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: happy with harry
Summary: 5 Stars
Okay, so this review is nothing at all BUT spoilers and so you should skip it if you haven't read the book yet.
The Billy Goats Gruff; Ha! 'Za Lord's guard protects the cleaning brownies from the dreaded Mister beast. "Forget the doughnut!" Murph standing up to the Gruff v2.0. Gruff v2.0 being Zortched by the might of Thor! Nicodemus still a creepy mastermind of the deepest evil. Michael down for the count. Gruff v3.0- 5'4"? He's Harry's doughnut bitch. Harry with 2 swords. God Speaks Through Tolkien! Murph jelous about Anastasia? Murph want to go all-in in the fight against evil. Soulfire, baby.
Me? I liked this book.
Book Review: Denarians into Nickleheads
Summary: 4 Stars
This book had it's moments, but it isn't one of my favorite Dresden files. I disliked how the whole mission from Mab with Marcone got pushed into the background, to the point where it was Harry vs. the Denarians.
I liked how Butcher had developed the Order of the Blackened Denarius, up until this novel. They were menacing, fallen-angel type evils of biblical proportions. Even in "Small Favor" it's stated that the Knights prefer to double or triple an active Denarian if possible, because otherwise the odds are suicidal. Inside the book, Harry coins the term 'Nickleheads' because otherwise he's giving Denarians too much respect.
I guess Butcher bought into that mindset too. Because Harry Dresden had it too easy, given the odds against him. I liked the way the Summer/Winter angle was handled, and the early chapters were great. Then in the middle of the book when the focus is off Marcone, suddenly nearly the entire might of the Denarian Order (led by Nick) is focused against team Dresden. Rather than diabolical fallen angels hellbent on Armageddon, the Denarians come off more as buffoonish monsters with little intelligence. Nicodemus is the exception, yet given the number of Denarians encountered, this struck me a reversal of the how the Order of Denarius was portrayed in the Dresden Files.
Overall, I enjoyed the book but I'd like my fallen angels a little more on the scary side. Nicodemus fits that bill, the rest, no.
Book Review: Thoroughly Disappointing
Summary: 2 Stars
I can't believe I'm saying this about a Dresden novel, but here goes: this book? Was thoroughly disappointing.
The case, is as always, a great ride. However, to quote an earlier review: Where's Harry Dresden? More importantly, where are the relationships that were so important to him earlier in the series - namely those with Murphy and Thomas?
When I first began reading this series, it was Murphy and Harry that grabbed me and hooked me. Their's was an angsty relationship, but nonetheless filled with chemistry that leapt off the page at me and helped me endure Susan's incredibly grating presence in the early books. As the characters that I cared the most about, I had hoped I would see Harry and Murphy develop into something more eventually. No, instead, Murhpy is now Harry's muscle. Reduced to being "small and fierce" (Tyra Banks has a lot to answer for), she's a cipher to me in this book. For some reason, she's still hung up on Kincaid, yet I have no idea what that relationship meant to her beyond that. A holiday with him is about the last thing I remember from an earlier novel. She's been having experiences off somewhere, while the books now see fit to chronicle Elaine, the annoyance that is Molly and even pages and pages (previous book) of Charity's righteous anger at Harry (Mercifully, Charity seems to have grown a heart in this book). Why? I have no idea. I don't care about any of them, yet recently, they've taken precedence over the characters that I've loved and followed for from the first book.
I don't understand why Murphy, pretty much the strongest female character (a character I wished more urban fantasies could get a clue from) in the book has been reduced to a bit part. Is it so Luccio can take her place? Ten books later, I care nothing for Luccio, and frankly, the thought of seeing Harry in this relationship in the next book has me already putting it aside. I have no earthly idea why I should care about this character as opposed to Murphy. Murphy and Harry are the normal and the supernatural in intriguing packages (I've been eagerly waiting for Murph to get the sword...yet, that's done too, explained away in a flip line and nothing more), and more importantly, in characters who to me had such grand potential considering their views on the world, their attraction and their partnership. They pretty much *sparked* like crazy to me from the get-go, and as the characters grew with each book, the story potential between this too seemed to me to be too good to be true - I *craved* their relationship in other urban fantasies I've read. Now? Not anymore. I rather suspect they might find they're too good friends to ever stuff it up with a relationship at the rate things are going, but I doubt I'll be around to read about it.
If there was no romance on the horizon for them - cool. However, Murphy, pretty much hands down my favorite female character in the books like this that I've read, is still slowly disappearing in favor of background characters.
The other disappointment? - Thomas. Nothing more than muscle, and competing with Molly as the Resident go-to-guy for funny one-liners. He's been reduced to being Harry's chauffer and Harry's double. After which, he suddenly reappears at the end of the book, the lack of his presence at his brother's side explained by one line. Thomas' reveal as Harry's brother in an earlier book pretty much gave me the biggest emotional punch for Harry in the entire series. Since, then, I've seen nothing of the sort for Harry. He's been coasting along, getting a revelation here and there embroiled in his cases, but none of it translates back to the next most important characters to me, and I'd argue, Harry - Murphy and Thomas.
I think Harry is stagnating. I haven't seen any change in him since Thomas appeared. Perhaps a line or two there, when he's not running for his life, or getting involved with third tier characters, but that's pretty much it. He is surrounded by pages and page of superfluous characters, thrust into importance in the book, and at the expense of the established characters. I was willing to tolerate Molly's presence as Harry's apprentice, but frankly, any character designed to be the sister/apprentice/plucky, yet snarky with the one liners? Is as annoying in print, as they are onscreen. I shudder to think of yet another book involving Michael and his family. I know more about them, than I do about Murphy and Thomas these days, and I don't care about the former, especially when their presence is as a consequence of sacrificing Murphy and Thomas' time with Harry. Simply put, that isn't a sacrifice I'm willing to make. And having Thomas appear in a separate book? Doesn't do him justice. It's Thomas and Harry (and Murphy), that I want to read about, not `Thomas' adventures without Harry'.
My best friend made sure I had this book on time the day it was released. I waxed lyrical about it for a year until I got it...and I really don't know how to tell her I wished she'd saved her money. There's nothing here that got me hooked in the series' early novels. All there is, is a hero that's stuck, and a cast of characters that are suddenly thrust into importance after spending the previous 10 books as minor characters, while those that have been around for ages now, that affect Harry the most, are slowly fading away.
Book Review: Another Great Book in this Series
Summary: 5 Stars
Read this book cover to cover on a plane ride last night. This is one of the better books in the Dresden Files. (They are all very good.) You do not have to have read the previous books to enjoy this one, but some of the characers will likely make a bit more sense if you have. Way to go Jim Butcher.Book Review: The10th installment in the Dresden World is finally here
Summary: 5 Stars
The 10th book in Jim Butcher's wonderful world of Harry Dresden, is everything that I thought it would be. It was like watching paint dry counting down the day until I could go and buy the new Dresden book. Dresden is up to his elbows in fairies and he sure isn't happy about it, along with all the other trials and tribulations. If you haven't read it yet, I suggest that you go out and get it today!