Author Archives: karenjvjohnson

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Blood Rites

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Blood Rites

Blood Rites (The Dresden Files #6)

by Jim Butcher (Author), James Marsters (Narrator)
I am listening to the Dresden Files because I have read all of the books over the past several years and it became one of my favorite series and Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden became one of my favorite characters. I am gearing up for the next entry in the series, which I hope will arrive soon after I finish the last book. The series is total urban fantasy without the major romance you find in some, and that is appropriate for the main character. The characters have a rich life that you get to share in as they evolve more and more before your eyes. The stories always have an element of mystery and a noir feel that you expect within this world.

Thomas Raith hires Harry to help a friend who seems to be under some type of curse which is causing problems for those around him. The Black Court, Mavra in particular has taken over a downtown location and is causing problems. There is only one of him and yet he is trying to make sure that everyone comes out alive. To top things off Karrin Murphy is having family issues and Harry must be there for her. Murphy returns the favor and is there for him when he needs her the most.

Some surprises are popped, some alliances are forged, some new characters are introduced. This is a wonderful piece of work. Cannot recommend it more highly.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
“Jobs are a part of life. Maybe you’ve heard of the concept. It’s called work? See, what happens is that you suffer through doing annoying and humiliating things until you get paid not enough money. Like those Japanese game shows, only without all the glory.”
― Jim Butcher, Blood Rites
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Death Masks

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Death Masks

Death Masks (The Dresden Files #5)

by Jim Butcher (Author), James Marsters (Narrator)

Another good entry with the introduction of characters who will become very important later in the series. We meet Butters for the first time here in a limited way but you know he will be seen again since he is a doctor, even if he is into forensics. We also meet the Denarians and Nicodemus who are some very serious bad guys.

While a guest on a talk show Harry is ambushed by an emissary of the Red Court who informs him that there is a way to end the war. He also is sought out by a priest who wants to hire him for a job that could be very dangerous. He once again finds himself fighting for his life and trying to do the right thing for everyone.

Dresden is a good guy and a good wizard who does his best at all times but never seems to get ahead. Cannot help but be impressed by this character.We know how I feel about James Marsters. Love that voice! You have to listen to truly appreciate.

 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“There are things you can’t walk away from. Not if you want to live with yourself afterward.”
― Jim Butcher, Death Masks
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Summer Knight

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Summer Knight

Summer Knight (The Dresden Files #4)

by Jim Butcher ( Author), James Marsters (Narrator)

Once again Jim Butcher gives me another great adventure with my favorite wizard. The Dresden series just continues to exceed my expectations at every turn. Having read the book quite a while ago it is something to listen to it and find all the nuances that you may have missed the first time jump out at you. The world continues to evolve and become richer as more about the wizard council and the fairies as well as the vampires is learned.

Harry cannot seem to catch a break. He gets a call from Billy which takes him to a park where frogs seem to be raining down, he is then informed by Billy that he has set up a meeting with a potential client, he is then summoned to a meeting of the White Council, and the Reds are still out for his blood. His year could not possibly get any worse. Or could it?

James Marsters continues to bring life to Harry and his merry band of friends of foes. His narration is the major reason to listen to these books, besides the fact that the stories are amazing. Continue the story and enjoy!

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
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Grave Peril

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grave-peril

Grave Peril (The Dresden Files #3)

by Jim Butcher (Author), James Marsters (Narrator)
The story just gets better and better as it moves along. Though each book is basically a standalone, the story is advanced every time because we always know what has happened before. They are also always at least a year or two after. Every book introduces new characters who Harry gets to interact with and maybe become friends with. The world that they live in is our world with the only twist being that the fantastic and mystical exists, and who wouldn’t want that.

The barrier between reality and the never-never is thinning. Ghosts are coming through and causing a lot of trouble in Chicago and people still do not believe. Harry has been invited to attend Bianca’s elevation in rank within the Red Court of Vampires. While Harry did not consider going the invitation was issued while he was with Susan and she is one tenacious reporter who does not get the real danger involved. There is always more going on than meets the eye and Harry is blaming himself for a lot of things.

