As this the seventh book of the DRESDEN FILES begins Chicago based Wizard, Harry Dresden, is sharing his basement apartment with his brother, Thomas, his over sized dog and cat, Mouse and Mister, and his 'research assistant', Bob - an ancient spirit who resides in a skull. What Harry does not have, but would really like to find in his home is a girlfriend but that does not seem likely to happen anytime soon. Things just keep coming up and keep him too busy to pursue a romance, things like demons, ghosts, vampires and even more exotic creatures. In this novel Harry finds himself doing battle with necromancers who are searching for a lost volume that contains a method for summoning unimaginable evil on the mortal world. Harry manages to gain possession of this book and finds himself battling various factions who are determined to gain possession of it. When the Wardens become involved Harry finds the situation deteriorating quickly.

Those who are unfamiliar with the DRESDEN FILES would do much better to begin with the first book in the series STORM FRONT and then proceeding in order. There are many references to events in earlier novels so although those who have seen at least some of the DRESDEN FILES TV would be able to follow the story for maximum enjoyment read the books in order.

I BECAME A FAN THROUGH THE TV SERIES, WHICH I GUESS IS CANCELLED, BIG BUMMER! I HAVE ALMOST ALL THE DRESDEN FILE BOOKS AND AM READING THEM IN ORDER, I LOVE THEM, I LOVE BUTCHER'S WRITING, HE WRITES LIKE I THINK AND IT IS A BLAST! KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK

I BECAME A FAN THROUGH THE TV SERIES, WHICH I GUESS IS CANCELLED, BIG BUMMER! I HAVE ALMOST ALL THE DRESDEN FILE BOOKS AND AM READING THEM IN ORDER, I LOVE THEM, I LOVE BUTCHER'S WRITING, HE WRITES LIKE I THINK AND IT IS A BLAST! KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK

I've read all the Dresden series but I had missed this one. This series is my favorite to fall asleep reading... of course sometimes I can't go to sleep for another hour until I've found out how he escapes the impossible foe. This book is as good as all the rest, but it does have zombies. I hate zombies. But the book was really good.

"Dead Beat" was great, I mean all the Dresden novels are great but "Dead Beat" is the best novel in the series since "Summer Knight." As usual for a Dresden novel, I couldn't put it down and finished it within a week. But I don't think I have to sell this novel, If you like Harry Dresden you have probably already read it.

Fast-paced, action-packed and witty, a T-Rex of a ride!

First, it starts off with an uncomfortable moment between Harry and Murphy. She's asked him to water her house plants during the weekend ~ while she's in Hawaii with none other than Kincaid. While Karrin deserves a vacation, Harry wishes it wasn't with Kincaid.

To make matters worse, he receives a note from Mavra, a vampire from the Black Court, the vampire that previously tried to kill him. She has pictures of Murphy doing things a cop isn't supposed to be doing while helping Harry and Kincaid, and if Harry refuses to do Mavra's bidding, she'll send the pictures to the police. Harry can't let that happen, and he has only three days to find what Mavra's looking for - all without help.

However, Mavra isn't the only one looking for the Word of Kemmler, a book written by Kemmler himself, a powerful necromancer, that had been taken out ages ago by the White Council. For necromancy is the worst kind of magic, and to use such magic is to break the laws binding all wizards.

Between saving Butters's butt and and fighting off zombies, Harry has to find a way to stop the other six necromancers all wanting what Mavra wants - all of Kemmler's powers. But Harry can't do that job alone and finally calls in the White Council to help, only to find out what three-quarters of all the Wardens have been eliminated by the Red Court. How did the Red Court know where to hit? Is there a traitor among the Senior Council? And why are the necromancers looking for the Word of Kemmler now, of all times? Captain Luccio, the head of Wardens, desperately needs the help, and Harry becomes a Warden, something he never thought he'd accept. But will Harry find the answer and the power to stop what's about to happen? One can only hope.

And true to his word, Harry does.

Action-packed and fast-paced, this novel is a joyride. For three days, there is fight after fight, question after question, all with very little results until closer to the final battle. And just when you think it's hopeless, Harry uses the necromancer's magic against them, with a T-Rex of all things (and I swear, it was the best part of the book!) to fight the good fight.

And just to make matters more difficult, Harry has his own inner battles to fight as well, along with wanting to tell Lasciel (a Denarian from a previous novel) to take a hike and not being able to. Yes, he needs her help, but the cost would be astronomical, and it's a cost he doesn't want to pay. But without any kind of help from her, he knows, deep down, that he won't be able to get the job done.

Along with his witty comebacks and remarks making this reader bark out with laughter, it's darn near impossible to put down any of the Dresden Files novels and not think about them. An excellent read for sure, it has everything that I crave in a good book: mystery, action, suspense, magic, feelings, wit and inner turmoil, all wrapped up together. This is definitely a series for the paranormal/supernatural/sci-fi/fantasy lovers out there who love a good book. High recommendation!

