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The Dresden Files #9
White Night
Wizard Harry Dresden must investigate his own flesh and blood when a series of killings strike Chicago’s magic practitioners in this novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.
Someone is targeting the members of the city’s supernatural underclass—those who don’t possess enough power to become full-fledged wizards. Some have vanished. Others appear to be victims of suicide. But now the culprit has left a calling card at one of the crime scenes—a message for Harry Dresden.
Harry sets out to find the apparent serial killer, but his investigation turns up evidence pointing to the one suspect he cannot possibly believe guilty: his half-brother, Thomas. To clear his brother’s name, Harry rushes into a supernatural power struggle that renders him outnumbered, outclassed, and dangerously susceptible to temptation.
And Harry knows that if he screws this one up, people will die—and one of them will be his brother...
Someone is targeting the members of the city’s supernatural underclass—those who don’t possess enough power to become full-fledged wizards. Some have vanished. Others appear to be victims of suicide. But now the culprit has left a calling card at one of the crime scenes—a message for Harry Dresden.
Harry sets out to find the apparent serial killer, but his investigation turns up evidence pointing to the one suspect he cannot possibly believe guilty: his half-brother, Thomas. To clear his brother’s name, Harry rushes into a supernatural power struggle that renders him outnumbered, outclassed, and dangerously susceptible to temptation.
And Harry knows that if he screws this one up, people will die—and one of them will be his brother...
407 pages, Hardcover
First published April 3, 2007
About the author
Jim Butcher
219 books49.6k followersJim Butcher is the author of the Dresden Files, the Codex Alera, and a new steampunk series, the Cinder Spires. His resume includes a laundry list of skills which were useful a couple of centuries ago, and he plays guitar quite badly. An avid gamer, he plays tabletop games in varying systems, a variety of video games on PC and console, and LARPs whenever he can make time for it. Jim currently resides mostly inside his own head, but his head can generally be found in his home town of Independence, Missouri.
Jim goes by the moniker Longshot in a number of online locales. He came by this name in the early 1990′s when he decided he would become a published author. Usually only 3 in 1000 who make such an attempt actually manage to become published; of those, only 1 in 10 make enough money to call it a living. The sale of a second series was the breakthrough that let him beat the long odds against attaining a career as a novelist.
All the same, he refuses to change his nickname.
Jim goes by the moniker Longshot in a number of online locales. He came by this name in the early 1990′s when he decided he would become a published author. Usually only 3 in 1000 who make such an attempt actually manage to become published; of those, only 1 in 10 make enough money to call it a living. The sale of a second series was the breakthrough that let him beat the long odds against attaining a career as a novelist.
All the same, he refuses to change his nickname.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,252 reviews
July 6, 2020
4.5/5 stars
I've mentioned this several times, but it's always safe to rely on The Dresden Files for a quick entertaining read.
A serial killer is on the loose, and they’re targeting practitioners of magic. And to make things worse, all the evidence seems to point towards Thomas as the perpetrator. Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, of course, won’t allow this to happen. That’s the premise of White Night, but surprisingly, there’s actually less focus on investigation now compared to the previous books in the series. I personally consider this a good direction for the series; I’ve always preferred reading about the magic or world-building aspect of the series more than the investigation parts anyway. I found White Night to be as good as Dead Beat in overall quality due to few reasons.
That’s not what I’m going to talk about, but that’s not wrong. Yes, Mouse is here, and he’s still the goodest boy. If you’ve read and enjoyed the series up to this ninth installment, then you should know already that the series is filled with tons of endearing cast of characters with well-put characterizations and developments, but they take turns in each volume. Sometimes a character appears, sometimes they don’t. In White Night, most of the relationship development occurs between Harry, Molly, and Ramirez—another character I didn’t expect I would find myself invested in this much. As I repeatedly said throughout my reviews, the surprisingly delightful characterizations for Harry, the side characters, and their development with each other is one of the biggest selling points of the series for me, and that remains true in this book. I also utterly loved the discussion and passages about power, loneliness, and pain.
Then there’s also this line, which probably would—sadly—continue to be evident until the world explodes:
Isn’t it so true?
Speaking of being pleasantly surprised earlier, I actually liked reading the action sequences here. It never felt boring, and wow, the battle against the ghouls did get crazy. For me, the pacing and longevity of the action sequences in the series have always been a persisting issue; Dead Beat was the only time I can say I thoroughly enjoyed reading every action and battle scenes within a volume of the series. It feels good that I can finally add another installment to that small list. The actions in the last few chapters of this novel were gripping, and I definitely hope this level of quality in the actions will be maintained or maybe even surpassed in the sequels.
White Night has the most satisfying ending in the series so far. Not only the case file felt properly concluded, but the ending also made me smile. (I mean, c’mon, there’s even a Tiger Balm! That’s something I use that I thought would never appear in an urban fantasy novel!) Suffice to say that overall, same as Dead Beat, White Night is one of my favorite installment in the series so far. I’m sure this position won’t last long; at the rapid rate the series is ascending in enjoyment, I’m confident the next book will be as good or maybe even better. I’ll start reading Small Favor two weeks from now.
Picture: White Night by Vincent Chong
You can order the book from: Book Depository (Free shipping)
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Devin, Hamad, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas.
I've mentioned this several times, but it's always safe to rely on The Dresden Files for a quick entertaining read.
A serial killer is on the loose, and they’re targeting practitioners of magic. And to make things worse, all the evidence seems to point towards Thomas as the perpetrator. Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, of course, won’t allow this to happen. That’s the premise of White Night, but surprisingly, there’s actually less focus on investigation now compared to the previous books in the series. I personally consider this a good direction for the series; I’ve always preferred reading about the magic or world-building aspect of the series more than the investigation parts anyway. I found White Night to be as good as Dead Beat in overall quality due to few reasons.
“People love dogs. You can never go wrong adding a dog to the story.”
That’s not what I’m going to talk about, but that’s not wrong. Yes, Mouse is here, and he’s still the goodest boy. If you’ve read and enjoyed the series up to this ninth installment, then you should know already that the series is filled with tons of endearing cast of characters with well-put characterizations and developments, but they take turns in each volume. Sometimes a character appears, sometimes they don’t. In White Night, most of the relationship development occurs between Harry, Molly, and Ramirez—another character I didn’t expect I would find myself invested in this much. As I repeatedly said throughout my reviews, the surprisingly delightful characterizations for Harry, the side characters, and their development with each other is one of the biggest selling points of the series for me, and that remains true in this book. I also utterly loved the discussion and passages about power, loneliness, and pain.
“Everyone is down on pain, because they forget something important about it: Pain is for the living. Only the dead don't feel it.”
Then there’s also this line, which probably would—sadly—continue to be evident until the world explodes:
“Bigots see something they expect and then they stop thinking about what is in front of them. It's probably how they got to be bigots in the first place.”
Isn’t it so true?
Speaking of being pleasantly surprised earlier, I actually liked reading the action sequences here. It never felt boring, and wow, the battle against the ghouls did get crazy. For me, the pacing and longevity of the action sequences in the series have always been a persisting issue; Dead Beat was the only time I can say I thoroughly enjoyed reading every action and battle scenes within a volume of the series. It feels good that I can finally add another installment to that small list. The actions in the last few chapters of this novel were gripping, and I definitely hope this level of quality in the actions will be maintained or maybe even surpassed in the sequels.
“Knowledge is the ultimate weapon. It always has been.”
White Night has the most satisfying ending in the series so far. Not only the case file felt properly concluded, but the ending also made me smile. (I mean, c’mon, there’s even a Tiger Balm! That’s something I use that I thought would never appear in an urban fantasy novel!) Suffice to say that overall, same as Dead Beat, White Night is one of my favorite installment in the series so far. I’m sure this position won’t last long; at the rapid rate the series is ascending in enjoyment, I’m confident the next book will be as good or maybe even better. I’ll start reading Small Favor two weeks from now.
"Passion has overthrown tyrants and freed prisoners and slaves. Passion has brought justice where there was savagery. Passion has created freedom where there was nothing but fear. Passion has helped souls rise from the ashes of their horrible lives and build something better, stronger, more beautiful.”
Picture: White Night by Vincent Chong
You can order the book from: Book Depository (Free shipping)
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Devin, Hamad, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas.
February 28, 2020
I am floored by how well Dresden progresses. Through character and world building, Dresden is slowly becoming one of my all time favorites. White Knight is the best of the series I have read yet. Reading Dresden is comfortable, thrilling, and most importantly, DAMN FUN!
Full review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE2Fy...
Full review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE2Fy...
September 3, 2022
Just getting better with every new book! Best book so far, although I missed the little Pizza eating monsters 😃! They make everything better! On to the next book 😎!
August 11, 2020
Hands down the most fun book I've read these past two years. White Night is also the best Dresden Files book so far. It restored my wobbling faith in the series. Jim Butcher has my respect. He can retain control over what makes Dresden special, yet dish out an entertaining, fast paced book that's unique in the series. Everything here was fun to read. Even the times where vampires' unearthly beauty was being described made me happy. I usually get bored by this lyrical waxing. But here it seemed so exaggerated and silly that it was...not funny, but pleasant. Oh wait, it WAS funny as hell! Can't wait to read the next Dresden book!
