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Ghost Story
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Butcher, Jim: Ghost Story (“Buddy Read” with DQs) Start Date: April 13, 2014 [Dresden Files #13]
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1. I’d forgotten that John Glover is the narrator for this one and got a bit of a shock when I didn’t hear James Marsden’s voice. I’m OK with Glover’s narration, but I’ll be glad when we get the old and familiar Harry back. What about you?
2. So, Harry is a ghost and has ended up in Purgatory where he meets Ron Carmichael and Murphy’s dad, Jack. If I remember correctly, Carmichael and Harry weren’t exactly buddies so why is he so friendly now? Did you realize that the Captain was Murphy’s father before the reveal? If so, what gave it away?
3. Jack implies that Harry was killed by the opposition - who do you think this is? He also claims that Harry must go back (without his powers) and solve his murder or three people he loves will die and he will be stuck as a ghost forever. Any guesses as to who the three are?
4. The atmosphere in Purgatory is kinda creepy. It reminded me of the 1980’s miniseries based on Stephen King’s “The Langoliers” where a number of people have remained in the past while time has moved forward and there is an emptiness and a silence to the world. What did you think of the vibe?
5. Harry goes to Mortimer Lindquist, an ectomancer who can summon ghosts, for help. I suppose Morty is the obvious choice as he will be able to see Harry. The last time we saw Morty was in “Dead Beat” where Harry accidentally destroyed the Larry Fowler set. Morty seems to be holding a grudge, lol! Comments.
6. Harry meets Sir Stuart Winchester. What did you think of his character? I wonder how he is related to Morty and why he hasn’t moved on into the Afterlife?
7. Morty’s house is attacked by Wraiths - ghosts that have given into despair and feed off memories. They want to devour Harry’s memories so that they can become very powerful. Their description immediately called to mind The Dementors in HP. Thoughts.
8. It looks like the Wraiths and Lemurs (ghosts that have given into rage and malice) are being controlled by a wizard ghost (Grey Ghost) and Harry thinks that he sees Bob in the fray. Was Bob really there? Is he helping the Grey Ghost? That would be REALLY bad!
9. Murphy’s house is warded - wasn’t it a little strange that Harry didn’t sense that before knocking? I originally suspected that Molly was the one who put the wards on Murphy’s house but it turns out that the Ordo was responsible. Thoughts.
10. It’s been 6 months since Harry’s death and Murphy is no longer a cop. She also seems to be working with a group of people including Childes, Marcone’s “troubleshooter”. What happened to Hendricks? Harry speculated that Childes isn’t mortal. Any thoughts on what he is?
11. Molly is now called the Ragged Lady and it seems that she was negatively affected by her experiences at Chichen Itza. This does not bode well…
12. Wow Murphy has certainly been busy! Will, Marcy, Abby and Toto, Daniel Carpenter, Father Forthill and Felicia Raith- does this combination mean anything? There seems to be some animosity between Daniel and Will - any thoughts on what could be behind it? Murphy smacks down Felicia - she is SO kickass!!!
13. Molly has gone off the deep end and every ugly with a hand and a leg (and who knows what else) is trying to fill the vacuum left by the Red Court. Harry dies and everything goes to Hell in a hand basket. Thoughts.
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This is the only one I don't own a physical copy of (I wasn't willing to give Glover a shot at the audio...he's just not my Harry!). I'll be starting on sections as soon as my copy is ready at the library!
GTK, Ash. I'll wait patiently. ☺
Ok! Just picked up my copy and am getting ready to read the first 10 chapters. This is a re-read for both of us, right?
Wellllll... I just read it, so I'll be able to interact with you... if that's alright. I can look something up, if I forget.
Sounds good to me (and makes me feel a bit better about being a little informal if it's just you and me doing this - I won't be potentially confusing any newbies if i go a little stream of consciousness with my answers ;) ).
1. I’d forgotten that John Glover is the narrator for this one and got a bit of a shock when I didn’t hear James Marsden’s voice. I’m OK with Glover’s narration, but I’ll be glad when we get the old and familiar Harry back. What about you?Ghost Story is my least favorite novel in the series for exactly this reason. I've listened to all the others, but I just couldn't stomach having a "new" Harry in Glover. I'm sure he did a good job...but he's just not my Harry! Rereading the dead tree version now just reminds me how good the audio books are.
