Book 8), Proven Guilty (The Dresden Files

In the continuing saga of Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, the reader seldom sees what is coming next. W elearn more about Harry's back story as well as watch him protect his apprentice from the White Council and herself.

Entertaining and gripping as always. Looking forward to reading the next ones and hoping the series never ends! The Dresden files in general are a must-read for those into thrillers with a supernatural twist.

The plot has so many aspects in it, that I'm almost afraid Jim will lose grip of them, but that never happens. To the contrary it just thickens and makes you cracy; addicts you to read the next one in order to find out what will happen.

I am reading the historical Dresden Files in a row. The next is #9. I am enjoying every story and wondering what I was doing the last 8-10 years. Thanks again to the author for another wonderful tale.

I love Harry Dresden. He is a very powerful wizard, a little clumsy at times and every magical bad guy wants to kill him. I have now read all of the published books and can hardly wait until the next book comes out.

No single seller had all the books in the series I was missing. I received four different sizes of books ( 2 hardcover/2 paperback). Nothing in the product info showed that there were different sizes. Disappointed about that.

This is the eighth book of the Dresden Files, and as one expects things are glum. I've been binge reading the whole series in order, and reviewing as I go.

The series has an over-arching story arc, with roots starting at book 3 (Grave Peril) but only becoming visible as more and more of the series unfolds. It's a great thing, but as it continually colours events around Dresden it's best to read in order.

*** What to expect
A thriller-paced novel: the initial two volumes could have been mistaken for a noir-detective, but this is more like Jason Bourne, complete with constant battering by his foes.
The tone of this book is in line with the series, descending into glummer and grimmer aspects while Harry tries to keeps his sanity with flippant humour. This book has more homage to pop-culture horror B-movies, and Butcher balances both slasher-type murders with more emotional trauma.

*** What I like
I like Harry's wise-cracking attitudes towards like, and his Wal-Mart attitude towards acquiring magical resources. I like the supporting characters in general, and even though my favourite one (John Marcone) is not in this novel Butcher is doing excellent job in characterising and building recurring cast and introducing new characters. It's great to see all characters grow and evolve as the series progresses.

*** Be aware
This is part 8 of a series, and you really need to read them in order. Butcher has Harry's mental dialogue to recap previous events and dialogue for those who read the series in breaks (which, in itself, may grate on some reader's nerves as a "telling" style, or simply for being repetitive), but really it's just a function of a long-running series.
Also, some readers may find Dresden attitudes chauvinistic and misogynistic, though that is a both a trope of the genre and something of a failing of his.

*** Summary
While there are certain flaws in the book (especially if you're binge reading the series), this is a great example of a fast-paced, urban-fantasy thriller. If you want an excellent blend of modern-day thrillers with dark fantasy, this is the series to read.
--
Assaph Mehr, author of Murder In Absentia: Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.

4-4.5 stars

This was a really good story and addition to the series. In this book, Harry gets pulled into some nasty stuff going on at a horror convention by his friend(Michael, the Holy Knight)'s 17 year old daughter (Molly) who ran away from home and is currently estranged from her family. Harry find himself trying to save lives from an unknown foe while also working on mending fences between Molly and her mother. The whole situation is messy and certain things come up with Molly that reminds Harry of his own past.

Harry's brother Thomas is also pretty involved in the story. He's gotten a job and is moving out of Harry's place but Harry's a bit worried because Thomas has been keeping a lot of the details to himself. Thomas does seem to be worried about Harry too and helps Harry out with his current issues. Murphy is also there to help out...as friends and colleagues...nothing else at this point. As normal for Harry's adventures, there's a lot going on and once you get involved in the story, it's hard to disengage. This story also shows just how good of a guy Harry is underneath it all. He's human and definitely makes mistakes but he's willing to put his life on the line to do the right things and it really endears me to him.

By the end of this story things are somewhat settled. The vampire/wizard war is still going on and there are things that are ongoing but Harry's at a good place by the end. I really like this series and would recommend it. Butcher does add in enough of a description that you could probably read a book on its own but overall, I think it's so much more enjoyable with the backstory from the previous book. :D

* note - I listened to the audio version of this story and James Marsters did a great job with the narration.

I really liked Proven Guilty
Getting deeper and deeper into my Dresden Files reading binge, and the story-lines keep getting more and more interesting. Although the main part of each story is very entertaining, I most enjoy the developing relationships between Harry and his friends. And this one is no different.
Harry is now one of the wardens, and he has to witness something that turns his stomach. He dislikes something the White Council does, which is ‘just like Harry’ to be that way.
As things progress, that dislike plays large in the rest of the story. Add in a whole bunch of movie monsters come to life, and a trip to the Never-Never, and you’ve got yourself another darn good story.
One of my favorites thus far. I cannot wait to see what happens next.
The Dresden Files is a great series that any Fantasy/Urban Fantasy lover can sink their teeth into. You won’t regret giving it a try. It took me a long time to listen to my friends that were already fans of this series. Now I regret taking so long to get into it.
5 of 5 Stars

JFC, I just love this series!

Back to listening to audiobooks, and man I missed James Marsters' voice! He seriously does a phenomenal job.

Once again, this book is jam packed with action, and there are so many flawlessly woven threads that it's like an awesome jigsaw puzzle.

Highlights
+Getting more of Murphy again!
+Related--loved that Harry and Murphy finally talk about what's ~happening~ between them
+Bits of Thomas were great and I am very curious about the open question of his job
+Learning about Charity's history and settling some of the sir b/w her and Harry
+All the developments with Molly!
+Harry and Michael having a real/honest conversation about ~things~
+More politics with the council/seeing more humanity in Morgan/creepy Merlin is creepy
+Intrigue with what's happening to Mab & Harry's godmother
+The conclusion at the end of the book about a ~black council~

OMG, if McCoy turns out to be the traitor, I'm going to cry!!

Basically, I have already started listening to the next book because I cannot get enough. These books are just a lot of fun.

Note: I feel that Death Masks, Book 5, is where reading this series out of order starts to do you an injustice. This book does work as a stand alone to some extent, but you will get major spoilers for the previous books in the series and it also pulls in characters we have met before. So I recommend reading the previous books before you jump into this one.

Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only PI wizard and now a Warden for the White Council, gets called up by Molly to bail her friend out of jail. He’s not happy about it, but he knows that Molly is having some issues. He gets talked into checking out SplatterCon!!! where Molly is one of the lead organizers. The White Council has reports of some evil magic happening in Chicago and they’ve tasked Harry with finding the source and dealing with it. SplatterCon!!! turns out to be a bit scarier than anyone figured when a horror movie monster comes to life and starts taking out the guests. Someone is inviting in phages from the Nevernever. Not good!

Later on, Molly disappears and Harry has to try every trick in the book to locate her. While he is attempting to locate her, he learns some interesting things about Charity, Molly’s mom. I really liked that we get to learn more about her as she has been a rather minor character in the series so far. As we know from previous books, she doesn’t like Harry, and now with Michael (her husband and a Knight Templar) away on ‘business’, she is stuck in this position where Harry is her best hope of finding and helping Molly.

Later on, Harry and some trusted allies have to suit up and head into the Nevernever. Without giving too much away, Thomas of the White Court vampires, is an excellent fighter and there are some great scenes with him kicking in teeth and stomping on faerie wings. The efforts of Harry and crew in the Nevernever have repercussions, some of which are known by the end of this book, but then there are some that don’t become apparent until later in the series. That’s another cool thing about these books. In rereading the series, I can see these ripples easier and it’s just amazing how well laid out the big arching plot is for the series.

Before the book is over, Harry has to face some of his fears as well. One of them, he knows is coming and he has time to think about how he will handle it. The second comes as a bit of a surprise and a relief once he starts talking about. I really liked that Harry had to deal with some of his biggest fears in this book.

At the end of the previous book, Dead Beat, Thomas moved out of Harry’s place. Harry spends the entire book wondering what Thomas is now doing for a living. He’s looking healthy and Harry worries that he’s turned to the dark side in feeding. The ending to this little mystery is quite amusing but we don’t get that until later in the series.

As usual, there’s a slew of returning characters in this book. Police officer Rawlins, who knew Murphy’s dad back in the day, is tasked with guarding a crime scene that Harry wants access to. Murphy of course is around and also accompanies Harry into the Nevernever. Lashiel’s carbon copy in Harry’s head is rather insistent in being of assistance and Harry learns some mental skills in blocking her out. The Lady Summer Lily and her Knight Fix put in an appearance as well. Even Harry’s godmother has a little role. There’s more, but these are the ones that stood out to me. This book is another great addition to the series and I had a lot of fun with the fear theme for the book.

Narration: James Marsters continues to do a worthy Harry Dresden. His female voices are on good display with this book : Charity, Molly, Lashiel, Murphy, Harry’s godmother, the Summer Lady, etc. He makes them all distinct and feminine.

With every audible edition of Jim Butcher's THE DRESDEN FILES series, I'm a more devoted fan. This installment in the series was spectacular. Not only does Marsden do a singularly terrific job narrating the book, but Jim Butcher just keeps getting better and better. I love how details from previous books become important as the series progresses. I do believe each story could stand alone but I've derived so much pleasure from listening to them in order that I recommend both the audible versions as well as enjoying from book 1 on forward.

Harry Dresden can't catch a break. What starts as a simple phone call from his friend Michael's daughter Molly (to come bail her out of jail) quickly erupts into serious baddies from horror movies terrorizing the "Splatercon!!!" in Chicago. I enjoyed the whole story, delving into the Never-Never once more and learning more about Charity Carpenter, The Merlin, and Queen Mab.

Sensuality Level: PG 13+
Language: Rated PG-13
Violence: Rated R
Highly recommended to fans of fantasy, science fiction, and really good audiobooks

I feel like a broken record. There isn't much more for me to say. I'm enjoying the series, but it's not going to ever be one of my favorites or end up being one that I return to over and over. It's kept my attention, and at times I really enjoy it, but it just doesn't really grab me and suck me into the story and characters like other series. I think about Patricia Brigg's Mercedes Thompson series a lot when I read it. It's very similar in feeling (though I believe Dresden came out before Mercedes Thompson did), but I just don't find myself falling in love with the world and characters as I do in that one

Proven Guilty is my second favorite Dresden Files novel (the first being Blood Rites), so don't expect anything resembling an objective review. This book introduces the adult version of my all-time-favorite character in the series, Molly Carpenter, and also focuses on one of my favorite movie genres: 80s horror! Yes, it's Harry Dresden versus Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, and the xenomorph from Alien! Okay, he only fights thinly-veiled stand-ins for the first two but the latter he fights directly! He even quotes Sigourney Weaver's iconic line while rescuing Newt! You can't get much more awesome than that.

The premise of the novel is Harry has been called to help Molly Carpenter investigate a series of suspicious deaths at a local horror convention. Simultaneously, there's shenanigans going on behind the scenes with the Summer and Winter Courts of the fae. This isn't surprising but their feud is costing the White Council a valuable advantage in their war against the vampiric Red Court. Harry must put all of his investigative skill to use in order to unravel who is doing what, to who, and how.

As mentioned, a major part of this book's appeal is the (re)introduction of Molly Carpenter. While she's been introduced before, this is the book which really sets her place in Harry's supporting cast. Molly is a young Goth and Punk wizardess who is the daughter of what amounts to God's Chosen Warrior on Earth. A rebellious youth, to say the least, Molly is also blessed with the potential to do magic.

While Michael Carpenter, her father, is best friends with Harry, her mother is decidedly against against her learning the ways of wizardry. This, amongst other problems of living in a house so straight-laced it would give the Osmonds diabetes, has driven her to run away. While much of the story is about the usual urban fantasy shenanigans Harry has to deal with, it's also about a relationship between a family which has lost the ability to communicate.

Molly is a great character, not just because I'm unnaturally fond of Goth and punk girls (having married one), but her entire attitude. She's cheerful, irreverent, angry, and ambitious all in equal measures. She doesn't hate her family but she doesn't want their life either. The fact Molly nurses an enormous crush on Harry makes me want to see them get together at the end of the series too.

There's a lot of great moments from the aforementioned battle between Harry Dresden and horror movie monsters from the 80s as well as a grand finale which takes our hero to the heart of the Winter Court. The book also elaborates on the setting's world-building, given us insights into how black magic works as well as the consequences should it go wrong. Many hints are given to the ultimate enemy of the series and the overarching plot is moved along without distracting from the book's strong central narrative.

By this point in the series, Jim Butcher has really hit his stride. He knows who these characters are, what kind of world they live in, and is able to tell an effortless story which still manages to reveal new facets to the leads. Watching Harry struggle with being a Warden after books of being hunted by them is one of my favorite elements. It flips his perspective on events and shows him what it must have been like for his tormentors. Harry is still more merciful than most of his kind but the newly deputized Dresden has to make some uncomfortable choices this time around.

In short, this book is awesome and one of the best in the franchise. Newcomers may be a bit lost but it's a read I wouldn't want to miss.

10/10

Eighth in the Dresden Files urban fantasy series set in Chicago and revolving around a harried wizard. <a href="//www.goodreads.com/book/show/17683.Dead_Beat”" target="”_blank”" title="”Opens"><em>Dead Beat</em></a>, 7, was last year.

<b>My Take</b>
It’s scary all right. There’s a traitor on the White Council and wizards are dying en masse. Worse, many wizards believe that traitor is Harry. Nothing like a little suspicion to amp up the tension! It gets worse when Molly gets involved in the trouble afflicting the convention. Evil forces are focused on Harry <em>and</em> Molly. Did I mention the tension? What about all the drama? Yep. Keep that defibrillator on call!

Nope, I don’t buy it. I know that Harry’s under a lot of pressure, but I can’t believe that Harry seriously believes that Ebenezar has betrayed his principles by being the Blackstaff. Any group needs an Enforcer, and Harry’s damn lucky that Ebenezar was that wizard! He probably wouldn’t be alive today if he weren’t.

