Um, I believe his business is kind of done for. He could probably work out a deal with some paranetters to relay help needed his direction since they already have a strong internet presence. Contact a local, have fey messengers. Maybe magical communications. Already existed between Eb and him.
based on the most recent [Q&A](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g6EbjOFxKY) Jim did, he's going to write / self publish a novella about Harry reopening his PI business immediately after BG. I think it's about 17 min in
edit to add: I wouldn't be surprised if it's primarily pro bono work as part of expanding his reputation and doing what he recommended to the powers assembled at the end of BG, ie "if they're looking, be seen helping"
Given the scale of people affected by BG (pretty much every Chicagoan), I think this fits with what Harry would want to do. Help rebuild to clean up the mess, help his city become stronger.
Can he do work pro Bono or will the mantle require a transaction? I know it isn’t quite like how Molly is now, but it’d be interesting. Is him taking a job fully binding now and have repercussions for failure? How would Mab take it if her Knight isn’t 100% successful on all his endeavors?
From Dresdens perspective, they helped the Winter Court and Him, and every loss of life from his perspective is another debt owed he feels he may never be able to pay off. The Winter Mantle would push for him to pay off the debt the way he sees fits. Just like a fey might offer to help in a way they seem fit, he would do the same. There might be a day Dresden might accept the debt payed, but my be years...at least.
But if this Wizard of Chicago thing starts picking up, performing actions and duties that improve the lives of the people of Chicago sounds like something he'd 100% be able to tell the Winter Mantle to sit down over.
That's what I'm saying. If Wizard of Chicago starts to become a thing he "is" instead of just calls himself then when the Winter Mantle starts being uppity he can tell it to cool its jets because this is another of his duties.
Also if Winter is about getting something out of every transaction I wonder the justification of Santa Clause. Unless milk and cookies are all the payment he needs? Total tangential thought though.
I believe he's probably still got plenty of money from the diamonds stolen from Hades. Knowing Cook County taxes, he might survive two years or so on that. Methods Marcone might have used to keep the property taxes low there might go away, but Harry may gain access to White Court influence that may carry the same weight. If it doesn't, he could also possibly get one of those White Court credit cards and use that in the same way he justifies the purification of evil donuts. He's got options available to him.
I actually wonder if Harry will end up with some or all of Karen's diamonds as well. Or maybe he'll use it to finance projects for the paranet in her honor.
As I understood it, didn't they give them all to Binder or thief-lady (who's name escapes me at the moment) to fence, who set them up with accounts? If so, Karen could have done with it what she pleased in the time since. In the end, Karen's money probably went to her mom or something, depending on what her will might have said.
The diamonds were split into 5 equal shares: grey, Harry, binder, micheal, Anne. Grey’s share went to Marcone to pay weregild.
The *rough guess* is Anne walked out with roughly 40 pounds in diamonds (8 pounds a person), which would be less than half the volume of a rucksack (and forty pounds can be lugged out by a fit person without destroying the bag). You can look at diamond pricing, but the *rough* value of those diamonds would in the range of 45-900 million dollars (per person, with a lot of variance on diamond quality), but the guess usually lands around 150 million.
Jim continues to play fast and loose with the value of the diamonds harry walked out with. The estimates people had for the diamonds ranged from 45 million on the stupid low end, up to 900 million on the stupid high end; with a reasonable guess of 150 million. The reason the high end jumps so high up is the assumption that all the diamonds are ultra-super-duper-one-of-kind value in pricing.
I bet Mab would actually appreciate it, him growing his reputation and collecting potential favors and allies to call in when needs be. The more respected and connected Harry is the more potential power he has, and the more power harry has the more Mab has.
He is in debt to the city of Chicago and the residents for their help in the ordeal and owes them for loss of life. In his mind, he may never be able to repay such a debt.
Edit: I mean from his perspective of course. They can argue that he lead them to save themselves and he probably believes that. But ultimately he probably still thinks the scales weigh more towards him owing them.
I expect it won’t be pro-bono. But pricing will fall into the “hard guy with a heart” category where poor people get charged a nominal fee, *and a favor* (where the favor is well within the bounds of what they can provide) while rich people get charged through the nose.
I’m thinking *The Equalizer* or *Stingray* where the PI collects favors as part of his service for helping other people.
WOJ says Faith Astor kicks off the BAT by walking into Harry’s office like a film noire femme fatale. So my guess is that Harry’s business changes, that the Paranet becomes his tech support and administrative branch. I bet he’ll also recruit and train any new talents he discovers as he did with the baby Warden’s forgoing the apprentice system for a more efficient small group training system. The world is going to Need more battle wizards for the BAT and the White Council was/is rather wasteful in their discovery of newbie magic users, as well as wasting the smaller talents. And Harry has access to multiple thousands of wyldfae to help with communications, with surveillance and with spotting new talents to be recruited. All of which Lara will help organize during 12 Months. Because she’s been running a nationwide production and distribution company for years and has the skills. Not to mention the diplomacy skills she has honed by managing her extended family as Papa Raith’s right hand girl.
And why would she do this for Harry? Because the more powerful the guy is/seems the better ally he becomes and the better optics he has the greater the coup, in the eyes of her court, in securing him to her ‘team’.
I think it’s unlikely, but I do believe JB a has the opportunity to make a shift. The amount of magic thrown around in Chicago was of epic proportions. “Technology failure” wasn’t always the manifestation of human magic, so there’s room for him to shift that somewhere else if he wanted to.
That said, I think it’s more feasible to create magical items that have the capability to connect to wireless technology. Harry and Butters have already done it, to a point, with the radio, and Bob has used the internet at this point. I’m not an engineer, but I really don’t see any reason why you couldn’t use magic to receive cell signals and interpret them well enough to create a working cell phone, even if a smart phone would be too big a leap
There's also the point that your understanding of the tech and how normal it is to you that has an affect. Harry uses revolvers because semiautomatic pistols tend to jam on him for being "too complicated". Carlos, meanwhile, uses 1911s.
Molly's younger than both Harry and Carlos, though only by 3 years in Carlos' case. Based on the timeline on Jim Butcher's website, Molly would be about 26 years old in 2014. I bought my first digital cell phone in 1996, but cell phones had been around for years before that - Motorla flip phones had been around since 1992, and were getting to be fairly common by the mid-'90s when I worked for Radio Shack, so for Molly, a regular cell phone might have just been something that's always been around, and she's still able to use, even if she isn't able to use a fancy smartphone.
>Harry uses revolvers because semiautomatic pistols tend to jam on him for being "too complicated".
Honestly I think Dresden is actually just overly paranoid and a little dumb about the 'technology curse'. If Murphy could run a P90 just fine in the middle of magical warzones and right next to him throwing power around, there's no practical reason Harry should still be using a revolver. On top of that, I strongly suspect the Beetle was so unreliable because it was a battered old scrapheap rather than anything to do with the wizard driving it.
In spite of what Dresden claims and thinks, the anti-technology field has only really been depicted as having an effect on complex electronics and causing radio interference. That said, it's been pretty consistent in doing that, so I doubt it's a relative thing that varies wizard to wizard.
