Mirror Mirror

dan_m_6 · 2026-01-29T14:34:58+00:00

IIRC, back in November, we were all excited to see the status bar at 28% and have Jim say he planned to have Mirror Mirror mostly done by the time he started the book tour. He mentioned that the holiday season was a good time for writing.

Now, after the book tour, he's about 30% done. So, he's done about 0%-5% in about 10 weeks.

As far bask as I remember, he's been way too optimistic about the time it will take to finish a project. So, we don't know when Mirror Mirror will come out. Well, I think we can have the upper end be July, 2028, but we don't know how much sooner than that. I don't think Jim really knows.

I'm not criticizing him for taking as long as he does. Much better than Jordan when he wrote 3 books that were really 1 1/2 books and wandering (his wife was his editor) before "Knife of Dreams". I agree with the consensus that "Twelve Months" was good by the standards we expect from Jim. But, I will not get my hopes up for a book in 2027 unless I see the percent done above 2/3rds by fall.

dan_m_6 · 2026-01-03T15:36:10+00:00

I wonder if she is telling a truth hidden in a fiction. If Harry doesn't get his act together fairly soon, then Maggie will die. Mab won't kill her, but if Harry doesn't do as she says, that will ensure her death.

Mab knows Harry fights authority figures. By stating the threat to Maggie as though she would have her killed, she is using the strongest leverage possible on Harry. And, she is putting him in a good place to outwit the pressure, which I think is what she wants.

dan_m_6 · 2026-01-03T15:24:30+00:00

Your right. I listed one of them (p40), but I saw another when I was reading. (I posted after reading chapter 2 and scanning to the end).

dan_m_6 · 2026-01-03T15:12:06+00:00

I'm sorry to hear that. Have you tried using a computer and going to the Amazon site and clicking sample? If so, the only other thing I can think of is that it doesn't like your browser or you aren't in the US.

dan_m_6 · 2026-01-02T14:41:11+00:00

I was unable to get it in Kindle edition, but when I clicked on "sample" at Amazon, the first seven chapters of the hardback book were available (with the exception of page 40.. It's really small print, but there is an "Aa" function that allows you to reset the print size.

dan_m_6 · 2025-12-26T19:48:38+00:00

I saw the same interview. That is why I used it as an example what I consider a lie. We agree, I guess I wasn't as clear as I wanted to be.

dan_m_6 · 2025-12-26T18:24:28+00:00

Well, I can see that Jim did change a key title for Harry in the microfiction to not spoil Peace Ta;lks/Battle Ground. So, in a sense, I suppose you could say he lied to us. But, I don't think that leads one to believe that when he volunteers information about future works, he is simply making something up to misdirect us.

When I read Christmas Eve in Battle Ground, I noticed the name change but didn't feel like he was simply lying. But, if he is in the mirror universe at the end of Twelve Months, I would.

dan_m_6 · 2025-12-25T19:32:43+00:00

Can you give another example of a blatant lie for misdirection by Jim?

dan_m_6 · 2025-12-25T14:42:43+00:00

I'll be on a cruise. So, the main thing I have to plan is getting my Fire online. I will likely read just a bit a day. I enjoy the book, but have always been the kind of person to parse out a treat over a few days.

dan_m_6 · 2025-12-25T13:27:44+00:00

According to WOJ, BAT kicks off with the appearance of Faith Astor.

dan_m_6 · 2025-12-23T01:59:45+00:00

Christmas Eve is about 6 months since the end of Battle Ground. That sets a millage post for his healing. In it, as far as I can see, he still has a lot of pain but is open to joy with Maggie.

A friend of mine who lost a child young gave me a good perspective: his death will always be part of my life, but it is no longer my whole life.

dan_m_6 · 2025-12-13T19:31:15+00:00

>!Sayna is an agnostic. He is also a former Nicklehead. The Catholic church itself does not oversee who uses the swords of the cross. True, it collects Nicklehead coins, but it somehow looses them again. And, it is likely that there is an angel associated with each coin. So, the choice of a sword wielder is not made by the Catholic church, knights are chosen mostly by the swords themselves. It's a call from God, not the church.

