Book Review: Storm Front by Jim Butcher (The Dresden Files #1)

The Dresden Files series appear regularly on book review websites. It is often hailed as one of the best urban fantasy in the 21^th century. 14 books from this series have sat on my bookshelf for many months, and I finally had a chance to start reading them. The first book in this series, is Storm Front.

What books are these, you asked? I would describe The Dresden Files as neo-noir, paranormal/supernatural detective fictions, sprinkled with flavors from the horror genre. If this sort of things interest you, then feel free to continue and read my book review. Hopefully my book review will be of some value, when you decide whether if you should make a commitment to read this series.

Synopsis:

Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, is the only practicing wizard in the world.

In fact, you can find his telephone number on a phone book, and he has an office in Chicago. What services can Harry provide? He is a private investigator, specializing in matters related to the supernatural. So next time, when something spooky goes bump in the dark of a night, who you going to call? Ghostbusters? Nope, Harry Dresden is the man for the job.

Chicago PD values Harry's special skills. After all, you'd be surprised at how many “day to day” crimes can only be solved by someone who possesses, “otherworldly”, abilities. The problem is, Harry's business hasn't being going well lately.

Fortune smiled on Harry, when Detective Murphy from the PD consulted Harry on a gruesome, mysterious murder case. The metallic smell of cold, hard cash urged Harry to work for the police, and take on this case. After all, even a wizard needs to pay bills.

But soon, Harry discovered by taking on this murder case, he is biting off more than he can swallow...

What I think about this book:

Being the first book in the series, Storm Front is surprisingly well written, kicking the series into gears with a powerful start. This book is 300 pages, short and sweet. It is also a stand alone novel. This means the story in Storm Front concluded at the end of the book, with no loose ends. The next installment in the series, will have a completely new story. So if you are the kind of reader who prefers stand alone novels, instead of books ending with cliffhangers, then this maybe the type of books for you.

I like the style of writing in this book. The story is narrated in first person, by the protagonist Harry Dresden. The first person narratives gave readers insights into Harry's mind and experiences, and it worked very well to connect readers to Harry's character, creating a deep sense of immersion. Storm Front also thrives on brilliant storytelling. The pace of the story is fast. The author structured the story with a series of puzzles, maintaining suspense, keeping the book interesting until the end, when the final answer is revealed to the readers. The result is a book that is a page turner. I finished reading this book in matter of a few hours, because the whole time I was reading this book, I just had to know, what was going to happen in the next chapter, so I couldn't stop reading it. The story in Storm Front is gripping and exciting, a very well crafted story considering this is the first book in the series.

This book also excels in world building. The author painted a neo-noir vibe in this book with vivid descriptions of sceneries, events and people. I would describe the atmosphere in this book as similar to the movie Se7en, or Frank Miller's graphic novel, Sin City.

In terms of characterization, I find the characters in Storm Front memorable and interesting. Harry Dresden is a likable character, he is kind of like Sherlock Holmes with magical powers. In this book, Harry is a wizard for hire with an interest past, using his magical powers to investigate paranormal crimes. He is powerful, but he also has weaknesses, and he often relied on his wits to overcome impossible odds (which also created comical reliefs on occasions). The supporting characters are well fleshed out, where the author assigned everyone of them with individual personalities and traits, and I speculate we will see some of them returning in future installments in the series.

For me, reading Storm Front was an exhilarating ride. I like the idea of a supernatural detective novel, styled in a neo-noir themed world. This book had enough mysteries and suspense to live up to the name of a detective novel. Meanwhile, it is also cast with robust, interesting characters. It has all the right elements to make a good novel. I had a lot of fun reading it. I would recommend this book, to people who are interested in urban fantasy, mystery, or crime fictions. In the meantime, I look forward to reading the next installment in the series, titled Fool Moon.