Dead Beat (The Dresden Files, Book 7) (Mass Market Paperback)

~ (Author) "On the whole, we're a murderous race..." (more)
Key Phrases: shield bracelet, necromantic energy, freaking clue, White Council, Red Court, Bony Tony (more...)

Editorial Reviews

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Harry Dresden's first hardcover adventure finds Chicago's preeminent wizard coping with his new roommate--vampire half-brother Thomas. Harry soon has problems bigger than Thomas' clutter to deal with. Marva, one of Harry's vampire foes, summons him with a threat to his police-lieutenant friend, Karrin Murphy. Marva demands Harry get the Word of Kemmler for her, or she'll frame Murphy for murder. Harry doesn't even know what the Word is, but while he's trying to find out, and also what damage Marva will be able to do with it, several necromancers descend on Chicago. When Harry learns that the newcomers are students of Kemmler, an evil wizard who mastered ancient spirits in a way no one has since, he discovers that they are seeking the Word, too, in hopes of seizing the powerful knowledge within it and calling forth a powerful creature known as the Erlking. Butcher's latest maintains the momentum of previous Dresden outings and builds the suspense right up to a rousing conclusion. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

A great series-fast-paced, vividly realized. -- Cinescape

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Roc (May 2, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 045146091X
• ISBN-13: 978-0451460912
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (114 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,394 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This is item 7 in The Dresden Files Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

77 of 79 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not the best, but solid work, May 6, 2005

By	Lucinda A. "lucinda2002us" (Philadelphia, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dead Beat (The Dresden Files, Book 7) (Hardcover)

Let me say it right off: "Dead Beat" is not the best in the series, but it is damn good nevertheless. In all fairness it has several weaknesses, which I will briefly mention below, but it certainly doesn't betray the usual strong plot, fun adventure and high quality writing we came to expect from Jim.

The previous installment, "Blood Rites", had Harry discover new and disturbing facts about his life. In this book, Harry turns to introspection. Faced with a bunch of necromancers in a mad race after a lost artifact of unspeakable power, all of them much stronger magically than Harry, our hero has to make choices and compromises which are morally ambiguous. As with real life, there are no clear-cut `right' solutions (high points for realism, Jim). But hey, nothing like moral dilemmas to have a character grow. Indeed, here we find Harry gradually losing the naiveté and bumbling enthusiasm of the first volumes; this is a world-weary Harry who has to undergo a painful examination of his weaknesses of spirit in order to be able to live with them. Nicely done.

If the hero gets all the attention he deserves, that can hardly be said about the rest of the characters we came to love, or love to hate. Thomas pops in and out of the plot at random moments; some old characters get cameo appearances, others are conspicuously absent for the entire duration of the plot, which was decidedly odd. Also, there should be a limit to how many artifacts Harry is able to locate during the course of a book ... and then lose to the bad guys rather immediately! I am not saying this makes for a bad plot, but boy was I gritting my teeth in frustration. Finally, some small inconsistencies (an attentive reader will no doubt notice them, so I won't go into that). All these do not change my impression of the series, which is among the best out there now that Anita went bananas and Meredith will soon collapse from sexual exhaustion. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and can't wait to get my hands on the next one. Go Harry!

38 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HURRAH FOR HARRY!!!!!!!!, May 11, 2005

By	R. Kyle (USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Dead Beat (The Dresden Files, Book 7) (Hardcover)

Kudos to Jim Butcher for getting his first hardcover publication in the Harry Dresden series! Definitely liked the presentation: cover illustration is great and the overall work is of excellent quality.

To the story: Chicago's only Wizard PI, Harry Dresdent's latest story opens up with him agreeing to take care of his cop-friend (who could be more) house while she goes away to Hawaii with another man. Harry wants to stop her. Something tells him Murphy wants him to stop her....but he doesn't....

Then, he's contacted by Mavra, a vampire he thought he'd killed before. If he doesn't get her the "Word of Kemmler" Murphy is going to be disgraced by some seriously incriminating pictures. Murph comes from a cop family and this would destroy her.

So, the chase for the elusive Word begins. In the process, Harry discovers that Kemmler is definitely bad juju. He was a black wizard sho specialized in necromancy--til he died. Now, his disciples are on the chase for the Word, too, competing with each other, hoping to gain the power the Word will provide.

It's a fast-paced story with some really good messages within, particularly relating to Waldo Butters and courage.

I don't think DEAD BEAT is as well-paced as the other Dresden novels. There are some spots that actually drag. Can't decide whether that is the novel length requirement for hardcover or that Jim Butcher is distracted with his new series. I think I could have done without most of a scene with Harry debating with Alterna-Harry, but skimming will get you the drift.

Still, I highly recommend all of Butcher's DRESDEN FILES novels. They are well-written. Since Butcher is a martial artist, the action flows nicely. The characters are folks you care about--interesting, flawed, but worth knowing. I am grateful most of all that Harry has stayed pretty much Harry. He's a good guy, who fights to do the right thing and keep the world safe. HURRAY FOR HARRY AND JIM BUTCHER!!!!

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing - The series shows no signs of slowing down, May 3, 2005

By	Lou Wainwright "wainwrig" (Beverly, MA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Dead Beat (The Dresden Files, Book 7) (Hardcover)

I was going to start this review by saying, "Dead Beat is the best book yet", but I'm not sure if that's true. I mean no criticism though. The quality level of the series has reached the point where every book is such a solid 5 stars that trying to compare them is beyond me.

In Dead Beat Harry once again has to save, if not the world, then at least most of Chicago from an awful fate. Yet Mr. Butcher manages to keep the plot from seeming repeative by throwing some great twists at Harry - some good, some not so good. The climax was delightful and well foreshadowed - no deus ex machina here.

I do have a complaint for Mr. Butcher. Harry's supporting cast is too diverse and interesting, so I am inevitably dissapointed when one of my favorites doesn't appear. Thankfully we get an appearance by some old friends who we haven't seen in a while, and Thomas gets quite a bit of screen time, but it's not enough! I almost hope we get a book at some point where Harry goes missing and all of his friends need to work together to find him.

Overall Dead Beat is another fantasic addition to the series, and I can't wait for the next one.