I just finished Peace Talks a couple weeks ago and didn't realize that the next one was out, good thing it is because that was a very abrupt ending and it felt like half a book at best.
Because if you're going to attempt to squeeze that big black monster into your slot you will need to be able to take at least 12 inches or else you're going to have a bad time...
I just finished Peace Talks a couple weeks ago and didn't realize that the next one was out, good thing it is because that was a very abrupt ending and it felt like half a book at best.
Because if you're going to attempt to squeeze that big black monster into your slot you will need to be able to take at least 12 inches or else you're going to have a bad time...
Half of it was repeating things from previous books, the other half was "omg sex thoughts".
I'm going to hope all my issues with PT / BG was because of Butchers whole turmoil with his house and stuff, because wow there was a lot of not great stuff in there.
Half of it was repeating things from previous books, the other half was "omg sex thoughts".
I'm going to hope all my issues with PT / BG was because of Butchers whole turmoil with his house and stuff, because wow there was a lot of not great stuff in there.
My wife and I are theorizing that Butcher's ex-wife actually ghost wrote Dresden Files while Butcher worked on his other series.
Half of it was repeating things from previous books, the other half was "omg sex thoughts".
I'm going to hope all my issues with PT / BG was because of Butchers whole turmoil with his house and stuff, because wow there was a lot of not great stuff in there.
My wife and I are theorizing that Butcher's ex-wife actually ghost wrote Dresden Files while Butcher worked on his other series.
This would be very on brand for 2020.
I am in the business of saving lives.
+4
RingoHe/Hima distinct lack of substanceRegistered Userregular
Lol, and then Jim Butcher's first complete work written post-divorce is a messy story where Harry
Loses his One True Love and suddenly finds himself married to a literal Succubus
Lol, and then Jim Butcher's first complete work written post-divorce is a messy story where Harry
Loses his One True Love and suddenly finds himself married to a literal Succubus
Maybe Shannon was the real talent after all
I'm finding the speculation amusing but
Small Favors:
Their eventual marriage feels like it has been being built up to for quite a while. I recently reread Small Favors because PT/BG makes some references to it and it is right near where Marcone gets his coin. Anyways, I'm pretty sure this has been in the cards for awhile now.
He wouldn't be the first author to let his personal life fuck with his story (see: Vlad Taltos by Steven Brust), so lets hope things work out!
How did that happen with Brust?
Spoilers, I guess?
IIRC, he went through a tough divorce with his wife, and as a result decided (at least momentarily) that marriage sucks and never works and so had Cawti make some very out-of-nowhere moves to end her marriage to Vlad. Some very “I’m now 150% dedicated to My Cause and if you aren’t, too, then I’m leaving and not telling you about our kid.”
It rang pretty hollow at the time.
In a Post-Trump world, it doesn’t ring quite as hollow anymore.
Lol, and then Jim Butcher's first complete work written post-divorce is a messy story where Harry
Loses his One True Love and suddenly finds himself married to a literal Succubus
Maybe Shannon was the real talent after all
I'm finding the speculation amusing but
Small Favors:
Their eventual marriage feels like it has been being built up to for quite a while. I recently reread Small Favors because PT/BG makes some references to it and it is right near where Marcone gets his coin. Anyways, I'm pretty sure this has been in the cards for awhile now.
Care to elaborate? IIRC Small Favor doesn't involve the White Court at all
He wouldn't be the first author to let his personal life fuck with his story (see: Vlad Taltos by Steven Brust), so lets hope things work out!
How did that happen with Brust?
Spoilers, I guess?
IIRC, he went through a tough divorce with his wife, and as a result decided (at least momentarily) that marriage sucks and never works and so had Cawti make some very out-of-nowhere moves to end her marriage to Vlad. Some very “I’m now 150% dedicated to My Cause and if you aren’t, too, then I’m leaving and not telling you about our kid.”
It rang pretty hollow at the time.
In a Post-Trump world, it doesn’t ring quite as hollow anymore.
He sort of fixed alot of the issues with what happened there in later books, and y'know. I'm kinda okay with that. It was pretty obviously a way for him to work through it and heal.
