Categorized | Fiction

Ghost Story (Dresden Files Book 13) Review

Posted on August 8, 2011 by Monica Valentinelli


Available at Amazon.com

    Hot off the presses, Ghost Story is the 13th installment in the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher. At this point in the series, I would like to point out that if you haven’t read Changes or some of the earlier books, then this review will likely contain ***spoilers***. Be kind to the reviewer, folks.

    First things first: due to the way characters are interwoven throughout the fabric of the plot, I would recommend that new readers do not pick up “this” book as the first one. While Butcher does a fine job of trying to facilitate the back story to remind readers who some of the existing characters are, the emotional gut-wrenching reaction that you may have as a reader will fizzle and pop like a dud firecracker.

    As the title suggests, this is a Ghost Story. Yes, Harry Dresden is dead. Yes, Harry is a ghost — or is he? No, Harry does not start off with any magical powers from his considerable arsenal of spells, either. What he does have, however, is the ability to solve a mystery through sheer force of will. This particular novel has more worldbuilding in it than some of the previous books, in part because the mechanics of ghosts, shades, etc. are often different from one another. I liked some of the worldbuilding, true, but wanted to know more about what the living were up to. (Truthfully, I could read a whole book just about Murphy…)

    Here, Harry’s perspective bobs and weaves through time and matter, to highlight the consequences of the last book’s ending. Remember, Harry didn’t “just” kill a member of the Red Court. He obliterated all of them. In the grand scheme of things, that type of act will leave a mark. The price that Harry had to pay? Was it his life? (Um, can’t tell you that.) So, where can we see the near-devastating effects?

    The answer lies with what his friends have had to deal with. In the wake of the destruction of a very old, and very ancient vampire society — there’s a power vacuum. Rules (whether their moral/lawful or not) have been erased. To fill the void, the petty thugs and sorcerers climb over each other for what little power they can gain. New groups, like the Fomor, orchestrate primarily from behind-the-scenes. The vacuum, however, doesn’t just exist because of what Harry did in the last book — there’s also some loose ends that need to be tied up for the “good guys.” Murphy and the others, well… She’s tough-as-nails and I’m happy to see it.

    Other characters from previous books also show up in Ghost Story. I enjoyed seeing more of these characters, because they balance Harry’s brashness and magical power out. A few of them, like Mort, drive the plot because Harry’s friends are in the middle of a fight for their lives and the safety of Chicago.

    As I mentioned earlier, I feel that Ghost Story would best be appreciated by people who have either followed all of the books or who have, at the very least, read Changes. I’ll be curious to see readers’ reactions to this particular book, because at the end of the day, it seems to me that Harry Dresden will always play by his own rules.

    In the end, I felt Ghost Story acted as the catalyst to the next book in the series because of the way some of the plot threads were tied up. To tell you any more — what I liked and what I didn’t — would definitely reveal too much of what Ghost Story is about.

    Review by Monica Valentinelli

    Tags | , ,

    Print This Post

    2 Responses to “Ghost Story (Dresden Files Book 13) Review”

    1. JoAnn Peeler says:

      The only way the reader will truly enjoy Ghost Story is to have read the prior 12. There is so much gut wrenching revelations about Harry’s friends and how they have dealt with his disappearance, I don’t believe you can truly “feel” what you should feel without the requisite history. While I enjoyed Changes more, Ghost story does a great job pulling everything together and then resetting the path in front of Harry. I can’t wait until the next book, but I for one wish Jim would consider writing a longer story about Molly.

    2. Azerjaban says:

      I felt I learned more about Harry in this book than the last 5, I loved the world building. Instead of the same settings (aside from epic battle scenes) Harry was a creature of pattern, house- cat, dog, Bob,Molly the apprentice, office, Murphy, job and crappy car.

      Taking all this away left us teetering not know when or WHERE Harry will go next. This was by far my favorite book despite the sad lack of Thomas (by the middle of GS I looked up and said “Common Butcher!!” as if Jim was some sort of deity that could here me).

      2 words to sum up the book- FREEKIN AWESOME

    Leave a Reply

    Email Newsletter Sign Up

    Click Here to Sign Up for FlamesRising.com's Weekly Newsletter.

    You will receive horror and dark fantasy updates, news, and more once a week!


    11 Tales of Ghostly Horror

      Reviews Wanted!

      The new Review Guidelines have been posted on the Flames Rising website. We are currently seeking a few good reviewers to help us expand our collection of horror and dark fantasy reviews. RPGs, fiction, movies, video games and more are all welcome on the site...

      What do you get out of it?

      Beyond helping out fellow Flames Rising readers by letting them know what you think of these products, we're giving away some pretty cool stuff. Regular Reviewers can earn free products to review, which is their to keep after the review is submitted to the site.

      Note: We are especially looking for folks interested in reviewing eBooks (both Fiction & Comics). We have lots of great titles in digital format and even get advance copies sometimes.

      Use the Contact Page to submit reviews or let us know if you have any questions.

      The Devil’s Night WoD SAS

      Free Devil's Night | White Wolf