Turn Coat: The Dresden Files, Book 11

Wow! I keep reading these and wonder if they can get better. This one most certainly did! Best one yet! (I keep writing that each time I finish one of the books) I enjoyed the twists, turns and even frustrations this book offers!Jim, you did it again! Thank you!!

I love all the Harry Dresden books lately. I liked the first few all right, but I love the recent ones. And this one made me cry more than once. That makes it a 5-star read alone. Also, there are different kinds of Dresden books. There are some that complicate things for him and there are the ones that solve some long lingering problems of his. This isn't the latter. And I'm hooked and nervous and anxious about how things will turn out for him. I like it better when he is okay, but that way there won't be a series to read, right? So onward to the next one.

Continuing my Dresden Files binge...This book is a little different from past Dresden Files books. I'll be interested to see, as I read on, whether it marks a turning point in the series.Once again, we have a self-contained mystery coupled with the further development of the overall series arc. In this book, the mystery is that Warden Morgan (a wizard with whom Harry Dresden, our POV character, has an unpleasant past) shows up, injured, at Harry's doorstep, asking for help. He claims to have been framed for the murder of a senior member of the Wizards' White Council. Harry decides to figure out what happened, and he enlists some of his usual allies (Thomas the vampire, Mouse the dog, and Harry's apprentice Molly) to protect Morgan in the meantime.Anyway, the first thing that was different, for me, was that I figured out the identity of the person manipulating events, and I did so pretty early on. I don't want to give anything away, but this person had access to the victim and had a little too much time on the page for someone in his position. It was quite a bit more obvious than in past books. The culprit's co-conspirator was similarly conspicuous. Maybe I'm just getting better at putting the clues together? (Thinking back on this character, I just made a further connection regarding this person and Harry that hadn't occurred to me when I was reading the book. So I guess I couldn't predict everything.)The second thing that was different for me was the ending. Always before, I kind of felt hopeful when I finished these books, or they ended on a happy or fun note. This one was a little depressing. Not only do things seem dire with respect to the possibility of a traitor or traitors within the White Council (this possibility was first floated in a previous book), but Harry and his friends suffer some rather personal tragedies. (On the other hand, now I want to quickly move on to book 12 and see what happens -- hopefully things will look up!)One aspect of this book that I appreciate a great deal is that the author must have been planning it out for some time. Events going at least all the way back to at least Dead Beat (#7), if not farther, are important to the story here. I'm pleased to see this kind of planning is going into these books, and I'm excited to see what's to come, to see how events and characters I've just read about will be important later on.I'm going to repeat what I say in all of these reviews, but (1) this is not the place to start the series because there are lots of people, places, and events from past books referenced, and (2) the writing style and descriptions of the setting are pretty consistent throughout the series. If you liked the prose before, you will again. This book is considerably longer than some of the previous ones, though, although it has a similar structure -- multiple enemies/investigations, a series of increasingly difficult confrontations, and an attempt to play several groups of enemies against each other. I think these elements are balanced pretty well, overall.In terms of character development, we learn a bit more about Warden Luccio, a lot more about Morgan (including that he has personal feelings!), and a little about Thomas, as well as bits and pieces about a few senior members of the White Council. Of these, the first three contribute the most depth to the story. Harry kind of stays the same in this book, just reacts to events going on around him.We're back to being introduced to new supernatural elements; here we meet a shapeshifter (naagloshii), a spirit from Native American lore. He's a pretty formidable opponent, but Harry and his allies learn a little more about him -- and how to possibly defeat him -- at each confrontation. I like that these elements -- as well as new characters -- are introduced one or a few per book. It's easy to keep up, that way (as long as you remember what happened in past books!). The cast of characters in this series is pretty large now, but it's not thrown at you all at once, and that makes everyone more familiar.In the end, if you're considering this book, you're probably already fairly far along in the series and you'll know whether you'll enjoy it or not. If you haven't read any of these books, I'd go back and start with the first one (Storm Front) and work your way through them. All are easy reads and all are a lot of fun.

