Cold Days: The Dresden Files, Book 14

This is book 14, so no introduction to the plot or summary of the series so far will either make sense to new readers or be interesting to series regulars. So, instead, it is worth asking, is Cold Days worth reading if you are already a Dresden fan? And, perhaps more importantly, does it give you hope for the continued adventures of Dresden in the future? The answers are both "hell, yes!"

Remember, we are 14 books into a series, one in which hundreds of characters have been introduced, where each book reveals bigger secrets than the last about the universe, and where every potential proverbial shark has been jumped, including the resurrection of the main character. And yet Butcher somehow, against all reason and expectation, keeps writing books that feel as if there is an overarching plot that makes sense, with real character progression, internal consistency, and a vibrant but changing world.

It is worth noting this achievement, since, to my knowledge, no fantasy or science fiction series of this length has ever pulled off a series of such consistent highs, and on a nearly yearly basis! Robert Jordan and George R. R. Martin lost steam along the way, Bujold makes each story fairly self-contained, Pratchett switches characters, and most other epic series feel a bit like the TV shows Lost or Twin Peaks - spinning out of the creators control with needless complication and wandering attention. Not the Dresden files! The action is still exciting, the humor still solid, and the characters still engaging. And, as per usual, the stakes get ever higher, while still leaving room for both mystery and future books.

The short version: the book is excellent, and the series an achievement that has managed to transcend its fantasy-noir roots. The only reason not to get it is if you haven't read the first 13.

First, the story was incredible. Second, Marsters is THE VOICE for Harry Dresden, period. Butcher's style is fluid, shifting beautifully from action to dialogue to narrative introspection. Jim, I started reading the Dresden Files when the very first one was published. I've re-read them many, many times and have gone back even to listen to them all on audible. Thank you for investing so much into this story, making it more and more incredible with each new installment.

You might disagree, but Cold Days reminds me some of the Roger Zelazny series (let's just go with the anthology titled "The Great Book of Amber".) Cold Days is perhaps an evolution of Urban Fantasy and flirts many times with the idea of a higher fantasy mentality where as "The Great Book of Amber" was more of a high fantasy flirting with concepts of urban fantasy.

Marsters has depth for Harry's feelings and those around him. Butcher developed very deep and intricate events around equal parts dialogue, action and narrative perspective. Marsters transitions between all the elements that drive a Dresden novel rather seamlessly. After hearing Marsters's stellar performance on Book 14 after such a disappointing absence for Book 13, it's clear that he is the voice of the Dresden Files.

Yes. I'm not talking about it though.

Cold Days is different than the previous 13, in that there is a lot less censorship. Lot of F-bombs and more graphic sexual descriptions. I don't say these are negatives. None of it was gratuitous, but they do stand out and they give this installment of the Dresden Files a different vibe. Book 14 was rated R to me, where the other 13 were more PG-13. Again, this is not a complaint. Some people like to know these things, so I figure it's a worthy additional comment.

For those of you, like myself, that found Ghost Story a little lacking - Cold Days not only kicks the storyline up 3 notches, we finally see Harry back in his element. I can't enumerate the number of times that I was agog and aghast at the events unfurling and even now I've finished it I'm still stunned!

James Marsters IS Harry Dresden. No doubt in my mind and I hope that he continues narrating the series until its conclusion.

Thank you Jim Butcher for writing what I consider one of the best Urban Fantasy series in print at the moment.

Having downloaded the book a few minutes after two in the morning, the day of its release, and taking only a few hours to catch a little sleep, and do that annoying thing called work in between, I just came up for air having spent the best eighteen hours and fifty minutes that I have spent in a long time. Then, taking time only to reacquaint myself with the family again, I couldn’t wait to write this review; Kudos to those reviewers who could transcend time.
Harry’s back and he’s alive again. For those keeping up on the series he had been dead in the last book and only by the help of Mab was he able to come back to the mortal world; but now he belongs to the Queen of Winter as her white knight. Of course, this is Harry and he has every intention of defying her whenever he can.
The story begins in Artic Tor where Harry meets some new “friends,” and begins his rehab; coming back to life is not easy.
After some interesting rehab exercises, orchestrated by Mab, Harry almost feels like his old self again and then receives a surprise birthday party, thrown by some of his new winter court friends.
Having survived his birthday party Harry receives his first assignment as the new white knight.
In order to complete his assignment, and keep his island Demonreach from exploding and taking half of Chicago with it, Harry seeks out his old companions; Bob, the skull, His half-brother Thomas, Molly his apprentice, and the pizza loving faeire general Toot-Toot, to name a few.
This was a great listening experience; Jim Butcher writes a superb story and the narrator, James Marsters, is Harry Dresden and gives a fantastic performance.

OK, so, a lot of Dresden fans that I know were disappointed in Ghost Story. An overlapping subset were disappointed in the lack of James Marsters narration in Ghost Story. In this book, both Harry and James are back in full form.
Harry Dresden is Harry Dresden, right down to the overprotecting his friends who don't need it and too dense to see what's in front of him. This book has action, combat, frenetic running in the wrong direction, little bit of romance...All the best things about this series. We also get some backstory on a couple of major characters in the series who have looked like minor characters up to now. Things are going to get really interesting for poor, tired, Harry now..... but who needs sleep anyway, right?

