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Skin Game (The Dresden Files #15)
by
Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard, is about to have a very bad day….
Because as Winter Knight to the Queen of Air and Darkness, Harry never knows what the scheming Mab might want him to do. Usually, it’s something awful.
He doesn’t know the half of it….
Mab has just traded Harry’s skills to pay off one of her debts. And now he must help a group of supernatural ...more
Because as Winter Knight to the Queen of Air and Darkness, Harry never knows what the scheming Mab might want him to do. Usually, it’s something awful.
He doesn’t know the half of it….
Mab has just traded Harry’s skills to pay off one of her debts. And now he must help a group of supernatural ...more
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Community Reviews
(showing 1-30)
It occurred to me today when I sat down to write a review of this book, that I've never gone into detail about my Dresden Files obsession online.
That said, it's certainly there, in bits and pieces, pretty obvious for anyone who is willing to read between the lines.
And I've talked about my love for the series in public many, many times. Usually in response to the question, "So what are your favorite books?" Or "What should I read while I'm waiting for book three to come out?"
But I've never rea ...more
That said, it's certainly there, in bits and pieces, pretty obvious for anyone who is willing to read between the lines.
And I've talked about my love for the series in public many, many times. Usually in response to the question, "So what are your favorite books?" Or "What should I read while I'm waiting for book three to come out?"
But I've never rea ...more
Jan 27, 2013
Jeremy
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Everyone!
Shelves:
fantasy
Loved this book, as usual.
I want to start with a quote from Jim Butcher:
I want to start with a quote from Jim Butcher:
For me personally, CHANGES – GHOST STORY – COLD DAYS is the big three-part special episode that comes in the middle of the season like they used to do in the old shows, like in the 70s and 80s. “This is the HUGE, EPIC episode!” and they’d occasionally pre-empt the whole evening to show it to you. That’s what those three books are to me. This will be getting back to what we’ve done before. Harry’s been kind of in isolation fo...more
Skin Game
Book 15 of The Dresden Files
By Jim Butcher
A Review by Eric Allen
Soooo... I understand that there are a lot of Dresden fans that have been rather abhorred over the very dark turn that the series has taken during and after Changes. I, for one, don't really understand why these people didn't see it coming. I mean, in the very first chapter of the series he goes to a murder scene where two people had their hearts exploded out of their chests with black magic. That should have been a pretty ...more
Book 15 of The Dresden Files
By Jim Butcher
A Review by Eric Allen
Soooo... I understand that there are a lot of Dresden fans that have been rather abhorred over the very dark turn that the series has taken during and after Changes. I, for one, don't really understand why these people didn't see it coming. I mean, in the very first chapter of the series he goes to a murder scene where two people had their hearts exploded out of their chests with black magic. That should have been a pretty ...more
Aug 31, 2013
Nataliya
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2014-reads,
dresden-files
My love for this series is now almost unprecedented, and quite irrational. My objectivity makes a mad dash for the nearest exit any time Harry Dresden is concerned. Because Harry and I? We have been through some tough shit together, and that is the friendship that's truly unbreakable.
“Well, hell,” I said. “What’s the world coming to if you can’t trust Santa Claus?”Yes, I know there are probably many reasons why I should be critical of these books. The savior complex. The not-so-rare deus-ex-ma ...more
Okay....listen very carefully, or if you're a stickler for accuracy...read very, very carefully:
If for some reason, curiosity, accident or whatever you have decided to look at this review and you HAVEN'T read Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden books, stop whatever you are doing...reading this review, eating a meal, pretending to work as you browse the internet, surgery, having sex, whatever it takes, disconnect your IV tubes, put your oxygen tank on wheels NOW. Pick your favorite way to read a book, E- ...more
If for some reason, curiosity, accident or whatever you have decided to look at this review and you HAVEN'T read Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden books, stop whatever you are doing...reading this review, eating a meal, pretending to work as you browse the internet, surgery, having sex, whatever it takes, disconnect your IV tubes, put your oxygen tank on wheels NOW. Pick your favorite way to read a book, E- ...more
New book this year!!
Update: 13 Nov 2013, uh, what?! It's not going to be released Dec 3rd?
So I've been lied to for months now?!!!
Someone's gonna have to die for this treachery!
Update: 6 Jan 2014...... WOOHOO. Official release date May 27th.