Lol, and then Jim Butcher's first complete work written post-divorce is a messy story where Harry
Loses his One True Love and suddenly finds himself married to a literal Succubus
Maybe Shannon was the real talent after all
I'm finding the speculation amusing but
Small Favors:
Their eventual marriage feels like it has been being built up to for quite a while. I recently reread Small Favors because PT/BG makes some references to it and it is right near where Marcone gets his coin. Anyways, I'm pretty sure this has been in the cards for awhile now.
Care to elaborate? IIRC Small Favor doesn't involve the White Court at all
Yeah, the White Court thing was in Turn Coat. That said, back-to-back novels involving Shenanigan Island, so..
Lol, and then Jim Butcher's first complete work written post-divorce is a messy story where Harry
Loses his One True Love and suddenly finds himself married to a literal Succubus
Maybe Shannon was the real talent after all
I'm finding the speculation amusing but
Small Favors:
Their eventual marriage feels like it has been being built up to for quite a while. I recently reread Small Favors because PT/BG makes some references to it and it is right near where Marcone gets his coin. Anyways, I'm pretty sure this has been in the cards for awhile now.
Care to elaborate? IIRC Small Favor doesn't involve the White Court at all
Yeah, the White Court thing was in Turn Coat. That said, back-to-back novels involving Shenanigan Island, so..
Actually the stuff I was thinking of is White Night. Read Small Favor for the coin thing and White Night for the Carlos interactions that PT/BG called back to.
It's like ten books later but Harry was a pretty big dick to Carlos in White Night and it is played as no big thing.
amateurhourOne day I'll be professionalhourThe woods somewhere in TennesseeRegistered Userregular
The Brust thing is nuts, I've read that entire series to date cover to cover 4 times and spoken to that man and I always thought he had just planned it because of his original fascination with the mafia going more into his strong socialist/communist stances over the years.
As for Dresden, have there been any updates on the new TV series?
Anyone who is confused about Carlos' attitude to Dresden needs to read the second short story collection featuring a story between him and Molly.
Carlos is not only justified, but abso-fucking-lutely correct in his assessment and treatment of Dresden and Dresden is a fucking idiot for not recognizing it.
I am in the business of saving lives.
+4
zepherinRussian warship, go fuck yourselfRegistered Userregular
The Brust thing is nuts, I've read that entire series to date cover to cover 4 times and spoken to that man and I always thought he had just planned it because of his original fascination with the mafia going more into his strong socialist/communist stances over the years.
As for Dresden, have there been any updates on the new TV series?
Anyone who is confused about Carlos' attitude to Dresden needs to read the second short story collection featuring a story between him and Molly.
Carlos is not only justified, but abso-fucking-lutely correct in his assessment and treatment of Dresden and Dresden is a fucking idiot for not recognizing it.
Gotta disagree. Read the story. Twice (well read once and listened once).
Edit: I will just leave it as I disagree.
GiantGeek2020 on
+1
BlackDragon480Bluster KerfuffleMaster of Windy ImportRegistered Userregular
Anyone who is confused about Carlos' attitude to Dresden needs to read the second short story collection featuring a story between him and Molly.
Carlos is not only justified, but abso-fucking-lutely correct in his assessment and treatment of Dresden and Dresden is a fucking idiot for not recognizing it.
Gotta disagree. Read the story. Twice (well read once and listened once).
Edit: I will just leave it as I disagree.
I'd really like to read your take on it if you're willing?
I am in the business of saving lives.
0
amateurhourOne day I'll be professionalhourThe woods somewhere in TennesseeRegistered Userregular
The Brust thing is nuts, I've read that entire series to date cover to cover 4 times and spoken to that man and I always thought he had just planned it because of his original fascination with the mafia going more into his strong socialist/communist stances over the years.
As for Dresden, have there been any updates on the new TV series?
They are doing a new TV series?
I loved the old TV show.
...don’t play with my heart AH.
This was pre pt/bg/covid but yeah they had signed a new deal for a new tv series, through one of the streaming services iirc, bigger production budget than the previous one.
No updates through most of 2020 though that I saw.
Well they better do whatever it takes to get that going. Doesn't seem likely, but plenty of other things to cancel on every network/platform to fund it!
Xeddicus on
+2
zepherinRussian warship, go fuck yourselfRegistered Userregular
Anyone who is confused about Carlos' attitude to Dresden needs to read the second short story collection featuring a story between him and Molly.
