Dead Beat (The Dresden Files, Book 7) by Jim Butcher Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Dead Beat (The Dresden Files, Book 7)
Book Review: My first Jim Butcher and it will not be the last
Summary: 5 Stars
I read so many books and most of them are bad or at least somewhere in the middle. I am somewhat astonished to find one that is actually this good.
So we here we have Harry Dresden (Wizard) making money and attempting to keep necromancers from taking over the city. This is apparently business as usual we also have his brother Thomas, his dog mouse and a collection of vampires, werewolves and a possessed skull named bob.
This is a great book and from all appearances a series everyone who is a dark of quirky dark humor sci-fi should give these books a try I know I will.
Book Review: Dresden files
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a wonderful ride. I have written to the producers of the TV show and told them I can't wait for next season. The books are a little different than the show but I can live with the difference.Book Review: DRESDEN!
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is amazing, just like the six books that came before it. There are supposed to be 20 and you really don't have to read them in order, so dont think its the never ending series.Book Review: What happened to the real Jim Butcher?
Summary: 3 Stars
Except for the dialogue, which is certainly Jim Butcher's strength, this book almost seemed to be written by someone other than the guy who wrote the first six books. The other six flowed from chapter to chapter, Dead Beat's prose was halted the flow and the over the top introspection slowed the book to a crawl at times. There was little to no flow. Was there a different editor on Dead Beat? It was very "Stephen King-like" when King is at his worst; choppy narrative that brings a Dead Stop to the over all flow of a book. Still good, but this ranks as my least favorite Butcher book. Book Review: Over-the-top Dresden
Summary: 3 Stars
If you are a fan of the Dresden Files TV series and are considering checking into the print series, do yourself a favor and start at the beginning. This book is seventh in the series, preceded by, in order:
Storm Front Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1)
Fool Moon Fool Moon (The Dresden Files, Book 2)
Grave Peril Grave Peril (The Dresden Files, Book 3)
Summer Knight Summer Knight (The Dresden Files, Book 4)
Death Masks Death Masks (The Dresden Files, Book 5)
Blood Rites Blood Rites (The Dresden Files, Book 6)
Also, the reality in the books is a little different than the TV series, and you won't enjoy the books if you get hung up on the TV canon. My advice is kick back and enjoy the ride. Unlike many series authors, Jim Butcher has sustained the quality and appeal of the series throughout.
The Dresden Files are noir detective novels in the classic vein, with a loner, wiseass private eye narrator in this case based in Chicago. Harry Dresden has an edgy relationship with the police, and between his PI practice and police consulting, is barely able to make ends meet. The twist is that the detective is also a wizard capable of calling fire and, on a good day, repelling bullets.
The writer's challenge is to provide his detective with challenges that he can't solve with a wave of his wand. These tend to be ever-increasing supernatural foes, people problems, and vexing situations that combine the two.
"Dead Beat" is not the strongest book in the series. Instead of starting with a case assignment, Harry gets a compulsory invitation from black vampire queen Mavra. Mavra shows Harry that she has magical leverage over his police buddy Murphy. Harry must do what she says or Murphy is Mavra's. Mavra wants a magical text called "The Word of Kemmler". Of course, there are other strong dark magic forces that want the text too. Harry is pushed to his limits and beyond, juggling his need to protect Murphy from the vampire, his other friends from the influence of the dark forces, to stay within the constraints of white magic, and hopefully preserve his life. Since there is a sequel, it's not a spoiler to say he succeeds, but of course at a cost.
"Dead Beat" is like one of those movies that substitutes explosions for writing. What makes the Dresden Files more appealing than other vampire/magic/urban fantasy tales is Harry himself and his spirited relationship with Murphy. Murphy is off-scene in "Dead Beat", which diminshes its charm. Instead, Harry is paired with his half-brother Thomas, but Thomas doesn't have Murphy's strong motivations, so he's not as vivid a character. He's handsome, he's a slob, he can't keep a job, he's kind of depressed - we know this about him but other than one (very good) scene, he doesn't come to life. So Harry is surrounded by a bunch of secondary characters that have accreted over the course of the series, who are interesting but not strong enough to carry the book with Harry.
If you've made it this far in the series, of course you will read "Dead Beat", and you will enjoy it, but you won't find it as nourishing as, say "Blood Rites". But, cheer up, there are more instalments ahead and reason to hope.