#codex alera spoilers

[castle-dominion]

castle 7x3 clear and present danger

the invisibility episode liveblog

WILLIAM FAIRWICK is a name I rexognize, probably from this show but I feel like it was damien westlake.

Anarchist playin pool, my man looks like he's having fun.

*reading over their tablets* how does she read with the text so small? how do you focus on the words when there are so many pf them? those two totally need to get it on. I'm so proud of them. "WHAT?? : ( :( : ( "

RC: You promise? KB: Yes, we’ll pick up where we left off. I’ll even slip into that Valentine’s Day gift you got me. RC: You mean the one with – KB: Mmhmm. RC: With the – KB: Yep. She moves into the apartment. RC takes a second to compose himself, sighing heavily and leaning on the UNIFORM guarding the door.

Skulls & pool cue thru his chest, love this look, so cool. 25 & owns all this?

JE: Other than his taste in anarchy tattoos and satanic design, not much yet.

KEVIN RYAN rushes into the room pulling on his own set of gloves. KR: Sorry. Subway took forever. JE leans closer. JE: Bro. You’re supposed to be on call. Why do you smell like a wino? KR: Oh, I was at dinner with Jenny and – and someone spilled a drink on me as I rushed out. JE gives him a weird look. He’s not buying the story. KR rushes away.

Not clipping but dang that's a thing. (also ryan isn't allowed to drink at dinner with his gal but beckett,, well ig she didn't get to have sex with her husband to be...

that is A Lot of money!

Henry's boyfriend or neighbour. East mountain goblin castle playing viddy games <3 also wow looks like his shirt is so very nonbinary

I learned how to play pool better between the last time I watched this ep p& now

ten bills a game *looks over to the drunk rich guys*

Shepherd: But uh … what people say and do doesn’t always make sense. Me: actions & words. Reminds me of that codex alera quote. Ooh anarchist with skull imagery "made a deal with the devil" for his talent Nice!

Shep: I once asked him how he got to be so good. He told me he "went down to the crossroads and made a deal with the devil" for his talent. I figure, that’s gotta be a joke, right? But the other night, well, he looked nervous. I mean, downright scared. So I asked him, I said, what’s going on? You know what he told me? RC: (enthralled) No, but I want to know. Shep:He said it wasn’t a joke. He said his time was up. That he was about to lose his soul. (laughs) Like I said though, stupid, right? Becklett oesn't care but castle is in love.

He didn't lose his soul, he just died. Woah audio cutting w/ ryan's voice there huh! Ryan sus. What was that face? the lighting is so I don't like. jdssdjkasfdkjl Devil & the contract was up XD

TItle card!

KB: Really? That’s how the devil is going to kill someone? Using a broken pool stick? RC: Well, perhaps the prince of darkness is trying to make a point. You live by the cue you die by the cue. I noticed with castle too, there could not have been wind, except for pressure differences within the place itself.

These two are flirtin by talking abt the case KB: Don’t answer that. (she hesitates) Don’t. Don’t even. Don’t look at it. Don’t answer it. Don’t pick it up. *curses* "lanie!"

I can see it! wait! Spoiler brackets! {he put glass on the floor so the invisikiller would walk through the glass & make footprints!}

RC: Swinging a pool cue blindly to defend himself? I’m telling you, it makes perfect sense. What would you do if you were attacked by an invisible demonic force? KB: I’d tell Ryan to lay off the bean burritos at lunch. *ryan walks up behind them* (not clipping but OH COULD I)

Pink ryan second day in a row Jiggy Michaels Love the pair of them their outfits

Cue ball was possessed? "my boyfriend" was it the way girls say girlfriend or does he mean romantic?

lmao hytch

My man is still in the hospy. KB wouldn't believe you, RC might. "you mean him right?" i hate kb. so this will saved his life!

KB: Demons don’t need help getting past security systems and the devil doesn’t need to use the door.

KB is so awful. *shares a look with the evidence officer*

You collapsed the foam.! (looks like a castiron pan hanging by the doorway)

Marine biology my beloved

My baby bro was considering going to MIT but he is not good with paperwork & stuff so didn't apply.

Castle don't! Donna Brooks & me: Cuttlefish don't like that!

gosh I had an interview with my boss but I had to make him switch seats with me bc I couldn't sit facing the corner. embarrassing

Is pcp a drug?

Where was he going every day & why was he using his key card?

Wow nighttime.

Castle my beloved. RC: Did the invisible man just goose you? I know, they're like that. So gauche. fight scene! IU touched it! Ow! Ow! Ow! Castle sleight of hand moments!!!

