New Dresden Files podcast interview.

[Yuillegan]

As he likes to remind people, Jim is a professional liar, so no.

That being said Chandler is a pretty minor character, so I don't find it that farfetched that Jim doesn't have a concrete idea of what happened to him, rather then just vague ideas.

Jim also said in that interview part of the point of Battle Ground was clearing some characters out. Too many for him to keep track of.

It's just that the description of what happened (the black square) was so precise, I cannot imagine JB thinking that and not thinking what it means. Perhaps he is just trying to downplay what could be something important.

Instead, for some reason, I believe that he is not sure about Thomas. There are many options and I can see him not being sure what to choose yet. Personally, I hope he is back soon because I love Harry & Thomas together. And I need to see him taking care of his child soon because of the family drama annoys me. That also means I want Harry and Lara rescuing the child soon.

Black circle actually, but I get your point. I mean, it could lead to anywhere. Some horrible part of the Nevernever. The Outside. Drakul's lair. Maybe Jim, like many authors, likes leaving his options open. More interesting for him.

Thomas is sadly being sidelined as Jim is bored/tired of him. Which is such a waste to me. He tried to say Harry just thought it was cool having a brother out of nowhere, rather than the massive sense of family he got by getting a brother. First Harry flipped out, then he felt relief he wasn't alone, and then a deep love. I get that Thomas serves a narrative purpose but Jim can change the character and grow him. He's the author after all. I think Jim just can't be bothered as he no longer finds the character interesting or useful, and he takes up space. Doesn't mean he won't come back of course. Tbh I am surprised Jim didn't just kill him (which he may well do).

[Con]

Thomas is sadly being sidelined as Jim is bored/tired of him. Which is such a waste to me. He tried to say Harry just thought it was cool having a brother out of nowhere, rather than the massive sense of family he got by getting a brother. First Harry flipped out, then he felt relief he wasn't alone, and then a deep love. I get that Thomas serves a narrative purpose but Jim can change the character and grow him. He's the author after all. I think Jim just can't be bothered as he no longer finds the character interesting or useful, and he takes up space.

Jim also said Thomas was his go to muscle thug, which Dresden doesn't really need anymore. He's his own muscle.

Doesn't mean he won't come back of course. Tbh I am surprised Jim didn't just kill him (which he may well do).

First don't give him idea's Director Alex did that enough for one day.
Second. Jim had already killed off Murphy, even he wouldn't want to kill 2 family members in one book. For plot reasons if nothing else.
Third. The upcoming nuptials put Lara in the limelight, which would have been interesting if Thomas was around to interact off of, but fills the spot of White Court Vamp.

[Arjan]

But Thomas on Harry’s island plays a big role in the interaction between Lara and Harry.

[Bad Alias]

And I need to see him taking care of his child soon because of the family drama annoys me. That also means I want Harry and Lara rescuing the child soon.

Dina approves of a child?  ( I get that it's completely different for Thomas to have a child than for Harry).

He tried to say Harry just thought it was cool having a brother out of nowhere, rather than the massive sense of family he got by getting a brother.

I think he meant that Harry quickly came to that conclusion about Thomas, but Maggie, it was much more traumatic because Harry feels he abandoned Maggie without ever having a choice in the matter.

[Dina]

Dina approves of a child?  ( I get that it's completely different for Thomas to have a child than for Harry).

LOL! Yes, even when I prefer not children (because they complicate the plot) this one actually makes sense. And if Justine is saved it will be good for them.

[bigdangmoose]

I stated this fact before and this interview basically confirmed it.

If you noticed in the interview about Thomas, it isn't an issue of him becoming board with Thomas. It is that Thomas hasn't leveled up. He is still at the same strength as when he first came into the story. He also, in the same vein of Molly and Butters, has to be taken off the field for Harry to level himself up. When Jim is ready for Thomas to level up (when the proper leveling up took is available) we will see him again

[Dina]

Meh, I don't think it is needed for Thomas to level up, in fact, I would like if he does not. He and Lara are powerful muscle and that is all right.

[bigdangmoose]

Meh, I don't think it is needed for Thomas to level up, in fact, I would like if he does not. He and Lara are powerful muscle and that is all right.

Well, it was said by Jim that he hasn't evolved. So if we want to see him before the end of the series, he's going to have to.

[Dina]

My point is, why is it a problem that he has not evolved? Michael has not evolved either. Or Father Forthill. They can still be good secondary characters, that help Harry's development. Not everything is about fighting.

[Bad Alias]

Well, it was said by Jim that he hasn't evolved. So if we want to see him before the end of the series, he's going to have to.

I thought that to be about character development.

[Snark Knight]

Jim also said in that interview part of the point of Battle Ground was clearing some characters out. Too many for him to keep track of.
....
Doesn't mean he won't come back of course. Tbh I am surprised Jim didn't just kill him (which he may well do).

Which is odd, because most of the powerhouses - the immortals, the KotC, and the Senior Council members - were badly wounded but survived. Karrin and Hendricks are benched, but if Ragnarok is included in the BAT, presumably that's going to supersede 'until nobody alive remembers them'. Thomas is benched, but can be brought back when the time is right. The B team wardens are dead, but undead and presumably enemies now.

This didn't really prune a lot of threads, it just put characters on the shelf for a while.

[TheCuriousFan]

Which is odd, because most of the powerhouses - the immortals, the KotC, and the Senior Council members - were badly wounded but survived. Karrin and Hendricks are benched, but if Ragnarok is included in the BAT, presumably that's going to supersede 'until nobody alive remembers them'. Thomas is benched, but can be brought back when the time is right. The B team wardens are dead, but undead and presumably enemies now.

This didn't really prune a lot of threads, it just put characters on the shelf for a while.

Not having to do character moments for Murphy and Thomas for several books does give a bit more breathing room, though yeah, it is weird that the only heavyweight casualties are Gwyn and maybe Airavata.

[bigdangmoose]

My point is, why is it a problem that he has not evolved? Michael has not evolved either. Or Father Forthill. They can still be good secondary characters, that help Harry's development. Not everything is about fighting.

While you are right, it's not all about fighting, with Thomas and his character development, it is about fighting and family. He will be there for Harry every chance he can. He won't sit on the sidelines, just like Murphy. And she where that got her. And you didn't exactly put the greatest examples with Michael and Forthill. Forthill has never fought and Michael was damaged beyond repair to fight. He evolved into the mentor to Harry and the KotC that Shiro was before he died. Mort would be a better example. Someone who could do something but chooses to lie low.

[Dina]

I chose Michael and Forthill precisely because they are not fighters (at least now for Michael) because that was my point. We don't need to level Thomas up, we can have him not fighting, but still there for Harry's development.

[Bad Alias]

Which is odd, because most of the powerhouses - the immortals, the KotC, and the Senior Council members - were badly wounded but survived. Karrin and Hendricks are benched, but if Ragnarok is included in the BAT, presumably that's going to supersede 'until nobody alive remembers them'. Thomas is benched, but can be brought back when the time is right. The B team wardens are dead, but undead and presumably enemies now.

This didn't really prune a lot of threads, it just put characters on the shelf for a while.

I think Jim was saying a lot of smaller characters died off screen.

Not having to do character moments for Murphy and Thomas for several books does give a bit more breathing room, though yeah, it is weird that the only heavyweight casualties are Gwyn and maybe Airavata.

I think I missed this reference (Airavata).

Thomas could level up by studying magic. If he gets out before Justine returns, that could be motivation for him to up his magic game significantly. He might be the White Court equivalent of a wizard level talent who never put in the work.