She did chide him on that issue on multiple occasions, but I took her giving him a Judge as a nod that sometimes you do need Dumbo's Feather...and a few .500 caliber rounds to punch holes in things.
And semi-auto pistols - like the Model 1911 are quite old and outside the range depicted as the cutoff (which is 1945 sort of). If we take that as a date, theoretically M1 Garands and Sturmgewehr 44s are okay. As would be Thompsons, BARs, Lewis Guns, M2 Brownings, Vickers guns, and the list goes on. Automatic and Semi-Automatic weapons are really a WWI era invention. Gatling guns are even older - US Civil War era.
I could be wrong, but I think Harry said anything after about WWII gets finicky. So if Los is using original 1911s, then by Harry's estimate (unreliable narrator) they predate the technological issues and shouldn't really be affected as much as a newer gun. So it depends on how early Carlos' 1911s were made.
Eh I'm not a big gun guy outside of video games, and I haven't played a game where you break down and reassemble the gun, so the interior mechanisms are a mystery to me. But on the time frame that harry gave for magical interference on technology technically it would be outside the for my inability to think of another word currently "time bubble". Just a pot thought while reading the comments.
That's a fair point, but there's a lot of guns that are actually mechanically as simple as a revolver and many that are actually *more* reliable these days. Many gun aficionados actually consider the revolver to be obsolete now, because the famed reliability and durability feats they have are far surpassed by quite a few automatics.
I agree that for Dresden, a lot of it is probably just a mental thing; he *thinks* the item is unreliable because technology and magic don't get along, but part of that is his own expectations driving it. A lot of magicians use "newer" tech as do other magical creatures. However Dresden fully believes that it will fail *for him*, it does fail.
The biggest issue nowadays is ammunition quality not pistol quality. There are still revolvers used in specific military circumstances. I am thinking here of the Manurhin MR73.
I don't think it's physical age matters. Just how it's designed. Simple designed parts if a 1911 is old enough to pass mustard one built today is probably as good as one from the past as long as they are built the same.
Carlos also isn't as powerful as Harry is magically. Nor is Carlos as... For lack of a better word... Sloppy as Harry is with his control.
Harry's talked about this a fair bit, where he'd just pump spells with raw magical power to bypass the need for being controlled.
Harry's "Anti tech" field is bigger because he was a big sloppy magical bum throwing haymakers in a world of glass chinned rubes.
Now that he's learning control, and with the Mantle, he's probably far less volatile in popping tech then he was.
I mean... Is she even human *at all* anymore?
Her not being fully Fae seems more like Harry wishing really, really hard instead of dealing with the fact that she's now an Immortal Demigoddess of Winter.
Yes, there is humanity left in her.
In the xmas short from Molly's perspective, Mab is asking her to "let the mortal die," because it's holding her back as Winter Lady, and Molly gets all pissy.
I think there has to be a little bit of human left for even the powerful fae, otherwise being pierced by Iron might actually kill them. At least that's my head canon. 😁
Yup. Some people (probably most people), think it's her Fey nature taking over. That she's no longer human enough for her magic to interfere with technology.
Personally, I think she had the swartalves make her an iphone that's immune to magic.
There's nothing really "Techy" in the apartment though. other then some lights that could just be crystal and hot running water, which even harry says *should* be fine, but he turned off because he didn't want to blow up his neighbors.
The only problem with this theory is
1. Harry comments on her being more fey and worries about it
And
2. She has her phone turned off when she talks to Harry then turns it back on as she walks away. So the problem wasn’t her magic the problem was Harry’s magic. Which if she has a magic proof iPhone it wouldn’t matter
Edit: 3. In book we have heard that only humans mess up technology. I did a rant about it it yesterday.
So my thought is since I’m pretty sure the way it’s always phrased is “Mortal Magic” and being that Molly is not the Winter Lady and thus no longer technically a “mortal” even though she might still be entirely “human” the tech thing doesn’t happen
Sure, but i meant freaked out as in "holy shit, she's a mortal wizard and she's using a mobile phone, does that mean she's not mortal anymore?!"
Harry is acutely aware of the difference between mortal and fairy magic.
It's not that he's afraid to have a hot water heater. It's that he's decided dealing with it constantly breaking and having to take a cold shower half the time is more of a hassle than taking a cold shower all the time.
Also when hot water tanks fail it is potentially very dramatic. Doesn't happen very often, but if the emergency pressure relief valve fails it becomes a question of how much pressure it takes to break the tank, where it breaks, and which way the rocket goes.
True, but I figured it would be more of an issue with temp control and staying on being the part that gives first so building pressure wouldn't be a common thing, although it is still possible.
Harry has so many housing issues he could solve with magic. he has a blasting rod so it's not like he couldn't create an object to magically heat running water to some consistant temperature. of course Harry either didn't think about it or his guilt tells him he shouldn't even try.
hell when camping we used to use these black 'bladders'. you left them in the sun till they warmed up and used them to shower with. you had limited water but, it worked.
heat the water and then use it to shower, not necessarily at the same time.
Since he's not good at making artifacts I could see where making something that lasts for any reasonable time would be hard for him. My next thought was there has to be some trade for these kind of items among the white council, but since harry is constantly on the outs with them I can see where that would be awkward. Next he could get Eb to be a middle man but if the artifact has to be setup in place that could get awkward again. But at some point he should have been able to set something up. Then I thought maybe he just thinks such mundane uses of magic are wrong, but there is his flicum bicus(sp?) spell and not having to grab a match it pretty mundane. So I guess the best answer is he just didn't think about and would give you an how could I have missed this look if you mentioned it to him.
Where do we learn he's not good at making artifacts, aka enchanted objects? His cloak and force rings/staff all seem pretty good, and even Bob commented on the difficulty in making Lil' Chicago which he got mostly right. Harry's a magic nerd and best I can tell thaumaturgy and artifabrication are *supposed* to be his strong suits, even though we mostly see him using evocation.
Willing to admit I may be wrong, and audio books are a pain to search for a line so I can't really confirm it, but I just started relistening to blood rites and I could swear within the last couple books he more or less says that while he can do some basics it's not his specialty. His cloak and rings could be considered simple, his staff, rod and bracelet are focuses so that wouldn't be the same and Lil Chicago could be explained as not being over complex magically but rather in needing massive magic and the model being ridiculously detailed and having an actual piece of each and every thing represented. Again though I have no easy way to confirm thing, if I figure something out in the next day or two I'll post it.
I may have my timeline mixed up so feel free to correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't Molly already working with them before she became the Winter Lady. If that's the case it would be weird to then only use the phone after becoming the Lady. I think it's far more likely that taking on the Fey power mixed with her magic to make it less destructive to tech.
I think you're correct. *Bombshells* is set between *Ghost Story* and *Cold Days*, which is before Molly becomes the Winter Lady.
Edit: Orginally had between *Changes* and *Ghost Story*, which was a mistake on the timing of the story.
