I recently finished reading Dead Beat by Jim Butcher. It’s the 7th book in the Dresden Files series. As I read it, I was reminded more of why this series appeals to the gamer in me. I’m talking about more than just the fact that Dresden games with a pack of werewolves (and we know how much I adore werewolves!) and that Butcher references Tolkien at least once in most every book. I’m also talking about more than the way the story is set up with quests, random encounters, quirky spell components, etc. What I focused on instead was Dresden as a character.
Harry Dresden is your classic PC, pushing the limits of the rules dictated by the DM (or in this case, the white counsel, the law, etc. etc.). He finds the loopholes and jumps into them without looking back. Case in point in that in this book it’s against the law (magic laws) to use necromancy on people. Nobody said anything about raising an animal though, let alone a freaking T-Rex! :)
It’s not the only reason he makes a classic PC, but it was what came to mind when I thought about it. I mean really, what PC isn’t trying to maximize what their character can do by working the system to their advantage, eh?
As to the book itself, WOW. This one was intense. I think mostly because Dresden finds out he actually has people he cares about now. The stakes have been raised…egad, have that ever.
And well, that’s really all I have time for now. The point was on my mind and that’s all there is to it. Hah!