Ooh, I’d forgotten about the Little Chicago in Harry’s sub-basement. When I think of the work involved in creating it . . . I’m glad I’m not doing it! And Harry asks Karrin the big question — about <em>them</em>! Karrin’s response provides all the “right” answers, dang it.

Whoa, major strife in the Carpenter household this past year! Teen versus Mom — guess who’s winning.

It’s those little details Butcher throws in that keeps it fun. Things like the Mickey Mouse alarm clock and the skull, his “pets” and living conditions, <em>brrrrr</em>. Really, I don’t know how Butcher manages to keep track of everything that’s going on.

<b>The Story</b>
It’s the execution of a guilty boy that has Harry up in arms. It’s bad enough killing a sixteen-year-old, especially when it’s necessary. It’s yet another to ignore the fact that magickal children are growing and having to figure it out on their own.

Meanwhile the war with the Red Court has slowed but is still a major threat to the Council, and the Sidhe refuse to go to war despite the provocations. Harry is tasked with finding out why. As well as finding the source of the black magic coursing through Chicago and bringing horror movie characters to life.

Just to spice things up, the forces of Hell are loose.

<b>The Characters</b>
<b>Harry Dresden</b> is a private investigator who hasn’t worked much in his day job as he’s doing more policing as a Warden. The <em>Blue Beetle</em> is his beat-up, multi-colored Volkswagen. <b>Mister</b> is his humongous cat while <b>Mouse</b> is his foo dog. <b>Lasciel</b>, a.k.a., the Temptress, a.k.a., the Webweaver, is the Denarian demon, a fallen angel, working on Harry to pick up that coin. <b>Thomas</b> is Harry’s half-brother and a White Court vampire. <b>Bob</b> is a spirit entity that resides in a human skull and functions as a database of magic. And he’s got a hard-on for romance novels, hubba-hubba . . .

<b>Lieutenant Karrin Murphy</b> is head of <b>Special Investigations</b>, a throwaway division of the Chicago PD where politically unwanted cops are exiled. She’s also one of Harry’s best friends and biggest supporter at the police station. <b>Grayson</b>. <b>Officer Rawlins</b> is guarding the crime scene at the convention. <b>Sergeant John Stallings</b> is part of her team at SI. <b>Detective Sergeant Greene</b>, a non-believer, is with Homicide. <b>Rick</b> is FBI, Murphy’s ex and current brother-in-law.

<b>Michael Carpenter</b> is a <b>Knight of the Cross</b> and carries <b><em>Amoracchius</em></b>, one of three in the world, and Harry is terrified of Michael finding out he possesses one of the denarii. <b>Charity</b> is his wife; their kids include <b>Hope</b>, little <b>Harry</b>, <b>Amanda</b>, <b>Alicia</b>, <b> Matthew</b>, and <b>Daniel</b>. <b>Father Forthill</b> is in charge at the church.

<em>SplatterCon, a horror convention</em>
<b>Molly</b> is Michael’s daughter. <b>Nelson Lenhardt</b> is her boyfriend and in trouble with the cops. <b>Rosie</b> is yet another friend. A pregnant one. <b>Clark Pell</b> owns a movie theater. <b>Darby Crane</b> is the “producer and director of horror films” and a guest of honor at SplatterCon. <b>Lucius Glau</b> is his personal assistant. <b>Sandra Marling</b> is the convention chair. <b>Lydia Stern</b> is a formidable reporter for the <em>Midwestern Arcane</em> yellow journal. She’ll challenge anyone.

<em>The White Council of Wizards</em>
The <b>White Council</b> is the governing body for the supernatural world on earth. <b>Warden Luccio</b> is technically in command while <b>Morgan</b> is second-in-command of the White Council’s <b>Wardens</b> (the Council’s policing arm) — and hates Harry. The <b>Merlin</b>, Arthur Langtry, is the leader and the strongest wizard on the planet and also hates Harry. <b>Listens-to-Wind</b>, <b>Martha Liberty</b>, Ebenezar McCoy, <b>Ancient Mai</b>, <b>Rashid the Gatekeeper</b>, and <b>LaFortier</b> are also on the Senior Council. <b>Peabody</b> is the Council’s secretary. <b>Carlos Ramirez</b> is one of the young Wardens, and a regional commander of the western United States.

<em>Courts of Faerie</em>
The Summer Knight is <b>Fix</b>, and he owes Harry, as does <b>Lily</b>, the new Summer Lady. <b>Titania</b> is the Summer Queen and doesn’t want Lily speaking to Harry. <b>Lloyd Slate</b> is still the Winter Knight, even if he is being tortured to death, over and over for the past four years. <b> Maeve</b> is the Winter Lady, and as vicious as Lily is sweet. <b>Arctis Tor</b> is the heart of Winter, <b>Mab</b>’s stronghold. <b>Fetches</b> are creatures of Winter and drawn to fear. The <b>Leanansidhe</b> is Harry’s godmother, and she’s being punished as well. The <b>Erlking</b> leads the Wild Hunt, and he wants Harry.

<em>The Vampire Courts</em>
The <b>White Court</b> vampires use misdirection and cat’s paws to inflict their brand of harm, and they draw sustenance through lust and a person’s energy. <b>Madrigal Raith</b> is definitely one of the bad boys of the Court and Thomas’ cousin. The <b>Red Court</b> is one of three vampire clans, and they hate Harry too. The Council is at war with them. <b>Duchess Ariana</b> is Paolo Ortega’s widow; she wants Harry bad.

<b>McAnnally’s</b> pub is a declared and acknowledged neutral zone run by <b>Mac</b>. The <b>Sight</b> is a way of <em>looking</em> and seeing the spiritual energies that course through our lives. Once seen, you can never unsee it. The <b>Doom of Damocles</b> is wizard probation. If the probationer abuses her (or his) magic, s/he will die along with her or his supervisor. Harry is still holding <em>Fidelacchius</em> for its wielder.

<b>The Cover & Title</b>
The cover is green, a green cast that is, as Harry strides down a dark and dirty alley toward a bar with its sign lit up and wearing his signature duster and wide-brimmed fedora, staff in hand — and glowing, eek!

I can’t decide if the title refers to Murphy or Molly, for as far as their “bosses” are concerned, both are <em>Proven Guilty</em>.

*Book source ~ Local library

Due to the War the ranks of the Wardens are stretched thin, so the White Council has been forced to hand Harry a grey cloak. Horror of horrors! Wait, that’s not all the horror in town. SplatterCon!!! is in Chicago and there’s trouble at the horror convention that seems to revolve around Michael Carpenter’s oldest daughter, Molly. Tasked by the Council to investigate dark magic in his town, Molly’s plea for help with her boyfriend’s arrest at SplatterCon!!! and imminent war between the fairy courts, Harry is feeling pulled in too many directions. Will he be able to fulfill his duties as Warden and friend without getting himself or anyone else killed?

My Guest Reviewers:

A ~ my 16-yr-old daughter
T ~ my 14-yr-old son
K ~ my 13-yr-old son

Is it a surprise if I say that we still love this series? Probably not. :D This time the trouble revolves around black magic and its use in Chicago. One of the jobs a Warden must do is track down users of black magic called warlocks and execute them even if they are kids who didn’t know any better. Harry loathes this part of his job and we can understand why. We don’t like it either even though it’s usually something that needs done because the kids are too far gone to be saved. It still sucks. Anyway, the mystery kept us guessing and the phobophages were pretty cool. Everyone liked the description of Arctis Tor, Harry’s replica of Chicago that he calls Little Chicago and A wants to know why Molly doesn’t have the same problem with electronics that Harry does. Hmmm…good question! Everyone also agrees that Charity is one badass and they like her better after this book than they did before. And even though it was hot in this book, T said Harry should always wear his duster. He loves the duster.

Favorite moments:

Everyone liked the ending with the Council and Harry’s conversation afterwards with Michael.
Also, the entire scene in Arctis Tor.
A said any scene with Michael in it is a good one. Hmmm…someone has a book crush.

Each book it gets harder and harder to pick a favorite, so…
Favorite quotes:

“A bolt of warmth, fierce with joy and pride and gratitude, flashed through me like sudden lightning. I don’t care whose DNA has recombined with whose. When everything goes to hell, the people who stand by you without flinching-they are your family. And they were my heroes.”

“Molly was arrested. Possession.”
I blinked at him. “She was possessed?”

“Murphy, you rock! Go Team Dresden!”
“Hey, I’m the one who rocks…Go Team Murphy.”

The horror convention setting was great fun, and I enjoyed watching Harry adjust to his new role as Warden because doing the right thing, and enforcing the laws of magic aren't always synonymous, and a bit of tough love ensues. Charity opened up some as a character which brought on a few interesting new developments, although whether Molly Carpenter will add any value to this universe is still up in the air. I see potential, but another male Urban Fantasy author whom I'm a fan of attempted something similar, and the results were disappointing. It'll all come down to Butcher's plan of attack. Future story line speculation aside, PROVEN GUILTY did this series proud.

This is the eighth book in the Dresden Files urban-fantasy series about Harry Dresden, a private investigator in Chicago who is also a powerful wizard. In this book, Harry is forced to battle phobophages, enormous, terrifying monsters in the form of villains from horror films. They feed on the fear of their victims, and they find a huge, helpless crowd to attack at a horror film convention in Chicago.

During the course of this story, Harry also has to figure out whether the Winter Fairies will stand with the White Council in their war against the Red Court vampires or, at the least, remain neutral. In addition, Harry has to track down a wizard who is using black magic in Chicago.

As usual in this amazing urban fantasy series, the action is continuous, with the thrills continually escalating. It is Harry himself, though, who makes this series so memorable. Incredibly brave, and always ready with a mouthy quip for his enemies, he constantly gets into trouble because he will never stand by and allow innocent people to be attacked by evil magical creatures. Most especially he can't bear to see women or children endangered. In this book, his protective instincts are intensely triggered by Molly Carpenter, the 18-year-old eldest daughter of Michael and Charity Carpenter who has gotten herself in terrible trouble.

The sound quality of this audio recording is excellent and it is an unabridged version of the book. It is narrated by actor James Marsters, best known for playing the character Spike, a platinum-blond, British vampire in the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off series Angel, between 1997 and 2004. Marsters does an outstanding job on every part of the reading, making listening in that regard a real pleasure. If he had not been a good reader, it would have been hard for me to sit through the full book--bad readers can destroy one's pleasure in even the most wonderful novel. I am extremely grateful for Mr. Marsters's reading talents not just for their own sake, but because experiencing this novel as an audiobook gave me the opportunity to admire Jim Butcher's writing even more than I did before--which I did not think was possible. In my experience of listening to audio versions of books, very few of them can stand up to the intense focus of being read aloud, which is much slower than reading silently to oneself. This relative snail's pace acts to draw attention to every problem of dialogue, pacing and plot.

I am happy to report that under that intense spotlight, I experienced not a single flaw in this book.

I am not a person who often reads a book more than once--too much to read and far too little time. But this book was definitely worth experiencing twice. And owning this recording means I may listen to it far more times than that in the future.

This is one of the best purchases I ever made.

I loved the start of this book. It was the perfect foreshadowing for the rest of the book.

This book is really hard to describe without giving away too many details. After receiving a note from the Gatekeeper tasking Harry with finding black magic in Chicago, he gets a phone call from Molly Carpenter to help bail her boyfriend out of jail. Being the only witness to a brutal beating, Molly's boyfriend has been wrongly arrested. And if seeing Michael Carpenter's daughter tattooed, pierced, and dressed like a Goth isn't enough, the attendees of a local horror movie convention are being killed by the villains of the same movies they love.

Akin to the previous book, Harry is still struggling with identity issues. Now he is a Warden of the White Council and directly in charge of Chicago. However, even while he understands the Council's need, he is still at war with whether their methods are correct. He is still that teenager standing before the Council, waiting for them to pass judgment on something he never fully understood. In this book, it is painfully apparent that he is still struggling with that. Honestly, I wonder how this will change the outcome of the next books. Further, he is still being hunted by Lasciel. While she seemingly accepts her position as a guest in his mind, she is still very much a powerful presence. When Harry is preparing to enter Faerie, he is faced with the fact that he might be too cocky in his belief that he can control her.

This book also deals a lot with his loneliness. Even in the first few books, Harry has always been battered with being alone. With Susan, that really seemed to abate. However, with each book, that struggle has turned into a torment. And Lasciel's scheme in the previous book kind of drove that notion home.

"I saw what kind of man you are. Kind. Gentle . . . Lonely. And . . . And hungry. No one has touched you in a very long time." (465)

This will play a really important role in the future, and, I fear, might mean Harry's downfall. During several points in the book, he made a point to say that this was a very weak area of him.

It was nice to see Michael return and offer a helping hand in Harry's dilemma. However, his statement near the end of the book was rather distressing, and I hope that we will never see it in the books.

In a lot of ways, I felt this book was a lot darker than previous ones. Butcher is really digging into Harry's character and trying to show his internal struggles. This book really mirrors that. I felt it was extremely deep. I am anxious to see what crosses he will have to bear in the next books.

Harry is back. He's a card-carrying member of the Wizard's Council, going to meetings, enforcing the rules - watching as Morgan carries out an execution. This hits very close to home for Harry. He broke one of the rules of wizardry when he was young and if not for the compassion of others, could have been sentenced to death himself.

But he got the chance to learn and grow. To mend his ways. When the Gatekeeper sends him out to find the person or persons using black magic in Chicago, Harry does so hoping it doesn't turn out to be another untrained, young wizard that he has to bring back to meet certain doom.

And his hopes are dashed.

Harry shines again in this story. Throwing himself neck deep into the fray when his friends are threatened. This character just keeps getting better and better.

