Changes / Jim Butcher

Changes

category: Fantasy, author:

Jim Butcher

book 12 of Dresden Files
original copyright 2010

read in April 2012

Agamedes' opinion: 7 out of 10: well worth reading

Number twelve of the series. Each book is independent. Each book builds on the previous books.
Each book builds on the previous books. So the hero, Harry Dresden, gets more friends, more enemies, more magical powers. Which means that each book, each adventure, is more challenging than the last.

The alternative is the old-style sitcom, where a key rule was, each episode must end with the same "sit" as at the start. So, for example, if someone wins a lottery then they must lose it, before the end of that episode.

The developing series -- such as the Dresden Files -- is more of a challenge for the author. How to make each book more exciting that the last? As the hero learns new tricks and techniques, how to set challenges that are still difficult?

Well, actually, Changes is just a bit over the top.

Has Dresden reached the limit of acceptable magical powers? Will book thirteen have the hero solving all problems by simply clicking his heels and wishing? Will the baddies simply wilt and fail in the face of Harry's magical super-powers?

Probably not...

Changes is over the top. In terms of magical powers, magical bad guys... and kill count. But it's still a lot of fun. And Dresden is still a good character, doing his best to be good, in a world full of evil.
I am beginning to wonder... Is there a particular end point for which Butcher is aiming? Is there a plateau of magical power that will see Dresden set for life, as the benevolent controller of all things magical? Or will he just continue to grow... and grow... and grow.

Either way, I look forward to reading the next in the series.

Oh. But. I do have one rather picky complaint.

At the end of the book is an "Author's Note". These can be interesting. Sometimes the author's note offers an insight into the writer. Or into the writer's approach to writing.

This Author's Note is simply an ad for a book by the same author but in a new series..
Worse yet, it's much the same set of words -- according to my memory -- as is published in the new book.

No mention of the Dresden Files series, past or future. No insight into the author's approach to writing. A claim that he is interested in the style of story in the new book. So what?!

I tell myself, It's not the author's fault, the publisher made him do it...

Still...

Disappointing.
===

13jul18: 

a second reading.

Yes, I agree with everything I wrote in the original review. With points which I may have mentioned in reviews of other Dresden books:

This series is (a) very comic book and (b) aimed at horny teenage boys.

Comic book: Despite being all words, the book (and series) is very visual. Lots of strong imagery, plenty of characters with strong visual -- as well as characteristic -- differences. And yet... the wordy self-analysis does occasionally drag.

Teenage: very attractive women, most of whom are unavailable. (Or should that be "women"; many are female but not human.) Wish-fulfilment, escapist fantasy with the hero risking death and worse in order to save all and sundry.

I had barely read a chapter when I thought... again... wordy comic books for horny teenage boys. Then I continued reading & enjoying :-)

..o0o..

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