Update & review: 1 Jun 2014.
Well, well, well. What a game. Mab, you wicked faerie. This book was very good, plenty of action, development for the series, and for Harry in particular. It made it me cry at least twice, maybe three times. Hard to do.
My onl ...more
Update: 13 Nov 2013, uh, what?! It's not going to be released Dec 3rd?
So I've been lied to for months now?!!!
Someone's gonna have to die for this treachery!
Update: 6 Jan 2014...... WOOHOO. Official release date May 27th.
Update & review: 1 Jun 2014.
Well, well, well. What a game. Mab, you wicked faerie. This book was very good, plenty of action, development for the series, and for Harry in particular. It made it me cry at least twice, maybe three times. Hard to do.
My onl ...more
Mab a fairy Winter Queen gives Harry Dresden as assignment he cannot refuse for numerous reasons. Not only it is highly dangerous, but poor Harry has to work with one of his worst enemies helping the latter. If you read the blurb for this book, you might as well skip reading the real thing altogether as it gives away practically everything - who the heck wrote it???
I thought it would be fun to make a short quiz about the book instead of forcing people who will be unlucky enough to read this revi ...more
I thought it would be fun to make a short quiz about the book instead of forcing people who will be unlucky enough to read this revi ...more
Anyone else really looking forward to Dresden's next encounter with Kincaid? I think as moments go, 'priceless' would be an understatement :)
[4.5 stars] Following my two (okay, three) least favorite books of the series, I went into Skin Game fearing Jim Butcher had lost his touch and had dragged the story on too long. What a delightful surprise when Skin Game turned out to be one of, if not my favorite Dresden book so far. It had a strong plot (complete with an interesting bad guy), a good integration of the many fantastic side characters, and, of course, a ton of that snarky humor. It quickly turned a novel I was determined to “get
...more
May 28 2014
HOLY.
FUCKING.
SHIT.
I knew this book was going to be good but I never expected it to go to that level of epic. It had EVERYTHING I wanted, resolved a lot of stuff, advanced several things that have been stagnant for a while and we had DENARIANS again. God, I love them. They're the creepiest, nastiest villains I've come across in literature lately (bar the Naagloshi). The only thing that I was a bit disappointed at was the lack of Toe-mas.
Be prepared for loads of feels btw. Might be the ...more
HOLY.
FUCKING.
SHIT.
I knew this book was going to be good but I never expected it to go to that level of epic. It had EVERYTHING I wanted, resolved a lot of stuff, advanced several things that have been stagnant for a while and we had DENARIANS again. God, I love them. They're the creepiest, nastiest villains I've come across in literature lately (bar the Naagloshi). The only thing that I was a bit disappointed at was the lack of Toe-mas.
Be prepared for loads of feels btw. Might be the ...more
Butchers description of Skin Game
"The next novel is called Skin Game. In it, we find out that Mab has various debts which she has incurred over the years and Mab is very keen on getting her debts paid, and when one of the people she owes shows up and asks for a favour, she loans him Harry Dresden in order to help him. So Harry is going to find himself, by command of Queen Mab, assisting Nicodemus Archleon in a heist. They’re going on a bank job, and they’re going to knock over the vault of Hades ...more
"The next novel is called Skin Game. In it, we find out that Mab has various debts which she has incurred over the years and Mab is very keen on getting her debts paid, and when one of the people she owes shows up and asks for a favour, she loans him Harry Dresden in order to help him. So Harry is going to find himself, by command of Queen Mab, assisting Nicodemus Archleon in a heist. They’re going on a bank job, and they’re going to knock over the vault of Hades ...more
Also reveiwed for Addicted2Heroines
Wow.
Book 15, already?
Huh. Well I guess since I've been reading these books for years now, that sort of makes sense.
So.
How did Skin Game hold up to scrutiny?
It was classic Dresden.
And you can take that whichever way you want.
If you're a die-hard fan of this series, and you still enjoy Butcher's books about the wacky (but lovable) wizard, who can't help getting himself in over his head...then you'll love this one.
However, if you were hoping for something differ ...more
Wow.
Book 15, already?
Huh. Well I guess since I've been reading these books for years now, that sort of makes sense.
So.
How did Skin Game hold up to scrutiny?
It was classic Dresden.
And you can take that whichever way you want.
