danr62
Sage
I'm pretty sure that Alera and Dresden are his only two series. And none of those books had those fake deaths, as far as I can recall.
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18. Jim Butcher Discussion
- Thread starter Philip Overby
- Start date
Renos
Minstrel
I just started reading the Dresden files. I am walking into danger zone here. His books are so good and they can very easily influence you on the way of your writing.
Snowpoint
Sage
He has a "steampunk" book series. I don't know if it has been released yet, but in interviews it sounds like there are more then one, or that he wrote it a while ago.
The Cinder Spires, apprenly no release date but 3 have been bought by publisher.
The Cinder Spires, apprenly no release date but 3 have been bought by publisher.
Darkblade
Troubadour
I used to love the Dresden Files books but I feel that since Changes it's been spinning it's wheels and not really going anywhere.
I really wanted to like Codex Alera and I gave the first one a shot.
While I've seen him do better in Dresden Files that just put such a bad taste in my mouth I don't think I'll give the rest of Codex Alera a try.
I really wanted to like Codex Alera and I gave the first one a shot.
There are four major female characters in the book all with their own personalities, agendas and goals. This is good. Two of them are after their first conflict, captured by minor bad guys, deprived of their magic and repeatedly threatened with rape. One of the other's is almost accidentally date raped (it's his 'pokemon's' fault not his, that doesn't make it any better) by another major character and the last one is a love interest for the main hero.
While I've seen him do better in Dresden Files that just put such a bad taste in my mouth I don't think I'll give the rest of Codex Alera a try.
Mindfire
Istar
I don't know what Codex Alera you're reading, but the one I read doesn't have any rape in it. I think you might be reading a bit too much into things.
1. I think you're inferring threats of rape from what are actually threats of violence. You know, generic villain-y "Give us what we want, or else" stuff.
2. I know the part of the book you're referring to, but that wasn't "almost date rape". Let me explain why. In the mythology of the books, the furies (pokemon) have elemental powers, which are sometimes linked with human emotion. Fire furies can inspire or inflame emotions like joy, anger, and fear in others (a great power for politicians) and earth furies have the ability to inspire lust, which is what happened in the situation you're referring to. But here's the kicker: in neither of these cases can the fury or his owner manipulate those emotions if they aren't there to begin with. They can't conjure the emotions out of thin air, only influence what is already present. Bernard's fury didn't force Amara to want to have sex with him. She already wanted to. The fury was just encouraging her to give in to that desire because it thought Bernard was lonely. So if they did have sex, it would have been consensual, and thus not date rape. Spoiler Alert! Bernard and Amara get married later on in the series, which proves the attraction between them was genuine.
3. Don't give up on Kitai (the main hero's love interest). She becomes very important later on, not to mention badass.
2. I know the part of the book you're referring to, but that wasn't "almost date rape". Let me explain why. In the mythology of the books, the furies (pokemon) have elemental powers, which are sometimes linked with human emotion. Fire furies can inspire or inflame emotions like joy, anger, and fear in others (a great power for politicians) and earth furies have the ability to inspire lust, which is what happened in the situation you're referring to. But here's the kicker: in neither of these cases can the fury or his owner manipulate those emotions if they aren't there to begin with. They can't conjure the emotions out of thin air, only influence what is already present. Bernard's fury didn't force Amara to want to have sex with him. She already wanted to. The fury was just encouraging her to give in to that desire because it thought Bernard was lonely. So if they did have sex, it would have been consensual, and thus not date rape. Spoiler Alert! Bernard and Amara get married later on in the series, which proves the attraction between them was genuine.
3. Don't give up on Kitai (the main hero's love interest). She becomes very important later on, not to mention badass.
Darkblade
Troubadour
1) Threats of violence don't make any sense with the slave collars already on the water crafters. Regular violence would have no meaningful impact when they are being magiced into obeying everything Kord wants. Also it also is quite blatant that Odiana was raped when she was a slave previously and Kord continuously makes mention of rebreaking her. Even if we do assume that Kord really just intended to beat the women the magic items depriving them of their free will and the general oppressive atmosphere still feels too close to sexual violence for my taste.