This seventh volume in Jim Butcher's excellent series serves up the hot magical action and cool wise-cracking wit that fans of Harry Dresden have come to expect.

DEAD BEAT is a notable landmark in this series for several reasons. For the first time, the magical world that Harry inhabits is given grounding and gravity; it seems to have become one of the notable landmarks of Chicago like the Field Museum (which provides a memorable setting and prop for the final battle). It is the first book to weave a plot that links strongly to previous books. As such, the characterizations and actions begin to separate from formula outlines and to cut a little closer to the bone. Harry has always been a vivid character, but now he's getting deep. And the supporting cast is also getting more three-dimensional. We are allowed a startling glimpse into the torment that Harry's half-brother Thomas is suffering. We see a transformation of the pathologist Dr. Waldo Butters from cowardly to courageous.

This book is chock full of delights for the reader: the drawbacks of rooming with a vampire, zombie polkas, a really big dog and the difficulty of cornering on a dinosaur...Read the book. I can't say any more.

I love this series, love the character of Harry Dresden and all his friends. This was an action filled book and carried on the series very well. The audio books read by James Marsters are very well done also. I've listened to the first four he read. This book continues the war between the White Council and the Red Court of vampires. You find out more about the White Council and it's members. Harry is developing more in each book. Highly recommend this book and the whole series. It's one of my favorite series of books. My favorite book so far in the series is probably Summer Knight.

i'm 1/2 way into the this book and am really enjoying it. loved the first 6 dresden books. great style of fantasy writing, great plots, and endearing characters (even some of the ones that aren't human!). each dresden book builds upon the other but can also be picked up out of order and still be totally enjoyed! book arrived in a timely manner and in mint condition.

Dead Beat is the novel that got me excited about the Dresden Files again. Blood Rites was a downer and I was finished with this series. But someone gave me a copy of Dead Beat and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters in this novel were magnificent. The three necromancers and the Erkling and drama from Mab kept the excitement rolling in this novel. I felt this novel had lots of action and was a great story that could stand alone outside the series.

This novel begins with a meeting with Mavra, where Harry is forced to recover a book of spells for her. However, this book is also being pursued by three necromancers, all more powerful than Harry. The necromancers are seeking to summon the Erkling, and to harnass his power. Which ever of them harnass this power, would be like a god. The ending with Sue had me laughing for a while. This novel is great and I highly recommend it if you have enjoyed the series so far.

Jim Butcher pulls out all the stops on his maniacally wild imagination in this installment of the Dresden Files. This is absolutely my favorite Dresden book. I don't know how Butcher can ever top this one, but I'm willing to read every line of every new book he writes while he tries.

Dead Beat meanders a bit in the early going but comes together at its memorable conclusion when Harry Dresden pulls off his best trick yet.

One of the three top Dresden Files novels.

This is one of my favorite books of the series. It has spectacular action set pieces, moments of true horror, memorable antagonists, and more.

Okay, Don't read this review. No seriously. skip it.

Dispite everyone telling me that one Dresden book or another is so very much better than this one, it was my favorite to date (I just finished Small Favor) So sue me, hate me, whatever.

Yeah it was pradictable, but the bit with Sue was genius. I think that the people who are stuck on the fact Murphy isn't co-staring needs to get over it a little. By taking Murphy out of the book, Jim was able to build some of the other players and help develop them into the flesh-and-blood people they could be. I loved that Jim finally fleshed out Butters now, I still hope to see more of him. With hindsight it is easy to see that this book is important for building the relationship between Hary and Thomas. It also gives Thomas a bit of backstory to build on later. Evil Bob. Whoa. That rocked too. Mouse is still my hero.

I loved this book.

One of these days, Jim Butcher is going to write a Dresden Files novel that is just Harry Dresden and his various supernatural pals just hanging out and talking about all of the fascinating concepts and theories that make this series so compelling. Dead Beat is NOT that book. I know that pretty much all of the Dresden novels to date have been fast paced thrillers, but Dead Beat is one chaotic event after another that literally leaves you gasping for breath by the time you reach the finish.

Essentially, the main focus of Dead Beat is that the disciples of a legendary necromancer have converged on Chicago (Chicago's rate of magical catastrophes has to be on par with New York's rate of superhero slugfests) to complete a dark ritual that will leave the victor with godlike powers. Naturally our man Harry gets involved (via a relatively weak premise involving blackmail that seems a bit too reminiscent of Summer Knight's opening), quickly making enemies on all sides, along with some very unlikely allies.

Dead Beat has all of the usual elements that make the Dresden Files so much fun, including monsters, vampires, fallen angels, animated corpses by the score, and the usual breakneck race to the finish. There's also a fair amount of character development and introspection in this book, which is a nice surprise. Harry is a very compelling character, but he always seems to be just a hair away from the stereotypical comic book protagonist. Butcher is slowly evolving Harry into a deeper, more three-dimensional character.

