Brief Cases

Spoiler FreeAt this point you're getting a lot of Jim's best writing. And for a refreshing taste of his style you get to hear stories from Molly's, Butters, Maggie's, Marcones, and even Mouses perspective. You'll even get to see how the 1800s old west was women your favorite warden captain was hunting warlocks in dodge city. Youll learn how Marcone really is on the inside, how Butters became who he was later in the series, how Molly went from Ghost stories Molly to Skin Games Molly, and what Molly's new duties are as "You know what" Also hearing how Mouses powers actually work and how french fries and being a good boy are important to him is fun.Best of all you get the three big foot stories which are so canon that you'll get less out of skin games and up if you don't read those first. You really need to read them to understand one of the most interesting creatures in the Dresdenverse which will appear in Skingames, Peace Talks and Battle Ground. I'd highly recommend reading the three bigfoot tales before Skin Games if you want to get the full experience for the major works onward.Also Harry gets jury duty and learns about how christmas works and it's hilarious.

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I’ve missed Harry Dresden. I picked up “Storm Front” in 2000 when it was first released and was immediately hooked. Over the course of 15 years and 15 books, I gradually fell in love not just with Harry but with every odd-ball member of his extended family – Karin Murphy, his Chicago Police Lieutenant friend – Bob, his skull bound “Spirit of Intellect” sidekick – Thomas, his White Court Half Brother Vampire – Molly Carpenter, his apprentice, aka Grasshopper or Palawan – Michael Carpenter, Molly’s father and a Knight of the Cross – Gentleman Johnny Marcone, the ruthless and oddly principled leader of the Chicago Underworld – Mouse, Harry’s dog – and Waldo Butters, the polka loving, computer gaming, closet-nerd Chicago Coroner who ultimately takes up Fidelacchius, which manifests for him as a Light Sabre, and enters into service as the newest and oddest of the three Knights of the Cross. I read a lot – I’ve read so many good books and so many good, extended series – and I can honestly say – with the possible exception of Steven Brust’s “Vlad Taltos” books – that no collection of stories and no collection of characters has brought me more joy than “The Dresden Files”. I even tried very hard to like the crushingly mediocre TV adaptation that was released a decade ago.Every new “Dresden Files” release is – for me – cause for celebration. I buy them the day they’re available and I read them the day they arrive. In addition to the humor they deliver, the extremely well constructed supernatural universe that exists side by side with our own mundane world, the quality of the mystery at the heart of every story – the books are about heroes – and not just super-charged practitioners of magic – but mundane, normal, human heroes like Karin and Butters who still find a way to face fear, confront evil, loyally serve and ultimately triumph. They’re also about both friends and family and the strength that comes those critical relationships. I see a fair number of posts by my fellow bloggers asking the question – what fictional world would you choose to live in if you could. For me – there are only three – Harry Dresden’s Chicago, Vlad Taltos’ Adrilankha and – of course – Middle Earth. I can’t think of anything I’d rather do than be a member of Harry’s posse.Having said all that – I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to a bit of concern when this book was released. Butcher’s last full length Dresden File novel – “Skin Game” – was released three years ago in 2015. I’ve been expecting the next installment for quite some time and was starting to wonder whether Butcher was getting tired of Harry or if he’d written himself into a corner and couldn’t write himself out. When “Brief Cases” – a short story collection – was announced, those worries started to intensify and while I went into the book with hope intact – I was also prepared to be disappointed.I really shouldn’t have worried. While this was a different experience, while the first story in the collection was a bit of a disappointment, while three of the stories had already been released in a short publication called “Working For Bigfoot” – I have to say I loved the book and I loved it for two reasons. First – it gave me some really enjoyable short pieces about several members of Harry’s crew – a great story about Johnny Marcone that helps you understand why we like him in spite of the life he leads, an interesting story about Molly that filled in some narrative holes between “Changes” and “Ghost Story”, a second very good story about Molly that shows her beginning to grow into her role as the new Winter Lady of the Unseelie Court and a very fun story about Butters and the first time he’s called to serve as a Knight of the Court. If you are – as I am – a true and devoted baseball fan – you won’t help but be able to love the story about the Cubs World Series Curse. Finally, it all came together beautifully in the end with Zoo Day – the story that shows Harry grappling for the first time with the challenges of parenthood. I went in wondering what I would find. I ended with a huge smile on my face after reading a book that was all about family and how it sits at the center of all we are.One final element of the book that I really enjoyed – Butcher prefaced every story with a brief prologue that allowed him to explain his love for the characters he’d developed, how they’d come to be and/or what he was attempting to do with his narrative. I’ve never taken the time to read anything from Butcher about his own writing and what was propelling him and I found these short prologues to be both entertaining and insightful – in a way that left me loving the stories and the characters that much more.I’m still anxiously awaiting his next Dresden novel but this was more than enough to tide me over.Thank you Jim – for a great day and for making that flight much shorter than it otherwise would have been. 😀

