Changes (The Dresden Files)

Changes

Author	Jim Butcher
Illustrator	Christian McGrath
Language	English
Series	The Dresden Files
Genre	Fantasy, Mystery novel
Publisher	Roc Hardcover
Publication date	April 6, 2010
Publication place	United States
Media type	Print (Hardcover)
Pages	432
ISBN	045146317X
Preceded by	Turn Coat
Followed by	Ghost Story

Changes is the 12th book in The Dresden Files, Jim Butcher's continuing series about wizard detective Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden. Changes was released on April 6, 2010, and debuted at #1 on the New York Times Hardcover Fiction Best Sellers list, dropping to #3 in its second week on the list.

Synopsis

Susan Rodriguez contacts Dresden to tell him they have a daughter, Margaret "Maggie" Angelica, who was born after the events in Death Masks, and that she has been kidnapped by the Red Court. Susan and Martin attempt to retrieve digital information from the Red Court's Chicago office, which is the top floor of Dresden's own office building, and find Arianna Ortega is behind Maggie's kidnapping. While being attacked by a squad of Red Court enforcers, the office building explodes.

Dresden and his apprentice, Molly, go to the White Council's headquarters in Edinburgh for help. They find Duchess Arianna and newly-appointed Senior Council member Cristos giving speeches about peace. Dresden furiously demands that Arianna return the kidnapped girl and challenges her to a duel, The Merlin warns that he wants the vampires to tip their hand, by attacking and exposing their vulnerabilities. If Dresden interferes with the Merlin's plan, he will kill Molly, who is still under the Doom of Damocles.

Dresden is arrested by the FBI, who eventually release him after he manages to hide his possessions in the Nevernever. Instead, he finds Leanansidhe and an unconscious Susan and Martin. Speaking with her, he has an epiphany and asks Leanansidhe if his mother had asked her to safeguard anything for him, prompting her to give Dresden his mother's legacy: a gem which fits into the center of his pentacle containing the totality of her knowledge of the Ways through the Nevernever.

After being refused help because of magical contracts or danger, Dresden is obliquely directed to Johnnie Marcone, who directs Dresden to Ms. Gard, his supernatural consultant. Ms. Gard transports Dresden to her employer's headquarters in Norway, Monoc Securities. She introduces Dresden to the CEO, Donar Vadderung, who feely tells Dresden that the Red Court is going to use Maggie for a "bloodline curse" over the ley line conjunction at Chichén Itzá, which will kill every member of Maggie's blood relatives, including Dresden.

While staking out Rudolph's house for any activity, they run into the same Red Court hit squad from the office building explosion and a Mayan demon, Ik'k'uox, as well as Rudolph's handlers, the Eebs. Esteban and Esmerelda, a husband-wife team the Red Court uses for fieldwork, who are driven off by Mouse. Thomas is badly injured. Regenerating from his wounds awakens his Hunger and he almost goes after Molly; as a result Dresden kicks Thomas out of his apartment until he can control himself. Fleeing, The Eebs toss a Molotov cocktail from a passing car, and his apartment catches fire. Dresden breaks a window, so his cat, Mister, can escape. Dresden rescues his elderly landlady, Mrs. Spunkelcrief. While trying to rescue his second floor neighbors, Dresden falls from the ladder and fractures his spine on a brick planter. Sanya, the only active Knight of the Cross, appears at the right moment and saves the neighbors.

Paralyzed and taken to the church, Dresden, in desperation, calls on Mab, The Winter Queen of the Fae. In an out-of-body experience, Harry agrees to become the Winter Knight in exchange for Mab's assistance in recusing his daughter.

After again overpowering their pursuers from the Red Court, Leanansidhe arrives to get Harry to South America quickly enough and also provides all the new equipment they'll require. Collecting hsi friends, Dresden gives Murphy the sword Fidelacchius. Murphy declines, but Dresden convinces her to use it for the moment. He gives Amoracchius, the sword of Love, to Susan.

