One day, ONE DAY, he will no longer have any more of his original storyline to protect and maybe then he'll open up on all those things short sighted people missed. The breadth and depth of combining pop culture and mythologies from across the globe would get it a pass even if it wasn't magnificently layered and set up. A 20 book preplanned series that actually made it to fruition in the main stream? That gives it so much bona fides.
fyi- an maybe a curator would know where it originally came from, because I first heard it from Serack, Jim intentionally uses words to cross connect idea's. Someone did a thread on the blackmagic/ N connection words iirc.

I didn’t say the story was bad, but rather that Butcher is not a great writer. The first few books amaze me in that they got published at all given how bad they are. His writing has improved over the years, but that’s not saying they are *good* now. The story is fun, but it’s not well written. There is a difference between an entertaining story and good writing. Butcher has an entertaining story in the Dresden Files and that’s why I buy the books despite the writing. (Though, if not for a friend insisting that the story was worth trudging through the first books, I would have stopped pretty early in book one.)

On the other hand, his new series, The Windlass or whatnot, was both poorly written and formulaic and I found that I could barely finish it. I will not buy the next one.

I’ll be incredibly surprised if your theory regarding the two Ms is true, however. Still, we’ll  have to wait till 2030something to find out.

Do you mean similarities and coincidences of word choice in description rather than irony? I’m not seeing irony.

Personally, I would find such small universe loops to be boring. Let the universe, which is already small, not collapse in on itself. Also, Butcher’s writing is not exactly high art. That he repeats phrases and words is probably more a function of churning out the stories and a pretty short editing process. You can find a lot of sentences and paragraphs in the books that cry out for further editing. And, some authors just have favourite words; look at Stephen R Donaldson with his “roynish” and “gloaming”.

I think Murphy is Murphy and Mab is Mab and that you’re seeing things that aren’t there.

Here are some additional theories.

The postman from book one was tt Dresden’s tt grandson who came to push Dresden in the right direction for a future event to occur in book 17. If he fails, Butcher has to re-write the series from that point in the first book with a slightly different trajectory till book 17 again with the grandson interfering at the series onset each time in slightly different manner until the desired outcome occurs.
Also, he left the partial burrito in Dresden’s car in a scene yet to be revealed.

The alphas are going to meet their mm selves who are called the omegas. If they touch, it will be like matter and antimatter colliding.

Santa will give tt, pre-winter lady Molly a special gift on jul in the past which will result in an affair and twin daughters who go on to get jobs as receptionists at daddy’s office.

Murphy has been learning to play the flute and will charm and posses snakes to do her bidding. The snakes will be an effective method of learning all secrets alla Nic’s shadow. Unfortunately, her powers will grow too strong and she will channel ouroboros and will become lost in a time/space paradox loop.

Some random stuff from the top of my head.

Anne Rice’s first couple vampire books plus the latter Blood and Gold. Her first  book or two in The Witching Hour series.

Roger Zelazny’s Lord of Light was a fun hindu and buddhist meets scifi story.

Ken Russel’s Films Gothic and Salome’s Last Dance films.

Aechylus’ The Oresteia (particulary the first play).

Homer’s Iliad.

Herman Hesse’s Siddhartha.

Hieronymus Bosch‘s Garden of Earthly Delights triptych.

Illuminatus! trilogy

O Brother, Where Art Thou film.

Dead Can Dance’s album, Aion.

Bergman’s The Seventh Seal.

I think the targets were Eb, Dreden, et al and the curse was that powerful because the story required it to be. I don’t think there is more to it.

I think the Kirlian Camera band members are perfect for Nic, Deirdre and a random denarian in this video. Even the lyrics work for it. (they are italian, so english is not a strong suit) They are just spending a lovely afternoon considering how to save the world, obviously.
https://youtu.be/gYp92yFsnB4
Open the door to Satan
and now I'm feeling his knife on me,
on my skin.
He bought me roses,
like a gentleman he causes me a fire.
Euphoria calls my star.
Suddenly my skies are lost
a strong thunder's going across
every boundary with lies.
Someone took and kicked me out,
my nerves like sketches of light.
Close your rays to me.
I feel my own gloom
just on your mouth, into your heart
close my eyes.
But you locked up your white gate.
Satan was in front of my face
no flames around him
while his charm pushed me down.
Stratch my heart to the ground,
drive me to your desire.
I'm like an angel without chains,
killer of straight delight.
In my bright house of despair
like a shadow I scream my rage.

It is definitely Mike the Mechanic because he performs necromancy on Dresden's car over and over. He's hiding in plain sight!