For all of his obsessions with geek culture references and Harry's wardrobe, Butcher has really stepped up his game with each Dresden novel, and Dead Beat is no exception. It has everything you've come to love about these books and quite a bit more. I thought the ending tied things up a bit too nicely, but all told Dead Beat was another satisfying entry in the Dresden Files series.

I really enjoy Jim Butcher's Dresden File books. Each book develops the characters a little more and you learn a little more of their histories. I like that in a series. "Dead Beat" was as good or better as its predecessors.
I find the Dresden File's combination of Fantasy and real modern life unique and interesting. Most Fantasy takes place in a Fantasy world and in time before electricty, cars etc.

I'm in the process of reading all of the Dresden Files books by Jim Butcher, and have just finished Dead Beat. So far Harry has dealt with demons, Faries, vampires, with relative success, but now he is up against the undead, and almost meets his match. Ever since his war with the Vampires of the red court, Harry has been receiving more and more heat from the white council. The turn of events on the final chapter are not to be believed. A must read book for all of Jim Butcher's fans out there. Hey out there in TV land, please bring out season 2 of the Dresden Files. There are more than enough plots in these books for several seasons.

I have only read "Storm Front" before this. I liked it better. There are so many villians in this book and Harry is threatened in so many ways and injured in so many ways, it almost becomes laughable. The ending is good and exciting, even though I knew pretty much what was coming about chapter 3. The book is starting to have the "Da Vinci Code" syndrome: a cliffhanger at the end of every chapter. He is not as bad as Brown yet, but he is definitely headed in that direction. The friendship of Harry and Butters is pretty cool. The magic becomes convenient for plot devices. The humor is still there in spots.

The series is good. I was just slightly disappointed in this one.

Dead Beat (2005) is the seventh urban fantasy novel in the Dresden Files series, following Blood Rites. In the previous volume, Harry burned his hand rescuing children from the Black Court vampires. He also discovered that paintball guns work well against the Black Court when loaded with holy water.

Lara Raith discovered the results of the curse on her father and Thomas learned that Justine is not dead. Jake decided to go into Feng Shui consulting while he took care of Emma's kids. Harry named the puppy "Mouse" and wondered why Thomas had bought large breed Puppy Chow.

In this novel, Thomas is living with Harry in the basement apartment. Thomas is frustrated because he cannot find a permanent job and Harry is frustrated because he cannot find a permanent girlfriend. Mister and Mouse are frustrated because they don't get fed on time and they are both oversized enough to really need the food.

It doesn't help that Thomas has women coming into the apartment when he should be running errands for his brother. Maybe Thomas and his lovers have a great time, but they do trash the place. Even the books are pulled out and scattered on the floor. And Thomas doesn't clean up behind himself.

After Thomas bares his soul and leaves in a huff, Harry takes Mouse out for a walk and Murphy pulls up just as he returns. Karrin is going on a vacation -- the first one in forever -- to Hawaii with Kincaid and wants Harry to water her plants. Harry tries to talk her out of doing anything with Kincaid, but doesn't try that hard since Karrin is not his girlfriend. Later, he wonders if Murphy had wanted him to try a little harder.

After pocketing the keys to her house, Harry goes inside the apartment and heats up some soup. Sitting down to eat, Harry checks his mail and finds one envelope with only his name and address on it. He checks it out for magical spells and, finding nothing harmful, opens it and slides out two photos and a note.

The photos show Murphy blasting some vampire minions with a shotgun. Harry knows that the public will only see human shaped bodies in the photos. The note threatens to send copies to Murphy's bosses if Harry doesn't appear at a specified time and place. The note offers a truce for the parley and is signed "Mavra". Dresden has little choice in the matter.

At the meeting, Mavra demands that Harry find a book -- The Word of Kemmler -- or the photos get mailed. Mavra has also taken precautions to ensure that the photos will be mailed if Harry destroys her. Harry still doesn't see any way out of this mess.

In this story, Harry gradually finds out more about Kemmler and his books -- at least two earlier works had been self-published -- and he soon discovers that Kemmler had been the most dangerous necromancer suppressed by the White Council. They had finally terminated Kemmler himself and several apprentices, but they hadn't gotten them all. Now the last work of Kemmler has suddenly reappeared and Harry soon runs into three separate necromancers looking for the book.

The first necromancer encountered is Grevane, who raids the Forensic Institute -- commonly called the morgue -- looking for something. The security guard is the first through the door into the examining room, his throat cut from ear to ear. Then Grevane and two other zombies enter and face Butters, the medical examiner. Harry intervenes to save Butters and they barely escape from the dead men. Harry takes Butters home to his warded apartment.

Later, Harry meets Shiela -- a clerk at Bock Ordered Books -- and buys a copy of a rare book that he needs for his research. When he steps out of the bookstore, two hooded figures are waiting for him. They both know who he is, but the taller one introduces himself as Cowl and calls the shorter one Kumori. Dresden drops a Toyota on Cowl, but only the local pack of werewolves saves him from the more powerful wizard.

