Okay, I ran straight for this book after reading Fever Dream. We just had a big reveal at the end of that story and there was no waiting. Cold Vengean...moreOkay, I ran straight for this book after reading Fever Dream. We just had a big reveal at the end of that story and there was no waiting. Cold Vengeance lived up to expectations. It's gripping, non-stop suspense that constantly raises more questions than it answers, and for Pendergast fans, it gives more insight into the character than perhaps all previous Pendergast novels. The FBI Agent came dangerously close to the "edge" in Fever Dream, but in Cold Vengeance he leaps over that line. We see Pendergast as we've never seen him in his desperate pursuit of what may or may not be the truth. I'll say no more, as I hate to give spoilers.
Although I enjoyed this book immensely, I expected more answers than I got. And near the end, when the brother-in-law is pressing Pendergast to go along with his plan, and insists that there's no time to explain -- it felt a bit forced. They did have time for a brief explanation about what was going on.
One more thing -- the title doesn't seem to fit. This story wasn't about vengeance at all, but about finding the truth. Pendergast had more vengeance on the brain in the previous story, but with the new information he has, he's moved on.
Finally, I have one question for the authors, Preston and Child: REALLY??? You really left us there? I've read that there won't be another Pendergast novel for a while, and that makes the ending to this novel so much WORSE! Normally, I would have already started the next one - but there is no next one, with no date on when you'll pick up the tale. You are not finished with Agent Pendergast. There are too many unanswered questions, too many dangling threads. You have two characters that have been kidnapped, a secondary character possibly mortally injured, Pendergast bleeding, and implications all over the place that there's a whole bunch more going on -- with multiple characters. Just in case you get it in your head that you're tired of writing this character -- sorry, but with an ending like that, you are not allowed to stop.
Something Borrowed, the short story by Jim Butcher in this collection, is a fun one, and yet has all the magic and mayhem you expect from Harry Dresde...moreSomething Borrowed, the short story by Jim Butcher in this collection, is a fun one, and yet has all the magic and mayhem you expect from Harry Dresden. Loved, loved, loved his dressing down of the "step-mother-in-law." Bob is in great form. "Hey, the cute blond. Did you do her, Harry? After a look around at a trashed apartment: "Wow, you did! Way to go, stud!" We get a little bit of *something* between Murphy and Harry that actually makes conversations in Proven Guilty make a little more sense. I don't want to slip in any spoilers, so I'll leave it there. Definitely don't miss this one!(less)
"Wow," Bob said. "You're dying. What a great plan."
Bob always knows how to put things.
Still loving Harry Dresden. The third installment offers a broad...more"Wow," Bob said. "You're dying. What a great plan."
Bob always knows how to put things.
Still loving Harry Dresden. The third installment offers a broader picture of Harry Dresden's world, and like before, he starts playing with the line between good and bad magic.
Jim Butcher is teaching me a lot about writing, about story, and storytelling. How to continue to make things worse for your character. Don't just put a time limit on him saving everyone. Make him take poison that puts a time limit on his life-saving! How to unfold backstory: in dribs and drabs. He mentions the Nevernever nearly immediately in the first book. But I don't think he ever outright explains it. Harry will mention, say, Faeries, and Bob will elaborate: "Either we get the Disney version of Faerie, with elves and tinkerbell pixies and who knows what sugary cuteness, or we get the wicked witch version, which is considerably more entertaining, but less healthy." He drops bits of information only when we need them. And sometimes even then we have to wait. It makes for a smoothly flowing story that seems to unfold effortlessly and keeps you turning the pages.
I like the character of Michael, though I don't know exactly what he is. I don't know if we'll see him again, but I hope so.
And Harry continues to make mistakes and pay the price for them. He loses people. He makes enemies. He starts wars. And he doesn't even get paid.
The second in the Harry Dresden files was just as fun as the first. I'm getting to know Harry a bit better. He's awkward, sincere, inept, a terrible l...moreThe second in the Harry Dresden files was just as fun as the first. I'm getting to know Harry a bit better. He's awkward, sincere, inept, a terrible liar, not all-powerful, has a weakness for women in distress and women with long legs, wickedly sarcastic, flippant, irreverent, arrogant, sometimes slow on the uptake, worries about the little guy, hates bullies, tries to be responsible, doesn't always succeed, cries, worries about his cat, will puke after seeing a torn up dead body.
Harry takes risks, usually to help someone else, and this time, comes too close to magic he shouldn't play with. We get to see him go up against werewolves and mobsters, and it's not clear who he's more intimidated by. He succeeds in stopping those who would do nothing good, but he pays a price.