VG: You were attacked at a closed crime scene? (CASTLE nods) By whom? KB: We didn’t get a good look at the assailant, Sir. RC: Actually, we – He stops abruptly when BECKETT nudges him. or steps on nhis foot. VG: Yes, Mr. Castle? RC: It was dark and we didn’t see anything.

why did becks stay behind then?

Ok you didn't lie abt not seeing but you did lie when u said you weren't witholding snything RC: Omission is the invisible lie. more invisibility

Love the music "I missed it more" o no invisible one making a porno if u have sex in a horror movie u die the perspective of the camera makes me think yeah they are being watched. (& not by us lol) RC: And you thought zombie apocalypse survival camp was a waste of time. (did she go WITH him? I need a fanfic of that crossed with a casefic) Transcript: He’s hung more pots and pans than a normal person would have in their house, but he’s proud of the setup. Me, a chef: wdym? martha my beloved

Invisible man doesn't mean fingerprintless man

Area 51? 20th september of 2019 hasn't happened yet!

KR: So CSU reprocessed that crime scene. No new fingerprints, which means – JE: Come on, an invisible man? KR: I’m just saying. Even Beckett seemed freaked out last night. JE: makes a dismissive noise. JE: It would be cool, the power of invisibility. KR: I would so sneak into Area 51. You? JE: Super Bowl. Fifty yard line. Best seat in the house. JE: ’S smile falls when he notices KR: . JE: Hey, what’s that on your neck? KR: ’S face stays passive, but he swipes at it anyway. His hand comes away sparkly. JE: Is that … body glitter? (JE: studies him harder) Is that a scratch? KR: scoffs. KR: No, it’s nothing. JE: (aghast) Married women don’t wear body glitter. What’s going on? You stepping out on Jenny? KR: What? What – no. JE: She’s the mother of your kid. KR: I am doing this for my kid. JE: Oh come – ugh. KR: Do you realize how much it’s going to cost to send Sarah Grace to college? A quarter of a million dollars. That’s for a state school. I – got a second job working nights. JE: raises his eyebrows. JE: Doing what? KR: I’m bouncing at a club. (rly cut off word. Yeah I wanted to bounce at some point. Dad even wrote a song about it.) JE: Where they use body glitter? (he gasps) It’s a gentleman’s club. Is it Bottom’s Up? Pole Position? No, no, no. Landing Strip? KR: (behind his mug) Men-hattan. JE: What? KR: (clearly) Men-hattan. JE: Men-hattan. (he laughs) You got a job protecting male strippers? He laughs harder as he leaves the room. KR: Hey. It’s no joke. It’s more dangerous than this job. (he's right) Con't: Those women, they rush the stage like these are the last men on the planet. I have bruises I can’t explain. Ladies be crazy, Javi.

Anarchy boy <3 yeah what IS this place Lady, while calling the security: I love that jacket

Wait he was right aout being right invisibility serum! ha acab moments I don't know darpa actually

wait will was working at a government facility? anarchist boy? KB: During our investigation we encountered … an unseen person – RC: Invisible person. The doctor just moments ago: there is no such thing as invilisibity

ew oof what is this corner? oof what is wrong with the computers? It's always russia or china

Doctor: It’s what I promised Will to lure him here. The opportunity to play with advanced government tech. Of course, as an anarchist he joked it was his deal with the devil.

Castle don't play.

Terra quest? how is that involved?

Ah he's into vulnerability assessment on the digital side of things huge case file! ryan outfit mmmm yum love it. esposito wearing smth I'd wear & that is not necessarily a compliment. we already all love caskett.

Love how castle is playing video games at work XD How is that guy playing video games with those gloves on? My man is legit wearing a crown Castle hit him with a sword! (I could clip that but i don't think I will)

Henry: And since there was no way I was going to get security clearance Me: with yoyur record? no way

you snapped but u didn't kill him so maybe attempted second degree murder. Love the geek references. Henry: the suit was the One Ring to rule them all. Will knew it was too much power for anyone to have, especially the government. Yeah mr anarchist cephalapods cuttlefish

He just dumped her? wow. Didn't even stay with her for a bit after & let it peeter out or start a spark again? RC: The suit you wore when you went after Will’s keycard and you got my credit card instead. (he holds it up) Just found it, buried in the back of your drawer. Thank you for that, by the way. I forgot to cancel this thing. It would be such a pain. Yeah jerk move on his part. Lol disappear from his life go under the thing couldn't she put the suit on over her clothes?

castle u just locked yourself in with a murderer...

