Proven Guilty
Green: OK, in the past few chapters, there has been exposition on both mind magic and time magic
Green: which, when Harry was explaining mind magic, l was like "OK, looks like this is going to be the book in which the bad guys use mind magic"
Green: but then Bob started talking about time magic so now it's like which one's it going to be?
Orange: exposition is my fave position
Green: l mean, probably something else
Orange: ahahaha
Green: it's probably going to be using themes from the discussion on mind magic, which is that some types of magic turn you evil
Orange: i think it's either a setup for this book or the next or like
Green: my guess is there's going to be someone who is like, halfway there
Orange: there's setups several books in advance sometimes
Green: yeah
Orange: sometimes there's been setups the whole time
Orange: and you only learn it when all the dominoes crash down in one book
Orange: and they crash on our boy, harry
Orange: like they were calculated to do so by a malevolent god
Green: Bob's like "if a paradox happens in a weak enough spot, the entire world could be destroyed"
Orange: because they were
Green: and l'm like "l smell a sideplot 10 books from now"
Orange: book theory: butcher is a supernatural entity in his own series
Orange: he's the bad guy behind it all, specifically focusing on making harry suffer as much as possible without actually killing him
Orange: stringing him along with hope so he doesn't go full breakdown and become a hobo
Orange: a cruel and vicious god
Green: hahaha
Green: here is my prediction
Green: harry is going to bang michael's daughter
Green: (not serious)
Green: oh she's 17
Green: even less serious now
Green: l was just thinking, "what's something that would make Harry want to avoid Michael even more?"
Orange: hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Orange: wait
Orange: mind magic
Orange: so are you on book 8
Orange: is the daughter somehow mixed up in shenanigans
Green: yeah I'm on book 8
Orange: hohohooo
Green: she had him bail her bf (who works at splattercon) out of jail
Orange: i remember some of this one
Orange: yeah
Orange: splattercon
Orange: the best
Orange: good stuff here
Green: also all of Michael's kids are incredibly cute
Orange: what kind of father would michael be if he didn't raise very solid great children
Orange: who then have freaking
Orange: GOTH EMO PHASE
Orange: as you do
Orange: as i did
Green: this is my favorite thing in the universe
"Don't call me Leech," she said in the patient tone of someone who has said something a million times and plans on saying it a million times more. "Hello, sir," she told me. "Alicia," I said, nodding. Evidently the use of her actual name constituted a gesture of partnership. She gave me a somewhat relieved and conspiratorial smile.
Green: like, she calls him sir? She really appreciates him using her proper name?
Green: that's cute
Orange: nothing but the best from michael
Orange: nothing but the best
Orange: his wife too
Green: and he just gives her the name greeting
Orange: yes he does that
Orange: it's so weird
Orange: when he's uncomfortable he freaking lets his mouth run wild
Orange: when he's okay, he can do the cool sorta minimal wordage stuff
Green: yeah!
Green: with Matthew he doesn't even say hi he just nods
Orange: yeah
Orange: uncle dresden
Orange: ahahaha
Orange: uncle harry the hairy uncle
Orange: man getting my nieces and nephews to use 'uncle' before using my name is a constant struggle for their parents
Green: also Amanda calls him Bill because they already have a Harry
Orange: waehehehe
Orange: i forgot they have a harry
Orange: why not tom, they can call him tom and have another kid and he can be Richard
Orange: and then you have tom dick and harry
Green: geeze
Green: black magic is always the fucked up stuff huh
Green: oh hey it's maeve!!!
Green: l remember her
Green: she walks in and this isthe first thing she says
Maeve stared at me for a long minute and licked her lips. "Look at you," she all but purred. "All pent up like that. You haven't had a woman in ages, have you?"
Green: also l like her outfit
Green: l know l said l don't like reading descriptions, but outfits are a huge exception
Green: highlights include rainbow-colored hair, blue cut-off jorts, and a t-shirt that says "YOUR BOYFRIEND WANTS ME"
Green: chad
Green:
Maeve waited for her lemonade, wrapped her lips idly around the straw, and sipped. Then she settled back into her seat, chewing. Crunching sounds came from her mouth. The lemonade had frozen solid when it passed her lips. Which made me feel pretty damned smart for avoiding the whole sexual temptation issue.
