Butters *battle grounds*

[Mira]

LOL seems like my reply to Dina easily applies here as well. All adds to the spice of life

Yes, in the sense that on the second read one looks for the bread crumbs that might actually lead to something.  As in since the corner hounds were Outsider creatures it takes a mortal to call them up.. Only two anywhere close, the doorman and Justine.. Also Harry's reaction to Justine's reaction to the news about Thomas screamed that something was amiss..  But the trail went cold as soon as the crisis of the corner hounds was resolved, and the story jumped to something else.. Harry and us got sidetracked and it wasn't until the end of Battle Ground that it all came together.

[Bad Alias]

This [repetitive descriptions] is one of the early signs that the writer is reaching for content.

It's been one of my complaints for the entire series, so I don't think it's evidence of Jim being "lost in the weeds." Continuity issues are another thing I find irksome. There were plenty in PT. I still enjoyed both books and am ready for Jim's next offering.

[Dina]

Yes, PT was particular bad in that sense but I blame the rewriting due to the split. I hope it gets better in the future.

[Arjan]

Yes, PT was particular bad in that sense but I blame the rewriting due to the split. I hope it gets better in the future.

I think things will get better because his home is sorted out now and Jim started writing again on a regular basis.

[Mira]

I think things will get better because his home is sorted out now and Jim started writing again on a regular basis.

That is good, I hope that he doesn't wait another six years until he writes the next book.  Yeah, there are selfish motives on my part, but I think by waiting that long he lost touch with the series.  It isn't like he wasn't writing though, he had launched another series during those years etc.  It may have hurt his focus, also for some reason he felt he had to write his version of War And Peace.  I think to make up for almost nothing save a few mostly unsatisfactory short stories over that six
year span.  I think he and us would be better served by shorter more focused closer together.

[Snark Knight]

You took the words right off my finger tips..  Yes, I think we all would have found the story more
enjoyable, if some heavy editing had been done, Peace Talks I think suffers a bit more than Battle Ground, but they could have been one book around seven hundred pages more or less and not have
broken the bank, if that really was the reason to split it into two books.

At this point I'm left with the distinct impression the "it would have been two expensive to print it as one book" argument is dishonest.

Let's be realistic, using a fairly large font size is a choice. I'm pretty sure the word count for PT + BG is still less than a Rothfuss or Sanderson novel, and they aren't prohibitively expensive.

[Mira]

At this point I'm left with the distinct impression the "it would have been two expensive to print it as one book" argument is dishonest.

Let's be realistic, using a fairly large font size is a choice. I'm pretty sure the word count for PT + BG is still less than a Rothfuss or Sanderson novel, and they aren't prohibitively expensive.

Yes,  perhaps instead of being dishonest, Jim was trying to make it up to his fans by having two books come out after so long.  But if that is true, he should admit it.

[StrayDog]

Yes,  perhaps instead of being dishonest, Jim was trying to make it up to his fans by having two books come out after so long.  But if that is true, he should admit it.

I've been thinking about why I love the DF series, what about it do I love that keeps me engaged. JB has written each case file in a noir, gum-shoe, with a splash of fantasy style that is quite unique. Maybe he ran into a situation where PT was compatible to that style but BG was full epic battle scene. Could have been one book but the abrupt change in the flow of events would be too much for readers to enjoy.

[Mira]

I've been thinking about why I love the DF series, what about it do I love that keeps me engaged. JB has written each case file in a noir, gum-shoe, with a splash of fantasy style that is quite unique. Maybe he ran into a situation where PT was compatible to that style but BG was full epic battle scene. Could have been one book but the abrupt change in the flow of events would be too much for readers to enjoy.

Except PT fell down in that aspect in my opinion.  I fell in love with the series for the reasons you state.  Instead of Harry really drilling down on why abruptly Thomas would go off and try to assassinate Atri, it went off in five directions at once which became a bit distracting.   

[StrayDog]

Except PT fell down in that aspect in my opinion.  I fell in love with the series for the reasons you state.  Instead of Harry really drilling down on why abruptly Thomas would go off and try to assassinate Atri, it went off in five directions at once which became a bit distracting.

Agreed and I see why you feel that way about PT. JB may well have written himself in the metaphorical corner and this is what arose from it.

[Griffyn612]

At this point I'm left with the distinct impression the "it would have been two expensive to print it as one book" argument is dishonest.

Let's be realistic, using a fairly large font size is a choice. I'm pretty sure the word count for PT + BG is still less than a Rothfuss or Sanderson novel, and they aren't prohibitively expensive.

From what I saw, he wrote too much even before the split, and the publisher didn't have the equipment to publish a book the size of what it would be.  They would have had to have subcontracted it out to another publisher under the parent, which was going to cost money to do and result in a $50 book.  Or he could cut stuff out, or they could do the split.

[Mira]

From what I saw, he wrote too much even before the split, and the publisher didn't have the equipment to publish a book the size of what it would be.  They would have had to have subcontracted it out to another publisher under the parent, which was going to cost money to do and result in a $50 book.  Or he could cut stuff out, or they could do the split.

Cutting some of the stuff out, especially in Peace Talks and making Battle Ground slightly longer may have been better.

And if you were one of the poor smucks who bought them at Barns and Noble, the two together sill would have cost $50.00, actually more,  $28.00 x 2 = $56.00 plus sales tax..  I hope the future books are more concise and closer together, for all of our sakes, including his.

[StrayDog]

Butters has turned into “hetero male geek wish fulfillment” character.  It is not a good look on him.

This is going to come across as snarky and sarcastic but it is not intended that way.

Molly is written as a statuesque, could-be-model, tall, blond, Catholic, virgin, turned sexy un-aging Faerie Princess [still virgin] who has been groomed from childhood to worship the ground Harry walks on and now, as Winter Lady, been bound to Harry's will at least once.

Yet it's Butters who's widely panned as the “hetero male geek wish fulfillment” character. All JB hasn't done yet is dress Molly up in black lace frillies and parade her around Castle Dresden in high heels and a ball gag. [Thank you Avasarala] At the rate JB is going this series will end with Molly in Harry's bed chamber re-enacting the tie scene from Pretty Woman! "How was your day Dear ..."

I know I'm being redundant, tiresome, and boring but Molly deserves better!

[Dina]

I share most of what you say (specially because I see no problems with Butters) but just a comment. When Molly was bound to Harry's will. I see it the other way around. She is the boss (and, btw, Harry is in her debt).

[StrayDog]

I share most of what you say (specially because I see no problems with Butters) but just a comment. When Molly was bound to Harry's will. I see it the other way around. She is the boss (and, btw, Harry is in her debt).

Yes he is, and in a big way too. Will be interesting to see how JB writes that.