2. So, Harry is a ghost and has ended up in Purgatory where he meets Ron Carmichael and Murphy’s dad, Jack. If I remember correctly, Carmichael and Harry weren’t exactly buddies so why is he so friendly now? Did you realize that the Captain was Murphy’s father before the reveal? If so, what gave it away?
I think Carmichael was just skeptical of Harry, not actively antagonistic in the way that Rudolph is. I imagine his contact with the Loup-Garou/being in the Between would cure him of his skepticism very quickly! One of the things that I always felt was really true about Carmichael's character was that he was a dedicated cop, and I doubt that anything would stand in the way of him doing his job, even in the Between. If helping Harry is his job, than he'd do it with no questions asked. I'm going to plead the fifth on knowing about Murphy's dad - since this is a reread I know it from the get go, and I can't remember if I figured it out or not the first time I read the book.
3. Jack implies that Harry was killed by the opposition - who do you think this is? He also claims that Harry must go back (without his powers) and solve his murder or three people he loves will die and he will be stuck as a ghost forever. Any guesses as to who the three are?
Pleading the fifth again - I know who the opposition is from Cold Days :). Jack doesn't say they'll die, just that they'll be harmed. I think Molly, Karrin, and Thomas need Harry to balance them. I don't think the hurt that comes to them will necessarily be about a bad guy getting them - I think it's more about their need for closure to hold it together.
4. The atmosphere in Purgatory is kinda creepy. It reminded me of the 1980’s miniseries based on Stephen King’s “The Langoliers” where a number of people have remained in the past while time has moved forward and there is an emptiness and a silence to the world. What did you think of the vibe?
I like atmospheric novels as a general rule, and I really like the inhumanity that Butcher writes into the Between (Chicagatory? ;) ). I think he makes it very clear that this place is "other," and it really adds to the story in my opinion.
5. Harry goes to Mortimer Lindquist, an ectomancer who can summon ghosts, for help. I suppose Morty is the obvious choice as he will be able to see Harry. The last time we saw Morty was in “Dead Beat” where Harry accidentally destroyed the Larry Fowler set. Morty seems to be holding a grudge, lol! Comments.
Morty reminds me of Butters in a lot of ways. He knows he's cowardly, and he knows his skill sets are limited, so he tries to avoid situations where he can get over his head. I think he's more powerful than even he realizes, though. Honestly, I can't blame Morty for holding a grudge - Harry is really that friend that sweeps in and disrupts your life!
6. Harry meets Sir Stuart Winchester. What did you think of his character? I wonder how he is related to Morty and why he hasn’t moved on into the Afterlife?
Winchester is one of my favorite side characters in any of the books. I really like him, and admire his attitude about being stuck as a shade. He reminds me of Injun Joe for some reason - very calm and wise no matter the situation. I think he's a great- great- relative of some sort, but I can't remember what the resolution for him not moving on is...
7. Morty’s house is attacked by Wraiths - ghosts that have given into despair and feed off memories. They want to devour Harry’s memories so that they can become very powerful. Their description immediately called to mind The Dementors in HP. Thoughts.
I didn't think of the Dementors, but that's spot on. I think it's a perfect comparison.
8. It looks like the Wraiths and Lemurs (ghosts that have given into rage and malice) are being controlled by a wizard ghost (Grey Ghost) and Harry thinks that he sees Bob in the fray. Was Bob really there? Is he helping the Grey Ghost? That would be REALLY bad!
This is another one that I remember from my first reading - answering questions with spoilers is no fun, and I'm going to abstain in case we get any new readers through here in the future :)
9. Murphy’s house is warded - wasn’t it a little strange that Harry didn’t sense that before knocking? I originally suspected that Molly was the one who put the wards on Murphy’s house but it turns out that the Ordo was responsible. Thoughts.
I thought it was Molly as well, when Harry said the wards reminded him of his own work. I guess it makes sense in that he showed the Ordo a lot of tricks to work together - he's sort of like their teacher on a micro scale. I didn't think it was strange that he didn't sense the wards, simply because he hasn't figured out magic in his current form yet.