Green:
"The good guys win!" Bob cheered. "Or at least you do. You're still a good guy, right? You know how confusing the whole good-evil concept is for me."
Green: looks like white court vampires' eyes turn silver when they vamp out
Green: also so far Harry's fought Jason, a Xenomorph, and…a scarecrow? I want to say it's Jack Skellington
Green: heyyy it was mind magic all along!
Green: btw I hope to god that the fairies who clean his house become important at some point
Green: they were a huge plot point in Pale and that was so much fun
Orange: Ehehehee
Green: Btw l love that the security guard sees harry and giving him the once over is like "hmm...big bearded man with a giant dog, wearing a huge coat, looks pretty messed up, looks like he's packing heat- oh he has a splattercon badge this checks out
Green: "
Orange: hahhahahahahaha
Orange: i forget who the scarecrow is
Orange: but you got the xenomorph and jason i think
Green: They just fought a couple rabid animals from a movie I've never heard of, and also "Bucky the Doll"
Orange: there's gotta be some spooki scarecrow out there
Green: Who's clearly supposed to be Chucky
Orange: yes
Green: So yeah the unknown ones are the Scarecrow (who l'm pretty sure is Jack Skellington?), the rabid animals, and the Hammerman
Orange: well like
Orange: it's gotta be horror movie stuff
Orange: horror/thriller
Green: Jack Skellington is scary in-universe though
Green: His whole thing is scaring people
Orange: yeah but i'm assuming these appearances are something to do with the actual fear existing in people right
Orange: phobophage, was it called?
Green: Yeah...
Orange: you know
Orange: i bet someone's already found out what these references are
Green: Yeah
Green: Oh l looked up "horror movie pumpkin head" and it might be Pumpkinhead from Pumpkinhead
Orange: hmm
Orange: i just looked at a picture of Pumpkinhead from Pumpkinhead and i don't see no pump nor kin on any head
Orange: there's a scarecrow in jeepers creepers
Orange: but no pumpkin
Orange: maybe he didn't wanna have too many references because the publisher/editor kept shooting down ideas
Green: Hm also now that l'm thinking about it, the Reaper might be the guy from Scream, rather than Jason
Green: l didnt read the description that closely
Orange: hmmmm
Green: He just soul gazed molly and hot dang am I excited to see more stories involving her
Orange: HAHAHAHA
Orange: MOLLS
Orange: you may or may not have your wish granted
Green: And her thing is she's really good at mind magic
Orange: yes
Green: That's going to be real fun
Orange: she has T-A-L-E-N-T
Orange: while harry, no offense
Green: Lot of potential for "oh shit I messed up big time" plots
Orange: not exactly the most talented magician
Orange: he's got power sure
Green: Yeah yeah
Orange: but like you can have all the muscle without knowing how to tie your shoes
Green: When he messes up big time it's just political stuff or collateral damage
Orange: i stg the magic meta could have so many broken strats in it if people like harry start minmaxing
Orange: they got all the time to train!
Green: But l bet when Molly messes up it's big and tangled and messy
Orange: well see it's tangled because molly, unlike harry, knows how to tie shoes
Green: Lol true
Orange: (jk i'm sure harry knows how to tie his shoes! And he learned at the very young age of 25!)
Orange: yeah well the whole wizard community seems to be pretty black and white (heh) about the whole following Da Rules thing
Orange: and they already hate harry so if harry's associated with someone who breaks the rules they'll go after them too
Green:
Dressed in his formal black robes, with a deep purple cowl that left his features shadowed but for the glitter of his dark eyes, the Gatekeeper stood in the doorway for a moment, and something gave me the impression that he was staying at the Merlin.
Green: What an interesting outfit he's wearing
Orange: HIS COWL
Green: Hahahaha
Orange: there's no way that cowl will let himself be seen wearing a cowl in his non-cowl identity
Orange: unless.. that's what he wants harry to think
Orange: keep your eyes on that gatekeeper
Green: Haha yeah it could be a false flag
Green: Aw
Green: He told Michael everything
Green: V cute
Green: Also Michael knew
Green: Which, not unsurprising.