The narration is spot-on, just what we've come to expect in the first twelve books. Butcher's writing remains superb, and I love that in Harry's pop-culture references (always scattered through the books) he's finally worked in an homage to Terry Pratchett. Thank You, Jim!

While I didn't mind the last narrator, James Marsters just kicks up the enjoyment factor up a notch. I haven't slept much just listening to Cold Days. I have to agree that Dresden as a ghost wasn't as good, but Cold Days more then makes up for it.

Please Please keep James Marsters as a narrator for the rest of the series.

Welcome back James Marsters!

Not only is Marsters great, he IS Harry Dresden. 'Nough said about that.

I don't know of any author but Jim Butcher who can pen a 14-novel series and never make you feel that he is just churning-out another block of words for a paycheck. If anything, he gets better. 'Days' has all of the action and humor that we expect Jim, Harry, and James to deliver. I can't wait for the next installment.

Love it! Have recommended the series to a friend! So excited I stumbled upon it. Kind of wish I found it after it was complete though. Listened to the first 11 books in a row and then had to wait. 'sigh' Cold Days nicely pieces together many things that were brought up in previous stories. It plants the seeds for many things to come and you see other items slowly germinate as we learn more information. I cannot wait until we fill in some of it. Butcher does a great job leading people through the story. He makes references to previous books so that readers/listeners who pick up the series after the first book are either intrigued or know enough to be able to get through the book without scratching their heads. LOVE DRESDEN and Butcher's work.

Very difficult to pick a favorite character. All are very important to the story line. Murphy rocks at one point in the story and then frustrates me at the end of the story. Kind of want Butcher to stop with the sexual tension between them. 'sigh' I realize it is important for the overall story and will understand when the series wraps up but...Want to learn more about all of the characters. Inspiration takes time and one must be patient as the author needs that. Love what Butcher is doing!

James Marsters voice is the voice of Harry Dresden. I came across this series on Audible. Have never read any of it in print. I always struggle when I hear someone read a book in a series after I have read some of it. SO VERY HAPPY that I was introduced to Dresden via Audible. Never really got into the Angel/Buffy series (even though I am of an age that should have) so I had no preconceived connotations with Marsters. I have listened to Marsters perform other audible projects and he does very well transitioning into other characters. He is very talented and allows for you to easily differentiate between characters in the Dresden series without one even realizing that he has transitioned into someone else. Marsters rocks!

HEL...HECK YEAH! Started listening to it on a 5 hour drive home while traveling home for a work trip. Woke up in the hotel throughout the night checking my audible app to see if I could download it yet. Probably good that my audible app was being persnickety and difficult. Otherwise likely would have begun listening in the wee hours of the morning and would have been dragging on that five hour ride to my home!!

Anxious for the next book in the series...and the next. Do not want to pressure Butcher because I know that these things take time. 'sigh' Keep it up Jim! And the powers that be...please ensure that Marsters continues to read Dresden. Would love to hear Ghost Story done by Marsters. John Glover did a fine job but...Marsters is Dresden. Keep it up Jim and James!! You guys rock!!!

Exciting, sexy, MORE!!

James has a mastery of inflection and an even greater mastery of his voice. Every time he speaks a character to life I believe it to be real, I believe the character has jumped off the page and speaks for him or her self. I can't tell you how many times I got goose-bumps when the author was trying to invoke feelings within me and James spoke them into existence as if he were a wizard himself and I was merely apart of his 30+ hour spell.

Yes

I spend many hours on the road every day, so I have little better to entertain myself then the radio, my own thoughts, and my new love for audio books. I also didn't know that this was not Jim Butcher's last book in the series so I am excited beyond measure for the next installment. I only hope that when the paper book hits shelves audible can provide me with the audio book before my patience runs thin and I'm tempted to read, instead of listen, while on the road.

While I'm not sure "Enthralled" is the best title for a story featuring so many supernatural elements, I was enthralled. It was hard to stop listening to do things that others seem to think are necessary, like eat, sleep and work. I listened during my commute and any other minute I could squeeze in.

James Marsters, the narrator, does an excellent, nay - amazing - job of binging the characters to life. When I hear his voice, I know which character he is portraying. He delights!

If you're not already a fan of Jim Butcher's "The Dresden Files" this is not the place to start. There have been 13 previous books that led to this book. While you don't have to read all the stories before you get to this one, it does help.

If you're a fan, the story is an excellent extension of a long arc that has been building since we met Harry's Godmother and the Faery. There is so much character development and such great plot twists that I was carried along wishing that James Marsters could read a little faster... and knowing if he did that the story would end too soon. And after something like 14 hours, the story still ended too soon.

I am left counting the hours until the next book is released. Why? I could tell you, but that would be a spoiler, and I don't want to spoil this book for anyone.