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Grave Peril

(The Dresden Files #3)

Jim Butcher (Goodreads Author)

4.17 · Rating details · 125,380 ratings · 4,765 reviews

An alternative cover edition with a different page count exists here.

Harry Dresden - Wizard
Lost Items Found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment.

Harry Dresden has faced some pretty terrifying foes during his career. Giant scorpions. Oversexed vampires. Psychotic werew ...more

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Paperback, 378 pages

Published September 4th 2001 by Roc (first published September 1st 2001)

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Urban Fantasy With Male Lead Characters

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Average rating 4.17 ·

Rating details

· 125,380 ratings · 4,765 reviews

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Dec 06, 2010 Casey rated it did not like it

Hey Dresden Files,

Listen. I know my trusted friends set us up, and they have really good taste and usually know what I like, but it's just not going to work out between us. I like awesome, interesting female characters, and while I will give you that Murphy is awesome, the rest aren't cutting it for me. (Never mind that every time a female character DOES show up, no matter how dire the peril, Harry makes sure to describe the precise way whatever she's wearing cups her breasts. If she ...more

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Dec 06, 2015 ✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016, ghosts-and-ghouls-and-stuff, uf-with-male-lead, urban-fantasy, br-2016, set-sail-for-disappointment, cure-for-insomnia, blah-blah-blah-heaven, boredom-fest

● Jim Butcher How Could You Do This To Me Buddy Read (JBHCYDTTMBR™) with my ~~slightly unhinged MacHalo Freaks~~ wife/sister/aunt Shelly ●

Who are you and WHAT THE BLOODY FISH have you done with Formerly Awesome Happy Dresden (FAHD™)?!

Was this really written by the same author as books 1 and 2 in this series? It sure doesn't seem like it. I started thinking about DNFing it around the 20% mark, and it's nothing short of a miracle that I eventually made it to the last page. Skimmingclass="gr-hostedUserImg">
Was●
Who ...more

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May 17, 2014 Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁ Rabid Reads-no-more rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: buddy-reads-are-the-best, fae, urban-fantasy, some-kinda-magic, rabid-reads-reviews

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

BR with my peeps at: Buddies Books and Baubles

Specifically: Robin (Bridge Four) , Jenny , Lila , and Steven

3.5 stars

GRAVE PERIL was a kind of awkward installment.

A year has passed since the end of FOOL MOON, and in the interim, not only have Harry and Susan stayed together and are now in a committed relationship, but at some point Harry and our favorite officers of law enforcement have taken down a Bad Guy sorcerer who was using a demon, teenagers, drugs, orgies, and did I mention, a DEMON, to wreak various havocs in ChicBaubles
Reads
BR ...more

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Mar 14, 2016 Sh3lly added it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-urban, did-not-finish, fantasy-paranormal, buddy-read, paranormal-ghosts, read-2016, i-read-it-wrong, omg-this-book-is-so-long, fantasy-witches-and-wizards

Things I'd rather do than read this book:

1) Clean the toilet.
2) Listen to Justin Bieber.
3) Read the dictionary in a language I'm not fluent in.
4) Watch a political debate.
5) Sit in rush hour traffic.
6) Stare at the TV while Netflix buffers over and over.
7) Watch Keeping Up With the Kardashians.
8) Eat plain unsalted rice cakes for lunch every day for a month.

I just can't do it anymore. I recently DNF'd another book called Deadly Curiosities. I don't know which is worse.

It's not that the ...more

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Oct 30, 2014 Matthew rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: series, 2014, supernatural, least-favorite, mystery, monsters, library, audio

Meh . . . I keep hearing about how awesome this series is, but someone needs to tell me when it gets good! Three books in and I am still not super impressed.

The first problem I have is that everything he makes up sounds so convenient and unbelievable. I know that fantasy/supernatural stories involve a lot of made up stuff, but usually the author makes it sound believable. With this book (and the previous ones) whenever the main character is in peril, the author would pull something o Meh . . . I keep hearing about how awesome this series is, but someone needs to tell me when it gets good! Three books in and I am still not super impressed.