10. It’s been 6 months since Harry’s death and Murphy is no longer a cop. She also seems to be working with a group of people including Childes, Marcone’s “troubleshooter”. What happened to Hendricks? Harry speculated that Childes isn’t mortal. Any thoughts on what he is?
I think Childes is probably a lot like Kincaid - something potentially wicked, but not necessarily evil. Hendricks wouldn't be far from Marcone's side, so he wouldn't be at a meeting that Marcone isn't attending in person.
11. Molly is now called the Ragged Lady and it seems that she was negatively affected by her experiences at Chichen Itza. This does not bode well…
Molly was already a little delicate, it's not surprising that witnessing/helping to cause that much violence would mess her mind up more than a little.
12. Wow Murphy has certainly been busy! Will, Marcy, Abby and Toto, Daniel Carpenter, Father Forthill and Felicia Raith- does this combination mean anything? There seems to be some animosity between Daniel and Will - any thoughts on what could be behind it? Murphy smacks down Felicia - she is SO kickass!!!
I *love Murphy. She's such a bada**. I'm not surprised by the animosity between Daniel and Will - Daniel's at an age where he's not good at impulse control, and I'm sure he wants to push back against Will's dominance. The stress of the situation can't be helping Daniel's temper at all, either.
13. Molly has gone off the deep end and every ugly with a hand and a leg (and who knows what else) is trying to fill the vacuum left by the Red Court. Harry dies and everything goes to Hell in a hand basket. Thoughts.
Butcher never ceases to amaze me with his ability to get Harry into hot water. It seems like every installation into the series ups the ante with horrible things happening!
@ Ash#1 – JG did a good job, especially with Bob’s voice; but he was no JM. I felt sorry for him because people really blasted him when it first came out. But, let’s face it; he was fighting a losing battle. This far into the series, JM was Harry. So, this is a re-read for you?
#2 – I totally agree with you on Carmichael’s personality.
#3 – Ah!
#4 – True. Still, a creepy vibe.
#5 – Huh. You know, you’re right; Morty is a lot like Butters. Thanks for pointing that out.
#6 – Yes, a distant relative. I believe Morty calls him “Gramps” somewhere along the line. And he is also one of my favs, too. I like the American Revolutionary War aspect and all the inherent weaponry of that era.
#8 – That’s cool.
#9 – Good point.
#11 – Very true.
#13 – Yes, Butcher is amazing in this regard. Poor Harry, though. LOL!
14. It seems that Chichen Itza and Harry’s death had a big impact on Molly. She is hostile towards all the people who care for her, trying to push them away on purpose! I don’t like this new Molly that scares her friends and everybody else, even Butters is worried about her. You? What did she mean when she said, “Did you come to take me away?”? I really hope she is not the one killing people and leaving Harry’s cloths on them although all the evidence points to her!I think Harry really hit the nail on the head when he was thinking about people being damaged coming back from war. Molly was always sensitive (I think it was in Proven Guilty when he was telling her she was a capital S Sensitive, and would never be good at the offensive magics because of it.). So, she's sensitive to violence and is exposed to a lot of it, the one person who always thought she was good enough and worth saving without asking her to give up pieces of herself *might* be dead, and the White Council is hunting her down to kill her which forces her into hiding. No wonder she's a little batty at this point!
15. Why all of them are so rude to Mort? He is just trying to stay alive and unharmed, not everyone needs to be a hero! And, as we later found out, he has been keeping the city safe from killer ghosts for years!
One of the things I really like about this series is how the definition of bravery keeps evolving. In book one, Mort's sort of self preservation/quiet skills wouldn't have been considered worth anything. I think by this point, Butcher kind of wants us to have this reaction - "Hey, why are they picking on Mort? He's complicated!"
16. It seems Maggie is in Chicago or very close to Chicago and with Mouse. Mouse staying with Maggie was one of the things Harry asked Murphy to do. Comments.
I know where she is, so I'm going to abstain again :)
I do think that it's really nice that we're able to see that Murphy fulfilled all of Harry's wishes. Bob has a good home, Mouse is with Maggie, and Mister is safe.
17. What did you think of Aristedes AKA Baldy, Fitz and the other boys? Harry is trying to help the boys and sees them as victims (although they’ve killed people), but not Murphy. Thoughts on this? And why did Baldy have the bell?
