Cold Days by Jim Butcher – Audiobook Review

My Rating:

Author: Jim Butcher

Narrator: James Marsters

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Length: Approx 18 hrs

My Review:

Cold Days is the 14th book in the Dresden Files series and I can’t get enough Harry Dresden. I count myself fortunate that I got into this series with book 1 as an audiobook. So the voice of Harry Dresden has always been the one portrayed by James Marsters except of course for book 13 which was performed by John Glover due to scheduling conflicts. I was furious over this issue for quite a while and briefly considered boycotting that audiobook but I eventually gave in because I couldn’t resist finding out what happened to Harry after the cliffhanger in book 12. I can’t really complain about Glover’s performance in that book. He really did an admirable job. But he just isn’t James Marsters.

As soon as I started listening to Cold Days I just couldn’t stop. There is just something about all of the different elements, characters and inside jokes that makes me feel so close to everything going on in Cold Days. When Harry was reunited with his fairy guard and they yelled out something like “All Hail the Za Lord” I know I had a huge goofy grin on my face.

Personally I can’t think of any other series that could legitimately off shoot so many standalone novels based on each of the secondary characters. Books that I would be dying to read!

One thing about the fourteenth book in a series is that it makes it hard to write a review without giving away any of the juicy tidbits from the previous novels. So all I’m going to say is that this book is worth the wait. Throughout this novel Harry is kicking ass in his full glory (and at one point in his birthday suit). If you are a long time Dresden File fan then have no concern.. this is one of the best books in the series. If you are a noob and wondering what the heck a “Za Lord” is then please do yourself a favor and go and get a copy of Storm Front (Book 1 of the Dresden Files) and you can thank me later.

Audio Production: I was very glad that James Marsters was able to narrate this book. My personal opinion is that I would be willing to wait through what ever scheduling conflicts may occur if I am able to listen to James Marsters continue to narrate all of the Dresden Files books.

Overall: The only bad thing about not being able to stop listening to an audiobook is that they seem to go by way too quickly. After listening to a Dresden File book I usually have a Harry Dresden hangover that prevents me from getting in to any other book that I pick up. I usually have to take a break from fiction and dive in to some nonfiction in order to bring me back to reality. Cold Days was everything that I had hoped it could be and more. So much was revealed in this book that at times my head was spinning with all the possibilites and consequences. My mind was blown! Harry is back from the dead and The Dresden Files are alive and kicking