Cold Days

February 25, 2013
Chicago’s resident wizard Harry Dresden is back from the dead and finds his life changed as the once down-and-out wizard detective becomes the powerful Winter Knight. But this new life comes at a price: he’s forced to swear allegiance to Mab, the twisted Queen of Air and Darkness. As Harry adjusts to his new situation, he is faced with numerous attempts on his life, a dark assassination plot and the imminent destruction of the Earth itself. Narrator James Marsters is impeccable in his reading of the14th installment in Butcher’s Dresden Files series. Marsters spot-on portrayal of Harry is classic noir: world weary, cynical, and able to snap off a snarky quip with an ease that would make Phillip Marlowe proud. Completely at home in this bizarre world of fairies and vampires, talking skulls and mystical islands, Marsters delivers the wide array of characters and complicated plotting with great skill. The combination of Marsters at the microphone and Butcher at the keyboard continues to make the Dresden Files an all-around enjoyable listening experience. A Roc hardcover.

Chicago-based professional wizard and private detective Harry Dresden again goes from crisis to deadly crisis and even worse. Something of a blabbermouth, his first-person comments and descriptions are funny and gripping at the same time. In this installment, Harry comes back from the realm of death to find himself serving as Winter Knight to Mab, immortal Queen of Air and Darkness. Things go down from there. Well-known actor James Marsters (from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer") has performed nearly all of the series' audiobooks. He's a one-man master of atmosphere and style, projecting all the characters as distinct individuals, whether jocular or scary. He narrates as if he's memorized the book--that is, without the slightest stumble. Truly professional. D.R.W. (c) AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine