Also, how exactly Etri's sister lied? I cannot remember now.

The only way that what Thomas did makes any sense was, as someone else said, if Nemesis hit him really fast and gave him no time to think his way out.  No time to contact Harry.
I just can't imagine what Nemesis said to him to set that up.  Hopefully at some point that will be explained in more detail.

Yeah, better there be good explanation. Nemesis does not seems to have some ultra power stuff, so it would be hard to control Thomas.

Thomas might not have known it was Nemesis. If it was just a normal demon Thomas might have thought it could negotiate with it.

By offering energy to the the mother a demon could actually save both mother and child. I think Thomas alluded to that in the first chapter. He was working on it.

Dear Lord, that would make it even more stupid.

I think Svartalves, while honest and honorable, are not Faerie, and even among Faerie IIRC only Sidhe rulling species is banned from lying overall.

But I mean if there was any more complicated and realistic shtick beyond it than Thomas being idiot, and Nemesis making extremely contrieved plots to maybe somehow get ticket to Demonreach - then yes give me to it, because now I'm just angry for this plot, despite thrill ride and usual good Dresden prose.

All it could be, but really, like really, this is beyond dumb at this level of game.

That is why after Peace Talks came out I wrote that I really thought the chapter with Rudy and Bradley showing up at Murphy's house was a real WTF moment.  Given that almost everyone and his uncle seemed to be on Harry's case at once, giving Peace Talks a real scatter shot feel, I felt the whole freeing Thomas thing was a waste of time.  I would have rathered that actual peace talks took place, lots of heavy negotiations and concessions, and just when they think things are coming together, then the Titan shows up.

I agree. If Butcher wanted to get rid of both Thomas and Murphy in one book, really he could just well smash Thomas in early stage of battle so hard, it would end the same.

I also think the check point scene in Battle Field did two things.  It established that Rudy was paranoid and had some agenda in his back pocket against Harry and Murphy.  It also established that he had terrible trigger discipline, setting the stage for the shot heard around the world.

Well yes. And that's why I have problem with it - it has too much estabilishing. Very very obvious Checkhov's gun.

The soul gaze with Bradley was also interesting, it set things up for future books.  It established that Bradley was a strong steady kind of man, very much in the mold of Michael, perhaps a Holy Sword is in his future.  It also established him as a sane, repeatable witness to Rudy's madness when and if the shooting of Murphy is brought up and prosecuted at a later date.  He can also establish that Harry isn't a terrorist, and perhaps character witness if somehow charges for what went down in Skin Game is prosecuted.  I see one way or the other courtroom drama ahead.

To some extent but I doubt we'll ever have court drama over Murphy I must say. Rather I see Bradley as making Rudolph's life in police problematic by non-overt methods if anything.

I have to say that the main point I agree with the OP is the Thomas thing. It is indeed very weird. But the part about the child in danger? There are three reasons for that. One is that he is nemfected. Second, what is told in the first chapter of PT, it is difficult to give birth to a whampire (but it seems that would be more a danger for Justine than for the baby). And the third, Nem-Justine could decide that the baby overcome his/her utility and get rid of him/her (before or after the birth).

Nah, my point was different.
Why even child. NemJustine could easily just blackmail Thomas with her own life, because apparently he was absolute dumbass in this regard.
And I mean if Thomas could stop Nemesis from hurting Justine, he could do the same with pregnant Justine overall.

Also I still think at these moment, after all this bullshit Thomas just going with it is dumbest thing possible. He saw what Outsiders are doing. He should sheme with Dresden into tricking Nemesis and somehow getting rid of it, not just allowing it to get great opening.

Now that would be great thing - Thomas and Dresden trying to double cross He Who Walks Beside, and then Ethniu just crushing entire thing in a middle. Really Butcher - fact than in almost each novel especially later Harry has strong personal hook inside that keep him pushing around is not that endearing anymore. Let him take war on their turf, or at least try.

For a number of reasons it sounded contrived.  The first thing, why in the hell was it a I.A. investigation?  Both Harry and Murphy were civilians, no longer connected with the police force, and they were also both civilians when the supposed crimes were committed.  Bradley didn't understand why they were there.  If they were homicide, it would be different, Rudolph also sounded off from the get go.

OK, that's... plausible. There is some unknown hand in play, who want it to be I.A., as it wants Rudolph in. I can agree with that.
But that's like another thread - this is prove of someone trying to hound Harry and Murphy, without better evidence it's hard to connect it to Harry bumping on Rudolph during battle. Unless it's all planned on some really impressive level - and then I want really good explanation because this is level of mastermind Mab would be shamed by.

So it's like bit different thing - someone using IA to hound Dresden for Skin Game is like fair contrievance - I mean someone is there. Not what happened in Battle Ground.

I just had a thought about Carlos, I wonder if part of his bitterness stems not just from the fact that he really didn't, understand how it works with Winter Ladies, but doesn't know that neither did Molly.  Worse yet, does he think because Harry is Winter Knight he may have access where he doesn't?

I mean really - how is Winter Lady perpetual virginity even held out as a secret.
Somehow it is - I mean Maeve was reccuring character for a long time, and I would never thought she's somehow limited in this area.

I don't know if writing it from someone else's point of view would have made that much difference over all.  I've read Aftermath, Bombshells, and Backup, all three supposedly from another point of view, but they all sound the same.  It is like Jim can write Murphy from Harry's point of view, but cannot get inside her head for it to sound like her, to me it still sounds like Harry with Murphy's voice.  If that makes any sense?

Yeah I agree. It's probably because it's Jim inner monologue really

what makes you say that? Despite his desire not to see supernatural things in the past he has at least recognized them. Mistaking a giant for a regular human seems extreme under the circumstances.

Well Jim sort of always in-verse explained that people are easy to disbelieve supernatural - which is tbh quite opposed to what real humanity always did in it's history - and kinda dumb
I'd rather go with Unseelie Accords enforcing strong Masquerade or smth. But hey - within what we seen muggles do in Dresden Files world - their denial is power on itself.

Let's say it - Jim was just annoyed he cannot use quotes from TV-series of last decade

Yes, small.  This was like attempting to write a novel about Waterloo with the main character observing what was happening through a keyhole.

Which is not bad idea. If you know your limitations and your character is not suddenly in ALL important moments of battle.