An oft-misunderstood wizard, blamed for many things he's usually trying to stop or prevent, Harry Dresden is perhaps unlike any character I've read. Certainly one of the most memorable. I had instant affection for this character, especially how he's read by James Marsters. I'm moving on immediately to the next in the series.(less)
"I was scared. Not in that half-pleasant adrenaline charged way, but quietly scared. …It's a rational sort of fear that puts a lawn chair down in the...more"I was scared. Not in that half-pleasant adrenaline charged way, but quietly scared. …It's a rational sort of fear that puts a lawn chair down in the front of your thoughts and brings a cooler of drinks along with it."
There's an image to start a story.
Harry's not in good shape at the start of this book. It's interesting to see the level of continuity. Considering the end of the last book, he shouldn't be in good shape. But many authors would just give their main character some recup time and move on to the next adventure. Nope, we get Harry in the midst of crisis, obsession, assassination attempts, and generally being on everyone's bad side.
We learn even more about Harry here. His story is more complex. The trouble he's in is deeper. There's war brewing -- on two fronts. Truths are revealed. Alliances made. It's actually the biggest trouble Harry's been in. And the consequences are bigger, with potential to affect the whole mortal world.
Harry's character is summed up well towards the end when the Gatekeeper tells him he's accomplished his task, he can stop. But he doesn't, though he desperately wants to, "because I'm an idiot. And there are people in trouble." Harry puts others before himself every time. Not in a saintly, holier-than-thou way. Reluctantly, with regrets at times, with dread often. But he does it because it's the only way he can live with himself. And when he wins, it's just barely, and always at a price.
I'm getting the sense there's a larger tale going on, being revealed in small doses, with hints and insinuations at times, sometimes more overtly. We learn about his mother a little bit each book, and it's becoming clear there's more to that story than even Harry knows. There was a huge revelation in this book I won't mention to avoid spoiling anyone. But I can now see how there's over a dozen books and counting. Along with the crisis du jour, there's trouble brewing in the background, secrets threatening to rise to the surface.
I've been happily working my way through Preston and Child's Pendergast series. My latest read, Dance of Death, kept the suspense high throughout the...moreI've been happily working my way through Preston and Child's Pendergast series. My latest read, Dance of Death, kept the suspense high throughout the story by constantly upping the stakes and making the situation worse for the characters. Pendergast is a fascinating character, with tightly controlled emotions and many mysteries in his past. To see him reach a point where he nearly couldn't control his emotions and almost decided to accept defeat in the face of his enemy ratcheted up the tension further. These moments weren't overdone, though. Preston and Child used small details, such as a tremble in Pendergast's hand or voice, to betray his desperate state. It made more of an impact than if they had spent time on heavy descriptions of the man's emotions.
The thread of Bill Smithback felt a little extraneous, but that might be because I'm not a fan of the character. Even the whole background story of the museum and the delicate situation with returning a set of masks to the original owners felt not quite wedded to the story. But the main story was gripping enough for me to ignore these faults.
A suspenseful story, but the writing itself was a disappointment. Far too much "telling"! It got annoying at times. I found myself deleting lines and...moreA suspenseful story, but the writing itself was a disappointment. Far too much "telling"! It got annoying at times. I found myself deleting lines and rewording sentences myself, and wishing his editor hadn't given him such a pass on this book. I may be picky, as a former editor myself, but this was a bit much. Still, the story itself was suspenseful enough to take me to the end. I'd give it 2 1/2 stars if we could do that here.(less)
Another excellent installment of the Dresden files. Are my reviews getting monotonous? I really have enjoyed every one of the books. They never feel l...moreAnother excellent installment of the Dresden files. Are my reviews getting monotonous? I really have enjoyed every one of the books. They never feel like the same story shuffled around. And yet, Butcher finds a way to create new mayhem and near-apocalyptic conditions every time. And if you question that I've rated each with five stars, I'll say that my thinking is to start at five stars and consider what detracts from that. Things like a subplot that doesn't connect well with the main plot would knock down a five-star story to a four-star for me. A character acting out of character would lose a half or possibly a full star. None of those things have happened in any of the Dresden stories. In fact, I had rated the first few stories as four stars, but then realized there were no circumstances detracting from a five-star rating.
So I fully enjoyed this story. But, oh, Murphy, Murphy, Murphy. How could you do that to Harry! Come to your senses! Please!
(view spoiler)[The battle in the Nevernever was one of the scarier ones they've had to get through yet. It wouldn't have surprised me if they'd lost someone. The fact that they made it all back, well, I'm glad, even if it makes it tests one's suspension of disbelief. It didn't reach my limits of disbelief, though, since Harry had help from the Summer fire. Sure loved when he burned up the last Fetch and then yelled "Who's next?" And all the fetches went running. Awesome. I'm sure he would have looked kind of scary at that moment, but from this distance... cool. (hide spoiler)]
I finally figured out how to hide spoilers. Sorry if I've let any slip before this.
Eagerly anticipating the next story, I'm a true Harry Dresden fan now! (less)
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