September 7, 2020
4.5 stars.
So darn good. White Night was such an engrossing and entertaining read that I finished it in under 1.5 days. The combination of an intriguing plot and close to perfect pacing was a real page-turner. And the action sequence during the climax of this book was pretty insane.
But the highlight for me was the character development - be it for Harry, or the main supporting cast of Thomas, Murphy and Mouse (yea, he's a dog but that's all the more reason why I love him so much). I'm so invested in all of them now that I fear for their safety. Not so much for Harry yet because I do know that there are many more books to go, but who knows whether the rest would be safe from serious harm. Harry's characterisation kept on improving with each subsequent book, and the emotional resonance which was missing for me in the earlier books is now well and truly established.
It is also a well-established opinion among readers of The Dresden Files that the series continues to improve from here and I'm so excited to keep reading. If this keeps up, I foresee the first 5-star rating coming up soon.
So darn good. White Night was such an engrossing and entertaining read that I finished it in under 1.5 days. The combination of an intriguing plot and close to perfect pacing was a real page-turner. And the action sequence during the climax of this book was pretty insane.
But the highlight for me was the character development - be it for Harry, or the main supporting cast of Thomas, Murphy and Mouse (yea, he's a dog but that's all the more reason why I love him so much). I'm so invested in all of them now that I fear for their safety. Not so much for Harry yet because I do know that there are many more books to go, but who knows whether the rest would be safe from serious harm. Harry's characterisation kept on improving with each subsequent book, and the emotional resonance which was missing for me in the earlier books is now well and truly established.
It is also a well-established opinion among readers of The Dresden Files that the series continues to improve from here and I'm so excited to keep reading. If this keeps up, I foresee the first 5-star rating coming up soon.
September 28, 2013
Classic Dresden files book, so it was good. But this read just like about three or four of his other books...
**Set in Chicago...again
**White Court vamps are evil and the war is ongoing...still
**Bob the pervy skull gets a complete intro and helps out with witty candor...
**Thomas is hungry and Harry is suspicious of him
**Harry STILL doesn't get laid
I'm ready for Butcher to move on to a new subject, a new setting, and to settle the score with all of the above. How many times does Bob need an introduction? If someone picks up book nine of a series and expects to understand everything, it's their own damn fault. I don't want to read the same thing nine times!
Same with Harry's chivalrous nature. I'm about tired of how Harry has to repeatedly tout his own heroics. Oh, the women and children...save the women and children! Must not see them suffer, even if they are cutting off my good parts and torturing my loved ones. If it's a woman, Harry will tell us, multiple times in the same book, how he can't bring himself to be less than courteous.
I think the reason this book bothered me so much was that the last book in the series had a different vibe to it, and I was so very interested the entire time I read it. That book took us to the land of fairy, gave Harry an apprentice, and I felt like it moved the series forward a few steps. So I expected this one to keep moving forward. Not so. It sort of moved backward, and it's annoying.
I listened to the audio again...James Marsters does an amazing job. You can hear how into his role he is, and it seems as if he has become more and more Harry Dresden with each installment.
I probably should give this more than two stars, but I ended up skimming through soooo much of it, and I really don't feel like I missed anything. I think I could have skipped the entire book and been just fine moving on to the next one. Maybe I need to just give the series a break for awhile so that it's all new again, because at this point, if the next book isn't vastly different, I may give up on Dresden.
**Set in Chicago...again
**White Court vamps are evil and the war is ongoing...still
**Bob the pervy skull gets a complete intro and helps out with witty candor...
**Thomas is hungry and Harry is suspicious of him
**Harry STILL doesn't get laid
I'm ready for Butcher to move on to a new subject, a new setting, and to settle the score with all of the above. How many times does Bob need an introduction? If someone picks up book nine of a series and expects to understand everything, it's their own damn fault. I don't want to read the same thing nine times!
Same with Harry's chivalrous nature. I'm about tired of how Harry has to repeatedly tout his own heroics. Oh, the women and children...save the women and children! Must not see them suffer, even if they are cutting off my good parts and torturing my loved ones. If it's a woman, Harry will tell us, multiple times in the same book, how he can't bring himself to be less than courteous.
I think the reason this book bothered me so much was that the last book in the series had a different vibe to it, and I was so very interested the entire time I read it. That book took us to the land of fairy, gave Harry an apprentice, and I felt like it moved the series forward a few steps. So I expected this one to keep moving forward. Not so. It sort of moved backward, and it's annoying.
I listened to the audio again...James Marsters does an amazing job. You can hear how into his role he is, and it seems as if he has become more and more Harry Dresden with each installment.
I probably should give this more than two stars, but I ended up skimming through soooo much of it, and I really don't feel like I missed anything. I think I could have skipped the entire book and been just fine moving on to the next one. Maybe I need to just give the series a break for awhile so that it's all new again, because at this point, if the next book isn't vastly different, I may give up on Dresden.
February 23, 2020
“Better the devil you know than the devil you don't.”
Jim Butcher’s ninth Harry Dresden novel, first published in 2007, is about a lot of things, as all of these entertaining books are, but the central theme seems to be picking the lesser of two evils, or working a Corleone plan by keeping your friends close but your enemies closer.
Several of the recent Dresden novels have involved Harry’s tenuous connection to the White Court of vampires and this one finds our hero drawn once more into a confrontation with this lascivious group of succubae. There's also the tracking down of a magical serial killer, some neanderthal ghouls and Bob the talking skull.
Fans of the series know that the vampires are divided into three main groups, or courts, the Red, Black and White. The Red Court vampires are non-human and demonic in true form, hiding behind a magical veil. The Black court types are the “classic” vampires – undead creatures feasting on human blood and counting stuff on Sesame Street.
The White Court are the most human like and feed not on blood so much as emotion – sex, fear, despair. They also like to operate behind the scenes by manipulation, persuasion and subterfuge.
Also present is a list of Dresden recurring characters including Johnny Marcone and Ramirez.
Full of Butcher’s can of corn humor, some introspective philosophical musings, as well as more than an ample allowance of ACTION! this is another fun entry into the Dresden files.
Jim Butcher’s ninth Harry Dresden novel, first published in 2007, is about a lot of things, as all of these entertaining books are, but the central theme seems to be picking the lesser of two evils, or working a Corleone plan by keeping your friends close but your enemies closer.
Several of the recent Dresden novels have involved Harry’s tenuous connection to the White Court of vampires and this one finds our hero drawn once more into a confrontation with this lascivious group of succubae. There's also the tracking down of a magical serial killer, some neanderthal ghouls and Bob the talking skull.
Fans of the series know that the vampires are divided into three main groups, or courts, the Red, Black and White. The Red Court vampires are non-human and demonic in true form, hiding behind a magical veil. The Black court types are the “classic” vampires – undead creatures feasting on human blood and counting stuff on Sesame Street.
The White Court are the most human like and feed not on blood so much as emotion – sex, fear, despair. They also like to operate behind the scenes by manipulation, persuasion and subterfuge.
Also present is a list of Dresden recurring characters including Johnny Marcone and Ramirez.
Full of Butcher’s can of corn humor, some introspective philosophical musings, as well as more than an ample allowance of ACTION! this is another fun entry into the Dresden files.
February 20, 2020
"Magic is groovy, but when it comes to dealing out death, regular mortal know-how can be just as impressive."
This one hit all the right chords for me. I would rank it in my top 2 or 3 Dresden books so far. But, there is still a long way to go. That final battle was intense as hell. Definitely, one of the top action scenes in this series so far.
In this installment Harry gets pulled into a case involving a serial killer. But, not just any serial killer. This one preys on the magical community, and he/she is making it look like suicides. Only someone with magical talent and just so happens to be a detective could find the clues being left behind. Enter Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden.
"Anger is just anger. It isn't good. It isn't bad. It just is. What you do with it is what matters. It's like anything else. You can use it to build or to destroy. You just have to make the choice."
The magical elements and Harry's detective work were well balanced in this book. Most of the time the magic tends to overwhelm the actual case. Also, Mouse is fast becoming my favorite side character in this series. I love Bob the skull, but I mean who doesn't want a dog like Mouse as your sidekick right.
I know I have said this in one of my earlier reviews, but this series has so many moving parts. Each book is vastly different and still retains the same overall feel of the main plot. Butcher is so good as creating a magical underworld right in our own backyard that it feels almost believable. I wasn't getting tired of this series at all, but this installment really has me excited for the direction the story is going. It just feels like the intensity level is being ramped up and the stakes get higher with each volume and I am loving it.
"Life's easier when you can write off others as monsters, as demons, as horrible threats that must be hated and feared. The thing is, you can't do that without becoming them, just a little."
Actual Rating: 5 stars *****
October 27, 2018
Someone is killing people in Chicago and leaving clues that only a person with magical ability, like a wizard named Harry Dresden, could see. Why would they do that?
Meanwhile, most everything else in Harry's life is going spectacularly wrong. He has an unruly apprentice who had an unfortunate brush with dark magic awhile back. The White Council is still at war with the Red Vampire Court which was Harry's fault to begin with, but we don't need to go into all that.
