Since the last book, Harry has care of his daughter, Maggie, his cat, Mister, his dog, Mouse, and is serving as Mab’s Winter Knight. But when peace talks with the Fomor are about to begin, the King of the Svartalve Fae is attacked by his vampire half-brother, Thomas Raith. Harry thinks someone has threatened Thomas’s pregnant woman, Justine, to force him to launch the attack. It gets more frightening when Harry and his wizard grandfather are attacked by Outsiders, demonic hounds that have—shades of Lovecraft!—tentacles!

Harry Dresden seems somewhat different to me than in the past—older. Maybe due to the responsibility of caring for Maggie such as fighting the darker side of the mantle of Winter Knight to be the loving father for her. Even with those slight differences, I still enjoyed the urban fantasy. It took me away from the problems of the pandemic, something sorely needed these days. And Author Jim Butcher delivered that very well.

Video Non-Spoiler Review Here: https://youtu.be/Un2nwszbcSA
Video Spoiler Review Here: https://youtu.be/D_MrMqtF3jc

Read from an ARC courtesy of Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.

Over 6 years after the release of Skin Game, Peace Talks has arrived; did it live up to the hype? Well I was one of the lucky ones who binged this entire series in 6 months and then got to read it literally the day after finishing Skin Game, so I wouldn't take my opinion on that answer as gospel. But as a fan of the series now, I'll say this; I left satisfied while still hungry for more.

It’s a Dresden Files book. I feel like one thing you can count on is every adventure is going to be a good time. This is no different. I had the same levels of fun I always have in an adventure with Harry, numerous brilliant pop culture references, and a few twists along the way I couldn’t have predicted at all.

Butcher’s writing is just as strong as it has ever been and I’d argue his romantic dialogue is maybe the best it has ever been here. The growing tensions between certain characters don’t feel forced or rushed at all. And in typical Butcher fashion, it’s things you can see progressing to a not so fun ending between those characters and there’s nothing you can do to stop it.

In many Dresden books, you feel like Butcher is always going to throw a new layer at you about Outsiders or Nemesis or the Denarians, but he’ll also throw some minor or temporary foes that he gets to get a W against. I’ll say the new threat in this book…they’re here to stay.

I guess if there’s a not so good in this book it’s two things, but I don’t really see them as a problem yet. First, this is a short book. Like, Storm Front short. Many of you are going to finish this in one or two sittings. Second, I don’t think there are a ton of “answers” in this one. A lot of the long running theories and speculation aren’t going to be resolved here. So if you’re hoping for that, you may be disappointed. However, I don’t find either of these a negative since this is only half of the story Butcher intended to tell us. Battleground comes out in 75 days. So I feel like that one is a wait and see.

If you’re here I don’t really think you’ll need a sales pitch from me on why you should read it. I think Jim has put together a part 1 of a 2-part television midseason finale here. You’re going to be satisfied, but left wanting more...in a good way. Let the countdown to Battle Ground begin.

Family! Dresden gets hit with a series of events one right after another in this book, most dealing with family. First he finds out he will be an uncle. Then he gets loaned by Mab to Lara Raith of the White Court for two unspecified favors. And his grandfather Ebeneezer comes to visit and meets Dresden's daughter for the first time. Then there is the Peace Accords where he is security. And then family enters again in a big way and Dresden really has to choose his priorities. Interesting few day for Dresden that leads directly into the next Dresden title. So do not skip Peace Talks if you want to know the score for the next title!

Thanks Netgalley for the chance to read this title!

If you're a fan of dresden you will fall right back into it with this one so hold on. The only disappointment is how soon i finished reading it. In truth it kind of feels like half of an installment with the other half being battlegrounds.

Harry is back in action trying to be a dad while his allies and enemies are gathering for peace accords. Mayhem and craziness ensue as usual. It ended in more of a cliffhanger than most of the books in the series. ARC from NetGalley..

While I tremendously enjoyed reading another Dresden Files book, I was disappointed in the cliffhanger ending. It's still a highly enjoyable book, but it will need the next one—Battle Ground—to be complete.

