Fool Moon (The Dresden Files, Book 2)
by Jim Butcher
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Book Reviews of Fool Moon (The Dresden Files, Book 2)
Book Review: Supernatural Fiction at its' best
Summary: 5 Stars
The claw marks, footprint, and carnage look as if a werewolf is on the loose even though most Second City residents scoff at the notion of a shiftchanger. After working with wizard Harry Dresden on a previous case, Special Investigative Officer Karrin Murphy accepts that the supernatural is real. She believes a werewolf committed the killings. She turns to Harry as America's only wizard to come out of the closet to help her on the Chicago werewolf killings.However, Internal Affairs and the local FBI want Murphy and Dresden kept out of the investigation. The honorable Harry would love to walk away and allow the humans to make a mess of things, but in good conscience knows an "I told you so," means nothing. Harry and Karrin track the werewolf to environmentalist Harley MacFinn, but just because he is one doesn't necessarily mean he is the killer. Perhaps his shapechanging girlfriend or a teen group receiving special tutoring on the finer points of lycanthropy 101 is the culprits. As a dark side of a bruised Harry surfaces, he struggles to survive a war not of his making.
Harry Dresden is a unique character in the urban fantasy sub-genre. Harry is a maverick whose mouth seems to get him in as much trouble as his actions. He is a smart know-it-all, but cannot stop himself from saving humanity in spite of mankind's ridicule. FOOL MOON is a fast-paced fascinating noir thriller that keeps readers interest so that the new fan will seek out the previous novel, STORM FRONT and the old reader will re-peruse their copy.
Harriet Klausner
Book Review: Better than most of the genre, but . . .
Summary: 3 Stars
I'm sensing a new trend of intentionally semi-competent heroes. This and Dead Witch Walking are my only indications, so I could be wrong.
Take Harry Dresden, Freelance Wizard. He screws up. A lot. Not necessarily terrible mistakes, but little slips. But people often die from these mistakes. Being fallible makes Harry more human, but it's asking a lot of me to look the other way as innocent victims are offered up on the sacrificial altar of our hero's character development. Halfway through this book I wanted someone to take over for Harry. Someone who could work toward a solution instead of stumbling his way through.
While the world concept is intriguing and well-executed, I found the nuts and bolts of the writing a bit weak. The narrator is a little too pleased with his cleverness. Some action scenes are well-written. Others (like the last one) are just too busy with too many unnecessary characters.
I also found the ending completely contrived. Harry suddenly remembers that he carries something on him (something important and obvious) that saves the day. It's like a cab driver spending all day trying to break into his locked car only to recall he's had his keys in his pocket the whole time.
All the above said, this is better than most stuff of the modern fantasy genre. I won't be reading any more of Dresden, but I don't really like series anyway. My recommendation: read if you like the genre. Don't bother if you don't.
Book Review: Great Occult fiction with only some slight low points
Summary: 4 Stars
Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden. Conjure by it at your own risk... Not bad, huh? That rather sets the tone for this, the second novel in the Harry Dresden series. As the pun implies, this book centers on werewolves, which come in many forms and flavors, we quickly find.
Assisted by his licentious talking skull Bob and occult journalist Susan, Harry investigates a series of murders, the scenes of which are pattered with paw prints and look like the insides of slaughterhouses. Magic quickly leads him to a gang of teenage werewolves, led by a mysterious creature named Tera. Harry quickly finds himself at the middle of a territory war between various packs and struggles to stay alive against creatures which are almost by definition unstoppable killing machines. The characters are well-done and innovative, from the nearly slavering pack leader Patrick, to the demon informant who speaks with a quaint Oxford accent and wears wire rim spectacles on a lobster-like face.
While several scenes require some serious suspension of disbelief, especially when Harry is interacting with police, the action is very intense, yet kept under wraps, giving the illusion of the mundane where there really is the supernatural. The plot is kept moving by the characters, and not by any deus ex machina or god-modding on the part of Harry. The dialog is witty and inventive, and even the romantic scenes are well performed, without seeming false or degrading into a Harlequin novel.
Book Review: Ruff Ruff
Summary: 3 Stars
I really liked the first book and dove straight into the second one. I wasn't impressed. Something about the absolute NON-STOP going just wore me out. By that, I mean it almost felt like one thing after another happened and it almost became totally unrealistic.
Obviously, this story is about werewolves....hexenwolves....and whatever other wolves the story described. I kinda got lost in all the jumble of what's what. I found myself just pushing to get the story over with. Why did I stick with it? Well, I think Harry Dresden is funny. I also wanted to see how it all came together in the end. I stuck it out and I'm glad I did, but you won't ever find me reading this one again.
I can't stand werewolf folklore. I'm not much of a dog person, I guess you could say. The whole 'pack' thing and bloodlust just doesn't scare me. I find it barbaric and uninteresting. I also find police corruption and cops getting high on magical power slightly uninteresting. I guess you could say that I wasn't really going to be impressed by this story from the get-go. Still, I read it and I intend to continue with the whole series, so long as the dogs get put outside where they belong and stay there.
I suppose you could say that you'll probably really like this book if you're 'team jacob' and buy into the whole wolf thing. Otherwise, prepare for a lot of yawning and nodding off along with the occasional laugh when Dresden does something funny.
Book Review: Jim Butcher has a winner with Fool Moon
Summary: 5 Stars
The highest compliment I can give a book is its characters become real to me. Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden now lives with my other literary friends who have reached this status. Harry Dresden is an often misunderstood wizard. His heart is in the right place but people tend to misjudge him. Take Karrin Murphy, Director of Special Investigations for the Chicago Police Department. When a case comes across her desk that is supernatural in origin, Harry is her man. Unfortunately, she doesn't trust Harry because sometimes he isn't forthcoming with all the information she needs to solve the crime. She doesn't know Harry has to answer to the White Council, a "policeman" for those with supernatural ability and it's against the rules to let common mortals know about them. It doesn't help that most people don't believe in the supernatural and think Harry is a scam artist or worse. When corpses begin turning up with shredded and chewed up body parts, she has no choice but to turn to Harry again. It doesn't take Harry long to figure out a werewolf is killing people. Harry really wants to help out and stop the killings but roadblocks hamper his investigation at every turn. Throw in mobsters, being arrested, beat up, chased, confrontations with hungry werewolves, mad FBI agents,and nearly getting killed several times, and you have a glimpse of what Harry's life has turned into. All in all, a very good read and I recommend it very highly.