Jim Butcher: Storm Front (2005, Little, Brown Book Group Limited)
English language
Published Dec. 21, 2005 by Little, Brown Book Group Limited.
The novels of the Dresden Files have become synonymous with action-packed urban fantasy and non-stop fun. Storm Front is Jim Butcher's first novel and introduces his most famous and popular character-Harry Dresden, wizard for hire.For his first case, Harry is called in to consult on a grisly double murder committed with the blackest of magic. At first, the less-than-solvent Harry's eyes light up with dollar signs. But where there's black magic, there's a black mage. Now, that black mage knows Harry's name. And things are about to get very...interesting.
Very much enjoyed it.
Think I found a plot hole, but it didn't detract from the fun. Nice, fast moving adventure, and if you like wizards in modern times, this one is for you. Obviously.
Philip Marlowe pastiche mixed with what the author himself says is a hodge-podge of genuine magical practices mixed together. This is unfortunate because hard-boiled detectives are not terribly interesting these days unless they bring something new to the game. It was obvious that the new thing was meant to be the magic, but in turn that brings nothing interesting either through neither being an original take on how it could work, nor a detailed exploration of what if some genuine belief system really worked. The mystery also had predictable elements.
The saving grace was the protracted denouement that dispensed with the wise-cracks and got on with an exciting show-down.
This is a debut novel and I've been told Butcher improves (variously between books 4 and 7 of this series) which is projected to last for 20 volumes. I think it's more than 3/4 of the way there already. My feeling …
Philip Marlowe pastiche mixed with what the author himself says is a hodge-podge of genuine magical practices mixed together. This is unfortunate because hard-boiled detectives are not terribly interesting these days unless they bring something new to the game. It was obvious that the new thing was meant to be the magic, but in turn that brings nothing interesting either through neither being an original take on how it could work, nor a detailed exploration of what if some genuine belief system really worked. The mystery also had predictable elements.
The saving grace was the protracted denouement that dispensed with the wise-cracks and got on with an exciting show-down.
This is a debut novel and I've been told Butcher improves (variously between books 4 and 7 of this series) which is projected to last for 20 volumes. I think it's more than 3/4 of the way there already. My feeling is that the climax of this book made up for a lot of the previous sins and I would definitely read more, though I'm inclined to try one of his other series to see if he really has got better with practice. On this showing, Malcolm Pryce's Louis Knight series is a better modern pastiche (or send-up) of the hard-boiled detective genre and Stross's Laundry Files or Lukyanenko's Watch series are both hugely more original urban fantasies.
Listening to Harry Dresden pontificate about women and how he's the last true gentleman even though the world has decided this makes him sexist gets tedious really fast, but the story was entertaining enough. The concept of the Doom and the White Council was interesting and I hope we get more on that in the other books.
"Paranoid? Probably. But just because you're paranoid doesn't mean that there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face."
I had heard of but not thought about looking at these books before Michael's recommendation, so there's a big thanks right there. I don't quite know what to make of it, either.
I read the page on [a:Jim Butcher|10746|Jim Butcher|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1205261964p2/10746.jpg] on Wikipedia for a little background, and I suppose it's a good thing there are more books. There's a lot of room for Dresden's back story, and ample opportunities for future entanglements.
The one thing that perhaps hit a wrong note in this first instalment is the fact that harry Dresden is supposedly the only practicing wizard around, and yet there's no lack of other mystical, magical or otherworldly beings trying to manage their mischief. Still, there's this dreaded White Council that appears to keep an eye on things, and …
"Paranoid? Probably. But just because you're paranoid doesn't mean that there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face."
I had heard of but not thought about looking at these books before Michael's recommendation, so there's a big thanks right there. I don't quite know what to make of it, either.
I read the page on [a:Jim Butcher|10746|Jim Butcher|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1205261964p2/10746.jpg] on Wikipedia for a little background, and I suppose it's a good thing there are more books. There's a lot of room for Dresden's back story, and ample opportunities for future entanglements.
The one thing that perhaps hit a wrong note in this first instalment is the fact that harry Dresden is supposedly the only practicing wizard around, and yet there's no lack of other mystical, magical or otherworldly beings trying to manage their mischief. Still, there's this dreaded White Council that appears to keep an eye on things, and many of the magical folk seem to keep a low profile.
The action was gripping, the story line easily followed and the mixture of potions, incantation and magical sense was neatly rounded. he seems like an all-around nice guy, harry: as he says - When things get strange, when what goes bump in the night flicks on the lights, when no one else can help you, give me a call." The sort of wizard you'd want at your back.
