NateT
6/21/2019
Butcher is continuing to do the series right. If a reader stopped after book 4 (Summer Knight) they would believe that the series is just a sequence of stories in the same setting with an occasional allusion to events in previous previous books. Harry gets his ass kicked, lucks into the solution and moves on, learning nothing.
But by book 6 (Blood Rites) a corner has turned. The plots get more and more intricate and dependent on previous events. Harry is no longer so wet-behind-the-ears. He is getting more powerful and crafty and is thinking ahead - even preparing in between books for theoretical future threats. Small spoilers if you haven't already read books 7, 8 or 9: <spoiler>He rides a resurrected dinosaur, assaults Arctus Tor, and USES Lara Raith's power by KISSING HER then pisses her off!</spoiler>
This last act is clearly the most baddass thing Harry has done yet. And it was the source of my small quibble with this book... Harry interacts significantly with White Court vampires and Lara Raith specifically, and yet his most intimate contact with her is never even mentioned. It's like Butcher forgot about it. Oh well, this is still one more great book in The Dresden Files.