What a story crafter. His characters are substantial and real. I love his work and only hope he will write more and faster. Hollywood storylines are not to be compared.

not kindle unlimited, rarely ever ever read others' reviews of book & never BEFORE reading what going to review, as it is basically someone else's opinion etc and could combine various reasons {or in some cases no reasons at all beyond they liked/didn't like and star rating} BUT -- *I* have a great imagination, and have heard Marsdon's voice {fantastic choice & voicing btw} in at least one audio and so ALWAYS 'hear' Marsdon in my head...except when it's the daughter or Mouse js, {room mate has some of them that way, and epub, but during storing for deployment lost all the hard cover ones he owned, so huge fan to put it mildly}, and he not only could read that there were not a bunch of new stories BECAUSE HE READ THAT IN THE BOOK BLURB DUH, but had read most of the collection, but actually SAME as me, really enjoyed the 3 viewpoint story-ies, and DID consider it 3 stories not just 1, and enjoyed the book {geek boy said he gave it 6 out of 5}...I personally consider Dresden stories the same way as I do Doctor Who ones...his world, not all his stories, and you either like the character/s OR you like the franchise {Marsdon would be a great loss, but MAYBE someone comparable could still do the audio if he didn't, and use one's imagination to 'hear' the stories in your head, regardless, sheesh, Butcher already gave y'all the story so how hard should it be for someone to 'hear' the voice/story with or without audioAn all-new Dresden Files story headlines this urban fantasy short story collection starring the Windy City’s favorite wizard. The world of Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard, is rife with intrigue—and creatures of all supernatural stripes. And you’ll make their intimate acquaintance as Harry delves into the dark side of truth, justice, and the American way in this must-have short story collection.From the Wild West to the bleachers at Wrigley Field, humans, zombies, incubi, and even fey royalty appear, ready to blur the line between friend and foe. In the never-before-published “Zoo Day,” Harry treads new ground as a dad, while fan-favorite characters Molly Carpenter, his onetime apprentice, White Council Warden Anastasia Luccio, and even Bigfoot stalk through the pages of more classic tales.With twelve stories in all, Brief Cases offers both longtime fans and first-time readers tantalizing glimpses into Harry’s funny, gritty, and unforgettable realm, whetting their appetites for more to come from the wizard with a heart of gold.The collection includes: • “Curses,” from Naked City, edited by Ellen Datlow • “AAAA Wizardry,” from the Dresden Files RPG • “Even Hand,” from Dark and Stormy Knights, edited by P. N. Elrod • “B is for Bigfoot,” from Under My Hat: Tales from the Cauldron, edited by Jonathan Strahan. Republished in Working for Bigfoot. • “I was a Teenage Bigfoot,” from Blood Lite III: Aftertaste, edited by Kevin J. Anderson. Republished in Working for Bigfoot. • “Bigfoot on Campus,” from Hex Appeal, edited by P. N. Elrod. Republished in Working for Bigfoot. • “Bombshells,” from Dangerous Women, edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois • “Jury Duty,” from Unbound, edited by Shawn Speakman • “Cold Case,” from Shadowed Souls, edited by Jim Butcher and Kerrie Hughes • “Day One,” from Unfettered II, edited by Shawn Speakman • “A Fistful of Warlocks,” from Straight Outta Tombstone, edited by David Boop • “Zoo Day,” a brand-new novella, original to this collectionUsually put a list of the writer's books here, but get real, it's Butcher, look them up, anywhere

Excelente colección de historias cortas del escritor Jim Butcher. Si te ha gustado algún libro de él, no te va a decepcionar pues tiene todos los elementos que lo han lanzado a la fama y posicionado como uno de los mejores escritores actuales de fantasía urbana.Si no lo has leido, ¿qué esperas? Jim es un excelente narrador y te mete a sus historias, pues no solo vas a leer de creaturas fantásticas (algunas de ellas pueden ponerte los pelos de punta) sino que tiene un elemento muy humano que es una de las características de Butcher que más me gustan.Increíble libro. Lo leería otra vez con los ojos cerrados.... bueno eso no lo creo!

A very really good collection of stories to expand on this fascinating universe.Can't wait for the next novel

Putting my love of the Dresden tales to one side, I can honestly say that... ... nope, just love these tales too much to merely talk in terms of brilliant memes and themes and character development. Any tale by this author is great fun. give them a go. For the fun of it. Just that. Really.

Once again, Jim Butcher delivers bite-sized Dresden Universe stories to leave the reader satisfied. Think of this as an apetiser for Peace Talks later this year.

Only thing I can complain about is the book is it's to short but then I could read these forever so even if it was as long as a encyclopaedia (remember those?) I would still think it's to short.