Castle just turned on the gas

*in synch with fire extinguisher* RC: I so missed these mind melds.

KR: Beckett, what would you do if you were invisible? KB: I’d walk out of here without having to file this report. KR: Hmm. Boring. KB: Yeah. I know. JE: What about you, Castle? RC: Be a fly on the wall, see what Beckett’s dad really thinks of me. Clearly JE: thinks that’s boring, too. JE: Hmm. RC: doesn’t care. He continues to play with the suit. It’s a cool toy. KR: notices a gift on his desk. KR: Hmm. What’s this? (he opens the note on top) "Time you had a proper uniform. Love, Javi." JE: It’s from the heart, bro. KR: Okay. He opens the box. It’s a blue thong with the word “security” embroidered on the front. JE: smirks. JE: Too big? KR: Want to help me try it on? He shoves it in JE: ’S face. JE: grimaces. JE: They told me it was new. KR: I could really use your help. JE: backs away. KR: follows him. JE: Get that away from me. KR: What? Blue’s my color. What’s wrong with you? JE: Hey, enough! KR: Just help me try it on. You don’t have to be embarrassed.

lol the hot thing in front of him

lol invisible

I'm happy! I watched a few episodes, tho I kind of wish I could have watched more even tho it is overwhelming... p happy

[codex-dominion]

From Amara to Bernard

This is from a book “30 things I like about us” that my mother gave me for family day a few years ago. I filled in some prompts for amara & bernard!

You're into mud, I'm into being clean. Yet somehow we make it work.

Our shared love of our family knows no bounds.

If they gave out awards for The Greatest Amount Of Punches Given To Citiznes, we'd definitely win.

Together, there's nowhere we can't traverse. Except for maybe thin croach.

I love watching sunsets with you.

I love how much you make me laugh when you try to raise my spirits.

I sometimes find myself daydreaming about our nights ; )

I love how we make each other feel so safe.

I don't even mind when we argue about sleeping in. (You're still wrong though.)

Nobody else will ever truly understand our feelings about the house of Gaius.

I love it when we share warmth in cold nights.

I even tolerate it when we share a bath. (This is big!)

We bring out the power in each other.

Between your woodcrafted veil and my windcrafted veil, we could survive the vorde apocalypse.

Promise me that someday we'll live together.

Being with you makes me want to be a better leader.

I love how good we are at giving each other support.

If we were an article of clothing, we'd be a pair of boots.

It probably annoys people when we try to warn them. (Whatever.)

At any given time we're most likely to be in the woods.

In the movie version of our life we'd be played by Emmy Raver Lampman and John Rhys Davies.

I still can't believe we are married. 

And how is it possible that we've never ___?*

I love how we could move all day.

If we could stop getting dragged into the forest on stupid missions we'd be able act as count & countess. 

I secretly want us to take a long long vacation. (Oops. Not a secret anymore!)

May our peace last to infinity.

[arwenatreides]

Aaaand I’ve gone again and fallen head over heels in love with a character, whom I’m pretty sure isn’t going to make it through the last two books of the series, crows take it. 😑

I have a thing for slightly older men in books with swords (literal ones, don’t be gross) and highly protective (without being overbearing or patronizing) natures. ⚔️

[eccentriceclecticthl]

"I wanted to speak with you, Tavi. It would seem that I am in your debt." Tavi swallowed. "I was just trying to get my sheep home, sir. That's all I meant to happen, I mean. After that, everything just sort of..." "Got complicated?" Gaius suggested.  Tavi flushed and nodded "Exactly." "That's how these things happen. I don't want to keep you up long, so I'll come to the point. I owe you. Name your reward, and you'll have it.

Furies of Calderon (Codex Alera: book 1) by Jim Butcher

[nowtransparent]

Isana stared at Gaius for a moment. Then she said, "How can you live with yourself?"

The First Lord stared at her for a moment, his eyes cold. Then he spoke in a very quiet, precise, measured voice. "I look out my window each day. I look out my window at people who live and breathe. At people who have not been devoured by civil war. At people who have not been ravaged by disease. At people who have not starved to death, who have not been hacked apart by enemies of humanity, at people who are free to lie and steal and plot and complain and accuse and behave in all manner of repugnant ways because the Realm stands. Because law and order stands. Because something other than simple violence shapes the course of their lives. And I look, wife of my son, mother of my heir, at a very few decent people who have had the luxury of living their lives without being called upon to make hideous decisions I would not wish upon my worst enemies, and who consequently find such matters morally appalling when they consider them—because they have not had to be the ones who dealt with them.” He took a short, hard swallow of wine. “Feh. Aquitaine thinks me his enemy. The fool. If I truly hated him, I'd give him the Crown.”