When your most dogged detractor shows up at your door, half-dead, wrongfully accused, and asking for help, what would you do? If you’re Harry Dresden, you curse, take the poor bastard into your home, and you work his case. Turn Coat by Jim Butcher takes a few of the conventions used throughout the series and turns over on their ear, creating a tense who-done-it with style and sarcasm.To elaborate on the title of this review, the “Javert” archetype is named after the eponymous character from Les Miserables. A Javert-type character follows the letter of the law because he or she feels the law is the moral high ground. A Javert-type doesn’t question the law or those who decide what counts as the law. A Javert also does not believe in redemption; as Javert sings in the musical version of Les Miserables: “Once a thief, forever a thief”.For Harry Dresden, Donald Morgan is his Javert. As part of Harry’s backstory way back in Storm Front, it was revealed that Harry had killed Justin DuMorne, his foster father and diabolical warlock, with magic, breaking the First Law of Magic. Dresden was given a reprieve and Morgan was assigned to watch Dresden to make sure the young wizard did not return to using black magic. To Harry’s chagrin in Dead Beat, he realized that Morgan didn’t have any personal animosity for Harry. Morgan was simply a burned-out cop (albeit a wizard cop) who’d seen too many warlocks who failed to reform.That prior antagonism gives Turn Coat a bitter sense of irony. The title of the novel refers to multiple physical and emotional turns in the series. The turn coat in the White Council is revealed and dealt with. Morgan turns a different page in his association with Harry. Someone close to Harry decides to turn from a noble path. It’s not a stretch to call this book’s climax a pyrrhic victory. The storyline’s resolved but everyone involved is left a little less whole than when the novel started.Turn Coat finds Jim Butcher fully in charge of his lead character. Dresden feels comfortable as a character and after 11 novels he’s not slipping into a state of rote inertia. This novel’s main plotline forces Harry to accept that doing the right thing doesn’t mean liking it or really achieving a meaningful victory. Sometimes it means letting an innocent man’s name be sullied and cursed so that the larger organization can survive. Butcher treads some troubling moral ground in Turn Coat, more so than he has in previous novels. All of the novels since Death Masks have presented muddier moral dilemmas for Harry to sift through. The obvious dilemma in Turn Coat is should Harry help someone who’s done nothing but torment him over the years. The other dilemma deals with the traitor in the White Council and how justice is meted out. An observation is made that bureaucracies care more about efficiency than justice. As Harry discovers to his disappointment, for bureaucracies it’s more important to appear strong and unjust rather than weak and just.Harry is at his most heroic and snarky here. Lasciel’s loss has passed from his mind and he’s returned to his usual acerbic self. The line “Wile E. Coyote, Suuuper Genius” had me rolling with laughter. Those moments of levity are needed for Harry and the reader both. Turn Coat brings Harry to the realization that the institutions he has served may not be worth saving.Harry’s supporting cast turns in well-rounded appearances. Thomas continues evolving as a character, straddling the line between monster and man (much like his younger brother). Molly and Mouse both have interesting arcs in this novel, with Molly skirting the darkness she first experienced in Proven Guilty and Mouse serving as a woolly dogasaurus referee. Turn Coat continues revealing tidbits about what Mouse is and what his capabilities are. And there is Karrin Murphy, Dresden’s closest ally. From at least Blood Rites forward, Dresden and Murphy have circled each other romantically, slowly picking away at all the reasons they shouldn’t become involved. It’s what two proud people do when their emotions tell them something their intellects think is a bad idea.I’ve yet to come across a Dresden book I dislike. Jim Butcher continues writing intriguing stories that simply beg to be experienced. Now that I’ve read Turn Coat, I realize that I’m reaching the halfway point of the series. All the best stories, the ones that settle in your mind, have an end. Turn Coat is a great standalone story but it also moves the meta-arc forward with tragic, violent motion. Sudden turbulent change is ahead, and just like in real life, that means more good people will simply be bodies on the floor.