Using his mother's gem, Dresden opens a series of Ways to arrive at Chichén Itzá. But the jungle is so thick they cannot possibly arrive at the main temple before the sacrifice unless they use magic. Leanansidhe turns them into hounds and in mere minutes, they race through the dense jungle to the temple compound. Confronting the Red Court, the Red King grants Harry an audience and, speaking through an interpreter they agree to a duel. Dresden fights and overpowers Duchess Arianna. The Red King, suddenly speaking perfect English, refuses to honor their agreement claiming that because he never spoke a word to Dresden—only his slave spoke, their bargain is void. He then orders Maggie's immediate death.

Susan, Sanya, and Murphy effectively wield the Swords of the Cross against the most ancient vampires, the Lords of the Outer Night, and the groups cuts its way to the temple. Leanansidhe uses a magic gem to open a dimensional rift. Ebenezar and the Grey Council emerge and enter the battle. One of the Grey Council opens a Way for an army of Kenku, bird people. The Kenku take the brunt of the Red Court's attack and clear Dresden a path to the main temple. Molly is shot by one of the Red King's mortal security guards. Thomas and Mouse stay behind to stop the bleeding and protect her. Dresden and the others fight their way up the steps of the main pyramid.

At the battle's climax, Dresden rushes into the Sacrificial Room to stop the ritual. Susan stop the sacrifice and nearly overpowers the Red King when Martin betrays Susan, and strikes her down. Martin reveals that he is the Red King's spy in the Fellowship of St. Giles. After calmly describing his betrayal and how he provided Maggie to the Red King, Susan tears out Martin's throat. Drinking Martin's blood completes her transformation into a Red Court vampire. As Martin dies, he and Dresden soulgaze. Dresden learns that all of Martin's actions have been a 200-year-long con run the Red Court. Betraying Maggie to Arianna was Martin's way of ensuring that Dresden would confront the Red King and destroy the Red Court. Susan is now the youngest Red Court vampire, meaning that if she dies on the altar to the ritual knife she can destroy the red court forever. Dresden kills Susan, destroying every Red Court vampire in existence.

Exhausted and in shock, Dresden holds Maggie on the temple steps. Leanansidhe is sitting next to him, running interference. Dresden speaks briefly with Ebenezar, who explains how the Red Court must have found out about their family ties. After handing Maggie off and directing she be placed in protective hididng, the group departs. Later, Dresden is on the Water Beetle trying to recover. He showers and changes in preparation for a potentially romantic interlude with Karrin Murphy, who is depressed after learning her job as a police officer will be lost due to Rudolph's machinations. Going on deck, Dresden is shot and killed, falling over the boat's edge into Lake Michigan.

Summary of changes in Harry's life

1. Susan Rodriguez reveals the last sexual tryst between her and Harry yielded a daughter Susan named Margaret.
2. Mac makes a long speech to Harry regarding Harry's future and his path.
3. Harry's office building is revealed to be owned by The Red Court of Vampires, that building is summarily destroyed by C-4.
4. The White Council and a majority of the Wardens are either struck with a mysterious illness or arrested by Cristos.
5. Harry receives his mother's (Margaret LaFey) collected knowledge of "The Ways."
6. Several of Harry's friends shock him by revealing Molly has fallen in love with him.
7. Harry's car, "The Blue Beetle," is crushed by "The Ick" into a ball with Thomas' car.
8. Harry's oak staff (made from the same oak tree on McCoy's farm) is destroyed along with the Beetle.
9. Harry's apartment and the entire boarding house where he lives is burned to the ground along with all his possessions.
10. Harry accepts the Mantle of "Winter Knight" from Queen Mab to heal himself and save Maggie from the Red Court.
11. Susan becomes a full Red Court Vampire when she murders Martin during his reveal of working for the Red King.
12. Harry kills Susan as she completes her Red Court transformation enacting the blood curse and destroying the entire court.
13. Murphy apparently loses her job due to Rudolph's continued political maneuvering.
14. Harry is shot and dies at the end of the book.

Plot points introduced

The White Council: Tensions increase in the White Council as Gregori Cristos garners more influence among the members. Cristos has had several members of the Wardens arrested, including Carlos Ramirez. In addition, about 40% of the Senior Wardens have gone missing including Captain Anastasia Luccio. A large portion of the Council has become sick with a mysterious illness, believed to have been spread by Arianna Ortega when she visits as an 'ambassador'. This includes Injun Joe, the Council's best healer. The Senior Council is backing away from Cristos, giving him room to hang himself.

