I don't think Mab dies in Peace Talks. Her death is reserved for the BAT in my opinion. Like others have posted before me, I think Empty Night is where we see her sacrifice.

Interesting. Harry frequently wonders what others see when he soulgazes them, and we've seen enough people basically crap their pants that it's gotta be pretty good. Mirror, Mirror is a good place to give us the next closest substitute.

I'm hoping that alt-Harry is so sure of his choices/path and full of self-righteous importance, until he crumbles after he soul-gazes prime-Harry and sees what he could have been if he stuck to his morals

Slightly different topic, but the concept of Harry facing his alter ego in a mirror brought it to my mind. Can Harry soul-gaze his alter ego? They are different individuals who have gone down different paths. It would be interesting to get a peak at Harry's soul gaze (even if all we are seeing is the doppleganger from prime Harry's perspective).

We know that Jim had each book planned out via a one to two sentence description from the beginning. The specifics of Harry's actions/changes were probably not planned until much closer to the book that contained them. I think that while it is likely Jim knew that in Changes Harry would have to make a choice to get more power to save someone he loved from the beginning, he probably did not know which path he would choose until much closer to the book. At some point (probably several books before Changes) it became very evident that Harry would choose Mab (the lesser of the evils). Therefore, Jim's posturing is true depending on what point in time he was talking about not knowing which path Harry would take.

I think that the world building stuff and background info is most likely all correct. That makes up a good chunk of the WOJ. The stuff that might be called into question are statements about plot (time travel) or planted seeds (prisoner in DR). I can see misinformation being planted there in order to protect the series as a whole from getting spoiled. Most of the theories I have read are based on the books and background info. I think it is still safe to do that.

I really liked the Cinder Spires, but I'm hoping for a tighter focus in the next book. Some of the characterization felt a little forced to me; the only protagonists who felt natural were Gwen, Grim, and Rowl. The others just kinda felt stilted, like...well, like characters in a book. I felt similarly during the first entry to the Codex Alera, which (in my opinion) figured out what it was during the second book.

I still liked it, and it's mandatory reading on my Annual Butcher Reread, don't get me wrong. But... anyone here ever read Dracula? You know how some of the characters kinda just say things, and you roll with it because of the format of the book, but some of them never feel like people? Like Lucy and Quincy, to me. That's kinda the same note that struck me with some of the characters.

Liked the plot, liked the world that was being built (the highlight, for me), liked the mechanics, and generally liked the characters, but I want more from the next entry.

I can see that. To be honest, Benedict felt like he was a part of the group just to introduce us to warriorborn, but I was ok with it because the premise of a half-cat half-human was interesting to me. Completely agree about the mechanics and world-building. Give me some more airship battles in the next book and I will be a happy camper.

The fact that he killed a dragon who according to WOJ is semi-divine and an elemental force of the cosmos leads credence to the possibility that he could unmake a mantle under the right circumstances.

I definitely come down on the side of Jim basing his descriptions off of the characters who are giving them. As someone already said, Codex Alera and Cinder Spires do not go into the same level of description that Dresden Files do. In the Cinder Spires Gwen is described as small and doll like while Bridget is described as statuesque. Folly is only described by her clothes. In Code Alera Amara is described as tomboyish and all the watercrafters are described as youthful.

I think it illustrates Harry's focus, willpower, and determination. He has the mind of a teenager when it comes to women, but he is able to put that aside to deal with the situation. Summer Knight comes to mind when Harry is with Maeve in Undertown.