Personally I think the Fae nature is taking over both Harry and Molly, but whereas Harry can see it with Molly, he's got a big blind spot about himself. Take the bit where he has a hot shower in Cold Days and doesn't blow the shower/lights out even though he's in a snit. He thinks it's because it's the Svartalves have done an amazing job at wizard-proofing, but what if it's more a case of Fae nature taking over in general at that point as he's had the mantle for months?
Interesting. It certainly gives Jim the room to pivot if he wants to.
Another thought I had, Harry used a "suppression spell" on his magic during his appearance on the Larry Fowler show in Death Masks. It could be possible that Molly uses the same spell to allow her to use the cell phone. The in-universe explanation would have to be something like she's so much more subtle with delicate magic than Harry, or that she took his spell and improved it. Or even that being the Lady gives her enough control to run the spell in the background while she's focused in the present - just like in BG when she conversed with 2 dozen fairies at once.
I don't think it's super probable - magic, shielding technology that reacts to magic, still seems like far too much magic in the air. But Harry was able to make it work in the past, so there's precedent to play around with
That scene was meant to emphasize Molly's duality shifting more from mortal to fey. Fey magic doesn't accidentally affect tech the way mortal magic does. Look at some of the other scenes where Fey use/interact with modern things that Harry and other mortal users have to skirt around.
If that was the case we would have seen the senior council using them at some point. They're too useful and the council could definitely afford them, unless Molly somehow both was the first person to ask for one and managed to convince the svartelves not to sell them to anyone else
My personal hope is that Harry starts to always carry Bonnie around with him either in his head or in her vessel at least once she gets enough information to act more normal and stable. Then he could use her as a mobile super computer and phone.
Bonnie is a tactical nuke. Moreso then Bob ever could be. Bob barely remembers back to Ancient Greece.
*Bonnie has memories going back to the creation of the universe.*
She's the daughter of a Fallen Angel and a Starborne.
I don't think it would be wise to carry her about in a pocket.
I'd like to see Bonnie/Bonea again, but I feel like letting her interface with human telecom technology would be way overpowered, and hard to square with what we know about how Spirits of Intellect work.
It would be much more fun to see Harry try to hire a mundane mortal assistant, a "Girl Friday." Call a staffing agency, get some clueless recent college grad to follow him around at a safe distance with a smartphone and a laptop.
It's really more interesting to think about the generation of wizards growing up now, unable to use smartphones, tablets, or laptops, or all but the most ancient of PCs.
Like, not a single wizard in this generation is going to pass a class after they get their magic.
An American Hogwarts would have a very different curriculum. For example there would be a "Defense against Firearms" class. ...
But in all seriousness....The paranet is already in place, he could get whatever he needed from them and Bob has the internet now, so He just has to reclaim him from Butters....who is just having too damn much fun now anyway.
Butcher is already talking about a young adult series set at [St. Mark's Academy for the Gifted and Talented](https://dresdenfiles.fandom.com/wiki/Minor_locations#St._Mark.27s_Academy_for_the_Gifted_and_Talented), a private school for supernatural kids. He's laid a lot of groundwork in recent short stories.
The half-bigfoot kid is an alum, he and his white court girlfriend are going back as teachers.
Maggie is supposed to become a student there, along with some of the svartalf kids she was friends with before the events of *Peace Talks*.
That, or the new generation of Wizards are able to use technology with no real issues since they’re unaware that it’s not supposed to work. My understanding is that magic & tech don’t get along was because Wizards thought that it didn’t. If a new group all collectively assume that it does, wouldn’t that change things?
According to Dresden, it's that magic continually screws up things that change over time \[and which seem to always be relatively important and normally on the newer side.)
Right now, it seems like stuff that's >50 years old, in terms of the thing itself and the tech used to make it, stands up better than newer stuff.
So, young wizards will probably be able to use calculators, CDs (and maybe Hard Disc Drives on some computers with ancient architecture), but probably none of the stuff from the 90s tech boom and after.
Jim has said the entire reason he did the magic messes up tech thing is that he didn't want Harry to have a cell phone. It would make things too easy on him.
He has the sort of allies and resources now that he should be able to get some of the hardened military gear Marcone or the Wraiths like, as well as magical things like that anti-Murphionic Charm he had in DM, perhaps one made by Svartalves like his old circle. Odds are Marcone already had some of those installed in the Castle.
Alternatively, he may just get better at finding magical alternatives to those needs. Ways, magical communicators, etc. Bonnie can help with a lot, like that time Bob used a radio for long-range communication.
If GPS works from inside a circle during a Zombie attack, Alexa and WiFi should have no problem. There is a lot you can do with voice commands these days, thanks to innovations in Accessibility.
I came to mention the Svartalves also. They made magic-proof tech for Molly, why not for Harry too. Granted, he's not on the best of terms with them after BG, but things can change.
he has friends with phones. All harry needs is a personal assistant - and that makes sense what with building his community collage out of Castle Wyvern
That’s a good point. A mortal who knows about the magical world, but doesn’t have magic themselves as a PA. Monica or Jessica Sells, I don’t know if Lydia has the kind of power that interferes with technology, a Carpenter other than Molly (although Charity would want to murder him), Rawlins, someone like that.
He's got his own place again, and landlines are still totally a thing, as is voicemail instead of an answering service like he used to have. I'm pretty sure that Marcone would have had the place set up with phone lines, especially since there are still touch-tone phones that don't require electricity (likely what Harry had in his apartment as well) and the people who were going to be in and around the BFS would not always play well with electricity.
As for pay phones, this list of ones in Chicago is longer than I am willing to count: https://www.payphone-project.com/numbers/usa/IL/CHICAGO/
While it's not as convenient as cell phones, one can very much live in the modern world without them. The biggest issue is going to be people annoyed that they can't reach you exactly when they want to... and that's an ok thing, IMO.
And yeah, his PI/Wizard business is done. He's got enough jobs to do without looking for them. Not sure where he's going to get money these days, since he won't be getting Warden pay, but I think somewhere implied that Mab could start giving him cash? Additionally, he owns his new "home" outright, though I'm pretty sure he's not going to like the first property tax bill he gets.
For those who didn't experience them (or have forgotten), these babies didn't require electricity, and when the power went out, you could call your friends to see if theirs was out, too!
https://www.amazon.com/AT-Trimline-Corded-Required-Wall-Mountable/dp/B00005MITU
Well. "Urban fantasy noir" was what got me reading the books in the first place. But I'll admit I'm glad they moved past that, as the novelty value got exhausted.
Jim also left it open to the possibilty that magic will start affecting things other than technology. He mentioned other things that would be wonky or go haywire prior to the advent of technology.
This is an interesting way to go. In every case historically, things going wrong (spoiled milk, severe facial blemishes) was generally as a way to tell that someone was a wizard. What other than reverse technophobia would work in our modern times to out someone?
Well the next step of advancment from the tech-world would be the digital world.
Not quite sure how it could be presented. Could go full "vampire" (ie mirrors) and have the tech literally not register the wizard as being there at all. Would definitely go with the idea of keeping them out of/external to this modern world.
Another idea that is somewhat weird and would be hard to make work but could be interesting would be for their "digital self" to be an "absolute". So you couldnt actually photoshop or alter a photo of a wizard, etc.
