Hello everyone!
I just finished reading The Law (kindle version). I have not read this thread yet because I wanted to comment without any influence. Obviously SPOILERS AHEAD
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I liked the general plot and I was very glad to have Harry back in action, especially in the PI business. Still, I think some things were off, especially at the beginning. Particularly, Harry seemed too undecided, between being a harsh, cold bully (which he claims to hate) and being regretful of all the spilled blood in the battle, and therefore going to peace. I mean, I understand the general demeanor is "I can be violent, but not a killer" but still felt weird.
I also think that the relationship with Marcone is weird. It should not be a revelation for anyone, let alone Harry himself, that he respected Marcone and Marcone respected him. Still, Harry has ground to treat him with comptempt. Yes, Marcone fought for Chicago, he risked his own life to save a lot of lives. But he also exploits many of those lives, he is a gangster, not Father Forthill
I also thought that in the meeting Dresden was generous with them, they all owed him more than what they gave him. Dresden saved the life of the man, that should have some merit. I am glad Marcone did not ask for the life of the hag, I wish Harry had thanked him for that after Mab left. (I am not schizophrenic about Marcone, I just try to see the whole picture. The man is amazing, he is clever, ruthless, brave and fair according to his own code, but he is also a criminal. I acknowledge the good things he does).
Things I liked a lot:
No Maggie
Bob
Paranoid Gary and Will
A Mister cameo
Harry actually checking to see if Maya was not tricking him.
A reference to the search for Justine.
Max! I loved him (Max Valerous has to be a fake name, right? Like the man is a Palladin, with a D&D name).
I actually will be happy to read some stories about Max in the future. He could be a good friend of Michael. Perhaps Jim could one day make a collection of short stories about people "touched" by Dresden, where Dresden appears and is an important character, but it is not the main one, and not the narrator. We could have Marcone, Will, Paranoid Gary, Butters,
Goodman Gray, Lara, Max, a random police officer (perhaps the one that cameos here), Fitz, Morty and yes, Maggie. We lack women, so perhaps Gard instead of Marcone. (Sidhe are complicated, I do not want to see Elaine, and there are no other interesting women).
Other things I did not like
Woman punished for taking revenge against a jerk (I agree in universe she should, they are good reasons, but I still wish the men acknowledged more of what the jerk did to her, and took that in consideration for lessening her punishement. The meeting where there were many men deciding things and she was not even able to speak was cringeworthy, even if the final decision went to a woman).
Bob not realizing Talvi Inverno meant Winter Winter, so obviously a vassal or something from Winter.