Cold Days

The Dresden Files, Book 14

By: Jim Butcher

Narrated by: James Marsters

Length: 18 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

Harry Dresden lives!

After being murdered by a mystery assailant, navigating his way through the realm between life and death, and being brought back to the mortal world, Harry realizes that maybe death wasn’t all that bad - because he is no longer Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard. He is now Harry Dresden, Winter Knight to Mab, the Queen of Air and Darkness.

After Harry had no choice but to swear his fealty, Mab wasn’t about to let something as petty as death steal away the prize she had sought for so long. And now, her word is his command, no matter what she wants him to do, no matter where she wants him to go, and no matter who she wants him to kill. Guess which one Mab wants first?

Of course, it won’t be an ordinary, everyday assassination. Mab wants her newest minion to pull off the impossible: kill an immortal. No problem there, right? And to make matters worse, there exists a growing threat to an unfathomable source of magic that could land Harry in the sort of trouble that will make death look like a holiday.

Beset by enemies new and old, Harry must gather his friends and allies, prevent the annihilation of countless innocents, and find a way out of his eternal subservience before his newfound powers claim the only thing he has left to call his own… his soul.

©2012 Jim Butcher (P)2012 Penguin Audio

Cold Days is a Hot Book

Where does Cold Days rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

In the top 70 percent.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The Lead Character, Harry

Which scene was your favorite?

The Big Battle on the Island

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Several, Harry is a very introspective character. Deciding what is the right thing to do when all paths seem to lead to darkness, is compelling.

Any additional comments?

You should read some of the earlier books in the Dresden Files first. They will help you understand underlying themes.

Just keeps getting better & better.

I am looking forward to the next 14 volumes of the escapades of this "Warden".

Harry's back and kicks more butt than ever!

The story of Harry Dresden coping, or attempting to cope, with being the Winter Knight is very compelling. The twists and turns this book takes are typical Butcher, and are as good, or better, than ever. Harry's cast of pals is back and haven't lost a beat, plus we see a side of Mack we never have before. The best part of the audio book is that James Marsters is back as the narrator, and he is a fantastic Dresden, something that was truly lacking in Ghost Story. I highly recommend this book to all Dresden fans, and if you have yet to start reading the series...What are you WAITING for?!? Go, Go, GO!

The Best

This was the very first Dresden novel I listened too and from there I was hooked! I loved the character references because I'm a Star Wars/Lord of the Rings nerd also! James Marsters is the perfect narrator for these books. From this one, I went back to the beginning and devoured every single one. I've listened to the last one "Skin Game", and hope he has a new one coming out soon! I do miss Bob the Skull's relationship with Harry so I hope they get together soon. All-in-all, if you only pick one- this is the best!

Riviting!

What did you love best about Cold Days?

So happy to have James Marsters back! John Glover did a good job on Ghost Story, but it's like wearing your favorite old slippers rather than the new ones :)
The anger & frustration of Harry's friends over his assumed death & now his position as Winter Knight, has caried over from Ghost Story, but understandably so. Even the readers of this book are going to wonder if (or for how long) Harry can keep the beast inside.
Harry is once again thrust into numerous situations which must each be solved immediatly or the world (or at least his friends & family) will come to an end. He begins to realise that the early days of his career, although slow & unexciting. were a lot easier!

Which scene was your favorite?

I'm so glad to have Thomas back in the story & loved their reunion & the banter they care on.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Jim Butcher ALWAYS makes me laugh & cry!

Any additional comments?

I hope that the next book takes place very shortly after this one, so that we see how things go between the Winter Knight & the Winter Lady.

back and better than ever

What a way to bring Dresden back. Loved it. Another worthy addition to a great series.

Wonderful

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Glad Marsters is back - he is Harry Dresden. I read rather than heard the previous bookbecause of the other narrator. Great story. I plan to listen a second time very soon

Who was your favorite character and why?

Harry Dresden (and Karen!)

Which character – as performed by James Marsters – was your favorite?

Harry Dresden

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It was engrossing

Any additional comments?

Have Marsters read book 13.

Best of the Series

This was the best book of the series. I couldn't stop listening to it! This is a must read for any Harry Dresden fans.

The Best Dresden in Years

Would you listen to Cold Days again? Why?

It's a fantastic story and a fantastic production.

What did you like best about this story?

It takes you places you never expect, and drives the ongoing narrative ahead at breakneck speed. Jim Butcher is really on top of his game.

What does James Marsters bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

His performances are nuanced, lyrical, and heartfelt. I've never heard a narrator be so true to the emotions of the words.

Any additional comments?

Everything about it felt right.

Dream team

"Okay, come on," I said. "You're going to buy me a lawsuit, Bob."
"Hush, Harry. Or you'll go to the special hell."
I blinked at that, confused. I'm not supposed to be the guy who doesn't get the reference joke, dammit.

I find it … yes, inconceivable that Harry Dresden has not seen Firefly. That's terrible. Someone get him a shielded DVD player, stat.

Somehow I seem to read the Dresden Files at just the times when they'll hit me hardest.

...I could almost pretend I was there again. That I was home.
But they'd burned down my home. I had repaid them for it, with interest, but I still felt oddly hollow in my guts when I thought about how I would never see it again. I missed Mister, my cat. I missed my dog. I missed the familiarity of having a place that I knew, that was a shelter. I missed my life. I'd been away from home for what felt like a very long time.

I didn't get to repay anyone for losing my home and my dog. It just happened. This was not the first time I had to put aside a Harry Dresden novel and … well, anyway. (Changing the subject rapidly) Gosh, I think there were more f–bombs dropped in this one; I haven't done a count or anything, but they seemed more frequent. Of course, Harry more than had reason.

I went into this one with a little reluctance. I didn't want to hear about Harry Dresden, Winter Knight. I wanted his old life back almost as much as he did. I wanted the Scooby Gang. But the reunions made it all worthwhile. My note at 20%: "That is, and probably always will be, the only time a heartfelt "Asshole" has made me curl up and cry like a little girl."

Warning: embarrassing levels of FanGirl ahead

I always loved these books, always. But I may never read one again – not when I can have James Marsters read them to me. Are they perfect narrations? Not one hundred percent, really; there's an occasional missed accentuation that tweaks the meaning of a sentence – but a lot of narrators do that. And what he lacks in the occasional mundane accent, he more than makes up in dialogue, both standard and Harry's internal dialogue. Why would I go back to reading these books off paper or pixel when the "Oh" in my head wouldn't carry half the meaning that the single syllable can bring off when voiced by James Marsters? That man, my God... I want to lock him in a room and make him read me all my favorite books. (Hush about any other things that might come to mind, this is a family show.)

I don't like using cliches; "Dream Team" is a cliche. But nothing else comes to mind that so perfectly describes these books: Jim Butcher providing the universe, Harry Dresden living in it, and ... just reading the books is like the first scenes of The Wizard of Oz. There's nothing wrong with that – black and white can be lovely and perfectly sufficient, and after all "Over the Rainbow" comes during that part – but for some things you just can't beat fully saturated technicolor. James Marsters's narration is wide–screen, HD technicolor. Practically 3–D.

I always did crush a bit on Spike. It's nice to still be in love with James Marsters. It's a perfect marriage, this; Butcher's geekiness makes mine look like I'm not trying, and the wisecrackery with which he imbues Harry Dresden is PHD level. JM's Spike was part of one of the geekiest of geeky shows, and the wise Spike cracked was always among the sharpest and most fun (and quotable). Long may it wave.