Discussion of Dresden Files through Dead Beat (book 7): non-spoiler and spoiler, with Ben and Josh 

What a blast of a time for me to chat about such a fun book in a favorite series! Thanks for having me on and can’t wait for some more Dresden chats!

I loved every minute of this conversation. The Dresden Files is a Top 10 series for me, so to see 3 of my favorite booktubers talking about it, just wow. A+ conversation for sure! Can't wait for you and Josh to find out the events to come. The books absolutely keep getting better.

This was such fun to talk about - thanks again for having me!

HOORAY!! Three of my favourite gentlemen, talking about one of my favourite series, who could ask for more? I wanted desperately to like Dresden, because it seemed so beloved, but I *really* struggled with Storm Front, and it took me YEARS to work my way through the first couple - by then I'd discovered book-tube, and with eternal gratitude to Jake Bishop, the perfection of the audio books narrated by James Marsters. With that shift, my experience did also, and I read books 3-6 in about a month. Dead Beat was the entry that tipped my reading rollercoaster into gear and I RACED through the next dozen books in only two weeks. I've re-read the series multiple times since that exciting September of 2022, and am delighted that you've hit what I think is the point the series becomes amazing. **Spoilery comments from here** BUTTERS!! ❤ Who doesn't love Waldo? I loved that we get a character who is intelligent enough to be truly frightened about what he discovers, but brave enough to stand his ground when he's told he 'didn't see that'. Butters *does* have a courage to him, and seeing a different kind of bravery brought a wonderful charm to the story. Thomas finding a way to explain his torment to Harry was incredible writing, and the connection between them is clear in how they attempt to rein in their power so not to hurt those around them. Their relationship makes both of them more open to us as the readers. Mouse - best boy ever. He's second only to Nighteyes as best 'animal companion' I've ever met. I think Mouse is less sarcastic, and much more tolerant of cats than Nighteyes. Bob. When something worries Bob, stop talking Harry!! Bob gains an actual personality in this one, more than a simple lecherous voyeur. Murphy. I actually love that Harry values her presence in his life so much that he's terrified he might lose it by wishing for more. Plus, him being jealous of Kincaid is hilarious. Sheila/Laschiel. The first time I read Dead Beat the reveal *blew me away*, SO incredibly well done. The inclusion of the Harry Id is fantastic. I could keep gushing but it's 1am. This whole thing has ended my day on a wonderful note. Thank you fine friends!

You all make this sound fun in the non-spoiler section! Glad you and Josh are enjoying the experience so far. No denying that Ben loves this series!

What an awesome Dresden gush fest! ❤ Loved every moment of it, Philip! Thanks to everybody for this wonderful and engaging chat! Yes, you're right the Erlking is an evil elvenking who hunts children and is able to kill them with one touch. It seems to be a mistranslation from Danish elverkonge into German Erlkönig (literally Alder king) and it then stuck. Franz Schubert wrote his music for a poem by Goethe Der Erlkönig. In it a father tries to save his sick child from the Erlking and fails to do so. While the Erlking promises all the riches, power, and even his daughters to the boy. It's another nice layer in Deadbeat where Harry's father is a bit more prominent and Harry is encountering different temptations. I'm not surprised that the lure of maybe overcoming mortality resonated with you, Philip. It's basically the dilemma of Joruman.

Love this!!!! Finally you're to the good books!

This was a great chat! Dead Beat is my favorite early Dresden novel.

Such a great chat! I could only stick around for the non-spoiler part, but it was a great summary of the series so far!

Lol at Josh thinking he has left false peak when he's actually just starting false peak 🤣 glad you guys liked Dead Beat so much!

Great video! Ben & Josh are so cool, and their respective book tube channels are awesome! Thanks again, doc! 🎉 Sebastian

Well I’ve got to tap out at the spoiler warning since I’m only at Death Masks, but I’ve been really enjoying the series and this has been my favorite entry so far!

Dead beat has one of the best lines in all of literature. “Anyone who lets me ride their dinosaur can call me Carlos”

What a great conversation! I think it was Josh that called out there's stuff people know about Harry that he doesn't know. I didn't catch that about him until later in the series, and honestly you get trickles of that information throughout the series. I can't wait until you hit the small favor, because, for me, that starts Butcher at his best with this character and world and storytelling.

This discussion brings me joy

I think one of the things that is important to realize about Harry Dresden is that he, like all of us, has no control over how he thinks. I suspect most people have thoughts that they would prefer no one else would ever find out about, but in the first person narration here, we see all of those things. For me, at least, Butcher's unflinching willingness to show those darker parts of Harry's personality is a part of what makes his character so relatable. What Harry does have control over is the things he actually does, and from that viewpoint, he is a truly admirable hero. He makes choices that go against his darker urges, he makes sacrifices because they're the right thing to do, and he steps forward to be a shield to those without power in the way that all the best superheroes do.

Awesome talk! I really hope we get another talk once you all get through Changes!

Just got to finish this and I can't wait for you guys to do chats on the future books. Great team here.

This is the most convincing video so far to get me to read the series.

oh my caught this 3 weeks late, cant wait to see what you guys thing, glad you guys are enjoying dresden files

Getting close to White Night. That's where I came into the series.

I thought that Lashiel visited him as his father as a warning that he would hopefully follow. She had to be sneaky to avoid Nicodemus.

Dead Beat was Butcher's first hardback book so Butters was put in this story partially to be able to ask questions that would help readers new to the series understand what was going on in the Dresdenverse.

Funny enough I just finished Proven Guilty and now I'm working through the Prophet of Edan.

I never noticed that the number of letters in the title words match. Mind . . . blown.

The pop culture references are brilliant 😜

I remember reading book 7 and thinking “HOW CAN HE POSSIBLY UP THE STAKES *MORE*??” And then I caught up to the series and was like “… ah.”😂

❤❤

Started re-reading (listening) to this series this month, thinking I'd get to one book a month. I've already finished the first three and have Summer Knight from Libby already.

I really need to revisit Dresden Files now.

I can't believe I missed this 🤦‍♀️ Ive burned through Dresden about 10 times 🤪

Death Masks used to have a much better and funnier name which did not get past the censors: Holy Sheet

Quick question but very seriously need to know this, how familiar are you with Journey to the West?

Dead Beat is a blast 😂😮🤪

I got to near the end death masks when I dropped the series maybe I'll pick it up again seems people really love it. when i read a sex scene with Susan it seemed waaay too close to r*ping someone who was high on drugs and didn't truly have a choice, I'm sure that wasn't what it was supposed to be but stopped in the middle of the scene and haven't started back up in months just felt too uncomfortable when our MC was the on doing it

Thanks!

I didn't realise that Beat was also being used to refer to territory.

Oh Lashiel 😬😲🤯

Oh no laughing at Changes as a title. Just you wait... 😬😉😘

Did you guys listen?

I love the vampire hierarchy 🤍🖤❤