Changes (The Dresden Files, #12) in MobileRead Book Challenges

Apr 24, 2010 Cynthia Armistead Newman rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I do not give out many 5-star ratings, but for this book I couldn't do anything else. That is despite the fact that Jim Butcher did something I honestly didn't think he would do to his legions of loyal readers, something that I absolutely detest. Something that I will not tell you about, because I loathe spoilers.

If you know anything about me, though, it means a great deal to say that even though I would drop most authors who use that particular technique like not just hot, but rotten hot potat I do not give out many 5-star ratings, but for this book I couldn't do anything else. That is despite the fact that Jim Butcher did something I honestly didn't think he would do to his legions of loyal readers, something that I absolutely detest. Something that I will not tell you about, because I loathe spoilers.

If you know anything about me, though, it means a great deal to say that even though I would drop most authors who use that particular technique like not just hot, but rotten hot potatoes, I cannot even consider not getting the next Dresden Files book and devouring it the very first millisecond I am able to do so.

My family can attest to the fact that I didn't just laugh out loud while reading Changes. (Anybody who doesn't laugh out loud at least once while reading the Dresden Files should be checked for rigor mortis.) This time I laughed so loud and so long at one point that Sam got up and came into the room where I was to make sure that I was okay and getting enough air. There was absolutely no way for me to explain what was so funny, of course, without spoilers.

While there is a great deal of humor, there is also darkness. A lot of darkness. The blurb for the book makes that clear. Susan, the love of Harry's life, kidnapped years ago by a Red Court vampire and half-turned in a plot to get at Dresden, is back with big, bad news: she had a daughter by him, and the child has been kidnapped by someone. As usual, things go downhill from there.

Many series start out with a bang, have maybe two or three strong volumes, then devolve into more and more and more contract fulfillment books that I occasionally think might be written by clever shell scripts. The Dresden Files is one of the few, beautiful exceptions, as volume twelve proves. I honestly thought that Butcher was winding things up to move on to other projects, due to some of the events in the book, but I will say that he surprised the bejesus out of me. This is definitely not a series-ending book!

I anxiously await number thirteen. I might even do something I've never done before, and pre-order it. Yes, Jim, you've got me hooked, and how. ...more

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Nov 26, 2011 Nyssa rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: magic, humor, action-adventure, urban-fantasy, 2011-2020, acq-borrowed, mystery, speculative-fiction, fantasy, format-electronic

Intense. Emotional. Exhausting.
A good read with a very frustrating cliffhanger!
I'm so happy I already own Ghost Story!! ...more

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Nov 23, 2011 alansplace rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

4th re-read, just as powerful as the 1st!

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Jun 26, 2012 Susan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: adventure, fantasy, mystery, wizard, alternate-universe, dresden-files, shelfari-fantasy, shelfari-favorites, shelfari-mystery, shelfari-wizard

Harry discovers he's a dad at the same time that he learns of her kidnapping by Red Court operatives. He goes all out to save little Maggie, and his enemies go all out to stop him and Murphy - false tips to the FBI, Murphy's persecution by that rotten slug Rudolph, blowing up his office building, the smashing of his Beetle, even fire-bombs aimed at his apartment.... but his team is ready for action. They've crossed the line, this time, and Harry Dresden & his allies are going to stop them, but h ...more

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Apr 20, 2011 Tracy rated it really liked it

Shelves: ebook, library, fiction, readin2011

Argh.. total cliffhanger ending!

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Feb 27, 2011 Lizzie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2014-reading-list, 2018-reading-list

While I'm currently in Proven Guilty in my audio re-read, I feel the need fora refresher on the later books. So, thought I'd start my having my heart ripped out anew with this one. ...more

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