Peace Talks (2020)

Peace Talks by Jim Butcher
I will tell you up front I am a big Harry Dresden fan and have read them all, more than once, except the last one (Battle Ground). I crave reading another Dresden adventure, and I have felt it was time well spent reading just about anything Butcher writes. I enjoyed Peace Talks, all of us Dresden lovers were ecstatic to have another book featuring our favorite Chicago wizard. Except… for the small fact that I felt cheated out of an actual story ending! As a fan it felt like dirty dealing to have the book end where it did and make you wait for the next one, which the publisher knows you will surely buy since you waited so long for Peace Talks to come out. It does not feel good to know you, as a fan are being used in this way. I suspect, along with many other readers that Peace Talks and Battle Ground were supposed to be one novel that was separated into two, as a marketing gimmick. Bad call publisher, and on you Jim, for abusing loyal fans this way! Reviews of Battle Ground all seem to agree it is just the rest of the story that should have been told in Peace Talks, but with a lot of filler. ( )

Harry Dresden comes roaring back, and boy, how I have missed him in all his irreverent, sarcastic glory. Peace talks, indeed, with all the unseelie accord nations assembled to try and work out a treaty with the Fomor. Dresden's surreally stable living circumstances come crashing down almost immediately, and it's a wild ride to see how all the various alliances will work out.

Advanced Reader's Copy provided by Edelweiss. ( )

I loved this book! At this point in the series, I have been through a lot with Harry and I feel like he is one of my old friends. I care about the things that happen to him. Once I started reading this one, I was obsessed and couldn’t put it down until I made it to the last page. I had such a great time reading this book and Love the way that each book seems to get better and better.

Harry is faced with some impossible situations in this book. He has so many things to juggle and he is determined to protect and care for the people he cares about. When all of the powerful forces decide to meet in Chicago, Harry not only has to deal with his responsibilities to Mab but also is a part of the wizards’ security team. Before things even get started, there is an assassin to deal with. Let’s just say that Harry has his hands full. This book had all of the action and excitement that I have come to expect from the series.

James Marsters continues to do an amazing job with this series. He does such a great job in bringing these characters to life. I feel like he is Harry at this point. I love how much emotion he is able to add to the narration and how realistic the character interactions feel. I do believe that audio is the way to go with this series and would highly recommend it to others.

This is a favorite series that I have found to be incredibly enjoyable. I feel like I know this group of characters and always enjoy watching them work together in whatever situation they are facing. This is the sixteenth book in the series and I would recommend reading the series in order. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series!

I received a digital review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group and purchased a copy of the audiobook. ( )

Super happy I only have to wait two months for the next book. Six years was entirely too long. My kid graduated from high school AND college between Skin Game and Peace Talks. ( )

So...long awaited...and fulfilling on many levels, but, as numerous other reviews have asserted, feels like it’s only a piece of something bigger; more than just a prologue but yet still only part of a larger work. Maybe it would have been better to keep both works together....
And I’m guessing (hoping?) many of the unanswered issues in this are addressed in Battle Ground when it comes out in a few months. ( )