Carlos is not only justified, but abso-fucking-lutely correct in his assessment and treatment of Dresden and Dresden is a fucking idiot for not recognizing it.
And Dresden is a threat. A stupid threat, but that doesn’t make him any less dangerous, and before some of the white council suspected he had some dangerous weapons. But most wizards have some dangerous things if they survive long enough.
Now they know he’s got at least 2. Ethnu and the eye. So yeah he’s a stupid wizard with the mystical equivalent to WMDs, and that doesn’t go into if he just let some of the convicts out. And they put the black staff on it, because of that. Part of the genius of Marcone is putting a huge target on Dresden, showing himself to be a threat not to be easily dismissed, but not someone to Target first and foremost.
Dresden has been a threat since book 1 (as has every other damn wizard they have around):
Given the fact Harry has what he has antagonizing him is stupid. At worst you just keep him at arms length if you're worried. I mean at this point he should have earned some good will. What has he actually done they're so huffy about. It's mostly guesswork and fearmongering with the overarching fact that of course there's some dangerous shit going down. Look at the state of the world.
Carlos being wary is fine. The entire council, including McCoy making him enemy #something is almost pants on head.
Anyone who is confused about Carlos' attitude to Dresden needs to read the second short story collection featuring a story between him and Molly.
Carlos is not only justified, but abso-fucking-lutely correct in his assessment and treatment of Dresden and Dresden is a fucking idiot for not recognizing it.
Gotta disagree. Read the story. Twice (well read once and listened once).
Edit: I will just leave it as I disagree.
I'd really like to read your take on it if you're willing?
I'll try to come up with something long form and considered.
+1
BrodyThe WatchThe First ShoreRegistered Userregular
White Council/Harry
Rereading stuff about the Starborn, and it doesn't say they are capable of stopping outsiders, iirc it says they can control Starborn.
I really think him being kicked out is a Black Council plot. We already know they are cozy with the Outsiders (right? With the mordite?), so it would make sense if they are trying to ostricize the WC's best weapon against the Outsiders, and they may be hoping to turn him?
Also, I finally started reading Side Jobs, and there is definitely a bit where Bob is talking about how being married to a Sidhe puts yourself under their control, and they can screw with your brain. I don't know that Mab is necessarily doing that to Harry (although would he recognize that? It is written from his perspective), especially with him pointing out how his effectiveness is tied to who he is. But I could also see the way that bond works being real concerning for everyone else.
"I will write your name in the ruin of them. I will paint you across history in the color of their blood."
Rereading stuff about the Starborn, and it doesn't say they are capable of stopping outsiders, iirc it says they can control Starborn.
I really think him being kicked out is a Black Council plot. We already know they are cozy with the Outsiders (right? With the mordite?), so it would make sense if they are trying to ostricize the WC's best weapon against the Outsiders, and they may be hoping to turn him?
Also, I finally started reading Side Jobs, and there is definitely a bit where Bob is talking about how being married to a Sidhe puts yourself under their control, and they can screw with your brain. I don't know that Mab is necessarily doing that to Harry (although would he recognize that? It is written from his perspective), especially with him pointing out how his effectiveness is tied to who he is. But I could also see the way that bond works being real concerning for everyone else.
Am I misunderstanding who you are referencing?
Harry is getting hitched to the White Court, not the Sidhe.
Rereading stuff about the Starborn, and it doesn't say they are capable of stopping outsiders, iirc it says they can control Starborn.
I really think him being kicked out is a Black Council plot. We already know they are cozy with the Outsiders (right? With the mordite?), so it would make sense if they are trying to ostricize the WC's best weapon against the Outsiders, and they may be hoping to turn him?
Also, I finally started reading Side Jobs, and there is definitely a bit where Bob is talking about how being married to a Sidhe puts yourself under their control, and they can screw with your brain. I don't know that Mab is necessarily doing that to Harry (although would he recognize that? It is written from his perspective), especially with him pointing out how his effectiveness is tied to who he is. But I could also see the way that bond works being real concerning for everyone else.
Same
The Starborn have some ability to deal with Outsiders and not be tainted/influenced like others would be. This being Dresdenverse that probably has a flip side where one that wanted to side with the Outsiders would be somehow especially bad.