When he later returns to the bookstore, the front windows have been replaced with plywood. Bock asks him to never return, but Shiela asks him for a date. Then the third necromancer -- Corpsetaker -- comes into the store asking about the buyer of the rare book and Harry steps out to confront her. She almost snares him with her mind magic, but he gets away with a little help from John Marcone.

This story has Harry facing three necromancers who are each much stronger than him. Moreover, he doesn't know what they want and how they expect to get it. Obviously, The Word of Kemmler is important, but so is the other book. He desperately needs more information.

Harry spends some time explaining the facts of the preternatural world to Butters. At first, Butters is skeptical, but too much is happening around him to deny the facts. Harry also divulges various White Council secrets and even shows Butters how to power a magical circle.

Harry also has several frank discussions with the shadow of Lasciel dwelling within his mind. Naturally, Dresden knows that the fallen angel is trying to seduce him to the dark side, but she is so convincing. He is definitely NOT going to dig up the blackened denarius in the cellar, but maybe they can work out a compromise to help protect his friends and neighbors.

Highly recommended for Butcher fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of magical powers, dinosaur skeletons, and other exotica.

-Arthur W. Jordin

This is a great story. I especially like the character Butters in this book, as he is really just an average guy, and he finds out some stuff about himself. All the Dresden File books are exciting, and the ending to this one is literally a really wild ride. Anyone who likes action with a sense of humor will really enjoy these stories.

I am giving this five stars, because as books go, it deserves it, but it is not the best Harry Dresden novel. Others reviewers have addressed major aspects of this book. It is definitely an action packed book with interesting characters and an exciting plot. I wanted to address some fine points that often go unappreciated in books.

Firstly, Jim Butcher is very good with unifying a plot. A "dream" (or possibly magical encounter) occurs early in the book. It seems the only point of it is an excuse for a very elaborate pun. (Which you would not get if you were not familiar with "Jaberwocky.") However, this sets up two later scenes. One is a reference to the thing that is punned upon and the other is scene where Harry is comforted about the possible repercussions of a death curse. This is just a minor example of the kind of unity that Jim Butcher is capable of. Most published authors get the major things right. Jim Butcher is also good with the details.

Secondly, this novel creates some beautiful visual images. Like many people, I started reading the Harry Dresden novels after seeing the TV series. The TV series is good, but it is really a different world. But I defy anyone to read the action packed battle at the end without "seeing" incredible visual images. The ScFi channel doesn't have the budget to do what the novel does.

Wow this is one of the best of a great series by Jim Butcher. In this book not only does Harry's character grow and becomes more interesting the character Waldo Butters grows tremendously as well. I couldn't put the book down once I started reading.

My teenage son and I have taken on reading of the Dresden Files as a summer reading project. Its a quick read and appeals to our interest in the supernatural. Dead Beat shows Jim Butcher maturing as a writer and really finding his stride in this series. So far, this is the best one in the lot. Its a good transition for children moving out of the youth genre into more adult material. Though there are a few racy scenes and some interesting language, its no more than what the kids are exposed to in other media these days. If you enjoyed Harry Potter and Eragon as a youth, you'll enjoy Harry Dresden as an adult.

Each Harry Dresden book seems to get better and better. The beginning couple of books from the series were very good, the next couple were even better, and the next really great. When I brought Dead Beat home, I was looking forward to reading it, and was pleasantly surprised to find that the story surpassed even my high expectations. I couldn't put this book down.
Harry is becoming a real person, fascinatingly complex and likeable. Our increasing familiarity with his fellow characters and his growing capabilites and problems make us really care for him, make his character seem real.
Jim Butcher just keeps getting better and better at this! Outrageous fun, and thrills galore. I can hardly wait to read the next ones! Thanks, Jim Butcher. Please keep them coming!

A fantastic series with a complex lead character who wise-cracks his way through one tight situation after another. Highly recommend the whole series.

Let me put it as simply and clearly as possible: read this book. In my opinion, it's the best of the series so far.

But really, you should read the whole series, because it's some of the best fiction ever written. Want more details? See my review for book 6.

I read so many books and most of them are bad or at least somewhere in the middle. I am somewhat astonished to find one that is actually this good.

So we here we have Harry Dresden (Wizard) making money and attempting to keep necromancers from taking over the city. This is apparently business as usual we also have his brother Thomas, his dog mouse and a collection of vampires, werewolves and a possessed skull named bob.

This is a great book and from all appearances a series everyone who is a dark of quirky dark humor sci-fi should give these books a try I know I will.

This is a wonderful ride. I have written to the producers of the TV show and told them I can't wait for next season. The books are a little different than the show but I can live with the difference.

This book is amazing, just like the six books that came before it. There are supposed to be 20 and you really don't have to read them in order, so dont think its the never ending series.

