Storm Front: – Jim Butcher – Penguin Group (USA)

Storm Front: – Jim Butcher – Penguin Group (USA)

Storm Front is the first book in the Dresden Files series. Now, if you’re a big SciFi Channel fan, then you’ve probably already seen the new series “The Dresden Files”. But I’ve actually had this book for years. I read it not too long after it was published back in 2000, and loved it. But typical of me, I forgot all about the series. I’ve often had that problem. I have many first and second books of series that I just simply forgot about, and never found them again. Luckily for me, not long after I saw the promos for the new SciFi channel series, I was looking through my shelves for an old book to re-read, and found Storm Front. I went, “Dresden Files? Isn’t that the new series I’ve been hearing about? I didn’t know I had the book!” What a surprise! A quick look on Amazon.com for Jim Butcher (the author) found not one, but eight novels. I’ve recently bought books 2 and 3, but I wanted to point out book 1 especially. As the first book, it sets the tone for the series. A cross between the hard-boiled detective novels of yesteryear, and modern fantasy novels. The main character, Harry Dresden, is cynical, careworn, and sarcastic as only a hardbitten (and hungry) detective can be. He just also happens to be a powerful wizard. Unfortunately, “powerful” isn’t usually enough to keep from getting the crap beat out him. What I enjoy most about the first three books I’ve read, is that Dresden, while he is a powerful wizard, uses magic as only a tool. Every mystery he’s solved, was solved by using his most powerful tool: his brain. Sure, it’s usually AFTER he’s gotten beat upon, but still, he figures out what’s going on in the end. If you like modern horror/fantasy, pick up this series. You won’t be disappointed.

A note on the SciFi channel series. While it has a lot of the same characters, its tone is completely different. Harry Dresden in the TV series just doesn’t have the same “feel”. I prefer the books. I like the TV series, but the books are better. Big surprise, huh?