He's still got a fallen angel's shadow in his head, trying to convince him to wield a coin that will give Harry unimaginable power but also consume his soul. Thomas, the vampire, has been acting really weird and he's probably eating people again which, vampires do, but it's kind of a problem because Harry is supposed to be protecting people.
And now this, a serial killer. Perfect.
The Dresden Files, as a series, is really starting to come together. I like how Jim Butcher starts to layer the books on top of each other, each plot line leading to more complications and depth.
Normally, Wardens existed to police wizards, to make sure that they didn't use their power against the rest of humanity in violation of the Laws of Magic. Things weren't normal." pg 59, ebook.
Harry has to juggle the politics between the wizards, the vampires, humanity, the faeries... and also keep his sanity when someone from his past shows up and he has to rehash some old wounds.
Real fright isn't like the movies. Real fear is an ugly, quiet, relentless thing. It's a kind of pain, and I hated seeing it..." pg 129, ebook
And we can't forget Bob the Skull, one of my favorite characters. He seems to always get a few good lines in, no matter how busy the plot is.
"What's up, boss?" "Evil's afoot." "Well, sure," Bob said, "because it refuses to learn the metric system. Otherwise it'd be up to a meter by now." pg 154, ebook.
Though I had some difficulties with the way Harry behaved in the latter part of the last book, I feel like he's more of the flawed character I've come to know in this entry. Yes, he still makes mistakes sometimes and can be an idiot, but it makes more sense. There are circumstances beyond his control that are acting on his mind in ways he may not be aware of yet. But he's learning about that, and his friends won't let him get too out of hand.
Or, at least, they'll all go down together... probably spectacularly and in flames. Highly recommended for urban fantasy readers.
Meanwhile, most everything else in Harry's life is going spectacularly wrong. He has an unruly apprentice who had an unfortunate brush with dark magic awhile back. The White Council is still at war with the Red Vampire Court which was Harry's fault to begin with, but we don't need to go into all that.
He's still got a fallen angel's shadow in his head, trying to convince him to wield a coin that will give Harry unimaginable power but also consume his soul. Thomas, the vampire, has been acting really weird and he's probably eating people again which, vampires do, but it's kind of a problem because Harry is supposed to be protecting people.
And now this, a serial killer. Perfect.
The Dresden Files, as a series, is really starting to come together. I like how Jim Butcher starts to layer the books on top of each other, each plot line leading to more complications and depth.
Normally, Wardens existed to police wizards, to make sure that they didn't use their power against the rest of humanity in violation of the Laws of Magic. Things weren't normal." pg 59, ebook.
Harry has to juggle the politics between the wizards, the vampires, humanity, the faeries... and also keep his sanity when someone from his past shows up and he has to rehash some old wounds.
Real fright isn't like the movies. Real fear is an ugly, quiet, relentless thing. It's a kind of pain, and I hated seeing it..." pg 129, ebook
And we can't forget Bob the Skull, one of my favorite characters. He seems to always get a few good lines in, no matter how busy the plot is.
"What's up, boss?" "Evil's afoot." "Well, sure," Bob said, "because it refuses to learn the metric system. Otherwise it'd be up to a meter by now." pg 154, ebook.
Though I had some difficulties with the way Harry behaved in the latter part of the last book, I feel like he's more of the flawed character I've come to know in this entry. Yes, he still makes mistakes sometimes and can be an idiot, but it makes more sense. There are circumstances beyond his control that are acting on his mind in ways he may not be aware of yet. But he's learning about that, and his friends won't let him get too out of hand.
Or, at least, they'll all go down together... probably spectacularly and in flames. Highly recommended for urban fantasy readers.
September 1, 2016
*3.5 stars*
LOVE this series and the narrator, James Marsters, can do no wrong, but this book was freakin' confusing as hell! Time jumps, lots of random things happening... it was just more chaotic than I would have liked. Still one of my favorite series of all time and I'm still jumping right into the next book!
September 29, 2008
The ninth Harry Dresden novel is the series riches and most densely plotted to date--and the first in the series I can't recommend to someone coming to the series cold.
Not that this is a bad thing. It's a great thing for readers of the Dresden Files. While Jim Butcher does deliver payoffs and resolutions in his previous eight books, here in "White Night" he steps that up a notch, bringing back old friends and enemies to Harry Dresden's world all while building on several key plotlines from the last several novels as the war between the various supernatural factions begins to reach a boiling point and Harry Dresden is, once again, at the center of it all.
If you're coming into this cold, you'll be thorougly confused. If you've read the previous eight books, you're probably going to eat this up with a spoon, eagerly turning the pages, waiting for the next development to hit.
Murphy calls Harry in on a case that may or may not have supernatural undercurrents. Harry discovers a message that only he could find and begins to look into a series of similar deaths. Finding the same message, hidden in the same way, Harry suspects a serial killer is on the loose in the supernatural community. The problem: the number one suspect is his half-brother Thomas.
Harry is convinced Thomas isn't the killer, but the evidence is pretty damning. Harry begins to pull at the threads and uncovers someone or something targeting women of a Wiccan order. They've already asked for help from Harry's first love, Elaine, who is now a private eye in Los Angeles who investigates the supernatural.
All of this we find in the first hundred or so pages and that's just when it gets interesting. Butcher weaves together a complex, fascinating story with Harry firmly at the center, trying to find the pieces of the puzzle and prove the innocence of his half-brother. In the midst of al this, we learn about the politics of the current battle between the Red Court and the White Council and how Harry fits into a plan to possibly tip the balance. Along the way, we meet old enemies and have call backs to the first novel in the series.
About the only thing I found frustrating about this novel is that in the last book, Harry determined a secret group was plotting within the power ranks of the White Council. And while this development is brought up, we never get any movement toward discovering who or what is behind this and what their agenda is. I realize that Butcher may be setting up some things for future installments, but a revelation this big seems a bit difficult to only pay lip service to in the story.
But that's the only detraction I can find in this superb entry in the Dresden series. Butcher keeps getting better and better, continuing to keep the Dresden Files as one of the must reads on my bookshelf.
Not that this is a bad thing. It's a great thing for readers of the Dresden Files. While Jim Butcher does deliver payoffs and resolutions in his previous eight books, here in "White Night" he steps that up a notch, bringing back old friends and enemies to Harry Dresden's world all while building on several key plotlines from the last several novels as the war between the various supernatural factions begins to reach a boiling point and Harry Dresden is, once again, at the center of it all.
If you're coming into this cold, you'll be thorougly confused. If you've read the previous eight books, you're probably going to eat this up with a spoon, eagerly turning the pages, waiting for the next development to hit.
Murphy calls Harry in on a case that may or may not have supernatural undercurrents. Harry discovers a message that only he could find and begins to look into a series of similar deaths. Finding the same message, hidden in the same way, Harry suspects a serial killer is on the loose in the supernatural community. The problem: the number one suspect is his half-brother Thomas.
Harry is convinced Thomas isn't the killer, but the evidence is pretty damning. Harry begins to pull at the threads and uncovers someone or something targeting women of a Wiccan order. They've already asked for help from Harry's first love, Elaine, who is now a private eye in Los Angeles who investigates the supernatural.
All of this we find in the first hundred or so pages and that's just when it gets interesting. Butcher weaves together a complex, fascinating story with Harry firmly at the center, trying to find the pieces of the puzzle and prove the innocence of his half-brother. In the midst of al this, we learn about the politics of the current battle between the Red Court and the White Council and how Harry fits into a plan to possibly tip the balance. Along the way, we meet old enemies and have call backs to the first novel in the series.
About the only thing I found frustrating about this novel is that in the last book, Harry determined a secret group was plotting within the power ranks of the White Council. And while this development is brought up, we never get any movement toward discovering who or what is behind this and what their agenda is. I realize that Butcher may be setting up some things for future installments, but a revelation this big seems a bit difficult to only pay lip service to in the story.
But that's the only detraction I can find in this superb entry in the Dresden series. Butcher keeps getting better and better, continuing to keep the Dresden Files as one of the must reads on my bookshelf.
February 12, 2015
THIS BOOK IS OVERDUE AT THE LIBRARY IT WAS DUE YESTERDAY BUT MAYBE IF I GET THERE BEFORE THEY OPEN AND THEY FIND IT IN THE "RETURN" BIN THEY'LL BE ALL "OH, SHE TOTALLY RETURNED THIS LAST NIGHT AND THAT COUNTS WE WON'T CHARGE HER ANYTHING" WHICH STILL MAKES ME A BAD PERSON BECAUSE SOMEBODY HAD IT ON HOLD THAT'S WHY I COULDN'T RENEW IT AND HAD TO SPEND ALL DAY YESTERDAY READING SO I COULD BRING IT BACK TODAY
(pant pant pant)
So. Um. Okay. This is a good book. Good wizard-is-a-private-detective-in-modern-day-Chicago book. You should read it.
First, though, go read eight other books. Not eight random books. I mean, you can. If you want. I'm not the boss of you, the way my local library is the boss of me. I'm just saying, you should read this book but first you should read the eight "Dresden Files" books that come before it. Jim Butcher does a decent job of summing stuff up, but the world-building is amazingly intricate and the plot is way complicated and there are all kinds of awesome characters you'll want to follow from day one.
