Any news on Peace Talks

[Bad Alias]

I find pessimism usually leads to expectations being exceeded, so I'm going to go with Jim is floundering and can't figure out how to end the book. It's a disaster and awful.

[Dina]

I am moderately pessimist too, but not with Dresden. I trust Jin, even when I like the newer books less than the older ones.

[Con]

A part of me is like the longer the book, the more I'll get to read, but another part of me is like finish already! I want to read it now!

[magnuskn]

I am moderately pessimist too, but not with Dresden. I trust Jin, even when I like the newer books less than the older ones.

I'm the other way around, I think (almost) every new book in the series has improved over the prior ones. Exceptions are Blood Rites, White Night and Ghost Story.

[Mira]

I'm the other way around, I think (almost) every new book in the series has improved over the prior ones. Exceptions are Blood Rites, White Night and Ghost Story.

That is a manner of opinion... 

A part of me is like the longer the book, the more I'll get to read, but another part of me is like finish already! I want to read it now!

That is how I am increasing feeling about the whole series.. Actually I've felt this for some time.. Why?  Because as the years go by, Jim gets occupied with more creative projects, like all of us he has a life and that gets more complicated... Result longer stretches between books,  with a few unsatisfying crumbs scattered in between...   Jim talks about Maggie at school spin offs, he is writing a whole new major series concurrent with the Dresden Files...  Result, the books since Changes have seemed rushed, diluted even,  sometimes especially the short stories, going through the motions... If Jim is floundering and I pray he isn't, it may because he is trying to stretch it out just a bit too thin, trying to put in six books where one focused one could tell it all.   

[prince lotore]

there is part of me that is convinced that nothing has been done and these updates are just to stall the mob until a contract can be signed for another project

[g33k]

there is part of me that is convinced that nothing has been done and these updates are just to stall the mob until a contract can be signed for another project

You poor optimistic fool.

The contract has already been signed, and Jim's hard at work on it.  And developing a new proposal.'
The draft of Peace Talks is actually the 3rd item down his "Projects" list.  Most days he doesn't even think about it.

(is this pessimistic enough for y'all?)
 

[Arjan]

I'm the other way around, I think (almost) every new book in the series has improved over the prior ones. Exceptions are Blood Rites, White Night and Ghost Story.

Ghost story is one one of the better ones, especially if you like world building.

[Bad Alias]

Disclaimer: I like every book Jim has written.

Fool Moon, Storm Front, and Ghost Story are my least favorite stories of the series (and maybe of any books written by Jim), in order from least to most. I don't think Jim really hit his stride until Death Masks. I like Grave Peril a lot and think Summer Knight is pretty good, but the "world" hasn't really jelled in Grave Peril, and there's just something about Summer Knight that feels off compared to pretty much all the books afterwards that isn't off even in Death Masks.

I will concede that Ghost Story has a lot of information that is really necessary to the story. I skipped Ghost Story the first time I was reading the series and didn't notice until about a third of the way, I think, into the book that I had missed something.

On a side note, one of the things I've always liked about Death Masks (and Blood Rites) is that it has two story lines that intertwine but aren't "it was the same case the whole time!"

[Wolfeyes]

As of June 5th, 2019, the current draft of the novel is up to chapter 63.

According to priscellie, this isn't even the second last chapter: https://www.reddit.com/r/dresdenfiles/comments/bx5v0z/update_chapter_63_on_june_5th/eq75rfx/

[KurtinStGeorge]

On the positive side, Jim is making (what I believe) is his first appearance at a Con this year (Westercon) over the July 4th weekend in Layton, UT; which is just north of Salt Lake City and right next to Hill Air Force Base.  I will be in attendance.  The reason I'm being positive is I think (hope) Jim will have wrapped up Peace Talks by then.

That is a manner of opinion... 

That is how I am increasing feeling about the whole series.. Actually I've felt this for some time.. Why?  Because as the years go by, Jim gets occupied with more creative projects, like all of us he has a life and that gets more complicated... Result longer stretches between books,  with a few unsatisfying crumbs scattered in between...   Jim talks about Maggie at school spin offs, he is writing a whole new major series concurrent with the Dresden Files...  Result, the books since Changes have seemed rushed, diluted even,  sometimes especially the short stories, going through the motions... If Jim is floundering and I pray he isn't, it may because he is trying to stretch it out just a bit too thin, trying to put in six books where one focused one could tell it all.

