[Aptorian]

If you go to Butchers homepage - http://www.jim-butch.../dresden/short/ - there's a list of shortstories, amonst others some you have to pay to read. Most of those are stories that have been published in fantasy/urban fantasy compilations.

[Obdigore]

Aptorian, on Oct 30 2008, 02:34 PM, said:

Obdigore, on Oct 30 2008, 09:24 PM, said:

As for Apt, the Valkyrie thing, that was Gard in a Chopper, and I was of the opinion that the Chopper was called Valkyrie, not that Gard was an actual Valkyrie.

Really? I thought she was some kind of supernatural thingy? I thought she saw

Spoiler

Michael/Harry's death

coming and that's what Hary reacted on.

Would also explain her endurance. Her employer being a norse god

Yea I

Spoiler

guess she is a real Valkyrie, because of the short story. She saw Harry's death earlier and changed it, and harry saw that look in her eyes and saved Michael. I don't see how Harry could know she is a valkyrie at that point though - interesting choice of words perhaps.

[vaiski]

Obdigore, on Nov 3 2008, 05:53 PM, said:

Yea I

Spoiler

guess she is a real Valkyrie, because of the short story. She saw Harry's death earlier and changed it, and harry saw that look in her eyes and saved Michael. I don't see how Harry could know she is a valkyrie at that point though - interesting choice of words perhaps.

The events of Heorot take place between White Knight and Small Favour, so

Spoiler

that's how he knows

.

[Shurque's biatch]

Reading Death Masks right now. Butcher is fantastic. I don't quite swing into the heresy camp with Apt, but I certainly feel the Dresden files is in the top 5 series ever. Dresden is MUCH easier to read/approachable then MBotF.

After I finished Toll the Hounds I picked up Storm Front and pretty much read it in a single sitting.

The TV series was disappointing, but the casting was pretty good. Bianca was perfect. Very sultry and oozed sensuality right up till she ripped your throat out. I also loved the episode with the werewolf chick where she said "you smell like food, everything smells like food!".

I will be back when I can read all the spoilers...

[Sindriss]

Agree with apt, I want to see more norse gods, Odin and Thor ftw!!

[Abyss]

I dunno... i kind of like how Butcher deals in the obscure and unusual bits, rather than Mighty Thor and Powerful Hercules and all that crap Marvel comics have pounded into the ground. The co-existance of the angels and devils with the fae and various other elements in interesting tho'. Note Thorned Natahaniel was working with the Black Council... the BC could turn out to run the gamut from falen angels thru vamps thru fae thru renegade wizards...

- Abyss, doesn't actually know what a 'gamut' is...

[vaiski]

There's yet another short story collection coming in January, Mean Streets.
What's making this one special is that there will be a Dresden novella in it called The Warrior, roughly quarter of book's length. And here's what Butcher has said about the story (major Small Favour spoilers)

Spoiler

At the moment, I'm calling it "The Warrior" and it's going to deal with the aftermath of Michael's injury and its implications for his life and Harry's--especially given that to a lot of onlookers, one of Harry's primary allies just got converted into a MAJOR liability.

Pre-ordered mine.

This post has been edited by vaiski: 05 November 2008 - 05:45 AM

[Abyss]

I still love him, but I REALLY dislike how Butcher is putting arguably major plot points into multi-author collections now. Write all the side-stories you want, but don't stick them somwhere when i have to pay book price for 1/8 of the book and 7/8ths other authors i wasn't reading in the first place in order to read about something 'important' to the story.

- Abyss, disaffected but still addicted.

[vaiski]

Abyss, on Nov 5 2008, 05:43 PM, said:

I still love him, but I REALLY dislike how Butcher is putting arguably major plot points into multi-author collections now. Write all the side-stories you want, but don't stick them somwhere when i have to pay book price for 1/8 of the book and 7/8ths other authors i wasn't reading in the first place in order to read about something 'important' to the story.

I agree though I'm still happy that I get some proper Dresden stuff 3 months before the book 11.
This is the first short story or novella that deals with bigger issues btw, atm there are further two stories planned but no details yet.

[Aptorian]

Look at it this way. There's 7/8ths of the readers that probably weren't going to read Dresden that might now buy a couple of books. Meaning more money for Butcher. Happy Author makes Reader Happy.

[Abyss]

I don't begrudge him the exposure. I have picked up anthologies in the past - notably the LEGEND books - and then go on to buy a new author's work based on a short story therein. I just resent when it's actually a big part of the main storyline as opposed to an aside.

- Abyss, anti-asidist.

[Falco]

Abyss, on Nov 7 2008, 02:49 AM, said:

I don't begrudge him the exposure. I have picked up anthologies in the past - notably the LEGEND books - and then go on to buy a new author's work based on a short story therein. I just resent when it's actually a big part of the main storyline as opposed to an aside.

