The Harry Dresden Files: Storm Front

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www.jim-butcher.com

The Harry Dresden Files:  Storm Front
Jim Butcher
2000

The Summary
To put it simply, Harry Dresden is a wizard - and, as the only publicly practicing wizard in the books, his work tends to take interesting twists.  Take a recent case with the Chicago Police Department, for instance.  It's ripe with black magic and likely to get Harry killed.

Worst of all, the Wizard Council has again grown suspicious of Harry.  And with his probation still hovering over his head, they have begun to suspect him of the recent murder spree in Chicago.

For Harry, things just aren't looking good.

The Good
Jim Butcher's first novel of the Dresden Files is fast-paced and packed with action.  It will keep you glued to the pages from beginning to end, because Butcher knows how to propel the reader forward through the story by throwing in dashes of suspense and intrigue and sprinkling in a generous amount of humor.

(I should mention that Butcher's protagonist, Harry, can be down-right funny, sometimes.)

But, more importantly, Butcher adds a great depth of detail and intricacy to his story that gives his novel a life of its own.  He provides a new twist on old ideas of magic and wizardry, almost as if he's ripped Gandalf from the pages of Lord of the Rings and given him a new lease on modern life - and taught him how to use a handgun.

It's interesting, to say the least, and makes for a very good story.

The Bad
Sometimes, Storm Front can turn into a difficult read because of its convoluted nature.  You'll find scapegoats, backstabbers, double dealers, proxies, and more, which can occasionally leave you just as hopelessly lost and confused as Harry.

The Ugly
To put it mildly, Butcher's novel calls for an older, more mature audience.  You'll find quite a bit of violence and gore, sexual innuendo, and strong language, which I wouldn't recommend for a younger reader to encounter just yet.

Make a note:  Storm Front isn't "bad" for all that, but let's just say it isn't always pretty.  Magic isn't all sparkles and wands.  Sometimes, as Harry points out, it can get a guy killed.