Seriously. You do NOT want to just jump into the middle of this party. That'd be like showing up at a New Year's Eve bash at 11:45 and then drinking really fast to try to catch up to where everybody else is, which will kill you or at least make you barf since they've all been here swigging away since five o'clock.
Okay, the analogy isn't perfect. But I don't have time to MAKE it perfect, because did I mention THIS BOOK IS DUE AT THE LIBRARY AND THE LIBRARY OPENS IN (checks watch) LESS THAN TWO HOURS AND I NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE?
So read this book but first read the previous books in this series and be happy that Harry Dresden has finally stopped giving that pages-long speech he used to give once per volume like clockwork about how people don't believe in the supernatural anymore, which is TOTALLY BOGUS because have you looked around lately? People TOTALLY believe in all sorts of weird supernatural stuff.
Plus Harry's stopped being quite so much of an idiot when it comes to being all protective about women, possibly because he got his stuff stolen once too often by a female perp he let his guard down with in a way he never would have with a guy.
(checks watch again)
GOTTA GO BYE HAVE FUN READING BEST DRESDEN BOOK SO FAR BYE!
(pant pant pant)
So. Um. Okay. This is a good book. Good wizard-is-a-private-detective-in-modern-day-Chicago book. You should read it.
First, though, go read eight other books. Not eight random books. I mean, you can. If you want. I'm not the boss of you, the way my local library is the boss of me. I'm just saying, you should read this book but first you should read the eight "Dresden Files" books that come before it. Jim Butcher does a decent job of summing stuff up, but the world-building is amazingly intricate and the plot is way complicated and there are all kinds of awesome characters you'll want to follow from day one.
Seriously. You do NOT want to just jump into the middle of this party. That'd be like showing up at a New Year's Eve bash at 11:45 and then drinking really fast to try to catch up to where everybody else is, which will kill you or at least make you barf since they've all been here swigging away since five o'clock.
Okay, the analogy isn't perfect. But I don't have time to MAKE it perfect, because did I mention THIS BOOK IS DUE AT THE LIBRARY AND THE LIBRARY OPENS IN (checks watch) LESS THAN TWO HOURS AND I NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE?
So read this book but first read the previous books in this series and be happy that Harry Dresden has finally stopped giving that pages-long speech he used to give once per volume like clockwork about how people don't believe in the supernatural anymore, which is TOTALLY BOGUS because have you looked around lately? People TOTALLY believe in all sorts of weird supernatural stuff.
Plus Harry's stopped being quite so much of an idiot when it comes to being all protective about women, possibly because he got his stuff stolen once too often by a female perp he let his guard down with in a way he never would have with a guy.
(checks watch again)
GOTTA GO BYE HAVE FUN READING BEST DRESDEN BOOK SO FAR BYE!
September 27, 2018
3.5/5 stars
How much of a good thing is too much? Five books? Nine books? How about sixteen books? White Night was a book nine and unless something ground breaking happens I don't think I will make it to book 16 (there's more coming after that too I'm sure).
This was everything that a good Dresden Files novel should be: witty, non-stop action with some sexual tension and hilarious remarks. But I still felt a little bit bored. Maybe because we already met the villain in the previous book. Maybe because the concept seemed really cool, but then everything kind of got turned around 360 degrees and I just wasn't into it? I don't know, this wasn't bad, but it wasn't particularly great either. Especially in the middle - things dragged quite a bit, despite the never ending action (I don't even know how's that possible).
But, once again the ending was amazing and I will be definitely picking up number 10, just maybe not too soon. This is definitely not a series you can binge, it does get quite repetitive. You want to stretch them out and savor every book a good time apart from one another. Don't worry about forgetting stuff - Butcher is great about catching the reader up (one of the best really).
What I love most about Dresden Files, besides the hilariousness that is Harry, is how relatable and real the books are. I think the crazy attention to details largely contributes to that. I love how Butcher never forgets that Mouse is a living, breathing, pooping dog and not just a super hero side kick. I love that Harry gets cranky and tired, and he sleeps and eats like a normal functioning human. In too many books main characters are portrayed as those "super warrior machines that only keep fighting for justice, or whatever". Harry is real and I think that's the beauty of it. Also, he can make fun of himself and it's hilarious and I just love it.
I also especially adore Harry and Thomas's relationship - those two give me life. I really need more of their interaction in every book. Even Bob the Skull is a fantastic and well rounded character.
I did think that there was going to be more of Molly in this book, but I guess after being the main distorter in previous book she kind of took a step back - which is fine, I'm not particularly fond of Molly. I liked how Elaine was brought back, but also thought that there was nearly not enough of hermit all. Also, I never really liked suzan, so can we just stop mentioning her? Plus, there hasn't been a sex scene in at least two previous books, Butcher are you okay? I'm worried over here. haha.
Despite being a tad bored with this one I still think that these series is a great fun and I love most of these characters dearly. Especially Mouse and Thomas *heart eyes* , he got me under his vampiric charm.
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How much of a good thing is too much? Five books? Nine books? How about sixteen books? White Night was a book nine and unless something ground breaking happens I don't think I will make it to book 16 (there's more coming after that too I'm sure).
This was everything that a good Dresden Files novel should be: witty, non-stop action with some sexual tension and hilarious remarks. But I still felt a little bit bored. Maybe because we already met the villain in the previous book. Maybe because the concept seemed really cool, but then everything kind of got turned around 360 degrees and I just wasn't into it? I don't know, this wasn't bad, but it wasn't particularly great either. Especially in the middle - things dragged quite a bit, despite the never ending action (I don't even know how's that possible).
But, once again the ending was amazing and I will be definitely picking up number 10, just maybe not too soon. This is definitely not a series you can binge, it does get quite repetitive. You want to stretch them out and savor every book a good time apart from one another. Don't worry about forgetting stuff - Butcher is great about catching the reader up (one of the best really).
What I love most about Dresden Files, besides the hilariousness that is Harry, is how relatable and real the books are. I think the crazy attention to details largely contributes to that. I love how Butcher never forgets that Mouse is a living, breathing, pooping dog and not just a super hero side kick. I love that Harry gets cranky and tired, and he sleeps and eats like a normal functioning human. In too many books main characters are portrayed as those "super warrior machines that only keep fighting for justice, or whatever". Harry is real and I think that's the beauty of it. Also, he can make fun of himself and it's hilarious and I just love it.
I also especially adore Harry and Thomas's relationship - those two give me life. I really need more of their interaction in every book. Even Bob the Skull is a fantastic and well rounded character.
I did think that there was going to be more of Molly in this book, but I guess after being the main distorter in previous book she kind of took a step back - which is fine, I'm not particularly fond of Molly. I liked how Elaine was brought back, but also thought that there was nearly not enough of hermit all. Also, I never really liked suzan, so can we just stop mentioning her? Plus, there hasn't been a sex scene in at least two previous books, Butcher are you okay? I'm worried over here. haha.
Despite being a tad bored with this one I still think that these series is a great fun and I love most of these characters dearly. Especially Mouse and Thomas *heart eyes* , he got me under his vampiric charm.
My WEBSITE
My INSTAGRAM
March 7, 2017
Love this series! it's so addictive; as soon as I finish one book I want to read the next. Jim Butcher is slowly building up a massive plot, revealing only a few small teasers each book, developing the threads and strings that will all eventually be pulled together in a massive showdown. Little hints at Harry's background are also building up slowly, working towards a big reveal.
In this episode, Sgt Murphy calls Harry in for his unofficial opinion on a series of deaths made to look like suicides. Harry pretty soon works out that some minor magical folk are being targeted in Chicago and other cities even though the Peace Accord between the White Council of Wizards and the Vampires is still active. Other people have disappeared as well, in the company of someone who looks like Thomas, Harry's half brother. Harry soon finds himself back in the White Court of vampires, having to overthrow a deadly plot. Plenty of fast action and witty dialog make this another enjoyable read. Harry has some new gadgets to play with and we get to see more of Ramirez and in particular his wizardry in fighting skills. Molly is coming along as an apprentice and becoming less sullen teenager and more junior wizard, Harry's dog Mouse exhibits some of his hidden talents and Harry's first love, Elaine is in town adding some spice and reminders of Harry's early life.
In this episode, Sgt Murphy calls Harry in for his unofficial opinion on a series of deaths made to look like suicides. Harry pretty soon works out that some minor magical folk are being targeted in Chicago and other cities even though the Peace Accord between the White Council of Wizards and the Vampires is still active. Other people have disappeared as well, in the company of someone who looks like Thomas, Harry's half brother. Harry soon finds himself back in the White Court of vampires, having to overthrow a deadly plot. Plenty of fast action and witty dialog make this another enjoyable read. Harry has some new gadgets to play with and we get to see more of Ramirez and in particular his wizardry in fighting skills. Molly is coming along as an apprentice and becoming less sullen teenager and more junior wizard, Harry's dog Mouse exhibits some of his hidden talents and Harry's first love, Elaine is in town adding some spice and reminders of Harry's early life.