This newest installment in the Dresden Files didn't disappoint. Every book has managed to ratchet up the intensity and excitement, but they always manage to do so while having a major impact on Dresden and his odd conglomerate of family. This one starts with Thomas being arrested for a murder that even he says that he did, but Harry knows it just isn't that simple. To Harry's point, things quickly begin happening all at once as new and old enemies surface to threaten all of Chicago and, probably, the entire world.

Fantastic!

Six years I waited for Harry to come back. SIX YEARS!!!!

Was it worth the wait? For me? ABSOLUTELY. I loved every second of it. There's intrigue galore, amazing characterization. Awesome dialogue.

Peace Talks made me happy in all kinds of ways. I got my fix of some Thomas, Molly, Michael, Maggie, Mouse, Lara Raith, Marcone, Waldo, Mab, Justine, you name it, it was there. Best, I was listening to James Marsters for almost all of the book. He is just superb as Harry and the other forty or so characters he renders his voice for this series.

In addition, if you had read the short stories, you'll be happily surprised to reacquaint yourself with so many other characters from those.

As always, Harry is having all kinds of trouble. He's tired, running on little sleep and food and trying to save the world. Or this case Chicago and some very important people to him. Yet, Harry is becoming smarter and trying to do things logically, without burning down the building which shows some major growth on his part.

For people who like Karin and Dresden together, they are going to be happy. Me being a #MollyTeam or even a #LaraTeam, it didn't make me happy but it didn't make me mad either. I guess I still hold a grudge for Karrin shooting Harry so many moons ago but if Harry is happy with her so be it.

After finishing Peace Talks, I started thinking of so many things that could go wrong since this book doesn't have all the answers. Luckily, I don't have to wait long for Battle Ground.

I believe if you are a reader who's saying there was not enough action in this book, the next one is going to have too much. The question is who are we going to lose. It terrifies me. I don't want it to be any of my favorites (which is like 20!)

On a side note, I'm super concerned about Ramirez. I don't trust him anymore. Be careful, Molly.

Peace Talks sets such a masterful way for Battle Ground. Frenemies must come together to protect it all or die trying and Harry Dresden is going to be in the middle of it all with the baddies from all sides gunning for him. Watch out!

Cliffhanger: YES! A big one!

5/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by ACE via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review up on August 4 on http://booksmoviesreviewsohmy.com

I am just so excited that the author brought back Harry Dresden!!!!!!

Trying to figure out what to talk about and now spoil other books and plotlines in the previous books is pretty hard though...lol.

So tread lightly with reading this review there could be spoilers ahead!!

So even though it's been a while in our years since the last book in the story it hasn't been that long since the big showdown of the previous book and Murphy is in a bunch of cast and can't do a whole lot. Harry hates seeing her like that and feels bad about what happened. The pot that has been boiling since the demise of the red court has Harry on thin ice with a lot of people who really hate him and then boom...Thomas does something extremely stupid!

So then it becomes a how far would you go to save a family member, what are you will to compromise on or who would you be willing to fight. Thomas tried to assassinate someone and the supernatural creature (of whom I can't remember how to spell) well lets just say things don't go well for Thomas and now he is being held by them and beaten very badly and Harry is going to do whatever he can to get him out of the mess he is in.

Meanwhile, there is a delegation of supernatural creatures which and it's supposed to be neutral ground for everyone and Harry is on security detail not only for the white council but also for Mab and things don't go so well.

I kind of feel like this book was a set up for what is going to happen in the next book Battle Ground and that sounds kind of finale but I hope it's not as I would love more Dresden book!

I had a lot of fun being back in the world of Harry Dresden and being back with a lot of familiar characters. I adore Harry he is one of my all time favorite characters and I also love Murphy! We get Butters who always cracks me up and even some interesting time with the Vampire Queen!  It's just a fun series.

If you have read the Dresden Files series then what have you been doing! Go read it! :)

ARC received from Netgalley for Review.

HUGE SPOILERS AHEAD.


Been years since a Dresden book came out and I am thankful for two things:
1) That I can immediately move on to the next book, because
2) HOLY CRAP was that a jaw dropping scene with the introduction of "the new big bad".