Ever since I picked up Harry Dresden's debut adventure 'Storm Front' I have been a dyed in the wool fan. I put most of my critical faculties on hold when it comes to Jim Butcher's wizard-cum-PI, so please bear that in mind when reading this review.Even if I weren't a huge fan of Dresden Files however, I would still be pleased with Turn Coat, because Jim Butcher has finally done what I've been hoping he would do for about the past three books, which is focus on the White Council and actions of the mysterious, oft-referred to in passing Black Council working in its midsts.Its been a standing complaint of mine that JB has repeatedly hinted at fascinating and critical events occuring in the wider world that Harry occupies, but refused to bring them front and centre. That was certainly the case with war between the Red Court Vampires and the White Council, which unfolded mostly off the page, and looked like it was going to be the case with the Black Council. Instead however, JB has thrust the latter front and centre in Turn Coat and at the same time has allowed extra insight into the workings of the White Coucil of Wizards. For that alone Turn Coat deserves most of its stars.Add in the usual convoluted but clear plotting, wry humour (mostly courtesy of Harry), punchy action and strong atmospeherics and you get a slam dunked five star book. Yes, its not going to appeal to readers who are new to the series, but that's also true of pretty much every Dresden File novel since Summer Knight or earlier. Some other reviewers are also correct when they point out that some of the series supporting characters barely get a look-in this time around but that is inevitable now that Harry's world is populated by such a large and well drawn cast of individuals.In fact my only real criticism of the book is that the identity of the bad guy is just a little too obvious from the moment he appears (though how he's ultimately brought down isn't). I was so sure I had him pegged (and it turned out that I did) that some of the suspense was lost. I might also have a poke at JB for introducing the issue of Harry's headaches at the beginning, making quite a big deal out of them and then seemingly forgetting to mention them again after page thirty or so. Then again its entirely within JB's powers to bring them back as a key plot device in the next novel, so I'll hold fire on that for the moment.So overall another barn storming adventure for Harry and his friends, enemies and those who could easily be both. If you're reading this and you're new to Harry's world then go and pick up Storm Front rather than starting here. If you're already a fan like me though, and up to speed on events so far then you'll find Turn Coat to be another hugely enjoyable episode of the Dresden Files.

This book is amazing. I really enjoyed reading this. The dresden files have never let me down and they seem to be getting better and better. Literally gripped to my seat up unto the end.

Loved it great books love the series want a good read full of action and drama bit of romance thrown in then what you waiting for get reading this series u won't be disappointed never lets me down if want a good book to read and now I am on to the next in the series hope you join me and see for yourself what you gave been missing

I am so impressed with this series, it just keeps twisting and developing in to one great series. The development of all charachters is amazing, not just Harry, charachters like Morgan, Molly, Toot-Toot, Mouse, De Luca and good old Murphy. This book seemed to bring a few concepts together, Harry getting some answers [finally] but then a lot more clues to figure out. Some sad sections, some hilariously funny parts too. It's a hard choice to buy Hardback, but for me it's worth every penny, I hate waiting 6-12 months for Paperbacks to come out.If you have read the other Dresden Files books, then this is a must! If you haven't read the Dresden Files I would recommend you start with Storm Front.

I am totally incapable of giving an unbiased review of any of The Dresden Files books - I am addicted, to the detriment of all else. Harry Dresden is incredibly believable as the PI/Wizard (and yes, I do believe in magic - who wouldn't after reading these books) and I'm in love! Anyone who likes reality fantasy (and there is such a thing believe me) will love the stories of Harry Dresden's life. The books are all well planned - ingeniously convoluted - and wonderfully well written. They are all real page turners. Only trouble is Jim Butcher doesn't write fast enough and the publishers don't print them fast enough.