February 14, 2022
This was another great installment in the Dresden series! However for whatever reason, I could not get into this one like I was able to in the prior two books.
I felt like things got a little bit muddy in regards to the different factions of the White Vampire Court and everything that was going on within them. At times it was tedious and a bit confusing.
It also feels like the series could use a little more character development aside from Harry himself. The story is always told from his perspective so it’s very difficult to get into the mind of those around him in particular his friends who are special to him. That has always kind of bothered me. I want to really be invested in the characters both good and evil and that isn’t happening to the level I would like it to.
There were a couple of things revealed in regards to Harry’s past and darker entities that are behind things which really sets up some excitement for the books to follow! I am looking forward to seeing where that goes!
On to the next one!
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I felt like things got a little bit muddy in regards to the different factions of the White Vampire Court and everything that was going on within them. At times it was tedious and a bit confusing.
It also feels like the series could use a little more character development aside from Harry himself. The story is always told from his perspective so it’s very difficult to get into the mind of those around him in particular his friends who are special to him. That has always kind of bothered me. I want to really be invested in the characters both good and evil and that isn’t happening to the level I would like it to.
There were a couple of things revealed in regards to Harry’s past and darker entities that are behind things which really sets up some excitement for the books to follow! I am looking forward to seeing where that goes!
On to the next one!
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
April 21, 2017
Another pretty good Dresden book. But first thing I want to mention is the amazing narrator, James Marsters. It's the first time I listened to Dresden audiobook, and I loved it. James Marsters does an awesome job and he sounds pretty much like I imagined Harry would sound. I think I am definitely going to buy an audiobook when the next Dresden book comes out.
If you read any of my reviews of Dresden Files, you know I am a huge fan. I think I even get a little bit overenthusiastic in some of my reviews, or give the books slightly higher rating that they actually deserve. But well, can't help myself there. These books are pretty entertaining for me, they are fast-paced and full of action, magic, supernatural creatures and awesome characters. This series is like a drug, and I am addicted. And Jim Butcher is an awesome author, and it was great to see how he improved with every next book. At the beginning, when I read Storm Front, I never though I would like this series so much. It was interesting, but nothing special. But then the series slowly started to become more complex, Jim Butcher's writing better and better, and characters deeper and more complex. Now it feels like it's really big journey and it's really cool to be part of it. And Jim Butcher's has a way to make you feel like you are part of the story. If he starts a sentence like: "Have you ever been...? Have you ever thought about...? Have you ever felt...?" It automatically makes you wonder about some things that happened to you in real life, brings back some of the memories, and then it somehow makes you feel closer to characters, or makes you understand the situation better. He is pretty good in making you feel that way, and I love that when I read his books.
I will try not to get overenthusiastic in this review, I promise;) Of course, there are some things that I don't like about the series. First of all, since every book is told from Harry's POV, you need to like this character to enjoy the series. If you can't stand the guy, you obviously aren't going to last this long in the series. And while I really really like him, there are times that he annoys me greatly. He can be pretty whiny, he has a hero complex and he often forgets that he is not the only one who can deal with the problem or who notices things. Well, he usually is th most qualified I would say, but sometimes he is a big drama queen too. I am glad that one of the characters pointed it out to him in the end. I didn't like how he was withholding the information from one of his friends in the end. I think he should have learned that lesson by now.
And the other annoying thing is the fact that almost every female monster has to be pretty, sexy woman and of curse Harry can't help but notice it ever time. The amount of beautiful and sexy women in these books, who in fact are horrible monsters, makes me roll my eyes sometimes. But, we see things through Harry's eyes, and I guess he can't help it or change it. It's just who he is and how he sees some things and he is far from perfect. But I guess I wouldn't like him so much if he was perfect. And although there are some annoying things about these books, they always stay in the background, at least for me, there are just too many cool things about Dresden to make me complain about the things I don't like for too long.
White Night is another pretty good Dresden book. It follows the usual pattern, there is a crime and Harry gets to investigate. That's how it usually starts. But it was never boring. First of all, this time I kept dreading that one of the characters I really liked was involved in the crimes. Second thing, Harry was joined by someone from his past. I don't really like her that much, but it was cool to learn more about her and it was also cool to see her in action. For once, Harry wasn't the only wizard responsible for destroying some of the buildings;)
Plus compared to some previous crimes, this time it was much deeper than some kind of crazy, blood-thirsty monster murdering innocent people. I love how Jim Butcher keeps revealing just a little bit of what's really going on in each book.
And the ending was pretty cool, it was enough to give this book 5 stars. I love magical duels. I got to see one in the end, and Harry wasn't the only wizard involved. I love reading about other wizards and see how they use magic. It's usually quite different than the way Harry uses it, and that's always pretty interesting and cool to read. And the bad guys joined the good guys to kill some of even worse bad guys in the end, and I really liked it.
White Night might not be my favorite book of Dresden, but it's among the ones I like the most. And I liked how some of the issues were resolved in the end.
And I also have to mention one thing. I really appreciate the fact that Jim Butcher doesn't really kill a lot of the characters. At least so far, I am kind of dreading what happens when the final books get released, because there is no way that every character I love is going to survive. But anyway, thanks to the amount of books in this series, we really could get to know some of the characters so well, see them grow and develop. By now, they really feel like old friends.
This book is probably 4 or 4.5 read to be honest, but as usual with Dresden, I rounded it up to 5:)
If you read any of my reviews of Dresden Files, you know I am a huge fan. I think I even get a little bit overenthusiastic in some of my reviews, or give the books slightly higher rating that they actually deserve. But well, can't help myself there. These books are pretty entertaining for me, they are fast-paced and full of action, magic, supernatural creatures and awesome characters. This series is like a drug, and I am addicted. And Jim Butcher is an awesome author, and it was great to see how he improved with every next book. At the beginning, when I read Storm Front, I never though I would like this series so much. It was interesting, but nothing special. But then the series slowly started to become more complex, Jim Butcher's writing better and better, and characters deeper and more complex. Now it feels like it's really big journey and it's really cool to be part of it. And Jim Butcher's has a way to make you feel like you are part of the story. If he starts a sentence like: "Have you ever been...? Have you ever thought about...? Have you ever felt...?" It automatically makes you wonder about some things that happened to you in real life, brings back some of the memories, and then it somehow makes you feel closer to characters, or makes you understand the situation better. He is pretty good in making you feel that way, and I love that when I read his books.
I will try not to get overenthusiastic in this review, I promise;) Of course, there are some things that I don't like about the series. First of all, since every book is told from Harry's POV, you need to like this character to enjoy the series. If you can't stand the guy, you obviously aren't going to last this long in the series. And while I really really like him, there are times that he annoys me greatly. He can be pretty whiny, he has a hero complex and he often forgets that he is not the only one who can deal with the problem or who notices things. Well, he usually is th most qualified I would say, but sometimes he is a big drama queen too. I am glad that one of the characters pointed it out to him in the end. I didn't like how he was withholding the information from one of his friends in the end. I think he should have learned that lesson by now.
And the other annoying thing is the fact that almost every female monster has to be pretty, sexy woman and of curse Harry can't help but notice it ever time. The amount of beautiful and sexy women in these books, who in fact are horrible monsters, makes me roll my eyes sometimes. But, we see things through Harry's eyes, and I guess he can't help it or change it. It's just who he is and how he sees some things and he is far from perfect. But I guess I wouldn't like him so much if he was perfect. And although there are some annoying things about these books, they always stay in the background, at least for me, there are just too many cool things about Dresden to make me complain about the things I don't like for too long.
White Night is another pretty good Dresden book. It follows the usual pattern, there is a crime and Harry gets to investigate. That's how it usually starts. But it was never boring. First of all, this time I kept dreading that one of the characters I really liked was involved in the crimes. Second thing, Harry was joined by someone from his past. I don't really like her that much, but it was cool to learn more about her and it was also cool to see her in action. For once, Harry wasn't the only wizard responsible for destroying some of the buildings;)
Plus compared to some previous crimes, this time it was much deeper than some kind of crazy, blood-thirsty monster murdering innocent people. I love how Jim Butcher keeps revealing just a little bit of what's really going on in each book.
And the ending was pretty cool, it was enough to give this book 5 stars. I love magical duels. I got to see one in the end, and Harry wasn't the only wizard involved. I love reading about other wizards and see how they use magic. It's usually quite different than the way Harry uses it, and that's always pretty interesting and cool to read. And the bad guys joined the good guys to kill some of even worse bad guys in the end, and I really liked it.
White Night might not be my favorite book of Dresden, but it's among the ones I like the most. And I liked how some of the issues were resolved in the end.
And I also have to mention one thing. I really appreciate the fact that Jim Butcher doesn't really kill a lot of the characters. At least so far, I am kind of dreading what happens when the final books get released, because there is no way that every character I love is going to survive. But anyway, thanks to the amount of books in this series, we really could get to know some of the characters so well, see them grow and develop. By now, they really feel like old friends.
This book is probably 4 or 4.5 read to be honest, but as usual with Dresden, I rounded it up to 5:)
May 3, 2020
Full Video Review Here: https://youtu.be/5nbUXgOxLg8
As my run through the Nevernever with Mr. Dresden continues, I think I've hit my first case of burnout. Because this is an excellent book, as all of Mr. Butcher's works have been, but it was the first I found myself not getting completely lost in.
