The Dresden Files: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes! Or, what happens when you get comfortable

First, apologies to Mr. Butcher. While The Dresden Files are one of my all time favorite series, in my last review on Turncoat, I mentioned this:

Side Note: In this sense, the books are a little formulaic, but that’s what makes them so ‘comfortable’ to me– Someone comes to Harry for help. Big baddies come after Harry while he investigates. Help is going to take a lot more than Harry anticipated. Harry outsmarts/outlucks/outmaneuvers baddies. Harry saves the day.

Oh boy. I couldn’t have been more wrong *looks contrite*. Changes begins in the usual Dresden manner–fast, gritty, and in your face. You are left sputtering “Harry has a daughter????? With Susan???” (not a spoiler, it’s on the back cover!) and the book just keeps getting better from there.

The beginning of the aforementioned formula begins to weave itself together, and I can almost see Jim’s face while he says “Ha! Take that!!” while pulling out the rug from under the reader’s feet. Just when you begin to fall under plot’s hypnotic spell, everything Changes. The book title is significant in that Harry’s relationships with many supporting characters also undergo some form of Change. He learns that Mouse, while often a great help in a tight spot, has even more to offer. He finds out about his mother’s relationships and how they affect him and those in his care. He discovers Susan’s reasons for keeping such a life altering secret, and the list goes on.

Finally, there is a HELL of a cliffhanger ending that kept me reading right into the author’s note. I realized that Jim’s living arrangements and vicious guard dog have nothing to do with Harry’s story, and had to go back a few pages and reread. I simply kept on reading because I assumed there would be more!

I’ll end with that, as MORE is what I am left wanting. Maybe that will be the next title (Eh? Think about it, Jim!).

The first four chapters can be found on Jim Butcher’s site.