The first problem I have is that everything he makes up sounds so convenient and unbelievable. I know that fantasy/supernatural stories involve a lot of made up stuff, but usually the author makes it sound believable. With this book (and the previous ones) whenever the main character is in peril, the author would pull something out of thin air to save the day. (i.e. OMG, the giant monster is going to eat me! But, that monster is from Pittsburgh, and it is Tuesday, and the ancient chronicles say that monsters from Pittsburgh cannot attack wizards on Tuesday. Therefore, with a flick of his wrist, Harry decimated the monster).

The second problem is how conveniently every character seems to show up in every scene. Toward the end of the book, they are at a vampire party and every few minutes, the main character runs into someone else from the story. It does end up being relevant to the plot, but it feels forced.

The third problem is how whiny Harry Dresden is - I don't know feel like he is believable as a wizard that would take on the forces of evil. Also, because of this, I find it hard to believe that he would attract so many friends and women who want him. He is just kind of blah to me. (and if he says "Hells bells" one more time . . . . )

The fourth problem is that the author frequently preaches against the church even though some of the main characters who help him are from the church. He doesn't have to like the church, but it doesn't really seem to advance the story - and, if I were his Christian friends, I would probably leave him in the dust.

The fifth problem is that every time a woman walks in the room we get a detailed description of her breasts and nipples. Seems kind of weird; like he doesn't know any other way to describe a woman. Descriptions like this work if used in moderation, but in excess it gets kind of creepy.

The sixth problem relates to the audio version of the book. The reader whispers most of the book very slowly, which sometimes made it very hard to hear. Also, it didn't always seem to fit what was happening. Not one of my favorite readings.

Despite all of this - a part of me wants to keep going and find out what happens next. I see that this book generally gets good reviews, so I am wondering if maybe this story is just not for me.
...more

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Mar 23, 2017 Justin rated it liked it

Good ol' Harry Dresden is at it again, only this time the werewolves have been replaced with ghosts and vampires. Yep, ghosts... and vampires. Still not really sure why the vampires needed to be around, especially those siblings. Wow.

The book starts out well with Harry and a new character named Michael,who is this crazy broadsword wielding priest, tracking down a ghost in the newborn wing of a hospital. It was a little different than the previous books in that it really jumps right in, that guy Good ol' Harry Dresden is at it again, only this time the werewolves have been replaced with ghosts and vampires. Yep, ghosts... and vampires. Still not really sure why the vampires needed to be around, especially those siblings. Wow.

The book starts out well with Harry and a new character named Michael,who is this crazy broadsword wielding priest, tracking down a ghost in the newborn wing of a hospital. It was a little different than the previous books in that it really jumps right in, that guy Michael is there all of a sudden, and it skips right on into the action. Even with all the weird ghostly stuff, Butcher maintains a sense of humor and never seems to take his writing or his books too seriously. I mean, the other bizarro world is called the Nevernever and the thing they are fighting against is the Nightmare. He's not very good at naming things.

So yeah, Michael is there, and he becomes a main character all of a sudden even though he just showed up. Murphy kinda takes a back seat here. Susan bounces in a little bit. Where the book excels though is when it hits on Harry's backstory and introduces characters and events from his past. It seems to be teasing more information to be explored in future books, and I'm interested to see where it goes, to say the most. Just interested. Hopefully it's cool.

The book is better than Fool Moon, but it suffers from many of the same issues as well. Butcher once again tries to tell too many stories at once, and it all just becomes a big cluster. It's like one of those roller coasters you ride as a kid where the hills aren't very big so you just kinda go up and down over and over. It's fun, but not as thrilling as the big adult roller coasters you're too short to ride. I'm not sure where I'm going with this. I've got to find a better illustration than the roller coaster. I've played that out.

But it's true. There are like these mini stories where things build up and then fizzle out and then another thing will happen and then resolve but then something else wasn't ever finished so it pops back up until the end which is less satisfying than the middle somehow. Also, the thing Harry is after would have been much, much better if it had been given a prequel book of some sort. He kept alluding to this event that never happened in the other books so you really don't know or care much about it or the person behind it. Oh well. Harry also is always able to just wrap things up too easily. Makes his enemies seem really weak and not that threatening at all.

