So I've read the new Dresden Files book!

[sholio]

- Wow, that finale was dark. But they didn't kill Maggie, which I was halfway expecting, and given the series' tendency to bring back characters, I suspect that we haven't seen the last of her. And while Harry selling himself to Mab was a major YIKES, I also had the same reaction to Harry picking up the Denarius coin and I remember my surprise at how he managed to come out of that, so I suspect that he's going to come out of this one too, albeit perhaps not unchanged.

- I was relieved to discover that it seems Thomas is still Thomas ... he's colder ("What does this [Maggie's kidnapping] have to do with me?" ... oh, Thomas) but he's still capable of snarking with Harry and refusing to let Harry go into battle alone. It still stings to see him like that, but I don't think he's gone down so far he can't come back in some fashion. It's also interesting how this book brought Harry closer to where Thomas is ... not exactly in the correct direction, but ah well ...

- They weren't kidding about Changes. I appreciate that, after twelve books/years of the status quo, the series is shaking things up a bit. But still ... no more apartment/basement/Little Chicago, no more car, no more Susan, Harry and Murphy acting on their attraction -- it's like Butcher took all the things that have been more or less in a holding pattern and pushed them somewhere new. I like that, even though I'm still reeling just a bit. (After the destruction of the apartment, car, and so forth, I was actually expecting the book to end with Harry establishing himself somewhere other than Chicago for subsequent books. I'm relieved that this doesn't seem to be the case, at least not yet!)

- Tilly is an awesome new character, and I hope he comes back!

- WTF ENDING WTF