie T-rex was insane, brilliant, and hilarious. I usually don’t even like dinosaurs and zombies, but I ate this up. (Pun intended.)
I have just one question: what was the pumpkin for? (Atmosphere? Or was it a goof neither the author nor editor caught?)
Butters has become a really likable and fun character; he’s a great friend for Harry. Having someone around who can sew Harry up is also useful. (Although it turns out there is a reason Harry can take such a beating and not just survive but bounce back. I still wish he didn’t get knocked around quite so much.) As usual, I enjoyed seeing Thomas; he continues to grow as a complex character. Mouse is turning into quite the wonder dog! I liked the new characters Luccio and Ramirez a lot. There were also some very interesting developments involving Warden Morgan.
One complaint: Murphy sleeping with Kincaid(!!!) is a dozen kinds of wrong!
Otherwise, a wildly entertaining book.
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Jul 16, 2009 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, wizardry

Book Twenty-five

Dead Beat by Jim Butcher

"Hell's Bells" count - 13

While I was on my long commute to work (not so bad, as it affords me more reading time), I wondered what the Harry Dresden from Storm Front would have made of the Harry Dresden from this book. I imagine he probably would have been scared. And to be honest, I don't think I would be able to blame him.

There's necromancy afoot in Chicago, and as much as he doesn't want to be, Harry is in the middle of all of it. He's been charged by on...more

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Nov 22, 2012 Evgeny rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

I was not sure whether with book deserves 3 or 4 stars until I was introduced to Butters and Sue. Thanks to Sue, the book has the most epic ending of all Dresden Files books so far; the rating jumped to 5 stars - the highest of all Dresden Files book for me.

It starts innocently enough. Mavra, a vampire from Black Court (think Dracula on steroids) who happened to be one of the most powerful Dresden's enemies made an offer to the only official wizard which cannot be refused: find the last book of...more

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Oct 11, 2012 Erin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: library-borrows, ebook, paranormal-fantasy

I've noticed that Butcher has picked up some standard paranormal/fantasy/horror bad guy as themes for a lot of his books (he's done werewolves, ghosts, vampires, faeries, etc). This is the zombie book of the Dresden Files. That might have factored into why I didn't really like it as much as others in the series (zombies are my least favorite monster). Maybe it's because Dresden seems even more isolated than usual in this one. Murphy is on vacation and Harry's hanging out with Butters, the night...more

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Jun 11, 2012 Ron rated it 4 of 5 stars

Harry hadn’t faced off against zombies yet, had he?

Well, he does now.

This book turned out to be a bit more serious than the previous one... Wait, no. Not really.

I mean, yes, this time the stakes are higher—if he fails, it’s not a power play among vampires but the end of Chicago and, pretty much, the World. It sure would be the end for Murphy’s world, what with her ending up in jail for killing a vampire... So, the motivations are dire and that should keep the tension high and the easy humor low....more Harry hadn’t faced off against zombies yet, had he?

Well, he does now.

This book turned out to be a bit more serious than the previous one... Wait, no. Not really.

I mean, yes, this time the stakes are higher—if he fails, it’s not a power play among vampires but the end of Chicago and, pretty much, the World. It sure would be the end for Murphy’s world, what with her ending up in jail for killing a vampire... So, the motivations are dire and that should keep the tension high and the easy humor low.

But this is Harry. The first paragraph in this book, though I was expecting it after learning at the end of book 6 that Thomas was going to move in, made me laugh out loud.

Harry’s new sidekick, a forensic doctor who has seen a little too much by examining his victims, is scared like hell but somehow he will find the courage to save the day under his battlecry:

“Polka will never dieeeee!!!”

And after much effort and lots of contingencies, Harry will have to ride out and save the day in a most unorthodox white horse.

So... this volume dealt with some tough stuff, and still was funny. Hilarious. Worth every minute, really.

The lore behind the magic, as usual, was different and original too. If you’ve realized up until now, mostly Butcher presents all kinds of paranormal creatures and gives them a new approach... Well, he does the same thing with zombies. Granted, they are not as interesting as the porn-eating vampires or the different classes of werewolves, but they have their own traits.

