Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1) by Jim Butcher Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1)
Book Review: The first in the Harry Dresden series
Summary: 4 Stars
I've heard a lot about the Harry Dresden series of books but hadn't got round to reading any of them until now. I was instantly drawn in to the interesting world of Harry Dresden, Wizard, who has a little agency that looks for missing people and that kind of thing. Harry also helps the police (policewoman Ms Murphy occasionally refers cases to him) and it's investigating two strange deaths where we first meet him.
The narrator writes in such a way that we see into Harry's head and he's an amusing character. He seems to bumble about, not always entirely sure what he's doing but generally trying to get it right. He has an assistant, Bob, a skull with some strange attributes and he also has a reporter woman who is trying every trick in the book to get some secrets from him. What with a threat from the mob, a nasty experience with a vampire and finding himself naked outdoors with a woman who has swallowed a love potion, Harry Dresden seems to have an exciting life.
Although I enjoyed the book I didn't find I was completely gripped by it - I read several other books at the same time. I tend to prefer vampire/werewolf paranormal books rather than witch/wizard ones because of what can seem lazy plotting; if your hero/heroine is a wizard or witch they can magic up a spell to get them out of a problem and the reader never knows the full range of spells that are available to the hero so you can't tell if they are really in serious trouble or not. Still Harry is a suitably bumbling wizard who lurches from one problem to the next and is trying to avoid those in authority over him who aren't happy with him - it's a fun read and a good set up for the rest of the series but I don't think that I enjoyed it enough to buy the next books.
Book Review: The first in the Harry Dresden series
Summary: 4 Stars
I've heard a lot about the Harry Dresden series of books but hadn't got round to reading any of them until now. I was instantly drawn in to the interesting world of Harry Dresden, Wizard, who has a little agency that looks for missing people and that kind of thing. Harry also helps the police (policewoman Ms Murphy occasionally refers cases to him) and it's investigating two strange deaths where we first meet him.
The narrator writes in such a way that we see into Harry's head and he's an amusing character. He seems to bumble about, not always entirely sure what he's doing but generally trying to get it right. He has an assistant, Bob, a skull with some strange attributes and he also has a reporter woman who is trying every trick in the book to get some secrets from him. What with a threat from the mob, a nasty experience with a vampire and finding himself naked outdoors with a woman who has swallowed a love potion, Harry Dresden seems to have an exciting life.
Although I enjoyed the book I didn't find I was completely gripped by it - I read several other books at the same time. I tend to prefer vampire/werewolf paranormal books rather than witch/wizard ones because of what can seem lazy plotting; if your hero/heroine is a wizard or witch they can magic up a spell to get them out of a problem and the reader never knows the full range of spells that are available to the hero so you can't tell if they are really in serious trouble or not. Still Harry is a suitably bumbling wizard who lurches from one problem to the next and is trying to avoid those in authority over him who aren't happy with him - it's a fun read and a good set up for the rest of the series but I don't think that I enjoyed it enough to buy the next books.
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.
Book Review: Shows Promise
Summary: 4 Stars
This is the first book of the Harry Dresden series. Harry is a wizard living in Chicago, working as a private detective and helping police with unnatural or supernatural crimes.
I enjoyed the plot of the book and the idea is pretty good. A wizard in modern times helping police to solve any supernatural crime.
The policewoman Harry works with "Murphy" is one of the few detectives that actually believe in the supernatural and she asks Harry for help. Murphy is also Harrys love interest, but in this book its just a one way affection, as she does not seem to reciprocate.. watch this space.
I was disappointed with the depth of characterisation. Harry is a "one liner" funny man. None of the other characters in the book are even remotely brought out.
Its a good start, a good idea for a series, and I am hoping the the depth of characterisation will be brought more to the fore in the remaining books.
Book Review: Demons and wizards and vampires, oh my
Summary: 4 Stars
If Raymond Chandler had written about wizards, vampires and fairies, the result might have been something like the Dresden Files series. And it opens on a high note with the gritty urban fantasy "Storm Front," introducing us to a solid wizard hero and a complex new universe.
Business has been slow for Harry Dresden, the wizard PI, so he's eager when two new cases come at once: a missing husband, and a couple slain in the middle of sex -- their hearts exploded from their chests. Talk about a heart attack. As he tries to investigate both cases at once, he finds himself suspended between a vampire madam and a gentlemanly Mafia don.
Unfortunately, it seems the White Council of wizards also believes that he did it, and with his proximity to some nasty magics, Harry faces execution in just a few days. And as he unravels an increasingly dark web of drugs, demons and sorcery, Harry discovers that he is the next intended victim...
Ever since Laurell K. Hamilton turned to porn, I've been on the lonely long hunt for something similar in theme, but with fewer throbbing body parts. With his wizards, fae, icky vampires and demons, Jim Butcher's series fits the bill -- and exceeds it in every way.
He's got the hard-boiled noir thing down, even in modern Chicago -- dark rainy streets, femme fatales (some vampires), and a literally fiery climax. The entire book is an upward spiral of suspense, with the dual threats against Harry's life getting more intense, until it literally seems like there's no way out.
His writing strikes a nice balance between stripped-down Chanderlian prose, and detailed horror-fantasy (such as our first look at the grotesque vampire madam Bianca). But Butcher knows how to inject some dark humor and action, such as poor Harry trying to battle a toad-demon with an artificially lustful woman pouncing on him. And some nicely snappy dialogue ("Subtle and quick to anger?" "Not so subtle").
Harry Dresde himself is a great lead character -- he's wry, amusing and a little offbeat, but with some dark personal history that tends to haunt him at the wrong times. The only problem with the characters is that in this particular book, most of the human characters seem rather 2-D, compared to Bob the talking skull or Toot-toot the pizza-loving fairy.
"Storm Front" is a solid debut to a solid horror-fantasy-mystery series, with a likable lead and some nicely evocative writing. Definitely a good read, and promises more by the end.