Tiny, but Fierce

Once upon a time, not long ago, someone suggested a new audiobook.  I had just finished a series and was looking for something to fill the void.  I …ahem….acquired…..Storm Front and thus began my journey with Harry Dresden. 

I was immediately hooked.  The combination of pop culture references, film noir, detective work, and witty inner monolog kept me laughing and turning pages.  I couldn't just listen to the audiobook, I was too impatient.  I would spend my hour long commute listening to James Marsters become Harry and then I would pick up the physical book when I got home to continue the story.  The second book followed in similar fashion as did the third.  At the time there were 13 books available so I had plenty of material to get through. 

Around book 5 I mentioned the series to Capt. Punc and FunnelBoy but they were either not ready to start a new series or my description didn't do the story justice.  People have asked me to describe the story to them and I always fall short.  "It's about Chicago's only practicing wizard.  No, it's not like Harry Potter.  Yes, he does us magic but it's …more natural?  I don't really know…He's actually a private eye…..Just read the damn thing."  And they would never pick up the book.  I would find myself bursting at the seams trying to discuss the story and the potential plot twists but I couldn't find anybody who could share my excitement. 

By the time I had exhausted all the available books and was waiting "patiently" for the next one, Capt. Punc finally picked up book one.  And book 2 and 3.  He was hooked just as bad as I was and now we could talk about it.  We would sit at the bar and laugh at the references made, discuss the potential outcome of Harry's actions, and I would carefully not give away any spoilers (ok, I gave one fairly big one away but he already guessed who done it).  I had to constantly remind myself that he hadn't read book 6 yet so he didn't know that X was going to become Y and that Z wasn't really human.  Then FunnelBoy started the series and I had to keep track of two spoiler points.   We had some really bizarre conversations around the whiskey glasses.

Eventually they both caught up to me and we were all waiting "patiently" for the next book to be released and we would frequently lace our conversations with quotes.  "Tiny, but fierce."  became a popular reference for any short fiery lady that we conversed with.  We would frequently mention that polka would never die and wish that we would have the privilege of partnering with a wooly chammoth.  Many strange looks were tossed our way and we found ourselves trying to explain our comments to other bar patrons with little success.  Capt. and Funnel Boy were having the same problems describing the books that I had. 

Then the inevitable happened, we expanded our conspirator base.  I talked a coworker into listening to the first audio book, took him less than 5 months to get through 14 books.  I gave the audiobooks to a friend that has a considerable commute and he has been loving this series just as much as we three.  I would get frequent text messages with comments like "WTF! X is crazy!  That attack on Y was amazing. I almost lost it when Z." Again I would find myself going to the spoiler list and referencing where they were in each book so that I didn't ruin the experience for them.  BiblioKid2 just started the series and got mad at me because book 3 is stuck in the mail.  He finished 2 books in a couple weeks.

We had an interesting conversation tonight. FoeHammer stated that he just finished a book that had some pivotal plot developments and he was understandably excited with the new introductions and directions that the characters had open to them. Capt. and I shared our thoughts with him and tried to be conscious of spoilers at the same time.  We were just as excited as he was but something was missing. He didn't make any references to the most important plot twist, his assumptions of the next book didn't jive with the end of the previous.  Capt. and I traded a glance and asked:
 

B: Did you finish the book?

F: Yea, Harry was on the boat and now he has to wait for …

B: What was the last thing that happened?

F: …I don't remember.  Harry was just waiting.

C: ##choking noises with excited squee##

B: I think you missed the last 5 minutes.

F: What do you mean?

B: The last 5 minutes of the audiobook change everything.  You need go back and listen. Trust me.

We couldn't really speculate anymore after that.  We clammed up. 

Damn I love this series.  Butcher needs to hurry up and provide the next book. 

~bibliotender