Once again, Jim Butcher gives us another exciting Harry Dresden tale. This one is #8 in the series. If you haven't read the others, you won't be completely lost but the "bigger picture" will likely be missing. Unlike in some other series, Butcher doesn't spend a lot of time rehashing what has happened in the previous books. Some references are made here and there but not many details are given. While each novel is it's own "adventure" and is wrapped up at the end, there is a larger storyline that progresses through the series and that is what will probably be confusing (or lacking) for newcomers to the series.

Just as with his previous books in this series, there is a lot of action and that special brand of Dresden humor that I have come to love. I have listened to the audiobooks for this series and while the novels in of and themselves are very good, the reader for this series takes them to the next level. It is the audio productions that make them outstanding in my opinion. (I give the stories themselves 4 stars, but the audio versions are a 5!) James Marsters is the reader of these books and he is superb! His voice has become Harry Dresden to me. His cadence and intonation manage to portray Harry's sense of humor, strength and chivalry perfectly. The director could not have cast a better person to narrate these novels.

If you are a fan of this series, you will enjoy this book just as much as the others. It is fast-paced and engaging. It is definitely one of my favorites so far. If you have the opportunity to listen to it, give it a try. I've listened to my share of audiobooks and Marsters is by far one of the best readers I have ever heard.

This has been a fun series to read so far. All of the stories are linked to each other, unlike some of the other extended series I have read. I am amazed at how Jim Butcher consistently puts out Dresden Files books that have intriguing plots and are fun to read. Proven Guilty is one of my favorite books from this series because it has more elements of humor than the other books. Although Dresden is consistently witty and sarcastic throughout the entire series, this book contains some of his best antics. The plot is interesting, and I read the entire book in two sittings. I am really glad that I started this series, and if you have read other Jim Butcher books and like his style of writing, I would definitely recommend The Dresden Files. This is a series you can easily reread, because the books are all so consistently good, and reading 15 books makes it impossible to remember all of them. Again, I would definitely recommend this series to any reader who likes detective stories with elements of fantasy.

Aside from being a devastatingly good read, Dead Beat introduced four very important elements into the Dresdenverse: the revelation that there is a traitor in the White Council of Wizards, a real hint (in the form of Cowl) of the larger Game, the introduction of Lasciel as a character and Harry being made a Warden. While those were introduced in Dead Beat, aside from Lasciel, none of those elements are really addressed until Proven Guilty.

It is, therefore, little surprise when the eighth book in the Dresden Files opens with Harry witnessing his fellow Wardens in action. Unfortunately, not in the battlefield, but in the courtroom. Now that he is a Warden, Harry is more privy to the nastier side of the job: executing rogue practitioners of the Art. Not killing in self-defense, or in the heat of the moment, but summary execution Guillotine style. Obviously this kind of thing does not sit well with our Hero, but you know it will inform the action to come. Oh yeah, Harry also gets a little "heads-up" from the Gatekeeper that there is Black Magic afoot in the old town.

While the other elements I mentioned earlier develop and unfold over the course of the book and mentioning them would be too spoilery, I will say that they are explored in much more depth in this book. Lasciel continues to have a key role in Harry's adventures, though not as prominent as in Dead Beat, and she and Harry's interaction continues to be one of the more intriguing aspects in the series. Dead Beat sent Murphy off in the opening pages, so that book needed Lasciel to fill a role for Harry, and she did it admirably (if deceitfully), but now that Murphy is back, it was only natural for Lasciel's role to be less prominent (though still important).

I am talking about Lasciel so much because the last time we saw the Carpenter family was the celebration at the end of Death Masks where Harry first acquired Lasciel's Coin trying to save Michael's infant son. We readers are not the only ones who have not seen Michael since then, neither has Harry. Worried what his friend will think, worried that he will sense the Denarian taint, Dresden has avoided Michael for nearly three years. Of course Fate intervenes and sends Michael's oldest daughter Harry's way seeking his help for some trouble of the weird kind. While Proven Guilty brings Michael back into the fold, it is actually more about his wife, Charity and daughter, Molly.

Proven Guilty is a book very much about reconciliations. While the newest book set to come out, Changes, indicates in its title a change in direction, Proven Guilty is a transitional novel in its own right. It was not as evident before, but in re-reading the books, Proven Guilty really feels like the beginning of a departure from the more singular story-telling that dominates the first seven books, and a subtle transition into the more Lore heavy later books. I would point to Dead Beat as the last Dresden Files book you can read out of order without it affecting your enjoyment. But the plot, characters and actions in Proven Guilty are SO driven by events in earlier books, the story's depth is largely dependent on already knowing what has gone before (one of the primary plot points, Horror movie monsters coming alive, was actually a throw away line in Dead Beat, or so we thought!). While it draws them into its loop, and makes them feel as if all the books were connected all the while, it is the first book that FEELS that way while you are reading. I actually read Proven Guilty before Dead Beat the first time I went through Dresden, and for the first time since I had been reading the series, felt as if I was really missing out on something by not reading the previous book. I guess by eight books in, it is hard to summarize so much action and plot development efficiently.

The book itself is quality, however, for whatever reason, it is just not one of my favorite books in the series. I will admit that I just LOVE both Dead Beat and White Night though, so part of it may be the "sandwich syndrome" that I mentioned with Blood Rites, where it is just between two better Files books to me. However, even in that comparison, I would say it falls short of Blood Rites as well, and I would rank it in the lower half of Dresden on the whole. I think part of the problem was the first half of the book just did not flow as well for me as other Dresden books. Setting the book largely around a Horror Convention for the first half might be part of that, as I have read other Urban Fantasy books set around conventions that did not draw me in as well as other books in their series (the Repairman Jack book Conspiracies comes to mind). Another thing I was not as enthusiastic about was the focus on Charity, as even after this book I just am very "eh" on her as a character. However, once Harry starts putting things together, the second half opens up and is a lot more entertaining. In fact the last 150 pages or so is comparable to any 150 pages to be found in the Dresdenverse. I just feel like other books in the series have that kind of stretch in them without taking so much time to get going.

As a transitional book Proven Guilty is excellent, as it reconciles many relationships that will be important later, as well as interweaving disparate allies (such as Thomas and Charity) and forcing them to work in concert out of a mutual respect for Harry. This is something that Harry very much shares with his Butcherian counterpart Gaius Octavian. It is one of Tavi's greatest skills to bring former enemies together and get them to work towards a common goal. It is something that Harry has in him as well, and it definitely will become more of an issue going forward, as Harry continues to accrue both allies and enemies, and it will not always be easy to tell them apart.

404 HC pages. 4 out of 5 stars

I found Proven Guilty to be an excellent installment of Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series. Given that it is the eighth novel, there is quite a lot of back-story, but Butcher weaves it into his tale so newcomers and old-hats alike can enjoy it as a standalone book. However, if you really want to appropriately feel for the characters, start from his first book Storm Front and work your way forward. There are goodly number of allies and foes alike, both human and supernatural, so familiarity with the series is helpful.

Life is never easy for Chicago's favorite wizard and it just seems to be getting tougher. The war with the Red Court Vampires has the White Council's forces stretched thin. After Harry witnesses the execution of a young warlock, a senior wizard asks him to look into more black magic activity in the local area. Out of the blue, Molly--eldest daughter of Harry's good friend Thomas--calls him for help. She is working at a local horror convention and there have been some strange things happening. Movie monsters are coming to life and causing mayhem. Harry investigates and soon learns that the land of the faery is involved and these monsters are part of a bigger plot threatening the balance of power. He must face this evil on his home turf and then follow it back into the land of the fae. At least he has some help from the local PD, the wife of a knight of the cross, his vampiric half-brother and two nobles of the Summer Court. Not to mention his dog Mouse, Bob the talking skull and a fallen angel living inside of his own skull.

If that sounds at all interesting, then you owe it to yourself to give Proven Guilty a chance. It is a no-brainer for fans of the series and they should find this a welcome addition to the Dresden Files canon. If you listen to the audio book version, Marsters does another fine job of narrating.

This Dresden file was good, but not as good as the last. I'm not going to bother recapping the previous books because there are too many, but only one thing is important to these books. Harry Dresden is a wizard, a real one, living in Chicago and fighting all sorts of badness while trying to maintain his sanity.

A newly appointed Warden for the White Council of Wizards, Harry has been set to a task of finding out where all this new black magic is coming from in Chicago. His search leads him to his friend's daughter Molly, and a scary movie convention. Horror film monsters are coming alive and killing people at the convention. Harry wants to stop them, but when a spell backfires and instead sends them to the home of his friend and more specifically to the same daughter from the movie convention, Harry knows something is terribly wrong.

Drawn into a plot, Harry, the Molly's mother Charity, Murphy and Thomas join up with some Summer faeries to raid Winter faerie kingdom in hope's of finding the girl alive. They encounter brutal monsters along the way and must fight for survival to go into the heart of Winter. Harry can't help but feel they are being used as chess pieces in some kind of plot though. Despite this he continues on as it is unacceptable for him to leave Molly in danger. Once they get her out though, there's no telling what fate will await Molly for breaking the wizarding laws.

Harry once again improves as a character in this book. There are some more Hell's Bells, but not as much as there used to be. He's also toughter and adding in the influence of his demon denarian coin Lasciel makes things interesting and him a more well-rounded character. He's also starting to lose some of his gullibility. Molly I did not like as a character. I realize Butcher had to have certain motivations for her but I just didn't really care about her as a character. The other characters had lesser parts but they were all well written.

Butcher as a writer is very descriptive. Thankfully, in his later books he has stopped detailing what Harry is wearing, what he looks like, etc. because with Harry as a narrator, it just wasn't very genuine. First person stories should not focus to much on themselves in my opinion. As far as plot goes, this book was good but somewhat unbelievable at the end.

I have come to enjoy the Dresden Files very much. They started out weak but have been getting stronger and stronger with every book. I look forward to reading the next in the series.

Proven Guilty
Copyright 2006
479 pages

Review by M. Reynard 2010

This is the book that kicked Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series into high gear. I bought this book shortly after it was released in May 2006 and it was by far the best book in the Dresden Files series at that time. I was already hooked on the series but after reading this story they couldn't release the next book too soon in my opinion. The best part is that the following books have been getting better and better since then.

Rougly a year after his escapes in Dead Beat, Harry Dresden is back. We open in the middle of a warehouse, Harry and several other Wardens tight in a circle, all staring down at a young man, a wizard who used his magic for darker purposes. Found guilty, he is beheaded, as is the direction of the White Council. If a wizard is proven guilty of breaking one of the seven laws of the White Council, if sentenced to death, it is carried out immediately. And this seriously disturbs Harry. To Harry, the young man was no more than a child in wizard age, and was never taught right from wrong. But a soulgaze on the young man proved there was no helping him and it had to be done. Still, it doesn't sit well with Harry.

As he is leaving, he is handed a note from the Gatekeeper. Black magic is afoot in Chicago, and as the regional Warden, it is his duty to find out the who, why and stop them. And just when Harry is about to start his investigation with a new and powerful `toy', Molly, the daughter of Michael, an longtime friend of Harry's, calls, begging for help. And true to Harry's form, he can't pass up a `damsel in distress' and, against his own judgement, runs to her aid. However, she isn't the one in trouble. Her boyfriend, Nelson, is. Seems he was arrested for beating up an older gentlemen, simply because he was the only one in the room. No blood on his clothes, no break in the skin of his knuckles... Something is very strange, and Harry's determined to find out what's going on.

The first of many areas, Harry glimpses around the bathroom of a conference centre in a hotel, using his Sight. What's disturbing is the residual reflection he sees - and doesn't like it one bit. The hotel is very busy, what with the SPLATTERCON!!! horror convention going on, and while talking with Rawlins outside the bathroom, something else goes down, and Harry runs to find out what.

With more questions and answers, the attacks are made by phonophages, made to look like the `bad guys' fron the horror movies. Phonophages are sprirtual entities that feed on fear and are being either pulled or pushed from the Nevernever. The higher the fear, the more powerful they become. Harry needs to do two things. Stop the phonophages from attacking and find out who's sending them.

The deeper we get into the story, the more complicated it gets. Just when Harry thinks he's got it beat, a twist slaps him back - Molly has been kidnapped by more phonophages and is now being held in Winter's Queen Mab's `headquarters', Arctis Tor, and with the help of Molly's mother Charity, Murphy and Thomas, Summer Lady Lily and Summer Knight Fix, they go in and get Molly back. Once they've retreated and hare back with Father Forthill, Molly is given a choice, one that she has to make up herself. Can Harry handle what the Council might do to her?

Oh, how I love this series! Nothing is ever as it seems, and Harry is constantly battling others as well as himself. He relies heavily on his instincts and does the best he can with what he's got. Considerate as he is, he'll do whatever is necessary and deal with the consequences later.

Non-stop action, the plot not only keeps Harry on his toes, but the reader as well. No one can predict how the story is going to turn. Add in horror movie characters, add in magic and control of that magic and it makes for one heck of a story. What I truly like is how his personal life is entertwined with all that action, between Harry and Murphy, Harry and Molly and her family, Harry and Thomas, and Harry and his feelings of the Wardens and the White Council, Harry and Ebenezer, you not only get a real sense of what Harry's dealing with, but you truly understand what it is about him; why he is the way he is, why he thinks the way he thinks. As a bookaholic who loves many different genres, Harry is one of the top characters where a reader truly gets the `inside look' at the main character.

I can't ask for better. I can only ask that Mr. Butcher keeps Harry coming. Serve me up more, please!

This is the 8th novel in the DRESDEN FILES series of urban dark fantasies featuring Wizard Harry Dresden. As the story opens Harry is settling into his duties as a Warden for the White Council, a position he has attained by virtue of being one of the few trained and talented Wizards left alive after the events of the previous novel, DEAD BEAT. As Harry struggles to reconcile his new Warden duties with his own troubled past he acquires a new client, the daughter of his friend Michael. Little Molly is not the gawky preadolescent Harry remembered from happier days she has grown from sweet but gangly into a beautiful but punked out and pierced raging teen. While Harry tries to help Molly and her family resolve their problems, a particularly difficult chore for Harry since he has so little experience with happy family life himself he also discovers some evidence of some serious misuse of magic taking place on his turf. And as if this is not enough Harry has his own issues with his vampire half brother Thomas who is attempting to adapt into the mortal world, Harry's love life, rather lack thereof and then the small matter of the fallen angel who is attempting to claim Harry's soul. Some days it just doesn't pay for a Wizard to get out of bed.

