Case Books v BAT

[Cozarkian]

We know that JB originally outlined 20 case books and a 3-bok apocalyptic trilogy. Some of the case books, however, have involved threats that would at a minimum lead to an apocalypse, which leads us to he question of what will be the difference in the BAT. Here are my thoughts/theories.

The first line of Storm Front indicates that he case books are a narration of past events, likely from Harry's journals , similar to Merlin's and EB's as revealed in TC. I believe the last line of the last case book will mirror the first line of Storm Front. This will signify a shift in the BAT - they will either be narrated as current events or by someone who observed Harry during the events. Either way it leaves open the possibility that Harry dies in the BAT.

At some point Harry has to follow in his mother's footsteps and spend significant time in the NN. The perfect time for this to happen will be between the case books and the BAT. There are several ways this could play out - Harry could go to section of NN that moves slower, allowing him to gain vast knowledge in only few years of real time, or he could spend time in quickly moving areas, popping into the real world to save those with minor talent and becoming some kind of legendary guardian that nobody is certain is real or rumor. I like the latter idea better, but it is harder to reconcile with the idea that Faith kicks off the BAT in the last book. The latter idea also means that Murphy wouldn't be around for the BAT - but I could see a sacrifice by Murphy as the influence that causes Harry to withdraw from the mortal world into the NN before the BAT.

[raidem]

I like your ideas.  In another thread, it was mentioned that what we are reading is Harry's journals. So the events from Harry the writer's perspective have already happened. The time travel book has already happened.  So, we are reading from a layered point of view, one that is Harry immediately in the moment, Harry that is reflecting on his past knowing more about these events and the fates of certain players. 
I like the idea that at some moment he must make a mad dash for knowledge in a time crunch, so his mother's memories and knowledge of the Way's would come in handy.  As to Murphy, I prefer that he in some way considers her lost (lost in time, lost in the NN), effectively lost to him, but with the hope that at some point down the road they will meet again.

[Ananda]

I think Butcher will stick with first person past tense point of view. Can you imagine if the story were to be told in first person, present tense? That would be too annoying. And, if a witness recounts Dresden’s exploits, that would gut the inner dialogue of the main character from the dramatic conclusion. Third person limited perspective would also be a jarring tonal change. So, I think it will stay first person, past tense. How Butcher makes that work if your theory about his potential death is right, I don’t know.

As for what the bat will entail, I haven’t given it much thought. It will obviously have the most powerful characters take direct roles in the action, result in tragic, larger than life deaths, and involve high stakes plot points. The specifics, though, I haven’t given any thought to. Plenty of time to ponder them, though, as I guess we won’t see the end till 2030something.

[wardenferry419]

I don't expect their to be significant time gaps between the three BAT books.  I would not be surprised if all three take place within a one year period. Kinda like the Dragonlance Chronicles.

[jonas]

I could see them building on each other, with triple threats and one main shebang for each and a Super Big Bang for the end.

[wardenferry419]

I would not be surprised if over half of the Senior Council is dead by BAT3.

[Cozarkian]

I like your ideas.  In another thread, it was mentioned that what we are reading is Harry's journals. So the events from Harry the writer's perspective have already happened. The time travel book has already happened.  So, we are reading from a layered point of view, one that is Harry immediately in the moment, Harry that is reflecting on his past knowing more about these events and the fates of certain players. 

That is true for the case books. One of my guesses is that we will see Harry sit down and start to write his journals after the case books and before the BAT.

I think Butcher will stick with first person past tense point of view. Can you imagine if the story were to be told in first person, present tense? That would be too annoying. And, if a witness recounts Dresden’s exploits, that would gut the inner dialogue of the main character from the dramatic conclusion. Third person limited perspective would also be a jarring tonal change. So, I think it will stay first person, past tense. How Butcher makes that work if your theory about his potential death is right, I don’t know.

