Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only practicing professional wizard, should be happy that business is pretty good for a change. But now he’s getting more ...
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Aug 14, 2011
Stephen
rated it: 
I mostly like this series. However, I am not a die hard "Dresdenite" from the Church of Harry. He is certainly not my BFF and would be better classified as an OAA (Occasionally Annoying Acquaintance). I do enjoy this series (so far) but that enjoyment comes with some mondo qualifications that I will mention below. However, before I spew up the lame cheesy-flavored popCORNY, I'll start with what I really like about this book as it has some good things go for it.
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Jun 15, 2011
Mike (the Paladin)
rated it: 
The story continues here and stays true to form.
The Dresden books are some of my favorite novels...bar none, hands down. These are great brain candy. They're pure escapism, total Urban Fantasy fun, comic drama that do several things very well. Each novel tells it's own story making them individually readable and enjoyable while in the back ground evidence and details mount to tell a larger more involved tale.
Here we open up with Harry broke (not that unusual) and in a spo More...
The Dresden books are some of my favorite novels...bar none, hands down. These are great brain candy. They're pure escapism, total Urban Fantasy fun, comic drama that do several things very well. Each novel tells it's own story making them individually readable and enjoyable while in the back ground evidence and details mount to tell a larger more involved tale.
Here we open up with Harry broke (not that unusual) and in a spo More...
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Jul 12, 2009
Chris
rated it: 
Reasons to read this book.
1. Harry Dresden is a believable character. He learns, he grows, but he does not gain a new power every book. In fact, he doesn't seem to gain any power in any of the books. He gains awareness and knowledge.
2. Susan is cool, but flawed like Harry. Love her.
3. Godfather with a helicopter.
4. One of the best love/sex scenes I have ever read. Butcher could write a good romance novel.
5. Good female detective More...
1. Harry Dresden is a believable character. He learns, he grows, but he does not gain a new power every book. In fact, he doesn't seem to gain any power in any of the books. He gains awareness and knowledge.
2. Susan is cool, but flawed like Harry. Love her.
3. Godfather with a helicopter.
4. One of the best love/sex scenes I have ever read. Butcher could write a good romance novel.
5. Good female detective More...
Aug 05, 2008
Latharia
rated it:
Again, Jim Butcher does not disappoint. With rich characterization & bold storytelling, Death Masks treads the lines between black and white, encouraging the reader to consider his/her own position. The classic question "Why do you do what you do?" is subtly threaded through the entire book, with almost every character. By no means a morality play, this book nonetheless got me thinking, while being entertained by some acerbic and well-timed wit!
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Jul 04, 2011
AH
rated it:
The reason why I enjoy Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden series is that each book is jammed packed full of "stuff." What do I mean by "stuff?" It's all the creatures, magic, mythology, and action all thrown in one book. So much happens in this book and I can always count on Harry's unique way of deal with adversity (and adversaries). I think these books work because they capture the gritty world of city life and juxtapose it with the paranormal. Chicago makes such a great backdrop
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Apr 15, 2010
The Flooze (Michelle M.)
rated it:
Death Masks maintains a breakneck pace throughout. Like in any other of the Dresden Files, Harry faces impossible odds. The war with the Red Court of Vampires is escalating and a duel to the death may mean a truce--or the demise of Harry and his friends. While preparing for the face-to-face, he's dodging hitmen, chasing thieves, and battling hellish creatures of fascinating variety. Add some heartbreak into the mix and, needless to say, Harry's having a hard time of it.
Death Masks st More...
Death Masks st More...
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Jun 30, 2010
Dhuaine
rated it:
Fifth installment of Dresden Files series. Harry Dresden has even more on his plate than usual. 70 pages into the book he's already handling six severe cases. This time, fortunately, we get something that resembles usual Private Investigator job: a stolen item, instead of great faerie war or whatever. Of course, later it still evolves into 'let's save the world' type of plot.
The world is about to end, everybody and their mother want to kill Harry Dresden, Dresden lacks common sense to insa More...
The world is about to end, everybody and their mother want to kill Harry Dresden, Dresden lacks common sense to insa More...
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Aug 09, 2010
Callista
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Jun 17, 2010
Ben
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Feb 25, 2009
Amy
rated it: 
Well, poop.