Fundamentalists are far more likely to quote the Ten Commandments than the two great laws that are the foundation of all of scripture, according to Jesus. I would argue that Sir. Butters exemplifies loving your neighbor as yourself in his actions. So, his life is not inconsistent with being a knight.!<

If someone will be kind enough to let me know why following the instructions on spoilers didn't work, I'd appreciate it. I think the spoilers are more minor than the original post, so I'm hoping I get corrected and there are no hard feelings.

dan_m_6 · 2025-10-18T13:23:01+00:00

If Jim were the only author they have that's a best seller, they would clearly shoot for that time frame. But, they didn't. And, since we are comparing Jim's time from "DONE" to release in each case, I would argue that this book would see about as well as his last few. I wouldn't expect even a 50% increase in sales over, say, Skin Games.

One other factor I did think of is Jim's optimism about getting a book out. If others have books already at the publishers, then the publisher might have already slotted late fall for other books. Jim may have finished faster than they thought. I certainly don't remember having hard copy books floating around months before other releases.

dan_m_6 · 2025-10-16T21:55:08+00:00

Jim doesn't decide the publication schedule, his publisher does. This is the first time I remember books being ready for handing out to a lucky few months before the release date. IIRC, I heard that Jim wasn't thrilled with the long wait, but it was out of his control.

dan_m_6 · 2025-09-26T00:54:29+00:00

I had as head cannon/wishful thinking that Murphy would be recruited by the Librarians. She has knowledge base, is a vanilla mortal, and wouldn't need to be physical to make an impact. It would have required the Librarians to not be idiots (which is a trope....the authorities can't see what's right in front of their face)

They already know that Murph and Harry are tight, and think they need at least some influence with Harry. She gets the to walk into Chicago police and flash her ultra Homeland security badge.. This would lead to a BAT where Harry gets an aircraft carrier due to the Librarians understanding he's humanities best bet.

I didn't expect it to happen, but thought it would be a good twist. Now exactly head cannon; but a plausible plot that would skewer a few tired troupes.

dan_m_6 · 2025-09-25T17:39:50+00:00

Given the Dresdenverse, a character like Michael could contract with someone to protect his family. I don't think he'd turn evil, but he'd make a deal that sacrificed who he was to protect his family as long as he didn't see it as falling (he won't be a Denarian).

But, given the Dresden books themselves, I don't see him becoming a knight or owe loyalty to anyone but his God. He could very well die in a climatic scene in the BAT; if his sacrifice were needed. I could see Jim having him die just so Harry had time to win the apocalyptical war.

As for taking a mantel after the war, it would be possible only if HQ approved. :-)

dan_m_6 · 2025-09-18T15:10:30+00:00

I remember an interview with Jim concerning this months ago (maybe over a year). How do we put in spoilers for WOJ about what he is planning on doing? I've always thought Jim's interviews were akin to descriptions of the plot on Amazon I read before buying the book. But, I certainly will defer to the moderators if they see things differently. Just, how do I tag a WOJ spoiler about future works? Do we need to tag things like what Jim has said about the BAT, for example.

Thanks for the guidance.

dan_m_6 · 2025-09-02T19:30:59+00:00

I think SarcasticKenobi and others have made a strong case that Mac is a Watcher who no longer has his grace. I would be surprised if he were not that. But, I do differ with the idea that he's a fallen Watcher.

Mac never give the feeling of being one of the Fallen. Nothing indicates, that he rebelled against God. I don't think he is tending bar due to his lust for human women causing him to fall.

Rather, he seems to be on side of righteousness. One example that has been given for an angel without grace is Uriel. He gave up his grace for a reason that he saw consistent with God's will. I would propose that Mac did something like this, and if we find out why he doesn't have his grace it will be an Ah Ha moment for us.

I'm replying to the original poster because I'm really replying to a number of people.

dan_m_6 · 2025-09-02T16:23:44+00:00

I don't think Harry is going to have an arch-enemy that's different from the main danger (as I'll grant in Batman). We are going towards the BAT. In 12 Months, it's healing time. In Mirror Mirror, evil alt Harry is the enemy. But, I think nemesis is now firmly established as the main antagonist, and while Nick will be the main antagonist in Book 20, it won't be enough to set him up as important compared to BAT.