I'm gonna keep rolling! These are great ways to kill some time without having to think too much. They are a nice little escape, and at some point I hear they get better. The bar isn't too high yet so we shall see what happens. ...more

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Dec 12, 2014 Will M. rated it really liked it

Shelves: urban-fantasy, books-i-own, 2015, magic, paranormal

The spirit world has gone postal over Chicago, and ghosts are causing havoc. Tormented, violent, and deadly ghosts that only Harry Dresden can stop. First thing he needs to do before stopping the madness would be to find the one causing it.

The first two novels were good, but this third one was even better. Dresden should be likable by now, and so should the other recurring main characters. Michael was a great addition to the team. I'm not sure if he's in it for the long run, but the Harry-Micha ...more

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Dec 31, 2016 Lyn rated it liked it

Ghostbusters meets Nightmare on Elm Street (with vampires).

This 2001 novel is the third installment in the Harry Dresden files, professional wizard and the only one in the yellow pages. Butcher stated that he felt, and many fans have seconded, that this is where the series really took off. And I can see that, this is fun urban fantasy and built to move … along to the next book.

Taking place some time after the events in Butcher’s 2001 novel Fool Moon, where Harry fought some werewolves and even a super duper kind of ancient w ...more

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Oct 30, 2016 Philip rated it it was ok

Shelves: urban-fantasy, fantasy, supernatural

2.5ish stars.

An improvement over the last book, but still not quite making good on the promising potential that's supposed to be there.

I definitely like this better than Fool Moon. I feel like it flows more naturally... Or maybe the story itself is just more interesting? I mean, it isn't great and I tend to prefer series that are more serialized than procedural as this one is but that's just personal preference. The central plot here introduces just another freak of the week. ...more

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Apr 05, 2014 Ginger rated it really liked it

Much better then the first two! I'm cheering for Harry Dresden again!

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Mar 25, 2015 Robin (Bridge Four) rated it really liked it

Shelves: buddy-read, awesome-audio, bro-mantic, ghosts, uf-pnr, fantastic-fantasy, super-sidekicks, witches-warlocks-and-magic

Buddy read April 20th on Buddies Books and Baubles with Jessica, Ashley, Lege, Steven, Sh3lly & oOSarahOo they is a little behind but still here, and Jenny as out official stalker this time.

Everyone says just wait they get better. Everyone says by the end of book 3 you will see….This is one of those times that EVERYONE was right.

Before this book I was really sorta thinking what’s all the hype. I mean I liked them well enough but I really preferred two other series that were similar Charming and Hounded…now Harry might be pulling ahead of at least Hounded ( ...more

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May 11, 2017 Heidi The Reader rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy-and-sci-fi, fiction

Another satisfying entry in The Dresden Files. Harry Dresden is again saving the world from supernatural creatures so that we can all sleep soundly in our beds at night. He's joined by a knight of the church, an intrepid reporter and his familiar, Bob.

There are vampires, fairies and ghosts, oh my! Plus some other magical creatures thrown in for good measure.

(view spoiler) ...more

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Dec 03, 2017 Ivan rated it liked it

Shelves: urban-fantasy

I had lot of fun and rating could have been higher if not for ending, specially for one cheesy moment and ending of story arc that followed. One thing I hate the most is when things reset to status quo instead of moving forward.

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May 08, 2013 Lauren rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, magic-and-witchcraft, vampires, demons, ghosts, urban-fantasy

Grave Peril
3 Stars

Many have stated that Grave Peril is the turning point in the series for the better. After considering the plot and the characters, I must confess that I found Fool Moon to be far more entertaining.

Don't get me wrong. Harry and his quirks are very endearing but a number of issues irritated me in this installment. First, Murphy barely makes an appearance and the absence of a strong willed, take no prisoners, female character detracts from the overall effect of the story.

Secon Grave Peril
3 Stars

Many have stated that Grave Peril is the turning point in the series for the better. After considering the plot and the characters, I must confess that I found Fool Moon to be far more entertaining.