By this point, the worldbuilding behind the Dresden Files is titanic. Politics, magic, society, war... Everything is very well developed, and while I’d not swear it in court, I’m pretty sure that everything is consistent. People coming up is people we know, or know how to place. Everything is solid, inner-logic-wise. And, since the universe is so vast, Butcher can pull out trump cards we’d all but forgotten about... Which is what happens here. I loved it.

And I think you’ll, too. So, did you get started in the series yet? (less)

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Apr 11, 2012 Meg rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-urban, 2011, 2012

8/25/11: I noticed something about this character last night that I think speaks well of Butcher as a writer: he's managed to write a somewhat sexist character but not sexist books. It's not just because the character admits to being somewhat sexist, but because it's just the main character who has those views. The narrative and development of the supporting characters is actually perfectly decent. It's a fine line, but it's there, and instead of being insulting, it just makes the character deep...more

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Aug 11, 2012 Nenia Campbell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: x-series-bk-7, x-2005s

If a picture says 1,000 words, the best way to sum up the book is this:

Harry Dresden is the wizard you call when there's something strange in the neighborhood. Hot spots of necromancy have been popping up in Chicago like boils... just in time for Halloween, the time of year when the boundaries between the living and the dead are thinnest. Naturally, he is suspicious about the convenience of this timing. Naturally, he should be. The disciples of a very, very evil necromancer called Kemmler are ri...more

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May 29, 2010 Ben Babcock rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, own, urban-fantasy, mystery, 2010-read

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

6 likes · like · see review

Jan 10, 2009 Steve rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 07, 2011 Meggie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: magic

I liked the plot, it was good and enjoyable, but I have to admit that Harry's constant over thinking went on my nerves at some points. It was a bit to much. Butters was great, I liked him in this plot, his characteristic was well written and shown and Harry's patience around him was golden. This part was awesome, thanks for great reading material.

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Dec 11, 2008 Joy rated it 5 of 5 stars

I think this is my favorite of the series so far. The thought of bringing a T-Rex to life and riding it was just so outrageous. This book really brought my imagination to life. Butters is such a great character also.

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Aug 12, 2008 Latharia rated it 5 of 5 stars

The problem with rating book 1 of a series with 4 stars is that it doesn't leave much room for improvement, which I really should have! In the Dresden Files series, Dead Beat is the best one I've read to date. My friend who is loaning me books 4-8 says that they just keep getting better, and he is right. Dresden is genuinely torn between sticking to his principles and using darker forces to do the right thing. Does the end really justify the means? Many familiar faces make appearances, and the s...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Phil rated it 5 of 5 stars

Welcome to The Dresden Files #7, in which everything has gone south for our hero and it looks like there aren't any brighter days ahead. This seems to be the part of the series where seeds from earlier books have grown and begun to bear fruit, and where the foreshadowing of future story arcs grabs hold of your shirtfront, drags you to the store and puts the next book on the counter for purchase.

So what is everyone up to?

Harry is his usual joking self, though a darker element has found a foothold...more

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Mar 18, 2013 ***Dave Hill rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: text

And once again, dangerously, the power levels get ramped up in the Dresden files, as Harry, blackmailed by the Black Court of Vampires, must fight against the rise of a group of necromancers -- and might be forced to fight fire with fire.

There's a lot of coolness in this volume of the Dresden Files. Harry's become a scary guy, even to his friends, which works on one level (he's a soldier in war time, being driven to extremes in attitude and temper to fight the good fight). It keeps you wondering...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Maythavee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Wow, I am absolutely stunned. Dead Beat has to be the darkest book in the Dresden Files yet. (So far anyway) And guess what? I loved it.