The Grey Council: The Grey Council makes their first appearance outside of Harry and Ebenezar to help in the battle against the Red Court. Donar Vadderung, CEO of Monoc Securities, actually the Norse god Odin, is revealed to be a member.

Dresden's family: Harry has a daughter. Relations between Harry and Thomas have improved somewhat since Thomas decided to go back to his predatory ways. However, this improvement is slight, as Dresden says before taking Thomas' help to save Maggie they have only spoken for minutes since the end of the prior novel.

Soulfire: Harry has a tough time controlling his use of Soulfire when in the heat of battle often drawing a significant amount and wearing himself down rapidly. However, he does use it frequently in combat conditions.

Winter Court of the Fae: The old Winter Knight Lloyd Slate dies at Harry's hands in the Valley of the Stone Table. Harry and Mab then went through the induction ceremony for Harry to become the Winter Knight on the condition that Harry could save his child first. The ceremony is magical 'intercourse' on the Stone Table with Mab, though as Harry puts it, "You don't have sex with a thunderstorm." Harry's fairy General Toot-toot can speak Russian.

Dresden's Mysterious Past: Dresden's mother is actually a McCoy and is Ebenezar's daughter, thus making Ebenezar Dresden's maternal grandfather. Margaret LeFay left a powerful gift with the Leanansidhe, a gem which fits into his pentacle, containing her extensive knowledge of all the methods to navigate the Ways. We also learn that the entity on the other side of the Nevernever from Harry's house is the Leanansidhe, and she has been protecting him from those who would try to attack him from the Nevernever for a very long time.

Dresden's Mysterious Future: Throughout the course of the book, Harry occasionally hears Cassius's voice saying "Die Alone." In reference to the curse he laid on Harry during the events of Dead Beat. At the end of the book a female's voice is heard telling the voice to "Hush now".

The Knights of the Cross: Michael Carpenter is still retired. Susan and Murphy temporarily take up the Swords during the battle against the Reds. Harry offered Murphy the full-time position of wielding Fidelacchius once more, but she is undecided.

The War: No longer enjoying a lull. Harry's actions during the course of the battle against the Red Court ultimately resulted in the complete and utter destruction of every Red Court Vampire in existence. Half-vampires lost their half-vampire side and powers, becoming fully human again. As a result, every former half-vampire became their true age again, killing off many of the older half-vampires and withering many who had been alive for a long time but not long enough to expire in human years.

The Fellowship of St. Giles: The Fellowship and its support structure are supposedly almost completely wiped out by the Red Court due to Martin's treachery. In addition, the vampiric portions of the remaining Fellowship members are wiped away, leaving the survivors whole and human; however, the survivors also aged accordingly. This means that anyone who had been a partial Red Court Vampire for more than their natural lifespan aged and died quickly after the ritual was completed.

The Blue Beetle: Harry's Volkswagen Beetle is totally destroyed. Also, his home is completely destroyed by arson. Harry breaks his back escaping the fire; it is this injury that causes him to take up the mantle of the Winter Knight.

List of characters

Returning characters

Main article: List of The Dresden Files characters

Many major characters who have appeared in a Dresden Book have at least a cameo appearance here. Notable in their lack of appearance are the Alphas, Harry's werewolf friends. At the end of the previous novel, Harry explained things in full to their leader Billy, making it appear he would have a larger role in later novels. This list primarily notes characters who had an important role or changed as a result of this book.

• Harry Dresden: The protagonist and a professional wizard—he loses his office, home, and car during the course of the book as well as becoming the Winter Knight and killing two people in cold blood.
• Sergeant Karrin Murphy: Detective Sgt. and former head of Special Investigations. At the end of the book, she is under investigation and looks likely to take early retirement. She may take up Fidelacchius and become a Knight of the Cross.
• Mister: Dresden's 30+ pound house cat. Missing at the end of the book.
• Mouse: Dresden's Tibetan Temple dog. Mouse speaks to Harry and the others while they are transformed into hounds by Leanansidhe.
• Bob: A spirit of intellect who resides inside a skull in Dresden's sub-basement laboratory.
• Molly Carpenter: Michael and Charity's eldest child; Harry's apprentice. She soulgazes Thomas during the story and has become protective of him.
• Thomas Raith: A White Court vampire, Harry's half-brother, and only brother of Lara Raith (effective head of the White Court).
• Ebenezar McCoy: White Council Senior Wizard, Blackstaff, head of the unofficial Grey Council, revealed to be Harry's grandfather.
• Susan Rodriguez: Red Court half-vampire and Harry's former lover. Revealed to be the mother of their daughter, Maggie. Killed by Harry to destroy the Red Court.
• Martin: Red Court half-vampire and a member of the Fellowship of St. Giles for over 100 years. Revealed as a Red Court agent within the Fellowship, appears to betray Dresden and Susan in the battle at Chichen Itza, but actually a triple agent who engineered the situation so that Harry could destroy the Red Court forever.
• Leanansidhe: Winter Court sidhe and Harry's Godmother.

