Dead Beat

Dead Beat The Dresden Files Book Seven (2005) Jim Butcher

I had Michael read this book first, so he could warn me if it had a cliffhanger ending. He doesn’t mind being left hanging, whereas I hate it with a passion. But Michael said I’d be okay with this, so I dove right into the seventh Harry Dresden book, which will be the last I’ll read until the 8th book comes out in paperback.

Although the story arc in Dead Beat is resolved, there are plenty of threads yet to be resolved, so I’d say that Jim Butcher plans on several more Harry Dresden books. Which is fine with me, because they’re fun.

Following events in the last book, Thomas is now living with Harry, and doing a not so good job at trying to live a normal life. Unfortunately for Harry, the fact that Thomas can’t hold a job is going to be the least of his problems. Mavra is blackmailing Harry to find the Word of Kemmler, and the undead are thoroughly unsettled in Chicago.

I must say that Jim Butcher’s storytelling has improved throughout the Dresden Files series. Harry continues to have weaknesses and foibles, and the problems he creates for himself in one book do not magically disappear in succeeding books. Specifically, Harry took some major damage in Blood Rites, and he’s still dealing with it. Not only does this serve to tie the books together, but it also helps keep Harry sympathetic. He’s very powerful, and he attempts to do the right thing. These two things in combination could be fatal to a character over the long term, but Harry has weaknesses (physical, emotional) so this combined with his lack of control makes his huge powers acceptable.

At least for me.

However, one thing bugged me (though Michael told me I was a dolt for being bothered by it.)

Butters hadn’t taken time to collect his coat when he left, and the last time the Beetle’s heater had worked was before the demolition of the Berlin Wall.

Okay, so unless old Beetles are drastically different from other cars, if the engine is running, then the car has heat, because the heat that is blown into the car is from the engine. Now maybe the blower in the Beetle is broken, and because the Beetle’s engine is in the back he doesn’t get the heat blowing in automatically. Or maybe the thermostat is broken, so he can’t control the heat–except that I once drove a Volkswagen (Dasher) with a broken thermostat, and I could switch whether the heat went into the body of the car or not from under the hood. It irked me, but because Harry is completely mechanically disinclined, maybe he misunderstood what his mechanic said.

Like I said, nitpicking, but it really bothered me.

One thing I particularly liked about this book was how Harry dealt with Morgan. Morgan has been a total jerk through much of the series (when he’s around) so it was good to see Harry having to deal with Morgan.

SPOILER

(rot 13)
Bar guvat gung V qvfyvxrq, jnf npghnyyl fbzrguvat gung jnf na rkpryyrag cvrpr bs jevgvat ba Wvz Ohgpure’f cneg. V ernyyl ungerq gur snpg gung Uneel znqr n qrny–ab znggre ubj fznyy–jvgu Ynfpvry. Vg’f rkpryyrag vafvtug vagb Uneel’f punenpgre, naq ubj sne ur’f jvyyvat gb tb gb uryc crbcyr, ohg qnzavg! Vg jnf n qhzo guvat gb qb, naq V qba’g haqrefgnaq jul ur whfg qbrfa’g pnyy hc Zvpunry naq fnl, “Url! V’ir tbg bar bs gubfr qnzarq pbvaf, naq V gubhtug V’q qvfcbfrq bs vg cebcreyl, ohg nccneragyl V qba’g unir gur cebcre ovb-unmneq qvfcbfny genvavat sbe bar bs gurz. Pbhyq lbh cynpr pbzr gnxr vg njnl” V ernyvmr gung’f abg n Uneel guvat gb qb, ohg vg jbhyq or n FZNEG guvat gb qb.

Bar bgure ceboyrz. Uneel fcrpvsvpnyyl pbzznaqf Obo gb arire erpbire uvf zrzbevrf bs uvf gvzr jvgu Xrzzyre, rire. Fb jung tbbq qvq vg qb Pbjy gb fjvcr Obo? Jnf Obo whfg cergraqvat gb uryc Pbjy? Va gung pnfr, Uneel jbhyqa’g unir arrqrq gb qb nalguvat. Be qvq Obo unir npprff gb bgure vasbezngvba gung urycrq Pbjy? Gung whfg qvqa’g znxr n ybg bs frafr gb zr.

END SPOLIER

So this is an excellent addition to the Dresden Files series. Although enough back story and history are explained, it would almost certainly be more rewarding to read previous books first.
Rating: 7/10

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