Book 12), Changes (The Dresden Files

Harry just gets in deeper and deeper in Changes. The story bounces from one bad thing happening to another -- and another, and another, etc., etc, etc. It may have one or two extra twists over previous novels. It is an exhausting read. Still, the good guys pretty much win until the very end -- but no spoilers here.

This continues the Dresden saga, with imagination and an undercurrent of doubt and questions about morality, absolutes, the future of the world, and other light subjects. These books continue in a dark theme, mixing good and evil, light and dark, questioning everything. They are also funny and escapist. Try one, and enjoy, or avoid the genre. Butcher writes well, characters are complex.

Jim Butcher has out done himself, once again. I'm a devoted Dresden Files fan and I loved every single page of this book. Every scene was engaging and exciting, each of the characters shows remarkable depth that I've come to admire in the series. "Changes" is an appropriate title, because this one really broke the mold and rattles the foundations on which the series has been built.
I've been shell shocked since I finished it and I still can't quite put it down. Every time I think about part of the story I have to flip to whichever section and rehash all the details. You will not regret buying this book, and you will most likely finish it begging for more.

I liked this addition even more than the other books in the series. It was very nice to see Dresden explore his emotions and ethics. Not a deep book, but I read the Dresden books because they are entertaining, interesting, and fun. I choose other books for deep. The characters are well rounded, as usual. I loved the end of the big fight (won't give any spoilers) but I don't much like the cliff-hanger type ending of the book, I prefer some closure. But I understand why Butcher might end it that way.

I have always loved the Dresden books and look forward to each one that comes out. Changes was full of surprises to say the least. Harry's life is taking a very unexpected detour from his 'normal' life. Finding out he is a dad was totally mind blowing. Harry has to grow up and he takes his new responsibility seriously. His relationships with the people in his life also takes him to a new level. I could not put the book down. The ending came as a big shock and I can't hardly wait until the next book comes out. This is the best of all the Dresden books in my opinion.

Clear your calendar, call in sick, and settle in. These books are page turners that are hard to put down. Careful--if your like me--you might just read them all and be stuck with nothing to do but wait for the next book to hit the shelves.

Unlike some Authors whose books get worse with each successive book in a series, Jim Butcher does us all proud with this installment of the Harry Dresden series. Wow. The title sums it up. I could not put it down. Read it non-stop on a very turbulent flight and it distracted me so much that I hardly noticed I was gripping the plastic soda cup for dear life to keep it's contents from sloshing to my lap... Jim Butcher is a super-talent! Keep them coming.

Fans of this series will not be disappointed. Another wonderful story from Mr. Butcher. Once again, I found myself flying through the book eagerly wanting to know the outcome of every twist and turn. Changes has the same snarky Harry we have all come to know and love. There is much heartbreak and joy to be had in this novel and it will both delight you and cause some tears. I highly recommend this to anyone who has been reading this series. Story arcs that begin all the way back in Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1) come to fruition within this. Numerous past characters show up to help and a truly epic battle ensues. The ending may cause you to wail but it is worth it! Pick this up ASAP and keep supporting a great author!

Another great book by Danielle Steel. This book had a way of keeping your interest by wondering "could this really be happening?' As someone who is in a 'second marriage' it is certainly real to life with the challenges they faced. A beautiful outcome shows love can survive many roadblocks!!

Butchers been speeding up the pace quite constantly since Stormfront. Again he managed to send our dear Wizard/Warden/P.I. Harry Dresden into a mess absolutely impossible to overcome. And again it was hugely satisfying to see how Harry managed it despite those ridiculous low odds without making it look easy!

Jim Butcher is taking a little bite from my 'literal' soul (literal meaning the part that loves and devours books like Jim's ^^) with every single book he publishes. Check out the Codex Alera series and the Harry Dresden short storys as well!

Harry goes on his most important quest so far. To battle the Reds and to save a little girl from death.
He gathers his finest friends, makes a deal with the devil herself, and rushes off into the fray. Dresden at his finest!