Don't get me wrong. Harry and his quirks are very endearing but a number of issues irritated me in this installment. First, Murphy barely makes an appearance and the absence of a strong willed, take no prisoners, female character detracts from the overall effect of the story.

Second, the criticism surrounding Harry's chauvinism finally makes sense. In the first two books, his attitude toward women comes across as gallant and even chivalrous, but the chauvinism is front and center in this one as Harry fixates on the breasts and luscious curves of virtually every female character - is this really necessary?

Third, while the basic plot is compelling and the action scenes exciting, the execution is repetitive. How many times must Harry battle the Nightmare before he defeats it? How many times must he get round the machinations of his fairy Godmother? How many times must he be exposed to the lustful effects of vampire venom? How many times must his powers fail him precisely when he needs them the most? Come on already, get some new material.

Finally, Harry constantly blames himself for the choices others make that get them into trouble. While this overdeveloped sense of guilt may have its place in the portrayal of Harry's internal struggle with his own conscience, it starts to grate on the nerves after a while.

On a more positive note, the secondary characters both old and new are very engaging. Michael, a Knight of the Cross, constitutes an intriguing counterpoint to Harry's irreligious personality, and the manner in which Butcher depicts the power of Christian artifacts adds another layer of complexity to the world building. That said, Michael is a little too self-righteous and condescending for my tastes.

There are also some poignant moments between Harry and his reporter girlfriend, Susan Rodriguez, although her misguided Lois Lane routine is getting old and she has never really appealed to me as Harry's love interest.

The most interesting characters, however, are Lea, Harry's rather scary fairy Godmother, who serves as a cautionary tale about what happens when one makes ill advised bargains with the fae, and Thomas, the morally ambiguous vampire who plays a pivotal role in Harry's conflict with the various villains in the story.

All in all, the world building is strong, the story has potential and the unanswered questions are interesting enough to keep on with the series. ...more

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Oct 23, 2014 Holly rated it it was ok

Shelves: paranormal-romance-urban-fiction, 2018-read, abandoned-series, audiobook

2.5 stars

Is there a single un-sexy woman in this book other than the baby-mudering ghost at the very beginning? If there was, Jim Butcher must have accidentally missed it because the main character, Harry Dresden, seemed to remark on the breasts of basically every female/vampire/fae/whatever he came across in this book and it honestly annoyed me. Objectify women much?

Originally I read and quit this book back in 2014. Fast forward four years and for some reason I decided t ...more

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Mar 03, 2016 Apatt rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

I rarely feel the urge to read books in the “urban fantasy” subgenre. An awful lot of them seem to be “paranormal romances” which are anathema to me. I think I have only read a few urban fantasies, American Gods, China Miéville’s Kraken, and Clive Barker’s classic Weaveworld spring to mind. The Dresden Files series has quite a reputation though, it has a rabid fan base and it is often recommended in SF/F online forums. However, even fans of the series tend to agree that the first couple of books in the series are not s ...more

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Jun 15, 2014 Emma rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, urban-fantasy, magic

There seems to be a common idea amongst fans and new arrivals alike to this series, that this, the third book in the series, is where it starts to get good. I’ve read the series and started again while I’m waiting for the next volume- I think the first two are great too. This one just ramps up the action and its consequences. And this might be the one where Harry Dresden starts to slip-by his own standards- taking actions and committing deeds that in an ideal world he would not have chosen to do ...more

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Jan 31, 2019 Lena K. rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

“Holy shit”, I breathed. “Hellhounds.”
“Harry”, Michael said sternly. “You know I hate it when you swear.”
“You're right. Sorry. Holy shit”, I breathed, “heckhounds.”