A shocked silence followed the First Lord's words - because though Gaius's speech had been quiet and calm, the sheer rage and raw ... passion ... behind the words had shone through like a fire through glass. P111

[namethief]

Tavi is all: I keep my word if that interests you, if not my actions will speak.

And befriends both the Marat and Caine because of that. Which I think is awesome.

[thelonebookman]

Is Matt taking a page from the Wax Forest from Jim Butcher's Codex Alera series?

[aridotdash]

That day, she was amazed to discover that when she was saying 

what she meant was, "I love you." 

[nautical-language]

Ehren: Your wife has been slowly poisoning you.

Gaius: Yeah I probably deserved that

[greycappedjester]

I love your writing style, so I was wondering if you have any book recommendations. What’s your favorite book that you’ve read?

Thank you so much! Also, I love this ask a lot!

Favorite Novel of All Time is “Princess Bride” (movie’s amazing, too, but the books has so many fun textual details that are cool to read whether you’ve seen the movie or not)

Favorite Series (I mostly read series rather than novels):

1.) Lies of Locke Lamora/ Gentleman Bastards series by Scott Lynch: like a found family group of thieves that just really, really love long cons? Great book, also gave me an enduring love of starting chapters with flashbacks to childhood.

2.) Name of the Wind” Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss: excellent, wonderful, amazing worldbuilding....still waiting on the final book. Fun magical epics and magic college? Yep, this book’s got it. Needs a few chapters to really start getting interesting.

3.) Queen’s Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner: first book is good and probably the most talked about in this series; but, the second and third book of the series truly get into the fun and complicated political aspects and I love it. I really can’t say much about this one except don’t read the synopsis for the later books until after you read the first book (major spoilers)

4.) Codex Alera by Jim Butcher: what happened if you had a world that was like Ancient Rome, threw in elemental pokemon, had them fight bug monsters and wolf creatures in a military style format, had a giant spy system, and had the main character be like the only one without magic. If I remember right, the series was literally the product of a bet that any lame concept could be written well (concepts were “pokemon” and “lost Roman legion”)

5.) ....I mean Harry Potter for obvious reasons. Also, some fun ones: Skulduggery Pleasant (hilarious magic detectives save the world), The Riyria Chronicles (for all you fantasy buddy adventurer needs), The Raven Cycle (found family, great dialogue, and legit amazing descriptions), The Dresden Files (magic detective has shit luck), Artemis Fowl (one of my favorites from childhood to now)

Technically, comics and not books but “Locke & Key” is my favorite comic series, followed by “Saga”.

Ha, okay this might have gotten long but like I said, I really enjoyed this ask and I love some good books.

[sherpawhale]

I've been losing my mind over this exchange for a whole day. Kitai is so committed to shameless imperiousness; it's honestly iconic and I hope she's ruling Alera by series end.

[dangermousie]

I got my hands on Brent Weeks' The Burning White, the last in his Lightbringer series. So excited! It's almost a 1000 pages long which means more time for me in that world.

Also, I only wanted one thing from this book and I peeked at the end and (spoiler behind the read more)

YESSSSS! He did not kill Gavin/Dazen. I was deathly afraid that after making him suffer non-stop for two books (going from that world's version of Emperor to color-blind, not able to draft (i.e., do any magic) galley slave who has one eye burned out, gets imprisoned in a horrible place and tortured and further maimed and then basically has his will taken away even more than with a normal slave, he was going to kill my favorite character. Honestly, all I was hoping was for him to have an OK day and to reunite with Karis before he dies but eeeeeeee! He survives! And he and Karis are together and get married again!!! And he is still the Promachos and has abilities and he gets his freaking eye and hand back and thank you thank you thank you Brent Weeks, now I can read in peace.

But seriously, you have no idea - Gavin/Dazen (and eeeee, he calls himself Dazen by the end and is free to do so) is in my Top 6 fantasy novel loves, with Kaladin from the Stormlight Archive, Logan from Weeks’ Night Angel Trilogy, Asho from Phil Tucker’s Black Gate Series, Tavi from Jim Butcher’s Codex Alera and Imriel from Jacqueline Carey’s Imriel’s Trilogy. OK, I just realized four out of six of them have been enslaved and one of the two who hasn’t was thrown with forgotten criminals into a cannibal bit for a long time. Ummmm...now I am worried what it says about me. Also, both Asho and Kaladin are basically fantasy Spartacus and the other four some sort of royalty. No, I have no idea what that means. 