This is series is an excellent combination of adventure and humor as wise cracking Harry struggles to keep the mean streets of Chicago safe from other worldly trouble. The overall story arc of this series is quite pronounced so begin at the beginning, STORM FRONT, and proceed in order. Each story does very much build on previous ones to the extent that reading them out of order would leave the reader confused. Fans of the short lived TV series are also advised that there are significant deviations between the TV and book storylines.

If you are a fan of the Dresden Files TV series and are considering checking into the print series, do yourself a favor and start at the beginning. "Proven Guilty" is eighth in the series, preceded by, in order:

Storm Front Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1)

Fool Moon Fool Moon (The Dresden Files, Book 2)

Grave Peril Grave Peril (The Dresden Files, Book 3)

Summer Knight Summer Knight (The Dresden Files, Book 4)

Death Masks Death Masks (The Dresden Files, Book 5)

Blood Rites Blood Rites (The Dresden Files, Book 6)

Dead Beat Dead Beat (The Dresden Files, Book 7)

Also, the reality in the books is a little different than the TV series, and you won't enjoy the books if you get hung up on the TV canon. My advice is kick back and enjoy the ride. Unlike many series authors, Jim Butcher has sustained the quality and appeal of the series throughout.

The Dresden Files are noir detective novels in the classic vein, with a loner, wiseass private eye narrator in this case based in Chicago. Harry Dresden has an edgy relationship with the police, and between his PI practice and police consulting, is barely able to make ends meet. The twist is that the detective is also a wizard capable of calling fire and, on a good day, repelling bullets.

The writer's challenge is to provide his detective with challenges that he can't solve with a wave of his wand. These tend to be ever-increasing supernatural foes, people problems, and vexing situations that combine the two.

"Proven Guilty" begins darkly, with Warden Harry witnessing the execution of an untrained teenager who misused his magic. The dark theme prevails through the book. "Proven Guilty" continues the story arc that was begun in "Dead Beat". Prior to this, the stories were more self-contained. Some of bad guys in "Dead Beat" got away (for any series, pretty much a guarantee they'll appear in a sequel), and Harry became aware of a sinister force moving against the wizards' White Council. In "Proven Guilty" the unseen hand of these evil forces that Harry calls the Black Council are once more in the background. In the foreground, though, are the ingredients we know and love about a Harry Dresden story: big, messy forces of magic with innocent bystanders in the way, tense relationships between Harry and those he loves best, and the Harry Dresden Code.

Molly Carpenter, the wise-beyond-her-years rebellious teenager who made a cameo appearance in "Death Masks" takes center stage here. Her rebellion is in full flower here and Harry once more runs afoul of her formidable mom, Charity.

If I could give this book 3.5 stars, I would. The appeal to me of the Dresden Files is the characters. I really enjoy Harry and his inner struggles to adhere to his black-and-white code in a very grey world. I also appreciate his evolving relationships with the people (I use the term loosely) in his world. I admire the way Jim Butcher keeps raising the stakes for Harry as his powers and knowledge develop. He also deftly puts barriers between Harry and his powers at times, or blocks his access to powerful allies to avoid the "Fantastic Four" problem.

Where the story loses my interest is in the complex political machinations within the supernatural. Whatever politics is in the mundane world is usually within the context of the detective genre: the mobster has ties in government and law enforcement, and Murphy has internal politics in the police department that we are all familiar with from TV. But I only have a limited appetite for intra-faerie politics and if I really have to internalize it to follow the story I get a little testy.

Perhaps Jim Butcher is getting distracted by his other series, "The Codex Alera". However, I remain a big Harry Dresden fan and am optimistic about sequels.

Warden Harry Dresden is tortured by guilt over two killings he made--killings he believes were necessary but were made in cold blood. The trial of a young warlock, hopelessly corrupt though he may be, raises Dresden's guilt to a higher level. He's already conflicted when the Gatekeeper lets him know that dark magic has infected his own city of Chicago. But staying alive long enough to investigate is going to be a problem. Someone attempts a hit-and-run assassination on Dresden, monsters straight out of slasher-horror movies are haunting the theaters and streets of Chicago, and conflict between the summer and winter courts of the Seelie have prevented the fae from providing any aid to the White Council as it battles with the vampire Red Court.

The action never lets up as Dresden confronts one foe after another--with each success, each survival, only throwing him into deeper trouble and more danger. When his best friend's daughter becomes involved, Dresden's personal stake grows much higher. All of the IOUs he's painfully accumulated may not be enough to get him out of the mess alive--especially because his own allies are the ones most likely to be gunning for him.

Author Jim Butcher delivers what may be the strongest and most compelling of his DRESDEN FILES novels yet. Rich with subplots, filled with angst as well as action, and set in a wonderfully complex piece of world-building, PROVEN GUILTY grabs the reader and throws him into Dresden's world. Dresden himself makes a wonderful character--simultaneously hard-boiled and sentimental. Secondary characters, especially Dresden's brother Michael, possible love interest, Murphy, Skull Bob, and Dresden's mysterious dog, Mouse add interest.

Fans of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files will definitely want to grab this one. If you enjoy urban fantasy and you haven't discovered Butcher yet, PROVEN GUILTY will definitely make a believer out of you. I'm happy to recommend this one highly. Well done, Jim Butcher.

_Proven Guilty_ itself isn't, in my opinion, a 5-star book. I save a 5-star rating for the best of the best. In the case of this review, I've given the series itself a 5-star rating for what the Navy used to call Sustained Superior Performance. All eight Dresden Files books have been solid 4-star books -- 4 stars being the best I usually give.

For a series to earn 5 stars from me is pretty unprecedented. The characters in a series are prone to fall one of two ways, in my experience. Either they solidify into dullness; or they morph into caricature. The authors of series books are at high risk for boredom. After a while, many of them stop caring about the stories, and just start slapping them together willy-nilly. Or, in an attempt to keep things fresh, they change the characters too much, too quickly, and in ways we readers find unbelievable.

Jim Butcher has avoided these traps with the Dresden Files. In book #8, the writing is as good as it ever was -- oh, I grant you, they aren't high literature -- but they are excellent stories, told very well. And Butcher is still clearly *writing* these stories, not just phoning them in. The characters have remained fresh and interesting. They change -- but always in ways that seem believable and are supported within the text. Each book has left me eager to read the next one. Not just out of nostalgia for beloved characters, as is the case with so many other series I've read -- but, actively *eager* to see what will happen next.

Terrific books -- just terrific. I can't recommend them highly enough.

Harry Dresden - now a Warden of the White Council, in charge of the Chicago-Land area - is troubled. He doesn't like the callous way that young wizards who unknowingly break the Council's law are dispatched without giving them a chance to change their ways. But it seems there is nothing he can do about it. He receives a message from the mysterious Gatekeeper, warning him there is Black magic afoot and to be on the lookout for it. As he prepares to find where the Black magic may be, his phone rings - it is Molly, the daughter of his friend Michael, Knight of the Cross. She says she is in jail and needs him to bail her out. Which isn't quite true - it turns out it is her boyfriend Nelson who is in jail; there was an incident at Splattercon!!! (a horror convention) in which an old man was beaten up in a bathroom - Nelson was the only other person in the room. Although he says he did not do the deed, there was no one else there, so the police ran him in. Harry agrees to investigate. Things turn ugly fast when horror movie monsters begin to show up at the convention and maim and kill people. To make matters worse, Harry notices severe psychic trauma on many of the victims.

A solid entry in the Harry Dresden series with an unexpected twist, this story keep me reading well past the time I should have turned off the lights. These stories just keep getting better (although Harry might not agree!) and I am enjoying the series immensely. I hope it continues for a good long while! A strong recommend for anyone who enjoys a good paranormal mystery.

In this book, Harry is forced to watch the execution of a young teen who, like Harry himself, fell afoul of black magic. Harry is heartbroken to see this. And so when he discovers that someone else (nameless to prevent spoilage) is about to fall for the same trap, he heroically jumps in, all of this while all Hell is breaking loose, of course.

If you're new to the Dresden File series, Harry Dresden is the only wizard in the Chicago Yellow Pages, a supernatural gumshoe who lives in his rundown Chicago apartment. His tongue-in-cheek neo-noir narration is just lots of fun to read. While the series is driven more by a blazing and far-sweeping plot than by characters, the characters, too, are multifaceted individuals (for the most part) who learn (or not) from real mistakes. And seriously, who doesn't love a polka-playing Medical Examiner? A sex-feeder who has sworn off sex.... A fairy godmother who wants to turn you into a pet dog and love and take care of you forever. The list goes on...

Great fun. Outstanding writing. Paced for thrills with no slow spots. Darkly urban, contemporary setting. Magical, colorful characters. What's not to like?

The series is best enjoyed by starting with the first novel, Storm Front.
Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1)

In the eighth installment of the Dresden Files, Chicago's favorite wizard battles creatures from famous horror flicks in desperate battles in and around Chicago (including the Winter Kingdom which must be a northern suburb). Handicapped by a shriveled hand and an inner demon who tempts him to the dark side, Harry Dresden steps out of his role as lone wolf and actually asks for help from the dishy Lt. Karrin Murphy.

Jim Butcher has always portrayed Harry as a balancing on a sharp edge. As a young wizard, Harry fell into the hands of an evil master. His first contact with so-called "good wizards" was a tribunal trying him for killing his master in self-defense. That bit of personal history comes full circle as Harry discovers that Molly, the daughter of his friend Michael Carpenter, has magical talent inherited from her mother Charity. Furthermore, Molly has, with all the best intentions in the world, broken one of the Seven Laws of Magic that could earn her an automatic death sentence. In a very real sense of the world, Harry's battle to save Molly is a struggle to save himself.

This looks less like boffo fantasy and more and more like literature. Am I still allowed to read this for fun? Is there a category called kicka** literature?

Harry, with Mouse in tow end up at a horror convention and something spooky goes this way. And the whole investigation is complication because his best friend's elder child is wrapped up in a not so nice sort of way. And nothing is quite clear as sub-plots are getting pretty quick. But now he has an awesome mini-Chicago in his lab the allows him to work his magic at a greatly increased range. Besides this, he gets no help from anyone unless he considers them a Friend.

A few Other Things have taken score and are trying to cause Harry to Join the Club. Though it all, he maintains that one man can indeed make a difference. Well, one hero with a whole heck of a lot of Friends.

It is getting hard to write these things without spoilers. The best things are the Charity and Molly scenes, and Mouse is making scene all by his lonesome. More and more reasons to keep up with the series.

>>> This is one of Dresden Fan's favourites, at least as for right now. >>>

I bought this in hardback, fresh off the presses, without the benefit of any reviews - based purely on the quality of the prior books in the series. I was not disappointed - in fact, I plan on buying the next one in hardback also.

Butcher sets a good pace to his books, and Proven Guilty is no exception. I also like the fact that while there are developments on issues that are significant to those who have read all of the books, each book stands alone and the immediate conflicts are resolved. You have to have respect for an author who knows how to wrap up a story in a single book, and at the same time maintain the progression of the central character's life. In Proven Guilty, [plot spoiler!] we find out that Michael knows that Harry has picked up a denarius. However, Butcher also continues to dangle Harry's relationship with Murphy in front of us like a dirt farmer dangling a carrot in front of a mule; and I'd also like to find out just what Harry's brother has been up to. Finally, we know the Merlin and almost everyone is winter court at Faerie is going to be after Harry - plenty of conflict for another outing with Harry Dresden. I can't wait for the next one - if you haven't read this one, do yourself a favor and get it.

Proven Guilty was another great installment in the Dresden Files. Combined with the last book and the next two, this series has taken a turn for the better. After the first book, I felt that this series had lots of potential if Butcher could improve his writing technique, and he has. I finished each of the last three books in a day. After receiving the first nine from a friend, I was compelled to purchase Small Favor for myself. These novels are great.

I do agree with another reveiwer who feels that the basic plot is a little predictable. Harry gets involved in a case, Harry gets beat up, Harry somehow survives, Harry thinks he figures it out, Harry gets beat up, Harry arrises victorius. However, Butcher creates new and exciting plots to carry out this sequence. He also creates detailed characters that are fun to follow throughout the series. Nicodemus is my favorite villain. The history Butcher puts into his characters is what has sold me on this series. Additionally, I enjoy the intrigue between Summer, Winter and Harry Dresden.

I enjoyed this novel, and I highly recommend it.

This series just gets better and deeper with each book. Lots of magic, lots of thrills, lots of sarcastic humor, but don’t let those fool you – – this is a series about the power of greed and selfishness and true evil, and love and goodness and God, and the deepest questions of life and how good, though imperfect, people (and wizards) have to answer them with every action they take, or refuse to take.

Sounds like a broken record, but this is my favorite Harry Dresden so far. I hope that I can continue to say that for a long time to come.

"Proven Guilty" starts out with a plea from Molly Carpenter, the daughter of one of Harry's friends and a Knight of the Lord, Michael. Her boyfriend is in jail for a crime he didn't commit--could Harry come bail him out.

There's a lot of reasons for not doing this. First and foremost, Molly's Mom doesn't like Harry and she's KILL him if she caught him interfering with her daughter.

When Molly tells Harry the boyfriend is an orphan with no one to help him, he can't resist.

This is how he learns that very implausible murders are happening at SPLATTERCON!!!, a horror convention being held in Chicago. Harry begins unofficially investigating and discovers the perps are 'phobophages' creatures that feed on fear.