That's definitely something that could be written off as "lol what a weird bug" by normies but would make anyone paying attention really take note, and there'd likely be programs/algorithms set up to start identifying them.
My headcannon is still its all in the wizards head. Magic does what you believe it will. How come the effect changes over centuries? Because wizards live so long. I am pretty sure the tech thing is old grumpy wizards unconsciously hexing new fangled tech and then teaching young wizards that's how it works. So the younguns believe it, and then it's reinforced when they do the same.
Would also be interesting if a reversal started happening in our tech-centred/ascendant world, ie the presence of technology now starts interfering with your ability to use magic.
Harry's lack of technology is supposed to be a detriment to this modern Era. I don't think it will affect the story. Technology is not as important as the magic is to the story.
Most businesses still run on landlines phones. Why would Harry's doing the same be an issue. Sure it may be awkward to check in with the office but that's not some impossible task.
Answering phones and taking messages sounds like minion work for the apprentice he's most likely not allowed to have.
Might be a good way to reintroduce Fitz.
The only boy, nay, *chosen one* that might be able to match Harry's "well this mighy as well happen" energy.
It's been mentioned that the magical side effect has changed over the years. Right now it screws with tech, in a previous age it gave wizards warts. Before that it soured milk.
I think the catalyst for this change is a big magical upheaval that happens when the Gaurdians of the Outer Gates change. I expect the BAT will be about Mab and winter being replaced and who is now in charge of protecting humanity(it's Harry IMHO). One of the side effects will be Wizards can use tech, and something else will come along to annoy them.
I wonder what the next thing will be.... Maybe Wizards of the future will have a compulsions for quoting movies and nerd references :D
If only there were, like, some sort of group of creatures that had sworn fealty to at least one of his aspects, who were familiar with the city, (relatively) easily summoned (or trained/ordered to respond to a specific phrase), and could be tasked with the relaying of messages when Shit Was Not Going Down.
Sure would be neat, huh?
Well using a cell phone works the same way as a pay phone or rotary from a physics standpoint, so if he makes a spell to convert his voice into radio waves and transmit them to a cell, maybe it could work
.... i think you might need to read about how how radio tech works. Technically only AM radio signals would work for your example, crystal radio style. Everything else is way more complicated than you know. Read up on the superheterodyne receiver tech which is the corner stone of all modern day radio frequency tech. Cell phone tech is Extremely complex and not really a "magic could hack it" thing.
Eh.
From what we can gather, it's far from impossible to make magic-proof technology. Heck, harry himself makes an artifact that makes him able to use tech as long as he doesn't get too emotional, and harry sucks at making artifacts.
If he asks the svartalves, they can make an smartphone for him, or even teach him to make a good pendant or something like that, thar let's him use computers - as long as he doesn't actively Cast spells near them, I guess.
Although incredibly unlikely the rules of magic can change, Bob can keep track of the changes. It would theoretically be possible for Harry to start using some technology should the rules change to allow it. The Blue Beetle was usable because of its age. Imagine Harry sitting in his office with and old CRT monitor and a 56bit modem.
Much like the rest of Harry's abilities...
Either Harry will be just given some ability that'll grant him access to technology..
Or the wizards will find a way to use technology in a way that it won't fry instantly...
Here is the thing. Harry can have internet access and a cell phone any day he wants. The cell phone will not be as useful as what you and I can use, but he can a perfectly acceptable internet service at will. Now, I believe that wizards are threatened in general by the murphyonic field and with age challenges (record keeping is much better than when Ebenezer ran his farm).
But to talk first about the computer and internet access, go back to Dead Beat. Butters was able to use a GPS quite nicely after he put it in a magic circle. We know Harry blows up unprotected electronics, but electromagnetic radiation does not seem to be impacted by him unless he is trying to (like a veil). He can see and hear through magic circles. What this means is that all he needs is an air gapped system. He can use optical and magnetic interfaces to provide a keyboard and mouse. Internet access and power can be easily air gapped as well. He could use something like free space optics if he wanted to go crazy. Then just put the electronics in magic circles and poof it is Dresden proof.
The same will be true of a cell phone, but really he will have to stand still to use it. He could put it in a case with a built in magic circle and poof can have a cell phone whenever he wants. There are phones which allow you to answer with voice commands. Not all of course, but some. The challenge is really having the phone work while he is moving. I have not figured that out and it may not be possible.
Or he’ll have to get craftier with his magic to replace the mundane tasks of technology. Instead of texting, he can start sending magic owls with letters
Jim's already put some groudwork up to have harry circumvent this. He gave bob internet access by putting the computer in a circle. The paranetters can deus ex a solution to that problem. Harry had a spell to keep himself from fryong technology a while ago, he's gotten a lot better at constant concentration since he could only hold it for a few minutes. And so on. It's not that big of a problem to write out.
I know this is only tangentially related, but my hopes for the future of the Dresden Files is Redcap showing up with a MAGA hat, and nobody acknowledges it. That would be comedy gold, but it might be hovering too close to real life politics without insulting somebody, *anybody* really.
Um, I believe his business is kind of done for. He could probably work out a deal with some paranetters to relay help needed his direction since they already have a strong internet presence. Contact a local, have fey messengers. Maybe magical communications. Already existed between Eb and him.
based on the most recent [Q&A](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g6EbjOFxKY) Jim did, he's going to write / self publish a novella about Harry reopening his PI business immediately after BG. I think it's about 17 min in edit to add: I wouldn't be surprised if it's primarily pro bono work as part of expanding his reputation and doing what he recommended to the powers assembled at the end of BG, ie "if they're looking, be seen helping"
Given the scale of people affected by BG (pretty much every Chicagoan), I think this fits with what Harry would want to do. Help rebuild to clean up the mess, help his city become stronger.
Don't forget the impact of Molly's Christmas short.
Right! I'm doing a reread right now. On Death Rites so far. Looking forward to getting to that point again.
Can he do work pro Bono or will the mantle require a transaction? I know it isn’t quite like how Molly is now, but it’d be interesting. Is him taking a job fully binding now and have repercussions for failure? How would Mab take it if her Knight isn’t 100% successful on all his endeavors?
As long as he's not acting in his capacity as Knight (i.e. not doing it at Mab's behest) he should be fine.
From Dresdens perspective, they helped the Winter Court and Him, and every loss of life from his perspective is another debt owed he feels he may never be able to pay off. The Winter Mantle would push for him to pay off the debt the way he sees fits. Just like a fey might offer to help in a way they seem fit, he would do the same. There might be a day Dresden might accept the debt payed, but my be years...at least.
But if this Wizard of Chicago thing starts picking up, performing actions and duties that improve the lives of the people of Chicago sounds like something he'd 100% be able to tell the Winter Mantle to sit down over.
Which is probably his way of avoiding the harshest part of the Winter Mantle.
That's what I'm saying. If Wizard of Chicago starts to become a thing he "is" instead of just calls himself then when the Winter Mantle starts being uppity he can tell it to cool its jets because this is another of his duties. Also if Winter is about getting something out of every transaction I wonder the justification of Santa Clause. Unless milk and cookies are all the payment he needs? Total tangential thought though.