Having reread some of the older stuff I think Carlos's reaction isn't that far out of line though Harry being so utterly clueless is a little dumb. We only see this stuff from Harry's perspective though and he can be a bit dumb, so alright.
The council choice just seems flat out weird. They can't move against Harry while he's the Winter Knight and that's ignoring all the other positive relationships he has with other supernatural power blocs. Kicking him out just reduces their influence over him and puts half their Senior Council in a position to break promises or associate with an outcast wizard. I suppose that later bit could be part of the Black Council's plan to clean house on the Senior Council. Presumably the Black Council doesn't have a majority on the SC...
Gregori Cristos
Ancient Mai
Arthur Langtry
Joseph Listens-to-Wind
Martha Liberty
Rashid
Ebenezar McCoy
So it's gonna suck when one of those last four ends up turned somehow.
Rereading stuff about the Starborn, and it doesn't say they are capable of stopping outsiders, iirc it says they can control Starborn.
I really think him being kicked out is a Black Council plot. We already know they are cozy with the Outsiders (right? With the mordite?), so it would make sense if they are trying to ostricize the WC's best weapon against the Outsiders, and they may be hoping to turn him?
Also, I finally started reading Side Jobs, and there is definitely a bit where Bob is talking about how being married to a Sidhe puts yourself under their control, and they can screw with your brain. I don't know that Mab is necessarily doing that to Harry (although would he recognize that? It is written from his perspective), especially with him pointing out how his effectiveness is tied to who he is. But I could also see the way that bond works being real concerning for everyone else.
In regards to controlling Harry
Mab made Harry forget he could use combat fire magic. That’s some high end mind tinkering. She likely could do more but shes very butterfly effect with Harry (just a little push or a slight bit of resistance). She is one of the most powerful spellcasters around, except she cannot kill. It’s why in battlegrounds her main magic is widespread field magic that embiggens allies and makes enemies insane and fearful.
Edit: I had more thoughts
And her marrying Harry to Laura balances the scales with the white council banishing Harry, by giving him ~equally powerful allies that Harry lost while in service to the Mab, provides protection for Harry in Chicago, both from Marcone and from other solo operators, firms up the white court’s allegiance with winter. And removes a favor that Mab owes. Multitasking
I suspect she's still on the level about that kind of overt mind control since he took up the Mantle. Harry laid down his terms and conditions on that front pretty unambiguously while Mab was unplugging him from Demonreach, and while that may not have been a deal per se Mab has a pretty good grasp on Harry's nature. She probably understands both how he'd respond to finding out that his OS got patched, and that he's probably better equipped than most people to notice that happened to him eventually.
So no, she's not the one rewiring his mind - she's letting his office and his principles do that for him, just like her office and her principles did to her...
+2
zepherinRussian warship, go fuck yourselfRegistered Userregular
I suspect she's still on the level about that kind of overt mind control since he took up the Mantle. Harry laid down his terms and conditions on that front pretty unambiguously while Mab was unplugging him from Demonreach, and while that may not have been a deal per se Mab has a pretty good grasp on Harry's nature. She probably understands both how he'd respond to finding out that his OS got patched, and that he's probably better equipped than most people to notice that happened to him eventually.
So no, she's not the one rewiring his mind - she's letting his office and his principles do that for him, just like her office and her principles did to her...
i actually believe that the deal involved her not requiring him to harm his family. And elsewhere he had threatened to not be a great knight if she tried to force him.
Yeah, the mind control thing wasn't part of The Deal, but Harry made it pretty clear he'd go letter-of-the-orders if he suspected any mind magic. He probably wasn't bluffing, and I figure Mab knows he wasn't bluffing, so why take that risk when he'll turn himself into what she wants eventually of his own free will?
+1
BrodyThe WatchThe First ShoreRegistered Userregular
Rereading stuff about the Starborn, and it doesn't say they are capable of stopping outsiders, iirc it says they can control Starborn.
I really think him being kicked out is a Black Council plot. We already know they are cozy with the Outsiders (right? With the mordite?), so it would make sense if they are trying to ostricize the WC's best weapon against the Outsiders, and they may be hoping to turn him?