- Abyss, anti-asidist.

Agreed. If its not in the library, I may have to "acquire" over the internet. I refuse to shell my hard-earned out for it.

[Abyss]

In other news, if Canada Post may be trusted (i know, i know...) the below arrives chez moi today or tomorrow...

1 of: Codex Alera Book Four Captain's Fury [Paperback]
By: Jim Butcher
1 of: The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle [Hardcover]
By: Jim Butcher, Ardian Syaf
1 of: Backup: A Story of the Dresden Files [Hardcover]
By: Jim Butcher

- Abyss, wheeEEeeeee...

[Abyss]

Abyss, on Nov 24 2008, 10:01 AM, said:

In other news, if Canada Post may be trusted (i know, i know...) the below arrives chez moi today or tomorrow...
...
1 of: The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle [Hardcover]
By: Jim Butcher, Ardian Syaf
1 of: Backup: A Story of the Dresden Files [Hardcover]
By: Jim Butcher

- Abyss, wheeEEeeeee...

And now, the news...

I totally enjoyed these. I'll block out spoilers after some non-spoiler comments

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE - we all saw what a disaster it was when Dresden was made into a tv show. Seriously, it sucked. Huge. So i was feeling a bit unsteady about the source material being transferred to any other form. I'm pleased to say the Dabel Bros got it right - this was great fun, well illustrated, a solid addition to the story and totally Dresden. Jim was in fine form when he wrote this as a self-contained story. Artist Ardian Syaf gets the characters and Harry and Murphy look just right.

It's a fun, short read, and a nifty grpahic novel. Worth getting - if you're pinching pennies but still a Dresden fan, get the softcover when it comes out.


SPOILERS ON SPOILERS SPOILERS
WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE SPOILERS SPOILERS
SPOILERS

Spoiler

"You should have taken my gun." PERFECT!

END SPOILERS


Now, to BACKUP...

Unspoilers review: I liked. This story sits on its own and doesn't tie in to any previous book to closely. Worth a read if you're past the sixth book in the series. Not overpriced either, altho still more of a 'limited edition' price for a short story. I like Butcher's work and want to support him so he gets my dollars. Butcher gives Thomas his own voice but maintains the 'feel' of the Dresden books nicely. Good fun and worth reading.


ON SPOILERS
SPOILERS DEATH TO SPOILERS YO MOMMA
SPOILERS BLOODY SPOILERS I HAVE WARNED YOU SPOILERS....

Spoiler

Butcher goes inside Thomas' head. Even explaining why Thomas is significant might be considered a fairly major spoilers so i'm just blocking the whole review, but if you're here, he's Harry's half brother, he's a sex vampire, and he's a great character in the books. The question of course was whether JB could write a story from inside Thomas' head and still make it as interesting as
Harry's perspective.
I'm happy to say he pulls it off without resorting to Thomas' 'voice' being just like Dresden's. Sure, there are similarities, but we'll push that off on them being brothers and hanging out all the time.

I liked this. Thomas' situation, having to run around Harry without Harry knowing he was there, was a nice touch and well pulled off. It wasn't too contrived, nor does it make Harry seem like (too much of ) a patsy for not realizing what's going on - ie: Thomas fools Harry becaise Thomas is clever, not because Harry is a putz.

I really liked how Thomas' vampire nature came into play as well.

END SPOILERS SPOILERS END


- Abyss, not a sex vampire but plays one on tv.

This post has been edited by Abyss: 09 January 2009 - 05:56 PM

[Aptorian]

Oh god, oh god... must not look at spoiler. Must be strong!

*flee's out of the thread*

[Traveller]

I've got a 2 week holiday coming up - I need books!

This thread has convinced me, so thanks to everyone for the thorough spoilering; I managed to get a good impression without seeing anything I might regret later.

[QuickTidal]

Traveller, on Jan 7 2009, 09:35 AM, said:

I've got a 2 week holiday coming up - I need books!

This thread has convinced me, so thanks to everyone for the thorough spoilering; I managed to get a good impression without seeing anything I might regret later.

You'll be very thankful you started the series! I figure you'll be as severely hooked and Dresden-crack dependant as we are by Grave Peril. LOL

[Traveller]

I think I'll trust you and get a couple to get started with! If I just take one away with me and it's good, I'll want the next one right away....

[murphy72]

Traveller, on Jan 8 2009, 05:00 AM, said:

I think I'll trust you and get a couple to get started with! If I just take one away with me and it's good, I'll want the next one right away....

You really should get more than two. It will save you running back to the store for more.

[Abyss]

Re how many to buy, for what it's worth, per my original posts, i thought 1 was fun, 2 started slow but got better, 3-4 hooked lined and sinkered me and 5 blew. me. away. and made me the addict i am today.

It only got better from there.

- Abyss, firm fan.