Battle Ground

Executive Summary: After a fun but somewhat incomplete return after a 6 year wait with [b:Peace Talks 49381341 Peace Talks (The Dresden Files, #16) Jim Butcher https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1579336858l/49381341.SY75.jpg 40515430], this book delivers on everything that book set the stage for. Easily my favorite in the series since [b:Changes 6585201 Changes (The Dresden Files, #12) Jim Butcher https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1304027244l/6585201.SY75.jpg 6778696].Audiobook: I started this series in paperback, moved to hard cover, then I discovered the audiobooks. I promptly reread the whole series in audio. James Marsters is great. So great that Full ReviewI should mention upfront that I'm an unapologetic Dresden Files fanboy. Hell I'm an unapologetic [a:Jim Butcher 10746 Jim Butcher https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1400640324p2/10746.jpg] fanboy. So keep that in mind when I review this book.I really enjoyed [b:Peace Talks 49381341 Peace Talks (The Dresden Files, #16) Jim Butcher https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1579336858l/49381341.SY75.jpg 40515430] and gave it 5 stars. Would I have given the same book in another series 5? Probably not. For me a deciding factor is always how much I go out of my way to listen/read longer.That book was hard to put down, probably in part because it had been 6 years since [b:Skin Game 19486421 Skin Game (The Dresden Files, #15) Jim Butcher https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387236318l/19486421.SX50.jpg 23811929]. Things just felt somewhat incomplete. I do feel like he got to a good stopping point but it was obvious it was just the first half of a book. [b:Battle Ground 23106013 Battle Ground (The Dresden Files, #17) Jim Butcher https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1587778549l/23106013.SY75.jpg 42654036] is the other half, and boy what a half it is. It's almost non-stop action and battle. Epic fight scenes the likes of which we haven't really seen since [b:Changes 6585201 Changes (The Dresden Files, #12) Jim Butcher https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1304027244l/6585201.SY75.jpg 6778696].I won't get into much detail, but the stakes continue to ramp up and there are some major developments that come out of this one. It partially made me consider removing a start from my rating for [b:Peace Talks 49381341 Peace Talks (The Dresden Files, #16) Jim Butcher https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1579336858l/49381341.SY75.jpg 40515430] because this one was clearly so much better, but I decided that I still enjoyed that one thoroughly as well.I'm really hoping that now that he's gotten some books out again, we don't have to wait so long for the next one. I can't wait to see what happens next.