With the announcement that Justine is pregnant, we know that this book is going to have quite a bit to do with Harry's brother Thomas. AND IT DOES... Highlights:
- Thomas is accused of an assassination attempt against Etri, King of the Svartalves. He is beaten severely and has to be rescued via an elaborate plot between Harry, Lara Raith, and Karrin Murphy. The book ends with Harry imprisoning Thomas in Demonreach to help hold him in status to heal.
- Ebenezar, Harry's grandfather, makes his reappearance, after being gone for a while, and it's intense. Wanting to stop Harry's interactions with the White Court, he begins to lose his temper. After a crazy wizard battle on the docks with Harry, he finally finds out that Thomas is his grandson as well, and that his anger is misplaced. (We'll see how that pans out...)
- Name drop of Mavra, leader of the Black Court... sure that will come back up very soon
- "The Peace Talks" - the signers of the Unseelie Accords come together to discuss a cessation of hostilities between nations. War has been prevalent for many books and they wish to see if anything can be worked out. It is announced that King Corb of the Fomor will be in attendance. But when he shows up.... (jaw drop) he is collared and chained to Ethniu, the Last Titan, who declares war on all humanity, kicks Mab through 2 walls, and causes the crowd immense pain when flashing "the Eye of Balor", which is basically a supernatural nuke, also causing all technology in Chicago to fry via a huge hex. "Peace" is achieved between nations because they must band together to fight the Fomor and the Last Titan, but who knows how long that will last.
- Harry reminds us that he has Athame, or the Spear of Destiny, which was one of the relics taken from Hades vault in Skin Game. Obviously, this will play into the next book (which should be amazing), and might see Harry begin to understand the universal concept of faith, alluded to so many times by his conversations with Michael Carpenter.

I watched a recent interview with Butcher (during Comic-Con @ Home) and he talked about how this book, and the next Battle Ground, were originally written as one huge book, but he decided to split it in half and release both the same year. It definitely shows in the layout and execution of the book. Can't wait to continue on...

Excellent overall. Glad I only started Dresden 3 years ago, instead of waiting 6 years since the last one came out. Hopefully Book 18 won't be far off.

Those who have read Dresden Files know generally what to expect with this book (and for those who haven't, why are you starting here, of all places?). The major departure for Peace Talks is that is not a contained story, but instead relies on the next book, Battle Grounds, to complete the arc. Typically, Dresden Files tells one complete story while also advancing the metaplot, but I found myself excited more than frustrated by the change in form. As for the beats of this particular novel, if Dresden Files has been a popular read at your library up to now, Peace Talks is sure to satisfy (assuming your readers, like me, don't mind waiting for the completion of the story arc).

The only caveat to my review is that my feelings on Peace Talks are somewhat dependent on Battle Grounds, which I obviously haven't read yet. Peace Talks laid the groundwork for a great story, but if Battle Grounds fumbles the ball, it will obviously taint Peace Talks by extension.

Six long barren years have gone by since I've last spent time with Dresden, and that's a mite too long to be without the sardonic wizard. So I was thoroughly pleased to see Butcher offer up two books this year to appease the fans.
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The Dresden Files was my first foray into urban fantasy. Before then, magic in books was always high born and highfalutin. There's nothing wrong with that, but Dresden introduced me to a magical world that's grim, gritty, and full of greatly reluctant heroes; and it became a genre I fell in love with.
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This being book 16, Harry Dresden and his Chicago is well established and we the readers have watched him battle friends and foe alike. He and the world he lives in have grown in scope and stakes.

The trouble sometimes when you put characters in jeopardy a lot is that you have to keep upping the battles and you lose some of what made the books great to begin with. The balance between growth and formula can be a hard one to make work.

I didn't love the last book but I think Butcher's time away did both he and his writing good. Peace Talks has that earlier feel, something I can't quite codify, but it brought me back to what I loved about the books. A great story told well.

It's also only half the tale as I believe the rest will be in Battle Ground which comes out at the end of September. In there hopefully we'll see how Dresden saves his vampire brother, keeps his friend on the right track, fulfills his promise to the faerie queens, and defeats the bad guy who plans to remove Chicago from the map.

Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden character is back and an enjoyable read. It does leave you hanging at the end but only because this is only part one of the book and the second part is coming in September. Can't wait to see what is in store for us in the next part. Thank you for the ARC.

I got an early review copy of Peace Talks and had to hold my tongue until today, release day. If you are a fan, like I am, you’ll race through it until the … end? See, this is half a book, which is why Battle Ground is coming on its heels. Release date, September 29th. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of stuff happens here that you will need to know, especially with Thomas.

