Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1)
by Jim Butcher
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Book Reviews of Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1)
Book Review: Another Wizard Named Harry
Summary: 5 Stars
Being named for three other men of magic, Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden was destined to be a wizard himself. In fact, he's the only one in the Chicago yellow pages. When there are matters of the paranormal, lost items, or just plain mysterious goings-on, Harry's the man to hire.
His character is part part Good Magician Humphrey (from Piers Anthony's Xanth series), part Spencer (From Robert Parker's books), part Harry Potter (J.K. Rowling's character all grown up, having defeated Valdemort and hung out his shingle for hire), and part Sam Spade (gotta love Dashiell Hammett and that other Humphrey of Bogart fame). Wisecracking, tormented, self-deprecating yet confident, Harry is consulted by the Chicago police as well as private clients.
He's a bit down on his luck as the story opens, what with his landlord sending him threatening mail and with the White Council overseeing matters of magic putting him on a double-secret probation that could mean his death if he takes one wrong step. He's shadowed by a watchdog named Morgan who is so convinced of Harry's guilt in everything that Harry knows he is doomed. Nevertheless, Harry is a good soul who always tries to do the right thing, even if he has to do something wrong in order to make right happen.
For instance, Harry is compelled not to play with a mobster who wants him not to investigate what the police have asked him to look into. More than a month behind on his rent, Harry swallows hard and turns down the money that could keep his rent paid for months and opts for trying to solve this particularly grisly crime: the hearts of the victims were literally ripped from their chests mid-"act."
And as is de riugeur in such stories, the beautiful woman who is waiting at his office to hire him melts his heart with her tortured eyes and her hefty retainer.
The book gallops along at a lively pace. Fairies, demons, golems, and skulls inhabited by helpful spirits either aid or hamper Harry's investigation. The lovely reporter determined to get her story seduces Harry (of course, the love potion the spirited skull has him make helps get the date off on the proper footing - sort of).
Harry works alone. He doesn't have the sidekicks that Harry Potter and Spencer are blessed with, but at the same time he is aided by his wits and his arcana.
The author's use of magic and psychic abilities is a great twist or what might otherwise be a formulaic book - although the mysteries Harry solves aren't anything like the run-of-the-mill cases Magnum P.I. would get.
Now that I've discovered Harry Dresden, Wizard, I think I'll read more about him. I hope he's still single by the time I meet him. We will have a lot to share. Pass the love potion, please. I'd like a refill.
Book Review: Intriguing premise but plot full of holes
Summary: 3 Stars
Storm Front is Book One of the Dresden Files, and there are at least four published in the series so far.In this book, we are introduced to Harry Dresden, a wizard living in Chicago and barely making a living as an investigator of the paranormal and consultant to the police.
As the story unfolds, Harry has a new client and is called to investigate a double murder by the police. We get to see Harry's life on multiple levels, as he works an outside job, and inside job, and attempts to deal with various issues in his personal life, such as dating, annoying faeries, and trouble with the unseen White Council.
I found the story intriguing, and although somewhat derivative, there were some interesting spins in creating a hard-boiled gumshoe wizard.
In creating a back story for Harry Dresden, author Jim Butcher has done a good job. In reading the book, I can tell that details of Harry's life have been thought out, that he has a family tree, there are rules to magic, and he has a history with his mentor. The White Council, while unseen, is represented by Morgan, a cross between a probation officer and grand inquisitor, and Dresden's nemesis. There are several sequences involving magical talismans, spells, potions and such that were interesting, and acceptable as far as magical realism.
Now for the bumps, and there were more than a few.
Another reviewer already commented on the issue of the canister and how Harry came to get it. I wondered also, why give it up so easily?
There was a very basic temporal gaff, when the day is referred to as Friday when it's already Saturday, and this is not just nit-picking because the day sequence is integral to the plot and Harry's fate.
Also, the plot just didn't hold together well, like the author was trying to do too much and tie things together with some implausible coincidences. He's called in to investigate a murder involving some mob guy and a woman, which leads him to connections with a more powerful mob guy selling drugs, and then into a connection with a black wizard peddling a drug that allows users to glimpse through the 'Third Eye' and eventually it's all a setup? Please.
Dresden's relationship with Officer Murphy didn't fly either. Why doesn't he just talk to these people? How can she slap handcuffs on him after she's been poisoned by a dog-size scorpion? Why does she think he's the killer? This just irritated me.
Morgan the wizard also thought Harry was the killer, and this bugged me because I thought the White Council would at least have some sense on who's using what kind of powers.
I had no problem finishing the book, because it was a quick read, and I'm interested enough in the big picture story to read the next one, but I hope the story plotting is better.
Book Review: Enjoyable light fantasy.
Summary: 3 Stars
I picked up the first of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files books after seeing and enjoying (to some degree) the Sci-Fi channel's series based on them. If you've watched the series, you will recognize both the overall story and circumstances of Harry Dresden, Wizard, and key elements of the plot of this book, which was used for one of the episodes.
In brief, Harry Dresden is a modern-day wizard living in Chicago, selling his services much as a private detective in the Mickey Spillane vein does. He seems to have a knack for getting himself into trouble, and making dubious decisions at times. He's constantly broke, and ekes out a living by supplementing the occasional "wizarding" client with consulting work for the police department, who call him in when "weird" crimes defy their first explanations.
He gets called in on a grisly double murder that defies explanation, that is, of course, until Harry sees the scene and recognizes the signs of black magic. In the mean time, he takes on a client who is looking for her missing husband, is talked into going on a date with an attractive woman who writes for a supermarket tabloid-like paper that specializes in the occult, and has run-ins with thugs from the local organized crime boss.
