Summer Knight

Summer Knight The Dresden Files Book Four (2002) Jim Butcher

Okay, so apparently the last book, Grave Peril, was a fluke, because I really enjoyed Summer Knight.

Harry’s has spent his time since the events in Grave Peril searching for a way to cure Susan. Without luck. He has also been ignoring the fact that he debt to Lea will be coming due soon, however, events quickly move beyond his control, and he ends up having to deal not just the war with the Red Court, but the Wizard’s Council, AND the Winter Court and Summer Court of the sidhe.

In other words, his hands are full.

There were a few things that bothered me. Once again, Harry has boon companion whose name we’d never even heard. However, this time it made sense that we didn’t hear about Ebenezer, since he lived elsewhere, and was busy with his own work. And he also wasn’t a permanent fixture in this book–he just appeared in passing. Which reminds me–not a mention of Michael in this book, which makes him feel even more like someone who was dredged up for the last book, and then immediately forgotten about.

However, Michael was my problem with the last book, and isn’t relevant to how I I felt about this book.

The pacing of this book was very good, as was the mystery. The solution wasn’t obvious, but made sense once it was laid out. (Well, assuming that anything in the fairy realm makes sense.) I liked the fact that Harry is beating himself up over what happened to Susan–that he feels responsible and needs to solve the problem. Although I have to admit that I’d like it if someone else solved Susan’s problem, and Harry had to deal with that. Won’t happen I’m sure, but it would be very interesting.

But what I particularly liked was the fact that ideas that filtered through the past three books actually appear here. I was glad to see Harry start treating Murphy like a grown-up, even if doing so put her at risk. I was also glad to see several hints from previous come to fruition. I was also glad to see that Harry remained close with the werewolves, from Fool Moon, and that they were doing well for themselves.

I also preferred the relationship Harry had with Toot Toot in this book. Less on the compulsion and more on the bribery was, I thought, an improvement. Kept Harry from seeming like as much of a jerk.

I did kinda miss Bob the Skull, as he had only a small part in this book.

Begin Spoiler
(rot 13)
Jung V qba’g trg, ubjrire, vf ubj Zbetna tbg njnl jvgu unatvat hc ba Uneel naq ershfvat gb npprcg Uneel’f jbeq gung gurer jnf fvtavsvpnag qnatre noebnq. Zbetna’f npgvbaf frrz gb unir cynprq gur pbhapvy (naq gur jbeyq, sbe gung znggre) va qnatre. Naq ng yrnfg gur Tngrxrrcre fubhyq unir ernyvmrq guvf. Vs Zbetna vf npghnyyl tbbq, gura ur fubhyqa’g unir orra noyr gb trg njnl jvgu guvf. Naq vs ur jnf ernyyl tbbq, ur fubhyq unir orra noyr gb ng yrnfg cnff gur zrffntr nybat–be rira yrg Uneel gnyx gb gur Zreyva. Vs gur vasbezngvba jnf gung vzcbegnag, gura yrggvat Uneel gnyx gb gur Zreyva–jub ungrq naq zvfgehfgrq uvz–fubhyq unir orra cresrpgyl svar.
End Spoiler

Also, I really liked the cover. Very nice in multiple ways: It showed the war between the winter and summer courts, without giving anything away, and it it just well done and nice to look at. All of these covers have been good, but I thought this one was particularly nice.

All in all, I liked this book much better than Grave Peril. The writing was good, the pacing was good, and Harry is becoming more interesting. Events in previous books are referred to, and the part about helping Susan and his interactions with Murphy make better sense in light of previous books, you could most likely read this book without having read the other books. Might not be as good, but then again, it might.
Rating: 7/10

• Browse the archives:
  
• Death Masks » »
• « « Past the Size of Dreaming