Death Masks

The Dresden Files, Book 5

By: Jim Butcher

Narrated by: James Marsters

Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

Harry Dresden, Chicago's only practicing professional wizard, should be happy that business is pretty good for a change. But he also knows that whenever things are going good, the only way left for them to go is bad. Way bad. Recent examples: A duel with the lethal champion of the Red Court, who must kill Harry to end the war between vampires and wizards...Hit men using Harry for target practice...The missing Shroud of Turin - and the possible involvement of Chicago's most feared mob boss...A handless and headless corpse the Chicago police need identified...Not to mention the return of Harry's ex-girlfriend Susan, who's still struggling with her semi-vampiric nature - and who seems to have a new man in her life. Some days, it just doesn't pay to get out of bed. No matter how much you're charging.

©2003 Jim Butcher (P)2009 Penguin Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"Think Buffy the Vampire Slayer starring Philip Marlowe.” (Entertainment Weekly)

“Superlative.” (Publishers Weekly [starred review])

“One of the most enjoyable marriages of the fantasy and mystery genres on the shelves.” (Cinescape)

Denarians! New and dangerous foes for Harry!

Note: This is the book where reading them out of order stars to do you an injustice. It does work as a stand alone to some extend, but you will get major spoilers for the previous books in the series and it also pulls in characters we have met before. So I recommend reading the first 4 books before you jump into this one.



Harry is about to have yet another tough weekend. It’s not going to be just one thing coming down hard on him. Nope. He’s going to have to deal with John Marcone (Chicago’s crime lord), hunting for the Shroud of Turin, Michael Carpenter’s fiery wife Charity, his old girlfriend Susan Rodriguez (who’s dealing with her semi-vampiric state), a scheduled duel with a Red Court vampire, and a new breed of bad guy – the Denarians. It’s amazing Harry gets to be as old as he does.

I’ve been so-so about the character Susan for the series so far. This is the book that changes my opinion of her. She took a very hard hit back in Book 3 (Grave Peril) and I can see that it sobered her. Harry had been telling her again and again that the supernatural beasties she so wanted to catch on camera and write about were very dangerous. She really didn’t take those multiple warnings to heart and it cost her dearly. So here she returns to the series with this new and weighty knowledge. She’s also learned the advantages of body armor, weapons, hand-to-hand combat training, and following Harry’s orders in the midst of a fight. She’s not a total bad ass, but she has learned a bit and she does have some vampiric strength too.

Wow! The Denarians! Let me say that these are some of the most dangerous foes yet for the series. The Denarians, lead by Nicodemus, are a collection of fallen angels/demons. Each one resides within a coin and the owner of that coin can communicate with the specific demon, gaining knowledge and power. Of course each demon does their best to insinuate themselves into their master’s life and eventually take it over. Couple that with the supposed powers of the Shroud of Turin and you have a formula for disaster for Chicago. Which means that Michael Carpenter, knight templar extraordinaire, is returned to the story. And he brought friends (Shiro from Japan and Sanya from Russia).

As always, the plot is fast-paced and with the several threads weaving in and out of each other, I was never bored. Butcher does a great job of packing character development into the little downtimes (such as driving from point A to point B) the plot permits. For instance, Charity and Harry get to have chat while making dinner together. Charity is not a fan of Harry and they get to clear the air a little.

The duel with the Red Court vampire War Lord Ortega comes up early but doesn’t happen until later in the book. This particular plot thread brings into play two very interesting side characters – the Archive (who presides over the duel to ensure fairness and record the outcome) and her bodyguard Kincaide. Also, Thomas (the white court vampire we met in Book 3) makes a reappearance. The White Council (ruling body of good wizards) are quite willing to sacrifice Harry if it means an end to the war with the Red Court vampires. Argh! Makes me want to strangle them!

Butcher ups the ante with this book, sacrificing some characters and forcing others to make tough choices. I really like how the seriousness continues to ratchet up for each series installment so far. The Denarians play rough and Harry and his friends will not get out unscathed. We also learn a very interesting thing about John Marcone that makes him a little more human. There’s very little Murphy in this book and I missed her. However, we get to meet Wizard Ebeneezer McCoy, who fostered Harry in his late teens.

So far, Harry has ended up in cuffs in each book for one reason or another. That happens again here. I find that amusing. Harry continues to grow as a character. We know he isn’t invincible and he knows it too. Yet he can’t stop helping his friends, protecting Chicago, and standing up to the bullies. The ending had a little unexpected twist for me that I expect will have major repercussions for Harry later on.

The Narration: James Marsters continues on as Harry Dresden and he does a fine job of it. In this book, his performance includes believable Spanish, Japanese, and Russian accents. I especially liked his kid’s voice for the Archive. He also does a great job with Wizard McCoy who comes from Arkansas and has that noticeable regional accent.

Get ready to enjoy

If you could sum up Death Masks in three words, what would they be?

fabulously fun fantasy

What was one of the most memorable moments of Death Masks?

Harry and Susan at the laundromat...I loved Susan tossing the machines around.

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

James brings depth to each of the characters. He has a voice for each character, and NEVER mixes them up. His reading of this book is not only good, it's great. I would give him 10 stars if I could.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes...it's hard to stop, but I always looked forward to getting back to it.

Any additional comments?

This was the first of the Dresden Files I have listened to. It was so good I bought all the rest.

Second time through.

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

I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone. Well written, meticulously thought out and delightfully humorous. Marsters is a very talented narrator and truly brings the characters to life.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Thomas Wraith is a surprising character with interesting and mysterious depth. Looking forward to his character development.

Which scene was your favorite?

The duel in the arena had plenty of action and lots of character interaction.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, but only because it is so long. My kids won't let me get away with that!

Good book, good audible audio!

I love the adventures of Harry Dresden, and this book is full of more of his awesome adventures. I got the Audible Audio for this book so I can listen to it on my ride to and from work every day. Good fun.

Harry Dresden always makes me chuckle.

James marsters really is the best. These books are seriously entertaining. The ending was great.

And then it changes

Follow the story closely Lots of information coming at you! Great reading and a thoughful moment in Harry's life.

A lot of fun

The main character is well balanced between arrogant and humble and the wittiness is truly enjoyable. The narrator does a great job as well.

Great listen

I loved it. great story and a great continuation of the series. looking forward to the next in the series.

Love this series, I love James marsters…

Love this series, I love James marsters… he makes Harry Dresden!! I loved it!! Can’t wait for the rest!! And they just keep getting better

The singing.

Mr. Serkis has good tempo, distinct characters, a pleasant reading voice. Alas his singing of Tom Bombadils I song are atrocious. Uneven tempo and off key. I couldn't do better. I don't like his interpretation.