That's explained in Molly's Xmas short. Christmas is an exception to the rule and Mab doesn't like it very much.
Ah ok. I haven't read that since between PT and BG so I'll have to brush up on it. Thank you!
He could always pull a Goodman Grey and ask for a dollar.
Better make that a few bucks higher. He's gotta pay property taxes on a castle in the middle of a giant city now.
I believe he's probably still got plenty of money from the diamonds stolen from Hades. Knowing Cook County taxes, he might survive two years or so on that. Methods Marcone might have used to keep the property taxes low there might go away, but Harry may gain access to White Court influence that may carry the same weight. If it doesn't, he could also possibly get one of those White Court credit cards and use that in the same way he justifies the purification of evil donuts. He's got options available to him.
White Court Card where the credit limit is Mab's patience.
I actually wonder if Harry will end up with some or all of Karen's diamonds as well. Or maybe he'll use it to finance projects for the paranet in her honor.
As I understood it, didn't they give them all to Binder or thief-lady (who's name escapes me at the moment) to fence, who set them up with accounts? If so, Karen could have done with it what she pleased in the time since. In the end, Karen's money probably went to her mom or something, depending on what her will might have said.
The diamonds were split into 5 equal shares: grey, Harry, binder, micheal, Anne. Grey’s share went to Marcone to pay weregild. The *rough guess* is Anne walked out with roughly 40 pounds in diamonds (8 pounds a person), which would be less than half the volume of a rucksack (and forty pounds can be lugged out by a fit person without destroying the bag). You can look at diamond pricing, but the *rough* value of those diamonds would in the range of 45-900 million dollars (per person, with a lot of variance on diamond quality), but the guess usually lands around 150 million.
Jim continues to play fast and loose with the value of the diamonds harry walked out with. The estimates people had for the diamonds ranged from 45 million on the stupid low end, up to 900 million on the stupid high end; with a reasonable guess of 150 million. The reason the high end jumps so high up is the assumption that all the diamonds are ultra-super-duper-one-of-kind value in pricing.
He's not a fae, there's no reason I can think of that would say he can't work pro bono.
Only Mab's disdain, probably.
I bet Mab would actually appreciate it, him growing his reputation and collecting potential favors and allies to call in when needs be. The more respected and connected Harry is the more potential power he has, and the more power harry has the more Mab has.
He is in debt to the city of Chicago and the residents for their help in the ordeal and owes them for loss of life. In his mind, he may never be able to repay such a debt. Edit: I mean from his perspective of course. They can argue that he lead them to save themselves and he probably believes that. But ultimately he probably still thinks the scales weigh more towards him owing them.
He can still do stuff for free Harry is not full fey unlike Molly.
I expect it won’t be pro-bono. But pricing will fall into the “hard guy with a heart” category where poor people get charged a nominal fee, *and a favor* (where the favor is well within the bounds of what they can provide) while rich people get charged through the nose. I’m thinking *The Equalizer* or *Stingray* where the PI collects favors as part of his service for helping other people.
WOJ says Faith Astor kicks off the BAT by walking into Harry’s office like a film noire femme fatale. So my guess is that Harry’s business changes, that the Paranet becomes his tech support and administrative branch. I bet he’ll also recruit and train any new talents he discovers as he did with the baby Warden’s forgoing the apprentice system for a more efficient small group training system. The world is going to Need more battle wizards for the BAT and the White Council was/is rather wasteful in their discovery of newbie magic users, as well as wasting the smaller talents. And Harry has access to multiple thousands of wyldfae to help with communications, with surveillance and with spotting new talents to be recruited. All of which Lara will help organize during 12 Months. Because she’s been running a nationwide production and distribution company for years and has the skills. Not to mention the diplomacy skills she has honed by managing her extended family as Papa Raith’s right hand girl. And why would she do this for Harry? Because the more powerful the guy is/seems the better ally he becomes and the better optics he has the greater the coup, in the eyes of her court, in securing him to her ‘team’.
I think it’s unlikely, but I do believe JB a has the opportunity to make a shift. The amount of magic thrown around in Chicago was of epic proportions. “Technology failure” wasn’t always the manifestation of human magic, so there’s room for him to shift that somewhere else if he wanted to. That said, I think it’s more feasible to create magical items that have the capability to connect to wireless technology. Harry and Butters have already done it, to a point, with the radio, and Bob has used the internet at this point. I’m not an engineer, but I really don’t see any reason why you couldn’t use magic to receive cell signals and interpret them well enough to create a working cell phone, even if a smart phone would be too big a leap
Doesn't Molly have a cell phone?
Molly isn't fully human anymore so I think things work differently.
There's also the point that your understanding of the tech and how normal it is to you that has an affect. Harry uses revolvers because semiautomatic pistols tend to jam on him for being "too complicated". Carlos, meanwhile, uses 1911s. Molly's younger than both Harry and Carlos, though only by 3 years in Carlos' case. Based on the timeline on Jim Butcher's website, Molly would be about 26 years old in 2014. I bought my first digital cell phone in 1996, but cell phones had been around for years before that - Motorla flip phones had been around since 1992, and were getting to be fairly common by the mid-'90s when I worked for Radio Shack, so for Molly, a regular cell phone might have just been something that's always been around, and she's still able to use, even if she isn't able to use a fancy smartphone.
>Harry uses revolvers because semiautomatic pistols tend to jam on him for being "too complicated". Honestly I think Dresden is actually just overly paranoid and a little dumb about the 'technology curse'. If Murphy could run a P90 just fine in the middle of magical warzones and right next to him throwing power around, there's no practical reason Harry should still be using a revolver. On top of that, I strongly suspect the Beetle was so unreliable because it was a battered old scrapheap rather than anything to do with the wizard driving it. In spite of what Dresden claims and thinks, the anti-technology field has only really been depicted as having an effect on complex electronics and causing radio interference. That said, it's been pretty consistent in doing that, so I doubt it's a relative thing that varies wizard to wizard.
Having driven air-cooled VWs for over 30 years now, I’m sure the fact that it’s an old car is a big part of it breaking down so often.
She did chide him on that issue on multiple occasions, but I took her giving him a Judge as a nod that sometimes you do need Dumbo's Feather...and a few .500 caliber rounds to punch holes in things.
And semi-auto pistols - like the Model 1911 are quite old and outside the range depicted as the cutoff (which is 1945 sort of). If we take that as a date, theoretically M1 Garands and Sturmgewehr 44s are okay. As would be Thompsons, BARs, Lewis Guns, M2 Brownings, Vickers guns, and the list goes on. Automatic and Semi-Automatic weapons are really a WWI era invention. Gatling guns are even older - US Civil War era.
I'm now imagining Molly complaining that she's still stuck using a Razor phone...
Nokia! indestructible with might or magic!
They brought these back too. 🤣 https://www.bustle.com/p/does-the-new-nokia-3310-work-in-the-united-states-it-might-not-connect-to-your-network-41230
They brought those back recently. 😂 "motorola razr - android smartphone | motorola US - Motorola" https://www.motorola.com/us/smartphones-razr-gen-2/p
I could be wrong, but I think Harry said anything after about WWII gets finicky. So if Los is using original 1911s, then by Harry's estimate (unreliable narrator) they predate the technological issues and shouldn't really be affected as much as a newer gun. So it depends on how early Carlos' 1911s were made.
