Ghost Story

A Novel of the Dresden Files

By: Jim Butcher

Narrated by: James Marsters

When an unknown someone shoots him and leaves him to die, Harry Dresden hopes he might be heading to a better place. Unfortunately being dead doesn't make Harry's life any easier.

Trapped between life and death, he learns that his friends are in serious trouble. Only by finding his murderer can he save his friends and move on - a feat that would be a lot easier if he had a body and access to his powers. Worse still are the malevolent shadows that roam Chicago, controlled by a dark entity that wants Harry to suffer even in death.

Now the late Harry Dresden will have to pull off the ultimate trick without using any magic - or face an eternity as just another lost soul....

©2012 Jim Butcher (P)2015 Penguin Audio

Ghost Story - now with more substance

I've listened to both this version and the version that Glover narrated, Marsters IS Dresden, hands down. There is just something that he does when narrating this series, the inflection and tone of each phrase. The almost surreal quality that he brings to the table when describing flash backs or supernatural events makes Marsters the master at characterization and personalizing Butchers written word. Glover did well, but Marsters rocked this like a diamond boss. The book itself? Well, Stars and stones! It's DRESDEN! I think that anyone from Sidhe to human would agree that Butcher writes more than "just" contemporary fantasy. Butcher writes pure unadulterated transendentalism. So listen to it, you'll love it and you'll want to read or listen to every single one available.

Soapy and verbose at times, yet not bad overall.

If you are in love with this book, please read no further as you may find my review offensive...

Without going into too many details (and spoilers!), the book felt overly verbose for me. The author's imagination is undoubtedly rich and well developed, yet at certain points it feels like he's paid by word. Mr. Butcher also tends to assume he knows more about fighting than the reader, which can be annoying if said reader _actually_ knows how it works (of course, that's the problem with most urban fantasy writers who are mostly nerds after all). Unlike most of the other authors within the genre, he doesn't overdo it though.

There are too many of those recalls to past events (as if the reader has serious issues with his or her memory and constantly needs a refresher), reiterations of the principles and thoughts already covered earlier, and an over increasing tendency to be melodramatic that now reached a cheesy soap opera levels. There are also way too many flashbacks in this boom, some of which feel awkward at best (I think I understand why they are there, but in the form presented to us they feel somewhat out of place)...

HOWEVER...

Despite all of my petty grievances stated above, all in all I see this book as a decent attempt at pulling the series from a nosedive, and the narrator continues to do a great job. The introduction of unseen earlier (at least, not at this level) plot twists, picked up loose ends, and boosted character development for the main "cast" feel like a liberating fresh wind that brings about with it a hope that the series will continue and even improve with consequent installations of the story.

Oh, and the mental warfare defensive scene alone strokes my own inner nerd enough to forget about most of the annoying moments. ;)

Fantastic novel

This as is in the other books to the serious was fantastic amazing in fact would recommend to everyone

Thanks for the re-recording. It's so much better!

Thanks for listening to the fans of this series. John Glover did a good job on the first one, but James Marsden is the voice of Dresden and catches all the subtle nuances of his personality and mannerisms.

The story is great and the performance is perfect.

OMG OMG OMG! Thank you thank you!

Any additional comments?

I find it difficult to put down Glover's performance, as a narrator he did great. But, Marsters is Dresden. It is amazing that this was done for us listeners. Thank you, to everyone who made this happen, and thank you to Glover for giving us his great performance while we waited for this!

great series great narration

Love the Dresden files and all of Butcher's work. Read the books originally and decided to give the audiobooks a try before the next release. I use my library to check these out for free but thos one was narrated by someone other than James Marsters through my library app, a couple chapters in I decided it was worth the credit to listen to the Marsters version. Can't wait for Peace talks to come out, it's been too long in the making.

Sublime

Butcher's sorry was excellent the first time. The new recording with James Marsters is perfection. James IS Dresden. The Audible universe is blessed to have this partnership. I'm thinking of listening to the whole series again just to experience Butcher and Marsters evolve together again.

just keeps getting better

Impressed to say the least. Great from beginning to end. The next forward looking to I am.

Jim took a different path with this one

I'm a big fan of the Dresden files, and there's a certain flow that you feel in all of the books. This one does not fit that flow, the first time I listened to it, it was rough. I have since listened to it twice more and have enjoyed it each time.

the master Marsters

not my "favorite" story if the Dresden Files, but it is undeniably good writing