If you're a die-hard fan of this series, and you still enjoy Butcher's books about the wacky (but lovable) wizard, who can't help getting himself in over his head...then you'll love this one.
However, if you were hoping for something differ ...more
Jan 19, 2013
Carly
marked it as to-read
This is Harry Dresden. 
This is Harry the Bolshevik Muppet.*
*by the way, if you're not up on muppet pop culture, the Bolshevik muppet's name really is Crazy Harry. He is described on the wiki as, "An unkempt figure with wild eyes and a mad cackle, he delights in blowing things up."
Well, shoot. I dropped by to see if it came out in the next few ...more
This is Harry the Bolshevik Muppet.* Put them both in dusters and there really isn't much difference, especially now that Mab is pulling Dresden's strings. They even have the same hair.. .
*by the way, if you're not up on muppet pop culture, the Bolshevik muppet's name really is Crazy Harry. He is described on the wiki as, "An unkempt figure with wild eyes and a mad cackle, he delights in blowing things up."
Well, shoot. I dropped by to see if it came out in the next few ...more
Book 15 was enjoyable but it was not one of the best books of the series. I had several issues with the characters.
The Characters
+ Dresden
I'm sick of Dresden's self-reproach. I know it's a personality flaw and it's never leaving because it's book fucking 15 and still no sign of self-esteem growth but I really wish it would. I'm tired of Urban Fantasy protags hating themselves for simply existing.
Secondly, he spent a year in Demonreach and all he learned was parkour. Granted, he did display a fe ...more
The Characters
+ Dresden
I'm sick of Dresden's self-reproach. I know it's a personality flaw and it's never leaving because it's book fucking 15 and still no sign of self-esteem growth but I really wish it would. I'm tired of Urban Fantasy protags hating themselves for simply existing.
Secondly, he spent a year in Demonreach and all he learned was parkour. Granted, he did display a fe ...more
Parcour! If anyone was new to urban fantasy this is the first series I’d recommend. It was what I started with myself. As many before me have said, this series just gets better and better. I know that many didn’t like books 13 and 14 as much, but I’ve loved them all!
One of the things I love is the payoff from previous books. Character development over the series is phenomenal, not only for Harry Dresden, but all the rest of the cast too. With each book, more of the back story is threaded in. The ...more
One of the things I love is the payoff from previous books. Character development over the series is phenomenal, not only for Harry Dresden, but all the rest of the cast too. With each book, more of the back story is threaded in. The ...more
*4.5 stars*
Though this wasn't my favorite Harry Dresden book, it was still amazing. Part of that is because the audio of this book is so good I could cry. The audio of this series, especially the later books, is simply the gold standard of what an audiobook can be. The audio for this book was astonishingly good, and I think even if the book was terrible, I could never do anything but love it.
The story was exciting, Harry was impressive, and the audio was divine. Now I just have to suffer and wa ...more
it's Dresden, how can it be anything other than five stars.
just finished the book...Holly Crap!!!!!!!!!!!!
just finished the book...Holly Crap!!!!!!!!!!!!
Giveaway of this book here.
Skin Game is really good. I mean really good. Jim Butcher gets better with every book. It had a little hit of Murphy and a little but of Michael. This is one of the best books I have read this year. Skin Game is brilliant, it is amazing and so worth the long wait (18 months!). The main problem with reading Skin Game is the wait for the sequel (Peace Talks #16), which as of right now has an estimate of an August 2015 release. At this point, while Goodreads has August 20 ...more
Skin Game is really good. I mean really good. Jim Butcher gets better with every book. It had a little hit of Murphy and a little but of Michael. This is one of the best books I have read this year. Skin Game is brilliant, it is amazing and so worth the long wait (18 months!). The main problem with reading Skin Game is the wait for the sequel (Peace Talks #16), which as of right now has an estimate of an August 2015 release. At this point, while Goodreads has August 20 ...more
Nov 04, 2013
Planchette
marked it as to-read
I should have a whole new category for this. 'To Read' doesn't quite cover it. Maybe, 'Must Read'?
Another decent entry added to the Dresden Files and another excellent audio performance by James Marsters.
This book will see a much powered up Harry taking on the underworld - no the other underworld - THE underworld. Yes, Mab has her Winter Knight teaming up with some of the most evil characters we've come to loathe over the series to help them rip off a treasure trove from the very jaws of hell - or the Greek version of hell.
