I think of the Black Council as an organization made up of mortal practitioners, mostly current or former members of the White Council, separate from the Circle. I think of the Circle is an organization with representatives from various supernatural groups with some unknown mutual aims and a lot of backstabbing. The leadership of some supernatural groups are entirely aware of the Circle and part of it. I think the Black Council is one of those groups. Only factions of some groups are aware and represented. The White Council, through the Black Council, would be an example here.This is a good, concise narrative that fits what few facts we have. And wardenferry419's call out on the Vichy government makes a certain amount of sense. If Cowls purpose in Dead Beat was to gain power and to defeat death, his actions read differently if by death you mean the Adversary.
This is a good, concise narrative that fits what few facts we have. And wardenferry419's call out on the Vichy government makes a certain amount of sense. If Cowls purpose in Dead Beat was to gain power and to defeat death, his actions read differently if by death you mean the Adversary.
This is a good, concise narrative that fits what few facts we have. And wardenferry419's call out on the Vichy government makes a certain amount of sense. If Cowls purpose in Dead Beat was to gain power and to defeat death, his actions read differently if by death you mean the Adversary.
Odd side issue, did anybody notice that both Ramirez and Kumori use gloves with their magic? Who was Ramirez's teacher?
There are actually a surprising number of people and not people who know something is going on, that something big is about to happen and for various reasons see it as an opportunity to gain power for themselves.
So we all know that there is some conspiracy (or conspiracies) going on behind the scenes that has (or have) caused most, if not all, of Harry's major troubles. The first name we get is the Black Council from Harry because mortal practitioners are involved. Then we hear about a Circle in White Night and Changes. In White Night, it is some organization the Malvora and Madrigal Raith are working for, are aware of, and Cowl is the contact for. I find it unclear as to whether the Malvora is "in" the Circle or just an agent of it. In Changes, it is mentioned by the Eebs, but they might just be referring to the Lords of Outer Night.
I think of the Black Council as an organization made up of mortal practitioners, mostly current or former members of the White Council, separate from the Circle. I think of the Circle is an organization with representatives from various supernatural groups with some unknown mutual aims and a lot of backstabbing. The leadership of some supernatural groups are entirely aware of the Circle and part of it. I think the Black Council is one of those groups. Only factions of some groups are aware and represented. The White Council, through the Black Council, would be an example here.
Alternatively, the Black Council and the Circle could be the exact same thing. Either a group of wizards calling themselves the Circle, or a larger supernatural conspiracy that Dresden simply thought was made up of just wizards.
We've got a pretty clear picture of what Nemesis is, if not how it works. It's an Outsider secret agent/sapper/infiltrator.
I think Nemesis influences the Circle but does not control it. It almost certainly controls some of the members of every major supernatural group, including the Circle.
I also think the Circle has only thirteen members for the reasons stated in Storm Front. Additionally, there were thirteen Lords of Outer Night, perhaps for the same reason.
Alternatively, everything is either Nemesis or it's catspaws.
Thoughts?
@Yuillegan: Molly definitely conflates the Black Council with Nemesis while Harry is talking in Cold Days. Harry just goes with it because of all the reasons one isn't supposed to go around talking about Nemesis. Regardless of what's actually going on, the term Black Council to describe members of the White Council working in opposition to it is useful, even if every single one of them is infected.
"Black Council,” Molly whispered. “Exactly,” I said, which it wasn’t. ... And I did not want that problem to know that I had spotted it.
I'm fairly certain that the knife was the Spear of Destiny and not anything else in addition to that. (The Holy Lance, also known as the Lance of Longinus (named after Saint Longinus), the Spear of Destiny, or the Holy Spear, according to the Gospel of John, is the lance that pierced the side of Jesus as he hung on the cross). - the great wiki. It can't be the athame Lea got because Amoracchius is the athame's equivalent. The items from Hades' vault had the same power, but much more of it than the Swords.
If you are interested, here is a link to a book called Tales of King Arthur and the Round Table (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/49057/49057-h/49057-h.htm) on the Gutenberg Project library. I read this as a child. God knows why.
I suspect if you live long enough you will see JB's take of the story at some point. It's not inconceivable that Margaret is Morgana and that Harry's father is Arthur. She takes him to Avalon upon his death. That's pure fan service for what it's worth. I'm pretty sure at this point that Margaret both traveled in time and across the multiverse. If you buy that then it isn't out of the question.
So for example, it's possible that Cowl was behind some of the planning that went into the assault on Demonreach island in "Cold Days," but he sure as hell didn't make himself a potential target by riding on any of the barges with the practitioners who were attempting the ritual to bring down the island prison's defences.
I can't find any passage before that particular one that suggests this might be so.That passage just doesn't seem like an "ah ha" moment to me, so I think the ideas Harry expresses in that passage first occurred to him off page. That's just how I read it. I'm not saying that's obviously, definitely the case and no one can disagree.
And why would any of them go up against another in a "fair" fight? An ambush is the way to go. Kill them before they get they notice there is any danger.
“If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck.”:)
Slang sense of "be contemptible" first attested 1971 (the underlying notion is of fellatio). Related: Sucked; sucking. Suck eggs is from 1906. Suck hind tit "be inferior" is American English slang first recorded 1940.https://www.etymonline.com/word/suck (https://www.etymonline.com/word/suck). Also, I kinda hate Steinbeck.
"Suck" just didn't seem very "Steinbeck" to me. It also seemed like a modern expression to me. It's been around longer than I have, so who am I to say?Let me guess, "Of Mice and Men?"
I tried tracking down the source, but I only got of bunch of gun culture stuff that lead me to believe he definitely didn't say it.
You should consider yourself lucky. I ended up having to read one of his books twice.