You can write in first person past tense without it being a narration of past events recorded in a journal - see the Codex Alera for an example. You are probably right it won't be a third person point of view - I just think it will take place after Harry finishes his journals and before he starts on a second set.

I don't expect their to be significant time gaps between the three BAT books.  I would not be surprised if all three take place within a one year period. Kinda like the Dragonlance Chronicles.

I don't either. I think there will be a time gap between the case books and the BAT - long enough for Harry to write his journals. However, with the right NN circumstances, Harry could write his journals and train his magic without a substantial passage of time in the real world.

[Kindler]

I think Butcher will stick with first person past tense point of view. Can you imagine if the story were to be told in first person, present tense? That would be too annoying.

One of the worst trends over the past few years is the rise of first person present tense, the second most hated perspective (after second person future tense, which, as far as I know, has never been used in anything but flash fiction and CYOA stories, and might as well be mythical). It's super tedious and obnoxious to read, and doesn't add a thing to any text it's used in. It's my biggest complaint about the Iron Druid Chronicles, which I otherwise kind of just liked.

Anyway, I think the Big Apocalyptic Trilogy will be in first person past tense, but from multiple POVs. Jim has had a lot of practice throughout the short stories writing from Thomas, Molly, Murphy, and Marcone's perspectives (and Luccio? I haven't read any that will be in Brief Cases yet, so I don't know if hers was from her POV). I think the Trilogy will shift points of view from chapter to chapter—which will be fun, because none of the other shorts from other perspectives also have Harry as a character doing things (except for Thomas's, for like, a half a paragraph), so it'll be cool to see Harry do stuff from the outside. My favorite parts of Aftermath were Murphy narrating about the way Harry works and how weird it is.

Because the BAT is supposed to be the grand sendoff, I wouldn't be surprised if Jim let us see Harry be awesome from a spectator's position—make us sit back and watch the show for a minute—instead of reading Harry's constant narration explaining what he's doing, why he's doing it, and how it's happening.

It can still be reconciled with Harry's journals; have this be his project to gather everyone's journals and publish a record of what happened. [WAG: That way, people will know and believe in Harry and his God Mantle will retain more power (like Mab's Brothers Grimm gambit).]

[raidem]

The BAT could also be part of written record assembled by the Archive.  In that way, we are actually allowed to view things through multiple people's perspective with a in-universe reason for the shift.
It went from Harry's journals to Archive recall of a variety of journals.

[Kindler]

The BAT could also be part of written record assembled by the Archive.  In that way, we are actually allowed to view things through multiple people's perspective with a in-universe reason for the shift.
It went from Harry's journals to Archive recall of a variety of journals.

Sure, why not? There's plenty of in-universe justifications that can be done for it, if Jim thinks it's necessary. It may not be. It may never be outright stated in the books that these are, in fact, Harry's journals. It may just be confirmed (or kinda handwaved and alluded to in a Jim Butcher kind of way) that this is the case at book signings and such.

EDIT: For clarity, I mean that while there are plenty of justifications that can be used, they may not be needed. It depends on whether Jim wants to reference the fact that the books are, actually, books that exist within the Dresden Files universe.

[prince lotore]

I used to worry that Jim would get to the end too quickly. Would I be happy with just 23 books?
I am no longer worried about how quickly we will get to 23

[Kindler]

I used to worry that Jim would get to the end too quickly. Would I be happy with just 23 books?
I am no longer worried about how quickly we will get to 23

There is a Word of Jim that he's behind by two books. So I think we might actually be looking at 25, though that's probably wishful thinking on my part.

[Rasins]

I see the case books as just that.... case files.  Sort of Journals of the major cases he worked on.

The BAT will be a story.

I'm torn on changing the Perspective.  I'd like it to stay the same, but I'd like to see what others see in Harry.

[wardenferry419]

Varying up the POV of the BAT is A-OK with me.

[Rasins]

Yeah, I kind of think the BAT will be one long Case Book.