Hell's Bells! How is he going to that? Well let's check the list - ...more
This book will see a much powered up Harry taking on the underworld - no the other underworld - THE underworld. Yes, Mab has her Winter Knight teaming up with some of the most evil characters we've come to loathe over the series to help them rip off a treasure trove from the very jaws of hell - or the Greek version of hell.
Hell's Bells! How is he going to that? Well let's check the list - ...more
Review Posted to The Literary Lawyer.ca
Silver Gavel for Best Novel of 2014
My #8 Read of 2014
Oceans 11, Harry Dresden Style - 5 Stars
Just when I thought the series had "jumped the shark" and was on a express trip down the crapper, Jim Butcher pulls off a magnificent effort with his latest and greatest. For my money, Skin Games is one of the best three in the series. The story is one of the best thought out, organized and exciting in many years. I hang my head in shame for uttering the ...more
Silver Gavel for Best Novel of 2014
My #8 Read of 2014
Oceans 11, Harry Dresden Style - 5 Stars
Just when I thought the series had "jumped the shark" and was on a express trip down the crapper, Jim Butcher pulls off a magnificent effort with his latest and greatest. For my money, Skin Games is one of the best three in the series. The story is one of the best thought out, organized and exciting in many years. I hang my head in shame for uttering the ...more
Apr 27, 2013
Andrew Hart
added it
Just found a clip of Jim Butcher reading the first four chapters of Skin Games on Youtube!
http://youtu.be/5-p_CTynqd8
http://youtu.be/5-p_CTynqd8
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.blogspot.com/201...
Let’s face it, there’s really no such thing as a bad Dresden Files book – but some are better than others. For me, this series reached its peak round book 5 or 6. I loved Death Masks and Blood Rites, and though everything since has been very enjoyable, there are still times I get nostalgic for the days where Harry’s life was a lot simpler. Well, relatively simpler. The point is, each installment has added another layer of ...more
Let’s face it, there’s really no such thing as a bad Dresden Files book – but some are better than others. For me, this series reached its peak round book 5 or 6. I loved Death Masks and Blood Rites, and though everything since has been very enjoyable, there are still times I get nostalgic for the days where Harry’s life was a lot simpler. Well, relatively simpler. The point is, each installment has added another layer of ...more
Executive Summary: While not quite as good as Cold Days, Jim Butcher once again shows why he's the king of Urban Fantasy and one of the best fantasy writers out there.
Audio book: James Marsters once again makes this series a must listen. It's not even the fact that he does voices for the characters that makes it great. It's the WAY he does the voices. The emotion when Harry casts a spell. Or him actually yelling PARKOUR! instead of simply reading it. He may not be the voice I originally expected ...more
Audio book: James Marsters once again makes this series a must listen. It's not even the fact that he does voices for the characters that makes it great. It's the WAY he does the voices. The emotion when Harry casts a spell. Or him actually yelling PARKOUR! instead of simply reading it. He may not be the voice I originally expected ...more
Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard, is about to have a very bad day….
Isn't that the way it always is for Harry?
This is simply the best urban fantasy there is. 15 books into this series and I am not even a little bored with it, nor am I tired of reading about Harry Dresden. I loved that Michael was back in this one and that Harry seems to be almost back to himself again after the events of the last three books. The visit with Michael and Maggie were long over-due. There is also ...more
Isn't that the way it always is for Harry?
This is simply the best urban fantasy there is. 15 books into this series and I am not even a little bored with it, nor am I tired of reading about Harry Dresden. I loved that Michael was back in this one and that Harry seems to be almost back to himself again after the events of the last three books. The visit with Michael and Maggie were long over-due. There is also ...more
Dec 16, 2013
Becky
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
2014,
fantasy,
ebook_kindle,
humorous,
i-want-this,
multi-dimensional,
mystery-and-thrillers,
mythology,
religion-y,
reviewed
Pretty much amazing. That is all.
...Ok, that's not all. I have been having an iffy run of books lately. They take me ages to read, and then I like them overall, but not like engrossingly LOVE READING them. I can only think of two off the top of my head that I've read this year that I actually loved the whole process, from start to finish, of reading. That would be The Martian by Andy Weir, and this book right here.