Yes, to all of this.

I'm also becoming annoyed by things like the retconning we saw in Skin Game.  Anna Valmont and the other two Churchmice didn't rip off Nicodemus.  That's not why Nic killed Valmont's friends.  They didn't know Nicodemus existed.  I'm actually surprised none of the Beta readers caught that.  It makes me worry that other errors might get introduced into the series.   

Ghost story is one one of the better ones, especially if you like world building.

I really disagree with you here.  I thought at least one early chapter in Ghost Story was sloppily written, and overall I think the story aimlessly meanders back and forth, rather than powerfully driving to a satisfying and emotional conclusion.  When we get the big reveal, that explains why Molly is such a mess, I felt like, "Oh, I get it.  Molly blames herself for Harry's death because she went along with his suicide plan. That's it?  That was a long way to go just to find out that Harry set up his own assassination."  What should have been an emotional gut punch was like getting hit by a pillow.  Now that I think about, the Star Trek theme in Molly's head didn't add anything either.

That's not to say there weren't some very good parts in Ghost Story.  I enjoyed Harry's discussions with Lea, Carmichael, Captain Murphy and Uriel, but overall I thought it was the most disappointing book in the series.  I don't think you can compare it to something like Fool Moon; a book many people feel is mediocre, because Fool Moon was such an early effort.  Jim was still learning his craft then.

[wardenferry419]

You poor optimistic fool.

The contract has already been signed, and Jim's hard at work on it.  And developing a new proposal.'
The draft of Peace Talks is actually the 3rd item down his "Projects" list.  Most days he doesn't even think about it.

(is this pessimistic enough for y'all?)

I will do you one better. Jim Butcher has died and the person we see walking around is his look-alike stunt double. Unfortunately, the double can't write. There will be no new book.

[Regenbogen]

I will do you one better. Jim Butcher has died and the person we see walking around is his look-alike stunt double. Unfortunately, the double can't write. There will be no new book.

No, the person walking around is probably a zygon with all his knowledge and talents. So must be kept alive somewhere, otherwise the zygon wouldn't have access to his brain. Peace Talks is taking so long, because Jim is not cooperating and hoping for years that someone finally notices that he is not there.

[wardenferry419]

Darn, my sonic screwdriver is in the shop for repairs.

[Arjan]

On the positive side, Jim is making (what I believe) is his first appearance at a Con this year (Westercon) over the July 4th weekend in Layton, UT; which is just north of Salt Lake City and right next to Hill Air Force Base.  I will be in attendance.  The reason I'm being positive is I think (hope) Jim will have wrapped up Peace Talks by then.

Yes, to all of this.

I'm also becoming annoyed by things like the retconning we saw in Skin Game.  Anna Valmont and the other two Churchmice didn't rip off Nicodemus.  That's not why Nic killed Valmont's friends.  They didn't know Nicodemus existed.  I'm actually surprised none of the Beta readers caught that.  It makes me worry that other errors might get introduced into the series.   

I really disagree with you here.  I thought at least one early chapter in Ghost Story was sloppily written, and overall I think the story aimlessly meanders back and forth, rather than powerfully driving to a satisfying and emotional conclusion.  When we get the big reveal, that explains why Molly is such a mess, I felt like, "Oh, I get it.  Molly blames herself for Harry's death because she went along with his suicide plan. That's it?  That was a long way to go just to find out that Harry set up his own assassination."  What should have been an emotional gut punch was like getting hit by a pillow.  Now that I think about, the Star Trek theme in Molly's head didn't add anything either.

That's not to say there weren't some very good parts in Ghost Story.  I enjoyed Harry's discussions with Lea, Carmichael, Captain Murphy and Uriel, but overall I thought it was the most disappointing book in the series.  I don't think you can compare it to something like Fool Moon; a book many people feel is mediocre, because Fool Moon was such an early effort.  Jim was still learning his craft then.

I liked the discussions especially those with Lea, she is always a fun to read and I liked the world building. Seeing the impact of Harry’s suicide on his friends was important as well. Too often these things get drowned in one big fighting scene. The fighting is not the most important part of the book.