If you love Michael, you get a little bit of him and a touch of Marcone and a bit of Molly as well. Everyone shows up just enough for you to know the gangs all here, but not enough to let you know the whole story. There’s a caper in the midst of the larger story, but we’re waiting for Battle Ground to get the bigger picture.

I’m reminded of the scene in which Thomas tries to teach Harry what it is like to live with his Hunger. Do you remember it? He and Harry run on the beach and Harry is thirsty. He brings a water bottle to his lips and just as he is about to take a sip, Thomas smacks the bottle out of his hand. That’s this book. I will say this, things become very serious between Harry and his grandfather. Important, life and death serious. So go forth and read, my fellow Dresdenphiles. Just know what you are in for.

It was so easy to slip back into Harry Dresden's story even after the long gap. He's so iconic that you don't even need to re-read the other fifteen (but even better if you do, I imagine!). It's great to see all the familiar faces, that Murphy is so present, and that there are consequences for the events of the last few books.

I love Harry Dresden. I have loved this character, and this world, since I first picked up Storm Front. Each book is like a freight train once it gets going. At the end of each book, I find myself exhausted. I love each new title. And I dread each new title. Because NOW what is Jim Butcher going to do to Dresden, his friends and his allies? Just before Ghost Story, I had to take a Dresden time-out because I was becoming too overwhelmed -- and unable to put the books down, even when I knew that I HAD to get up in the morning for work.

I'm afraid to give anything away. Fan of the Dresden Files will already know the trajectory of his story arc. Expect the expected -- and, of course, the utterly unexpected -- from Jim Butcher in Peace Talks. Each title is better -- and harder -- than the last, and Peace Talks is no exception. Buckle up. And take a nap! You will be delighted with the next step in the Dresden Files.

Through books 1-15, The Dresden Files has been clever, quirky, and action-packed, led by wizard Harry Dresden whose moral compass always points norths and applies instinctive, often insouciant solutions to problems, both magical and human.

That’s why the mediocrity of Jim Butcher’s long-awaited 16th Harry Dresden disappoints. Harry sleep-walks throughout, going through the non-magical motions. Sure, his life is more complex what with being a single dad and hamstrung to the Winter Court of Faerie. But the Harry who always found a way just isn’t into it; in fact, he barely seems to care. The impassioned prince of doing the right thing and flash-bang plots twists is absent.

Likewise, his dynamic supporting characters are simulacra of their previous selves. His half-brother, Thomas, fades into the woodwork. Ebenezer, his grandfather, and stalwart mentor morphs into a whiner, and Murphy, the ex-cop and sometimes lover, makes bland cameos. Here and there, he gives desultory waves to characters who used to shine in their own, quirky ways – Butters, Justine, Ivy, Molly, Michael. Sure, the sexy, narcissistic Queens of Fairie are there, but it’s more of the same. Just when you think something is about to happen, it doesn’t.

Then the book ends abruptly, without warning or clear reason. That’s when the reader finds out that the previous 348 pages are a warm-up to another book to be released this fall. Seriously?

Butcher can do no wrong. Dresden can do no wrong. 16 books in and I love them even more. This being said, why did we have to wait for do long to get this book? I glad that it picked up where skin game ended but honestly I had to reread skin game again in the middle of this one to refresh my memory. Hopefully we won't have to wait to long for the nest one

Dresden Files fans have waited a long time for Peace Talks and Battle Ground (due in September) and Peace Talks will only fan the flames of fandom. Short in terms of most of Butcher’s books, Peace Talks reunites us with Harry Dresden and his world. The story is fast-paced and somewhat familiar - the dark against the light and Harry’s angsty response to being drawn back into the fight.

Fans will rip through this tasty morsel and be salivating for a resolution in Battle Ground.

I can't help but be mixed about Peace Talks. The major problem is that I've missed a swathe of Dresden novels in the overall series. So, I've lost the plot somewhat. Well rather more than somewhat. I'm stumbling around in a minefield. Obviously this title was not the best place for me to restart. Ah! The curse of misplaced confidence. That's my responsibility. Now I need to catchup on some of what's gone before, and then reread Peace Talks from a more knowledgeable viewpoint.

A Penguin Random House ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)