The best thing about Dead Beat for me was Harry’s character development. He has dealt with a lot of horrible things and sooner or later he’s not going to be able to handle it. I loved how we see him broken and battered. It shows us that even though he’s a wizard, he is still human. The ways he deals with his crippled hand was so emotional. The pain and the hurt...more

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Nov 24, 2012 Sheila Storms rated it 4 of 5 stars

Probably my favorite Dresden yet, and I'm not even into zombie stories. I love how Harry can grow enemies without even trying. One of Harry's most dangerous enemies blackmails him into searching for powerful black magic for her. Why on earth would he do that? Because the enemy might bring harm and dishonor to a friend. Harry's behavior in this book is proof that decent people are easy to manipulate, but he takes it in such unbelievable directions.

I particularly liked this book, because some oth...more

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Nov 22, 2012 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Story: Our favorite wizard Harry Dresden must retrieve a book for a sorceress named Mavra or Karrin Murphy will die. The job sounds easy but it is anything but when Harry has to battle necromancers as they try to secure the same book so they can conjure up the worst possible army of undead on Halloween and take over the world. Harry teams up with an unlikely partner in wimpy medical examiner Butters and also draws on some favors to try to stop them. Harry is just about defeated when he reali...more

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Nov 14, 2012 Books-treasureortrash rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, contemporary-fantasy, reviewed

Book Review: 2 Treasure Boxes

The word of Kemmler provides the hidden information which allows a necromancer to turn into a demi-god. Harry Dresden must discover how the word will provide such power and stop anyone from using it. Meanwhile, he needs to fight against the competing forces of evil that are all searching it out, and the deadline is Halloween, which is fast approaching. In between, Harry and his friends are facing numerous obstacles from many different directions.

Dead Beat is the seve...more Book Review: 2 Treasure Boxes

The word of Kemmler provides the hidden information which allows a necromancer to turn into a demi-god. Harry Dresden must discover how the word will provide such power and stop anyone from using it. Meanwhile, he needs to fight against the competing forces of evil that are all searching it out, and the deadline is Halloween, which is fast approaching. In between, Harry and his friends are facing numerous obstacles from many different directions.

Dead Beat is the seventh book in The Dresden Files. Jim Butcher has currently written 13 books in this series with book 14 due November 2012. He has also written 6 books in the Codex Alera Series, which is closer to High Fantasy than the Dresden Files. See my review of these books at http://books-treasureortrash.com/seri... The Dresden Files are considered Contemporary Fantasy and sometimes are referred to as Urban Fantasy. They can also fall into the Detective genre since Harry solves a case in each book. Each book is told in the first person narrative from Harry Dresden’s point on view as we follow him through his life while he solves his current case.

Dead Beat is the story about a modern day wizard (Harry) who is fighting against evil in the supernatural community. The story was well told and kept the suspense going right up to the end. There were a few interesting scenes concerning the fallen angel whose coin Harry holds, and there was plenty of action. We learn more about Harry, more about the war against the Red Vampires, more about BOB, and more about the supernatural world that Harry lives. A couple of my favourite characters are BOB, the air spirit and Mouse, Harry’s Tibetan Temple dog.

The story is stand alone, but should be read in sequence with the rest of the books in the series since each story builds on the one preceding it and the world it takes place in has its own unique rules which are released over time. I recommend this book as a good read. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. If you enjoy reading a good detective story encasing paranormal activities with a strong, honorable hero then give this series a try. However, you should read the books in order as the overall story does build even if each book is stand alone.

For more of my reviews go to http://books-treasureortrash.com (less)

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Aug 06, 2012 Kristen rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was pretty heavy all the way through. The balancing humour that I've come to enjoy so much against the supernatural bad guys Harry always seems to get stuck fighting wasn't much in evidence in this installment and I missed it.

The story was stilll good, with plenty of excitement and clever approaches to fighting the mystical bad guys, who, in this book are trying to use the writings of a long-dead baddie, Kemmler, to draw down the power to become a god. There are several of Kemmler's di...more

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Apr 23, 2012 Lou rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is probably my favorite of the entire series to date (at the time of this writing, Ghost Story is the most recent book, with Cold Days being expected in 2013 maybe?). My preferred edition is the audiobook with the outstanding James Marsters reading. Marsters manages to turn all the Dresden books he reads into gripping multi-hour audio dramas, and it's his performances as much as the high quality writing and strong characters that keep me coming back to the series.