I actually really liked this one! Harry is still sexist and chauvinist, and still describes women by the shape of their boobs (COME ON ALREADY, it’s getting old...) but holly heck! We have an evil fairy godmother with hell hounds, an egotistic dragon, evil vampire brothers, a girl with prophetic dreams that no one believes to, crazy ...more

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Jan 03, 2018 JHollywood rated it really liked it

Honestly, i feel like these books keep on getting better and better. It was a fast easy read, that was engaging, funny, and typical Harry Dresden. I really like the direction the series is going. I feel like with every new installment, his writing its becoming more mature and prolific. For me everything is starting to feel a bit more complete and i'm finding it easier to start relating to Harry and the world all around him. I was happy to finally have more contact with the nevernever and more of ...more

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Jan 29, 2012 Nimrod Daniel rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: urban_fantasy

WOW, what a great book !!!
Fool Moon was much better than Storm Front, and Grave Peril is even better than Fool Moon.The series is definitely getting better and evolves to something bigger and very engaging,no doubt that Jim Butcher is a great author. That's an action packed book with lots of humor,magic and great characters. I really liked Harry's Godmother and Michael as a new characters, Harry and Bob are great (as usual).

Highly recommended !!!

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Jul 03, 2019 Jody rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: top-priority

"Some words have a power that has nothing to do with supernatural forces. They resound in the heart and mind, they live long after the sounds of them have died away, they echo in the heart and the soul. They have power, and that power is very real.

I will make this review short and sweet. Grave Peril was the best book in The Dresden Files series so far. I know I am only 3 books in, but each one seems to up the stakes and be more exciting than the last. The first two books were light hearted and fun. But thi ...more

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Jul 01, 2008 Doreen rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I will probably have to find a print version, as I kept getting distracted from the story and am fairly certain I missed huge chunks of plot. My boyfriend found this gripping and has taken to listening to it on his own, but I personally found myself irritated by Harry. Honestly, he behaves too much like the stock hero of a romance novel, only with wizardly powers. Speaking of stock, am I the only person unimpressed by the story-line? It's a fairly middling urban fantasy plot: I actually preferre ...more

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Aug 23, 2014 Conor rated it really liked it

Shelves: urban-fantasy, dresden-files

In the third installment of the Dresden Files ghosts are terrorizing the streets of Chicago and with the Ghost-busters nowhere to be found Harry Dresden is called upon to swing into action.

This was the strongest installment in the series so far for me. The first half dragged in places as I missed some of the cool secondary characters from previous books (Murphy and Johnny Marcone being the most notable). However the second half of the book picked up in a big way: the vampire ball seq In the third installment of the Dresden Files ghosts are terrorizing the streets of Chicago and with the Ghost-busters nowhere to be found Harry Dresden is called upon to swing into action.

This was the strongest installment in the series so far for me. The first half dragged in places as I missed some of the cool secondary characters from previous books (Murphy and Johnny Marcone being the most notable). However the second half of the book picked up in a big way: the vampire ball sequence was probably the highlight of the series so far for me with the introduction of some really intriguing characters, some cool moments, big revelations about the plot, and an air of tension throughout that culminated in an awesome action scene. Definitely the high point of this series so far for me.

There was some cool world-building in this one with a focus on ghosts. I liked how the world-building worked with the plot (view spoiler). The development of the different vampire courts and fae were also interesting.

The characters in this one were somewhat disappointing towards the start. While Michael, Harry's newly introduced sidekick, had some cool moments he had as many moments of being preachy and self-righteous. And his wife was even worse, constantly losing her shit at Harry for decisions made solely by her husband: a grown ass man capable of looking after himself. However I found Harry's godmother to be a sinister and intriguing villain who provided a sense of danger to the story, which was just as well since the other villain was a 2-D panto-villain moron. Later in the book the introduction of Thomas, a morally ambiguous vampire who forms an uneasy alliance with Harry, was a massive boost to the story and I really hope to see more of him, especially as he serves as an awesome contrast to Harry's frequently annoying goody-two-shoes self righteous behavior.

Despite the weak start this was probably my favourite installment in the series so far and the strong ending has left me excited to see how the series will continue on from here. ...more

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Jul 27, 2010 Jordan Price added it

I loved aspects of this story and hated others. I adored the magic, the description of how power worked, how Harry created his spells. I also loved how he got put through the wringer and had to really be willing to sacrifice himself for the survival of the people he loved.

