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: Keeps getting better
Summary: 5 Stars
I really enjoyed the characters developing further in this book,and the plot zips along. I was so sorry to finish this- waiting for the next one now.Book Review: A crowded canvas, but still worth it
Summary: 4 Stars
Harry Dresden remains one of my favorite fictional characters, and frankly, this book is no exception to the fantastic world Butcher has created. It's fast-paced and funny, with threads seemingly left at random only to be gathered into an unexpected tapestry by the book's end. Others' complaints about the relationship between Harry and Murphy don't bother me. I've never been one of those who was eager to see them hooked up. What, men and women who work together can't just be best friends? I can't say I really understand this sudden interest in Luccio, but the lack of romantic interest in Murphy makes perfect sense to me.
The only reason this book isn't a 5-star is because it suffers from a cast of too many characters. Butcher has tried to blend a lot in this particular venture, and it doesn't always flow as seamlessly as his usual work. I'm not a great fan of the fae, either, but at least it ends up taking a back seat for the middle of part of the story. I enjoy the Carpenters and find the Knights fascinating, so having them around in the book is a bonus for me.
Now I just have to find some way to be patient for book 11.
Book Review: It's Dresden, but not deeply satisfying or fulfilling
Summary: 3 Stars
By the time a series is in its 10th volume, you're either a fan or not a fan and it will take some pretty serious stumbling to put you off (Sue Grafton, are you listening?). Small Favor is not a stumble, but it's a placeholder in the series. Harry Dresden is more powerful, and thus has greater challenges to overcome. A minor spoiler - he has some romantic interest, which has certainly not been a regular feature for him.
Harry Dresden has been accruing minor characters like a snowball rolling down a slope. Most of them make an appearance in Small Favor. Molly Carpenter, the young woman he's been mentoring, is making progress but will never be the kick-ass fightin' wizard that Harry is. Murphy, the petite Special Investigations cop continues to be a loyal and good friend with a spark of attraction between her and Harry. Even the pizza-eating pixies make an appearance. All this interplay of Harry's friends and wary allies can't create a good story, and although there is definitely a plot, with the typical world-as-we-know-it at stake, Small Favor feels like Butcher is going through the motions. This is a real bummer, as I really like Harry as a character, the world of magic and the supernatural that Jim Butcher has developed, and Butcher's thoughts and wisecracks attributed to Harry. There's an afterward to Small Favor where Butcher introduces us to his Codex Alera series (this is reprinted from previous books), and perhaps this is where his heart is. But Jim, there are plenty of series like Codex Alera, and only one Harry Dresden!
Book Review: Searching For Marcone
Summary: 5 Stars
Small Favor (2008) is the tenth fantasy novel in the Dresden Files series, following White Night. In the previous volume, Mouse enjoyed a new chewtoy and Harry Dresden got out of a White Court party in a highly spectacular fashion, leaving behind the remains of his enemies. Lara Raith -- now the Queen of the White Court -- made him a promise and Harry restrained his anger.
Molly Carpenter learned a little caution and gained a little toughness. Elaine left for California and Ramirez survived his knife wounds. Marcone admitted the truth about Helen's daughter and Harry talked to Thomas about the benefits of his new job.
In this novel, winter comes early to Chicago. Harry is giving Molly a lesson in shielding while the other Carpenter kids are trying to distract her with snowballs. Finally Molly gets her shield up and stops two snowballs, but the others get through. Molly is very good at more subtle magic, but she will never become a combat wizard. Yet Harry wants her to learn the fundamentals.
Molly and the other kids have a whispered discussion and then they pelt Harry with snowballs. Of course, Harry raises his shield well before the snowballs can strike. Then Charity Carpenter drops snow down his neck.
While Harry is trying to shake out the snow, the monsters attack. First the lights go out throughout the block. Then three short creatures with furry coats and horns charge across the backyard. As Harry draws his blasting rod, a fourth monster jumps at him from the treehouse.