Except for the dialogue, which is certainly Jim Butcher's strength, this book almost seemed to be written by someone other than the guy who wrote the first six books. The other six flowed from chapter to chapter, Dead Beat's prose was halted the flow and the over the top introspection slowed the book to a crawl at times. There was little to no flow. Was there a different editor on Dead Beat? It was very "Stephen King-like" when King is at his worst; choppy narrative that brings a Dead Stop to the over all flow of a book. Still good, but this ranks as my least favorite Butcher book.

If you are a fan of the Dresden Files TV series and are considering checking into the print series, do yourself a favor and start at the beginning. This book is seventh in the series, preceded by, in order:

Storm Front Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1)
Fool Moon Fool Moon (The Dresden Files, Book 2)
Grave Peril Grave Peril (The Dresden Files, Book 3)
Summer Knight Summer Knight (The Dresden Files, Book 4)
Death Masks Death Masks (The Dresden Files, Book 5)
Blood Rites Blood Rites (The Dresden Files, Book 6)

Also, the reality in the books is a little different than the TV series, and you won't enjoy the books if you get hung up on the TV canon. My advice is kick back and enjoy the ride. Unlike many series authors, Jim Butcher has sustained the quality and appeal of the series throughout.

The Dresden Files are noir detective novels in the classic vein, with a loner, wiseass private eye narrator in this case based in Chicago. Harry Dresden has an edgy relationship with the police, and between his PI practice and police consulting, is barely able to make ends meet. The twist is that the detective is also a wizard capable of calling fire and, on a good day, repelling bullets.

The writer's challenge is to provide his detective with challenges that he can't solve with a wave of his wand. These tend to be ever-increasing supernatural foes, people problems, and vexing situations that combine the two.

"Dead Beat" is not the strongest book in the series. Instead of starting with a case assignment, Harry gets a compulsory invitation from black vampire queen Mavra. Mavra shows Harry that she has magical leverage over his police buddy Murphy. Harry must do what she says or Murphy is Mavra's. Mavra wants a magical text called "The Word of Kemmler". Of course, there are other strong dark magic forces that want the text too. Harry is pushed to his limits and beyond, juggling his need to protect Murphy from the vampire, his other friends from the influence of the dark forces, to stay within the constraints of white magic, and hopefully preserve his life. Since there is a sequel, it's not a spoiler to say he succeeds, but of course at a cost.

"Dead Beat" is like one of those movies that substitutes explosions for writing. What makes the Dresden Files more appealing than other vampire/magic/urban fantasy tales is Harry himself and his spirited relationship with Murphy. Murphy is off-scene in "Dead Beat", which diminshes its charm. Instead, Harry is paired with his half-brother Thomas, but Thomas doesn't have Murphy's strong motivations, so he's not as vivid a character. He's handsome, he's a slob, he can't keep a job, he's kind of depressed - we know this about him but other than one (very good) scene, he doesn't come to life. So Harry is surrounded by a bunch of secondary characters that have accreted over the course of the series, who are interesting but not strong enough to carry the book with Harry.

If you've made it this far in the series, of course you will read "Dead Beat", and you will enjoy it, but you won't find it as nourishing as, say "Blood Rites". But, cheer up, there are more instalments ahead and reason to hope.

Lots of fun as Harry has to battle a bunch of Necromancers and gets further entangled in White Council business. Quite a bit of humor as well; Sue and the Polka Suit were particularly funny. The characters get better with each book and Harry grows better and better. Nicely done plot with good twists.

While the first couple of Dresden books were very light, I was intrigued by the end of the third book (Grave Peril), where the ending was not tidy like the previous two books, and quite hooked by the end of the fifth (Death Masks). Harry's life gets more complicated in Dead Beat as Jim Butcher continues to explore the effects of power on Harry. Add to that some inventive and very cool plot twists (I actually exclaimed 'cool' aloud at one point), well-drawn new characters and the usual nail-biting finish, and this becomes a great addition to the series. I'm looking forward to the next ones!

This is the second book that I've read in the Dresden series, the first being "Proven Guilty" and I must say that this had me just as surprised and intrigued as book 8.

Without Butters, albeit not your typical hero type, Dresden wouldn't have a chance in this book. It was a really great read and study of one's greatest fears and triumphs effecting not only oneself, but everyone around you and the dangers of effecting their perspective of the world around them. It's also a story of keeping your friends close and your enemies as far away as possible. As if that's possible for Dresden.

Good Book!

This is the seventh installment of the "Dresden Files" by Jim Butcher. I don't know how I missed this series before, but it is a book that you can't put down. With the addition of the Sci-Fi series, I thoroughly enjoyed the first two episodes so much it made me want to read all the books in the series. Its always best to start at the beginning of the series and work your way through to the end, however, this one was available on the library shelf, so I decided to give it a try. There is enough background information given throughout the book to keep you up to date.

Because of the television series, I already knew something about Harry Dresden and his unusual talents. He is the only Wizard listed in the Chicago phonebook. This book has everything you would want in a Fantasy book, ghouls, necromancers, wizards, fairies, zombies, Halloween Night, and of course our hero to make everything come out ok in the end.

