In which trek reviews Changes

In a loving outpouring of selfless spousal generosity, I graciously allowed Number Guy read our copy of Changesfirst.

No, it didn't have anything at all to do with the fact that my TBR pile is taller than the Neatnik. It's just that I am an all-around good egg who has a stout heart and good spirit.

Besides, he snatched the book out of my hands, citing the teetering, wobbling stack of books in the living room and the fact that he didn't have anything new to read.

And I was the one who introduced him to Harry Dresden's universe in the first place.

There is no justice.

Reviews that are loaded with (somewhat) apologetic spoilers get on my nerves so this will not be one of those types of reviews.

This one will have one very unapologetic spoiler about the book's ending and it will be at the end of this post so if you are planning to read Changes and do not like the plots and endings spoiled for you, stop reading now. Close your browser and walk away from the computer.

You have been warned.

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All-righty, then. I shall now assume that those of you who remain

(a) have already read the book and are looking for a comment space to vent;
(b) love spoilers for their own sake;
(c) aren't planning to read the book at all but like to be "in the know" for discussions around the water cooler; or
(d) subscribe to any and all combinations of (a) through (c).

Oh, all right. For those who want the little spoilers but not the bigger ones, just read the text in your browser. For those who have read the book already or want the spoilers, use the clickies at your own risk.

First let me say that I have read every novel in the Harry Dresden series and every short story as well. I'm not into graphic novels nor did I like the one bit of a single episode of the television series I accidentally caught. I have a pretty good idea of how Harry operates and am very familiar with Jim Butcher's style.

This may be Jim's best book to date. It is crammed full of character development and new character introductions, hence the very appropriate title. A tremendous amount of Harry's history is explained - to him as well as to the reader - and several main characters demonstrate previously unseen talents.

Somewhere in the Great Swampy Middle, I decided that Jim had taken leave of his senses entirely and became very angry with him for pushing Harry onto a path which Chicago's only wizard had repeatedly refused to tread. In all fairness, Warden Dresden had pretty much exhausted his list of options and this particular choice plays heavily in the action which follows.

Enough said about that plot twist.

As the plot develops and the action races towards its climax, I was left wondering why we hadn't heard at all from a couple of sources. The absence of the first one is much more understandable than the absence of the second, in my opinion. Why were they left behind? Along the same lines, what was you-know-who doing during the first half of the final battle, Jim?

Aside from those complaints, I liked Changes. Murder and mayhem, deceit and destruction, love and loyalty, hope and honor? What more could a reader ask to have?

Except maybe to be left at the end of the book without the feeling that they just heard once more those infamous words, "Mister Worf... fire!"??