I hated the female characters. I hated that their breasts were described at every available opportunity, particularly the villains. During a climactic fight scene, a female villain was "distracted" by a vampire slid ...more

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Nov 05, 2017 Brent rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, fantasy

As promised they are getting better. There even seems to be a bit of humor coming though (by way of Bob the skull.)

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Nov 05, 2016 TS Chan rated it liked it · review of another edition

Grave Peril was such a mixed bag that I actually felt disoriented when I finished it.

The plot started out strong and I was completely engrossed during the first half of the book. However, in the end, I found the plot to be overly strung out and convoluted to be convincing. Everything that which culminated into the climax just seemed too elaborate a set-up and Harry's resolutions to the endless stream of dire situations he got himself into begun to appear far-fetched, and even convenient at time Grave Peril was such a mixed bag that I actually felt disoriented when I finished it.

The plot started out strong and I was completely engrossed during the first half of the book. However, in the end, I found the plot to be overly strung out and convoluted to be convincing. Everything that which culminated into the climax just seemed too elaborate a set-up and Harry's resolutions to the endless stream of dire situations he got himself into begun to appear far-fetched, and even convenient at times.

While I had issues with the plot, the expansionary paranormal worldbuilding and development of Harry's character continued to be the highlight of the series. The spooky ghosts, the mysterious Fae, and the intriguing vampire court were all completely riveting, as was the unexpected knowledge of the identity of Harry's godmother. This revelation really opened up a whole new dimension to Harry's back story which begs to be explored further.

Character development kicked up a notch in this instalment. While Murphy didn't feature much in this instalment, there was a compelling and touching moment when Harry's wizard Sight revealed her in a spectacular manner. Harry’s relationship with Susan also finally took a romantic turn, hitting both a high- and low-point, in the span of just this single volume.

Harry gained a sidekick, so to speak, from a new character, Michael Carpenter - a Knight of the Cross who wields Amoracchius, an incredibly powerful object of faith in the form of a sword. Michael seemed a bit too righteous for my liking despite understanding that the strength of his unwavering faith made him into what he is and enables him to utilise the sword effectively.

The pacing of the story ensured a strong momentum to keep the reader engaged so even though I had issued with the plot, I can't say that I was ever bored. There will be some serious consequences to our Wizard P.I. post the climactic events at the end of this instalment so while I both enjoyed and felt frustrated with this read, my curiosity and love for the supernatural should keep me powering through this series for the moment.

This review can also be found at Booknest ...more

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Oct 20, 2016 Mary Beth *Traveling Sister* rated it it was amazing

Oh Wow! I loved this book more than I ever thought I would. It was just perfect for Halloween also! One of my favorite fantasy mystery series.

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Jan 31, 2008 Chris rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, wizardry

"Hell's Bells" count: 26

If you're reading this series in sequence (which you absolutely should be, or things will stop making sense very quickly), you've got a good handle on how the world of Harry Dresden operates. He's a lone wolf, so to speak, standing up to the Occult Forces of Chicago with only the support of his contact in the Chicago PD, Lt. Karrin Murphy. There's also intrepid investigative reporter Susan Rodriguez, for whom Harry's feelings are slightly more than professional.

Th "Hell's Bells" count: 26

If you're reading this series in sequence (which you absolutely should be, or things will stop making sense very quickly), you've got a good handle on how the world of Harry Dresden operates. He's a lone wolf, so to speak, standing up to the Occult Forces of Chicago with only the support of his contact in the Chicago PD, Lt. Karrin Murphy. There's also intrepid investigative reporter Susan Rodriguez, for whom Harry's feelings are slightly more than professional.

There's also the mysterious White Council of Wizards. While you may think that belonging to a worldwide magical fraternity might be a good thing, Harry Dresden would most certainly disagree. To be fair, he has a history - he did kill his mentor using black magic, which is something so bad that it's number one on their list of Things a Wizard Must Not Do, which comes with one free beheading. His associates in the White Council barely tolerate him, and make it very clear that he's worth more to them dead than alive. But more about this in other books....

The point is that Harry so far has been a fairly small-time operator. Yes, he takes down evil sorcerers and vicious werewolves, but mostly on his own. In this book, the camera pulls back a little and we learn more about his world and his connections, and a broader story starts to emerge.

