Ghost Story by Jim Butcher

 

 

I am a huge Harry Dresden fan.  Actually, I started with the TV series (bummer, no more), enjoyed it so much, I then picked up the books.  Jim Butcher is one of those authors who can’t write fast enough as far as I am concerned.  But I love me some Harry. 

Anyway, I got the latest book, Ghost Story, and wedged it between The Deed of Paksenarrion and A Dance With Dragons.  I needed something a little less than 1000 pages to read.  At first, I was a little disappointed in the story.  Can’t really tell you why without giving away the premise of the book.  Needless to say, I kept on and once again I am in Happy Harry Land.

But there have been a couple of quotes which really had me chuckling (I like humor in my reading….all those doom and gloom books – I can enough of that in real life!).  The first was about cats.  You have to admire a cat even if you don’t love them.  I basically like cats because they can tell you to take a hike without saying a word.

This scene starts with Dresden and a ghost, Sir Stuart, looking in a window at a meeting at Murphy’s home.

“And dogs,” Sir Stuart added.  “Maybe one in ten of them seem to have a talent for sensing us.  Probably why they’re always barking.”

“What about cats?” I asked.  Mister had fled the living room upon the arrival of other people and wasn’t in sight.

“Of course cats,” Sir Stuart said, his voice faintly amused.  “As far as I can tell, all cats.  But they aren’t terribly impressed with the fact that we’re dead and still present.  One rarely gets a reaction from them.”

Further into the book, Harry describes himself and his feeling about himself and his relationship to people.  OOOOOHHHHHHH.  HHHMMMMMM.   Wait, he’s describing me!  Boy, does that hit close to home.  I have always wished I could be like Harry, and now it seems I am more like him than I thought.

I always considered myself a loner.

I mean, not like a poor-me, Byron-esque, I-should-have-brought-a-swimming-buddy loner.  I mean the sort of person who doesn’t feel too upset about the prospect of a weekend spent seeing no one, and reading good books on the couch.  It wasn’t like I was a people hater or anything.  I enjoyed activities and the company of friends.  But they were a side dish.  I always thought I would also be happy without them.

 

  Now if I could just channel a little Anita Blake and her men!