The case in this one consists of clearing Thomas from being the suspect of missing practitioners and once that thread is resolved, the book kind of meanders for a chunk. It's also the first time I felt like a returning character from a previous book felt more like Butcher was bored more than it had a point.
However, all of the hits are here. A great case, a good villain, progress on the war, wonderful dialogue and relationship development, and a really cool flashback sequence. This is why I'm blaming some burnout on my lack of enthusiasm towards this one since it seems much better when talking about it.
As my run through the Nevernever with Mr. Dresden continues, I think I've hit my first case of burnout. Because this is an excellent book, as all of Mr. Butcher's works have been, but it was the first I found myself not getting completely lost in.
The case in this one consists of clearing Thomas from being the suspect of missing practitioners and once that thread is resolved, the book kind of meanders for a chunk. It's also the first time I felt like a returning character from a previous book felt more like Butcher was bored more than it had a point.
However, all of the hits are here. A great case, a good villain, progress on the war, wonderful dialogue and relationship development, and a really cool flashback sequence. This is why I'm blaming some burnout on my lack of enthusiasm towards this one since it seems much better when talking about it.
September 11, 2014
Before starting the review of White Night, I would like to tell you how I met Harry. After devouring the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning in 2012, I wanted to read another amazing Urban Fantasy so I requested for some UF recommendations. And first time I met Harry there when I was recommended Dresden Files in response to my request. I read the blurb; saw the cover, length of the series, a male protagonist and instantly dismissed it. It was start of 2013 and had just started reading fantasy books at that time, so I searched Google for most awaited fantasy books of 2012. I opened the very first link and checked the list. Cold Days was sitting prettily at number four with this description:
“For those who have never heard of Harry Dresden, where have you been!? Harry Dresden is a private investigator who also has the added advantages (and disadvantages at times) of being a wizard. They are written in the sarcastic first person voice of Harry who tends to get hired in order to uncover the facts behind some kind of supernatural murder or crime.
The first couple of books were okay, nothing really breathtakingly brilliant about them, but from there they picked up and have quickly become fan favorites. Each novel is relatively short, but they certainly back a lot of great content in-between those covers.”
& I finally decided to read Dresden Files but still it took me almost seven months to start this. I didn’t liked it much and my friend who’d recommended it to me in first place told me to have some patience. So I kept reading Mr Dresden’s story, and after finishing ninth book (& I’m almost 80% done with tenth right now) I’m glad I did not abandoned it after reading first book.
One of the best thing about this series is that the quality of books gets better with every new addition to the series and that says a lot as book #15 is coming out this June (& according to Wikipedia Mr Butcher is going to add another five books to this series and there will be a trilogy too after that). Mr Butcher’s writing skill has improved a lot since the first book. Maintaining this level of quality with one book per year on average is amazing. Now he don’t go in details to tell about a person from previous books. Readers have to rake their own brains for recognition.
So now back to White Night, this book starts with Harry being called by Murphy to a murder scene. Murder looked like a plain suicide, but a clue left at the crime scene told Harry that the victim was a magic practitioner. Murphy told Harry that there were more murders like this. One clue led to the other and they all points to Thomas Raith (a person very dear to Harry) and made him a prime suspect. Now it was up to Harry to clear Thomas’s name.
White Night is a fast paced story that keeps you to the edge till you finish it. You don’t know what is going to happen on the next page. Mr Butcher has blended mystery and action so well here. The climax action scene is my second favorite in this series (of course first place go to the dinosaur scene from Dead Beat).
This is a highly entertaining and excellent read.
“For those who have never heard of Harry Dresden, where have you been!? Harry Dresden is a private investigator who also has the added advantages (and disadvantages at times) of being a wizard. They are written in the sarcastic first person voice of Harry who tends to get hired in order to uncover the facts behind some kind of supernatural murder or crime.
The first couple of books were okay, nothing really breathtakingly brilliant about them, but from there they picked up and have quickly become fan favorites. Each novel is relatively short, but they certainly back a lot of great content in-between those covers.”
& I finally decided to read Dresden Files but still it took me almost seven months to start this. I didn’t liked it much and my friend who’d recommended it to me in first place told me to have some patience. So I kept reading Mr Dresden’s story, and after finishing ninth book (& I’m almost 80% done with tenth right now) I’m glad I did not abandoned it after reading first book.
One of the best thing about this series is that the quality of books gets better with every new addition to the series and that says a lot as book #15 is coming out this June (& according to Wikipedia Mr Butcher is going to add another five books to this series and there will be a trilogy too after that). Mr Butcher’s writing skill has improved a lot since the first book. Maintaining this level of quality with one book per year on average is amazing. Now he don’t go in details to tell about a person from previous books. Readers have to rake their own brains for recognition.
So now back to White Night, this book starts with Harry being called by Murphy to a murder scene. Murder looked like a plain suicide, but a clue left at the crime scene told Harry that the victim was a magic practitioner. Murphy told Harry that there were more murders like this. One clue led to the other and they all points to Thomas Raith (a person very dear to Harry) and made him a prime suspect. Now it was up to Harry to clear Thomas’s name.
White Night is a fast paced story that keeps you to the edge till you finish it. You don’t know what is going to happen on the next page. Mr Butcher has blended mystery and action so well here. The climax action scene is my second favorite in this series (of course first place go to the dinosaur scene from Dead Beat).
This is a highly entertaining and excellent read.
April 16, 2024
Actual rating is 2.5 stars.
This is part of a series where each book builds on previous ones. Therefore, I strongly suggest reading them in order. In this one women are being murdered and these women have magical abilities. It looks like Harry is on the case of a serial killer. But there is more to this case than just a serial killer.
Unfortunately I have to disagree with many of my Goodreads friends and reviewers on this one. This one did not do it for me. I was on such a good run with the books in this series. I guess it had to come to an end. There were parts that I absolutely loved and parts not so much. I loved Harry and his comrades in this book. All of them were perfect and their interactions with each other were terrific too. The author really has developed these characters and I would be hard pressed to pick my favorite including an overly huge dog. The book had plenty of action scenes especially in the final act. I could not read fast enough during this scene. Another positive was the author was subtle about moral messages but they are poignant. With all this appreciation and enjoyment from these aspects why did this book not land for me. For several reasons. I didn't think the antagonists were developed enough. Which is ironic because this aspect seemed like a repeat from previous novels in this series. When we started going down this road I actually said "We are doing this again". Another sticking point was the conclusion of a minor story that has been carried for several books. It ended with a thud and sort of feels like a cop out.
This book was a series of ups and downs. The peaks were very high while the valleys were very low. I really enjoyed Harry and his partners in this one. But like the saying goes "A hero is only as good as his villain". Sadly, the villain did not match up for me in this one and really affected my rating. That is why I went straight down the middle with my rating.
This is part of a series where each book builds on previous ones. Therefore, I strongly suggest reading them in order. In this one women are being murdered and these women have magical abilities. It looks like Harry is on the case of a serial killer. But there is more to this case than just a serial killer.
Unfortunately I have to disagree with many of my Goodreads friends and reviewers on this one. This one did not do it for me. I was on such a good run with the books in this series. I guess it had to come to an end. There were parts that I absolutely loved and parts not so much. I loved Harry and his comrades in this book. All of them were perfect and their interactions with each other were terrific too. The author really has developed these characters and I would be hard pressed to pick my favorite including an overly huge dog. The book had plenty of action scenes especially in the final act. I could not read fast enough during this scene. Another positive was the author was subtle about moral messages but they are poignant. With all this appreciation and enjoyment from these aspects why did this book not land for me. For several reasons. I didn't think the antagonists were developed enough. Which is ironic because this aspect seemed like a repeat from previous novels in this series. When we started going down this road I actually said "We are doing this again". Another sticking point was the conclusion of a minor story that has been carried for several books. It ended with a thud and sort of feels like a cop out.
This book was a series of ups and downs. The peaks were very high while the valleys were very low. I really enjoyed Harry and his partners in this one. But like the saying goes "A hero is only as good as his villain". Sadly, the villain did not match up for me in this one and really affected my rating. That is why I went straight down the middle with my rating.
August 1, 2016
Executive Summary: This is one of three books from the Dresden Files series I've given 5 stars to, and if you follow my reviews, you know that's something I try not to do lightly. I really enjoy it start to finish.
Audio book: I could just copy paste this section from book to book. James Marsters is great. If you've been reading my previous reviews or listening to this series yourself you know that. Highlights in this book include him actually yelling during one scene and this crazy french accent.
Full Review
So I finally arrived to what was for years my favorite Dresden book. I'm still not quite sure, but I think Changes edges this out for best in the series.
This is the book that turned me into a herald for Jim Butcher. I couldn't shut up about this series for awhile. I would tell anyone who would listen they should read this series. (NOTE: This happened a second time after Cold Days last year.)