The trick is finding out who summoned those phobophages--and all of this of course is happening during the mages war with the Red Council. We not only get crime solving, but political intrigues as well.

Well done, Jim!!!!!!!!

Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher

Harry Dresden finds one of his staunchest supporters family is in danger. As a new Warden he finds his distaste for the way the White Council handles dissidents. When Michael's daughter finds her snagged in Council and Fairy politics, Harry finds himself over his head again.

Butcher causes Harry to question his value system in each and every book. Soul searching seems to be a hallmark. Insurmountable odds and monumental tasks are also in each book. In spite of a similar formula, I have really enjoyed each book. Why would you ever get tired of deep, rich, yummy chocolate cake anymore than you would the Dresden files. Harry's emotional fragility in his personal relationships and his inability to recognize how much he is respected contribute to his likeability. You see a slow maturation of Harry Dresden as the series proceeds. I highly recommend the entire series. You will be seeing more as I have finally purchased all the ones that have currently been printed.

This is mainly a review of the series rather than this one book. I've read books 1-8 of this series and really enjoy them but some of them have tended to follow a formula.

Harry Dresden, the clever, sarcastic, powerful wizard comes to the rescue! Over and over again. He can't resist the lure of the damsel in distress or the innocent about to be crushed by some evil monster, demon, vampire, or other assorted nasty. He gets beaten to a pulp usually more than once per story, often coming close to being killed and somehow manages to bounce back, this even before he somehow acquired enhanced healing abilities (book 6 or 7?). These are urban fantasy, super-hero wizard, action packed detective yarns full of the thrill of the chase and the whodunit but a bit heavy on the gore factor at times. I love stories about magic, magicians, wizards, witches, etc. but have a hard time with the excessive number of slavering demons, drooling vampires and their ilk.

Nevertheless, Butcher is a good writer and I will probably continue to read this series because they're quite entertaining.

It is so hard to write a review about a book when you can only think about how good it is and how much you enjoyed reading it. Harry really has his hands full this time. The part that I really liked was of course the end, but how he figures out about Molly. Then the really best part was the battle at Mab's compound. My heart was stopped several times and I really had to tell myself to breath. Without adding any spoilers for a new reader but it was also awesome about Charity and Harry finally coming to terms. There are some really out of sight things that happen it this book that you as fans will really enjoy. Can't wait for the next book...teehee. I already have it open and set to read.

I love the Dresden Files -- I feel like Harry is really right down the road in Chicago (I admit I actually looked for his ad in the Yellow Pages!), he's that real. I've been with this series since Book #1 Storm Front and it keeps going strong.

Proven Guilty might not be the best of the series but it's still good. It's obviously a transitional piece; the plot itself isn't as important as the developments elsewhere. But Harry stays true to form, wise-cracking, hopelessly idealistic and getting the cr*p beat out of him regularly. All part of the job, apparently!

My concern is the addition of his new apprentice... Will this spoil the series? We're used to seeing Harry as a lone gun -- mostly -- or, as he puts it, a spellslinger. Is he going to go respectable on us? Let's hope not!

All-in-all, Proven Guilty did what it was supposed to do: set the scene for future Big Happenings. Although I missed Billy and the Werewolves (it does sound like a rock band!) and Johnny Marcone wasn't even mentioned (!!) hopefully the gang will be back for Book #9. Write faster, Jim!

This novel packs a lot. There're the spirit monsters being let loose at a local horror flick convention, there's drama within Michael's family (Harry's friend, the Knight of the Cross), there's a wee bit of romance for Harry, and there's a ton of political intrigue with the White Council and Faerie courts. Everything is tied together quite smoothly from early on in the novel, so it doesn't seem like too much, but the book does move very quickly.

As others have said, this book seems much more grim than some of the earlier novels. Bad things happen, and Harry just can't stop all of them. The problems are just too big. But there are still plenty of jokes and wryly drawn characters.

The major difference between this book and the last is that there are more loose ends and unsolved mysteries. The author appears to be shifting gears and starting to tell the beginning of a multi-novel struggle. Kind of reminds me of the X-files - big dark undercurrents are out there and you have no idea if or when the good guys are going to figure out what's going on.

I read the book in about six hours. Taking out an hour out to eat. It was engrossing, tight, dramatic, and fun.

Proven Guilty proves Jim Butcher is a good writer getting better. The book is fun to read on several counts: the characters matter, they have substance and are credible, even as they carry off nearly incredible feats of survival against the nasty dark forces of evil--and the author's fertile imagination. The story lines are well developed, keeping one guessing, leaving you wanting more. Butcher writes intelligently, with pathos and humor, driving the reader with anxious anticipation over whether he can keep the fast pace going, and he does, for eight books now. I'm happy to have encountered the Dresden adventures of a mage detective listed in the Chicago phonebook, especially because I feel oddly ennobled by the moral struggles, failures and successes the characters achieve. After reading each of the Dresden books, I find myself wondering: "until the next comes along, how am I going to entertain myself?" Consider this series a goldmine, invest in a good read and dig in. (Recommended for high school teens and adults.)

In the late 80s, I remember coming across Mike Resnick's STALKING THE UNICORN, which tells of a New York P.I. hired to locate a missing unicorn. Shortly after, I started reading Glen Cook's series of Garrett books and thinking how cool the premise was: an old-school-type private eye plying his trade in a fantasy setting. Jim Butcher, in this decade, has seemingly taken up Glen Cook's mantle as Harry Dresden is proving to be an even more popular, higher profiled character than Garrett. While I've grown quite disenchanted with Cook's more recent Garrett efforts, Butcher's Dresden books seem to keep getting bigger and better. PROVEN GUILTY, the eight installment in the Dresden Files, is yet another example of how entertaining this series has become.

Plot SPOILERS here. After the vampiric Red Court's decimation of the ranks of the White Council of Wizards (in DEAD BEAT), self-advertising wizard-for-hire Harry Dresden now finds himself reluctantly enlisted as a new Warden. While maintaining his acrimonious relationship with stuffy head Council member Merlin, Harry is tasked by another senior Council elder to investigate acts of black magic being perpetrated in Dresden's Chicago hometown. Harry's plate of trouble gets even more heaped on as he is begged by Molly Carpenter, the daughter of a friend, to help out her boyfriend, who just might be in magical peril. Molly is the daughter of Michael Carpenter, a Knight of the Cross and a friend whom Harry had been guiltily avoiding due to Harry's tainted passengering of the ancient fallen angel Lasciel upon his consciousness.

Add to his woes the further machinations of the fairy Summer and Winter factions and it all boils down to Harry and his tiny group of friends venturing into a monster convention (Splattercon!!!), fighting off phobophages (malignant creatures who siphon off their victims' fears), invading the heart of the Sidhe Winter court on a rescue mission, and even possibly defying the White Council itself.

In seven books, Jim Butcher has gradually enlarged his cast of characters within the world of Harry Dresden, some of whom return here. PROVEN GUILTY treats the reader with appearances by the devout knight Michael Carpenter, Lily and Fix (now respectively the Summer Lady and Summer Knight), Harry's incubus brother Thomas, and Karrin Murphy, head of Chicago PD's Special Investigations Department and Harry's potential romantic interest. This time, the spotlight shines bright on Michael's frosty but loyal wife Charity, who proves she's more than just about nagging and hating on Harry, and her rebellious teen daughter Molly, who's keeping her own secret. Meanwhile, Harry's immoral though invaluable skull familiar Bob continues to provide the lighter moments, while Harry's faithful dog Mouse makes me want to buy a pet and go hunting for vampires.

There are events unfolding here which will have huge repercussions down the line for Dresden as he persists in challenging the Council's stringent policies and defiantly following his own personal code of ethics. PROVEN GUILTY is another excellent read as it rapidly involves the reader in its breakneck pace, engaging characters, and a plot rife with implications, monsters, and magical showdowns. The series' prevailing arc involving the war amongst the Council, the Red Court, and the fairy assemblies continues to be given great weight and attention as Harry's place in the ongoing struggle is defined even more clearly. As usual, Jim Butcher toes the line as he infuses elements of humor, pathos, and heroic drama into his efforts. He succeeds admirably. Harry Dresden is a nifty character who, with his wise-cracking yet ethical and darkly tainted persona, proves to be appealing and popular enough to garner his own television series on the Sci-Fi Channel. Jim Butcher's next Harry Dresden hardcover is WHITE NIGHT and comes out in April 2007. Can't friggin' wait!

This is number eight in the Dresden Files series that Jim Butcher has crafted for our pleasure. The hero of this series is Harry Dresden, a wizard in the city of Chicago. It amazes me to know that I lived only a short distance from a center of an alternate universe, where Wizards, Warlocks, Faeries, Vampires and other such creatures long believed to be myths and legends actually congregate to wreck havoc on mere mortals.

But Harry is a good guy. Everyone who knows him tells him so. Even some who are not actual fans, respect his abilities and his sense of good will triumph over evil.

In this book, Harry has become a Warden, much to his reluctance, but the world of magic is at war. It looks like the good guys need all the help they can get, so they enlist Harry to become a Warden of the Chicago area. Well, rebel that he is, and always looking to do the right thing, Harry surely gets himself into it this time.

A friend's daughter has innocently tapped into her powers and summoned demons of Black Magic literally to Harry's doorstep. He must rescue the maiden; stop the murdering creatures that feed on fear, avoid getting killed by many who are after him and save the girl from retribution over misuse of the Laws of Magic.

Harry thinks the White Council should do more to help young people who are finding their powers to channel them to good causes, instead of allowing them to run about and possibly causing irreparable harm without even knowing they are doing so. Sounds like they should start a school like Hogwarts. Politics, it seems are everywhere, even in Legend-land.

In the romance department, Harry and his friend Murphy come to an understanding. Maybe its not exactly what they want, or is it?

Each installment of the series expands on Harry's abilities and brings in more intrigue and twits and tangles. Each book leaves you wondering what or who is going to come at Harry next to mess up his life and put him in harm's way.

This series has been good from the start, and Proven Guilty shows that Mr. Butcher is making it even better! This one has it all: an addictive plot, plenty of magic and mystery, fun dialogue, and (best of all) great characters. Harry is back, along with several favorites that we haven't seen for a while. I was especially glad to see Michael Carpenter (and his family) show up again, and a couple of them (his wife and oldest daughter) really come into their own in this novel. Get ready for some surprises in the Carpenter household! We also get a look at some of Harry's Faerie friends, and the White Council (including Harry's mentor Ebenezear) turns up in a few spots, as well.

Do you know who these people are? Great! Run and buy this book, quick -- you're in for a real treat.

No idea what I'm talking about? You can definitely read this book, too, but you may be better off starting a bit earlier in the series -- every one of the now eight books has been great, and you'll get a better feel for the characters if you ease into it (some of Harry's internal dialogue won't make much sense if you jump in cold.) I would suggest starting with Storm Front, the first in the series.

All in all, this book is exactly what I've been wanting to have in my hands since three days after the last one came out. Jump on it, and then settle in for the wait for the next one!

The end seemed to drag on for just a bit too long. The whole icky final scenes with Harry and Molly were just...well, icky. It doesn't matter what did or didn't happen, the truth is Butcher just didn't need to go there. It was more of a pandering to forbidden desires while letting Harry keep the high road. It just plain didn't need to be done.

And can we stop with the final, let's all sit down and remind the reader of all the bad things still out there at the end so we can justify the need for the next installment? We love Harry. We want more stories about Harry. But we don't need the recap at the end of every novel.

This audio version is wonderfully read by James Marsters. He does an exceptional job voicing Harry and the others from teenage girls to old cynical wizards.

One of the best in a very entertaining series. Butcher sets up about five subplots and then intertwines them before resolving them one by one, allowing the book to have several climaxes. There is much well thought out character development of many of your favourite characters, the Carpenters in particular. He pokes subtle fun at fan conventions in the book, and there is much Faerie involvement, both Summer and Winter.
Dresden refers back to this book in many future ones, so it's important to read this one to understand the series.

Another great listening to James Marsters. Since Harry was officially a Warden of the White Council, he was tasked to find the person who casted a black magic that violated the rules of the Council. He suspected many except the one person who was just an arms-length to him. He would go through another tribulation just to save this person. Frankly, the author did a great job on twisting the Carpenter's story. I was shocked for I did not expect the event would turn into that direction. Well done, Mr. Butcher!

This was my favorite Dresden so far. I love the characters so much in this series. Everytime I get to read a new one I feel like I am visiting with very dear and amusing friends. This one doesn't skimp on that department.

Dresden at its worst is when it is over the top silly. A little bit is to be expected but some of them go outside my taste. Harry riding a Dinosaur through Chicago anyone? Proven Guilty has just the right amount of silly. He takes the ridiculous situations in the book and infuses them with enough truth to make everything come together beautifully.

Bring on book 9!

Proven Guilty (2006) is the eighth Urban Fantasy novel in the Dresden Files series, following Dead Beat. In the previous volume, Harry animated a Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton and found that Sue could really fly low. Of course, she skidded badly on the highspeed turns.

Harry shot Captain Luccio in the head, but she wasn't actually Captain Luccio at the time. Harry and Ramirez rode Sue through the revenant opposition and got Grevane in the neck. Then Bob the air spirit rode Sue through the wind and mirk and roared Kumori into temporary paralysis. Harry immediately broke loose and hit Cowl with his staff. Darkhallow released all its energy in one enormous necromantic blast.

In this novel, Harry attends the trial and execution of a young magic wielder. The boy had violated the Fourth Law, using his powers to control other minds. When Warden Morgan beheads the young offender, Dresden is literally sick at the sight.

Such executions are becoming more frequent. With most of the population ignorant of the sheer existence of magic, the culture doesn't provide any guidance to these young magic users. And the White Council is too secretive to open schools for budding wizards.

