Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Backup by Jim Butcher

Yeah. I'll be blunt here.

This is a kickass novella in hardback form. But I feel that Butcher is entering Lucas exploitation levels in selling this thing in hardback form. When I sell something with a lot of white space, I don't include those pages in the cost per page count. This is the kind of novella I would be more than happy to buy when mixed up with other things he's written, or in anthologies with other authors. I've obtained numerous short stories he's written in anthologies because he's my favorite author.

But when a $13.60 hardback book ($20 cover price) is sold then I really feel that my good will as a fan is being exploited.

Which is of course why I checked it out from the library. I'm still supporting the author by encouraging the library to buy more of his stuff, but I'm not being an idiot about the price either.

The basic plot is about an associate of Harry Dresden, Thomas, who helps Harry without his knowledge. Occasionally episodes like this appear in television series, and I like them a great deal. It also adds a fascinating new dimension to the conflict in the Dresdenverse, and it makes absolute perfect sense. In a world where belief makes things real, of course there are things best forgotten, which is where the 'obvlivion war' sets in.

The other thing I like a lot about this book is about how it personalizes a character that is forced to make horrible character altering decisions in the Turn Coat book.

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