[bookenders]

Tell me about your favourite character?

Oh, gosh, like, ever?

Hot diggity, that’s a lot of fiction to sort through. Please excuse the vagueness I throw around to avoid the juiciest spoilers.

The ones that spring to mind immediately:

Araris Valerian (The Codex Alera) - He’s just so interesting! Knowing the whole story, going back to reading the first book is so much fun because of all the very clever choices you see him make when literally no one else notices. This is a character I love for his choices. He didn’t have to do anything, but he made some huge sacrifices that saved the right people and continued to make choices that might not have been the best for him, but were necessary for someone else. Also he is surprisingly cheeky and I love that.

Othello (Othello) - Honestly, he might only be here because I re-read the play today, but I really do like him as a character. Othello is the pawn in the play, but he is steadfast in his morals, even though his mind is twisted by Iago’s lies and wild speculation. He is unerring in his elocution and even when he’s driven to the brink of insanity, he tries to make sure his wife prays before he kills her so her soul isn’t damned forever. He is careful and measured until he is forced not to be. His downfall is enthralling to watch. (Also his “It is the cause” soliloquy is one of my favorites to see/hear performed.)

Crowley (Good Omens) - What’s cooler than a demon who wants people to think he’s really cool when he super isn’t? And has a hard time expressing positive emotion so he does it via acts of service and small demonstrations of considerate kindness? And is supposed to be something he never wanted in the first place and pretends to be good at that, too, even though there’s only one person he ever really feels himself with when he isn’t pretending? And whose imagination defies the powers that be? Nothing, that’s what.

Wonder Woman aka Diana Prince - I had the benefit of taking a class about female action heroes and we read the entire run of daily WW comics from 1944-45. I like OG Diana, DCCU Diana, Bombshells Diana (oh gosh that scene in the first issue with Steve in the soldiers’ camp? DUDE.), all of ‘em. She is unwavering in her values and refuses to be pushed aside or conquered. She will stand for what she believes is right no matter what. And she’s a huge badass.

Lucretia (TAZ: Balance) - Goddamn I love Lucretia so much. I don’t wanna say too much because the spoilers for her arc are so good but her development? Over the whole timeline of the Balance arc? Is so amazing? What I really love about her is that she’s a person who stepped up when she felt no one else could and did the unthinkable so the people she loved could be happy. Yeah, she might not have made the right call, but she made a call that she saw as the best and only option to save her friends and possibly the world. I want my own character arc to look a little bit like hers during The Stolen Century.

But if we’re talking my own characters, Gemma and Babylon are my favorites right now.

I’ve talked a lot about Gemma, but what I like most about her is that even though she’s been kicked in the pants by the universe a few times, she still has that drive to help others when they get kicked, too. She’s the kind of person who asks how you’re feeling after you came in two weeks ago to grab an decongestant when you thought you had the sniffles, even if she barely remembers your name and you ran into each other spontaneously on the street.

Babylon is a ruthless kind of person that I rarely ever write. They’re strict and sharp and pointy. They’re short with people who annoy them and dismissive of people who don’t live up to their standards. But what I love about them is their brutal efficiency. Whatever it takes, they’ll do it, and if someone is in their way, they had better move. They’re crafty when they need to be, even though they’d prefer not to have to be. They make friends in the most unlikely places.

[eccentriceclecticthl]

Kitai rolled her eyes and snapped to Tavi, "Thank you. For saving my life." Tavi blinked mildly at her, "Um. Sure." She narrowed her eyes. "Don't think I'm going to forget it, either" Tavi thought that it sounded a great deal more like a threat than a promise. "Uh. No. I don't think that."

Furies of Calderon (Codex Alera: book 1) by Jim Butcher

[celtic-romulan]

Jim Butcher talks EXACTLY like one of my colleagues at work. They both talk a mile a minute and crack geeky jokes whenever they get the chance to. Coincidentally, my colleague also heads the tabletop gaming club on our campus.

I didn’t do the book-signing session with Butcher, because I hadn’t brought any books with me (he’s written a ton of books, many of them are so awesome that it’s hard to pick one or two to lug around between four hotels and a mall). IIRC he didn’t have anything at his table either, so it’s no skin off my back. He’ll be doing other panels throughout the weekend, so there’s plenty of awesome to go around.