With the war with the Red Court vampires, the Council doesn't even have enough wizards to monitor the population for emerging talents. They certainly lack the personnel to train properly all these new magic wielders in the use of their talents. Yet ignorance of the White Council laws does not excuse these young magicians from the enforcement of these laws.

The Council laws are designed to protect the general population. Violation of these laws always results in damage to the victims and also to the violators themselves. Eventually, such practices will turn the violators into incorrigibly evil sorcerers.

Harry doesn't have any solution to this problem, but he realizes that such enforcement also has a price. Even justifiable killing produces emotional damage and often leads to callous attitudes. Dresden really doesn't want to become like Morgan. He doesn't have a solution to this problem, but still believes that there should be a better answer.

In this story, Ebenezar McCoy asks Harry to discover the reason for the lack of reaction by the Faery Courts to the recent Red Court intrusion onto their lands. Both the Summer and Winter courts had promised to retaliate against the vampires. Harry has the best contacts in Faery of any wizard in the White Council.

However, McCoy warns Dresden to be careful of whom he approaches in his info gathering. It has become very obvious that someone in the White Council is passing information to the Red Court. Now McCoy suspects that the traitor is within the Senior Council itself.

McCoy also gives him a note from Rashid, the Gatekeeper. It states that black magic has been detected within Chicago during the past ten days. Harry passes on the word to his contacts to be alert for signs of black magic and makes plans to use the new Little Chicago model to aid his search.

While Harry is undergoing the purification ritual for his quest, he receives a phone call from Molly Carpenter. Claiming to have been arrested by the police, Molly asks Harry to come bail her out. When he gets there, however, he finds that her boyfriend had been arrested, not Molly herself.

After Harry bails out Nelson, he finds out the reason for the arrest. Nelson was acting as security for SPLATTERCON!!! -- a horror film fan convention -- and was in the restroom when someone, or something, had beaten Clark Pell severely. By the time Nelson had gotten out of the stall, no one was present in the restroom other than Pell and himself. The cop outside the door and the security camera had not seen anyone else enter or leave the restroom, so Nelson had been arrested.

After hearing the full story and checking with the witnesses, Harry strongly suspects that something supernatural might be happening at the convention. He is talking to Rawlings -- the cop working the convention -- when panic occurs in a viewing room. The creature attacking the fans appears to be an exact image of the monster in a horror film. It kills several people with its sickle. When it attacks Rawlings, Harry blasts it with enough kinetic energy to send it through the movie screen and to dent the back wall.

This story takes Harry back to Faery. He works with the Summer Lady and the Summer Knight once again and briefly visits the Winter Queen and the Winter Knight. He also manages to save one violator of the Fourth Law from summary execution.

Harry also gets to see a different view of Charity Carpenter, Michael's wife. Charity had always been suspicious of Harry's relationship with Michael. Now she is very dubious of his intentions toward her eldest daughter Molly. Nonetheless, she works with Harry to protect her family.

Mouse tags along with Harry through most of the tale. He is no longer small; Harry describes Mouse as a "West Highlands Dogasaurus" as he introduces him to Molly. Not only is he an extra large dog, his body glows with St. Elmo's fire while running down monsters.

Highly recommended for Butcher fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of wizardry, Faery creatures, and horror films.

-Arthur W. Jordin

What is a Warden to do? Save the Girl- or all of the girls....

Dead Beat is where we left Harry off last... Now he is a Warden and wants justice not just the letter of the law or the letter of the Laws of Magic.
He has to see injustice before he becomes strong enough to really be able to serve as Justice- not so much unlike a Batman or Superman comic Harry has to fall and make mistakes before he can be the hero and save the girl or any of the other beauties he presented in Proven Guilty.

Book was - still very well written.

It is still my opinion that one should read HD books in order from book 1 storm front to how ever much you perfer. But starting from the beginning gives you more depth than reading just this book alone.
As others mention Jim does a great job of keeping you up to date, like the (previously on -show-) fake outs of stuff so you know what is going on to keep you there until you are able to go back and redo the things you missed.
I still think it better to just start from the top-

great book though - helps to know who's side Harry is really on.

Harry is now officially part of the Wardens, a unit that watches over magical affairs. Not that they really wanted him nor he them. The bigger problem is more about Fear, as a horror moviefest is being held and people die, very nastily. Someone is tapping into peoples subconscious and bringing forth their fears in the various forms, allowing them to take shape and cause real damage.
There are two major problems, however, first problem is, the person is untrained and the penalty is harsh - it involves a Wardens sword and the neck person who was using magic without training. Second problem is, Harry may know exactly who it is, and he's not sure if he can deal out that sort of punishment to someone he knows that well. He's pretty sure he won't allow anyone else to hand out that sort of punishment, not on his turf.

The story opens with a teenager being beheaded for perpetrating evil magic. It warped him, and the Wardens of the White Council don't have personnel to rehabilitate him. Harry hates it, but there's not much he can do. He agrees that an evil warlock shouldn't run around unsupervised, and agrees that there isn't anyone to do the supervising, but... It sucks that so many kids who develop magic have no one to teach them the ropes.

Harry hates it and does a cleansing ritual with burning sandalwood and everything. Then he gets a call from Molly, his pal Michal's teen daughter, from the police station. Uh oh. Another teenager going to the bad? Harry isn't going to have to watch someone kill her too, is he? But heading for the police station while smelling of sandalwood smoke is just hilarious.

Molly, murder and mayhem ensue, at Splattercon!!! (Three ! are part of the official spelling). Horror film cons are SUPPOSED to have really good cos-play (costumed fans) but not actual horror characters coming out of the film to kill people. There must be a teen-warlock running around! Who could it be? Harry sets a clever trap. It almost works.

Character growth - Harry still has a 'Save the Girl' complex, but it seems he learned that women can fight as well as he can. And think more clearly. [Well, that's not hard ;)]

At the end, when the teenager Harry likes is on track for a speedy trial and beheading (You knew this was coming, right?) he steps up to become a mentor, just like Ebeneezer did for him long ago. This courtroom scene is just AWESOME. Way to collect allies, dude!

Some time after Splattercon!!! (spoiler)
Sp-
oi-
ler-
Molly is kidnapped. Her mom Charity is in on the rescue mission. So is cop Karin Murphy and vampire Thomas Raith. What qualifies Charity as a rescuer? Her husband is a premier swordsman. Who has he been practicing with? And who makes his armor? Luckily, Charity has spares. Iron armor against fairy, yay! Also, thinking ahead for the big trip. That's a mom-trait, not a Harry Dresden trait.

Getting the Summer Lady to sponsor his attack against the Winter Queen- smart.

Referring to his friend's daughter as 'the girl' instead of by name - way to objectify the human, dude.

Jim Butcher's usual multi-threaded plots and offbeat humor sat me through this novel in one sitting. That is excellent. Butcher finally puts a lot of unresolved threads together from the previous novels, which means it isn't a good idea to read this one first. For example, he blantant spoils the ended to Summer Knight when Harry has a meeting with high ranking memebers of Titania's court.

The pace is blistering. The action is gripping. So why do I give it only four stars?

Well I really wanted to give it five. However in the early chapters a mishap with Harry's Volkswagon, the Blue Beetle takes it out of commission. This is a minor point, but it does mean when Harry takes his large dog Mouse out with him, they are using cabs.

After the beetle's demise, Harry takes Mouse to a police station, then over to long forgetten friend's house, then to a horror film convention, then a hospital. Sometime during these escapades, all mention of the dog disappears. Mouse winks back into existence at Harry's house the next morning. From what I could tell during a re-read, the dog goes MIA around chapter eight, and shows up around chapter thirteen. So many other things are going on, the reader just forgets the dog. It's just during a transition scene, I was suprised the enormous dog wasn't mentioned. It doesn't majorly upset any plots, the incongruity just jangled against my sense of disbelief.

It could be I'm blind fool, but I think the paragraphs with Mouse's contributions were edited out somehow. That prevents me from bestowing the final star. This reason alone makes me believe Dead Beat is Jim's best published novel so far. Though Proven Guilty is worth buying, and it raises new disturbing questions about the bad guys. The title is very appropriate, but as to who is proven guilty, I'll leave you to read for yourself.

Warning - spoilers if you have't read the previous book.

In this installment of the Dresden Chronicles, Harry faces one of the darker sides of his new role as a Warden - that of judge, jury, and executioner when it comes to dealing with those mortal wizards that have broken the laws of magic. The story opens in a warehouse, where Harry witnesses such a trial (if it even can be called that). The young warlock is executed, for even if he was ignorant of the rules of magic, once a wizard deals in the black arts, that type of magic is so damaging to the users' psyche that rehabilitation is almost always impossible.

The other Wardens leave, and Harry soon finds that someone needs his help. Molly, the eldest daughter of Dresden's holy-warrior friend, Michael, calls him from jail. At first she claims to need bail money for herself, but when Harry arrives, it turns out that her boyfriend is the one in custody. This all leads Harry to discover that movie monsters have appeared at the local horror convention, where they have injured and killed several attendees.

I thought that this book was one of the weaker volumes in the series. I felt like it was setting up several things for future plot lines. From the opening scene, I could immediately guess at part of the ending as well. When the source of the movie monsters is discovered at the end, I felt like that plot thread was resolved poorly. Harry learns why they are arriving and stops them, but I cannot quite figure out how they had ever arrived in the first place. Also, the movie monsters killed several people, and there were apparently few real-world consequences for this.

This was still an enjoyable book, and I'm already reading the next one.

Harry Desden is finding life as a warden is not all he thought it would be. A member of the white council is betraying information to the red court vampires and some are even whispering that the traitor might be Harry. On top of all his other problems he is asked by his old friend Michel to keep an eye on his daughter. From there things get even more interesting. It's the beginning of a hopefully very entertaining subplot between Harry Dresden and Molly Carpenter

I love this series Jim Butcher has managed to create a character who is tough, sensitive, funny, witty and deadly. The quality hasn't even started to flag yet, which is more then I can say for the Anita Blake when it reached this point. My second Jim Butcher but not my last may there be many more.

I really enjoyed reading book 8 of the Dresden Files. If you've not read it yet then you may want to skip on this review as there are spoilers.

I enjoyed the story arcs leading to a strengthening bond between Harry and the Carpenter family. Seeing him taking on more duties both official and unofficial for the White council. Balancing his business with a new role as a Warden of the White Council.

The ending was also well done and leads into the future books and lines of loyalty. I look forward to continue reading the series.

I rate this book 5/5 as well. A fantastic moving read.

Priscilla

Aww, Molly Carpenter, charming and clueless enters the scene, and Harry Dresden becomes so much more adorable! Now he has a very young and rebellious friend's daughter to deal with and save from trouble.The thing is Harry is not a loner, he is surrounded by more and more people he cares about, and this is exactly what makes him such an engaging and gorgeous character to feel for. Loved this book!

This is another awesome Dresden Files. There are some unexpected twists, and what I like best is that you get to learn more about Charity and Molly. You also get to see more of the underlining plot that connects all the books together. If you like the series this is a must read book that shows Harry grow into his position as a warden.

I am delighted that the quality of the stories is holding up in this series. They are even getting better. The hummor and charecter development are both flowing. What is Mouse? What is Thomas up to? Will Murph and Harry ever get together? How will Molly fit in? JIM WE NEED THE NEXT BOOK SOON. OK now back to being serious if you have not picked up this series do so at once, it is a great read and as a wizzard Harry Dresden is way better than that other one (Harry P.). This one is a American classic. I started the series with book four and went back to get book one and worked my way up. This book is not only great in a series though it is great as a stand alone book also. The action is (can I say spellbinding) great, but what holds this together is the characters. Loved the book and it is a definite MUST READ.

Four stars, because even within this author's works, this isn't average and it isn't his best. I am re-reading this after Cold Days, and seeing so many heads-up cues I'd forgotten were here. This is a connecting novel, as I see it, lots of characters we've read before, sub-plots brought to surface, and foreshadowing of books as far out as Cold Days--probably and-then-some, if I'm reding the clues right.

Proven Guilty is not as much of an emotional rollercoaster as Changes, nor as funny as Dead Beat, but it's not a book to skip.

After the events in Dead Beat, Harry Dresden is now a Warden of the White Council, and one of his first official acts you see him perform is to bear witness to the execution of a young warlock, no more then a child, corrupted by his own power. From that moment on you should be able to chart where the book will take you.

If you know anything about Harry Dresden you will figure out his feelings about what happened to that young man. If the previous novel was a showcase Harry's slow decent to darkness, then this book will show his firm resolve to the do the right thing and accept the consequences for all of his actions.

Like Dead Beat, Butcher takes pains to pick almost forgotten threads from previous novels and weave them into his story with great care, this time it is not quite as obvious.

This time out Harry is warned of dark magic being afoot, and a request for help by the daughter of the last man on earth he wants to be involved with, Michael Carpenter Knight of the Cross. With Harry sharing his brain with one of the Denarii, Lasciel he fears that Michael may take issues with this as well as the recent events and his downward spiral to darkness. Harry reluctantly gets involved, and nothing plays out the way he thinks.

The book is shorter then some of the previous installments, that only means Butcher cut out a lot of loose talk and got right too it, Zelazney style. He manages to flood in detail after detail without drowning you in it. New readers beware, while Butcher attempts to get people caught up by giving brief recaps, they do not do the stories justice.

Butcher also dusted off a couple of unused characters and made them shine like jewels, just as he made Waldo Butters a hero in Dead Beat. He is absent in this book, but you can feel the polka beat whenever you turn the page.

The humor level is high, and while things are grave, it is nowhere near as grave as they are in Dead Beat or Blood Rites. Proven Guilty did not give us that feel of time running out and the world would end soon. It forshadows, very effectively, that things in Harry's world will become very, very big and even more dangerous in the near future. As again the traitor in the White Council seems to strike, the Vampire War takes another turn, the affairs of the Sidhe are revisited with catastrophic consequences for those involved, and Harry's personal life.....well you will have to read the book for more.