Also, I finally started reading Side Jobs, and there is definitely a bit where Bob is talking about how being married to a Sidhe puts yourself under their control, and they can screw with your brain. I don't know that Mab is necessarily doing that to Harry (although would he recognize that? It is written from his perspective), especially with him pointing out how his effectiveness is tied to who he is. But I could also see the way that bond works being real concerning for everyone else.
Am I misunderstanding who you are referencing?
Harry is getting hitched to the White Court, not the Sidhe.
To clarify
You are correct about the future.
However in the short story about Bill and Georgia's wedding, Bob says
"He’ll be bound to her, the way the Winter Knights are bound to the Winter Queens. She’ll be able to impose her will over his. Change the way he thinks and feels about things."
"I will write your name in the ruin of them. I will paint you across history in the color of their blood."
How important are the comics to the overall narrative? I have most of the novels on my Nook, rereading now up to Dead Beat, and I'm willing to pick up the short stories to fill in some of the gaps. But the comic collections seem expensive and I don't even know if he's done with that format or more are on the way.
How important are the comics to the overall narrative? I have most of the novels on my Nook, rereading now up to Dead Beat, and I'm willing to pick up the short stories to fill in some of the gaps. But the comic collections seem expensive and I don't even know if he's done with that format or more are on the way.
Ive read a couple and they were basically monster of the week sort of thing. Completely unconnected to the greater narrative.
You could just read the wikipedia summaries?
I am in the business of saving lives.
0
daveNYCWhy universe hate Waspinator?Registered Userregular
Rereading stuff about the Starborn, and it doesn't say they are capable of stopping outsiders, iirc it says they can control Starborn.
I really think him being kicked out is a Black Council plot. We already know they are cozy with the Outsiders (right? With the mordite?), so it would make sense if they are trying to ostricize the WC's best weapon against the Outsiders, and they may be hoping to turn him?
Also, I finally started reading Side Jobs, and there is definitely a bit where Bob is talking about how being married to a Sidhe puts yourself under their control, and they can screw with your brain. I don't know that Mab is necessarily doing that to Harry (although would he recognize that? It is written from his perspective), especially with him pointing out how his effectiveness is tied to who he is. But I could also see the way that bond works being real concerning for everyone else.
Am I misunderstanding who you are referencing?
Harry is getting hitched to the White Court, not the Sidhe.
To clarify
You are correct about the future.
However in the short story about Bill and Georgia's wedding, Bob says
"He’ll be bound to her, the way the Winter Knights are bound to the Winter Queens. She’ll be able to impose her will over his. Change the way he thinks and feels about things."
Bob's not wrong, but...
I think he's only technically correct. Mab is able to give him tasks to complete, and he is duty bound to carry them out. That's definitely imposing her will on his, but not nearly as sinister as what it seems like Bob is saying. Plus the Maeve situation and the Hades heist had Harry being given direct orders by Mab, but being able to interpret them creatively in order to achieve Mab's (remarkably reasonable, all things considered) goals in a non-psychotic way. And changing the way he things and feels about things is rather overwrought too. The implication is that she'll be performing mind mojo, but when you look at what's changed with Harry and his take on Mab and Winter in general, the biggest impact was probably his visit to the Outer Gates. The next two were the death of Maeve followed by Peace Talks/Battle Ground. No mind-mojo involved, just hanging out and working with the person responsible for guarding all of reality, whose main tool is throwing her people into a meat grinder. Heck, even Molly is becoming slightly more sympathetic to the situation that Mab is dealing with. The message I got from the end of the Molly/Carlos short story was that Mab would absolutely love to have additional options for dealing with the Outsiders that doesn't involve child soldiers or any of the other stuff that Winter's 100% military activation would involve.
daveNYC on
Shut up, Mr. Burton! You were not brought upon this world to get it!
How important are the comics to the overall narrative? I have most of the novels on my Nook, rereading now up to Dead Beat, and I'm willing to pick up the short stories to fill in some of the gaps. But the comic collections seem expensive and I don't even know if he's done with that format or more are on the way.
There is some worldbuilding stuff, but nothing essential to the story. In fact, there are some minor continuity errors in a couple of them. Whether that is due to Butcher writing them retroactively to the main story, or the artist/story editor taking liberties, I don't know. The most likely explanation may be that his pack of beta readers don't get a crack at these to catch mistakes.
Posts
That's because it is half a book.