One reason I keep coming ba...more

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Oct 30, 2011 Paula Phillips rated it 5 of 5 stars

At the end of Book #6 we saw Harry discover that his Half Brother is Thomas the Incubus and we read as Harry looked after one of the missing pups from the Tibetan Monks. Now in Book #7 Dead Beat, the little pup has grown twice the size and resembles almost a cerulean beast and get ready for this - it's name is Mouse and Thomas after being kicked out of his Incubus family has come to crash with Harry . However, Thomas isn't exactly the cleanest and helpful roommate as Harry who for so many years...more

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Sep 08, 2011 Marleen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Being a wizard in Chicago in a world that doesn’t believe in magic or any other supernatural phenomena can be frustrating, but Harry Dresden has been doing it for years and should be used to all the complications this creates.
Still, as used as Harry is to this secret world within the world, it always manages to send new surprises and horrors his way. And this time is no different.
While his police buddy Karrin Murphy is away on holidays, Harry is approached by Mavra, a deadly vampire. She threate...more Being a wizard in Chicago in a world that doesn’t believe in magic or any other supernatural phenomena can be frustrating, but Harry Dresden has been doing it for years and should be used to all the complications this creates.
Still, as used as Harry is to this secret world within the world, it always manages to send new surprises and horrors his way. And this time is no different.
While his police buddy Karrin Murphy is away on holidays, Harry is approached by Mavra, a deadly vampire. She threatens that unless Harry supplies her with the “Word of Kemmler” she will use evidence she has to destroy Karrin’s career.
Determined to protect the woman who is his friend and for whom he may well have deeper feelings, Harry promises to find and deliver the Word. First however he has to discover what exactly the Word is and where to find it.
Soon he discovers that he’s dealing with the ultimate knowledge on necromancy and that he is by no means the only one looking for this Word. His opponents are powerful and more knowledgeable about this area than he is and for a long time he seems to be several steps behind his enemies.
With both Halloween and Marva’s deadline only three days away, Harry has a race against time as well as powerful opponents on his hands, and there is only him, his brother Thomas, a human mortician and a fantastic dog called Mouse to help him with what appears to be an impossible quest.

The Dresden Files are always an adrenaline fuelled sort of read. Lots of action, magic, impossible situations and last second reprieves keep me turning the pages. The fact that Harry is always fighting a battle with himself between light and dark makes these book more than just thrill upon thrill. I enjoy how Harry is tempted by darker forces and manages to either ignore them or use them in order to try and do good.
The writing in these books is fluent and keeps racing towards the last page, desperate to find out what could possibly happen next. Of course the whole supernatural element of the stories give the author opportunities to make the impossible believable, but that is part of the fun in these books. I’ll be reading number eight soon.
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Aug 20, 2011 Poppy Fields rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: audio, urban-fantasy, best-of-series, met-the-author

POLKA WILL NEVER DIE!

Absolutely brilliant book, the best in the series so far! Harry Dresdan is funnier than ever and becomes even more of a bad ass. Zombies, necromancers, animated dinosaurs, old and new enemies grace the pages of this book as Harry struggles to keep his friend Karrin Murphy's reputation safe. The book is unpredictable and ties together loose ends from previous books. Harry is learning to adapt to having and living with his brother, Thomas. He is adjusting to life with a crippl...more

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Aug 17, 2011 Fangs for the Fantasy rated it 4 of 5 stars

There are some new big bads in town – necromancers, some of the darkest wizards out there, have arrived and they're all looking for the World of Kemmler. Kemmler, the greatest and most horrendous necromancer that ever lived, left his remaining knowledge in this book – a book that could bring untold power to the most evil of people.

