Review: Storm Front by Jim Butcher

Title: Storm Front

Author:  Jim Butcher
Publisher: ROC

Publishing Date:  April 1st, 2000

Pages: 311
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy

Series:  Dresden Files #1
Source:  Audio

 

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.

This was a re-read for me. I never did get past the first book in the series and I read this so so many years ago. One of my goals this year was to re-read series I started and never finished. So This was on the list. I enjoyed it more this time around I think that the last time. I think I caught more of what was going on. Or maybe I just didn't remember much of it...I did love this book though. Its a great start to a series. Funny, a little dark, great mystery, awesome characters. 

Harry Dresden is a wizard and a private detective. He lives in the city where werewolves, vampires, faeries, wizards, witches, and so many other things that go bump in the night exist. He has his own clients but he also works side by side with the local police detectives. He gets pulled in to two different cases, one with the local police, one with a private client. Trying to solve both cases, he has to enlist the help of other humans and mythical beings and of course, he gets himself in loads of trouble 

There are so many good things to say about this book. First I love the old detective vibe I get from this book. I love urban fantasy but it's hard for me to find them that focuses more on mystery and magic than on romance and lust. So to find those that really focuses on the mystery and adds that old-style detective vibe- I love it. 

The mystery was good too. I had no clue what was truly going on. I couldn't even start to piece it together. I was just in it for the ride and held on. I loved the magic too. There were lots of mythical creatures good and bad in this story. I love all the beings and the more the better. 

Harry Dresden himself as a character, Love Love Love. He is so funny in a dry sense of humor kind of way. He is a little okay a lot sarcastic. He is also very smart.. streetwise and book-wise. He is also caring. He doesn't let it out much, but he has a good heart. He also isn't afraid to break the rules. Yup, I am in love with this character. The only thing I didn't get to see was a sexy side to him... but I am sure that will come in future installments. I hope. I do need a little romance. 

The bad guys aren't always bad and the good guys aren't always good.... and magic is always somewhere in between. This book was pretty awesome and I can't wait to read more.  

Enjoyed it very much. Great start to a series.

Jim Butcher is the author of the Dresden Files, the Codex Alera, and a new steampunk series, the Cinder Spires. His resume includes a laundry list of skills which were useful a couple of centuries ago, and he plays guitar quite badly. An avid gamer, he plays tabletop games in varying systems, a variety of video games on PC and console, and LARPs whenever he can make time for it. Jim currently resides mostly inside his own head, but his head can generally be found in his home town of Independence, Missouri.
Jim goes by the moniker Longshot in a number of online locales. He came by this name in the early 1990′s when he decided he would become a published author. Usually only 3 in 1000 who make such an attempt actually manage to become published; of those, only 1 in 10 make enough money to call it a living. The sale of a second series was the breakthrough that let him beat the long odds against attaining a career as a novelist.
All the same, he refuses to change his nickname.