Orange: MICHAEL IS SO FREAKING BASED
Orange: just
Orange: kiss already
Orange: KISS ALREADY
Orange: HARRY YOU HAVE A DEMON LADY IN YOUR HEAD RN ITS TIME TO BE GAY
Orange: ;u; but like
Orange: i love how harry was so scared and michael was like dude, it's cool
Orange: just don't be a denarian, renounce your wizarding ways
Orange: and harry's like no sorry haha
Green: Yes!!!
Green: I love Michael
Green: And, l love that he's like "we don't know that that's the only way to get rid of denarianism, so try not to be too evil in the meantime"
Green: Also Molly is hitting on Dresden
Green: Slightly overtly
Green: l stg if you were lying about the dry spell l will shit
Orange: molly is sometimes channeling The Girl That Tries To Ruin The Yaoi
Green: Lol
Orange: but harry, harry can't not suffer
Orange: the only time harry should be allowed to have sex is like, moments before his sexual partner dies right
Orange: or he can have sex with bad guys, who then either is revealed to be bad and killed, or who has a really sweet change of heart and is also killed
Orange: harry's ex's shouldn't be in texas, they should be six feet under
Green: Oh nice callback
Orange: what callback
Green: He dumped ice water on Molly
Orange: I DID NOT GET THIS CALLBACK
Orange: so you're finishing up book 8???
Orange: whatttt
Green: Mhm
Orange: or is this not the end
Green: I mean
Green: Idk
Orange: green you're a voracious reader
Green: Its an ebook of 7-12
Orange: oh is it just the whole thing in one
Green: Yeah
Orange: oh nice
Green: But like, it's been hitting all the "we're getting close to the end of the book" beats
Orange: nice
Green: Like l am definitely solidly in the denouement
Green: All the book mysteries got unraveled, he got the girl, he talked to Michael
Green: l don't see many other conflicts other than teacher/student conflicts, which honestly are better left brewing over the next few books
Orange: ehehehehe
Orange: it took me a while to actually start seeing the patterns you're picking up right away
Orange: or maybe you're just thinking on the right wavelengths
Orange: it's cool
Green: l mean, except that next book should be all about "I'm really new at being a teacher oh god l'm fucking it all up"
Orange: YEAH
Orange: there's no way it won't be that
Orange: right
Green: That's going to be cute, and relatable
Orange: it will be
Green: Gosh l hope so
Orange: very cute and relatable
Orange: it has to be
Orange: butcher can't pass up an opportunity like that
Orange: could he
Green: You're worrying me
Orange: i guess he could just kill molly
Orange: but that wouldn't be satisfying!
Orange: he should only kill molly at the time where it will hurt harry the most
Orange: <rot13>ba gurve jrqqvat qnl</rot13>
Orange: i joke
Orange: it's a joke
Green: Yeah!!!
Orange: but yes
Green: Or, better yet, he should be the one to do it
Orange: OHHHHH
Orange: GREEN YOU DEVIL
Green: Hehwhehehe
Orange: that's the sorta thinking that we need in the writing community
Green: Hahaha
Orange: that creative ethic of how to make your hero suffer
Orange: Molly should like
Orange: become twisted by the cruel world into a person who does anything to get what she needs
Green: Yes!!!
Green: I mean
Green: No
Orange: and when harry realizes this, on the freaking, when they play the music and walk her down the aisle
Orange: he goes
Orange: "fuego"
Orange: tears streaming down his face
Green: I want there to be two timelines, one in which that happens and one where he saves her
Orange: ok, so there are the two timelines right
Orange: but in the saving molly timeline, she dies right when he thinks she is safe
Green: And the one where he saves her is the one we follow, but we get to see what happens in the other one sometimes
Green: Hahaha
Green: You're too cruel!!!
Orange: I am not too cruel
Orange: i just really like seeing harry suffer
Orange: i don't care how many girls have to die before he turns gay but i'm gonna find out
Green: He just forbade her to masturbate?
Orange: waitwhat
Green: "Hi, yeah, not only am l not going to have sex with you, you're not going to have sex with you"
Orange: dang harry, that's cold
Orange: but i guess it makes sense
Orange: he knew her when she was a wee lass
Green:
"Sex makes things complicated, and for you that could be bad." "But..." "And no, ah, solo exploration either." She blinked at me and asked in a blank tone, "Why?" "You'll go blind," I said, and walked up to her front porch. "You're joking," she said, and then hurried to catch up. "That's a joke, right? Harry?" I marched her up to her house without answering her. Molly wore a hopeless look on her face, as though she envied a condemned criminal, who could at least hope that the governor might call at the last minute.