New characters

• Margaret Angelica Dresden: eight-year-old daughter of Harry and Susan. Raised by a family in Mexico, kidnapped by the Red Court, and nearly killed. Entrusted to Father Forthill by Harry to hide.
• Agent Tilly: FBI agent investigating Harry, disbelieves Harry when he, Murphy, and Susan explain the Red Court to him, but sees the attack on the FBI's building in Chicago. Harry calls him "Slim".
• Donar Vadderung: the one-eyed CEO of Monoc Securities. Revealed as Odin (was hinted at being him several times in past stories). Also believes in foresight, which enabled him to find where the ritual was being held, as well as the details. Also a member of the Grey Council.
• The Eebs: Esteban and Esmeralda Batiste, a husband and wife team of Red Court vampires used by the Red King for assassinations. Torn to shreds by goblins after Harry and Susan proved their claim in a trial by combat. Deceased.
• Steven Douglas: "Stevie D", hitman, hired to kill Dresden by the Eebs.
• Arianna Ortega: Previously mentioned in Proven Guilty, Arianna is the widow of Paolo Ortega, who was killed by Ebeneezer after Paolo tried to murder Harry. She found out about Maggie from Martin and had her kidnapped, planning to use her as a human sacrifice to wipe out the Dresden bloodline. She also laced the Council headquarters with a virus and crippled many wizards. Ultimately Harry's arrival gave her father the Red King the chance to give Harry an opening to kill her in a battle to the death. Despite her confidence that she would win the duel she was ultimately bested by Harry, her final words dumbly referring to him as cattle.
• The Red King: The head of the Red Court. Despite being extremely short the Red King was the deadliest vampire in the entire court. What's more he also laid out the details of the Red Court meaning that all of their crimes could be traced back to him. Although he covertly helped Harry by agreeing to accept his petition to fight Arianna (delaying the sacrifice so that the duel could occur) and choosing a weapon that would give Harry a fighting chance he ultimately double crossed him once Harry destroyed Arianna. He tried to hijack the ritual himself to gain the prestige Arianna would have gained, but Martin's calculated gambit to have Susan kill him gave Harry and Lea an opening to destroy the prison created by the Lords of the Outer Night. Harry then overpowered the Red King by impaling his eyes, setting them on fire, and shattering his right forearm. At this point, the Red King called his soldiers to kill Harry, forcing Harry to sacrifice Susan to destroy the Red Court forever.

Aftermath, Ghost Story and beyond

The story continues in Aftermath, told from Karrin Murphy's point of view and running from roughly forty five minutes after the end of Changes. The story was released as part of Side Jobs, an October 2010 anthology of Dresden short stories and focuses on Murphy's efforts following Dresden's apparent death.

Jim Butcher has already signed for a thirteenth Dresden novel, tentatively listed as Ghost Story on his official forums, and confirmed by Butcher at several signings (his publishers wouldn't let him call it the more prosaic Dead). He has also confirmed that Changes marks the midpoint of Harry's story and there will be at least 7 more books, possibly 10, to finish Harry's story. In addition, despite the previous books playing out in more or less real time, with the elapsed time between books approximately equaling the time between their release dates, Ghost Story has been confirmed as taking place immediately after the conclusion of Changes, though Butcher has also equated the immediate jump to Ghost Story as being akin to the Back to the Future series time jumps, implying that what seems to be happening within moments of the end of Changes may actually be happening over a much longer timespan.

External links

• The first five chapters of the book are found on the author's official website.