2) It would not be fully consensual. It'd be more along the lines of getting a girl drunk or high in hopes of getting 'lucky' from her impaired judgment than roofing her into unconsciousness. Not the legal definition but not really on the moral up and up. Also I got the impression that she was closer to Tavi's age than Bernard's, that just might be a mistake on my part though.
3) I have no doubt that any of the characters aren't awesome in their own ways at later points in the series. In Dresden Files he showed an immense talent at making everyone their own personal shade of badass as different points in the series, especially the female characters. What I take issue with is that the one female character who doesn't have a near rape experience is romantically tied to the main character. It's a lesser issue but it still grates on me a little bit.
2) It would not be fully consensual. It'd be more along the lines of getting a girl drunk or high in hopes of getting 'lucky' from her impaired judgment than roofing her into unconsciousness. Not the legal definition but not really on the moral up and up. Also I got the impression that she was closer to Tavi's age than Bernard's, that just might be a mistake on my part though.
3) I have no doubt that any of the characters aren't awesome in their own ways at later points in the series. In Dresden Files he showed an immense talent at making everyone their own personal shade of badass as different points in the series, especially the female characters. What I take issue with is that the one female character who doesn't have a near rape experience is romantically tied to the main character. It's a lesser issue but it still grates on me a little bit.
GeekDavid
Auror
If ya don't like it, you don't like it.
Many of us, however, including myself, absolutely loved those books.
GeekDavid
Auror
I just started Storm Front myself. After pushing my way through two of Raymond Feist's latest that had so many technical errors that I suspect they were ghostwritten by high school freshmen, I need a change of pace.
Darkblade
Troubadour
I'm not saying that you can't. I'm just stating my opinion on what I have read of the series.
GeekDavid
Auror
For what it's worth, I agree with Mindfire. I think you're reading way too much into it. I've read books with actual child rape in them (the Night Angel trilogy), Codex Alera is nowhere near that level of darkness.
I tried Codex Alera. Got a couple dozen pages in and stopped (I realized this when I found the first book on my shelf last night). Can't remember why - maybe I'll check them out again. I like the Dresden Files well enough.
Mindfire
Istar
1) Fair enough. But I think it's important to make a distinction between your opinion on the text and what the text actually presents and says. The rape stuff is a product of your perspective and inferences, inferences that not everyone makes mind you, not the text itself.
2) I wouldn't even compare it to that. In the case you describe, there's no real interest on the part of the girl before she gets drugged and she likely doesn't know what's going on when she's doing it. As I previously stated, the attraction between Amara and Bernard was genuine. They got married later on. (And I got the impression she was in her mid to late twenties and he was in his early to mid-thirties.) Under different circumstances they might have had sex anyway without the fury's interference. You're also neglecting to mention that Bernard realized what was happening and ordered his fury to cut it out. Furies have some intelligence of their own, like pets, and can act without direct commands from their owner. So the situation wasn't Bernard's fault either way.
3) I am compelled to mention, in the interest of fairness, that the Kitai-Tavi romance doesn't really become a thing until later on either and develops quite naturally. I didn't even notice it in the first book at all, and I'm surprised that you did.
2) I wouldn't even compare it to that. In the case you describe, there's no real interest on the part of the girl before she gets drugged and she likely doesn't know what's going on when she's doing it. As I previously stated, the attraction between Amara and Bernard was genuine. They got married later on. (And I got the impression she was in her mid to late twenties and he was in his early to mid-thirties.) Under different circumstances they might have had sex anyway without the fury's interference. You're also neglecting to mention that Bernard realized what was happening and ordered his fury to cut it out. Furies have some intelligence of their own, like pets, and can act without direct commands from their owner. So the situation wasn't Bernard's fault either way.
3) I am compelled to mention, in the interest of fairness, that the Kitai-Tavi romance doesn't really become a thing until later on either and develops quite naturally. I didn't even notice it in the first book at all, and I'm surprised that you did.
GeekDavid
Auror
I think you'll like it. Several of the recurring minor characters are quite interesting. One of them, in a later book, names his alien mount -- I think some sort of lizard but I could be mis-remembering -- "Steaks and New Boots" because of said mount's attitude.
Darkblade
Troubadour
Maybe I was letting my own interpretation interfere with my memory of the text. Regardless I am curious to see how his forthcoming steam punk series shapes up.