The most interesting of these additions is Michael Carpenter, an associate of Harry's whose view of the world comes from a very different place. Michael is a religious man, a committed Christian who sees Harry's use of magic as impure and sullied, but associates with him anyway because they have a shared goal: the elimination of evil. Michael Carpenter is the Fist of God, one of the three Knights of the Cross. As such, he wields a faith powerful enough that even Harry can feel it. Oh, and he also wields a giant sword. With one of the nails from the True Cross worked into it. Amoracchius is a powerful weapon against evil, and a prize that anyone would be glad to have.

In this book (as in all his books), Harry is given more trouble than he can handle. It begins with ghosts, as so many things do. The ghosts of Chicago are being stirred up by something - they're acting out in ways they would never act, causing an above-average amount of chaos and disorder in the city. And when there's ghosts around, tearing up the pediatrics ward of your local hospital, who is it you're going to contact telephonically? That's right - Harry Dresden.

The ghosts are the least of his worries, however. The force behind them, the malicious entity that is driving the ghosts mad, is of far more concern to him. There's something out there, a Nightmare, that is out for blood. It's attacking Harry and his friends, and doing it through their dreams. Not just Harry's friends who are in good with the supernatural, but some of his Muggle buddies as well. This thing is angry, evil, and can tear a person's soul apart, leaving an empty husk that does nothing but try to scream.

As if that weren't enough, the Red Court of Vampires is having a party, and they want Harry to come. Sounds lovely, right? A costume party with the vampires, a promise of protection to all invited guests - how can you have a better night? Myself, I'd start by not hanging around a house full of vampires and their allies. Especially when the hostess, a high-ranking member of the Court, has a serious personal grudge against me. The vampire Bianca wants Harry deader than dead, and she manages to set of a complex series of events to make sure it happens.

This book, as I said, expands the Dresden universe a bit. It assumes that the readers are fairly comfortable with what we know, and gives us a lot more to think about. The world-wide spread of vampires, the hide-bound White Council, and the ramifications of having a Faerie Godmother. In the previous books, we saw Harry come out on top against small-scale foes - now the camera pulls back to show us how he goes up against larger institutions.

In this book, Dresden is almost always out of his league - although I can't imagine who would be in their league while facing a hoarde of really pissed off vampires while being on the brink of death already. Buffy, probably. Or River Tam. Anyone written by Joss Whedon, I guess. But Dresden makes it through. Not in the "Finding reserves of strength you never knew were there" style found in the Whedon Supergirls, but more in the "This just might be crazy enough to work, unless I kill myself doing it in which case it might not go so well after all" style.

Plus, it has my favorite trope of modern fantasy fiction - even if the hero wins, he doesn't actually save the day. In fact, things get a whole lot worse. Which is all gravy for Jim Butcher, because it means he has all the more material to work with for the rest of the series. ...more

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Jan 30, 2017 Israt Zaman Disha rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: Fantasy lovers, Thriller Lovers, HP Fans

Took me 5 days to finish this book. The only reason it took me so much time because I read it in the middle of my term final.

Addictively thrilling… once you start it, it's hard to put it down. Something is always happening. One incident after another. I wanted to finish it in one day. But damn exam...

I am a very impatient person when it comes to good books. Thanks to Rizwan vai who took out his time to convince me that Dresden files is worth another try after I felt very disappointed reading S Took me 5 days to finish this book. The only reason it took me so much time because I read it in the middle of my term final.

Addictively thrilling… once you start it, it's hard to put it down. Something is always happening. One incident after another. I wanted to finish it in one day. But damn exam...

I am a very impatient person when it comes to good books. Thanks to Rizwan vai who took out his time to convince me that Dresden files is worth another try after I felt very disappointed reading Storm Front. I skipped Fool Moon as I heard that the story starts kicking at Grave Peril. Well, it was not difficult getting around this without reading fool moon. I have to say, my time paid of brilliantly. I love magic and the magical world, spells, wand, faeries, potions. It has spells. It doesn't have a wand. But it has love potion :P

Enough about the book. The best way to find how much good this book is to read it yourself. Now let's talk a little about Mr. Dresden. Dresden is a badass. And I like badass people like Harry Dresden. He is funny and very much human. He never losses his sense of humor, not even in crisis.