I think death/the events that lead up to his death have forced Harry to have a less black and white view of the universe. I also think that he sees a lot of himself as a young man in Fitz. Murphy doesn't have the luxury of allowing herself to see the grey areas here - she's trying to keep the city safe with very limited resources.
19. It’s a bummer that Harry can’t be out and about during the day. The way he was describing it I thought all the ghosts and shades would disappear with dawn, after all there are not that many places like Bob’s skull or Morty’s house. But it seems there is another obvious place. Did you guess the cemetery would be the place for the ghost to go during the day or that Harry would go to his own grave?
I forgot that this was his solution, but I really like it! I love that Bianca's big eff you to Harry gets turned around as a way to keep him safe.
20. What did you think of his whole encounter with Inez? Why did he smelled pine needle and had the sweet strange taste in his mouth? Was she the real Inez? Was she right about him being a monster? Was he right saying that he didn’t do the right thing?
I think Inez is either a genus loci of some sort, or something along those lines. I think she's a part of the graveyard. I can't remember the details surrounding her so this is just a guess! I think Harry is a monster, but not necessarily in a bad way. I think there was a lot of truth to Inez saying that monsters make choices, too. It's sort of like the Incredible Hulk - when he lets his rage control him he can be very dangerous, but he choses to use his strength for good instead of evil. He's definitely a monster, though. Regarding doing the right thing, I'm not sure there's anything more right than saving an innocent little girl from a horrible death. Did he have to do some pretty terrible things to accomplish that? Sure. But I don't think he was as evil as he thinks he was.
21. What about the Eternal Silence statue? What do you think about what he told Harry that understanding his path is essential to everyone’s survival?
Butcher has said that he plans to end the Dresden Files with a big apocalyptic trilogy (many books down the road). I think there's a small answer and a big answer to Eternal Silence's question with that in mind. Harry needs to solve the mystery of his murder to keep very bad things from happening, and he is also going to play a role in saving the world if Butcher is being honest about where the series is going. If he can't find a way to influence events now, how will he do what he needs to do in the future?
22. This Grey Ghost is getting scarier and scarier, she/he has mortals following him, they probably leave the graveyard gates open, she/he has Bob’s offspring (how did he get it BTW?) and she/he has Morty and she/he destroyed sir Stuart. Comments. I'm thinking she but don't know who!
I know this one! The enemy who won't die *chuckle.* I love bad jokes :)
23. Butters and Bob???????? I would have never guessed that and I don’t want Bob with Butters, I want Harry to have Bob back! And I was right! Eyes is Butters. I didn't understand the spotlight and baby monitor thing that Butters uses to see Harry. Maybe because I can’t remember the Nightmare case. Do you?
The spotlight is Bob, basically. By shining Bob's spiritual power on a spiritual being, it's rendered visible. The radio is exactly what it sounds like - a radio tuned to pick up spiritual frequencies. Harry used something similar in the Nightmare case (Grave Peril) to try to track spiritual activity around Chicago when all the ghosts go postal.
I kind of like Butters and Bob together (at least if Bob can't be with Harry). Two nerdy peas in a pod!
24. I don’t like how all the characters (Karin, Molly, Butters … ) have changed. Especially Murphy, she is not the Karin we knew. How do you feel about this?
The last novel wasn't titled Changes for nothin', that's for sure. I think it makes sense in light of all the crazy things that happened to them, both leading up to Harry's death and in the aftermath. They've had a very hard 6 months without him, just trying to hold things together. It makes me sad, but I think it's the only thing that could have happened to them logically.
25. I think all the talk about Harry being “something more” is foreshadowing for returning him to life. What do you think?
;) Spoilers!
26. Bob has loped off his evil part and now his evil offspring is helping the enemy. Someone as knowledgeable as Bob should have known something like this could happen, shouldn’t he?
Bob probably wouldn't have cared even if he did think it was possible to create an evil ghost Bob. He's not moral in the sense that humans are, so it probably never even occurred to him that he should mention any negative consequences that were possible.