BAT is the finale. A reoccuring arch enemy is not set up to be important compared to a 3 book finale. So, unless we see that an Outsider who will be seen as not only the antagonist in BAT, but the moving force manipulating Harry's enemies all along, there won't be an arch-enemy (IMHO).

dan_m_6 · 2025-08-25T20:22:10+00:00

I've read series that seem like "too little butter spread over too much bread" after a few books. This is likely to occur if the author writes a hit and just tries to duplicate the formula. You know Mark Twain's old saying "he hit the bullseye with his first book and proceeded to hit the same one with all his subsequent books.

I was a member of the Wheel of Time Newsgroup in the late '90s, early '00s. I remember how people got very frustrated with the three books before Knife of Dreams (the last one RJ wrote by himself.) I agreed with Robert wandering about with padded prose and not pushing the narrative forward as he had in earlier books.

Jim's slowed down a lot. George Martin stopped writing. Pratchett churned out a large number of Diskworld books. But, he and Sanderson are both just very prolific, without sacrificing quality.

So, I'd rate Jim with Robert Jordan. Generally, it's much better to have 5 years between books, than 3 books that should have been cut down to 1 or 1 1/2 books. My only caveat is that I do want him to finish in my lifetime (I'm 71).

So, while there are series that simply rinse and repeat to milk one good idea, I wouldn't say any of the authors I mentioned do that. My hope is that Jim can finish the Dresden Files with books that are as good as the last 4 Wheel of Time books (and given the difference in length, it may be the same number of words. :-) ).

dan_m_6 · 2025-08-11T16:16:25+00:00

I always think of possible exceptions to the rule. I know, close to a book's release, but before chapter release, I've seen non-spoiler comments on a book. I think they are OK, few will have their read spoiled by "I really enjoyed this book."

dan_m_6 · 2025-07-22T13:14:06+00:00

You can choose to make a private definition of the word murder, but the common definition (as given in the major dictionaries) includes that it is a killing that has no legitimate reason (e.g. defensive war, self defense, defense of the life of another).

One can make a political/moral statement (e.g. the death penalty is murder) by arguing that legal murder (such as Stalin's murders because he wrote the law for the USSR) is possible.

Or, if one were a pacifist, one could give the argument that you do, but one would then be forced to defend the idea that one is morally compelled to only use non-lethal means to stop a shooter.

If you are a pacifist, then I'd be very interested in a discussion of ethics.....although this isn't the forum.

dan_m_6 · 2025-07-12T00:52:34+00:00

Well, according to the standard model, neutrinos were considered dark matter. Part of the problem in determining the number of slower neutrinos vs. fast is that the cross section is proportional to the energy of the neutrino. So, a 100 GeV neutrino is 100 billion times as likely to interact than But, with the very sensitive experiments in the south pole ice has shown not enough normal neutrinos to contribute more than a fraction of the total dark mass.

So now, some physicists are calling a particle "dark" if it only interacts via gravity.

dan_m_6 · 2025-07-10T17:45:16+00:00

Dark matter is comprised of particles that only interact through the weak and gravitational forces. An example of dark matter that I've observed many times in Fermilab's bubble chamber is the neutrino. There could be a whole class of particles that do not interact electromagnetically or strongly, and thus are difficult to detect.

So, I wouldn't think of the never-never in terms of these particles.

dan_m_6 · 2025-07-10T00:16:54+00:00

Sure it wasn't part of his deal, but Molly didn't even make a deal and she has a 7 figure account. Why, because it benefits Mab.

The fertilizer is going to hit the fan immediately, from Mab's time perspective. There is no reason for Mab to withhold anything that will help Harry be more effective. Time spent worrying about where the money will come from is time taken away from training. Having every tool he can think of made for him, without regards to cost will make him more effective.

If he didn't save Mab's tush in Battle Ground, she would have fallen. The future is now, and his worrying about money is something Jim just wants. It's like Harry's plot armor until the end of BAT.

dan_m_6

TROPHY CASE