“I still can’t believe,” Michael said, sotto voce, “that you came to the Vampires’ Masquerade Ball dressed as a vampire.” “Not just a vampire,” I said, “a cheesy vampire. Do you think they got the point?”

He is a wizard, hero of the series but he has his own fears. Fears of losing, dying, loving like a normal being just like any of us. He has flaws just like any people. And it made him so much likable. He felt angry, defeated, tired, lost, terrified. Yet he pushed himself to finish the evil. He is willing to push himself till he die. That’s what make him the hero of this series.

I also like Micheal and Bob very much. With the righteousness of Micheal and chatter of Bob, they make the perfect combination with Dresden.

“Michael half-smiled. “The Lord will never give you a burden bigger than your shoulders can bear, Harry. All we can do is face what comes and have faith.”
I gave him a sour glance. “I need to get myself some bigger shoulders, then. Someone in accounting must have made a mistake.”

“Holy shit," I breathed. "Hellhounds."
"Harry," Michael said sternly. "You know I hate it when you swear."
"You're right. Sorry. Holy shit," I breathed, "heckhounds.”

P.S. I am giving it 4* because I am expecting better books of the series ahead.

My New Year Resolution: I am going to read the whole Dresden series this year. ...more

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Aug 06, 2016 Carole (Carole's Random Life in Books) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-book, 2016, reviewed, paranormal, series

This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.

Every once in a while the right combination of things come together perfectly. This audiobook fits that description. I enjoyed this book the first time I read it years ago but listening to James Marsters perform this story really takes it to a whole new level. The series seems to really be taking off at this point and the story was very well done. I completely enjoyed every moment that I spent listening to this book during my re-read. This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.

Every once in a while the right combination of things come together perfectly. This audiobook fits that description. I enjoyed this book the first time I read it years ago but listening to James Marsters perform this story really takes it to a whole new level. The series seems to really be taking off at this point and the story was very well done. I completely enjoyed every moment that I spent listening to this book during my re-read.

Harry Dresden's life is anything but boring. This book starts with a bang and really doesn't slow down until the end. I love how many different things can come together to make sense in Harry's world. In this book, there are ghosts, demons, and vampires all mixed together and it flows smoothly. The mystery was pretty complex in this one with a lot of things happening that will be brought up again as the series moves forward. I had a hard time setting this one aside.

I am so in love with the characters. Harry is awesome in his own way. He is funny and able to think on his feet. He makes decisions based not only on what is best for him but what will be best for others. He risks himself to helps other people quite often. Michael played a large role in this book and I really enjoyed his character. It was really fun to go back and see some of my favorite characters early in the series. Karin, Bob, Susan and everyone else really all added important pieces to the story as well.

James Marsters is the perfect voice of Harry Dresden. I absolutely love how this book was narrated. He didn't just read the story - he performed it. I could totally hear every one of Harry's emotions in the performance. I was really impressed that even the perfectly placed breath seem to add to the delivery. He performed all of the different characters flawlessly. I can't wait to listen to more books narrated by James Marsters.

I would highly recommend this series to fans of urban fiction. This is a series that you will want to read in order since there are some story arc that carry over from previous books. I am looking forward to listening to book four in the series very soon.

Initial Thoughts
Loved it! I almost forgot how good this series really is. And James Marsters? He is the perfect narrator for this book. ...more

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YA Buddy Readers'...: Grave Peril (Dresden Files #3) by Jim Butcher - Restarting March 9th 2019	19	67	Mar 10, 2019 02:39PM
Dresden Files: Grave Peril question: Lea's kiss burning Thomas?	18	151	Feb 13, 2018 07:11AM
Fantasy Buddy Reads: Grave Peril [Nov 2017]	42	53	Nov 28, 2017 01:20AM
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Around the Year i...: Grave Peril, by Jim Butcher	2	36	Jan 02, 2017 09:53PM

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About Jim Butcher

Jim Butcher

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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