The older Carpenter kids grab their younger siblings and run toward the safe room. Harry blasts the monsters, but they soon pop up again to renew the attack. Charity Carpenter finally takes out one monster and drives away the others with a nail gun and a steel hammer.
Since cold iron has drastic effects on the monsters, Harry figures that they are fae. After returning home, he looks through his reference books and finds that the monsters are gruffs, like in the fairy tale about the billy goats and the troll. They are minions of the Summer Count.
Michael Carpenter is a Knight of the Cross. He had been out getting pizza when the attack occurred. He thanks Harry for saving the children, but Harry points out that Charity had actually saved the day. Michael asks Charity how she had known that the monsters were fae, but she states that she hadn't known. Michael tends to believe that it was divine intervention.
In this story, Karrin Murphy summons Harry to consult on a strange incident in an abandoned apartment building. Harry hasn't had a consultation with the Chicago PD for some time due to the disfavor of higher authorities. But Special Investigations has been saving money from the coffee fund to hire him whenever necessary. Now it is necessary, but Harry talks them down to an hourly rate.
The building had the whole front sheered off and dropped to the ground. Harry walks around the property and discovers distorted pentacles on five sides. Someone has created a huge pentagram through the building with hellfire, but Harry doesn't know why.
Harry summons the pixie Toot-toot to gather information on the episode. Toot-toot flies off to contact his friends, but immediate returns and tells Harry to run. Harry is confused for a moment, but then he hears footsteps coming toward him and takes off toward a nearby police station.
On the way, Harry becomes lost in the snow and finds himself in an alley with Mab, the Winter Queen. Mab tries once again to recruit Harry as the Winter Knight, but he still refuses. Then she shows him what happened in the wrecked apartment building.
In a miniature diorama, Harry sees gentleman Johnnie Marcone arrive at the building and go inside toward a panic room. Then there is a break in the coverage, but it resumes with Marcone stumbling out of the building. Then several forms surround him and whisk him away in a plain van.
Mab then calls a second favor from Harry. She declares that he is her Emissary to find Marcone. Then she leaves and the gruffs appear.
These gruffs are larger than the first set. Harry runs out of the alley, but they remain close behind. So he hides in an unoccupied business tower. The three gruffs quickly surround the building, but Harry takes out one of them and manages to escape again.
Harry gets the location of a safe house from Helen at Executive Priority Health, one of Marcone's business enterprises. When he and his brother Thomas check out the location, they find Gard and Hendricks, but not Marcone. Then they are attacked by Tessa and other agents of the Knights of the Blackened Denarius.
Harry and Thomas get away from the Denarians, taking Hendricks and the grievously wounded Gard with them. After some argument, Hendricks and Gard decide to help Harry find Marcone.
This tale has agents of both the Summer and Winter Courts attacking Harry and his friends. Then there are the Denarians out to get him. What is going on?
Harry convinces the White Council to intervene in the conflict. Captain Luccio eventually appears with some young Wardens. Harry starts to view Anastasia Luccio as a potential date.
The story involves or mentions just about every surviving character from the previous books. Maybe the author has decided to end the series. Let us hope otherwise.
Highly recommended for Butcher fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of magical attacks, cunning ploys, and a touch of romance.
-Arthur W. Jordin
Book Review: Hard to Put Down!!!!!!
Summary: 4 Stars
I have all of the Dresden Files Novel's. This one seems to be one of the most fast paced of them all. I read the book in 2 days and usually it takes me a little longer to pound one out but I couldn't put it down. In the last 1/4 of the book Jim Butcher seemed to be pushing the story line so quickly that it gave me the feeling he was just trying to wrap it up to start another. I found it to be almost predictable and poor "Bob" was hardly mentioned throughout and did little to add to the story line even though he is a main part of the series. I hope the next book will be more in depth like Winter Night or Blood Rites but all in all a good read..