A Latecomer’s Dive into Jim Butcher’s Storm Front — Book Review

As an urban fantasy lover, I kept hearing about the Dresden Files left and right. I can’t pinpoint what kept me from reading this series until now. Truth be told, I’m a mood reader, and I simply wasn’t in the mood for it. I think I got the wrong vibe from the covers. It gave me old west vibes, and this wasn’t something I wanted to read, as I much more prefer contemporary stories. To be hones, the blurb didn’t convince me either. To clear the air, I’m not bashing the books, I’m just saying I’m moody when picking my next read.

But, after having this series on my TBR for years, I decided to give it a go and I have no regrets. Sounds familiar? If you’ve been following my reviews for a while, you know I did the same with the Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton. The Dresden Files is one of those series that can be daunting to start. It has a die-hard fan base that will shout its praises from the rooftops. I don’t have a great track record with hyped-up books, which is why I might add them to my TBR (FOMO), yet actively avoid reading them for a very long time.

That was enough of an introduction. Let’s get to the actual review. It won’t be a very in depth one because like all popular books, it already has more than enough and I doubt I could say something that hasn’t been said before.

Book Description from the back cover

HARRY DRESDEN — WIZARD

Lost Items Found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment.

Harry Dresden is the best at what he does. Well, technically, he’s the only at what he does. So when the Chicago P.D. has a case that transcends mortal creativity or capability, they come to him for answers. For the “everyday” world is actually full of strange and magical things — and most don’t play well with humans. That’s where Harry comes in. Takes a wizard to catch a — well, whatever. There’s just one problem. Business, to put it mildly, stinks.

So when the police bring him in to consult on a grisly double murder committed with black magic, Harry’s seeing dollar signs. But where there’s black magic, there’s a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry’s name. And that’s when things start to get interesting.

Magic — it can get a guy killed

My Review

The story is set in Chicago and Henry Dresden is a wizard — with a magic staff and all. But Henry also acts as a consultant for the Chicago police. The mix of detective work and magic were well done. It had an old style investigative feel to it, as the story was solely told from Harry’s point of view. You get his internal monologue along with his conversations and interactions with other characters. So, he is telling the story just as much as living it. As I was reading it, the writing conjured a film noir experience in my mind. I quite liked that.

Harry is quite adept and getting himself into trouble. Whether it be with dark wizards, demons, vampires, or even the Chicago PD. He seems to always be in the wrong place at the right time. Or in his case, I guess it would be the right place at the wrong time. Since he is actually looking for the bad guys or things.

Harry seems like a pretty decent guy, albeit not very organized. You never know what he’s gonna do to stay alive as he’s always underestimating situations and gets in trouble. You never lack for suspense or intrigue, and the transitions from drama to action are flawless. One minute you’re trying to crack the case, and the next, someone’s gunning for Harry. Things change in a flash, so you never know what’s coming.

I think this is a good start for the series and I look forward to reading more.