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Jim Butcher releases new trailer and first chapter for Peace Talks, ends with a huge surprise for fans

Jim Butcher releases new trailer and first chapter for Peace Talks, ends with a huge surprise for fans
The Dresden Files Peace Talks trailer is here. Pic credit: Priscilla Spencer/YouTube

Jim Butcher has been releasing a lot of fun stuff for fans all year long at his personal website.

2020 is the 20th anniversary of his debut Dresden Files novel Storm Front, and the special perks for fans online are in celebration of that best-selling novel series.

Not only is Butcher giving fans some goodies online, but he has been working on the 16th novel in the Dresden Files series, Peace Talks, for a 2020 release.

Today, a book trailer hit, and it included a huge surprise for Dresden Files fans.

Peace Talks trailer hits online

The website io9 released the exclusive trailer for Peace Talks, the 16th book in Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files series, on March 24.

They also had the first chapter of Peace Talks for fans to read.

The trailer was a fun deal, as Butcher’s fans helped out with it, and it was directed by Priscilla Spencer.

It stars Jason Bernardo as Harry Dresden, Sarah Flannery as Karrin Murphy, Christopher Showerman as John Marcone, and Birgit Ludemann as Lara Raith.

However, the trailer had one huge surprise that none of Jim Butcher’s fans waiting anxiously on it knew was coming. Watch the trailer here and then read on below as I talk about that surprise.

Before the surprise, the first chapter of Peace Talks

I would hate for people to see the spoilers from the end of that amazing trailer on accident, so here is a bit more information.

The same site that broke the trailer also got the first chapter of Peace Talks, and you can read that here.

With that said, Peace Talks isn’t coming alone

The end of the trailer had a significant bit of surprising news for fans.

There is not one, but two Dresden Files books coming in 2020. Peace Talks hits on July 14, and then the 17th Dresden Files book will hit on Sept. 29, titled Battle Ground.

Plus, in a special discussion after the trailer launch, director Priscilla Spencer said that the trailer had footage from BOTH books in it.

Jim Butcher said that the plan was one book, but by the time he finished it, his publisher said the size of it would make it a $50 book.

Butcher didn’t want to do that, so he split it up into two books, adding about 1/3rd to each book and said that his only demand was that they both be released in 2020 and not spread them out a year apart.

I tried for the longest time to make it work, 2-3 years, and my editor said ‘well, we can publish it like this, and if we do, it’ll be a $50 cover price or more.’

I had to sit down and think about it … I have two thirds of one book, and two thirds of another, if I can write the other thirds of both books, it should turn out okay.

I tried not to make it the worst cliffhanger, I tried to set it up where it’s obvious you won’t see all of this play out right now.

Jim Butcher has said before that he wanted to end the series with a 20th case book and then a big trilogy that brought it all to an end.

However, thanks to the splitting of these two books, the new plan is to go with 25 total books in the Dresden Files series, including the trilogy. That means after Battle Ground, there will only be eight more books, so enjoy it while you can.

Jim Butcher also didn’t say yes or no to another Dresden Files television series, although he said it wouldn’t be on Netflix. There was a series before in 2017, starring Paul Blackthorne (Arrow).

Jim Butcher’s Peace Talks hits on July 14, and Battle Ground goes on sale on Sept. 29.

Preorder from the bookseller of your choice at https://www.jim-butcher.com/store/, or order a signed, personalized copy from Bard’s Tower by emailing [email protected].

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Alexander R. T. Bell
Alexander R. T. Bell
8 months ago

It’s always a joy to stumble upon content that genuinely makes an impact and leaves you feeling inspired. Keep up the great work!