"Stars and Stones..."

[Mira]

Treebeard says "a wizard should know better." That's the reference. It's a quote. You see Treebeard said "a wizard should know better. JumpyDragon said "Harry should have known better." Harry is a wizard.

What history is it that I don't understand that you do and how does it have any relevance? Is no one allowed to make LotR references when talking about the DF? Somebody better tell Harry.

Harry is a mere human, a wizard, yes, but in the end, human, humans make mistakes.  So is it Harry, as a human should know better? Or a wizard of limited experience, with experience, wisdom comes eventually,  I disagree as far as Harry avoiding introspection, he is constantly contemplating his navel, if he didn't he would never have gotten any sort of handle on the Winter Mantel.  He was able to resist the Shadow of Lasciel and in the end change the Shadow to Lash because he never wished to be a dominating power, thus he rejected the coin.. That is why in the end she sacrificed herself for him.

In contrast...

 The wizards of LotR are not human, they are not even elves, they are of the Valinorean race sent to Middle-earth to contest the will of Sauron.  The quote from Treebeard was about Saruman the White, he saught to become a power onto himself, some say he was of the Elder race, seduced to evil in the first age when he became a servant of a greater Power, Morgoth of Angband.  When Treebeard said that quote, Saruman had burned down a great deal of Fanghorn Forest and had gathered Orcs about him to gain power, he himself lusted for the Ring..  Treebeard was right, he should have known better. 

[Bad Alias]

There's this thing humans do where they see something that reminds them of a movie quote, so they share it with people who are likely to have seen that movie and remember the quote. It's not really anymore complicated than that. It's not some great statement about geopolitics or the meaning of life.

Harry does and did avoid asking important questions, and introspection is part and parcel of that, except where it comes to blaming himself for things that aren't his fault. One of the big complaints about PT has been his lack of questioning. He does avoid introspection a whole lot less than he did in the earlier books. It's character growth, which I think is appropriate for a story spanning 15 years.

[Mira]

Harry does and did avoid asking important questions, and introspection is part and parcel of that, except where it comes to blaming himself for things that aren't his fault. One of the big complaints about PT has been his lack of questioning. He does avoid introspection a whole lot less than he did in the earlier books. It's character growth, which I think is appropriate for a story spanning 15 years.

Yes, for his lack of questioning as to why Thomas suddenly was assassinating someone.  That has nothing to do with his introspection.  However when he summons Molly he questions his attempt at suicide and his asking her to aid him.  He didn't avoid it.  However the way Peace Talks shaped up it was about helping Thomas to escape and out of harm's way, not motives behind it or who set him up if he was set up.  That is for another book because I doubt he will get into it in Battleground.   That might be what Mirror Mirror is all about.. Harry does mention that Merlin broke one of the Laws of Magic, time travel to build Demonreach.  My thought is the so called "British prisoner" is Merlin, he punished himself for breaking the law.  It would also fit with the mythology of him "sleeping."  Harry might do time travel to try and reconstruct what happened to Thomas and who is behind it to set it right if he can.

[Arjan]

Yes, for his lack of questioning as to why Thomas suddenly was assassinating someone.  That has nothing to do with his introspection.  However when he summons Molly he questions his attempt at suicide and his asking her to aid him.  He didn't avoid it.  However the way Peace Talks shaped up it was about helping Thomas to escape and out of harm's way, not motives behind it or who set him up if he was set up.  That is for another book because I doubt he will get into it in Battleground.   That might be what Mirror Mirror is all about.. Harry does mention that Merlin broke one of the Laws of Magic, time travel to build Demonreach.  My thought is the so called "British prisoner" is Merlin, he punished himself for breaking the law.  It would also fit with the mythology of him "sleeping."  Harry might do time travel to try and reconstruct what happened to Thomas and who is behind it to set it right if he can.

Except the laws did not exist yet when the merlin created demonreach.

[Mira]

Except the laws did not exist yet when the merlin created demonreach.

They didn't?  There has to be a reason why Harry mentions that Merlin broke the Laws creating it.
page326-327 Peace Talks

Demonreach had been constructed by Merlin. TheMerlin, the original, Camelot and Excaliber, thatMerlin. He'd broken at least one of the Laws of Magic to build the place, romping through time in order to lay a foundation strong enough to bear the supernatural weight of the prison.

So either Harry looking back thinks if Merlin did it now he'd be breaking the Laws of Magic.. Or the Laws of Magic did exist back then and Merlin broke them to build Demonreach.. Or Merlin realized there was a problem with what he did so he created the Laws of Magic, that too is possible.  However by the time Camelot was around it is very possible that the Laws of Magic existed because there were wizards running around then.. Just because Merlin went back in time to create the island before the Laws existed, it doesn't mean they didn't exist in Merlin's time.  Will have to check, but was Merlin the first "Merlin" of the Senior Council or not?  Then he'd have had a lot to do with writing those Laws.

[vultur]

Harry says in either TC or Changes that the original Merlin wrote the Laws of Magic.

[JumpyDragon]

My thought is the so called "British prisoner" is Merlin, he punished himself for breaking the law.  It would also fit with the mythology of him "sleeping."  Harry might do time travel to try and reconstruct what happened to Thomas and who is behind it to set it right if he can.

I'm hardcore wishing that this is true. If it is, it would be so cool (and fitting) if Harry released Demonreach during the BAT and the original Merlin fought by his side.

[Mira]

I'm hardcore wishing that this is true. If it is, it would be so cool (and fitting) if Harry released Demonreach during the BAT and the original Merlin fought by his side.

I doubt that Harry would release all of Demonreach, some of the critters locked up there remain pretty bad.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

The Dresden Files is not “Born Free” for terrifying eldrich monsters.

[Arjan]

I doubt that Harry would release all of Demonreach, some of the critters locked up there remain pretty bad.

All of demonreach? Even for Harry’s most idiotic plans that would be overkill. Why not just one, promise to become its high priest and start human sacrifices? A big temple on demonreach and the sacrificial corpses on the trees? A cult with a holy island fortress?

[kel0700]

Hey everyone, I just wanted to warn people I was on good reads reading some battle ground early book reviews and most are spoiler free but I read one and got seriously spoiled for battle ground, it had two major spoilers, it's my own fault but I just wanted to warn others, one of the spoilers really annoyed me.

[JumpyDragon]

All of demonreach? Even for Harry’s most idiotic plans that would be overkill. Why not just one, promise to become its high priest and start human sacrifices? A big temple on demonreach and the sacrificial corpses on the trees? A cult with a holy island fortress?

It would fit due to looking at options and what would make something go from bad to worse? Maybe Harry would have no choice but too release all of Demonreach. Maybe he makes a pact with all the baddies to fight alongside him and Merlin and Alfred helps him reign them all in. Harry could very well push the self destruct button clearly labeled "DON'T PUSH". It's wishful thinking, Ill admit it. With it being a BAT, it would make a scenario go from bad to worse.