I’m astounded at how BIG of a fanbase he has!! The line for his Q&A panel stretched around at least three-quarters of the building, and this was only 30-45 minutes BEFORE the event! Like whoa!

Also, I’m glad a few people got some questions in about his Codex Alera series. It’s one of my favorites (Ancient Rome and Pokémon-inspired high fantasy...what’s not to love? And it’s got plenty of Strong Female Characters™️ that are thoroughly well-rounded and likeable).

The Cinder Spires (his recent steampunk series) didn’t stick with me, so I don’t have much to comment on, aside from where he got the inspiration from: driving through the Midwest with a massive thunderstorm headed his way, and racing against it as soon as he turned onto another highway heading away from it.

There were plenty of good questions about the Dresden Files (and a few asking for spoilers...seriously people?). He mentioned that he would consider Tom Hiddleston as Harry Dresden! Because Bruce Campbell was too old lol. I can’t picture him as Harry, but I’m not going to argue. He’s surprised me before, so I’ll take JB’s word for it. But I can definitely see a younger Bruce Campbell as Harry.

One of my favorite comments came from a librarian who worked with the prison system in New York, and she said that the inmates enjoy his books immensely. As a librarian myself, this makes me very happy. 😁

[lyinar]

Lyinar’s Book Recommendations: Volume I!

Had an idea to do something on a weekly basis here.  I’m going to talk about books I like, and why I like them.

The first entry in this series is going to be the only book series that both @thestoryofaslut and I are fully caught up on, The Dresden Files.

Harry Dresden is the only Wizard listed in the Chicago phonebook, and while most of the time he’s a Standard-Issue Down-On-His-Luck Private Investigator who uses his magical abilities to find missing items or people, or consulting with the Chicago Police Department, every once in a while, he gets involved in some serious, horrible mess that requires far more of him.  The books are written with the conceit that they are his case files, sent to one Jim Butcher to clean them up and publish them, and they chronicle those serious, horrible messes he deals with.

Dresden, despite being an extremely capable magical tracker and frighteningly good at combat magic, is very much a geeky nerd, though mostly for books, comic books, and movies, along with science and the underlying rules of magic, due to the fact that advanced technology tends to explode in his presence thanks to the modern paradigm of what once caused milk to spoil around magic-users.  At one point in one of the later books, he ends up describing the outfit his Faerie Godmother (yes, he has one, and NO, it’s not a good deal) puts him in as “The Games Workshop version of a Jedi Knight”.  He also tends to respond to things that can outright destroy them with massive amounts of snark and has a massive problem with anyone, human or not, hurting innocent people.

Almost unique to this series out of Butcher’s various efforts, it’s written in first-person perspective, and Dresden is damn near the Trope Codifier for First-Person Smartass (a trope that Butcher brought out again for the time he got to write a fething SPIDER MAN novel).

Currently the series sits at 15 novels out of a planned 20+, to be capped off with an “apocalyptic trilogy” whose titles will all be in-universe cussing, along with quite a few short stories, graphic novels, a tabletop RPG written as an in-universe document with annotations from Dresden and his friends, and a somewhat-botched Sci-Fi Channel Original Series adaptation.  As per the author, “Stars and Stones”, “Hell’s Bells”, and “Empty Night” are curses FOR A REASON.

Butcher tends to favor Crazy Awesome in his protagonists, and despite stiff competition from the main character of the next series I’ll be getting into, the Codex Alera, Dresden is still in the lead by virtue of (slight spoilers, but it HAS to be said) riding into battle in one of the books on a zombie Tyrannosaurus Rex.  Not just any T. Rex, either, but the Chicago Field Museum’s crowning exhibit, Sue, the most intact T. Rex fossil in the world.

Also, fair warning, Dresden almost always goes through some serious pain in the process of saving the day, and while even the darkest book out of the series so far, Changes, is still far less grimdark than A Song of Ice and Fire, there’s a really good reason why the person who reads the audio-books (James “Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer” Marsters!) reads some specific lines like he’s about to bloody cry.

I like the books largely because of Jim Butcher’s writing style and the aforementioned amounts of Crazy Awesome, the compelling characters, the fact almost everyone in the books has redeeming qualities along with their darker sides (even the Fae of the Winter Court, and Chicago’s version of Wilson Fisk, ‘Gentleman’ Johnny Marcone), and the fact that even at the darkest, it never really veers into the “shitdark” (so grimdark that you stop caring about the characters) territory than George R. R. Martin has dipped into somewhat with A Song of Ice and Fire and its TV adaptation.