And in addition to the Necromancers, Marva of the Black Court also wants the book – and if Harry doesn't get it for her, she's going to ruin Murphy's life. To further...more There are some new big bads in town – necromancers, some of the darkest wizards out there, have arrived and they're all looking for the World of Kemmler. Kemmler, the greatest and most horrendous necromancer that ever lived, left his remaining knowledge in this book – a book that could bring untold power to the most evil of people.

And in addition to the Necromancers, Marva of the Black Court also wants the book – and if Harry doesn't get it for her, she's going to ruin Murphy's life. To further complicate things, Bob the skull has a disturbing past and even more disturbing secrets with Kemmler.

The war between the vampires and the wizards continues with the Wizards suffering a major defeat, the remains of the Warders must turn to people they'd shunned to try and prop up their numbers and can't offer Harry even a tenth of the support he normally could expect.

And to make things even more complicated – the Fallen Angel Lasciel has formed a bond with Harry, a bond she desperately seeks to develop through manipulation, illusion, confusion... or simple helpful bargaining. And while Harry does all he can to resist her – how easy is it to resist such power and knowledge when it could help you save so many lives?

Harry has to juggle all this and prevent a faerie god of the hunt from ripping his head off or all of Chicago may be destroyed. A busy Hallowe'en indeed.

I started this book with mixed feelings. It felt like it started slow and I was introduced to too many of the necromancers too quickly. Too much happened and I admit I floundered and I was worried that I'd remain lost or I'd just have to work too hard to follow it to enjoy it. But I hung in there.

And the epic arrived. Because holding on past that brief confusion was rewarded by the best Harry Dresden books to date and one of my favourite books in the genre. And yes, I have to repeat that the epic arrived because it was epic. Harry facing off against the Necromancers, being tempted by Lasciel, being manipulated by Lasciel – it's an epic story and half. With more epic. Did I mention the epic? Because it was totally epic.

And then Sue takes part. At which point the epic levels have not only been reached by the whole epic meter is now overloaded and broken into little epic pieces and I found myself turning each page with an excited grin on my face, almost skimming in my hurry to find out what happened next. It was one of those times when sleep was cancelled because I was not putting down the kindle until the last page had been read and it was a supreme effort of will not to reach for the next book as soon as I read the last page. It really was the best book in the series I'd read to date and if the previous books were crap they'd be worth reading just to get to this one.

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Jul 22, 2011 Jeff rated it 5 of 5 stars

In this novel Harry is blackmailed by Black Court vampire Mavra. She has a photo that could frame Karrin Murphy (Harry's friend on the police force) for murder and she will use it unless Harry gives her what she wants -- The Word of Kemmler.

Harry has no idea what that is but embarks on a mission to find out and, in doing so, also learns that some necromancers are also after The Word, which has the power to elevate its user to godhood.

This is, so far, one of the more action packed novels of the s...more

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Jun 26, 2011 Michael R. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Unofficially Book #7 of the Dresden Files. Officially they've dropped the series numbers. Having read seven of the ten (currently) books of the series. I think it's important to read them in order - if possible. mainly because Jim Butcher puts a lot of character development into each novel, and not only is Harry Dresden in a completely different state of mind by book seven, so are many of the characters and plotlines. Thomas the amorous vampire has a completely different relationship with Harry...more

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May 27, 2011 James rated it 4 of 5 stars

Epic. That's what this is. Epic.

This story is longer than the previous novels in the Dresden files, but by God it doesn't feel it. This book just flies by in a whirlwind of excitement, fear and intrigue. This has to be one of the best in the series so far, and I pray to whatever deity exists that they continue to improve - 'cause if they do... well, i's soon going to become the best series I've ever read.

Yet, once again, there are a few nitpicks that I have;

1. Lack of murphy - again. Really, it...more

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Jan 26, 2011 Melissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Yay! Another exciting Dresden Files that I actually enjoyed reading. Butcher is getting a lot better at creating an engaging plot and making Harry not quite as much of a wimp. I'm not going to bother recapping, there are far too many books for that and Butcher does a good job of providing details on back-stories.