Without a doubt this is my favorite novel beside Summer Knight, and it may even surpass it. The story was well told, dialogue was spot on. Murphy seemed a bit too relaxed but after her disappearance in the last book I didn't realize how much I missed her presence. Once again I thank whatever muse made me pick up that loneley looking paperback sitting on a bookshelf six years ago in Waldenbooks. Well done Mr. Butcher.

#8 in the fabulous Harry Dresden series (Dresden Files), featuring (of course) Harry, who is the only advertising Wizard in Chicago. I highly recommend reading the prior books before jumping in to this story. In this, Harry is reluctantly taking his duty as a Wizard of the White Council seriously. Harry winds up finding the darkness in his city after witnessing the sentencing of a rogue wizard, and things get worse when he finds out that his close friend's family is caught up in the midst of it. With the sentencing in the forefront of his mind, Harry fights off creatures of the dark (and weird) as best he can, using his own shaky (in his own opinion) morals as his guidelines. As usual, Harry comes out of it, but if you've read his previous stories, you know that he's not always better off. Love this author/storyline, he can't write it fast enough!

I stumbled onto Jim Butcher's Dresden series just after his first book was released and since then he has became my favorite author. The Dresden series is one of those rare gems that captivate you and hold your attention through all of the Novels. In my opinion this series can stand tall beside such epic works as the Lord of the Rings and Dragonlance Chronicles and Legends series.

The series revolves around Harry Dresden, a modern day Wizard living in Chicago and making his living as a Private Investigator, investigating the paranormal. Harry is a good man but he has all the same human frailties that we all have and can relate to. His character is likeable, believable and has a great sense of humor.

Harry Dresden is the main character but there are many others that constantly come into play during the series. In this Novel Harry's longtime and faithful friend Michael and especially his family are very prominent throughout this story line as well as the Summer Lady and the Summer Knight. Also, the White Council of Wizards, Karrin Murphy, Michael (Harry's half brother and vampire of the White Court), Bob (Harry's talking skull) and Ebenezer (Harry's mentor on the White Council) all play an active and critical roll in this new installment of the Dresden Files.

Once again Butcher weaves previous threads from earlier books in the series into this one in order to continue his masterful skill of not only continuing the development of the overall story but as he has done so masterfully in the past, he also makes Proven Guilty stand on its own if you have never read any of the earlier books. Butcher proves once again that he can write a story that can captivate the reader, stand on its own, and resolve all its story lines yet at the same time maintain the progression of the main character and all the sub-characters in which the series revolves around.

I was in no hurry to start the series until I heard about the show on the Sci Fi Channel. I bought the first book, was hooked and bought 2-8. The series keeps getting better and better, while not becoming lame or boring like a certain fantasy series.

The wife and sone are hooked. However, because I'm a fast reader and I bought the books, I get first crack, then my wife and my son comes last. :D

The wife is planning to read this book all day today. She wants to wait for White Night to come out in paperback, but I think I'm gonna get the hardcover now.

I'd love to see the last 2 books become a movie, adhering to the book, unlike the show.

Although Harry Dresden, the only wizard who outed himself, has been at odds with the White Council of Wizards, he finds himself in the position of being a regional Warden. The war with the Red Court vampires has decimated the ranks of the wizards and every full powered one is needed to protect mortals from the supernatural. Harry, like every other wizard, is wondering why Faerie hasn't gone to war with the Red Court since they entered the land of the Faerie without permission.

Harry has contacts in both courts of Faerie and is asked by his superior to find out why at least the Winter Court hasn't gone to war. Harry eventually learns that the White Court wants to go to war against the vampires but has to protect its borders from the Winter Court. Harry also has to find out why supernatural entities from Nevernever wearing the faces of monsters from horror films are entering the mortal realm and feeding off the fear of humans. When one of the entities take someone Harry cares for into the Winter Court, he and his allies risk their lives to bring her back.

Mix elements of fantasy, mystery and horror and readers will have an idea how unique and spellbinding the Dresden novels really are. PROVEN GUILTY is one of the best books in the series because as much action as there is in the book, the protagonist with his vulnerability makes the audience care about him and want him to find happiness in his personal life and peace in his professional one. Jim Butcher is one of the best authors writing urban fantasy today with his refreshingly original tales.

Harriet Klausner

The latest in the ongoing adventures of Chicago wizard/P.I./consultant to the police, Harry Dresden is a thrill ride of a book, that starts strong out of the gate, and never loses its steam. By the end of the book, you'll feel like you got significant bang for your buck, and you'll be anxious for the next adventure to begin. And Butcher does a masterful job of setting the reader up for the future.

One of the things I love about Jim Butcher is that he's created this fascinating world of magic, mystery and horror, and populated it with terrific, multi-dimensional characters that all have a role to play in the overall story. But Butcher uses the characters wisely. Unlike some authors, who employ the "shove everyone in the book" method, Butcher brings out the right characters for the right circumstances. This book brings back characters that haven't been seen since book 3. And seeing them again feels like getting a visit from old friends (note to Butcher: time for Toot-toot to revisit!).

As always, these books are full of humor, suspense, heartwarming friendships, bitter confrontations, and some genuine scares. Harry Dresden is a wonderful creation. I can't wait for the next chapter in the ongoing journey.

I recommend this book highly to any fan, and if you aren't fan, then start reading them. This is a great series!

Book 8 in the Dresden File series; another fine addition to Jim Butcher's ongoing series featuring wizard/detective Harry Dresden.

Something unusual is happening at a local horror film festival and Harry is asked to check it out. From there Harry, Murph, Bob (everyone's favorite, well OK mine at least, libidinous skull), Thomas and Mouse (his dog) go from bystanders to main combatants as they delve into the ever expanding 'Horror' situation.

This is my 4th Dresden novel and it continues to use the same simplistic format that has worked well with the rest of the entire series. The outline of this story is identical to the previous books; Harry gets involved with an unusual occurrence, Harry discovers an underlying sinister plot, Harry faces astronomical odds against survival, and finally Harry saves the day. But instead of a rather boring rehash, each new work brings something fresh to the table that provides an unexpected, pleasant revelation of sorts.

Conclusion:
Basically, I like Harry and the host of other characters that Jim Butcher has produced in this entertaining series. The story is fun, fast paced and keeps those pages turning. And for light read, who could ask for more than that.

Ray Nicholson

Molly ask Harry to look into some weird stuff happening at the spookathon. Harry notice that beings from the never ever were of coming in and attacking people. Not only that but they look like the famous scary movie villains and they apparently feed on fear. Harry needs to find out who is sending them over and how to defeat them. Mean while the wardens ask harry to find the person who is using black magic in Chicago. Does Harry Dredsen have more than he can chew. Read and find out.

Jim Butcher has created a very compelling story in "Proven Guilty." I found he has artfully written a great mystery with substantial plot twists without too many U-turns. We also see a deeper view of Harry Dresden's own internal conflicts as well as his fight with the temptations of power. As I continue the Dresden Files, I'm getting more and more drawn to the story arc and entranced with the humor, magic and balancing of good and evil.

This definitely a unique series and a fun read
A little violent but the mix with humor is great. Never really went in to this "culture" reading before. Leaned toward Sci Fi. and Adventure. Recommended the series to a friend and he is ahead of me now. Good job Jim Butcher.

Several years ago I logged on to a web site and the web-master was raving about a book a friend of his was about to have published. It sounded interesting so I stayed on the look-out for book one of the Dresden Files. I am SO glad that I did!

This has been one of the most rewarding series I have ever read. The characters are fresh and well developed, the story line is interesting, and the books are very well written. Proven Guilty is no exception and may be the best of the series to date. Jim Butcher is a talented writer and a captivating story teller. You won't be disappointed.

Buy this book! If you are new to the series, the books stand independently enough to ensure you will not be lost, but I would be willing to bet that you will rush to find the preceding stories.

Keep on writing Jim Butcher! The view from Harry's world is too interesting to miss.

- A long time fan.

Proven Guilty is the 8th book in the Desden Files series, and although each volume can be read on its own, especially the earlier volumes, the series is starting to create an overall story arc.

Although somewhat lacking in the panache that characterized the last volume (who could top 'Polka never dies!' and a dinasaur zombie?) book 8 still entertains and captivates. It would probably be especially amusing to those who have a penchant for B-movie horror flicks.

The most compelling part of the book to me was the character Michael, who has sadly been missing from the last several volumes. He is an interesting counterpoint to the wise-cracking slowly-sliding-into-darkness hero and one of the most interesting characters that Butcher has created. A 'Knight of the Cross' and a knight in shining armor in every way the cliche implies, Michael is the good guy in the white hat, the noble, righteous hero, the mighty paladin. I believe it is fashionable to write these kinds of characters as self-righteous hypocrites and bad guys, but in spite of having a typical set-up for such a characterization (the hero Harry is anti-authoritarian type who walks in the gray area) Butcher writes Michael as pure saint. And he does it well. Perhaps partly because the 'so-call good guy who's really a bad guy' syndrome makes such a character actually rare and fresh. But that's only a small part of the formula that makes the characters so likable. It takes a deft hand to balance stereotypes and cliches and make everything work. Hats off to Butcher's exceptional storytelling skills.

Once again I am impressed with Jim Butcher's work on the Dresden Files. I have enjoyed the odd adventures and creative detective work of Harry Dresden since "Storm Front." Always jumping from the frying pan to the fire, Harry attracts enemies with his actions and maintains the loyalty of his friends while trying to do what is right above all.

In "Proven Guilty" we see the results of Harry's chivalric actions. He is a man weighed down with guilt over causing a war, killing real humans and possibly causing harm to those he loves. Not to mention the sexual tension between him and Murphy is stressful beyond belief. There is also that demon in the back of his mind...

This is not to say it is a depressing book. It is not. Harry is still quick with a quip and a come back. He still does his best to deal with each situation in the manner to which he is famous. We see his decision process become more mature, however, and it doesn't detract from the book in the slightest. Harry seems to be dealing with the pressure like an adult while keeping his cynical wit.

Overall this is an enjoyable book. At the end it seemed to stretch a bit but we see that it was all necessary to set Harry up for something larger. You could even say Harry is coming full circle. I look forward to the next installment.

This is the second Dresden book I picked up, after liking the series on TV. And I have to say that I'm sorry I missed them way back when, since I really like this author's voice. Proven Guilty not only is an interesting story, but I find, with delight, that Buther's writing cracks me up in places. Wonderfully realistic dialogue. Wry wit. Fast-paced action and internal struggles. Interesting plot.

Only problem with liking this book so much .... is that now I'll have to go back and buy them all. See what Dresden's story is like from book one.
Thanks, Butcher!

I've been with this series from the beginning and sometimes it's been a rough ride. I love the concept, a wizard for hire in contemporary Chicago, and Butcher's writing always works, but I don't always like Harry Dresden. Sometimes he plays the heroic victim, and I've always felt that characters who set themselves up get what they deserve when it hits the fan.

Initially this story came close. Harry is now a warden for the White Council but they don't like him much and several are waiting for the opportunity to take his head. And then there's the vampire's Red Court that has gone to war with the wizards, mostly thanks to Harry's ineptness. And then there's the Summer and Winter Courts in Faerie. Right again, Harry has few friends there. When he is asked to investigate why the Fae haven't come to help the wizards, and is warned that black magic is being worked in the city you know it's going to be a difficult week. Especially when it starts right out with someone trying to run Harry over while he's in his VW bug.

Harry does have friends - and oversexed skull (Bob), a dog that eats vampires (Mouse), a holy knight (Michael), a tough police lieutenant (Murphy), and a fallen angel (Lasciel). That's right, a fallen angel, not the best thing to have as a friend. One of Harry's worst problems problem is that he hates asking for help, and, no surprise, he volunteers for everything. So when Michael's daughter's boyfriend gets in trouble at a horror convention that suddenly turns real it's Harry to the rescue. And the problems get worse and worse.

Just when I thought Harry was going to get eaten by a film monster as he so richly deserved, the story swerved and became one of Butcher's best. Frankly, I can't explain it. Something about the characters or the plot gelled. Or maybe Harry became more of a player in his own life. But the story picks up pace and then keeps on running at top speed. Hooray for Jim Butcher, who has worked hard for his success. And hooray for me, who deserves a good book now and then.

There's not much I can add after Dussan's review below. He was spot on, and factual in his assessment.

What I will add is that this story brings readers more into the overall story arc that has encompassed previous books in the Dresden Files series. New readers should not start here, although many of the previous books can be read as stand alone novels. (My first Dresden Files novel was "Dead Beat" book 7.)

I'd recommend this book to anyone who's read most, if not all, of the previous books in the series.

I'll admit it, I'm a die-hard Jim Butcher fan, and I'm eagerly awaiting the next novel "White Knight."

Fans of Jim Butchers may want to also check out his series "The Furies of Caldaron," an epic fantasy series that, while it can be enjoyed by any fantasy fan, may appeal especially to anyone who's enjoyed the Final Fantasy video games.

Yes, I own every Dresden file book. Most in hardback. And, I've read them all at least three times. When times get lean, I pull one of the Dresden books (just read White Night, again) and read. It's always pure pleasure. My only gripe is that Butcher is a slow writer who seems to like to focus on Sword and Sorcery when what we love is Dresden. Anyway, this book is awesome; from the first paragraph to the last, it takes you to the streets of Chicago (when's Harry taking a vacation to somewhere else?) A great book.

I could not put this book down. I think it's the best one of the series so far. The characters have matured enough that you really care about what happens to them which makes it even more suspenseful. Anyone thinking of reading the Dresden Files should absolutely start at the beginning with the first book.

If you are looking for a good read try this series. A fun exiting ride with a Wizard who is also a private investigator. I really enjoy this. Start with the first book in the series a keep on going. Each book gets better!