The Dresden series just gets better and better as it moves forward! The latest saga has Harry out to save his daughter (he just learned of her existence at the end of the previous book) from the Red Court Vampires. His most powerfully impressive band of cohorts to date, travel with Harry to the Red Court's place of power where Harry's daughter is slated to be the guest sacrifice in a ritual meant to kill off her bloodline. aka Harry. Harry's band of Heavy hitters is made up of friends and some of those we have known to be semi-enemies in his past. Of course Murphy and Harry's half brother Thomas, the White Court vampire, are with him for the final battle. But there are others with Harry that will be a bit of a surprise and adds greatly to the intrigue! Of course in the backdrop is the usual strife within the White Council of Wizards. This installment builds to a powerful and gut wrenching conclusion. Anyone who has enjoyed the Dresden series will certainly not be disappointed with "CHANGES"!

Mr. Butcher has been writing the Dresden Files for quite a while and has honed his story and characters well. There are times when he exposes his own belief system, but no author is perfect. Overall, the concept of a modern-day wizard in Chicago is well developed and presented in an intelligent manner so that the reader is caught-up in the story. Above average and fun to read.

After reading some of the reviews, I decided to start contributing as well. There seems to be a lot of criticism that Harry is growing up and changing. Well we all do dont we? I have read all of Butchers books and quite enjoy them.

I find that this book and the previous book "Turncoat" are probable the best. The usual cast of characters shows up; Murphy, Molly, Thomas, Ebenizer and of course my favorite character Lea (his otherworldly godmother). Actually-she usually has the best lines.

The only reason that I didn't give this book 5 stars was the weak intro, (Red Court Vampires buying his office building then blowing it up?) a little weak. I would like Thomas to have a little more airtime. However, it gets rollicking along and the bad guys get what they deserve. Be warned that this is not the happy go lucky Harry anymore. But someone who has seen the dark side and lived to tell about it.

***warning contains potential spoilers***

A former lover suddenly reappears into Harry Dresden's life with a problem only he can help solve. Susan Rodriguez and Dresden were involved many years ago. Their relationship ended abruptly when Susan was attacked by the Red Court vampires. She has since lived in a half-vampire state, fighting between her humanity and her bloodlust. Should she take a life and feed on the blood, she will become a full fledged Red Court vampire. She has been fighting the good fight against the vampires with other half breeds, but now her daughter has been kidnapped. It seems Arianna Ortega, Duchess if the Red Court, has discovered Susan's secret and is exploiting it to take her revenge on those who have wronged her in the past. Susan needs Dresden to help her find the missing child and remove her from the clutches of the Red Court. Dresden will be pushed to the limit and will make choices he normally would avoid in other situations because this time he's not just fighting for himself or to save the world, he's fighting to save an innocent little girl, Susan's daughter...and his own.

I really enjoyed this book. I love Dresden's wit and quips and the sources that Butcher draws on for thise. this book references Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and The Wizard of Oz...what's not to enjoy? :) Instead of continuing on where the last book left off, it sort of side stepped into a whole other story that wasn't expected. We get to learn more about Dresden's history and get a look into what really drives him...the choices he will make for those he loves. I'm definitely looking forward to where his next journey will take him...ghosts and interactions with the Winter Court.

Some good quotes:
"The headquarters of the White Council of wizards is a dull, dim, drafty sort of place - not unlike the insides of the heads of a great many people that work there."

"The White Council never does anything quickly, and I had a bad feeling that tempus was fugiting quickly."

""You're a goog man, Harry." ... "Not always rational, ... But you're the best kind of crazy.""

"There is, I think, humor here which does not translate well from English into sanity."

""He's Black Council"... "Or maybe stupid." ... "Not sure which is scarier." ... "Stupid, Hoss. Every time. Only so many blackhearted villains in the world, and they only get uppity on occasion. Stupid's everywhere, every day."

I should have know by the title!! 12 Dresden Files, 12 wonderful stories! GONE! It seems the flavor of the month is vampires. Pasty face vampires with cute girls. , Last year it was that boy wizard with the scar, people forgot about Jim Butcher. He created a world where there were vampires, werewolves, faires,dogs, cats, blue beatles, female police detectives and you cared about each one of them. They were family and you loved them and died with them. If you are fan of Dresden then you have to read this book. Butcher pulls out all the stops. There are twists and turns and topped off with one hell of a battle scene that lays wastes to central Mexico. This book is worth the price and I am wiping away the tears. Damn I am crying over a stupid book. Yet I have spent many an hour with Harry and now nothing. This has not been a good time for me. I lost Jesse Stone and now Harry Dresden. When was the last time a book affected you?