Now this isn't a life changing book or something. It just one of those books I have trouble putting down. Page-turning fun. In fact I spent at least 2 hours doing nothing else but listening to the ending. Normally I'm driving, riding my bike, running errands or doing stuff around the house. I ran out of stuff to do to keep listening, so I just sat in my easy chair and finished it.
Gone is the stranger coming to Harry's office. Gone is the introduction to some new characters/aspects of Harry's world. Mr. Butcher simply takes all the building blocks he established in the previous books to tell a really fun story, with a truly awesome ending.
I'm probably overselling this book. Only one of my friends I've since recommended this to seems to love this book as much as I do, and he stubbornly refuses to admit Changes is a better book. Still, if you don't thoroughly enjoy this book, why are you still reading this series?
Murphy calls Dresden to check out a crime scene off the books. A woman is dead. It turns out a lot of them are. They appear to have committed suicide, but something just seems off.
If you know this series, you know if there is one thing that turns Harry Dresden from well reason detective to charge in first ask questions later neanderthal, it's when someone is hurting women. Especially in his town.
Harry is going to do whatever it takes to put a stop to it, even if it kills him.
We finally get to see Harry be a true badass in this book. There have been glimmers before, but nothing quite like this. With my vague memory of the next few books, it's something we won't quite see again until Changes either.
This book shows that both Harry Dresden and Jim Butcher have both matured into something more then when they started.
Audio book: I could just copy paste this section from book to book. James Marsters is great. If you've been reading my previous reviews or listening to this series yourself you know that. Highlights in this book include him actually yelling during one scene and this crazy french accent.
Full Review
So I finally arrived to what was for years my favorite Dresden book. I'm still not quite sure, but I think Changes edges this out for best in the series.
This is the book that turned me into a herald for Jim Butcher. I couldn't shut up about this series for awhile. I would tell anyone who would listen they should read this series. (NOTE: This happened a second time after Cold Days last year.)
Now this isn't a life changing book or something. It just one of those books I have trouble putting down. Page-turning fun. In fact I spent at least 2 hours doing nothing else but listening to the ending. Normally I'm driving, riding my bike, running errands or doing stuff around the house. I ran out of stuff to do to keep listening, so I just sat in my easy chair and finished it.
Gone is the stranger coming to Harry's office. Gone is the introduction to some new characters/aspects of Harry's world. Mr. Butcher simply takes all the building blocks he established in the previous books to tell a really fun story, with a truly awesome ending.
I'm probably overselling this book. Only one of my friends I've since recommended this to seems to love this book as much as I do, and he stubbornly refuses to admit Changes is a better book. Still, if you don't thoroughly enjoy this book, why are you still reading this series?
Murphy calls Dresden to check out a crime scene off the books. A woman is dead. It turns out a lot of them are. They appear to have committed suicide, but something just seems off.
If you know this series, you know if there is one thing that turns Harry Dresden from well reason detective to charge in first ask questions later neanderthal, it's when someone is hurting women. Especially in his town.
Harry is going to do whatever it takes to put a stop to it, even if it kills him.
We finally get to see Harry be a true badass in this book. There have been glimmers before, but nothing quite like this. With my vague memory of the next few books, it's something we won't quite see again until Changes either.
This book shows that both Harry Dresden and Jim Butcher have both matured into something more then when they started.
June 27, 2021
Full video review here: https://youtu.be/FFyNvySh7MQ
Another great Dresden Files book. This will probably be my #2 behind Proven Guilty.
Another great Dresden Files book. This will probably be my #2 behind Proven Guilty.
December 12, 2018
White Night opens around a year after the previous book. Harry and his apprentice Molly are investigating a rash of suspicious murders. Someone of something is killing off those practitioners who barely have any power/magic.
I always feel a little lost when I first start theses books. It has to do with the time in-between when one book ends to when the next one starts. I’m reading one a month, but each book has like a year difference in them and so, I feel like I’m miss something like maybe a novella or short story that I needed to read, but once I get into the book I’m all in until the bitter end.
I really enjoy these books. Harry, I like the balance of dark and light within him. It feels real. We all have light and dark in ourselves and each day is a battle to keep them balanced. I also really enjoy the secondary characters; like Murphy, Thomas, Johnny Marcone, Ramirez, and others. They bring with them some fun, interesting, and enjoyable moments.
I was pleasantly happy to see Johnny Marcone, Chicago’s notorious underworld boss return. He’s a dark character, but he’s also a good man. We finally learn who the mystery girl is that Johnny is hiding away and taking care of. Murphy and Thomas where amazingly awesome in this installment. Murphy is one of my favorite characters and I wish Harry and Murphy would get together, but they are just friends, but I keep hoping. Thomas has some secrets in this installment and one that was a fun moment to read when Harry found out. Molly, well she got on my nerves with her complete disregard for her actions and how they impact others. I get she’s young and learning, but still. The only character I didn’t like seeing was Harry’s teenage girlfriend who comes back. I don’t know. It probably has to do with me wanting Harry and Murphy together.
The Dresden Files are always packed full of action, mystery, and suspense. The different storylines all work well together and seeing Harry constantly struggle with morals, a fallen angel, and more intrigues me.
White Night had a lot to offer and I can’t wait to discover what nonsense Harry finds himself in next.
Rated: 4 Stars
I always feel a little lost when I first start theses books. It has to do with the time in-between when one book ends to when the next one starts. I’m reading one a month, but each book has like a year difference in them and so, I feel like I’m miss something like maybe a novella or short story that I needed to read, but once I get into the book I’m all in until the bitter end.
I really enjoy these books. Harry, I like the balance of dark and light within him. It feels real. We all have light and dark in ourselves and each day is a battle to keep them balanced. I also really enjoy the secondary characters; like Murphy, Thomas, Johnny Marcone, Ramirez, and others. They bring with them some fun, interesting, and enjoyable moments.
I was pleasantly happy to see Johnny Marcone, Chicago’s notorious underworld boss return. He’s a dark character, but he’s also a good man. We finally learn who the mystery girl is that Johnny is hiding away and taking care of. Murphy and Thomas where amazingly awesome in this installment. Murphy is one of my favorite characters and I wish Harry and Murphy would get together, but they are just friends, but I keep hoping. Thomas has some secrets in this installment and one that was a fun moment to read when Harry found out. Molly, well she got on my nerves with her complete disregard for her actions and how they impact others. I get she’s young and learning, but still. The only character I didn’t like seeing was Harry’s teenage girlfriend who comes back. I don’t know. It probably has to do with me wanting Harry and Murphy together.
The Dresden Files are always packed full of action, mystery, and suspense. The different storylines all work well together and seeing Harry constantly struggle with morals, a fallen angel, and more intrigues me.
White Night had a lot to offer and I can’t wait to discover what nonsense Harry finds himself in next.
Rated: 4 Stars
April 21, 2021
We're going to get to know Harry's half brother more in this one, espically since Harry has to prove he's not involved in murder.
May 29, 2023
Well now.
Yes, there is nother murder mystery here. Of course there is: Harry is beasically a noir PI but in a modern-day setting. However, that doesn't mean that it's run-of-the-mill or even boring.
Female magiyc users are killed in a way that lets it seem as if they had committed suicide. Harry is getting involved thanks to Murphy and soon encounters an old ... acquaintance. Then there is the secrecy suddenly surrounding his half-brother and Harry's attempts at keeping Molly out of trouble.
And as if that wasn't enough, a vet apparently mixed up the files resulting in them trying to neuter Mouse instead of treating his shoulder after the events of the last novel. Don't worry, the dog is fine; the vet's practice ... not so much. *cackles*
It isn't really a spoiler that the vampires of the White Court are involved in this. However, the duel this all leads to was INTENSE. It also nicely emphasized that your power level isn't everything when holding your own. Just ask our favorite little virgin warden. Bwahahahahahahahahaha!
We're getting more puzzle pieces / partial answers to some questions raised in previous novels. Up to and including more of the wizards trying to sabotage and defeat the White Council and the supernatural entities apparently helping them.
The action was formidable but the inter-personal stuff took the spotlight if you ask me. No, I'm not a fan of Elaine's just because she told that bitch where to shove it, but I'm definitely a fan of Harry's relationships with Molly and Ramirez.
Some was tragic, some was awesome payoff good enough to make you whoop, all of it sweeping the reader along from the first to the last page. Naturally, one of the most emotional elements was Harry's slow slide down the road to Hell. Don't get me wrong: as I said in one of my status updates, I totally get why he used helllfire to avenge those kids, but the implications weigh heavy on any ready even only slightly interested, let alone invested.
Wonderful part of the series and yes, I'll continue with the accompanying shorts right away, then read the next novel tomorrow already. :D
Yes, there is nother murder mystery here. Of course there is: Harry is beasically a noir PI but in a modern-day setting. However, that doesn't mean that it's run-of-the-mill or even boring.
Female magiyc users are killed in a way that lets it seem as if they had committed suicide. Harry is getting involved thanks to Murphy and soon encounters an old ... acquaintance. Then there is the secrecy suddenly surrounding his half-brother and Harry's attempts at keeping Molly out of trouble.
