[Abyss]

Cause, on 05 November 2016 - 02:52 PM, said:

I understand that Dresden truly was successful in removing the curse and that the Chicago cubs have won?

I still think it's a Denariian plot.

[polishgenius]

I feel bad for the Cubs. Finally break the duck and it's still only the second most unlikely feelgood sporting story of the year.

[Tsundoku]

polishgenius, on 06 November 2016 - 09:02 AM, said:

I feel bad for the Cubs. Finally break the duck and it's still only the second most unlikely feelgood sporting story of the year.

OK, I'll bite: what's the first?

[polishgenius]

Captain Needa, on 06 November 2016 - 11:05 AM, said:

polishgenius, on 06 November 2016 - 09:02 AM, said:

I feel bad for the Cubs. Finally break the duck and it's still only the second most unlikely feelgood sporting story of the year.

OK, I'll bite: what's the first?

Leicester winning the Premier League, of course.

[Tsundoku]

polishgenius, on 06 November 2016 - 11:29 AM, said:

Captain Needa, on 06 November 2016 - 11:05 AM, said:

polishgenius, on 06 November 2016 - 09:02 AM, said:

I feel bad for the Cubs. Finally break the duck and it's still only the second most unlikely feelgood sporting story of the year.

OK, I'll bite: what's the first?

Leicester winning the Premier League, of course.

Ha! Fair enough. I had thought you were referring to something more American-centric.

Ireland beating the All Blacks would be up there as well.

This post has been edited by Captain Needa: 13 November 2016 - 08:06 AM

[End of Disc One]

polishgenius, on 06 November 2016 - 09:02 AM, said:

I feel bad for the Cubs. Finally break the duck and it's still only the second most unlikely feelgood sporting story of the year.

I was going to say that it wasn't even the most unlikely major event that week. Trump won presidency less than a week later.

[RACHEL]

I read to book seven and have set these books aside. I may come back to it but I got sick of all the shit Harry had to put up with, even from friends. I never liked Murphy and I hated her "I am woman hear me roar" attitude. If he saved her she was angry that he treated her like a damsel in distress. I'm sorry but even a tough person with her training is still a damsel in distress when it comes to a lot of the shit Harry deals with. Whenever Harry withholds information she immediately gets mad and pouts about how he can't trust her and that she is a big girl and can handle it. No matter how competent she is as a cop she is still bringing a gun to a magic fight. Since she can't do any magic and has no protection against magic then maybe it wouldn't kill her to admit that Harry might be protecting her not because she is a girl but because she is a nothing in the magical world. Michael's wife hates Harry for putting her husband in danger. I'm pretty sure that being a knight of the cross is what's putting him in danger. There have been many moments where I felt Harry held back and yet his friends still have accused him of being too mean. Basically any little thing that irritated me seemed to get worse even as the storyline grew more interesting so I felt it time to take a break.

[Binder of Demons]

Legit criticisms there RACHEL. Murphy is a character that I struggle with at times for precisely the reasons you outline. I know its a long way off, but in the last few published books that situation has improved somewhat, in that she seems to be a bit (a small bit) more accepting of her actual role in things.

Funnily enough though, the Charity situation does get some clarification in the coming books so you can at least understand her crankiness towards Dresden (and why its him she's gets mad at not Michael).

Since it was irritating you that much you're probably wise to have taken a break. But I genuinely think that the stories really starts to jump up in level from Book 7 (Dead Beat) on.

[End of Disc One]

You're the second person I've seen who quit the series after book 7. Funny because I--and many others--think that's where the series really takes off. It was comfortably the best book in the series up to that point.

[Slow Ben]

Yeah, while i agree with some of your concerns, all i got out of you post was "You stopped reading AFTER DEAD BEAT!?!?"

I think you would have had to gouge my eyes out to get me to stop reading the series after Dead Beat.

[Aptorian]

The Murphy criticism is strange to me. She is often left in the dark (until later in the series) and as such, has little to go by and is clearly frustrated with Dresden, all though she understands him. If anything it's Dresden who is an ass for not sitting down and writing an outline of does and don't's for the officers or at least Murphy and her partner. Secrecy can get people killed just as well as too much information can.

Beyond that I LOVE the Murphy Dresden friendship. Like to the point that I would get seriously emotional just reading their exchanges, especially after you know what happens around Changes. Butcher has his faults as a writer but in terms of building relationships and writing dialogue I have always loved his characters. Like to the point that he could just write a short story about Dresden and Murphy hooking up, retiring and leaving Chicago and living happily ever after and I would be PERFECTLY fine with that.

[worry]

Yah, most of my criticisms of the series (none of which bother me enough to quit) are Harry- and Butcher-focused. I like Harry most of the time, but he is easily the most annoying character in the series -- and those moments usually come down to elements where I consider Harry a Butcher avatar (the excessive rationalizations of chivalry, etc.). Sometimes I fear Butcher has a fedora collection and a history of using the word m'lady in his instant messenger logs. Though I do think Butcher is more self-aware than most, and characters like Murphy benefit from being able to push back on that stuff.

So all told, if he is a fedora dude [lump in my throat, teary-eyed] ... he's one of the best who ever lived.

[RACHEL]

I was thinking about my reading goal for the new year and realized that I finished book 7 in May and have not picked up the series since. While there are a lot of things to like about the series I remembered my irritations with the series quicker than the things I liked. Mostly it was the fact that this series was a "like" for me and not a "love" so I'm putting it on hold for awhile. I plan on picking it up again just maybe not this year.

[Cause]

I'm very frustrated with Dresden! Its been like 2 years since my last fix

[Traveller]

Yeah my frustration is 'where's the rest?'

I need!

[Dolmen 2.0]

So i just read/partway listened to working for bigfoot. I think, like side jobs this book does two things.

Firstly it slaked the thirst just a lil. Helped me cope with some minor withdrawal and helped me rewind a bit to Harrys more mundane role as a magical PI. The moral subtext about standing up to abuse helped me deal with a few personal issues so bonus points for that.

The second thing which I think i realize may be a common problem here, it took me back from the main plot and my investment in certain characters. I find reading Skullsworn did the same thing for its respective series. These small inbetweeners let me visit the dresden world with a lot less baggage. Not once did I roll my eyes thinking 'damn this guys in here?' It helped reset some opinions is my point.

So with a series this long I reccommend these snackers. It will help deal with the minor irritations.

This post has been edited by Dolmen 2.0: 15 March 2018 - 09:59 AM

[worry]

This is a Brief Cases thing.

Spoiler

I'm only halfway in, and btw the book is mostly quite good so far, but for some reason in several of these stories he's eschewed the "Call me old-fashioned, but..." chivalry stuff for lengthy apologia over all his sex thoughts. There's seriously a page-long tract on biological determinism to excuse his getting a boner over a college girl. WTH? Maybe just don't tell us about your boner in the first place.

[Abyss]

Did you finish that story?

[worry]

I'm midway through that one right now. I mean I like this story too, which is why I put my gripe here instead of the main BC thread.

[RACHEL]

Up thread I mentioned that I put Dresden aside and might come back to it later. I am officially done. I got the dangerous women anthology which has the Butcher short story "Bombshells" in it. I was irritated by so many things throughout the story and it reminded me of all my irritations with the series. I guess these books just aren't for me.