Summer Knight (The Dresden Files, Book 4) by Jim Butcher Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Summer Knight (The Dresden Files, Book 4)
Book Review: One of the best of the Dresden Files series, truly a classic!
Summary: 5 Stars
I really loved this book, the third in the series I think, I've read so many of this series. While I really love them all, this one stands out as a really strong book.
One of my all time favorite fiction series.
Read 'em all!
Book Review: One of my favorite Dresden novels
Summary: 5 Stars
I don't know what it is about this one, but it's among my favorite of the Dresden novels. Maybe because I'm a Murph fan and she kicks demonic hiney in this one. It's also the first book where the happenings in the Nevernever are really shown to influence the real world.
Besides, come on!!! Climactic battle with faeries, a demon, and a ghoul assassin inside a Super-Walmart? What's not to love?
Also, the decisive final battle really shows Harry leaning on others for a change, far more team-work than he's been comfortable displaying in some of the previous novels.
I'll just conclude the review with this thought from Harry "I know something you don't... the phone number to the Pizza 'Spress!"
Book Review: The Queens of Faery
Summary: 5 Stars
Summer Knight (2000) is the fourth urban fantasy novel in the Dresden Files series, following Grave Peril. In the previous volume, Harry called upon the spirits buried below the Red Court mansion and they took down Bianca. Susan escaped from Bianca as the spirits attacked. Harry finally told Susan that he loves her.
The hospital was so crowded that Harry had to share a room with Charity Carpenter. Despite her ordeal, Charity had plenty of energy to chew out Harry for endangering her husband and her child. However, Michael decided to name the boy child after Harry. Susan sent flowers and called every day, but she stayed away from Harry; her Hunger was too intense to approach him.
In this novel, the White Council comes to Chicago and toads rain down in Lake Meadows Park. When Harry goes over to check the unusual weather, Billy the Werewolf is waiting for him. Billy chastises him for becoming a hermit and then saves his life from a ghoul.
Billy has checked the office before coming to the park. Harry has an eviction notice from the landlord of his office building and an appointment with a Ms. Sommerset at three o'clock. Harry drops Billy off at his apartment and leaves him in Georgia's capable hands. She is bandaging the wounds as Harry drives away.
Harry doesn't have time to go home and freshen up (although he really needs to do so). Instead, he drives to the office. As he enters the doorway, Harry readies his shield bracelet for action, but only finds his prospective client inside.
Ms. Sommerset is both stunningly beautiful and intimidating. Dresden pulls a .44-caliber revolver out of his desk drawer and commands Ms. Sommerset to put her hands flat on the desktop. Then he flicks an iron nail across the desktop toward her hands.
At the last minute, the Fairy jerks back her hand and hastily steps away from the desk. These actions impress her more than anything else Harry has said or done. Now she wants Harry to become her agent and soon informs him that she has acquired his debts from his godmother. Then she states her real name and title: Mab, Queen of Air and Darkness.
The Winter Queen wants Harry to discover who was behind the death of the Summer Knight and also to recover his missing powers. At that moment, the Summer Queen is assuming that Ronald Reuel was killed by Mab's catpaws. The Summer forces are gathering to start the war prior to the Summer Solstice while their strengths are maximized.
The Winter Queen would prefer that this war never occurs. Harry is charged with preventing the war by finding the true perpetrator. The Summer Queen will provide her own emissary to work with him.
In this story, Dresden goes to the White Council conference in an old plaid bathrobe. He claims that Mister -- his cat -- had used his good robe as a litter box (which was probably true) but no one inquired why he hadn't stored the robe in a more secure place. Maybe his attitude toward the Council had a little to do with his careless storage.
Anyway, the Merlin is rather irritated with Harry for starting the war with the Red Court vampires. Others realize that Harry had been lured into a trap and did the only reasonable thing by rescuing the other guests. His old mentor -- Ebenezar McCoy -- advises him on the political maneuvering and Harry survives the Council plots against him. However, Dresden begins to recognize some of the stratagems of the Winter Queen.
Harry enlists Murphy's assistance in retrieving the police reports on the Ronald Reuel case. Yet he is very concerned by the condition of the tough detective. She is having trouble sleeping, suffering from night terrors concerning Kravos and what he did to her. He finally realizes that she needs to face her fears to overcome them and that his protectiveness is not helping.
This story introduces Elaine, whom Harry had thought dead. She is the Summer Queen's emissary, but is closer to Lady Summer, the daughter of the Summer Queen. Harry is happy to know that she survived the fire resulting from his faceoff with his foster father. After she explains her enthrallment by Justin, he feels an unexpected relief that she had not intentionally betrayed him.
This tale has moments of introspection, but is the most action filled story to date. From the first chapter to the last, it involves Harry in situations where his powers are definitely inferior to his opposition. No more blasting away at his enemies; he has to use some subtlety and finesse to accomplish his mission. Somehow, I don't think that this approach will carry over to the next volume.
Highly recommended for Butcher fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of supernatural creatures, Council intrigues, and wizardly manipulations.
-Arthur W. Jordin
Book Review: Silly Faeries
Summary: 5 Stars
I just finished reading this book and while I do admit to liking the previous one, Grave Peril, a bit more...this one is by no means a stinker. In fact, overall its the best in the series from book 1-4. Harry, the hero and wizard extrodinaire of the story is evolving into a much more realistic character (ok, realistic for a fantasy novel). His naive ways are much less a frustrating factor in this book, and the plots become much more involved. One of the series' main sidekicks, Murphy, is MUCH more real and likeable in this book. There are twists and turns and it keeps you on your toes as the metaphorical stuff hits the fan. The author, Jim Butcher is definitely getting the hang of what he wants from this series and it shows. I'd highly recommend all of these books, and most especially this one, for any fan of the fantasy genre. Book Review: Definition of a page turner
Summary: 5 Stars
If you like fantasy, sci fi, mystery, or all of the above, you will get sucked into the Dresden books. Summer Knight is one of the best.