sholio | A speculative thought on the next Dresden Files

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A speculative thought on the next Dresden Files

I just had a really horrible thought, which I've been heartlessly inflicting on the commenters in my last Dresden Files thread.

This book was all about marking a turning point in the series and in Harry's life. I'd been blithely assuming that Harry couldn't possibly be dead, at least not permanently, because he's the narrator. But then I got to wondering -- What if Butcher is planning on switching narrators?

He could do just about anything. The whole next book could be all about Harry's friends putting together a posse to go rescue him from heaven or hell or wherever he ends up*. Or Harry could be dead for good and it could suddenly be Maggie's story. Or ... anything!

Let's have a POLL.

[Poll #1548669]

(*Now that I've had this thought, I really want it.)

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I'm thinking Thomas is most likely, if we do get a new narrator, but now that you point out that second to last possibility. . . that is intriguing!

Hee! The problem is, Harry's voice is so distinctive that I can't imagine how it could possibly be done in a way that wouldn't be a) obvious and b) annoyingly gimmicky.

Right now I'm terribly wooed by the "Harry's friends rescue him from Hell" possibility. :D

He could have amnesia....

There's no clicky for those who like clickies! (I'm still to read the Dresden Files *sheepish grin* I know, what am I doing on your flist????)

What are you doing here? Get thee away from the spoilers! :D

I didn't put an extra ticky box because I kind of hate those. XD Even though people do cute things with them sometimes, I find them sort of irritating and pointless.

You know I like spoilers :D After all, I live in the a*** end of the world! (my former Prime Minister's words ^^) We've spent so many years behind everyne else thast I'm used to having to spoil things to know what's going to happen...and yes, I read the end of a book first if I want to know that the hero lives :D

I finally finished last night and that was really a roller coaster of a book. But...I don't think Harry's dead. I applaud Butcher for shaking things up, for being on the 12th book and keeping it new by not being afraid to literally destroy a character's life. Yet, if he were permanently dead there would be threads that would be incomplete and I'm not sure that's his style. The big decision to become the Winter Knight, for one, but the other, is there's always been this hint of Harry's importance in the future, and with the White/Grey/Black council, none of that is truly settled and Maggie is much to young yet to be an instrument in it, nor did we have any sign that she had powers yet (though I think you'd have to be nuts to think she wouldn't).

I am definitely blown away by the book and while I hate being left hanging so horribly, I have to give him big kudos for such an amazing entry into the series (as heartbreaking as it was). There was such a horrible feeling to Dresden at the end, just that he'd been laid to waste and right at the end, on the boat with Murphy, we see a promise to cling to...and then bam, he's...dying!!??!!?? Noooooooooooooooo!

I definitely think there's way too much stuff left unresolved in Harry's life for this to be The End. (Also, that would suck.) On the other hand, I'm starting to kind of wonder if Butcher might not take the opportunity to explore the world from other characters' POVs for a while. I think I'd be on board with that! But I definitely want Harry back eventually. :D

DAMMIT JIM!

The #1 reason the Dresden Files are so popular, IMO, is because Butcher wrote a very likable and enjoyable character. If he switches narrators, he's basically thrown away what made the series what it is. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm not sure I would keep reading without Harry.

Besides, I have to keep comforting myself with the thought that no way would Mab allow Harry to just die right when she finally has him. She had to have been watching him closely, ready to take him away as her knight.

I really hope Butcher doesn't change narrators. Really, really hope.

The question remains, who is the woman he heard at the end? I think we're meant to assume it's his mother, because he's dying, but it could be Mab, it could be Lea, it could be Murphy who has pulled him from the lake already. Also, who was she speaking to? Harry, or left-over-death-curse guy?

But I totally agree that losing Harry would irrevocably change the series, and not for the better. I can't see his editors letting him do it, let alone his readers. If Harry's gone, then it's the end of the series. Which is the biggest reason I don't believe he is gone. The next is what you said about Mab. She's not letting him go, no way.

Yeah, in all seriousness, I don't think he's permanently gone. On the other hand, now that the thought has occurred to me, I'm really intrigued by the possibility that Butcher's going to use this as an opportunity to expand his universe a bit and explore it through other characters' eyes. I can certainly see how writing twelve books through the first-person eyes of one character could lead to an author wanting to do things a little differently for a while.

But, no, I don't think he's dead. :D

As to the woman ... I don't know! Mab would be my first guess, but the idea that it's Murphy hadn't occurred to me -- that's an intriguing thought!

