Proven Guilty (The Dresden Files, Book 8) (edition 2007)

Another excellent installment of the Dresden files. Are my reviews getting monotonous? I really have enjoyed every one of the books. They never feel like the same story shuffled around. And yet, Butcher finds a way to create new mayhem and near-apocalyptic conditions every time. And if you question that I've rated each with five stars, I'll say that my thinking is to start at five stars and consider what detracts from that. Things like a subplot that doesn't connect well with the main plot would knock down a five-star story to a four-star for me. A character acting out of character would lose a half or possibly a full star. None of those things have happened in any of the Dresden stories. In fact, I had rated the first few stories as four stars, but then realized there were no circumstances detracting from a five-star rating.

So I fully enjoyed this story. But, oh, Murphy, Murphy, Murphy. How could you do that to Harry! Come to your senses! Please!

[SPOILER ALERT!] The battle in the Nevernever was one of the scarier ones they've had to get through yet. It wouldn't have surprised me if they'd lost someone. The fact that they made it all back, well, I'm glad, even if it makes it tests one's suspension of disbelief. It didn't reach my limits of disbelief, though, since Harry had help from the Summer fire. Sure loved when he burned up the last Fetch and then yelled "Who's next?" And all the fetches went running. Awesome. I'm sure he would have looked kind of scary at that moment, but from this distance... cool. [END SPOILER ALERT]

I finally figured out how to hide spoilers. Sorry if I've let any slip before this.

Eagerly anticipating the next story, I'm a true Harry Dresden fan now! ( )

Book Info: Genre: Urban Fantasy
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Fans of Urban Fantasy

My Thoughts: Harry is in quite a mess in this book. More so than usual? To a certain degree, since he’s dealing with the sidhe, the White Council, and black magic in Chicago. Horror-movie monsters coming to life? Check. Mysterious and spooky people coming into town? Check. Harry frequently beaten to within an inch of his life? Check. Harry has no idea what is going on. Check. It’s not exactly formulaic, because there is just so much going on, but it’s a fairly set pattern at this point.

We learn a lot about Charity Carpenter in this book, a great many insights into her character. On the one hand, she is a very, very strong woman. On the other hand, she had allowed her fear to rule her life and destroy any chance she might have had to make a significant difference in the right against Darkness. I think this goes a long way toward explaining her overwhelming and constant hostility toward Harry. Butcher had to have had this planned out from the very beginning, and reading all these books in a group makes me even more impressed with his skills at weaving this huge and complex web that is the Dresden Files. So, onward!

Disclosure: I purchased this book in hardcover for myself, and backup e-book copy. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: There's no love lost between Harry Dresden, the only wizard in the Chicago phone book, and the White Council of Wizards, who find him brash and undisciplined. But war with the vampires has thinned their ranks, so the Council has drafted Harry as a Warden and assigned him to look into rumors of black magic in the Windy City.

As Harry adjusts to his new role, another problem arrives in the form of the tattooed and pierced daughter of an old friend, all grown-up and already in trouble. Her boyfriend is the only suspect in what looks like a supernatural assault straight out of a horror film. Malevolent entities that feed on fear are loose in Chicago, but it's all in a day's work for a wizard, his faithful dog, and a talking skull named Bob.... (not to mention his enormous and awesome cat! *tsk* Synopsis writers... they always forget the cat...) ( )

Great as usual!!

( )

Another great edition in this series. I'm terrible at writing reviews of in-progress series books, and I think I'm running out of ways to say that I love Harry Dresden, because I just finished this book and I'm completely at a loss as to what the heck to say about it.

Except that I love Harry Dresden. But we knew that, didn't we?

I did really enjoy coming back to Harry's world, and despite the 2 1/2 month gap between finishing Dead Beat and starting Proven Guilty, I picked up right where I left off without any trouble.

I like the development of the characters, especially Charity (who, I admit, was really starting to grate on my nerves in the last few books). Now her attitude makes a lot more sense, and I can understand and... well, understand it.

Thomas is quickly becoming one of my favorite characters too. I love his unobtrusive strength and steadfast loyalty to Harry. I'm really enjoying seeing them test the grounds and borders of their relationship with each other, though, being men, it's a little frustrating too.

The plot in this one was a bit all over the place, as usual, but it came together and then some. Things are starting to really pick up steam in the greater supernatural world, and there's mischief afoot. I really cannot wait to see where the story goes next. ( )