Seems like yesterday that I read Skin Game by Jim Butcher (because it kind of was). Six years since Skin Game, we finally have Peace Talks! I got this as an audiobook and, while it took me some time to get my head back in Dresden's world, it took off at such a speed and twist that I ended up doing marathon listening sessions. I'm so glad Dresden is back. He is my literary boo.
I actually finished this mid-September and can't really say why it's taken a month to write a review. It was a long, long wait for Peace Talks and perhaps I was just savoring it. Or life just got chaotic. Either way, here we are. Harry Dresden is a wizard in Chicago. He's had 15 books prior to Peace Talks of just trying to be a wizard detective but then getting all twisted up in the evils of the Underworld. He's a good guy, just ends up in the wrong place at times.
If you are new to Dresden, here's your backlist to catch up on. Battle Ground, book #17, came out Sept 29, 2020, so get ready!
Dresden is not just a Warden of the White Council, he's also The Winter Knight. Conflicting careers that make everyone around him doubt his morals. His half-brother is a Vampire, his granddad is one of the most powerful wizards on the Council. Harry has taken on raising (very loosely) his daughter, Maggie, with help from the Carpenters, one of which is a retired Knight of the Cross who has protection from angels. There are a lot of people in play in Peace Talks, but in the end, I think we come down to Dresden's family. Since he's an orphan, Dresden chose the people in his family and it's amazingly comforting to see how well they have his back, regardless of his conflicting obligations.
Thomas does something so weirdly unlike him that I still can't quite figure out why (hoping that makes more sense in Battle Ground). He gets in desperate trouble that puts his life on the line and Harry, knowing Thomas as well as he does, tries to get him out of it. This forces Harry to work in tandem with Thomas' half-sister Lara Raith, an even more powerful vampire and head of the White Court. He's also required by Queen Mab, the Winter Knight's boss, to perform whatever favors Lara desires as payback for another favor. Harry is in a terrible position. I say that a lot throughout the book.
Ebenezar McCoy, Harry's granddad, is a bit of an ass in this one. He's 100% against vampires and has no knowledge that Thomas is his grandson. Instead he chooses to constantly lecture Harry on how stupid he's being with his choices. McCoy even attempts to kill Harry, but there's a LOT of action leading up to that (or is there?).
So, if you think everything written above is the plot of this book, you are wrong. This turns out to just be the subplot, or a minor, plot. After the big...twist? reveal? Oh shit moment? you actually start forgetting everything that happened prior and your only concern at this point is what's next.
Ethniu, the Last Titaness, crashes the party. And threatens to destroy Chicago and anyone who tries to stop her.
We leave Peace Talks on a cliffhanger. Dresden and company look to be in a no win situation, but it's Dresden, right?
Dresdenverse (spoilers be here, be warned)
Harry Dresden series (just 1 season but still good!)
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