Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsAdulting is Hard. So is Beyond Humaning.
Reviewed in the United States đșđž on October 5, 2020
There are plenty of other reviews listing downsides to this particular entry into Jim Butcherâs Dresden series: Battle Ground and Peace Talks should have been one, much more tightly-edited and logically-paced work. The battle part of the title went on way too long, the cast of characters is bloated and sometimes their motivations are unclear. Readers repeatedly get conked on the head with messaging about Things Changing or illustrations of demi-gods, indeed, having demi-god-like powers. All of thatâs true.
Here are some additional critiques (or perhaps just observations) I havenât seen, which Iâll make in a SUPER SPOLIER-Y WAY SO QUIT READING NOW IF YOU DONâT WANT THAT.
I mean it!
First, and foremost, with Murphyâs death Harry has lost one of the single, most enduring and important adult relationships he has had. While he and Karrin havenât been lovers long at all, they loved each other for much, much longer. Karrin was Harryâs best friend and touchstone, and losing her would be like the death of a spouse.
Hereâs the rub: People who have lost spouses donât act like Harry does. Sure, he shows rage and pain in several scenes. But he never suddenly has to sit down for, really, no reason other than because heâs been side-swiped by unexpected grief. We donât see him going through the motions of his day, but not reacting or thinking as he usually would. These are hallmarks of bereaved people. What weâre given instead, in the Christmas scene tacked to the novelâs end, is Harry being saddened (seemingly in general, since Karrinâs name never comes up) and then giving himself a pep talk.
I can think of only two reasons for this. One, itâs poor writing (not what I expect of this author). Or, two, Butcher is illustrating what it means to be something other than human, perhaps not as adeptly as he might.
I strongly suspect that, all along, itâs been Harryâs sheer ability to endure that that has intimidated so many people heâs soul-gazed. Lots of readers like to observe Harry is mentally disciplined. In fact, heâs straight-up scarred, and by dint of his life experiences, especially since Changes, he has been tempered into one scary person. Itâs both a gift and curse, and, at Battle Groundâs end, we listen to Harry explore some of this in his conversation with Mab, who is far ahead of him in the post-human transition.
Is Harry able to function in the aftermath of Murphyâs death because heâs no longer like any other frail human who has lost so very much? Repeatedly, Karrin assures Harry that she will keep him human. After Harryâs exchange with Mab, and what we watch him go through in this book alone, I was left wondering if staying human is really what will serve Harry as he takes on yet *another* role being handed to him, that of Star Born.
This raises my second point. On the upside, Battle Ground continues an aspect of Dresden Files that sets this series ahead of most others, i.e. it evolves its central character. Peace Talks pretty much set Harry up to push against the pre-defined roles the rest of the world has consistently tried to fit him in to: White Council Member, Grey-Cloaked Warden, Winter Knight, etc. All of these mantles, if youâll forgive the pun, come with sets of expectations around them. In Battle Ground, we at last see Harry really start to live--not just in snarky opposition to othersâ expectations--but outside of them, defining his life in his own way. Deciding what aspects of a role to take or leave, and what roles to abandon, is one of the key tasks of adulthood. Butcher demonstrates great wisdom as he draws Harry toward becoming The Wizard of Chicago.
Unfortunately, five books after Changes, Harry is still in the process of establishing several other essentials to the adult (wizard) life--much less Wizard of Chicago. And it doesnât necessarily make for engaging pacing to pause in the promised trajectory toward the Big Showdown with the Outsiders and Nemesis while he does these things.
Heâs got a lot to accomplish. Harry at least stopped procrastinating getting a home of his own and discovering more about the weapons at his disposal, thatâs a start. But, we learn that he may also need to go back to school and Apprentice (capital âA,â another role) with River Shoulders so he can have even a hope of not-dying when the Big Showdown does finally come.
To complicate matters further, Harryâs opportunity to have a family of more than two seems to have been confounded, since Butcher has taken Murphy, Thomas, and Ebenezer out of play either entirely (ostensibly) or temporarily. This leaves Harry even more alone than usual, and potentially stuck with Laraâa character for whom Harryâs seemed to have a sneaking fondness for multiple books, yet will take lots of work to turn into a friend, much less a partner like Karrin. (Aside: What on earth did happen to Bonea, or Bonnie, since it's spelled both ways? Harry spares her nary a thought.)
While all of this certainly creates interest, it also presents quite the writing challenge. Butcher ought to be up to it. But he got so bogged down in Battle Ground and Peace Talks, I can only hope he and his editors take a more firm red pen to the next round.
