Proven Guilty (The Dresden Files, Book 8) by Jim Butcher Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Proven Guilty (The Dresden Files, Book 8)
Book Review: Curiouser and curiouser
Summary: 5 Stars
There's not much I can add after Dussan's review below. He was spot on, and factual in his assessment.
What I will add is that this story brings readers more into the overall story arc that has encompassed previous books in the Dresden Files series. New readers should not start here, although many of the previous books can be read as stand alone novels. (My first Dresden Files novel was "Dead Beat" book 7.)
I'd recommend this book to anyone who's read most, if not all, of the previous books in the series.
I'll admit it, I'm a die-hard Jim Butcher fan, and I'm eagerly awaiting the next novel "White Knight."
Fans of Jim Butchers may want to also check out his series "The Furies of Caldaron," an epic fantasy series that, while it can be enjoyed by any fantasy fan, may appeal especially to anyone who's enjoyed the Final Fantasy video games.
Book Review: wow Dresden strikes again
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a really good read. Just when i thought i would get real tired of the Fairies and such... he changes and does something else.
This book shows a little more into Dresden himself and his relationship to his friends.
Wish there had been more Bob the Skull but i love this series for certain,.
Book Review: butcher does it again
Summary: 5 Stars
a fitting continuation on a wonderful saga
harry dresden is great and the world is written in an amazing style
all around a very good read : )
Book Review: Story arc chores
Summary: 3 Stars
This doesn't seem to be a novel so much as the preamble to one. The previous book in this series, Dead Beat, planted a few plot elements for future books, but did this as part of a more immediate story. Proven Guilty seems to treat the story as a chore to be dragged out to get the required number of pages to justify a book, and then once Mr. Butcher has earned his paycheck, he gets down to actually showing the reader the important part.
The plot of this book is a by-now fairly typical magical murder mystery, this time with a gimmick- movie monsters brought to life- that isn't really pushed far enough to be effective. This might have still worked, except that many of the threads of the mystery are left unsolved as plants for a major story arc that I suspect will begin in earnest in the next book.
The first third of the book doesn't bring us anything we haven't seen before, but still manages to entertain effectively. There is some good stuff about Harry and Murphy's relationship towards the end of this, which makes the retread of earlier plot devices seem not quite so redundant. The second third just drags horribly as the characters rush from one action set-piece to another without much time to stop and give the reader a break, or even let us explore their thoughts instead of their fights. By the time Harry and his squad of wizard groupies are battling their way out the Nevernever, I just wanted the damn fighting to end already. The final third of the book manages to save the novel just in time, finally giving us the plot and character development that was missing in the rest of the book.
There really wasn't enough meat in this book to justify its page count. Several action sequences could have been jettisoned at great benefit to the rest of the story, and Harry's "Oh God I'm either directly or indirectly responsible for the death of an innocent" angst is getting pretty old. It is nice to see a genre writer try and deal with the spiritual toll of violence on the psyche, but it is frustrating that Harry hasn't grown calluses on his mind regarding killing. I'm not saying I want a psychotic hero just that it's getting pretty hard to be struck by some grim new precedent in Harry's body count when it is only a tiny shade of distinction from something he's done several times before. Maybe in the next book Butcher will have Harry finally do something more than agonize about his dwindling innocence (either accept it, reject it, or try to find a middle path; Harry has to start doing something more than just whining about it if Butcher expects us to keep taking it seriously).
All that aside, the Murphy/Harry relationship is done very well without taking the easy way out. Michael and his family are back and a lot more interesting than before as Butcher finally explores the potential of examining family life on the edge of reality. There is some much welcomed forward movement on the Lasciel plot, and she/it continues to be very well written as so dangerously persuasive and charismatic that you almost WANT Harry to accept her power. There are a few more interesting things that happen I won't spoil, and it is satisfying to see Butcher fully mining many of the characters he has slowly built up over the past several years.
The plot plants and hints of what's to come in the next book are genuinely intriguing, and I will eagerly pick it up; I just hope that it isn't another 1/3rd interesting story padded with chapters and chapters of superfluous fighting and over-used plot elements.
Book Review: yikes again!
Summary: 5 Stars
blood, guts, and a TWIST! ok Butcher, if you blow the Sci-Fi channel thing(or if Sci-Fi blows it themselves-visav Farscape-for Butcher) you've got a good series going, getting darker all the time though. it's getting close to being NOT for anybody under 15 in this series... nekkidness and inappropriate relationship! ok, so, i like the book, i hope you will too.