Thicker Than Water

3.5/5
Better writing than the previous books. Less strained metaphors. The ones that were there were actually nice. Quality over quantity.
I like the 'twist' (could see that coming from early in the book) and the ending (which was inevitable, but the method surprising).
I don't see how unleashing Asmodeus/Rafi on the world is really Felix' fault. I mean, it wasn't as if he had any choice. Not using Asmo would have let Mark grow. It was merely a choice between demons.
It was nice to delve into Felix' past and personality. There is even a little character development going on, which is always nice (and long overdue).
I don't understand why Basquiet (sp? I listened to the audiobook) treats him like that and refused to believe him. After all, he had proven to her what he did and knew and on whose side he was in the second book. By the end of that one they were on a better understanding. This was just... incongruous. "We need a disbelieving blocking cop because that's mandatory in the noir genre" or something.
On the same note, there were many little plot/story errors. Which is just sloppy editing.
But the story is entertaining. It is still far from Jim Butcher's, as we compare his book 4 with this book 4. I must admit that Dresden Files 1-3 were very rough and choppy and hardly polished writing as well, but the were a lot more smooth and well-built. Not mysteries though, and that I like.
So, 3.5 stars out of 5.