Battle Ground

Starred review from August 1, 2020

Harry Dresden has defended Chicago from tremendous threats before, but none like the one now before him. The Last Titan, Ethniu, has declared war on Harry and the city, planning to use her weapon and her army to crush humanity beneath her feet. With the Accords barely signed, the supernatural powers must come together to defend their lands and home, along with the eight million humans who live there. Harry spearheads his people and power as the Winter Knight to take on the enemy, even as those with whom he was once allied continue to work against him. With his usual lack of polish and dry humor, Harry is forced to make choices that will change the future. War is coming; not everyone will survive. VERDICT The arc begun in Peace Talks comes to a deadly, destructive finish in the 17th "Dresden Files" book--and nothing will be the same again.--Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from August 1, 2020
Butcher begins right where the previous Dresden Files novel (Peace Talks, 2020) ended, with Harry Dresden heading into a magical confrontation of apocalyptic proportions. How bad does it have to be for Harry, notorious wiseass, to not make jokes? A revenge-obsessed Titan with a supernatural superweapon and her army are descending on Chicago fully intent on destroying everyone and everything. All the mystical heavy hitters, many of whom have no love for Chicago's favorite wizard, much less any regard for mere mortals, are nonetheless lining up to defend the city. They are woefully outnumbered and, as always, everyone is looking to Harry to turn the tide, even as his supposed allies plot against him and withhold information about his destiny. And the wizard? He acknowledges from the start that no matter what happens, things are going to change. The events of this paranormal conflict will be too big and too violent for the mortal world to ignore. Yes, things are going to change, for Harry more than most?in ways from which he may never recover. The tone is darker than past entries in the series, but fans will appreciate that the book sets the stage for a new direction in Harry's life.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

Starred review from August 17, 2020
With this urban fantasy blockbuster, Butcher swiftly pays off on the major cliffhanger from Peace Talks, launching wizard Harry Dresden and the city of Chicago into a no-holds-barred battle. As the previous work ended, the Fomor King Corb and the Last Titan, Ethniu, daughter of Balor, threw down the gauntlet to the assembled supernatural nations, who had gathered for peace talks. Mere hours later, Fomor forces rise out of Lake Michigan and besiege Chicago with the intention of killing everyone in the city. What follows is an “epic mythology fight” in which nearly every living friend or foe to have appeared in a previous Dresden novel fights either alongside or against Harry, with some nasty new enemies arriving on the scene as well. The battle is unrelenting as Ethniu’s army levels city blocks and kills thousands. Harry begins this volume still able to toss off his usual wisecracks, but he turns grim as the toll of battle mounts and the physical, magical, and emotional blows keep coming. Butcher doesn’t neglect his usual narrative sleight of hand, either—while the war rages, he sets up several subplots sure to play out in future installments. This is urban fantasy at its best, combining spectacular magic and deeply explored character. Agent: Jennifer Jackson, Donald Maass Literary.