Think of this character, Harry Dresden, as a grown-up Harry Potter going around doing good deeds and saving mankind and humanity from all the nasties that go bump in the night.

Whether you believe in magic, or the alternative universe, is up to you, Butcher brings the characters together and interacts with humans to the point of being almost believable.

There are some strange and not-quite-can-I-trust-this moments, like the galloping dinosaur, but all in all it's a great book, and our hero must make some life choices that I'm sure will have serious repercussions in future volumes.

One of the things I appreciate most about Mr. Butcher's work is the character development throughout the series. Harry Dresden has changed through the series consistent with his experiences. It makes for an enjoyable read when you begin to see not only the layers of the overall plot emerge, but the changing identity of the protagonist.

Now I just need the next installment!

Well, I haven't actually read this book (I have started the series, just haven't finished it yet). This review is to bring to everyone's attention that the Sci-Fi channel is currently working to turn this series into a show that is supposed to start this coming summer (of 2006). Definitely something to hope for in the coming year. Just letting the fans know.

I read the first three in the series and then jumped to this one. Regardless of missing a lot of meat along the way, I was still able to fumble through this book. There was a lot of action and I was happy to see that the character, Harry, grew from the first few books. Granted, he's still growing and making mistakes, but he seems to be thinking things through more. One major complaint I have about the book is a screw up in printing. My copy seemed to have been missing about 10 pages in the center of the book. Instead of the missing pages, 10 pages repeated itself. How disappointed I was. I never did get to find out how the meeting with Queen Mab went. Thus, I gave it four stars instead of five.

I thoroughly enjoyed this installment of the Dresden files. While most of the former characters only have minor roles in this book, I did not think it detracted from the story at all. It's a solid book, great plot and Harry continues to mature and grow. You learn more about Bob's past; Mouse becomes impressive and Medical Examiner Butters gets some spine. There are also some interesting details revealed about Harry's injured hand and his ability to heal. Without spoiling anything, the big finale with Sue, the T-Rex is very cool, as is the Erlking. Jim Butcher once again takes us along on a rollicking good tale with Wizard Dresden.

First off, congrats to Jim Butcher for getting a hardback deal! That seems to be a sign that you've "made it" in the publishing world; witness the crossover from PB to HB by such authors as Charlaine Harris (the Southern Vampire series), Mary Janice Davidson (the Betsy Taylor, Queen of the Vampires series), and of course, Laurell K Hamilton (the Anita Blake series).

OK, there are enough previous reviews that give a basic plotline, so I'm not going to rehash it here. I thought this was a very good, strong entry into the Harry Dresden series. Harry is as his tortured best in this book, seeking to do "the right thing" and realizing that his world is no longer black and white, but shades and shades of gray. His torment over the help offered by Lasciel,the fallen angel, his agony over being offered a Warden's cloak, and his protection of the coroner Butters were wonderful character plot elements that really deepened Harry as a character. (Speaking of Butters, has anyone else wondered if he was patterned on the South Park character?)

Watching Harry agonize over his increasing power was especially great. Here's basically the same plot-point that's been used in the Anita Blake books ad-nauseum, but used to a much better effect. And best of all, Harry didn't have to have sex multiple times with multiple partners while trying to determine how and when to use his new powers! I'm hoping that Harry will keep using his forces for good and not go over to the darkside. But hey, that's always a distinct possibility. I think that's why I like him so much - he knows his potential and it scares the bejeezus out of him.

The only downside to this book was the absence of Murphy. Yes, I know, she's in the beginning and the end of the book. But she's not there fighting by Harry's side, which to me means she's an absent character. However, I'm hoping that the reason for her absence and the way she acted when she saw him again are leading up to something in the next book. While a romance would certainly complicate Harry's life, it makes sense to me that he'd be attracted to one of his dearest friends. And let's face it, he's in desperate need of some affection!

I am always surprised how many people get upset when fiction isn't, well, accurate. It is fiction people! For some reason, no one questions how Harry wields magic or zombies exist, just that he is using a gun irresponsibily or that the author has Chicago wrong!

But I digress. This book is magnificent. I have been with the series now for a year or two, and every single book is better than the previous one, with the exception of Fool Moon. If you are a fan of the x-files or Harry Potter (I happen to like both) or just of good stories, I'd recommend these books. Start at the beginning of the series, and look forward to this one--cause it is the best!

This was another entertaining read by Butcher. It is refreshing that the Dresden Files, while sequential and progressive, do not require the reader to have read all of the prior volumes. I picked up volume 5 at an airport store and later purchased the rest. All of the books stand on their own as fine and original fiction: sort of a blend between an old style Sam Spade who-dun-it and and adult Harry Potter. If you are reading this review to decide whether to purchase the book, rather than because you already read it and want to see who agrees with your opinion, I suggest you buy it, or the first volume, and see if you like it. Most fans of the fantasy genre in general will enjoy it immensly, and will probably end up buying all seven volumes (and another coming out next year).
Keep in mind it is a novel. Read it for entertainment value. It's not a research project and shouldn't be evaluated as such. Since I am not an insufferable know-it-all, I won't go into detail about how it is possible to "cock" the trigger of certain types of firearms, or whether McCarthy was paraniod (yes to both). In each case, those issues do not, or at least should not, change the fact that this is a highly entertaining novel.