I know what you are all thinking that a kid should not read these kind of book but just look at the other things kids watch and listen to. Go to mtv and watch for a little while and see what i mean but anway i love these books Proven guilty is one of my presonal favorite because molly came in the book. I knew i was going to like her from the last time we saw her. I also like mouse he used to be a small thing that could fit in harry's pocket now i beleive that the book said that his head is up to harry's waist. I also think bob is funny even thought he has a sick mind. The way the story falls out is great and i only say great because i can't think of another word right now. The characters have grown into to me what can look like real people. I HATE it when the authors put a bifferent preson as the main character in each book but in this book it is all harry through and through. I will admit that some senes in the books did gross me out but not too much and all i have to is skip that part if i want to...well i could go on and on but i will save it for another book. I thank you for reading my review and i hope it can help you make a choice if you want this book. Sorry if i misselled anything i am not the greatest speller. one more thing i wouldn't suggest these book's for all kids my age i have read a lot of abult books like pet sementary by stephen king but that is up to the parents not me again i hope you like this review

I love the Dresden books. Harry is probably one of the coolest wizards ever, and that's saying a lot. Butcher gets points in my books for keeping the same cast of characters and fleshing out their back stories. It sort of sucked with the whole Dresden/Murphy direction, but it was totally plausible and quite in character for Murphy.

This doesn't seem to be a novel so much as the preamble to one. The previous book in this series, Dead Beat, planted a few plot elements for future books, but did this as part of a more immediate story. Proven Guilty seems to treat the story as a chore to be dragged out to get the required number of pages to justify a book, and then once Mr. Butcher has earned his paycheck, he gets down to actually showing the reader the important part.

The plot of this book is a by-now fairly typical magical murder mystery, this time with a gimmick- movie monsters brought to life- that isn't really pushed far enough to be effective. This might have still worked, except that many of the threads of the mystery are left unsolved as plants for a major story arc that I suspect will begin in earnest in the next book.

The first third of the book doesn't bring us anything we haven't seen before, but still manages to entertain effectively. There is some good stuff about Harry and Murphy's relationship towards the end of this, which makes the retread of earlier plot devices seem not quite so redundant. The second third just drags horribly as the characters rush from one action set-piece to another without much time to stop and give the reader a break, or even let us explore their thoughts instead of their fights. By the time Harry and his squad of wizard groupies are battling their way out the Nevernever, I just wanted the damn fighting to end already. The final third of the book manages to save the novel just in time, finally giving us the plot and character development that was missing in the rest of the book.

There really wasn't enough meat in this book to justify its page count. Several action sequences could have been jettisoned at great benefit to the rest of the story, and Harry's "Oh God I'm either directly or indirectly responsible for the death of an innocent" angst is getting pretty old. It is nice to see a genre writer try and deal with the spiritual toll of violence on the psyche, but it is frustrating that Harry hasn't grown calluses on his mind regarding killing. I'm not saying I want a psychotic hero just that it's getting pretty hard to be struck by some grim new precedent in Harry's body count when it is only a tiny shade of distinction from something he's done several times before. Maybe in the next book Butcher will have Harry finally do something more than agonize about his dwindling innocence (either accept it, reject it, or try to find a middle path; Harry has to start doing something more than just whining about it if Butcher expects us to keep taking it seriously).

All that aside, the Murphy/Harry relationship is done very well without taking the easy way out. Michael and his family are back and a lot more interesting than before as Butcher finally explores the potential of examining family life on the edge of reality. There is some much welcomed forward movement on the Lasciel plot, and she/it continues to be very well written as so dangerously persuasive and charismatic that you almost WANT Harry to accept her power. There are a few more interesting things that happen I won't spoil, and it is satisfying to see Butcher fully mining many of the characters he has slowly built up over the past several years.

The plot plants and hints of what's to come in the next book are genuinely intriguing, and I will eagerly pick it up; I just hope that it isn't another 1/3rd interesting story padded with chapters and chapters of superfluous fighting and over-used plot elements.

One of the better books in the series. Questions begin to get answered; Charity develops a little depth; the White Council further developed; there are some interesting moments in the Never-Never.

If you are a fan of the series you will enjoy this one.

4 out of 5 stars

Well I ordered it today and I feel the need to review now. I reached out directly to the shop and asked some questions. They worked quite collaberativley with me and I could not be happier with the excellent costumer service. I anticipate when the book arrives I will be quite happy.

I really enjoyed this book. the quips, wise cracks and the monsters were actually fun. Jim is very good in maintaining a constant stream of dialogue and action.

The book is very engaging and I am looking forward to getting his next book in the series. I have read 1,7,8 of the series. They stand alone wel but some spoilers have existed.

After reading this book, I picked up the Codex Alera series and haven't regretted that one bit.

Jim Butcher and his Dresden Files series continues to show that he is one of the best authors out there. Just finding an interesting plot, good characters that you can care about, and good writing is getting harder and harder to find. I recommend this entire series. However, be warned that this series is not "light" in that the main character can go through some pretty tough circumstances during each book.

While I love Jim's Dresen Files series I can't say the same for his other series (Alera). Just can't get into it.

I liked the very first book in the Dresden series. With each additional episode it just gets better. I loved this book, thought it was one of the best so far. I particularly like the character development of all of the regulars. Mouse has got to be one of my favorites. It is so hard to wait between books for the next in the series. If I could just control myself enough to read more slowly but, au contraire, as soon as I pick it up I know I am in till the finish. This is a book worth getting especially for those of you who already love the series.

Having read all the previous books in the Dresden Files series I found book 7 to be the weakest and was worried that Jim Butcher was losing interest in the story line. Proven Guilty put my fears to rest.
Dresden is in the thick of it from beginning to end.

Do you know the experience of getting to the last pages of the book, and all the characters are coming to that final confrontation? You are so excited you don't want to put the book down, or if you have to put it down you can't wait to pick it up again. I felt that way with Proven Guilty starting at the half way point in the book, and straight on till the end. Butcher does a great job of weaving in plot lines and characters with enough twists to keep you on your toes.
In short, I loved it.
Great job Jim Butcher.

I was delighted to find this series. I think wizard Harry Desden is a cross between an adult Harry Potter and Dirty Harry. This book was not my favorite in the series but enjoyable. I am reading all and in order!

...of loving this writer more after reading this one. I started with Dead Beat. I loved it. Then, after reading Proven Guilty, I can honestly say that Jim Butcher is on the top of my list for this genre.

The book is fun...fast...and hilarious. I love Harry's little quips as he faces seemingly insurmountable life-threatening situations. A bit quirky but always in control, Mr. Dresden - now of the White Council - is the kind of character you can't help but cheer for.

I can't wait to see if Molly (Harry Dresden's new apprentice) takes the path of the "straight and narrow" or if she'll succumb to the "Dark Side"...muwahahaha!

Thanks, Mr. Butcher, for a fun series!

I've been reading Butcher's book this year, so I'm a new fan. I found that I read the first few books out of desperation. I'm a voracious reader and I needed something to read that wasn't work related.

Buther's writing is at times cliche riddled and I have found myself rolling my eyeballs. However, I did this less w/ this book. The plot has been outlined by 75 + people, so I won't review that.

Instead, I'll comment on how the books are a guilty pleasure for me to read. There is a menu or formula that Butcher uses: Bad people in town vs the good people, drama with Karrin Murphy and the cops, Harry's weak and somehow draws up the strength to fight back, the werewolves help or someone else does, the Council is involved, add in Harry's descriptions of sensuality here and there, and how he is lonely, voila...

I'm OK with the formula. I'm actually looking forward to reading his others books--the faeries.

Paperback/Urban Fantasy: After some slow books in this series, the past two have been great. Like usual, the plot delves into several areas of Harry's world. I really liked the mystery, but I wasn't too crazy about the Fairy Politics. It was a little long, but I really enjoyed it.

This is the eight in a series of books that pits Harry against the wizards, demons, and black magic around Chicago. This is a easy read that will sink it's claws into where you want to know if Harry will survive against evil.

This is a really good read. Just when i thought i would get real tired of the Fairies and such... he changes and does something else.

This book shows a little more into Dresden himself and his relationship to his friends.

Wish there had been more Bob the Skull but i love this series for certain,.

Harry Dresden seems to be a combination of Indiana Jones, Sam Spade and Harry Potter. I've been hooked on this series from the first novel, and can't wait for the next release.

This particular installment brings us a new view of Harry as a council mage. He is given two unofficial assignments right after the execution of a wizard who has broken the council's laws of magic. True to himself, and his particular view of right and wrong, Harry does his best to save the world, and his friend's daughter. The ending seems to give hints of what we can expect in the next book.

This novel contains all of the elements we've come to expect from The Dresden Files--humor, mystery, action and heart. There's a reason we all love Jim's works, and it keeps bringing us back for more.

I read a lot of vampire, werewolf, mage and monster books. This is one of the two very best authors. I buy them new in hardback and I have an in to a used bookstore but I cannot wait. If you like the monsters, read this. He is not rich. He makes his money by listing himself in the yellow pages as a wizard for hire. He does not do love spells or money attractions. You will thank me for this suggestion.

This book moves the myths forward and introduces some major characters. Like a lot of the books after reading a few some of the standard exposition gets repetitive but this is needed. All in all a good book in the series

When Timothy Zahn finished off the Bantam-Spectra Star Wars books, he tied off many lose ends, while simultaneously setting the stage for a wider view. Jim Butcher does this for Dresden's Chicago in Proven Guilty. While not all is settled, there are many new directions and twists and mysteries still to be solved and discovered. In fact, the only thing that bothers me about this book is the fact that now, we must wait a year for book nine.

While this book is excellent, it is not a stand alone book, nor should it be. To make sense of much of this book, one should at least have read from Grave Peril on.

I have been reading Jim Butcher's Dresden series since it first came out when I was working at my hometown bookstore. I have never found another author that I have loved more. I can eaisily identify with all of his characters, all of which have their own unique personality that they stick to. He does his homework thoroughly when it comes to any historical or mythological creatures and it is SO appreciated. Not to mention the fact that he has the greatest sense of humor ever, I have never laughed out loud as much when reading any other series. And its all at the jokes within instead of at the book itself. Ugh, just love, love, love, to Jim Butcher and Harry Dresden, I can't wait for more!

What can I say? This story was great. Butcher brought back old characters, wrapped up some mysteries and showed us tantilizing glimpses of what may be in store for Harry in the future. The only disappointment was that the book had to end. This was a very enjoyable read.

blood, guts, and a TWIST! ok Butcher, if you blow the Sci-Fi channel thing(or if Sci-Fi blows it themselves-visav Farscape-for Butcher) you've got a good series going, getting darker all the time though. it's getting close to being NOT for anybody under 15 in this series... nekkidness and inappropriate relationship! ok, so, i like the book, i hope you will too.

In this book Dresden gains an apprentice. There is someone using black magic and he is assigned the task of locating the person responsible. He finds a little more than what he bargained for but isn't that what usually happens when you're dealing with vampires,fairies and demons?
I couldn't wait to read what happened next and to get the next book.

On my way through the airport, I grabbed a book to read. Even though it was book 8, I was in a hurry and it looked interesting. Oh boy yeah, it was so good I lost sleep on the trip (reading) - I immediately went out and purchased the rest of the series. Now that I've devoured them, I - like Jim Butcher's other fans - now wait..(sigh) You won't be disappointed!

I have now read all of the Dresden File books, and I think this one of the best. (though all of them are really worth reading) Harry Dresden is such an interesting character - dark, but with a great heart. He's such a good guy, you can't help but root for him, even when he has a demon in his head. This story has plenty of action, with a healty dose of humor. I can't image anyone who likes urban fantasy wouldn't love these books!

Second time around for this book, and I enjoyed it lots more than before, but that says less about the book and more about my mindset when i read it.

This one has a solid story at its core, but also sets up lots of seemingly epic story threads for the future--I say seemingly, because I haven't read any beyond this one.

Unlike the previous books, this one is very much part of a serial rather than a series. I know that the there has always been an underlying story, but the other books have also contained a storyline that concludes, on top of the overall theme. This one doesn't even identify the villain. It's also becoming a bit crowded with various supernatural entities from all types of mythologies getting a mention; and is becoming slightly silly in its scope. No mummies yet, but I think that's just an oversight. The biggest failure though, is the lack of wit on Dresden's part when overcoming opponents. Instead of outsmarting more powerful enemies he either just manages to summon up a bit more power or a superior ally of his pops up and saves the day. Lazy. Bit like Star Trek Next Generation and its reliance on techo gibberish to finish an episode. You know, when Geordie says, with five minutes to go, if we just adjust the navigational array to emit a pulsed tachyon beam to disrupt their subspace field....etc. Lazy, lazy, lazy. Less magic, more intelligence would be nice. It's certainly a good time filler but I don't hold out much hope for the next book as the plot is just over the top and out of control now. Oh well, the first six were very good and seven was okay. I'll have to try his other series, perhaps it shows a little more restraint.

I really love the character Harry Dresden and his internal diatribes about what is right and wrong. This book continues the world of the Dresden Files with revealing information about several characters that you can only suspect will play a larger role in later books. Overall a fun and interesting read. I couldn't put it down.

1) If the author's own philosphies wasn't seeped throughout the entire novel.

2) If the author did some more actual research and stopped putting so much stock on black and white concepts such as Winter being 'good' and Summer as being 'evil.'

3) Actually spent some time studying mythology and other religions other than the book he reads day and night which limits his knowledge in a very big way.

4) Last but certianly not least made the characters more likable. I couldn't STAND Charity a so holier than though character that she made me grit my teath in annoyance. I also found Murphy and even the main character rather annoying. It's funny that the author states that Harry Dresdan is not a Christian but everything he does seeps Christianity. I find this extremely annoying and why is it that the whole "Holier than thou," mentality that the book obviously preaches. Why not actually make demons good and angels evil? What's wrong with making Harry more interesting instead of so rightious all the time? Also shouldn't have Michael been killed off since the first book he was in?