I adore Harry and I definitely don't want to lose his snarky self permanently! I can't help wondering, though, if Butcher is going to take advantage of this opportunity to explore his 'verse -- and his protagonist -- from other characters' viewpoints, kind of like he did with the Thomas-POV short story that came out a year or two ago. That was fun, and I'm intrigued by the idea that he might try something like that again ... and I totally wouldn't put it past him to let us twist in the wind as to whether Harry is actually dead until the middle of the book or something like that.

I actually had this thought myself right after I finished the book...and then dismissed it (and by that, I mean, oh look, I do believe I spy the Neil....)

But...well, it is a possibility. The one thing that makes me pause is the very last line, when he's going to the light, and thinking it's almost warm and peaceful...and then he hears a sound, a horn and engine and the "oncoming train". I think that's someone or something interrupting his 'death'. Could be wrong...could be in denial (Neechan and I do, after all, have a very nice house boat there...^_-) but...um..yeah...I can hope?

No matter what, though, even if the narrator does switch (would be interesting, certainly) I don't think Harry is actually dead...at least not permanently. There's still a lot in his story that we don't really have answers to...

Yeah; I do have a teensy bit of worry that Harry might actually be dead, but really, it's a miniscule possibility; mostly I'm just very, very curious what Butcher has in mind! I actually think it would be nifty to get a different POV for a while, as long as we get Harry back eventually. ^^

I am now intrigued by the idea of a book by the povs of Dresden characters that are not, in fact, Dresden. I don't think it would be permanent - there are far too many plot lines still undone (the White Council and all its subplots, I'm thinking of most - I mean, he tied up whatsherface the Warden and she's never heard from again, there's a story there) and it's the Dresden Files. Not Random Wizardy Files.

So... not permanent, if he does die. But even if he doesn't, I'm actually really jazzed about the potential of other povs telling this story.

And I just read your other post, but I wanted to say - I really adored Tilly. Bet he could offer Murphy a job :D

But even if he doesn't, I'm actually really jazzed about the potential of other povs telling this story.

I know, me too! I don't want to get too hung up on the idea, because I don't want to end up being disappointed if it doesn't go that way. But I think it would be really neat to have some of the other characters give their side of things -- and their impressions of Harry.

But yeah, I agree with you; there are still way too many plot threads dangling that haven't been resolved for this to be the end of Harry. (Okay, there is a teensy part of me that's worried he's actually dead. But only the teensiest of teensy parts. Mostly I'm just curious what happens next!)

JB is going to write a short story from Murphy's POV soon, set 45 minutes after the end of Changes. :)

eta: And I just saw that the name of the nest book has been released -
Ghost Story

Edited 2010-04-08 21:31 (UTC)

Ooh, that short story sounds awesome! And it ought to answer at least one or two of the lingering questions at the end of Changes (though, Butcher being Butcher, it probably won't *g*).

Regarding your ETA: OMG WAAAAAAAAANT! Where did you hear about it? I've been lurking around his website in the hopes of finding something new but I didn't see anything there.

http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,16659.msg767795.html#msg767795

That's the confirmation post from one of JB's betas/mod of the forum. :D

Ooh, thanks! :D *scampers* (Didn't even think of looking on the forum, d'oh! I was all poking around the news page and LJ and so forth.)

I can confirm this info from the horse's mouth as well-- Butcher mentioned both of those at the signing I went to last night. (Actually, I think it might even be a novella rather than a short story. *crosses fingers*)

He also mentioned that he had wanted to name the book "Dead", but his editors had vetoed it, lol.

I am dyiiiiiiiing for the next book, holy crap. (<-- just finished Changes ten minutes ago)

haven't read it yet.. but drat, now I'm really kicking myself about missing the author signing that was happening tonight at our local bookstore. Butcher always comes the beginning of April - when I'm so stuck in work hell :( He was going to talk and then sign for a while. dang it. I'm sure someone brought this up and I could tell from his reactions n which way it was going to go. And there's always talk about upcoming books and all that.

Oh noooo, what a bummer! That sounds like so much fun. *wishes she lived somewhere on his signing tour*

You know, normally I avoid spoilers like the absolute PLAGUE, and I still don't think I want major book-spoiling spoilers ... but on this one, I think I'm probably gonna be lurking about looking on official sites for hints and clues for MONTHS.

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A speculative thought on the next Dresden Files

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late reply is late /o\

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