27. Brighter Future Society headquarters was built by Marcone and in the place of Harry’s old house! Comments.
Seems pretty fitting! Marcone needs to protect his interests in Chicago, so funding the operation makes sense to me. And I think he chose to build the offices there for several reasons - both to honor Harry and as a way to prove he won over Harry. I know that Harry's a bit miffed about his house being gone, but what better way to honor his legacy than to help and protect people on the spot where he lived?
28. Huh, when a professional shooter was mentioned, I thought, “Kincaid!” Then Harry got to that conclusion too! Did you expect Kincaid’s name to be mentioned? Did it really happen the way Harry thinks it happened? (...bottles of whiskey and a sex-music CD?...) Why would he do such a thing if he’s the killer?
Who else could it be other than Kincaid? I don't think it's as dramatic and smarmy has Harry imagines it to be, though. I don't think Karrin would be all that interested in doin' it if she's mourning her best friend.
29. It is really interesting the way Harry is learning to do things using his memories. I liked how he came by “Flickum bicus”.
That is a really cool memory with Flickum bicus - sad, too. Harry had such a lonely childhood. I do like the way memories play an important role. It's sort of like Harry is being forced to remember who he is, and not just who he has become in recent history.
@ Ash#14 – Well said.
#15 – Yes, I like the way Butcher gets us to look at things – or people – from another perspective.
#16 – Yes, Murphy is a good egg; a true friend.
#17 – I totally agree; Harry sees himself in Fitz.
#19 – LOL!
#20 – So, a monster from Monsters, Inc.? LOL! Yes, Harry always takes too much upon his shoulders.
#21 – I like your theory.
#23 – I like the Butters/Bob combo, too! LOL!
#26 – Good point about Bob and his conscience – or lack of one.
#27 – I think you’re right about Marcone’s duel reasons.
#28 – Probably not; it would certainly lower the sex drive.
#29 – Yes, he’s getting to know himself in this one.
30. I can’t decide whether it’s a good thing that Lea is teaching Molly (and Harry) or it’s a bad thing. What do you think? Very, very bad. Lea is so dangerous, and so inhuman. It's good that Molly is learning what she needs to do to survive through using her power, but I feel like it's a relationship with way too much in common with Justin's teaching style for Harry. Dangerous!
31. I felt a bit better when I found out Molly is not the only Ragged Lady and Lea is helping, too. What do you think of what Molly does? Creating illusion to make bad people kill each other.
I think that she thinks she's doing what she has to. Molly is very damaged, and there are some very dark things happening in Chicago right now. The story she told about the servitor with a child hidden in a gym bag....if I could have done something to save that child and get the bad guys at the same time, I probably would have. So, I guess I can't judge her too much. I just wish she felt she had other options.
32. If Lea could see Harry, why was she so surprised? And what did she mean by saying it’s rare for a shade to rise after the season in which it was made? Anything significant in this statement?
I think Lea acted surprised in a power play with Molly. She felt she got more out of pretending than if she had admitted seeing him. The Sidhe are so cryptic! I'm not sure what she meant by the comment. Any ideas?
33. Have you read the short story “A Restoration of Faith”? Nick Christian is in that story and that’s were Murphy and Harry meet for the first time.
Yep! It's cute :)
34. I don’t know how Fitz and his gang are going to fit in all this. I feel they are just page fillers! Of course, they could just be the last link that connects everything! What do you think?
Butcher rarely does anything without it tying into the larger narrative. He definitely never wastes pages. But their purpose might just be to help characterize Harry, providing an opportunity to develop his backstory without it feeling forced.
35. The Corpsetaker has been a ghost for a few years, doesn’t it seem odd to you that she just now had gone to Morty to get a body and not before? If Morty is a second-tier asset and the big hoods are forth-tier assets, are there any first or third?
She probably took that long just to gather resources/figure out how to be as powerful as a ghost as she was in life. Think about where Harry would have been if Sir Stuart weren't there to help him figure it all out. He'd have been vaporized the first night by losing track of time! I would guess 1st tier is White Council level power, second-tier is close to that level of power but not quite there, third-tier would be the average Paraneter, and fourth is someone with close to no power of their own.
36. I always wanted to know the details of what happened between Justin and Harry and how Harry ended up asking Lea for a favour. It seems I’m going to get what I wanted. ;)
I like that Harry is using the opportunity to get what he needs from Lea for very little cost to himself. He's finally learning!