I started reading Butcher's books as an antidote to the Katie Macallister mess, as avoidance of the Kim Harrison slop, and was hoping for a rescue from the Charlaine Harris body snatching. His books are pretty good. I was really surprised by the series. The book was full of enough action for any reader. I was a little disappointed at the failure to conclude the fallen angel aspect, but hey then the series would end.

Necromancy is one of the crimes for which the White Council will destroy a wizard. While it is technically not black magic, its effect on the wizard's ethics and outlook are so great that it might as well be. Unfortunately, that doesn't stop some very talented people from following the dark path to unimaginable power. So it is no surprise that Harry Dresden, practicing wizard should run afoul of those who draw their power from the dead. After all, Harry has a real knack for getting in trouble and nearly ending the world.

This time Mavra the vampire behind the Black Court tricks Harry into a hunt for the last book written by Kemmler, the very worst of the black wizards. Kemmler was destroyed by the White Council, but his students escaped to continue his plans. Now Mavra wants in on the secrets and by threatening to ruin detective Karrin Murphy, forces Harry to cooperated in the hunt. No one realizes just how bad the situation really is until Harry discovers he is fighting with a whole platoon of deadly necromancers and half the dead of Chicago.

The resulting tale is classic Harry Dresden, the wizard who has no sense of self preservation. Harry is one of those few characters who know very well they are about to make a deadly mistake and, by dint of careful planning, manage to make it any way. Even with the help of a talking skull, a vampire brother, and a puppy the size of a water buffalo, Harry bounces from one wizardly confrontation to another, none of which leave him entirely in one piece. Harry is supposed to be a pretty good mage with a wand, but this time everyone has him outclassed.

Even though the story is the magical equivalent of a Korean fight film, and the plot is predictable, Dead Beat still displays Jim Butcher's ability to snatch victory from Harry's defeats. The wizard has learnt from his mistakes, even if he still insists in making them. The end result is that the interior monologue manages to stay interesting. The addition of brother Thomas , Butters the cowardly medical examiner, and Lasciel the fallen cutie round out the story neatly, making this another enjoyable tour of Chicago's 'otherworld.'

Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden series has always, to me, been remarkable for two things: (1) a wonderfully sympathetic, compelling main character, (2) a writer amazingly sloppy in his research. Over time you'd think the second element would get better. It hasn't.

I noted in my review of the first Harry Dresden novel, Storm Front, that Butcher was weak on his knowledge of guns. I've made my living writing articles for gun magazines since 1992. When you're a specialist in the area of guns, reading some popular fiction can be absolute torture. Not that I expect a novelist to know the actual bore diameter of the .44 Magnum (it's .429" in case you were wondering) but if the main character carries a gun, as does Harry Dresden, surely it's not too much to expect SOME basic knowledge of same on the writer's part. Apparently it can be. Thus in Dead Beat we're treated to this sentence as Harry holds an opponent at gunpoint: "I pointed it at him and thumbed back the trigger."

Jesus wept. This is the second time in the series Butcher's had a character thumb cock a revolver's trigger. I would've thought, after the first time, someone would have clued him in. I guess not. Okay, here it is, Jim (I'll try not to get too technical): the little thingy you pull on to fire the gun is called a trigger. The little thingy you pull back to thumb cock the gun is called a hammer. The sentence should read, "I pointed it at him and thumbed back the hammer."

We won't even get into the fact that thumb cocking a revolver when holding someone at gunpoint is incredibly stupid since it makes the piece entirely too prone to accidental discharge under stress, thus leading to shooting to death someone you didn't intend to. It's the mark of an unsafe, untrained bozo. I realize that for a writer who doesn't even know what the parts on a gun are called that's a bit esoteric. Jim, take a gun class, go shooting, read a book, TALK to someone who actually owns a gun. SOMETHING.

So I gritted my teeth and read on. Then I hit this little gem: referring to the White Council, Harry says, "But they're so paranoid that next to them, Joe McCarthy looks like a friendly puppy." At which point, seven books into the series, I quit reading, not just this book, but the Harry Dresden novels forevermore. Has Jim Butcher ever heard the words "Venona Project"? You really should have, if you're going to have an opinion on Joseph McCarthy. Finally declassified in 1995, it's the government code name given to decryption of Soviet secret messages to agents within the US government. The contents of the Venona Project prove that Joseph McCarthy wasn't paranoid, he KNEW beyond a shadow of a doubt the US government was riddled with Soviet agents.

