That's right! So good that I invented a new word just to describe it! I was seriously freaked out by this book. The images he created with this invisible creature that strikes at you from your dreams... BRRR! Absolutely bone chilling!
Not only is this novel impeccably written but it creates yet another spin on the vampire world. And does it so well! Butcher manages to incorporate the key ideas that makes vampires romantic and intoxicating, without sacrificing the terror they should inflict upon us. Not only is the vampiric portion of the story excellent but Jim has also taken us into the Never Never for the first time and created a whole new world for us to wonder about and fear. Ever time we enter into an adventure with Dresden, some new and fascinating bit of info is dropped for us. Butcher knows just the right pace to lead us through, chapter by chapter and book by book. Summer Knight is up next and I can't wait!

I found this installment in the Harry Dresden Chronicles very confusing. It jumps quite far ahead of the last installment, and introduces a new character Michael, who partners with Harry to fight evil and demons. The thing that is confusing, is it seems they have a history of working together, and it isn't really explained all that well. It makes me think that there were some short stories I missed, that maybe filled in some of the background to the story. It was confusing enough to make it hard for me to stay focused on the plot.

In this edition, the walls between the Here and Now and Nevernever seem to be faltering, and while they seem to failing ghosts are coming back over and causing all sorts of grief. Harry teams up with the Avenging Angel Michael to try keep the ghosts from destroying not only Chicago and innocents, but his friends and loved ones. To do this they must find out who is calling the ghosts and weakening the barrier. And, it has something to do with the one of Harry's enemy and new Baroness of Vampires in Chicago, Bianca and his fairy/sidhe godmother Lea.

There were a lot of inconsistencies in the story and the plot changes gears so many times and was so unbelievable that it was hard to stay with the book. I know the book is a fantasy, but fantasy that is well written, well thought out in regard to both character and plot development, will draw you not only into the story, but have you believing the unbelievable. The ending was anti-climatic and the cliffhanger ending makes me wonder if I want to continue on with reading the rest of the series.

I did purchase a couple more of the books in the series so I will probably eventually read them. I hope Butcher can clean up his act, the character has a lot of potential, Butcher just needs to focus better and clean up the plot of the stories.

This is my third Harry Dresden novel and my last. I just can't get into this series. I can't think of a single character in this 'universe' that appeals to me. Harry is a flake. Murphy (who doesn't really appear for long in this book thankfully) is too abrasive with no redeeming qualities. Bob, is supposed to help provide comic relief, but he's just not that funny.

This time round, someone is stirring up the ghosts in and around Chicago and these aren't your average hauntings - door slamming, etc. - these are violent and deadly ghosts. It's up to Harry as the only practicing wizard in the yellow pages to do something about them. At the start of this book, I was kind of confused because the story was referring to something that happened in the past but not in the previous books I read. The way Butcher wrote about the event though, it was like he expected the reader to know what he was talking about. Well, this reader didn't. Luckily, there is a flashback later in the book that helps to explain things. Also, if I have to read about the blue beetle that isn't actually blue one more time...I think Butcher just cuts and pastes that particular paragraph from the previous novel . It certainly sounds the same each and every time. Tedious to say the least.

Anyway, I didn't hate the book, it just didn't grab me the way a great (or even just good) book should.

JIm butcher is developing his writing technique as he continues the dresden files. This novel pertains to ghosts, its gripping and I couldn't put it down. I have read all of his series so far and I believe that one should keep their eyes on him. Fans of Hamilton will enjoy Butcher's work.