Jim Butcher has written his best book yet. This book lives up to the standards set by the previous books in the series and exceeds them. It is well written with all the heart pounding magic, action, suspense and plot twists & turns that we have come to expect from the Dresden Files series. The book lives up to its title on so many levels. When you finish this book you will be eager to read the next installment in the series.

Changes is a particularly apt title for this, as there are some major changes in Harry's life, and finding out he's a father is only the first of many. Most of Harry's friends and frenemies return to assist with his daughter's rescue from the Red Court. The Red Court plot line is dealt with in a satisfying manner, but some issues are still left up in the air. The ending leaves us wondering what's next for Harry?

First in regards to the series, utterly fantastic. 10 stars, If you have gotten this far into the series you should be thoroughly addicted. Butchers holds nothing back in this book and i cannot wait until the new one comes out. So much so that this purchase actually preceded my 2nd read through of the series.

I honestly had no idea how crazy this book would get, it was a nail biter, on the edge of my seat, thrill ride through the world of Chicago magic and vampires.

The book came in fantastic condition no issues there.

If you stumbled upon this by accident, go get Storm Front. I bought mine from the store for less than $5 with shipping, Butcher wrote each book well enough that each by their own can be read without knowing anything else about the "world" in which Dresden plays. Every book can be read without picking up any of the others. that being said, still start from the beginning. its worth it.

Butcher's writing is outstanding not only in the depth of his description and plot, but also in his weaving together nuggets, principles of thought, wisdom and philosophy and archetypes which are often thought of as antithetical to one another e.g. Christianity and agnosticism, magic, paganism, etc. The gender roles and relationships are wonderful. ('The women are strong and the men are good looking.')Butcher's characters wear their gender unselfconsciously. Dresden characters have different talents that aren't determined by gender. Readers may want to postpone reading "Changes" however, until closer in time to the release of the next Dresden installment which appears to be in March of 2011. The wait is a bit unsettling. After reading this series, most other such books pale in comparison. The Dresden files are modern day Tolkien.

It doesn't seem possible, but each successive book in this series is better than the last one. Fantastic battle scenes, and all kinds of plot twists in this one. Last 80 pages or so are difficult not to read all at one time. A page turner (or swiper on a kindle).

I just finished reading through the Harry Dresden series for the 1st time & each book gets better & better. It's obvious that the author has a clear plan for this series, each book & character tie in so perfectly to the previous stories. The books have a logical & believable flow that holds my interest waiting for the next release.

Changes is the best book in this series so far & I'm anxiously haunting my mailbox for Ghost Story to arrive. I already know it will be well worth the wait.

Just when you think you have Harry Dresden figured out, he changes the way you look at him forever. I will not go into the details but I can only commend Jim Butcher on writing a lovely, moving, and surprising novel. It is refreshing to see a series where the main character continues to evolve in logical ways. Most series' protagonists either stagnate or start acting erratically to "keep things fresh." Turns out that you don't have to sign up for a ticket to crazy-town to keep things fresh. All you have to do is be open to the possibilities (even the painful ones). Thank you for a lovely addition to the Dresden Files - I am anxious to read the next installment!

This is definitely not the book you should first pick up if you are new to the Dresden series. Start with Storm Front, and work your way forward - your effort will be rewarded with one of the most enjoyable series read I can recall. Butcher is an excellent writer and seamlessly blends intrigue, terror and humor into a gritty urban fantasy series that seems to get better with every book!

In this particular novel, Butcher shakes up everything - apparently intending this to be a non-stop action ride. I was a bit disappointed in the beginning of the book, where the the author trades the character self-reflection for jumping right into the action. Gone too are the characteristic wit and irony of the Dresden's thoughts, instead relying upon your existing knowledge of Dresden's character. But the result is a pretty decent action ride, and fans of the series will be blown away by the "changes".

I started reading The Dresden files at book three out of the need to find something to read. After that I was hooked I purchased the first two and waited anxiously for the fourth to come out. Since then I spend one day a year reading Jim Butchers Dresden files and 364 days wishing the next one was out already. The Dresden files can be read as stand alone stories or you can follow as the character grows in each successive book. I enjoy the plots of each book but really enjoy the hints at a greater plot developing. If you are looking for something to make you laugh, keep you on the edge of your seat and make you cheer out-loud then give Jim Butchers The Dresden Files a read you won't be disappointed.

