Bonus Book August 2024: ‘Death Masks’ by Jim Butcher
BOOK DESCRIPTION
Harry Dresden, Chicago's only practicing professional wizard, should be happy that business is pretty good for a change. But now he's getting more than he bargained for:
A duel with the Red Court of Vampires' champion, who must kill Harry to end the war between vampires and wizards...
Professional hit men using Harry for target practice...
The missing Shroud of Turin...
A handless and headless corpse the Chicago police need identified...
Not to mention the return of Harry's ex-girlfriend Susan, who's still struggling with her semi-vampiric nature. And who seems to have a new man in her life.
Some days, it just doesn't pay to get out of bed. No matter how much you're charging.
MAUDE’S BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS: ‘Death Masks’:
Talk about the relationship between Harry and Michael - how they’re very different but also work well together
Talk about the two consecutive plotlines at play: The shroud recovery and the showdown with Ortega. Did you like the balance? Which storyline did you prefer?
Karen usually plays a larger role teaming up with Harry in cases, this time she took much more of a back seat. Did you miss her presence? Did this book need more female characters or was the return of Susan enough?
NEW CHARACTERS from this book: Mac from the Tavern, The Knights (Sanya, Shiro), Butters, Kincaid etc. For the new readers, which character/s did you like, and who do you think will step up into a bigger role as the series progresses?
The integration of faith and religion when delving into magic. How do you think this was handled? Exploring an actual religious artifact as magical - a welcome idea or blasphemous?
What do you think Jim Butcher’s relationship with religion is, what message is he driving?
The scope and difference of religious figures in the book/Knights of the Cross. Sanya explains he’s an atheist even though he’s a Knight of the Cross.
Shiro the hero: Did you see the end note coming? Did it make sense why he’d step up to help Harry without even really knowing him?
Purpose plays a big theme in this book, with Harry directly being asked WHY he does what he does, and him not having thought about it. Then Nicodemus delves into his brain to read him like a book. Is someone seeing you and your purpose a gift to give? Would you trust that person or be more wary?
Which character do you relate to the most and why
The similarities and differences between Marcone and Nicodemus
What is it about Lasciel that Nicodemus wants Harry of all people to have it? It was said she’s as rebellious as a fallen angel.
“The enemy of my enemy is my friend” - we’ve never really known much about Marcone, just that he’s a powerful and dangerous man. Did you see this team upcoming?
Marcone’s purpose is also revealed, how does this change the way you see him?
