** spoiler alert ** I'm rounding up to four stars; Butcher has earned that right. Also, fair warning, if you haven't seen all of Xena or Buffy (the televisions series), the end of this review will contain spoilers for both. (Don't say I didn't tell, cause I did).

Things I didn't like

1. The power boosts (but see below) and the fact that Harry is the smartest wizard. If he ran the Council, no problems! (Snort. There is no below for the second part of number 1).

2. Harry's increasing special status. Even Odin likes him! Harry was nice because he was an everyman, something that very few heroes in this genre are. He's lost that. Making him more special has made him less special and less unique in the genre.

3. Mouse talking.

4. The feeling that it was guest stars galore. It felt like everyone in the Dresden universe was showing up, like Butcher was going down a checklist. But dude, you left out the werewolves! They would have made sense (but consider number 5 in this section, maybe that's why. Georgina don't play that).

5. The fact that every woman in the story either (a) wants (b) is in love with (c) has had (d)all of the above Harry.

6. The Red Court ending. Dresden didn't have time to find another vampire instead of Susan? His godmother couldn't have pressed the hold button or something? (Additionally, I'm tired of the man having to kill his wife/true love for the greater good, was the minute they used it in the Battlestar redo series). I do give Butcher credit for ending the whole too long war and for showing the cost to Harry's pysche.

7. Maggie (but see also below). I'm sorry, as Callista has pointed out, she doesn't quite make sense because (a) how can a half vampire have a child? Quasi-immorality and long term PMS because you still have your period? If that was the case, Susan would have fully turned long ago. (b) Why would Maggie be a normal child if her mother was a half-vampire? (c) Why would Susan give up Maggie to protect her but still visit Maggie? Wouldn't that defeat the whole secret thing?

8. The whole Martin as traitor thing. First, Susan is not that dumb. Second, it was nice having a guy who Harry didn't like be a good, especailly after the death of Morgan. Having Martin as the bad guy means that if Harry doesn't like them, they're evil. It is never that simple.

9. Might be in a minority with this one but, the whole idea of Murphy and Dresden hooking up doesn't thrill me. Sorry. Butcher has covered that romantic idea too much. He should just leave them as friends.

Things I liked

1. The very end. Butcher might have powered up Dresden, but Harry got taken out in a way that made sense (see also last section)

2. Harry's Fairy Godmother saving his ass when he didn't even know it.

3. Murphy with a sword. Murphy is the best thing about this series.

4. Bob, the action skull.

5. Butters and his underwear.

6. LOTR casting

7. Susan kicking ass (with a sword!)

8. Harry as a father. Maggie might not have made sense, but Harry's reactions fit him perfectly. Butcher showed us cost in the Winter Knight among others. (and was anyone surprsied by the revelation of Harry's grandfather?)

9. Harry not being the target of the spell.

10. Harry leaving Chicago

11. Martin's comment about the Council not caring about poor kids.

12. Mister and Harry's landlady

13. Sanya (though he sounded too much Colussus from X-Men).

14. Tilly a.k.a Slim. Why would Murphy want Harry if she could have Slim? A guy who takes her word and her bond! Simply because it is hers. He's awesome. Murphy, go get Tilly.

15. Murphy with a sword and then having reservations about it!

The one thing I have reservations about

I have to give kudos to Butcher for killing Dresden, but I'm nervous about it. Is it going to be Xena or Buffy?

How many times did Xena die? I lost count. But if she could come back so many times, why couldn't her son, Gabby's husband, or Hercules' family? Even after Xena truly died in the finale, they were still talking about bringing her back yet again. It become a joke, stupid, pointless, whatever. Death should never be whatever. It's why returns from the dead usually feel like cop outs (think the sequel to Jurassic Park, the book not the movie).

Yet, Buffy pulled off. Buffy's death meant something not only in terms of the plot of the series but as well as the symbolism of the show switching networks. It didn't feel like a stunt; the plot fit it. When Willow returned Buffy to life, there was a huge cost for the first. It affected thier relationships, all of them, and the cost to both Willow and Buffy played out over the whole season, even into the next one. Buffy's death was heroic and heart-rending; her return to life and the aftermath of that was tragic and heart-rending.

If Butcher goes the Xena route, ick! If Butcher goes the Buffy route, fine. If Butcher leaves Harry dead but uses him as a ghost, great. If Butcher returns Harry with all his powers intact, I'll be screaming unfair because of what happened to Luccio. It'll just make Dresden even more special, and I'll proably stop reading. Dresden back but with less powers, I can deal with.

Regardless, Butcher has at least earned the right for me to wait and see.