Orange: harry you dog
Orange: you should have used your one brain cell to make up a story about how you need to power magic with sexual energy or something
Green: I feel like that would be unwise
Orange: i mean, we are talking about harry here
Orange: i'm not suggesting the wise decision i'm suggesting the funny one
Orange: he is incapable of being wise
Green: Hahaha fair
Green: I like that the Harry and Molly thing is exactly the same situation as Anakin and Ahsoka from Star Wars
Orange: mmmmmmmmm
Orange: is ahsoka the lady who anakin macked on in the prequels
Green: I mean, l say this without having watched The Clone Wars
Orange: ah i tooo have failed to watch that show
Green: No Ahsoka was the protagonist of the animated tv show
Orange: oh her
Orange: the twin tails girl
Green: She was Anakin's apprentice, and eventually the jedi council tried to execute her for turning to the dark side
Green: (She hadn't, really)
Orange: ooooo
Green: Anakin was a little bit mad at the council for this
Green: actually l think they might've actually done it?
Orange: oooo
Green: Finished Proven Guilty
Green: And hot dang I'd like to say that I totally called what it would be about
Orange: dang
Green: Green you genius
Orange: you are pretty solid with at least your immediate predictions
Green: Except it was so much better than I thought it would be
Orange: you're not so far from changes
Orange: changes is hype
Green: I'm pretty far
Green: It's #12 and I just finished #8
Green: Next is White Night but l think l need a bit of a break lol
Green: Also l think that title is a bit of a bummer
Green: Since he already used the Knight/Night thing for book 4
Green: But here's my predictions for White Night - it'll be about the white court, and also about finding a home for his magic sword
Green: And also about his brand new apprentice, on the personal side of things
Orange: hmmmm
Orange: yeah idk if white knight was great
Orange: it's probably alright
Orange: nope nope nvm it's ok
Green: it'd better have a bunch of good dresden and molly moments!!!
Orange: and by ok i mean
Orange: i definitely remember a punchy moment here
Orange: that i think is good
Orange: i think you can expect to see molly show off what a magician with more than one brain cell can do
Orange: but i'm not certain, i just think
Green: that's exciting, but what l want is dresden and molly moments!
Green: their interplay!
Green: their banter, if any!
Orange: well yeah
Orange: you might get a moment or two
Orange: harry is a.. fun teacher if anything
Orange: he's got a whole bucket of trauma and he'll maybe try really hard to make sure molly avoids such trauma right
Green: hahahaha
Green: that's pretty exciting
Orange: but harry is stupid right
Orange: so he'd pick really stupid teaching methods i bet
Green:
Molly: You know, I may not see eye to eye with my mom but I really do love my siblings. Dresden: *sucks in air through his teeth* Don't go down that road, Molly.
Green: hm that phenomenon you were just talking about is probably why Dresden forbid Molly from everything sexual
Green: U_U
Orange: it makes sense
Green: "OK Molly, lesson number one is to trust no one. I mean, sure, there are good people in the world, but l can practically guarantee that none of them will want to have sex with you. lf someone is attracted to you? Huuuge red flag. Are you writing this down? Sex is evil, write that down."
Green: You know dresden files is pretty good mystery novels
Green: each novel has 2-4 interrelated "major" mysteries going on and sometimes a few minor mysteries, and while things are surprising, it's never totally out of the blue like "wait, what?"
Green: l mean there are definitely twists which l don't think l could have guessed in advance even if l went over everything with a fine-toothed comb
Green: but some, like Molly being a wizard, were definitely foreshadowed and l'm like "ohhhhhhh"
Green: ldk these are good books!
Orange: ohohoho
Green: and very readable
Green: l also think book girl being coin girl was a good twist
Green: oh and back in book 2 or 3, where harry's like "there are 3 different types of werewolf, so l guess l need to figure out which type we're dealing with here" and the answer is "ALL THREE"
Green: l thought that was super fun
Orange: ohh yeah!!!
Orange: I forgot those books were so long ago
Orange: must be nearly a decade
Green: yeah they came out in like 2002
Green: so almost 2
Green: Proven Guilty came out in 2006 l think