Harry Dresden is a wizard. A real wizard even though he's been sidelined by injury and fear as of late. However, when a vampire of the black court decides to blackmail him, he has to thr...more Yay! Another exciting Dresden Files that I actually enjoyed reading. Butcher is getting a lot better at creating an engaging plot and making Harry not quite as much of a wimp. I'm not going to bother recapping, there are far too many books for that and Butcher does a good job of providing details on back-stories.

Harry Dresden is a wizard. A real wizard even though he's been sidelined by injury and fear as of late. However, when a vampire of the black court decides to blackmail him, he has to throw himself back into the thick of things. And this time that means into some real trouble. End of the world kind of trouble. An old necromancers apprentices have descended on Chicago looking for a book; the same book that the vampire wants Harry to find. With this book they can become all powerful and it could mean the end of the world, again. Good thing Harry's around.

With the help of a medical examiner, his White Court brother, and his faithful dog, Harry's on his own this time. He tries to bring in the White Council (a group of wizards who control magical law) but find this tough as they are currently at war with the Red Court vampire clan. Since he is powerful in his own right they give him limited help. So on his own he must stop these necromancers and confront his own demons inside him. Life is never easy for Harry Dresden.

Harry in this book was much better. Not so much whining, a little darker (which is more believable), not too much playing the knight in shining armor for pretty girls, and he barely says "hell's bells." Definitely a vast improvement over other books. Butters, the medical examiner, is also a pretty cool character. Butcher doesn't try to make him another hero, in fact, he's a coward. But he's lovable all the same and really tries to help Harry despite being petrified all the time. There are of course the bad guys, which honestly, weren't all that ominous this time around. Yes, they were super evil and extremely powerful, but they didn't get that much time devoted to them in the books and therefore didn't exude the presence they could have.

Butcher is getting better and better with his writing as the series goes on. He used to spend way to much time detailing Harry's clothes and other unbelievable descriptions that Harry as a narrator would never notice himself. He's cut down on that and instead had Harry focus on the important things, like the plot. The writing is exciting and there weren't too many slow parts in this book, which was nice.

Since the series keeps getting better I'll keep reading. There are quite a few more books to go and I hope I enjoy them as much as I did this one.

Dead Beat
Copyright 2005
424 pages

Review by M. Reynard 2010 (less)

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Jan 15, 2011 Michael David Cobb rated it 5 of 5 stars

Harry Dresden is an instinctual hero, and he is so because he survives. He is a blockheaded, stubborn, self-absorbed, overpowering man guided by simple instincts - to protect the weak- who is beleagured by his burden and often overwhelmed. But he manages to triumph against all odds by being resigned to his mortal fate. He is not angry, nor vengeful. He is not often misunderstood. He is only awkward from having been orphaned and has come to love the people of the city of Chicago as his own withou...more Harry Dresden is an instinctual hero, and he is so because he survives. He is a blockheaded, stubborn, self-absorbed, overpowering man guided by simple instincts - to protect the weak- who is beleagured by his burden and often overwhelmed. But he manages to triumph against all odds by being resigned to his mortal fate. He is not angry, nor vengeful. He is not often misunderstood. He is only awkward from having been orphaned and has come to love the people of the city of Chicago as his own without them acknowledging his gifts and many good deeds. He treads an arcane path having been born with a mystical talent and has nurtured this talent and stretched it to his limits through trial by fire, and he has saved the world. You see, Harry Dresden is a wizard, and his talent is magic.

I speak of the character Harry Dresden whose sixth file, Dead Beat, I have just completed to the narration of a cat named Marsters scripted by a dude named Butcher. Marsters *is* the voice of Harry Dresden and Butcher is the mind, and they have created a combination of fiction that is as emblematic as any in the literary sci-fi world.

