Battle Ground by Jim Butcher – a Review

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Google Play / Apple / BAM / Book Depository

Description:
Harry has faced terrible odds before. He has a long history of fighting enemies above his weight class. The Red Court of vampires. The fallen angels of the Order of the Blackened Denarius. The Outsiders.

But this time it’s different. A being more powerful and dangerous on an order of magnitude beyond what the world has seen in a millennium is coming. And she’s bringing an army. The Last Titan has declared war on the city of Chicago, and has come to subjugate humanity, obliterating any who stand in her way.

Harry’s mission is simple but impossible: Save the city by killing a Titan. And the attempt will change Harry’s life, Chicago, and the mortal world forever.

Review:

Battle Ground by Jim Butcher is the 17^th book in his excellent urban fantasy The Dresden Files series.  I have read a few of the books in this series, since most of Butcher’s books are huge, it is hard to catch up; especially since its been a number of years having passed without a new addition of The Dresden files, though in July Peace Talks was released giving fans two Dresden File book in one year.  Even though I did not read Peace Talks, I had no problem as I loved Battle Ground; which was an amazing nonstop action filled adventure from start to finish.

Harry Dresen, our Wizard hero, is star of this series.  Harry is the Winter Knight, beholden to Mab, who is the Queen of Air and Darkness. We knew something big was on horizon when Peace Talks ended, and Battle Ground begins immediately after, with a ultra-powerful Titan, Ethniu, is on her way to destroy Chicago and all humanity. Ethniu is filled with hatred of humans and Mab, and will stop at nothing to cause utter chaos and destruction to all of Chicago with her creatures and army of thousands. From the immediate start, Harry was attacked by some of those creatures, and manages to survive with the help of Lara, Molly and Murphy. But this is only the beginning, as the battle to come is epic, and constant, with death defying situations having us holding our breaths so often, we were exhausted by the time this book ended. 

I loved that in Battle Ground we get to see just so many of the regulars we have come to know, such as Murphy, Mab, Lara, Molly, Marcone, Butters, Sanya, Michael, Sarissa, River, Titiana, with a few surprises along the way. Mab was amazing in this story, as her faith in Harry excels, and she pulls her team together to help fight what is a desperate attempt to survive.  Poor Harry, each time he was able to stop one thing, so much more kept coming. Battle Ground was one of the most exciting books I have read this year, and I have read a few.  No surprise, as Jim Butcher is such a terrific writer.  There is so much action throughout the book, you don’t have a moment to blink.  Just when you think …whew, he got through that one, damned if you are not hit again, and again and again. 

This is a difficult review to write, as everything that happens is a spoiler.  Harry is phenomenal, and he suffers badly, but like the energizer battery, he keeps going.  I cannot say the last half of the book was wild, crazy, mind-boggling; since the entire book was nonstop action all the way to the end.  Amazing ride… If you have not read The Dresden Files, it is time to do so.  Harry Dresden is one of the best heroes, and it is hard pressed to find a writer such as Jim Butcher, who can keep this story fresh, and the hero still awesome.  Battle Ground is a must read.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher