As a big fan of some other long series (Anita Blake Vampire Hunter come to mind) series that go on past 6 or so books seem to have a tendency to fizzle out and end up poorly written or uninteresting. Not so with this series! This series continues to be refreshing and fun. I just can't wait for the next book in the series! ( )

Who do the lesser magical powers turn to when threatened? One would hope they would seek the counsel of their local Warden, Harry Dresden, but then why do they flee from him, throw protective wards up against him, and send him nasty scowls? It couldn't be his oh-so-charming demeanor and highly evolved sense of humor, could it?

Not only must Harry untangle the web of deceit pinning a string of apparent suicides to his doing, figure out if the real killer is one of his nearest and dearest, deal with a headstrong apprentice with a penchant for veiling herself, he must also deal with a stiff-collared prude with bad fashion sense and a sharp tongue.

Some days, one should ask this wizard why the whole city rests on his shoulders. Oh, and his demon is nearing total assimilation of his soul. ( )

When Murphy asks Harry to look into some apparent suicides he quickly determines that they are anything but. Someone is murdering wiccan women and it appears it could have something to do with his brother, Thomas.

Although there is quite a bit in here about Harry's belief in and protective feelings for Thomas, we don't actually get to see much of the vampire himself which is kind of a bummer. However, we do get a smorgasbord of Harry's other allies with stand out performances by Ramirez and Molly, both of whom are really taking on three dimensions. This book seemed longer than the others, I'm not sure if that is really so or if it is just my interpretation. Unlike many of the Dresden books, there is one linear seeming plot without the branch offs into other matters, but the plot evolves so much over the course of the book where you wind up is nothing like where it starts.

Another fast moving, hard to put down adventure in Harry's Chicago and I'm once again left looking forward to the next one! ( )

I like the introduction of the new characters, and some old characters in new light. I loved this book, though it wasn't my new favorite it wasn't anything less than a 5. I think Butcher's writing is phenomenal. ( )

This is the ninth book in the Harry Dresden series. (Note to self: this is the one where the whole White Court explodes all over the place.)

I consistenly enjoy these books. Dresden has gotten a lot better about treating his female colleagues with respect, although he does tend to try to rescue everybody. I'm getting tired of Thomas, but I can see why he means more to Harry than is wise or sane.

I sat down and reread the entire series to lead up to the new volume, and decided that it is better than I remember it being. I always get an enjoyable buzz from it (not least because Jim Butcher was incredibly nice at the signing I went to), but he has done a nice job of foreshadowing plots, following up on subplots, letting all the characters grow and change, and not simply be convenient for Harry.

Reading carefully, my biggest complaint is that each Big Bad is Bigger and Badder than the previous one, which gets tiring. Why not just different? Every book, Harry is outclassed, and has to ramp things up to 11. That said, it's a fairly minor complaint. ( )