This book is everything that I've come to expect from the Dresden series. Excitin ...more
...Ok, that's not all. I have been having an iffy run of books lately. They take me ages to read, and then I like them overall, but not like engrossingly LOVE READING them. I can only think of two off the top of my head that I've read this year that I actually loved the whole process, from start to finish, of reading. That would be The Martian by Andy Weir, and this book right here.
This book is everything that I've come to expect from the Dresden series. Excitin ...more
I think this was the best one in the series so far. Mab scares the s**t out of me! Can't wait to read #16!
8/10
I was well and truly at an impasse with this series. With this being the final available book in the series I was either going to quit the series and bail after 15 novels or keep on trucking. It goes against my usual attitude of continuing a series until the bitter end even if I’m not enjoying it but I’d well and truly had enough of reading the same things over and over and the last few books in the series failed to impress me.
Suffice to say after this one I will not be reading any more book ...more
I was well and truly at an impasse with this series. With this being the final available book in the series I was either going to quit the series and bail after 15 novels or keep on trucking. It goes against my usual attitude of continuing a series until the bitter end even if I’m not enjoying it but I’d well and truly had enough of reading the same things over and over and the last few books in the series failed to impress me.
Suffice to say after this one I will not be reading any more book ...more
And onto another favourite long running series..... lets hope I can remember all the players & essence of yarn since the last outing!
What more can I say about this series? Its a winner (mostly) for me as I love the lead characters & their interaction along with the genre & world they live in. As always there’s a new twist / additional character each story which gets my attention & the story / lives of all involved moves along with perils / trials thrown at them along the way.
Rea ...more
What more can I say about this series? Its a winner (mostly) for me as I love the lead characters & their interaction along with the genre & world they live in. As always there’s a new twist / additional character each story which gets my attention & the story / lives of all involved moves along with perils / trials thrown at them along the way.
Rea ...more
As good a start as any in the Harry Dresden files….and that is high praise. In the blink of an eye, Harry (who has been confined to a mysterious island) with a brain ‘parasite’ is 'rescued' by Queen Mab whom he had previously agreed to serve as the Winter Knight. (If you have no idea what a Winter Knight entails, go back a few novels rather than starting with this one.)
Harry does not go willingly but he goes with Mab to a meeting in Chicago where he witnesses a bizarre ritual in which someone is ...more
Harry does not go willingly but he goes with Mab to a meeting in Chicago where he witnesses a bizarre ritual in which someone is ...more
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Jim Butcher is the author of the Dresden Files, the Codex Alera, and a new steampunk series, the Cinder Spires. His resume includes a laundry list of skills which were useful a couple of centuries ago, and he plays guitar quite badly. An avid gamer, he plays tabletop games in varying systems, a variety of video games on PC and console, and LARPs whenever he can make time for it. Jim currently resi
...more
More about Jim Butcher
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10 trivia questions
More quizzes & trivia...
“Home is where, when you go there and tell people to get out, they have to leave.”
—
107 likes
“There’s power in the touch of another person’s hand. We acknowledge it in little ways, all the time. There’s a reason human beings shake hands, hold hands, slap hands, bump hands.
“It comes from our very earliest memories, when we all come into the world blinded by light and color, deafened by riotous sound, flailing in a suddenly cavernous space without any way of orienting ourselves, shuddering with cold, emptied with hunger, and justifiably frightened and confused. And what changes that first horror, that original state of terror?
“The touch of another person’s hands.
“Hands that wrap us in warmth, that hold us close. Hands that guide us to shelter, to comfort, to food. Hands that hold and touch and reassure us through our very first crisis, and guide us into our very first shelter from pain. The first thing we ever learn is that the touch of someone else’s hand can ease pain and make things better.
“That’s power. That’s power so fundamental that most people never even realize it exists.”
—
98 likes
More quotes…
“It comes from our very earliest memories, when we all come into the world blinded by light and color, deafened by riotous sound, flailing in a suddenly cavernous space without any way of orienting ourselves, shuddering with cold, emptied with hunger, and justifiably frightened and confused. And what changes that first horror, that original state of terror?
“The touch of another person’s hands.
“Hands that wrap us in warmth, that hold us close. Hands that guide us to shelter, to comfort, to food. Hands that hold and touch and reassure us through our very first crisis, and guide us into our very first shelter from pain. The first thing we ever learn is that the touch of someone else’s hand can ease pain and make things better.
“That’s power. That’s power so fundamental that most people never even realize it exists.”
