Twelve Months Discussion Thread

[GreenMysticalUnicorn]

The book is out! Let’s have your thoughts!

For me it was a 4.5/5. Amazing book and absolutely needed for Harry and the series to move forward into its final arc

Also. Spice Goyles hahahahah

[Magogthemighty]

Every Dresden Files book is like a little ball of sunshine 

I thought parts of the book were pretty messy.  Why did Mother Winter turn up exactly? Mab called her but then turned on her? I found that very confusing. 

[GreenMysticalUnicorn]

There’s alot going on there we aren’t fully aware of

[earthexile313]

I am very, very interested to see what develops as far as Harry's apparent investment of extra power into his companions and followers. I'm starting to wonder if his Starborn nature means he's been influencing the power levels and destinies of all his friends this whole time.

Of particular note is a certain Gentleman who gained a lot of his status from... Harry's signature.

[cander891]

He comes from a line of thieves… what a line

[LaraBeck]

First half of the book is good, the second half, except for the Thomas plot, is boring, IMO. And this is not about lack of action, is about lack of depth and clumsy attemps to make Lara fit into Murphy's place, with dialogue that makes no sense considering previous books, also everything apparently gets fixed by going to the gym, because some conversations were not even that deep.

The last battle was ridiculous. I get the point was to show Harry's friends being there for him, as that is one of the themes of the book, but it was just badly executed.

I liked Harry being a parent to Maggie, finally.

I don't like the soft-retcon of Lara's character or Harry and Murphy's true love protection.

I would have liked more depth from the rest of the cast not only from Michael.

Bear was a nice addition, also, a predictable addition.

I liked how horrible Mab is, this is more true to who she is supposed to be.

I liked Molly here more than in previous books.

Harry is becoming more morally gray, too (Renfields) which would only work if this is about making Harry go darker in order to take him into the light again eventually.

The soulgaze, just... ugh.

I hope Thomas gets his vengeance.

Apparently we can call Vadderung on the phone, but we don't ask details about Murphy, not even for confirmation that she's indeed alright.

The book was okay, it was necessary, but just okay, it is clumsy about a lot of things, and honestly makes me less interested in what comes next.

[Mira]

  Ramirez mentions that Harry's castle was indeed built by Merlin.  Yes, we know that there were many interesting wards built in it, but I don't remember Harry or Bob in the story saying that the castle was indeed built and designed by Merlin. 

[Dina]

I just finished it a while ago.
My comment will have lots of spoilers, obviously.

I loved it, which absolutely surprised me. I thought it was going to be a boring, sad book and i was nothing. I mean, yes, it was a book about grief and recovery, and Harry (and later Thomas) are sad the whole time.  But the book itself is not sad, it is funny sometimes, it is interesting, the pain feels true and there is a lot of hope. So yes, I loved it.

I think 4.5/5 is fair. There are a few things that bothered me. The sudden level of Fitz (who I love!) sounds to much to "somehow, Palpatine is back". Lara not knowing what a soulgaze is, even when Harry saw Ramirez soulgazing her.  I can imagine excuses for that that could work in universe, but still feels clumsy. And overall, the True Love protection thing.
Of course, there are also a few thing I did not like personally but that do not the book less good. For example, I really wanted Harry to destroy Thomas hunger. And the hunger in his baby too.

I also did not like that Lara did not realize that she was becoming addict to Harry until it was too late. I realized it as soon as Lara mentioned that she had not needed to feed in the whole week. A moment of thought and I suspected Mab knew it too. I understand Harry did not realize it, because he is not in his best mental state and he was so dead set in saving Thomas that he became blind to other things. I fully understand and accept that. But Lara experimented it, she is clever, she had been surrounded by addicts her whole life. She should have noticed it. The only in universe excuse I can think is  that she was in denial, but in that case a line like "I should have realized, I did not want to see" or something like that would have been perfect.

The most surprising thing, is that we did not have any resolution to the things BG seemed to promise. We still don't know anything about what being a Starborn means, and Harry not even mentioned that his time to speak with LTW approaching. And we did not have any resolution about the wedding either. But when I say that this is surprising, it is especially because I do not care. The book let me satisfied without addressing those things.

I won't comment here the things I liked because there are too many, but I will mention two topics I have questions about.
1) What exactly involves the arrangement with Etri. Can Harry and Maggie visit Thomas' son? Could Lara see him from time to time? Can Molly check on him and report to Thomas?
2) where was Marcone, what was he doing the whole year? I mean, I understand Jim did not want to include Marcone because the book is already crowded, but it is weird that Harry had not mention anything, not even asking Gard about him. Harry mentions a lot of people helping in the reconstruction of Chicago and i found super weird that there was not even a passing line to the Baron.