I thought I had stumbled onto a fun series for geeks. Wizard-slash-sleuth Harry Dresden is a great character. Half his charm is that he's got old fashioned chivalry to a fault; he's a real sucker for a damsel in distress, and treats lades like ladies, no matter how unpopular it becomes in modern society.
Then Harry got a girlfriend somewhere in book 2 or 3. It quickly became clear that they had your standard modern relationship, although at first the sex was imp More...
I thought I had stumbled onto a fun series for geeks. Wizard-slash-sleuth Harry Dresden is a great character. Half his charm is that he's got old fashioned chivalry to a fault; he's a real sucker for a damsel in distress, and treats lades like ladies, no matter how unpopular it becomes in modern society.
Then Harry got a girlfriend somewhere in book 2 or 3. It quickly became clear that they had your standard modern relationship, although at first the sex was imp More...
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Sep 20, 2008
June
rated it:
Things have heated up with the war with the Red Vampire court. Harry has been challenged to a duel with their champion. He has been asked to find the missing Shroud of Turin. Then there are the professional hit men who seem to be using him for target practice Plus, his ex-girlfriend, who has been infected by vampires has returned. The book explores good vs. evil, faith, torture & ends with a statement about hate. "I couldn't hate him anymore. I couldn't hate him because I wasn't sure
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Oct 04, 2011
As the fifth book in the Harry Dresden series, Death Masks continues to follow the same format as the first four books. Harry is in desperate need of money. He takes a case. This case leads him into deeper troubles. The Chicago PD gets involved in some capacity. He never sleeps. He gets hurt. A lot. Eventually, most of the loose ends get tied up nicely, with some remaining stories still unresolved to keep the reader’s interest for future stories. Predictable, methodical, and yet utterly addictin
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Oct 11, 2011
Diminutive-fox
rated it:
Favourite character/s: Murphy, Michael, Charity, Harry (I suppose!)
Best Part: “My faith protects me. My Kevlar helps.” – ‘nuff said. But really, I think the best parts where any where Michael showed up and kicked arse. Ditto for Murphy. Also Harry has some hilarious dialogue as usual, it’s good to see him true to form.
Worst Part: Skipping three or four pages because of gratuitous sex scene. If I wanted to read porn…I’d go read porn, kay, Mr. Butcher?
Thoughts: I like the Dresd More...
Best Part: “My faith protects me. My Kevlar helps.” – ‘nuff said. But really, I think the best parts where any where Michael showed up and kicked arse. Ditto for Murphy. Also Harry has some hilarious dialogue as usual, it’s good to see him true to form.
Worst Part: Skipping three or four pages because of gratuitous sex scene. If I wanted to read porn…I’d go read porn, kay, Mr. Butcher?
Thoughts: I like the Dresd More...
Aug 25, 2011
Wrong_Writer
rated it:
Butcher has created such a vibrantly alive universe full of lore based on mythology and lore easy to recognize yet recreated by Butcher in such an original and charismatic way it is impossible for one to refer to any character or creature as stereotypical. He has built a system of the laws of magic so thoroughly fleshed out and logical it is easy to believe magic is real. And who doesn't love a wise-cracking Private-Eye . . . who just happens to be a 6 1/2 foot tall ass-kicking wizard.
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Aug 05, 2011
Fangs for the Fantasy
rated it:
Why, I do believe we have arrived.
Harry Dresden is dealing with the ongoing fallout of the war between the Wizard's White Council and the Vampire's Red Court. A war he started and where he still very much stands at the eye of the storm. The Red Court noble, Ortega is in town with a proposition for Harry. A duel. A duel between Harry and Ortega to the death. If Harry wins Chicago is declared a neutral zone. If he refuses the duel? His friends will be targeted and killed. Faced with th More...
Harry Dresden is dealing with the ongoing fallout of the war between the Wizard's White Council and the Vampire's Red Court. A war he started and where he still very much stands at the eye of the storm. The Red Court noble, Ortega is in town with a proposition for Harry. A duel. A duel between Harry and Ortega to the death. If Harry wins Chicago is declared a neutral zone. If he refuses the duel? His friends will be targeted and killed. Faced with th More...