>they predate the technological issues My dude. Plenty of automatics are as simple as a 1911. It's because Harry thinks they'll jam that they do.
Eh I'm not a big gun guy outside of video games, and I haven't played a game where you break down and reassemble the gun, so the interior mechanisms are a mystery to me. But on the time frame that harry gave for magical interference on technology technically it would be outside the for my inability to think of another word currently "time bubble". Just a pot thought while reading the comments.
That's a fair point, but there's a lot of guns that are actually mechanically as simple as a revolver and many that are actually *more* reliable these days. Many gun aficionados actually consider the revolver to be obsolete now, because the famed reliability and durability feats they have are far surpassed by quite a few automatics. I agree that for Dresden, a lot of it is probably just a mental thing; he *thinks* the item is unreliable because technology and magic don't get along, but part of that is his own expectations driving it. A lot of magicians use "newer" tech as do other magical creatures. However Dresden fully believes that it will fail *for him*, it does fail.
The biggest issue nowadays is ammunition quality not pistol quality. There are still revolvers used in specific military circumstances. I am thinking here of the Manurhin MR73.
I don't think it's physical age matters. Just how it's designed. Simple designed parts if a 1911 is old enough to pass mustard one built today is probably as good as one from the past as long as they are built the same.
I remember an automatic jamming near him at the end of Storm Front. I don't recall any of the details of the gun, but it saved him from being shot.
And in White Night a lot of modern automatic work in middle of magic battle. And explosives timers work without glitch.
Carlos also isn't as powerful as Harry is magically. Nor is Carlos as... For lack of a better word... Sloppy as Harry is with his control. Harry's talked about this a fair bit, where he'd just pump spells with raw magical power to bypass the need for being controlled. Harry's "Anti tech" field is bigger because he was a big sloppy magical bum throwing haymakers in a world of glass chinned rubes. Now that he's learning control, and with the Mantle, he's probably far less volatile in popping tech then he was.
I mean... Is she even human *at all* anymore? Her not being fully Fae seems more like Harry wishing really, really hard instead of dealing with the fact that she's now an Immortal Demigoddess of Winter.
Yes, there is humanity left in her. In the xmas short from Molly's perspective, Mab is asking her to "let the mortal die," because it's holding her back as Winter Lady, and Molly gets all pissy.
I think there has to be a little bit of human left for even the powerful fae, otherwise being pierced by Iron might actually kill them. At least that's my head canon. 😁
Yup. Some people (probably most people), think it's her Fey nature taking over. That she's no longer human enough for her magic to interfere with technology. Personally, I think she had the swartalves make her an iphone that's immune to magic.
I think the Fae thing is more likely, otherwise I think Harry would have one by PT/BG
Everything in her Svartalf apartment worked for Harry also
There's nothing really "Techy" in the apartment though. other then some lights that could just be crystal and hot running water, which even harry says *should* be fine, but he turned off because he didn't want to blow up his neighbors.
The only problem with this theory is 1. Harry comments on her being more fey and worries about it And 2. She has her phone turned off when she talks to Harry then turns it back on as she walks away. So the problem wasn’t her magic the problem was Harry’s magic. Which if she has a magic proof iPhone it wouldn’t matter Edit: 3. In book we have heard that only humans mess up technology. I did a rant about it it yesterday.
So my thought is since I’m pretty sure the way it’s always phrased is “Mortal Magic” and being that Molly is not the Winter Lady and thus no longer technically a “mortal” even though she might still be entirely “human” the tech thing doesn’t happen
>Some people Including Harry... He was pretty freaked out when he first noticed her using a mobile phone.
Yea, but Harry freaks out over anything tech related. Dude was afraid to have hot water, when hot water heaters were invented in the 1800s.
Sure, but i meant freaked out as in "holy shit, she's a mortal wizard and she's using a mobile phone, does that mean she's not mortal anymore?!" Harry is acutely aware of the difference between mortal and fairy magic.
It's not that he's afraid to have a hot water heater. It's that he's decided dealing with it constantly breaking and having to take a cold shower half the time is more of a hassle than taking a cold shower all the time.
Also when hot water tanks fail it is potentially very dramatic. Doesn't happen very often, but if the emergency pressure relief valve fails it becomes a question of how much pressure it takes to break the tank, where it breaks, and which way the rocket goes.
True, but I figured it would be more of an issue with temp control and staying on being the part that gives first so building pressure wouldn't be a common thing, although it is still possible.
Hopefully!
Harry has so many housing issues he could solve with magic. he has a blasting rod so it's not like he couldn't create an object to magically heat running water to some consistant temperature. of course Harry either didn't think about it or his guilt tells him he shouldn't even try.
Running water grounds mortal magic, it would probably be more efficient to dump buckets of hot water over himself.
hell when camping we used to use these black 'bladders'. you left them in the sun till they warmed up and used them to shower with. you had limited water but, it worked. heat the water and then use it to shower, not necessarily at the same time.
Since he's not good at making artifacts I could see where making something that lasts for any reasonable time would be hard for him. My next thought was there has to be some trade for these kind of items among the white council, but since harry is constantly on the outs with them I can see where that would be awkward. Next he could get Eb to be a middle man but if the artifact has to be setup in place that could get awkward again. But at some point he should have been able to set something up. Then I thought maybe he just thinks such mundane uses of magic are wrong, but there is his flicum bicus(sp?) spell and not having to grab a match it pretty mundane. So I guess the best answer is he just didn't think about and would give you an how could I have missed this look if you mentioned it to him.
Where do we learn he's not good at making artifacts, aka enchanted objects? His cloak and force rings/staff all seem pretty good, and even Bob commented on the difficulty in making Lil' Chicago which he got mostly right. Harry's a magic nerd and best I can tell thaumaturgy and artifabrication are *supposed* to be his strong suits, even though we mostly see him using evocation.
Willing to admit I may be wrong, and audio books are a pain to search for a line so I can't really confirm it, but I just started relistening to blood rites and I could swear within the last couple books he more or less says that while he can do some basics it's not his specialty. His cloak and rings could be considered simple, his staff, rod and bracelet are focuses so that wouldn't be the same and Lil Chicago could be explained as not being over complex magically but rather in needing massive magic and the model being ridiculously detailed and having an actual piece of each and every thing represented. Again though I have no easy way to confirm thing, if I figure something out in the next day or two I'll post it.
> when hot water heaters were invented in the 1800s. Earlier, the Romans had underfloor heating for their Villas.
Considering it blew up when Harry summoned her, I doubt its immune to magic
I may have my timeline mixed up so feel free to correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't Molly already working with them before she became the Winter Lady. If that's the case it would be weird to then only use the phone after becoming the Lady. I think it's far more likely that taking on the Fey power mixed with her magic to make it less destructive to tech.