37. Have you noticed that a lot of details from previous books are being mentioned? Bianca and the knife, Ortega, Arianna, Corpsetaker, loup-garou, and almost all the baddies came up so far. I’m sure there is a reason behind it. I think this book should have been named “Memories”!
Memories would have been appropriate, too! I kind of like that this one reminds you of the past so much. Sometimes long series get hard to follow, and I'm not always up for a reread. Having a refresher thrown in now and then is nice :)
38. I can’t believe Harry tried to rob a convenient store, even if he was only sixteen!!!!
Not surprised at all lol. He's admitted himself that he struggles to take the long view sometimes :) It was probably the first idea that popped into his head!
39. Eeep! “Who Walks Behind” must be that Other creature that was mentioned a few times during the series. I think Harry had another encounter with it a few books back! Do you remember it?
It was in the Deeps with the White Court...I think it was in Blood Rites.
40. I’m hung on something: In Summer Knight, when the Summer Knight was killed, there was a shift in the sidhe courts’ powers. I remember that it was said when the knight was killed the knight’s mantle would go to the killer or the queen. So, either the killer is now the Winter Knight -- or Harry is not really dead-dead and is still the Winter Knight -- or the mantle doesn't belong to anyone! Which is it?
:) Spoilers!
@ Ash#32 – Ah! Could be. As to your question, I think it is multifaceted: (view spoiler)
#33 – I haven’t read it yet. Guess I’m going to have to.
#34 – I agree. Completely.
#36 – LOL! Really.
#38 – Hey, he was a teenage boy.
41. A Pee-wee Herman impersonation? Really? LOL! Still, I liked learning about Harry’s first “Fuego!” I really like this memory, too, although it kind of makes me sad. I think it's good for Chicago that Harry decided to fight injustice, but what a damaging experience for someone to have to go through!
42. What did you think of Harry’s three questions of Lea? Were they good ones? We learn that Harry has to get to Corpsetaker before she possesses Mort or else he can’t get her out again. Me not having read Side Jobs, we learn a little more about the Fomor and that they are/were enemies of the Fae. Did you like the way he and she got around the third?
• Harry knows the killer.
• Harry’s death was one of thousands at this person’s hands.
• The killer was a proxy for another person more powerful than he.
Do you know who his killer could be? A “he” for sure? Still, I’m still clueless.
I think they're quite good questions, and a giggled a little at Lea's impatience and Eternal Silence's grumpiness.
43. BOOK QUOTE: “That’s it!” I blurted. “That’s how to handle the Corpsetaker.” Okay, I’m clueless over this, too, even though I’ve read the section prior to it several time. Were you?
If I remember correctly, she's about to get a taste of her own medicine :)
44. Harry feels guilty about letting “sensitive” Molly go to Chichén Itzá. Could he have stopped her? I figure she would have just veiled herself and been a stowaway, right? Are some people more prone to PTSD than others?
I'm pretty sure that Molly's sensitivity would make more prone to PTSD. I keep thinking about it as an analog for people who can't stand the sight of blood vs. first responders. Not everyone is suited for every situation or task, and we pay the price when we go beyond what our limits are. I have to say that I don't think he could have effectively stopped Molly. She would have stowed away for sure.
45. What did you think of Bob’s “apartment”? His person?
I really like Bob a lot. It's cool to see him in all his James Dean glory!
46. Uriel!? Harry is being manipulated by Uriel? The “black-ops guy of archangels”? And Bob’s theory is he might be in cahoots with Mab? Comments.
The series has tended to up the ante periodically. When we first met Harry, the plots were the work of single bad guys...then they grew to bad guy leagues like the Denarians. Now he's operating in the big leagues. Makes sense to me! Plus, the fae are all about balance. If Uriel and Mab are in agreement about needing to balance a certain scale, I'm sure they would work together to accomplish it.
47. What do you think about Harry’s analysis of The Walker? Could He Who Walks Behind be Justin’s old mentor? Does this make him good or evil? Well, he can’t be good, as he killed that innocent convenience store clerk, Stan, right? And what of Bob telling Harry what is acting now in Ghost Story is Harry’s soul – his eternal soul – not his spirit? If he comes back, will he have his same body?
