A few months ago, Jim Butcher presented us with PEACE TALKS. At the time, we knew that BATTLE GROUND wasn’t far behind. That previous novel laid the groundwork for what comes in these pages. In much the same way that you take the long, slow ride up the chain to the peak of a rollercoaster and hesitate that half-second before the plunge, PEACE TALKS got readers there. Now, with BATTLE GROUND, it is a full headlong plunge, with loops and corkscrews, and there is never a moment to catch your breath again before the end.

"BATTLE GROUND hurtles forward, packing so much of Harry’s past into the story and never slowing down for anything. It is a full-on assault, for both Harry and readers."

Harry Dresden has taken his brother to Demonreach, and, along with steadfast companions, he heads back toward Chicago aboard the Water Beetle. Within mere pages, they are beset upon by a Kraken, which sets the stage for the full-speed-ahead war that encompasses the novel. This time, despite having come out ahead in battles with all manner of supernatural forces, Harry has his work cut out for him. His new foe is a Titan, and she has an army. And Chicago is the focus of the assault.

New alliances have to be forged here, sometimes with bitter rivals, because Ethniu doesn’t care who you are. She seeks only to wipe them all out. Harry is forced to be at his strongest, not only in magic but also with his mind, understanding that, despite the losses --- and yes, there are losses --- and the heartache, he cannot afford to waver lest the city and all of humanity fall into darkness.

BATTLE GROUND hurtles forward, packing so much of Harry’s past into the story and never slowing down for anything. It is a full-on assault, for both Harry and readers. Story arcs old and new twist their way through the plot; loose ends find closure, while others remain open for further expansion. Readers will explore all ranges of emotion as the story unfolds. When the dust finally settles, Harry’s world will be forever altered.

Butcher has done a fantastic job here. For those readers who have made the journey from the beginning, well, they’ll see that a lot of what happens here had the groundwork laid way back when. Butcher works his own magic as a builder of a world with exploring; he expertly peppered all those old days with foreshadowing of what was to come, and much of what was realized in BATTLE GROUND.

The wisecracking wizard of the Windy City does not emerge entirely unscathed. Butcher develops Harry beautifully, and we see him change as the events of the novel unfold. As ever, he remains a hero, and the path laid before him for future installments deserves to be explored. Readers definitely will be encouraged to return when that next book in the series drops.