Aug 01, 2011
Michael
rated it:
This was the first Dresden book I've actually read, after experiencing the preceding four on audiobook. Which was just as well as the rollicking pace of the narrative doesn't spare a moment to recap when it needs to. New readers will be more than slightly mystified, but the quality of the series means that having to read from the first book is certainly not a chore.
The scheduled release of audiobook recordings isn't in chronological order (1-4 are available now, 8-11 the end of this month, 5 i More...
The scheduled release of audiobook recordings isn't in chronological order (1-4 are available now, 8-11 the end of this month, 5 i More...
Jul 05, 2011
The king of complicated, Chicago's only professional wizard is back in Butcher's fifth Dresden Files novel. Harry agrees to go on a paranormal talk show to meet a man who's been searching for Susan, his half-vampire love. But he gets more than he bargained for when all the other guests are there to meet him as well. There's a count of the Red Court there to challenge Harry to a duel in an effort to end the war between the Red Court vampires and the White Council, which rules the wizards. There's
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May 31, 2011
Sarah
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
May 29, 2011
Jeff
rated it:
Harry Dresden can never seem to handle only one problem at a time. In this novel, he has been hired by a priest sent by the Vatican to recover the stolen Shroud of Turin. As if this isn't enough to handle, he is also slated to duel with Duke Ortega, in order to bring the war between the wizards and the Red Court Vampires to an end.
Nicodemus of the Denarians (an organization of fallen angels who have bonded with human hosts) wants to get his hands on the Shroud in order to spread a More...
Nicodemus of the Denarians (an organization of fallen angels who have bonded with human hosts) wants to get his hands on the Shroud in order to spread a More...
May 25, 2011
James
rated it:
I think I'm getting slightly bored with writing the same sort of reviews over and over again for these books; seriously, how consistently good can a series of books be? Well... this good, I suppose.
Once again Harry takes us through a world filled with horror and nightmares, managing to captivate his audience whilst having a great time doing it.
This book not only entertains, but I thought it highlighted the whole black and white / good vs. evil thingy-ma-bob quite well, revea More...
Once again Harry takes us through a world filled with horror and nightmares, managing to captivate his audience whilst having a great time doing it.
This book not only entertains, but I thought it highlighted the whole black and white / good vs. evil thingy-ma-bob quite well, revea More...
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Apr 18, 2011
John
rated it:
This was by far the best installment of the Dresden Files that I have read. Butcher kicks off the action from the get-go and the supporting cast of characters--both villains and heroes alike--is downright appealing and interesting.
Here's some of the plot twists and turns:
• Susan, Harry's almost-by-not-quite-a-vampire girlfriend who disappeared in Summer Knight,, has returned and she is feeling a bit peckish.
• A decapitated, hand-less body turns up at the morgue and More...
Here's some of the plot twists and turns:
• Susan, Harry's almost-by-not-quite-a-vampire girlfriend who disappeared in Summer Knight,, has returned and she is feeling a bit peckish.
• A decapitated, hand-less body turns up at the morgue and More...
Jan 26, 2011
Melissa
rated it:
The series is back to being so-so for me again. After really loving the last book, I had high expectations for this one. As it could be read as a stand-alone for the most part (events from previous books are well explained) I will not be recapping the series.
Harry Dresden is a wizard. A real one, he's even got an ad in the yellow pages. Normally he just helps clients find missing items, stop small hauntings, that sort of thing. But not this time. This time Harry has been hired for a bi More...
Harry Dresden is a wizard. A real one, he's even got an ad in the yellow pages. Normally he just helps clients find missing items, stop small hauntings, that sort of thing. But not this time. This time Harry has been hired for a bi More...
Oct 22, 2010
Steven
rated it:
This is not Butcher's best work, which still makes it solidly better than most authors' best.
The book begins with an ultra-powerful Red Court vampire challenging Chicago-based wizard Harry Dresden to a duel. Harry knows that fighting this guy is a bad idea, but not agreeing to the duel may be even more dangerous.
Now that Harry has agreed to a duel he most likely won't win, he finds himself embroiled in a case involving the missing Shroud of Turin, the Vatican, horrific murde More...