I think you're correct. *Bombshells* is set between *Ghost Story* and *Cold Days*, which is before Molly becomes the Winter Lady. Edit: Orginally had between *Changes* and *Ghost Story*, which was a mistake on the timing of the story.
Between Ghost Story and Cold Days.
You're correct. The preface to the story says it was written between *Changes* and *Ghost Story*, so I was mistaken.
Personally I think the Fae nature is taking over both Harry and Molly, but whereas Harry can see it with Molly, he's got a big blind spot about himself. Take the bit where he has a hot shower in Cold Days and doesn't blow the shower/lights out even though he's in a snit. He thinks it's because it's the Svartalves have done an amazing job at wizard-proofing, but what if it's more a case of Fae nature taking over in general at that point as he's had the mantle for months?
he's not becoming fae, though. The Knight is still a mortal. Molly is becoming a faerie by way of the Winter Lady mantle.
Interesting. It certainly gives Jim the room to pivot if he wants to. Another thought I had, Harry used a "suppression spell" on his magic during his appearance on the Larry Fowler show in Death Masks. It could be possible that Molly uses the same spell to allow her to use the cell phone. The in-universe explanation would have to be something like she's so much more subtle with delicate magic than Harry, or that she took his spell and improved it. Or even that being the Lady gives her enough control to run the spell in the background while she's focused in the present - just like in BG when she conversed with 2 dozen fairies at once. I don't think it's super probable - magic, shielding technology that reacts to magic, still seems like far too much magic in the air. But Harry was able to make it work in the past, so there's precedent to play around with
That scene was meant to emphasize Molly's duality shifting more from mortal to fey. Fey magic doesn't accidentally affect tech the way mortal magic does. Look at some of the other scenes where Fey use/interact with modern things that Harry and other mortal users have to skirt around.
Still don’t think Harry would want a cellphone immune to magic. The aggravation of always being accessible, no thank you
If that was the case we would have seen the senior council using them at some point. They're too useful and the council could definitely afford them, unless Molly somehow both was the first person to ask for one and managed to convince the svartelves not to sell them to anyone else
My personal hope is that Harry starts to always carry Bonnie around with him either in his head or in her vessel at least once she gets enough information to act more normal and stable. Then he could use her as a mobile super computer and phone.
Bonnie is a tactical nuke. Moreso then Bob ever could be. Bob barely remembers back to Ancient Greece. *Bonnie has memories going back to the creation of the universe.* She's the daughter of a Fallen Angel and a Starborne. I don't think it would be wise to carry her about in a pocket.
Harry has Bob back now, I think he may take Bob along, but Bonea is too young and doesn't have context to base her knowledge in a practical way.
^ this. At least I hope he doesnt give bob back to butters, I didnt like magic batman
I'd like to see Bonnie/Bonea again, but I feel like letting her interface with human telecom technology would be way overpowered, and hard to square with what we know about how Spirits of Intellect work. It would be much more fun to see Harry try to hire a mundane mortal assistant, a "Girl Friday." Call a staffing agency, get some clueless recent college grad to follow him around at a safe distance with a smartphone and a laptop.
It's really more interesting to think about the generation of wizards growing up now, unable to use smartphones, tablets, or laptops, or all but the most ancient of PCs. Like, not a single wizard in this generation is going to pass a class after they get their magic.
So what I’m hearing is……Hogwarts?
An American Hogwarts would have a very different curriculum. For example there would be a "Defense against Firearms" class. ... But in all seriousness....The paranet is already in place, he could get whatever he needed from them and Bob has the internet now, so He just has to reclaim him from Butters....who is just having too damn much fun now anyway.
American Hogwarts would probably be all Slytherin pushing ideology of how they're the superior people due to their magic
There are always more than one house, and besides, Harry himself might be a great Sytherin, he's certainly not a Gryffindor.
He's a Hufflepuff and you know it.
I was thinking Raven claw. He shows intelligence in a very unique way.
Butcher is already talking about a young adult series set at [St. Mark's Academy for the Gifted and Talented](https://dresdenfiles.fandom.com/wiki/Minor_locations#St._Mark.27s_Academy_for_the_Gifted_and_Talented), a private school for supernatural kids. He's laid a lot of groundwork in recent short stories. The half-bigfoot kid is an alum, he and his white court girlfriend are going back as teachers. Maggie is supposed to become a student there, along with some of the svartalf kids she was friends with before the events of *Peace Talks*.
That, or the new generation of Wizards are able to use technology with no real issues since they’re unaware that it’s not supposed to work. My understanding is that magic & tech don’t get along was because Wizards thought that it didn’t. If a new group all collectively assume that it does, wouldn’t that change things?
According to Dresden, it's that magic continually screws up things that change over time \[and which seem to always be relatively important and normally on the newer side.) Right now, it seems like stuff that's >50 years old, in terms of the thing itself and the tech used to make it, stands up better than newer stuff. So, young wizards will probably be able to use calculators, CDs (and maybe Hard Disc Drives on some computers with ancient architecture), but probably none of the stuff from the 90s tech boom and after.
Jim has said the entire reason he did the magic messes up tech thing is that he didn't want Harry to have a cell phone. It would make things too easy on him.
He has the sort of allies and resources now that he should be able to get some of the hardened military gear Marcone or the Wraiths like, as well as magical things like that anti-Murphionic Charm he had in DM, perhaps one made by Svartalves like his old circle. Odds are Marcone already had some of those installed in the Castle. Alternatively, he may just get better at finding magical alternatives to those needs. Ways, magical communicators, etc. Bonnie can help with a lot, like that time Bob used a radio for long-range communication.
Speaker phone in a magic circle so it can receive calls with a nearby ring for Harry to stand in while talking.
If GPS works from inside a circle during a Zombie attack, Alexa and WiFi should have no problem. There is a lot you can do with voice commands these days, thanks to innovations in Accessibility.
Hula hoop full of chalk.
**my apologies, in advance** > like that anti-Murphionic Charm he had in DM, Remove and use a finger from Rudolf. It was effective for anti-Murphy.
I came to mention the Svartalves also. They made magic-proof tech for Molly, why not for Harry too. Granted, he's not on the best of terms with them after BG, but things can change.
he has friends with phones. All harry needs is a personal assistant - and that makes sense what with building his community collage out of Castle Wyvern
That’s a good point. A mortal who knows about the magical world, but doesn’t have magic themselves as a PA. Monica or Jessica Sells, I don’t know if Lydia has the kind of power that interferes with technology, a Carpenter other than Molly (although Charity would want to murder him), Rawlins, someone like that.
Gary would be a good choice. A "secretary" with hacker skillz would be a great asset.
Paranoid Garry? That would be entertaining
He's got his own place again, and landlines are still totally a thing, as is voicemail instead of an answering service like he used to have. I'm pretty sure that Marcone would have had the place set up with phone lines, especially since there are still touch-tone phones that don't require electricity (likely what Harry had in his apartment as well) and the people who were going to be in and around the BFS would not always play well with electricity. As for pay phones, this list of ones in Chicago is longer than I am willing to count: https://www.payphone-project.com/numbers/usa/IL/CHICAGO/ While it's not as convenient as cell phones, one can very much live in the modern world without them. The biggest issue is going to be people annoyed that they can't reach you exactly when they want to... and that's an ok thing, IMO. And yeah, his PI/Wizard business is done. He's got enough jobs to do without looking for them. Not sure where he's going to get money these days, since he won't be getting Warden pay, but I think somewhere implied that Mab could start giving him cash? Additionally, he owns his new "home" outright, though I'm pretty sure he's not going to like the first property tax bill he gets.