Dresden started off as a sighing, beleaguered mystical gumshoe who stumbled around within the well marked boundaries of the hard boiled detective novel. But somewhere around the middle of the third book, he suddenly burst beyond those boundaries into a ragged but elegaic prince. He not only got the girl, he saved the city, then lost the girl. He not only resisted temptation, he faced his own deep psychological weakness and admitted his desire for the prize offered. Dresden has metaphorically died and been resurrected into the same tired bones and in each episode has reached new heights and depths. Surely there is a narrative type at work that keeps the drama ripe for human consumption, but there is an unremitting yet slowly twisting core that surprises us with its simultaneous ability and lack of depth. In almost every way, Dresden is on the verge of being anti-heroic, but he is unable to restrain his desire to do the right thing. He is the man who never had a woman or children, who never managed to be a father and consequentially he is inevitably and shamelessly drawn to save them at his own peril. He is the man shouting the loudest "Women and children first!", adopting them in their moment of terror against any foe.

Harry Dresden is an American urban gothic practitioner. He seems to take no great pleasure in eating or drinking, except in drinking in the curves and features of the odd number of beautiful women who plop into his world, but almost never into his arms. He's not excited by fast cars, deep contemplation of the universe, art appreciation or spectator sports. He's something of a loner. A guy with a cat who lives in a basement with no electric lights, computers or stereo equipment. He harbors suspicions about the people who protect him. He pisses off the few that understand him, and he of course always confounds and destroys his enemies, the nefarious characters of the Never Never and their minions who defy the Laws of Magic.

One could say that the Dresden series is like Harry Potter for grownups. The challenges facing Dresden have gotten exponentially more difficult and consequential each outing. There is more death and destruction with Dresden responsible for more and more each time, but Dresden has become more complex and faces greater internal perils each time. In Dead Beat, for the friendship of a woman who seems to be his last friend, Dresden makes a deal with a metaphorical devil - he delivers the equivalent of Dr. Mengele's research to a literal queen vampire. Unlike Potter, Dresden has no arch-rival he is fated to confront. In the end it may be himself. He finds himself offered no honor or official position in which he can see dignity bestowed. Instead, he merely survives the calamities he gets worked into either by his own hardheaded morality or conniving parties in conflict.

You see Dresden is a member of the White Council of Wizards but has been on something like a lifelong probation for having killed his own Jedi Master in his youth. It was self defense, for his master had gone over to the dark side. The White Council is now engaged in a global war with the three courts of vampires, the White Court of life draining seducers, the Red Court of bloodthirsty shape shifters and the Black Court of nightcrawling monsters. Dresden himself is partly responsible for escalating the millenial conflict and has all types of prices on his head from various factions. As he has survived, he has been exposed to the most extraordinary circumstances, even for a wizard, and events have consipred to have him in a position to have been offered eternal life. Literally strung up in a dungeon with a knife at his throat he was offered the choice between death or treachery in the form of one of the original thirty pieces of silver paid to Judas. He touched the coin and locked it away, but its spirit has been working away at him, giving him the unexpected dark power of Hellfire. Moreover, he has discovered that he has a brother and that brother is an expatriate of the White Court of Vampires. With each episode, Dresden is exposed to more and more dark knowledge and must find ways to use it in an ever escalating war between great powers with whom his relationship grows increasingly complex.

Dresden is the superman in the middle, and he knows too much. He can't win, he survives despite of himself and he cannot get out of the game.(less)

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Goodreads Librari...: Dead Beat (Dresden Files, #7) cover issue.	6	31	Mar 07, 2013 12:39pm

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About Jim Butcher

A martial arts enthusiast whose resume includes a long list of skills rendered obsolete at least two hundred years ago, Jim Butcher turned to writing as a career because anything else probably would have driven him insane. He lives in Independence, Missouri, with his wife, his son, and a ferocious guard dog.

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“Life is a journey. Time is a river. The door is ajar” — 522 people liked it

“We are not going to die."

Butters stared up at me, pale, his eyes terrified. "We're not?"

No. And do you know why?" He shook his head. "Because Thomas is too pretty to die. And because I'm too stubborn to die." I hauled on the shirt even harder. "And most of all because tomorrow is Oktoberfest, Butters, and polka will never die.” — 347 people liked it

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Dead Beat (The Dresden Files #7)

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