The book begins with an ultra-powerful Red Court vampire challenging Chicago-based wizard Harry Dresden to a duel. Harry knows that fighting this guy is a bad idea, but not agreeing to the duel may be even more dangerous.
Now that Harry has agreed to a duel he most likely won't win, he finds himself embroiled in a case involving the missing Shroud of Turin, the Vatican, horrific murde More...
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Jun 26, 2010
Kate
rated it:
Dear Mr. Butcher,
Please, for the love of all that's holy, visit Chicago. Seriously. Your lack of knowledge of the city you've placed this series in is a HUGE turnoff for me. For instance, when someone says "the airport" in Chicago, the person listening says "which one?" Or when you go to visit Wrigley Field, there IS no massive parking lot, and certainly not 'acres of empty asphalt'. And even in February, there's no way the area would be deserted. You're sma More...
Please, for the love of all that's holy, visit Chicago. Seriously. Your lack of knowledge of the city you've placed this series in is a HUGE turnoff for me. For instance, when someone says "the airport" in Chicago, the person listening says "which one?" Or when you go to visit Wrigley Field, there IS no massive parking lot, and certainly not 'acres of empty asphalt'. And even in February, there's no way the area would be deserted. You're sma More...
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May 13, 2010
Icats
rated it:
If the Shroud of Turin was stolen I think it is quite obvious on who you would call to get it back. That’s right, Harry Dresden – Wizard. A representative from the Vatican, Father Vincent, contacts Dresden to help them locate the stolen Shroud of Turin, which they believe, has been taken to Chicago. Could this be related to the headless and mutilated corpses that he has been asked by the SI detectives to help identify? And who or should I say what is also after the Shroud and appears to want Dre
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Apr 13, 2011
Kate
rated it:
Another great romp by Jim Butcher. No one else can weave multiple action-packed storylines into a cohesive, can't-put-it-down whole like Butcher can, and Death Masks is a great example of that.
The demons introduced in this book are fascinating, and the religious theory behind them - and those who fight them - is equally engaging. The political machinations touched off in the previous book, dealing with the war between the White Council and the Red Court, are elaborated on, and still ma More...
The demons introduced in this book are fascinating, and the religious theory behind them - and those who fight them - is equally engaging. The political machinations touched off in the previous book, dealing with the war between the White Council and the Red Court, are elaborated on, and still ma More...
Feb 27, 2009
Djrmel
rated it:
This time around, Dresden goes in search of a very well known and very investigated sacred relic of the Roman Catholic church. That means Michael and a few other Knights of the Cross get involved, and in my opinion that always leads to a Dresden File that's a little better researched than the ones that don't use these characters. Also back for this book are Susan, who adds little to the plot but quite a bit to Dresden's character development, and my favorite supporting character, White Court va
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Jun 19, 2011
Tracey
rated it:
The fourth book of the Dresden Files, Summer Knight, ultimately led up to some big, great (not great big) goings-on, but felt a little long and actually dragged in spots. Death Masks, the fifth book, struck at issues of faith and, to my delight, brought back the MIA Susan for this particular mission. I found the plotting here tighter than the last book (though for fans of Billy and his werewolf crew, they were plenty present in the previous book and are absent here), the action clipping right al
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May 27, 2011
Jay
rated it: 
Really, I don't know why I listen to these books. I bitch all the way through (look at my status updates) about Harry, his women, his 'Hells Bells' (though he does say 'fuck' once I believe), the way he looks before he leaps, the lack of chemistry with fuck-buddy Susan (they do fuck in this boook - a rather embarrassingly written scene suggested by a 14 year old girl), and for this episode how bloody absolutely nothing is advanced in the general story.
In short, I get worked up. Look More...
In short, I get worked up. Look More...
Jan 09, 2011
Gabriel
rated it:
This starts off a little slow (because somehow a machine gun firing at our hero as he leaves a TV studio that is exploding with a priest who has hired him to find the Shroud of Turin after he was challenged to a duel with a vampire is slow), but from there on delves straight into what has made this a great series to begin with: the character study of Harry Dresden.
At this point, the noir-style action and quirky one-liners are secondary to the real draw in the story. It's about watchi More...
At this point, the noir-style action and quirky one-liners are secondary to the real draw in the story. It's about watchi More...
