Throwback Thursday: Summer Knight by Jim Butcher

It is another entry in Throwback Thursday. I reviewed Grave Peril last time, and now I’ve reread book #4, Summer Knight, in the Dresden Files. Fun story (or maybe only fun to me): I originally decided to go through the whole series after my first daughter was born, and I started getting complaints from family that I needed to read something else. It’s odd that they had such a reaction to me reading these books. I loved them and they were a great way for me to manage my stress after having my first child. Which makes it even more fun  revisiting Dresden and having that association with my first born..

One of the reasons I love the Dresden Files series is how events from each book impact the next. Dresden is still grappling with the woman he loves being trapped between human and vampire, and that has significantly affected his day-to-day life. Furthermore, consequences from that fateful party where he declared war on the Red Court have come to impact Dresden’s life, forcing him to help resolve his past mistakes. This immediately conveys a sense of exhaustion when I begin the book. Dresden has been pushing himself to the limit, and that really translates well. This continuity of the universe in the Dresden Files is what makes this series so compelling and why I have read all 17 books (plus short stories). That, and the fact that Jim Butcher has a great knack for titles.

In Summer Knight, we are introduced to the formidable Queen of Winter, Ma’ab, who coerces Dresden into agreeing to solve a murder. The victim turns out to be THE Summer Knight, and his power is missing. Summer Knight significantly expands on the universe of the Fae and the intricate power dynamics at play between the Summer Court and the Winter Court. We also get a more substantial introduction to the White Council and the rigid rules that govern their actions. The delicate power balance between these magical forces is being thrown into disarray, and, as always, Dresden finds himself stuck squarely in the middle.

Dresden keeps getting outplayed, particularly in the beginning. The bargain Dresden struck with his godmother has been transferred to Ma’ab, who ruthlessly uses it to push Dresden into an agreement. Unbeknownst to Dresden, Ma’ab has made a strategic agreement with the White Council: aid in their war against the Red Court in exchange for Dresden completing his task. The White Council uses this as a test of Dresden’s loyalty and competence, where failure means he is offered up to the Red Court as a peace offering.

Dresden has very few allies he can truly rely on, but those he does have genuinely show profound love and loyalty, which I find deeply touching. This is a consistent theme throughout the Dresden series and often reminds me of Doctor Who’s companions in their unwavering affection and willingness to put themselves in harm’s way because Dresden is doing it and they believe in his cause. I’m getting choked up just writing this right now. Why does that resonate so much with me? Is it the allure of being righteous and having people follow you despite the danger? Or maybe I just need closer friends? Either way, Dresden fiercely protects his friends and allies and is always reluctant to involve them in his dangerous life.

We see the devastating consequences of this in Detective Murphy. She is suffering from PTSD, haunted by the nightmare that invaded her dreams and tortured her in the previous book. She is relying on alcohol and drugs just to find a semblance of sleep. This stark portrayal of the emotional toll of Dresden’s world adds a layer of realism to the fantastical elements.

I would have to say the mystery in Summer Knight takes a significant step up from Grave Peril, where the motivations felt a little weak and confusing. The antagonists in Summer Knight have clear wants and goals, and the steps they take make logical sense within the context of their insane plan to disrupt the balance between Summer and Winter.

There is a fantastic and memorable giant monster fight that erupts in the middle of a Walmart, which serves as a great build-up to the epic ending battle between Summer and Winter at the Stone Table, where Dresden has to ride in with his pack of werewolves to save the day.

Summer Knight also expertly introduces several intriguing dangling threads: the mysterious relationship between Dresden’s godmother and his mother, the Gatekeeper, and the unsettling progress of the Red Court in their war against the wizarding world.I genuinely believe the series is getting stronger with each installment, especially moving from the first to the fourth book. I have fond feelings for Fool Moon (book 2), which I haven’t reviewed here, but its scope is much narrower compared to the expansive universe-building in Summer Knight. There is so much packed into this book that it’s hard to discuss it all. What were your favorite parts? Let me know in the comments below!