[Snark Knight]

here was Marcone, what was he doing the whole year? I mean, I understand Jim did not want to include Marcone because the book is already crowded, but it is weird that Harry had not mention anything, not even asking Gard about him. Harry mentions a lot of people helping in the reconstruction of Chicago and i found super weird that there was not even a passing line to the Baron.

I'm not sure whether The Law and the upcoming Out Law fall within 12M's overall timeline but were separated for book scope, or fall the year after, but Marcone is at least active at expanding his empire through all the reconstruction contracts in The Law.

Can't see Harry being up to contending with the "but what's he doing with Namshiel?" issue until his head is straightened out some, though.

[Mira]

  I liked how now as a Master to Fritz Harry is behaving more like a teacher should.  Yes, he is older and he has learned from his mistakes with Molly, the main reason I think is he had no real personal connection with Fritz like he did Molly.

[Dina]

  I liked how now as a Master to Fritz Harry is behaving more like a teacher should.  Yes, he is older and he has learned from his mistakes with Molly, the main reason I think is he had no real personal connection with Fritz like he did Molly.

Yes. There is a lovely line near the end, when Harry talks about how he is more capable now, when he says "Plus, I've been teaching".

Of course, I also loved every interaction with Michael and the KotC, as per usual, but I liked Daniel too.
I also loved the smoothed mention to what happen on Christmas.

[Dina]

I'm not sure whether The Law and the upcoming Out Law fall within 12M's overall timeline but were separated for book scope, or fall the year after, but Marcone is at least active at expanding his empire through all the reconstruction contracts in The Law.

Can't see Harry being up to contending with the "but what's he doing with Namshiel?" issue until his head is straightened out some, though.

You are right, I totally  forgot about The Law (which I read). But still, it is weird that Harry mentions everyone working in the reconstruction and Chicago and there is not a line about what Marcone is doing.

[Lord Kinbote]

I’m still ruminating over Twelve Months, and will have to re-read, but my initial impression is of the book isn’t favorable.  On first reading, I liked it less than Ghost Story on its first reading, which had been my previous low mark for first readings once the series got going after the first few books.  Certainly there are scenes and moments in Twelve Months that I very much liked.  But on the whole, I thought the book awkward and clunky when I’ve come to expect Butcher’s Dresden books to sing.  I’m not saying it’s the worst of the series but the gap between my expectations for substance and quality versus what I got in the book is probably the greatest.   

Some quick points/thoughts on some aspects that jumped out at me:

-   As someone on one of these threads has already brought up, where’s Marcone as Chicago is struggling and re-building?  And as the Baron of Chicago, he takes no action against the ghouls eating people off his streets?  How does that reconcile with the Accord signatory we saw in Battle Ground?

-   Why aren’t Toot-Toot and the wee Folk involved in finding Justine?  Dresden has narrated several times that they are essentially everywhere, and he’s enlisted/bribed/rewarded them in helping him find people, foes, items, etc.  They were used extensively before, during, and after the Battle for Chicago to find the flying squids, cadavers, etc.  Why not used to find Justine?

-   The essentially non-speaking role Demonreach is an odd choice.  We’re used to Dresden talking directly to him, even in the presence of others, and Demonreach responding.  Why so little dialogue here? 

-   Also, where was Lea?  I would have expected at least a scene with her and some discussion of the engagement and the Battle of Chicago she missed.  She must regret that she couldn’t have taken part in THAT.

-   Where were the Men in Black teased at the end of Battle Ground?  I was expecting them to show up in some fashion in this book.

-   Thomas was much too harsh on Dresden.  Without Dresden’s choices (if you want to call them that), Thomas would be dead, Justine likely dead, and their son also likely dead.

However, the biggest issues with the book that I have revolve around Mab.  I’m starting a separate thread for my thoughts on Mab in the hopes of getting different thoughts and perspectives on her role in the book.

[Mira]

   Thomas was much too harsh on Dresden.  Without Dresden’s choices (if you want to call them that), Thomas would be dead, Justine likely dead, and their son also likely dead.

He was harsh, yes.  However keep in mind that he is also hurting, he is grieving as well because at the moment anyway, everything has been taken away from him.  This makes him angry, not rational, that may come later, we shall see how Jim handles it.   

[Mr. Mouse]

-   Where were the Men in Black teased at the end of Battle Ground?  I was expecting them to show up in some fashion in this book.

Good question. For Feds we only got the HBGB inspectors who weren't the Men in Black.