Imagine for a moment you're alive in the late 1940s/early 1950s. Just a few years before, your country finished participating in a world war against a military machine led by genocidal madmen. Then in the aftermath you realize one of your former allies is worse than your world war opponents ever dreamed of; they are in the process of murdering - literally - hundreds of millions of people. (That's no exaggeration; the estimated death toll from the Soviet Communist regime, of those killed in wars of conquest, sent to death camps, dragged out of their homes in the middle of the night never to be seen again, and so forth is 200 million human souls. This may well be a conservative estimate.) It seems a month doesn't go by without word of another country being invaded and crushed by the Soviets. This same government has sworn the United States' destruction. Imagine you are shown incontrovertible proof that many in your own government, all the way up to the president's closest friends and advisors, are spies in the employ of the Soviets. Please understand, believing this was truly the case is not a matter of politics, not a matter of conservative or liberal. It's a documented fact.

Let's add to the equation that you are a United States senator. You're one of the few people on earth who might actually be able to do something about this situation. What do you do? Well, if you're most people you do nothing, because you'd probably be scared to death. If you're Joseph McCarthy, you sacrifice your career, your health, eventually your very life to blow the whistle. You succeed in saving your country though the stress of doing it kills you. You're a martyr, an honest to God, real-life, true blue hero. All so that, decades later, some fantasy writer too lazy to do his research can take cheap shots at you in one of his books.

I've been reading the Harry Dresden series for years. I was never quite able to make up my mind about it. The books varied in quality from bad (Fool Moon) to really quite good (Summer Knight). So I bided my time and kept reading, waiting for the one book that would tip me over into either fully committing to the series or dropping it. With Dead Beat I've made my decision. I'm through with this series. This level of ignorance on display just isn't very fun.

This is such a great series. I see a new direction for one of our favorite wizards. What fun!

This book is representative of its series, and what is there not to like about the series? The writing is great, the plots are interesting, the main character is likeable (and thoughtful), the supporting characters are interesting . . . Most of all, though, these books (this one included) are a LOT of fun to read. They will suck you in and not let you go until you finish them -- addictive, almost.

One suggestion: though you can read the books in this series out of order quite easily, you may want to start from the beginning in order to watch the development of all the characters across the series. The details will make a lot more sense that way.

When a vampire queen blackmails wizard Harry Dresden into finding her the magical book of a dead but unmorned necromancer, Dresden knows something dangerous is going to hit his beloved Chicago. He doesn't guess, though, how very bad it's going to be--until the disciples of necromancer start hunting Dresden down. What he learns is that the necromancers have discovered a way to call down a huge river of power--so much power that it will give one of them the capabilities of a god. Given the nature of people who decide to become necromancers, this is bad news for the entire city of Chicago. Unfortunately, the only people Harry can call upon for help have their own problems--and think Dresden might be part of the problem rather than the solution.

Dresden spends most of the story gathering clues, battling with individual necromancers and their hosts of ghouls, zombies, and ghosts, and worrying about the people and magical beings he's taken responsibility for. Like an old-fashioned private eye story, on which The Dresden Files seem modeled, the story terminates in a huge bang as the outnumbered and outgunned Dresden must battle evil, his supposed allies, and the demon who has taken up residence in his own mind.

This is the seventh book in this series, but my first exposure to The Dresden Files. I quite enjoyed the mix of wise-cracking gumshoe detective with urban fantasy. Author Jim butcher does a good job laying plants and payoffs, gives us a perpetually frustrated protagonist who can't quite get up the nerve to ask his 'friend' out on a date, and makes the mix of martial arts and magic work. I would have liked to see Butcher do more with the morally ambivalent Kumori, but perhaps this is a character we'll see in a future story. I hope so.

After reading the previous five Dresdon File books in a couple weeks of finding, buying, reading marathons, I finally bought Volume 6 and, fortunately just out, Volume 7. Luckily I was able to read them all in order, although out of order wouldn't have hurt as long as one has a good memory. Each built on the previous, just as Harry Dresdon is being built up as a more and more complex and interesting person. I did the same with the Bill Slider mysteries (a contemporary British police detective stories). I started out reading just one book, then being captivated by the man and the situations, and reading everything written so far in a reading frenzy. Each man is complex, and well inter-related with his surroundings, situations and compatriots. I give Jim Butcher full credit for producing a believable, interesting, shyly sexual, and very engaging hero. Some of the seven books became more favorite for me than others, but ALL of them worked together to form an exciting reading adventure. My only complaint, and this is true of Merry Gentry, Bill Slider, Anita Blake, Betsy Taylor, and other series books, is that the minute I finish with the last, I am craving (pun intended) more, and more, and more. I really do sympathize with the poor authors, having to feed the ravenous maws of their adoring publics, with constantly increasing frentic demands. I just fear that Jim Butcher, with his new writing interest towards his sword and sorcery fantasy series, will let poor Harry languish. Mr. Butcher...please, please don't. We want more Harry Dresdon! Thank you.

I have just finished Dead Beat and Mr. Butcher did it again. It was PERFECT. I was afraid that I would get disappointed with the book. But it is wonderful! Brilliant! I can barely wait for Book 8.