I loved the book the first time I read it and for the second time I listened and got even more out of it. James Marsters does the narration and he is Harry for me at this point. He does a great job not only with Harry but with every other character and brings them to life  wonderfully. I loved him as Spike on Buffy, and can hear him with some characters, and could and do listen to him for hours as he takes me away to Chicago and my favorite wizard detective. This is Urban Fantasy at its best!

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
“Holy shit,” I breathed. “Hellhounds.”
“Harry,” Michael said sternly. “You know I hate it when you swear.”
“You’re right. Sorry. Holy shit,” I breathed, “heckhounds.”
― Jim Butcher, Grave Peril
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Angry Lead Skies

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Angry Lead Skies (Garrett Files #10)

This is one of the really good ones as far as Garrett and his adventures are concerned. I always like that he has something different going on that takes place in his fictional land. The story moves pretty quickly and we get to see how he acts with women other than those he always has around. The characters are fairly well defined and fleshed out.

Garrett is awakened from a deep sleep by Playmate who comes to him and asks that he help protect an obnoxious kid named Kip Prose who is being threatened by creatures who are hard to describe. Kip is a teenager who was befriended by two strange guys who have been giving him ideas for inventions that could make someone a lot of money. Opening his door when a woman is not knocking does not ever work out for him, but neither does it when they do.

Enjoy this adventure and watch Garrett try to please everyone and still get paid.

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
“The Dead Man once told me that monsters aren’t born, they’re made. That they are memorials which take years of cruelty to sculpt. And that while we should weep for the tortured child who served as raw material, we should permit no sentiment to impede us while we rid the world of the terror strewn by the finished work. It took me a while to figure out what he meant but I do understand him now.”
― Glen Cook, Angry Lead Skies
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Dead Witch Walking

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Dead Witch Walking (The Hollows, #1)
Dead Witch Walking (The Hollows #1)
byKim Harrison( Author), Marguerite Gavin(Narrator)

 

This was my second reading of this book and I enjoyed it a great deal but found some things that I thought were perfect the first time not so perfect this time. The characters are well defined but still seem a little one note in their reactions sometimes. The story is still very interesting and gets you acquainted with a number of the principles in the Hollows and outside who we will see later. It is told mainly from Rachel’s view point which works, but do wish it could have branched out.

Rachel Morgan is a runner for Inderlander Security but feels that she is being under used and resents it. When an opportunity presents itself she decides that leaving her job would be the best thing to do. What she does not expect is for Jenks, a pixie, and Ivy, a living vampire, to jump ship with her. What she expects even less is to find herself under a death threat from the agency since they wanted her to quit, they just didn’t expect her to take their best runner with her. Now she must find a way to stay alive, live with a vampire who is going cold turkey off blood, and a pixie and his family.

Good start to a series that gets better and better as it goes along.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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Ghoul Goblin

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Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files: Ghoul Goblin, Volume 1 (The Dresden Files Graphic Novels)

by Mark Powers, Jim Butcher (Goodreads Author), Joseph Cooper (Illustrator)
What can I say, I’m a sucker Harry. This one took him out of the city and made him have to work a little harder. It fits perfectly within the world of Harry because he is always managing to end having to save someone from something mystical. The art work is good and depicts the characters well. The dialogue is pure Dresden and keeps you wanting more.

A deputy from Boone Mill Missouri has come a long way to see Harry about some strange deaths in his town. It seems that a local family, the Talbots are cursed and keep dying in horrific ways. Because he believes that Harry is a wizard he wants him to come and help. But many in the town do not believe and would be just as happy if he would go away.

Nice diversion while we wait for next book. Anything Dresden is better than nothing Dresden. If you are a fan then you have to read it. 🙂

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
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The Malthus Protocol

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The Malthus Protocol (The Last Peak, #1)

I received this book with the original title from the author for an honest review.
The name was later altered to The Darwin Protocol.

Have you ever read something that you both liked and disliked? That is where I am with this one, I liked the book but it did not totally grab me but I was still compelled to keep going because of the things I liked. Things started very slowly for me and took quite a while to heat up to the point I could not put it down. I am not a fan of lots of short chapters that jump from place to place and in this case to an earlier time period. I do like that the story was told from multiple perspectives which made it easy to follow the action.