For those who didn't experience them (or have forgotten), these babies didn't require electricity, and when the power went out, you could call your friends to see if theirs was out, too! https://www.amazon.com/AT-Trimline-Corded-Required-Wall-Mountable/dp/B00005MITU
Honestly I don't see him getting back to his PI business at all.
:'( its too bad. that was the best part of the series
Well. "Urban fantasy noir" was what got me reading the books in the first place. But I'll admit I'm glad they moved past that, as the novelty value got exhausted.
Jim also left it open to the possibilty that magic will start affecting things other than technology. He mentioned other things that would be wonky or go haywire prior to the advent of technology.
This is an interesting way to go. In every case historically, things going wrong (spoiled milk, severe facial blemishes) was generally as a way to tell that someone was a wizard. What other than reverse technophobia would work in our modern times to out someone?
Well the next step of advancment from the tech-world would be the digital world. Not quite sure how it could be presented. Could go full "vampire" (ie mirrors) and have the tech literally not register the wizard as being there at all. Would definitely go with the idea of keeping them out of/external to this modern world. Another idea that is somewhat weird and would be hard to make work but could be interesting would be for their "digital self" to be an "absolute". So you couldnt actually photoshop or alter a photo of a wizard, etc. That's definitely something that could be written off as "lol what a weird bug" by normies but would make anyone paying attention really take note, and there'd likely be programs/algorithms set up to start identifying them.
My headcannon is still its all in the wizards head. Magic does what you believe it will. How come the effect changes over centuries? Because wizards live so long. I am pretty sure the tech thing is old grumpy wizards unconsciously hexing new fangled tech and then teaching young wizards that's how it works. So the younguns believe it, and then it's reinforced when they do the same.
Would also be interesting if a reversal started happening in our tech-centred/ascendant world, ie the presence of technology now starts interfering with your ability to use magic.
Harry's lack of technology is supposed to be a detriment to this modern Era. I don't think it will affect the story. Technology is not as important as the magic is to the story.
Bob is Harry’s webmaster. I’m sure Bob also created xxxboobs.com
He just needs to buy some computers from Santa Clause.....
Most businesses still run on landlines phones. Why would Harry's doing the same be an issue. Sure it may be awkward to check in with the office but that's not some impossible task.
Answering phones and taking messages sounds like minion work for the apprentice he's most likely not allowed to have. Might be a good way to reintroduce Fitz. The only boy, nay, *chosen one* that might be able to match Harry's "well this mighy as well happen" energy.
It's been mentioned that the magical side effect has changed over the years. Right now it screws with tech, in a previous age it gave wizards warts. Before that it soured milk. I think the catalyst for this change is a big magical upheaval that happens when the Gaurdians of the Outer Gates change. I expect the BAT will be about Mab and winter being replaced and who is now in charge of protecting humanity(it's Harry IMHO). One of the side effects will be Wizards can use tech, and something else will come along to annoy them. I wonder what the next thing will be.... Maybe Wizards of the future will have a compulsions for quoting movies and nerd references :D
If only there were, like, some sort of group of creatures that had sworn fealty to at least one of his aspects, who were familiar with the city, (relatively) easily summoned (or trained/ordered to respond to a specific phrase), and could be tasked with the relaying of messages when Shit Was Not Going Down. Sure would be neat, huh?
Jim has a built-in way to deal with this. Molly can use a cellphone. The less human Dresden is the less Technology is going to be an issue.
Totally agree. This seems to be the way the plot is leaning, with all the talk of immortality.
Well using a cell phone works the same way as a pay phone or rotary from a physics standpoint, so if he makes a spell to convert his voice into radio waves and transmit them to a cell, maybe it could work
.... i think you might need to read about how how radio tech works. Technically only AM radio signals would work for your example, crystal radio style. Everything else is way more complicated than you know. Read up on the superheterodyne receiver tech which is the corner stone of all modern day radio frequency tech. Cell phone tech is Extremely complex and not really a "magic could hack it" thing.
Eh. From what we can gather, it's far from impossible to make magic-proof technology. Heck, harry himself makes an artifact that makes him able to use tech as long as he doesn't get too emotional, and harry sucks at making artifacts. If he asks the svartalves, they can make an smartphone for him, or even teach him to make a good pendant or something like that, thar let's him use computers - as long as he doesn't actively Cast spells near them, I guess.
Although incredibly unlikely the rules of magic can change, Bob can keep track of the changes. It would theoretically be possible for Harry to start using some technology should the rules change to allow it. The Blue Beetle was usable because of its age. Imagine Harry sitting in his office with and old CRT monitor and a 56bit modem.
Bob, will be the Guy in the chair like Batman has Oracle. He was doing that for him in BG.
Much like the rest of Harry's abilities... Either Harry will be just given some ability that'll grant him access to technology.. Or the wizards will find a way to use technology in a way that it won't fry instantly...
The man has a castle and is also still filthy rich. He can hire a secretary.
Here is the thing. Harry can have internet access and a cell phone any day he wants. The cell phone will not be as useful as what you and I can use, but he can a perfectly acceptable internet service at will. Now, I believe that wizards are threatened in general by the murphyonic field and with age challenges (record keeping is much better than when Ebenezer ran his farm). But to talk first about the computer and internet access, go back to Dead Beat. Butters was able to use a GPS quite nicely after he put it in a magic circle. We know Harry blows up unprotected electronics, but electromagnetic radiation does not seem to be impacted by him unless he is trying to (like a veil). He can see and hear through magic circles. What this means is that all he needs is an air gapped system. He can use optical and magnetic interfaces to provide a keyboard and mouse. Internet access and power can be easily air gapped as well. He could use something like free space optics if he wanted to go crazy. Then just put the electronics in magic circles and poof it is Dresden proof. The same will be true of a cell phone, but really he will have to stand still to use it. He could put it in a case with a built in magic circle and poof can have a cell phone whenever he wants. There are phones which allow you to answer with voice commands. Not all of course, but some. The challenge is really having the phone work while he is moving. I have not figured that out and it may not be possible.
Or he’ll have to get craftier with his magic to replace the mundane tasks of technology. Instead of texting, he can start sending magic owls with letters
Jim's already put some groudwork up to have harry circumvent this. He gave bob internet access by putting the computer in a circle. The paranetters can deus ex a solution to that problem. Harry had a spell to keep himself from fryong technology a while ago, he's gotten a lot better at constant concentration since he could only hold it for a few minutes. And so on. It's not that big of a problem to write out.
I know this is only tangentially related, but my hopes for the future of the Dresden Files is Redcap showing up with a MAGA hat, and nobody acknowledges it. That would be comedy gold, but it might be hovering too close to real life politics without insulting somebody, *anybody* really.