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I'm going to hope all my issues with PT / BG was because of Butchers whole turmoil with his house and stuff, because wow there was a lot of not great stuff in there.
My wife and I are theorizing that Butcher's ex-wife actually ghost wrote Dresden Files while Butcher worked on his other series.
This would be very on brand for 2020.
Maybe Shannon was the real talent after all
How did that happen with Brust?
I'm finding the speculation amusing but
Small Favors:
Spoilers, I guess?
It rang pretty hollow at the time.
In a Post-Trump world, it doesn’t ring quite as hollow anymore.
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
Care to elaborate? IIRC Small Favor doesn't involve the White Court at all
He sort of fixed alot of the issues with what happened there in later books, and y'know. I'm kinda okay with that. It was pretty obviously a way for him to work through it and heal.
At the time it was ... not.
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
Yeah, the White Court thing was in Turn Coat. That said, back-to-back novels involving Shenanigan Island, so..
Actually the stuff I was thinking of is White Night. Read Small Favor for the coin thing and White Night for the Carlos interactions that PT/BG called back to.
It's like ten books later but Harry was a pretty big dick to Carlos in White Night and it is played as no big thing.
As for Dresden, have there been any updates on the new TV series?
Carlos is not only justified, but abso-fucking-lutely correct in his assessment and treatment of Dresden and Dresden is a fucking idiot for not recognizing it.
They are doing a new TV series?
I loved the old TV show.
...don’t play with my heart AH.
Gotta disagree. Read the story. Twice (well read once and listened once).
Edit: I will just leave it as I disagree.
And Bob was magnificently British.
~ Buckaroo Banzai
I'd really like to read your take on it if you're willing?
This was pre pt/bg/covid but yeah they had signed a new deal for a new tv series, through one of the streaming services iirc, bigger production budget than the previous one.
No updates through most of 2020 though that I saw.
Carlos being wary is fine. The entire council, including McCoy making him enemy #something is almost pants on head.
I'll try to come up with something long form and considered.
I really think him being kicked out is a Black Council plot. We already know they are cozy with the Outsiders (right? With the mordite?), so it would make sense if they are trying to ostricize the WC's best weapon against the Outsiders, and they may be hoping to turn him?
Also, I finally started reading Side Jobs, and there is definitely a bit where Bob is talking about how being married to a Sidhe puts yourself under their control, and they can screw with your brain. I don't know that Mab is necessarily doing that to Harry (although would he recognize that? It is written from his perspective), especially with him pointing out how his effectiveness is tied to who he is. But I could also see the way that bond works being real concerning for everyone else.
The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson
Steam: Korvalain
Am I misunderstanding who you are referencing?
Same
Having reread some of the older stuff I think Carlos's reaction isn't that far out of line though Harry being so utterly clueless is a little dumb. We only see this stuff from Harry's perspective though and he can be a bit dumb, so alright.
The council choice just seems flat out weird. They can't move against Harry while he's the Winter Knight and that's ignoring all the other positive relationships he has with other supernatural power blocs. Kicking him out just reduces their influence over him and puts half their Senior Council in a position to break promises or associate with an outcast wizard. I suppose that later bit could be part of the Black Council's plan to clean house on the Senior Council. Presumably the Black Council doesn't have a majority on the SC...
Gregori Cristos
Ancient Mai
Arthur Langtry
Joseph Listens-to-Wind
Martha Liberty
Rashid
Ebenezar McCoy
So it's gonna suck when one of those last four ends up turned somehow.
So no, she's not the one rewiring his mind - she's letting his office and his principles do that for him, just like her office and her principles did to her...
To clarify
However in the short story about Bill and Georgia's wedding, Bob says
"He’ll be bound to her, the way the Winter Knights are bound to the Winter Queens. She’ll be able to impose her will over his. Change the way he thinks and feels about things."
The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson
Steam: Korvalain
Ive read a couple and they were basically monster of the week sort of thing. Completely unconnected to the greater narrative.
You could just read the wikipedia summaries?
Bob's not wrong, but...
There is some worldbuilding stuff, but nothing essential to the story. In fact, there are some minor continuity errors in a couple of them. Whether that is due to Butcher writing them retroactively to the main story, or the artist/story editor taking liberties, I don't know. The most likely explanation may be that his pack of beta readers don't get a crack at these to catch mistakes.