Peace Talks - Wardens continuity issue (possible Mirror, Mirror spoiler?)

[Addicted To Stories]

Loved Peace Talks - but there are a few points while reading the book where I said "Wait, what?  That's not right.  That doesn't match up with established Dresden history."

Here's the first.   When the 4 wardens (count them 4) popped up in the road to stop and talk to Dresden - he tought: 

"The last time I’d faced off with this many Wardens, they’d been there to arrest me, after the death of Justin DuMorne. I’d been sixteen. I remember how frightening those grim spartan figures had been."

And that's just not true!  In Turn Coat, on Demonreach, when Dresden issued a challenge to the Senior Council and 3 of them showed up (Listens-to-Winds, Ancient Mai, and EB) - they also brought with them 5 wardens.  Count them.  1. 2. 3. 4. 5.  And they were all battle-seasoned veterans - much older, more powerful, and scary than the 4 wardens stopping Dresden in the the street.

Of course - the major point here is - 5 is more than 4.   So - the last time Dresden faced off against "this many wardens" (4 or more) - was at Demonreach, in Turn Coat, not back in the early days.

SO - my question is - did Dresden forget?  (Because he is an unreliable narrator?)  Or did Butcher forget?  And the proof-reading Alphas missed it too?   

OR - is this some sort of history changing/universe changing discrepancy building into Mirror, Mirror?

[KurtinStGeorge]

Good question.  I wish I had a clever answer to give you, so I'll try to think of one.  (I'm thinking of the Jeopardy game show theme right now.)  The only answer that makes sense to me (sort of) is that Harry set up the situation on Demonreach in Turn Coat.  Harry knew what he was getting into and he thought that he could talk his way out of trouble until the real traitor showed his hand.  The situation outside the Raith estate was the first time Harry had been surprised by Wardens sent after him.  So Harry didn't equate the situation on Demonreach in Turn Coat with Carlos and company stopping him outside the Raith estate.  In that case it wasn't so much that Jim forgot the earlier event as it was an inaccurate description of what occurred outside Lara's place.  Jim should have had Harry say it was the first time he'd been surprised by so many Wardens since that time they came after him following Justin's death.

(There have been times I caught things that made me think the Beta readers were asleep at wheel, but I missed this one too.  Good catch.) 

[astralwanderer]

Other continuity error?

When Dresden checks out the two weapons from storage at the end of Peace Talks, one of the weapons he requests is the Athame. I thought he didn't have the Athame (The one from Grave Peril), and instead had the leaf-shaped knife from Hades's armory.

Edit: Said Storm Front instead of Grave Peril

[ClintACK]

Other continuity error?

When Dresden checks out the two weapons from storage at the end of Peace Talks, one of the weapons he requests is the Athame. I thought he didn't have the Athame (The one from Storm Front), and instead had the leaf-shaped knife from Hades's armory.

That seemed strange to me too, but then "athame" is a generic term for a knife used in ritual magic, so it's probably an accurate description of the knife from the armory.

(There have been a bunch of athames in the series -- Lea received one as a guest gift in Grave Peril, which infected her with Nemesis, which makes a reappearance in Changes when Harry uses it to kill Slate; the stone knives (flint blades) used by the Red Court in Changes; the silver knife Harry uses in Storm Front; and so on...)

He's been doing research on the weapons, so perhaps this just means he knows enough to call the knife by a more accurate name.

[astralwanderer]

Jim is normally pretty good about saying the one from Grave Peril is THE athame. Do we know what happened to it after Mab took it away from Lea?

[The_Sibelis]

Jim is normally pretty good about saying the one from Grave Peril is THE athame. Do we know what happened to it after Mab took it away from Lea?

Medea's Bodkin is also an Atheme, just not the same one as Leah had... Though I think the same one used to slit Slates throat per it's particular description.
And with so many timeline errors being pointed out plus the corner hounds I'm beginning to believe there was a significant timeline shift here recently and we just haven't realized what it was from our perspective yet.

[Arjan]

Athame is just a generic name for a knife used in magic rituals. The first practitioner killed in white night had one for her quite innocent rituals.

Some athames have more power accumulated because of how they were used in history and so are better instruments for ritual magic. There is Medea’s bodkin, there is the athame cowl used to infect Lea which had enough power to carry a nemesis infection and there is the spearhead from Hades vault. Demonreach called it an Athame and why not? It is how Harry is going to use it. It probably has been used as an athame more than once.

I see no continuity error here, just different sharp knifelike objects.

[Bad Alias]

Other continuity error?

https://www.paranetonline.com/index.php/topic,53523.0.html

[Mira]

Athame is just a generic name for a knife used in magic rituals. The first practitioner killed in white night had one for her quite innocent rituals.

Some athames have more power accumulated because of how they were used in history and so are better instruments for ritual magic. There is Medea’s bodkin, there is the athame cowl used to infect Lea which had enough power to carry a nemesis infection and there is the spearhead from Hades vault. Demonreach called it an Athame and why not? It is how Harry is going to use it. It probably has been used as an athame more than once.

I see no continuity error here, just different sharp knifelike objects.

  I believe it was explained in the book, sharp knifelike objects with magical or mystical properties, taking it a step further, gives the holder power..