Continuity drift - Lara and soul gazes

[g33k]

... Then there's the fatal flaw of doing a "untold story from earlier" book, which Jim has avoided doing ... so far. 

Jim does this with many of his shorts.

[g33k]

This is about the only thing I dislike about the Dresden files books.  After the first 6 books explained the "Blue Beetle" to us over and over and over I was like "Yeah Jim, I already freakin know this....."   If someone starts reading a book series at the end they deserve to be lost and not clued into the small details..

I think the conventional wisdom is that writers of long series should do this; it's not unique to the DF, there's lots of longer series that recap old info for new readers.

[Snark Knight]

I have a feeling a few key beta readers have left in the last few years the ones who really pick up on tiny things.

I think that might be the case.  I noticed a scene in the lab in 12M described the summoning circle as fire-ruined copper.  There were a couple of upgrades to the circle in previous books ... IIRC by Changes it was some complex mix of metals that he'd had to subcontract the svartalves to make.

Reverting that doesn't seem like a clue, it just seems like he's shorthanded on betas with a memory for details.  Or else they themselves are also in the same trap of seeing so many drafts that they forget the published one.

[Dina]

I have a feeling a few key beta readers have left in the last few years the ones who really pick up on tiny things.

I remember the good old days of these old forums and Jim and prescille and so many close to Jim were active here. There was a trust in Jim’s writing, everything felt so deliberate and thorough. And while the story is still very strong (12M is a favourite) I can’t help but think the tightness of the writing since PT is gone. It’s small things but then again Justine being on the island in cold days but it being the entire plot point for battle ground and the Jim claiming in an interview actually she wants nfected then.. it could get really plot holish and messy if they don’t tighten things up and pronto. More is at stake.

Um, question. Did you have another account before? Because the times when Jim were here where long gone (I think since I came here I only saw him posting once or twice) but you only have 25 posts?

Back on track. Yes. This topic irritated me a lot. I have a mild explanation in universe. Lara simply did not know the name of what she and Ramirez did. He knew there was a wizard thing, but she did not knew the name. So when Harry asked her if she knew of soulgazes, she was not sure. That could work but then Lara should have added a line, something like "ah, that was what we did". But the problem is that, unless I am misremembering, Harry was a witness of that soulgaze. So he should not have asked Lara if he knew what a soulgaze was, because he knew she knew. I know Harry is not in his right mind most of the book but that is important. Gosh, I would be glad if they make a revised version of the book with a modification in that dialogue. It has been done before.

[Mira]

  Sorry, still don't buy it, Lara is a powerful member of an influential vampire family and is over a hundred years old.  Lara isn't a stupid woman, I doubt that she'd be ignorant about a lot of stuff about wizards and what they do.

[LaraBeck]

  Sorry, still don't buy it, Lara is a powerful member of an influential vampire family and is over a hundred years old.  Lara isn't a stupid woman, I doubt that she'd be ignorant about a lot of stuff about wizards and what they do.

She's between 200 and 300 years old, and even if she was under her father influence, she was still supposed to be smart and cunning, manipulative, etc. Dresden keeps saying that, all the way through Twelve Months. It makes no sense that she doesn't know. Unless, she's playing "damsel" to appeal to Harry.

[Dina]

As I said, Harry shouldn't even have to ask. He saw Lara and Ramirez.

[Bad Alias]

Gosh, I would be glad if they make a revised version of the book with a modification in that dialogue.

I've considered going into ebooks and editing them before. I have edited title meta data so the Dresden Files books and short stories are in my preferred reading order.

[Dina]

I've considered going into ebooks and editing them before. I have edited title meta data so the Dresden Files books and short stories are in my preferred reading order.

Interesting.

[Bad Alias]

Interesting.

If the old saying that "consistency is the Hop goblet of a small mind," then I have a small mind. That stuff drives me crazy.

I definitely wouldn't go in and change everything before the end of the series though. Because what if Jim is actually doing something with all of the inconsistencies?

[Dina]

If the old saying that "consistency is the Hop goblet of a small mind," then I have a small mind. That stuff drives me crazy.

I definitely wouldn't go in and change everything before the end of the series though. Because what if Jim is actually doing something with all of the inconsistencies?

Yes, I've mean they should officially change it, like when in some editions of Storm Front Bianca's girl had a different name (one was Paula, I forgot the other one). And that would only happen if it is a true mistake. In this case it is, because it is not like the metal of his summoning ring. It is something important for both of them, and soulgazes are something you do not forget. I don't know, the only explanation I could think was Lara not knowing the name "soulgaze" and Harry not being in a good mental state.

[Bad Alias]

Or some intentional continuity errors because of some multiverse or time travel plot element. I don't really see that, but a lot of people think so.

Another error I saw was Dresden's gargoyles chased Molly's fae delivery men in "Good People," if I'm remembering Molly's short story that goes along with "Christmas Eve."

[Dina]

Yes, I've reread both stories yesterday, and yes. Also, Molly gave lots of people gifts "from the wizard of Chicago". At least one of them could have said thank you, but not, there were angry mobs. Harry really needs better PR. Perhaps Paranoid Harry and some paranetters should be on the job, spreading the word that supernatural is going to be, you like it or not, and it is better to have some supernatural good guys to defend people. Harry had been doing all his best, I want he is recognized and thanked for someone beyond Matias.

[Mira]

Yes, I've reread both stories yesterday, and yes. Also, Molly gave lots of people gifts "from the wizard of Chicago". At least one of them could have said thank you, but not, there were angry mobs. Harry really needs better PR. Perhaps Paranoid Harry and some paranetters should be on the job, spreading the word that supernatural is going to be, you like it or not, and it is better to have some supernatural good guys to defend people. Harry had been doing all his best, I want he is recognized and thanked for someone beyond Matias.

In fairness, the gifts were anonymous, they don't know that Harry was behind it.  For all of that the people continue to suffer because all the joys and comfort of their modern lives have been pulled out from under them and they want it back last week, with interest! That kind of suffering knows no patience, also they now know that the supernatural world was behind their suffering and who has been the loan openly supernatural guy in their world the last twenty years?  Harry Dresden P.I. and wizard, you can find him in the Yellow Pages, Harry said it himself.. So yeah, that makes him the goat, and the target of their ire..

[Dina]

The gifts were from "the Wizard of Chicago". And yes, I understand and that is why I said better PR are needed.  The citizens should learn that the supernatural has come to stay and it is better to treasure those who know how to fight it.