Small Favor (The Dresden Files, Book 10) by Jim Butcher Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Small Favor (The Dresden Files, Book 10)
Book Review: Wanna Read A Great Series ?
Summary: 5 Stars
Book 10, is just the latest and great read from Jim Butcher. Follow the Dresden Gang through the city streets of Chicago. Just enough twists and turns to keep you interested and not so many you loose your way. Book Review: Harry Dresden - The most entertaining series, ever...
Summary: 5 Stars
Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean there is an invisible demon about to eat your face...
The Dresden series is by far one of the most amusing and enjoyable fantasy series that I've read. If you've not read any of the 'Dresden Files' then please do yourself a favour and start at #1 (Storm Front). It is more than worth it to start at the beginning. I discovered the series, after being a fan of the Sky One television programme.
Having read all the books, at least twice, they have become an integral part of my recreational reading. Furthermore, having convinced a number of my family and friends to try out Dresden, their enjoyment has meant that the 'files, have become an integral part of our regular conversations and day to day terminology.
Small Favor, is not my favourite in the series, although it is by far from the least enjoyable (that title goes to Summer Knight, an excellent book but the weakest, in my opinion, in the series), and it is more of a pre-cursor book (think Star Wars IV: A New Hope - the first Star Wars film, for those who aren't sure). It sets up a number of story lines, for what I truly hope will be another good few books.
Don't get me wrong, this book is brilliant, witty, engaging, funny - the adjectives just keep coming. The development of the characters and the continuance of what makes the series great is still there. Although, I sincerely miss 'Lash', I won't explain more for those who've not read all the books in the series.
In short, if you've already read some of the Dresden Files, you WON'T need me to convince you to buy and read this latest episode. And, if you've not read any, then start at Storm Front...
Book Review: I miss Harry already.
Summary: 5 Stars
As always I was excited to get another Harry Dresden book in my hands. It was definately not a disappointment, from page one it was a great ride, Jim Butchers characters are always always so alive and intriguing. Love this book just like all before, I miss Harry and the bunch already and can't wait for the next. Thanks!Book Review: Butcher does it Again!
Summary: 5 Stars
It is absolutely amazing how a mere mortal continues to write such compelling stories without seeming to break a sweat. I am as enthralled by "Small Favor" as I was by all the others in the "Dresden Files" series.
As usual, the book takes off, right from the beginning, never letting you take a breath as one supernatural force after another seeks to take Dresden down. Quick thinking and good friends keep our hero alive, but never too far from danger.
Rarely have I encountered a series that leaves me wondering about what the main character is becoming. You can see that there is a larger plan in the works, and even his enemies are playing a large part in Harry's becoming a force to reckon with. Kudos to Mr Butcher! Well done!
Book Review: Alera Ate Jim's Brain (warning: a few spoilers)
Summary: 3 Stars
While some Dresden is better than no Dresden, this isn't one of the strongest. White Night was so knock-out awesome that I admit it would have been hard to top it, but JB is writing this one with his head in Alera. He's using a Tolkeinesque formula (you know: Frodo gets ring, Frodo dumps ring, and in between he fights every freakin body in MiddleEarth). In Small Favor, Harry and company race from one head-knocking battle to another, with lots of disjointed details and half-finished plot lines thrown in. There's not much character development of anybody, not even Harry himself, and our favorite characters, like Bob, Mister, Thomas, the pixy Toot-Toot, Mouse and Molly, get trotted out almost as an obligation, but spend the majority of the book in the dugout. Even Murphy is sidelined for much of the book. Kincaid and Marcone are woefully under-used, and The Archive is badly used as, for some godsawful reason, Jim elects to try to humanize her, instead of capitalizing on her terrifying abilities.
There is, however, a despair-inducing abundance of Michael Carpenter, whose presence is mercifully diluted with that of the admirable Russian, Sanya, a pragmatist who, like Harry, is able to see in shades of grey. Sanya benefits from one of the few bits of available character development, and I can't help wishing there'd been more overall.
There are some really clever plot devices, like the Gruffs, but a lot of the between-battles stuff makes no sense. Like why is Mab's malk doing her speaking for her, when she can actually use her own voice? Why is the Ultimate Gruff willing to make peace with Harry, when his predecessors have been sworn to vengence? Why is Lucio putting the moves on Harry? What's happened to Lea? And we never found out what happened to the smart, helpful dolphins when Harry exploded the aquarium wall.
I wish in the next book everyone would just wake up to discover that this one had been just a "Southfork Dream".