And as if that wasn't enough, a vet apparently mixed up the files resulting in them trying to neuter Mouse instead of treating his shoulder after the events of the last novel. Don't worry, the dog is fine; the vet's practice ... not so much. *cackles*
It isn't really a spoiler that the vampires of the White Court are involved in this. However, the duel this all leads to was INTENSE. It also nicely emphasized that your power level isn't everything when holding your own. Just ask our favorite little virgin warden. Bwahahahahahahahahaha!
We're getting more puzzle pieces / partial answers to some questions raised in previous novels. Up to and including more of the wizards trying to sabotage and defeat the White Council and the supernatural entities apparently helping them.
The action was formidable but the inter-personal stuff took the spotlight if you ask me. No, I'm not a fan of Elaine's just because she told that bitch where to shove it, but I'm definitely a fan of Harry's relationships with Molly and Ramirez.
Some was tragic, some was awesome payoff good enough to make you whoop, all of it sweeping the reader along from the first to the last page. Naturally, one of the most emotional elements was Harry's slow slide down the road to Hell. Don't get me wrong: as I said in one of my status updates, I totally get why he used helllfire to avenge those kids, but the implications weigh heavy on any ready even only slightly interested, let alone invested.
Wonderful part of the series and yes, I'll continue with the accompanying shorts right away, then read the next novel tomorrow already. :D
October 29, 2017
Evil’s afoot.
Well, sure...because it refuses to learn the metric system. Otherwise it’d be up to a meter by now.
I’m not usually one to push so quickly through a series, but I’m thoroughly enjoying myself and can’t seem to pull myself away.
With every installment Harry is becoming stronger and more experienced, while implementing interesting tools and forming unlikely alliances to aid him. Meaning, the action only gets better. Next to Sue the magical mayhem and fight sequences in this book were some of the best so far. The tension was so thick in the last few chapters, Mr. Butcher actually had me worried something terrible was going to befall one of my beloved characters. And no doubt this far into the series someone’s luck is bound run out. The stakes are getting higher. The more Harry pushes back and interferes the worse it seems to get, the greater the threats seem to be, and the more power he and his peers have to expend to stop them. Makes for some pretty intense scenes and increasingly clever means to outmatch each new obstacle.
But the action isn’t the only thing holding my attention. Outside the supernatural craziness and feats of wizardry there’s some everyday drama and fabulous side characters. It’s hard not to get caught up in the details, or the directness with which Harry handles his relationships, everyday issues, and his ongoing internal ones. Not to mention the heavy dose of humor he liberally spreads on every situation - sometimes unintentionally. There are tons of laugh out loud moments, and equally profound ones as well. It’s always good fun when the MC can share a bit of wisdom in one sentence and turn around to hit you with some humor the next. I love a smartass :)
So yes, another great installment in the series and I can’t wait to continue.
No one likes a wiseass, Harry.
Are you kidding? As long as the wiseass is talking to someone else, people love 'em.
August 28, 2013
Another action packed episode. Murphy asks Dresden to unofficially look into a series of staged suicides. Things go pear shaped from there.
This felt a little “episodic” to me in that there’s not a lot we haven’t seen before. Ghouls and Vampires. Lots of them. There’s plenty of action though and Harry has beefed up a lot of his magical accessories for that bit of extra punch – a regional commander of the Wardens of the White Council needs a bit of extra juice after all – especially in the middle of a war with the Red Court Vampires.
The action at the end of the book was pretty intense. Lots of guns, lots of Hell Fire, lots of blood and lots of ichor - Harry really cuts loose. James Marsters also really cuts loose with his Harry Dresden “belly yell” – nothing a change of pants can’t overcome.
Molly Carpenter features, playing her part as Harry’s Apprentice and we have some familiar bad guys return- one in particular who was supposed to be dead.
Oh...and Harry comes out of the closet. So does Thomas. Oops.
I don’t know about the other Wardens, but Harry wears the “grey” cloak well – ‘cause a lot of his actions, and some of the alliances he makes involve cosying up to some pretty nasty characters – not everything is black and white – sometimes it’s a case of living with the “devil you know” – particularly the ones on the inside.
3.5 stars.
This felt a little “episodic” to me in that there’s not a lot we haven’t seen before. Ghouls and Vampires. Lots of them. There’s plenty of action though and Harry has beefed up a lot of his magical accessories for that bit of extra punch – a regional commander of the Wardens of the White Council needs a bit of extra juice after all – especially in the middle of a war with the Red Court Vampires.
The action at the end of the book was pretty intense. Lots of guns, lots of Hell Fire, lots of blood and lots of ichor - Harry really cuts loose. James Marsters also really cuts loose with his Harry Dresden “belly yell” – nothing a change of pants can’t overcome.
Molly Carpenter features, playing her part as Harry’s Apprentice and we have some familiar bad guys return- one in particular who was supposed to be dead.
Oh...and Harry comes out of the closet. So does Thomas. Oops.
I don’t know about the other Wardens, but Harry wears the “grey” cloak well – ‘cause a lot of his actions, and some of the alliances he makes involve cosying up to some pretty nasty characters – not everything is black and white – sometimes it’s a case of living with the “devil you know” – particularly the ones on the inside.
3.5 stars.
August 27, 2018
3.5 stars
This story is well structured. There’s a crime mystery with personal stakes involved: women are being murdered, and Thomas becomes a suspect. He’s actively avoiding Harry, so the case is personal. Then there’s the road discovery filled with clues and setbacks and then a final big, huge climax. The creatures de jour are mostly White Court vampires and ghouls. I’m not sure what ghouls look like. Something like this:
They’re definitely unpleasant.
It’s not until the end we find out exactly what Thomas has been up to:
This is a fine addition to the Dresden Files collection. The language here is stronger than previous books, with about ten instances of the f-word.
This story is well structured. There’s a crime mystery with personal stakes involved: women are being murdered, and Thomas becomes a suspect. He’s actively avoiding Harry, so the case is personal. Then there’s the road discovery filled with clues and setbacks and then a final big, huge climax. The creatures de jour are mostly White Court vampires and ghouls. I’m not sure what ghouls look like. Something like this:
They’re definitely unpleasant.
It’s not until the end we find out exactly what Thomas has been up to:
This is a fine addition to the Dresden Files collection. The language here is stronger than previous books, with about ten instances of the f-word.
October 20, 2022
4 stars. Reread. Onto the next book!
August 30, 2021
White Night is a consistently fantastic Dresden book, my second favourite so far behind Dead Beat. The case file in this one is about Harry tracking down a serial killer who has been murdering small-time practitioners, trying to implicate him and sow distrust. This is probably one of the more engaging cases, the mystery is well established and the revelations are well-paced and sensical. It doesn't get overly convoluted but maintains a decent level of complexity to it. The case, as usual, is a stepping stone for larger events that play out, so I felt the more straightforward nature of the case was to the book's benefit.
There is more depth given to the internal politics of the White Court of vampires, which I really enjoyed since I find them one of the more interesting supernatural factions in the series, especially with characters like Thomas and Lara. The climactic action scenes and confrontations involving the vampires was a lot of fun to read, and the build-up of tension was executed very well. There are also more hints and revelations about the shadowy players who have been subtly influencing things in the background.
Harry's characterization in this book is also excellent. The subtle shifts in his emotional state over time and his contemplation of the lengths he is willing to go to protect people I felt was really well-written. There are times where he gives in to the darkness festering within him, and some of those chilling scenes, showcasing the extent of what he can do with the power he possesses, were some of my favourite parts of the book.
His interactions with other characters like Molly, Murphy, Ramirez, and Lash added another layer of perspective to Harry's character, how people view him from the outside based on his actions alone. He is a flawed, human character who tries his best to do the right thing, but the right choices are not easy to pick out, and that conflict is what makes him so compelling. It adds a layer of moral complexity to his decisions, as the consequences of those can have unexpected, rippling effects.
Overall, this is another great Dresden book with some hard-hitting emotional scenes and resolutions, an engaging plot and well-written action and politics. The series has maintained a consistent level of quality since Dead Beat, and this entry doesn't disappoint.
There is more depth given to the internal politics of the White Court of vampires, which I really enjoyed since I find them one of the more interesting supernatural factions in the series, especially with characters like Thomas and Lara. The climactic action scenes and confrontations involving the vampires was a lot of fun to read, and the build-up of tension was executed very well. There are also more hints and revelations about the shadowy players who have been subtly influencing things in the background.
Harry's characterization in this book is also excellent. The subtle shifts in his emotional state over time and his contemplation of the lengths he is willing to go to protect people I felt was really well-written. There are times where he gives in to the darkness festering within him, and some of those chilling scenes, showcasing the extent of what he can do with the power he possesses, were some of my favourite parts of the book.
His interactions with other characters like Molly, Murphy, Ramirez, and Lash added another layer of perspective to Harry's character, how people view him from the outside based on his actions alone. He is a flawed, human character who tries his best to do the right thing, but the right choices are not easy to pick out, and that conflict is what makes him so compelling. It adds a layer of moral complexity to his decisions, as the consequences of those can have unexpected, rippling effects.
Overall, this is another great Dresden book with some hard-hitting emotional scenes and resolutions, an engaging plot and well-written action and politics. The series has maintained a consistent level of quality since Dead Beat, and this entry doesn't disappoint.
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