Storm Front (Dresden Files) Mass Market Paperback – April 1, 2000

This is the first book in the Dresden Files series. At present (2017), the series has 15 books, with the 16th book due sometime in 2018. Storm Front is an excellent introduction to Harry Dresden, a young wizard in modern Chicago, as he takes on his first major enemy and begins to hone his talent. Fans of the series who have read all 15 books, will often point to this book as being less refined piece of literature compared to later books in the series. Even the author himself sees the first couple of books as openers, with the series hitting its stride in the 3rd book. Some argue that this is cause to skip this book and the second.

DO. NOT. SKIP. THIS. BOOK.

It is important for the reader to grow with Harry as a character and have our understanding of the magical world change along with his. Details in this book will come back as important later in the series, and therefore skipping this book will leave readers without the necessary knowledge to see the big picture Jim Butcher is building here. This is a series that will draw you in and capture your mind. Revel in Harry's journey. You won't regret it.

I knew going into this that I'd be entering a longterm relationship with Harry Dresden. I was willing, but skeptical. Even with the image of Paul Blackthorne firmly planted in my subconscious, I knew from experience that commitment requires more than a pretty face.

Little did I know how right I was.

You see . . . longterm relationships are WORK. And often, the things you love the most about another person are the same things that enable that person to drive you NUTS.

I love how realistically flawed Harry is.

I hate how realistically flawed Harry is.

He gets himself into a tight spot, so he rationalizes:

"It wasn't as though I was actually going to be doing any black magic, I told myself. I was just going to be figuring out how it was done. There was a difference. I was helping the police in an investigation, nothing more."

But then he immediately calls his own bluff:

"Yeah, right. And maybe one of these days I'd go to an art museum and become well rounded."

He's also incredibly self-aware. He knows his weaknesses as well as his strengths, and he presents both sides very matter-of-factly. It was refreshing. There was no false modesty or self-deprecation. No melancholy search for affirmation. Harry Dresden just lays it all out in plain site, do with it what you will.

But that same openness allows you to see (over and over again) how hapless he is when it comes to the fairer sex . . .

You know . . . for an self-proclaimed, socially awkward wizard with very little relationship experience, Harry Dresden finds himself surrounded by beautiful, flirtatious women with uncommon frequency . . . *rolls eyes*

But then he gleefully reveals his boyish, mischievous side by the sheer delight he takes at pulling one over on someone who has underestimated him. *rolls eyes again, but this time while grinning*

One second I wanted to smack him on the back of the head, and the next, I wanted to ruffle his hair and kiss him on the cheek.

So that's Harry.

There's also Bob the (peeping) Skull, Toot the pizza-loving faery, Mister the cat, Mac the surly pubkeep, Murphy the hard case female cop, and glimpses into possible future interactions with a literal faery godmother and the mysteriously intimidating White Council.

The plot was . . . eh . . . *shrugs* I'm giving it a pass this time, b/c I'm pretty sure a lot of groundwork was laid for future installments, and while this was a fairly entertaining read, it was also fairly predictable, and Bad Guy was just a stock power hungry Bad Guy.

On the world-building front, we were given a lot of hints, but nothing substantial, but that was okay, b/c so far, we've only been in the real world, so as much as I'd like to know more about the Nevernever (RIGHT NOW), there's plenty of time for that when we get there.

Overall, I definitely see this series being worth it (and not just b/c if I read this one, I will have read every, single one of the Big Deal UF series . . . which may or may not be a personal goal . . . *shrugs noncommittally*). Harry Dresden is a realistically likable character who I have a suspicion will turn out to be quite formidable, and Butcher lays a promising foundation with this first installment. Will it live up to my expectations? Only one way to find out . . .

Harry Dresden's a uniquely down-on-his-luck Chicagoan: not only is he behind on his rent, he's a bit of a wash-out with women despite being tall, dark, & at least not overtly ugly. Worse, he's a wizard in a world that doesn't believe in wizards. Okay, so that last part's hard to believe given the kind of mayhem Harry manages to produce. Even in a rainstorm Chicagoans would likely notice an electric blue demon scuttling down the street, or a battle with lightning bolts.. Harry's landlord would definitely take exception to the destruction of his apartment, and I suspect Harry's neighbors would have a word or two to say about the destruction of the building's one elevator. In LA, maybe, you could get away without a demon being noticed, but Chicago? Not... Still this book zings along at such a magical pace that I'm not just willing to forgive the obvious but I've already ordered the series.

As the author mentions in the Author's Note in my version of this book, the Dresden Files is a sort of mashup of various genres. An experiment, if you will, that ends up being deemed Urban Fantasy. A very good mashup, at that. Clearly, Harry's character is the real difference maker. A gentleman, bound to a code he could break at any time but doesn't, he's a resourceful (and morbidly funny) wizard who manages to get out of the tightest spots with quick thinking.

Sometimes Stormfront seems like it teeters on YA, but I'm constantly reminded that this is an adult series with themes that are dark and mysterious and quite entertaining. There are sexual overtones, brutal but meaningful fight scenes, and Mr. Butcher puts Harry through hell (emotionally and physically) all the way up to the end of the book.

Only in parts did I feel the writing style was a bit awkward. Mostly, I slipped right through it. All-in-all, I really enjoyed this first book and can't wait to get to the next.