Four or five times. Probably going for number six when Twelve Months has a firm release date and said date comes closer.

I think if we get into this, we'd be squabbling over the definition of the term "pathetic". From my definition of what it means to be "a bit pathetic", that's okay and also desirable, because it makes the character relatable. Harry being almost OCD-like chivalrous to women (even if they don't want it), not being able to pay his rent on time as a permanent state of his life up until the point of the first three books and being looked down by "real cops" for what they perceive to be a con man is all what I would personally view as being "a little pathetic". That is off-set a LOT by his other personality traits (loyalty, bravery, sense of humor, deductive power), his powers as a wizard and being a genuine badass when it counts.

For me, Harry being not perfect and having a few little pathetic traits mark him as a human being I have a much easier time engaging with than some hero without flaws. Contrary to Grimsby, who is such a woobie most of the time that it takes me somewhat out of the story and I have problems sympathizing with his problems because of that.

I have learned over the years no to hold my breath on such matters...   On the other hand, we have been a most patient set of fans, happy for any crumb that is thrown our way...  Maybe just maybe he appreciates that, thus not making us wait for years for the next book in the series..

I think the GRRM fans have us beat in terms of patience. ^^

I do.

Let's just be happy that he didn't go the way of David Weber with his Safehold series... <brainbleach>

Anyway, albeit I really liked the book, demoting Gwen to a secondary character until the very end of the book annoyed me to no end. And Rowl didn't really do very much in this book, either, which also read a bit strange, given how active he was in the first book.

I assume getting his spine bent into directions it shouldn't go by Molly in an act of treachery (which it has to be from his viewpoint, despite us knowing that Molly had no control over her actions) just may have colored Carlos's viewpoint.

Or he is merely giving himself an option..

Given that he had the entire arc of his Dresden books planned out since the first one got published, I doubt that.

Since a lot of the cultures of the spires are clearly coded to old time Europe, I wouldn't worry too much about where exactly the spires are located in the current US. Albion pretty clearly is victorian England, Aurora corresponds to conquistador Spain, the Pikers seem to be an analogue to the Caribbean pirates (I constantly had the main theme of Pirates of the Caribbean playing in my head whenever there were scenes with Ravenna). Not sure what exactly I'd attribute Atlantea (Atlantis?) and Olympia (Classic Greeks?) to, but the coding of the first three seemed pretty clear.

As for the story, it was very good. I was about to only say it was 85% as good as The Aeronauts Windlass, due to an important plot thread from the first book not manifesting itself, but then it did in the last quarter and that brought it up to being 95% as good as the first novel. I am very cross that Gwen didn't get her own viewpoint, though. She was the lead character in the first book until she got bonked on the head. Relegating her to a side character, so that a another character very much like her can take over her place in the narrative, didn't sit right with me. I hope (and think, given where she is at the end) that she'll be a main viewpoint character again in the third book.

As for the new viewpoint character, Abigail, I understand why she took over from Gwen, given that Gwen just isn't quite there yet in terms of position of power and proficiency, but due to Abigail having a pretty similar personality structure than her, just with more experience, it just felt to me that she was more of an interloper than a true protagonist. I appreciated the focus on Bayard, though, who is a badass. I also really liked Captain Ravenna (she must be the best Piker I've ever seen ^^) and I hope she stays around as a more prominent character. Bridget's side story felt a bit like filler, although it rounded out the worldbuilding. Really too bad that she couldn't interact more with the others, especially Folly, with whom she had made a good connection in the first book. The cats kinda felt unimportant and just there to give color commentary, which is a shame. Rowl had an important, active, role to play in book one and now he was reduced to trading barbs with a sassy kitten. I also had hoped to see Mirl again, but what can you do.

I do wonder what the population numbers of warriorborn are to normal humans. Given their physical superiority, they can't be very numerous, otherwise they'd have taken over power everywhere.

Also very interesting to see that at least one Archangel is still alive. Given Cavendish rant about what the real background of the world is, one wonders if they truly are as beneficient as portrayed here or rather more sinister. Of course her viewpoint is colored by being controlled by the Tyranima and being mad. And, damn, some chilling scenes with her, I gotta say. Especially where she giggled about eating people via the Mistmaw. I was honestly surprised at the effort to humanize her at the end of the novel. We'll have to see where that goes (my first impression is "redemption arc with self-sacrifice at the end to atone for the many monstrous things she's done").

We'll have to see what happens in book three, which already was said to take place on the surface a lot (small wonder with how things ended) by Jim in a recent Q&A. I hope it takes a lot less time to write than this one did, though.