Fans of the TV show will find that it is somewhat faithful to the book, but will find plenty in the book that did not make the transition to the small screen. I liked the TV series enough; I liked this first book more, and despite having watched the entire run of episodes, found plenty in the book that was new and entertaining - certainly the show did not detract from my enjoyment of the book. As writing goes, it's not epic fantasy or high-octane literature, it's more "pulp" in its feel and certainly draws inspiration from the old pulp detective stories, both in its first-person, linear narrative and in its atmosphere of mild seediness.
The plot progresses smoothly, the prose reads well, and Harry is a fun character who has a knack of being his own worst enemy. This derives from his personality and tendency to do things that seem foolish, not from his skills as a wizard, which I was happy to see, again in comparison to the TV series, are in fact quite considerable, well-presented, and effectively used. After a heavy cultural immersion in Harry Potter, it's pleasing to find a "wizard world" that's a bit less arch and gee-whiz juvenile.
I plan to read the next book in the series, and if it holds up, purchase the entire run. If you're looking for epic tales of world-saving magi, look elsewhere, but if you want a nice entertaining tale that envisions magic in the modern world, pick up a copy of Storm Front.
Book Review: True Mystery
Summary: 5 Stars
The reason I think this book succeeds where many fantasy mysteries fail is because it throws us directly into a mystery that's a true whodunit, not a lineup of fanciful characters. Many fantasy mysteries are little better than "Weird Harold" exhibitions, parades of strange characters who do odd things and then disappear. Not this book: it has the pace and urgency of Raymond Chandler alongside the mystery and wonder of J.R.R. Tolkein.
You already know what this book is about. It's one of the most popular fantasy novels published in the last two decades, and it catapulted its author to celebrity status overnight. But unlike many celebrity authors, who leave readers scratching their heads and wondering what's the big deal, Jim Butcher justifies his renown with a sharply paced, nail-biting crime thriller and a wondrous fantasy wrapped in a single novel.
Different readers probably have different reasons why they think this novel succeeds. It may be the distinctly individuated characters, who have their own personalities and speak in individual idioms. It may be the mystery, which takes a heightened look at real world problems rather than burying readers in "fantastic" pelf. For me, it's two-fold: the setting, and the writing.
This story could not take place anywhere other than Chicago. With its long history of crime, its industrial triumph and decay, its location on a major waterway and the nexus of four states, and its segregated neighborhoods with distinct identities, no other city in America is home to the same kind of grandeur and tension as Chicago. And Butcher's depiction of these qualities is pitch perfect as his hero tries to negotiate all the potential pitfalls Chicago has in store for him.
Although Butcher did not invent fantasy mysteries, all the authors who dip into that genre in the last decade have tried to live up to the high standards he set. His prose is dense and textured, with not one word wasted and not one scene thrown in for cute value. Even when he's obviously writing leads for the next volume, Butcher's heart and mind are clearly on this book, telling us the best possible story he can right now, in the clearest, richest way he knows how.
Jim Butcher tells a cracking good story. His characters are human, and succeed by their own virtues, not just because the writer makes it so. His challenges are firmly rooted in the real world even as he ventures into fantastic territory to clinch the narrative. And he's just plain fun to read. Fans of noir mystery and urban fantasy have plenty to enjoy in this book, and the author promises more of the same in subsequent volumes.
Book Review: There's Something About Harry
Summary: 5 Stars
Whether it's his casual aloofness in the world of wizardry or his decided non-interest in conforming to every rule set forth for magical application, there's just something about Harry Dresden. Book one of the Dresden Files is at first a mild intro into the now famously popular series, but one that came around when least expected and beguiled this reader into sticking to the pages till every last word was absorbed. Maybe it's more that Harry's a good old-fashioned guy with a twist...yeah, and he's out to get whoever is targeting him.
As a wizard and occasional magical consultant for the Chicago P.D., Harry's used to seeing crimes that dabble in the bizarre. When his counterpart on the force, Karrin Murphy, brings him in for the latest and gruesome greatest, it's a disturbing use of black magic that has Harry stumped. Not one to leave humanity in the lurch, he takes on the case, in addition to a mysterious inquiry made by a suburban housewife. Detectives have nothing on Harry when he begins to delve into both cases, quickly coming to realize that the rest of the world might not want anything uncovered. From mob bosses to magical wardens meant to keep magic in line, Harry's got one heck of a time keeping himself afloat. When the black magic and his own White Council come gunning for him, he digs deeper and takes a stand. After all, the bills do have to get paid somehow.
Set in a gritty alternate reality where magic is on the outskirts of human existence, Storm Front introduces a witty and engrossing side to the urban fantasy genre. It's a first person tale told by one of the more interesting male leads to grace the pages of books. Caught between so many rock and hard places, Harry's constantly twisting and turning to figure his way out of the next tight spot. With limitations forced on him at every turn, one would think he'd fight more than a little dirty. He does, to a point, but remains steadfast to his beliefs too. Thanks to his mystical detecting skills, readers are treated to some very amusing and action steeped scenarios and the host of rich secondary characters always adds to them. The descriptions used for the magical encounters are believable and told in a reader friendly way, allowing readers to sink into the storyline that much easier. By book's end, you too might breath a little easier as I did, but find yourself wondering what's up next for Harry Dresden. Only way to find out is the snatch up the second installment, Fool Moon, then the third and forth and fifth...A truly wonderful discovery and one I would reread again and again.