The Dresden files continues to up the ante and put inhuman levels of pressure on Chicago's only professional wizard, Harry Dresden. Who faces his own devil's choice after being emotionally leveled by savage, ruthless and brutal action-packed moments that leave the reader desperate for more.

Butcher has mastered the art of writing for those of us, like me, with short attention spans. Action, suspense and mayhem abound in this the 12th book in the Dresden Files. I simply could not put it down until I finished it, hours later. I worked the next day in a haze of fatigue and probably lost a major client for being asleep at the wheel. It was so worth it. The ending will make any true Dresden fan SCREAM.

Jim Butcher may be 12 books into the Dresden Files, but it feels like he's just hitting his stride! I'm just so impressed with out good this book was, carefully laid out, great character detail, and a perfect splash of comedy! And to hear Mouse talk...priceless!
Thank you for a great book 12! It satisfied everything I look for in a really really good book!

Jim Butcher has outdone himself with this one. My husband and I read the book then spent an entire evening discussing it... we usually read and just say what we thought about it and move on to the next book. This one stopped us in our tracks.

I'm hoping that Mr. Butcher writes another Dresden Files book, and soon. Please? With sugar on top?

I read the 11 earlier books several years ago. Went back to them a couple weeks ago, screamed through each one, and hit CHANGES like a downhill locomotive.

I finished just moments ago, so my mind is still racing. Can't say a whole lot more than the headline. And Thank You to the author for taking me on this ride.

Hard to believe anything after this wont be anticlimactic....but I'm willing to be wrong about that.

Butcher just keeps getting better. Instead of Dresden getting bland, it seems that all the other books were just working their way up to this one.

This was quite possibly the most awesome Dresden book in the series. There's more geeky shtick in here than any of the other books and it appears that as Dresden is getting older his sense of humor is getting better. The plot twists kept me surprised throughout the story's progression.

So many discoveries are made, so many emotions are felt through this book, so much happened. A new story is about to begin. I've never wanted to read a book as much as the upcoming book in the Dresden files. Book 13, Even Awesomer Changes, The Tale of Mister the Cat. (Just kidding, but who knows what will happen.)

The surprises start on page one and just keep coming. It's difficult to keep a reader caring and a character growing twelve books in, but Jim Butcher does and leaves fans wanting more. CHANGES delivers everything one could want in progressing Harry's story arc forward, while still remaining true to the world and the characters we've come to care for so deeply.

I found this series after watching the short-lived series on SyFy and I have loved ever volume. This particular story is the most intense and entertaining Dresden story I have read so far. The characters are fully developed, with many old favorites included, and the action and pace of the storyline is awesome. I cannot wait until the next installment!

If you're interested in reading Changes, chances are you've read all 11 of the other Dresden files stories. (If not, start with book 1, "Storm Front".)

That said, "Changes" is another Dresden files book, chances are pretty good that you'll like it if you've liked the others. BUT - where all of the other books have wrapped up and left the reader satisfied, this one wraps up and then has an unnecessary cliffhanger ending on the last page.

That irritated me enough to make me knock a star off the rating.

Come on, Jim. I'd be rushing out to buy the next book without that contrivance.

The title says it all: everything changes for Harry Dresden in this book. Before it does, however, Harry visits his friends (and meets old enemies in the process), looking for support for the most important confrontation in his life. That process is the main part of the story. But it was interesting because you get to see a lot of enemies en friends from the past. In the end I felt satisfied as reader, because the outcome was unexpected. I like it when a writer surprises me. Butcher does that again and again.

"Changes" is great and I can recommend it without hesitation. Amongst the entire series it ranks in the top 3 of the 11 or 12 he has put out. However, I would recommend reading the series in order and not pick this up as your entry into it. It's like a TV series, pick it up from the beginning to get the most out of it. NOW, as an aside, Butcher loves writing his Codex series. However, I don't think Butcher's Codex books are 1/10th as good as his Dresden Files series and honestly would not recommend the Codex to anyone. It's the case of an author trying to force what he loves upon the public instead of focusing on his real strengths, which is this Dresden Files series. The Dresden Files Series, which are contemporary fiction, are well written and engaging.