The Good:
Great characters with lives that are totally believable who you cannot help but love or hate.
A location that works for me because I know exactly where most of them are.
A complex story that makes you work to understand what is happening.
Nice family drama

The Bad:
105 chapters in a book of 400 pages.
No action pertaining to the virus or whatever that is supposed to hit L.A. until chapter 49.
Too many war flashbacks, when one or two could have told the story.

The United States is not what it used to be and does not wish to go down without a fight. To that end they bring in Dr. Anton Reshenko who has a plan that is intended to bring us back to the glory days. What they do not seem to comprehend is that Reshenko is your typical egomaniac scientist who sees nothing wrong in sacrificing the many to benefit a few.

In Los Angeles we meet Mason West, ex military and his family, who have no idea of the crazy about to come their way. Mason has also sworn to take care of the son of one of the men who did not make it back, the kid and his mom are both making that difficult. Elizabeth West is a veterinarian at the L.A. Zoo who has a thing for Bili chimps. Theresa West is their 15 year old daughter who is growing up and growing away from her parents in typical ways. Then there is Elio Lopez, the boy Mason has tried to protect is about to join a gang whose leader is a killer. With a life so full what else could possibly go wrong?

I have to say that it is worth your time to read this book. The characters make it more than worth it because they come to life in a very real way. While you do not get what is promised here I think it will be coming with the second book now that we have been fully introduced to the players.

My rating: 3.5 stars
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Fool Moon

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Fool Moon (The Dresden Files #2)

by Jim Butcher (Goodreads Author), James Marsters (Narrator)

 

When it comes to Harry Dresden I always have a great time reading about him and his misadventures in the world of magic. He is a wizard who does not always see things as they are. The characters are all likable in one way or the other, even the criminals seem to have some type of redeeming quality. The bad guys are always dark and menacing in the best possible way. The world inhabited by these characters is so obviously ours but with a twist that makes it special.

There have been several murders that Murphy has not told Harry about until it becomes obvious that they are not just animal attacks. When he finally gets involved he lets her know that werewolves or some flavor of shifter has come to town and is doing damage to innocents and criminals alike. Murphy has called in the FBI and they are pushing her out of the investigation for their own reasons. The real question comes down to whether Harry can figure out who is doing the killing and keep himself on the right side of a jail cel.

The Alphas make their first appearance here as college students. Susan and Harry are still circling each other but not committing to a relationship. Karrin and Harry are still trying to find common ground for their friendship and working relationship. This is a good series that makes reading more than once a fun venture.

James Marsters or Spike if you are a Buffy fan is Harry Dresden. When he starts to speak you will be pulled to Chicago and the trouble that happens when is around.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
“There’s more magic in a baby’s first giggle than in any firestorm a wizard can conjure up, and don’t let anyone tell you any different.”
― Jim Butcher, Fool Moon

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Whodunnit? Murder on Mystery Island

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Whodunnit? Murder on Mystery Island (Whodunnit #2)

I have always liked a good mystery and this was a very good one. I probably liked it even more because I managed to figure out who the killer was after the the second murder, though I could have easily been wrong. The set up is the same as the first book and works perfectly well even if you know how things are going to play out. The pace is fast and just right for what is going on. You get to know the characters just enough to give insight into the type of person they are, which helps you to decide who the murderer is. The murders themselves are pretty inventive and not your normal slasher type killings. The victims are likable for the most part with your usual annoying character thrown in for contrast.

Giles has decided that he would like to avoid the usual places a butler would work after his last experience being used by a killer. He cannot believe that the curse placed on him by Jacqueline Boussard could really follow him. Yes, it has happened twice but here on a tropical Island he should be safe along with the guests. Then he is told that a company has booked the Island for a retreat for their employees, but they will be bringing only 11 people and that seems strange.

Before Giles knows it he finds himself participating in a killing game once again and he helped to bring some staff with him. He knows what the stakes are and soon so do those who arrive thinking they are about to have an enjoyable vacation in paradise.

This does remind me of “Ten Little Indians” a murder mystery I have loved for years. We still have ten since the killer hides among his prey. You can get a few laughs, and try to figure out Whodunnit.

My rating: 4 of 5 killer stars