I'm pretty sure the Walker isn't a mentor in the way Harry is thinking. Someone mortal has to summon and bind creatures like HWWB, they can't just wander about looking for a creepy jerk to teach.
48. All this makes me question Jack Murphy’s motives. You?
I think that Jack Murphy's entire life was about using available resources to get the job done. He's a white hat, but he's not an angel by any stretch of the imagination. I think he'd absolutely manipulate Harry if he thought it was what was needed.
49. Daniel Carpenter has been tailing Butters on Murphy’s orders? WTH? Murphy really is paranoid.
Poor Murphy. Harry's death really damaged her a lot, and without her work to define her I think she's really flailing around trying to get her bearings.
50. Comments on Harry’s conversation with the Angel of Death and her being Father Forthill’s bodyguard? On HER not having Free Will?
I kind of like the Angel of Death interlude. I like that she's looking out for Forthill. The Free Will speech makes a lot of sense considering what we learned from Lash and Uriel about mortals and angels' interactions with them.
51. Ah, Butters is duped! But Harry gets Fitz to turn back around. Did you like this scene?
I liked it a lot. It made sense that Butters wouldn't be street smart enough to avoid getting taken in by Aristedes. I really liked that Harry was able to act as a sort of guardian angel for Fitz at that point in the narrative. I think he needed to be able to share his knowledge with Fitz to be able to lay some of his own guilt about past decisions to rest. Plus, Harry knows better than anyone how much regret and guilt can mess you up when you make the wrong choice.
52. Man-oh-man! Nobody trusts Harry! Not even Butters. Is this wise? Funny? Sad?
I think it's both wise and sad. Think about how badly the Nightmare hurt Murphy wearing Harry's face...
53. Marcone’s Vikings? Comments.
For whatever reason I keep thinking about the gladiators on Scandal when I hear this phrase lol. Marcone is using the Valhalla warrior spirits from Monach security - hired guns.
54. What did you think of Harry’s memories and Sir Stuart’s gun turning into a staff - and a symbol of authority to summon Mort’s spirits? Did you have any favorites among these spirits?
I liked that. Harry has a bad habit of assuming the obvious about things - I'm glad he was able to figure this out at just the right moment. Sometimes he's a little dense for my taste. ;) I love the idea of using the crazy killer ghosts to save Mort, considering he's cared for them so long. I think the twins are super creepy!
55. And Sir Stuart is back!
Yay! But also a little sad.
56. Despite his guilt, Harry summons Molly. And she says he’s “Clueless.” Is this an indication that she still has a crush on him? Comments.
I think Molly is always going to love Harry, at least a little.
57. Evil Bob! What a place to stop!
I know!!!!!!!!!!! Off to read more! :D
@ Ash#44 – Yes, I would think so. And no, I don’t think Harry could have stopped her.
#45 – LOL!
#47 – Ah!
#48 – Good way to describe Jack.
#50 – Yes, I liked the Angel of Death scene, too.
#51 – I agree completely. Great scene.
#52 – True.
#53 – LOL!
#54 – The twins are definitely creepy.
#56 – I think you’re right.
Nothing But Reading Challenges
Books mentioned in this topic
Summer Knight (other topics)Ghost Story (other topics)
Skin Game (other topics)
Cold Days (other topics)
The eagerly awaited new novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling Dresden Files series.
Synopsis put under spoiler...
(view spoiler)[When we last left the mighty wizard detective Harry Dresden, he wasn't doing well. In fact, he had been murdered by an unknown assassin.
But being dead doesn't stop him when his friends are in danger. Except now he has nobody, and no magic to help him. And there are also several dark spirits roaming the Chicago shadows who owe Harry some payback of their own.
To save his friends-and his own soul-Harry will have to pull off the ultimate trick without any magic... (hide spoiler)]
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The new release of Skin Game is coming out the end of May! Yay! For those of you who want to catch up or refresh your memories, Romance Lovers for the Challenged Impaired has graciously allowed us to use their DQs for Ghost Story in April and Cold Days in early May.
Please join us, or just stop in and say, "Hi!" or tell us which cover you prefer. But...
Expect Spoilers!
Participants
Ash
Chapter Breakdown