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Photo ad for The Dresden files on The Sci Fi Channel
3 years after J.K. Rowling introduced us to Harry Potter in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (or Philosopher’s Stone) depending on what country you live in, Jim Butcher introduced us to another Wizarding Harry named Dresden.
Harry Dresden is a Wizard living among regular humans, not called Muggles, where he is a private investigator commissioned by the Chicago police department to investigate crimes that require unique explanations. In Storm Front, the first book in a series that has expanded to 11 novels to date, Harry is tasked with solving a grisly murder involving a prostitution ring and the mob. He is called in to check out two bodies who had their hearts explode out of their chests while in the throws of passion. His investigation leads through twists and turns where he meets interesting characters from the Never-Never including vampires, spirits, and demons.
The audio book version of Storm Front is read by James Marsters who played Spike in the popular TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He does an excellent job with the reading - changing his inflection, inserting pauses, and creating character voices that really bring the story home. There are excellent explanations of magic, why some potions work, how they work, and what the results are. Butcher doesn’t hold back with the description on violence either.
Where this book gets bogged down is the over set up that is involved so that when the mystery is resolved, everything falls neatly in to place, and everything is all so crystal clear. None of the characters are very happy, they all carry a chip on their shoulder from events that have happened before Strom Front begins. Harry has a dark secret that is alluded to throughout the book that will be carried on throughout the series.
The Sci Fi Channel produced one season of the Dresden Files based on Jim Butcher’s creation but dismal reviews and following led to its demise. However, if you enjoy a good old fashioned murder mystery with some strong language, some sexual overtones that all take place in the world of magic, then this book and series is for you. The 12th book in the series, Changes, is due out in 2010.
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