A Book Review: Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher (The Dresden Files #8)

How will you react if your most feared movie monster manifests physically in front of you?

"That's crazy talk!" You said. 

Everyone knows movies are fictions and monsters don't exist, right? 

Well, let's step into the world of The Dresden Files, a series of urban fantasy/mystery novels. The world of The Dresden Files is a world where anything can happen and rationality doesn't always find employment. As a result, strange things often go bump in the middle of the night. Does any of this interest you? If so, feel free to read on because today, I will like to review Proven Guilty, the 8^th installment in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series.

Firstly, here is a synopsis for the book.

Synopsis:

Take a moment and imagine this scenario:

You are watching a horror movie. Suddenly, a terrifying monster from the film comes out of the big, silverscreen, creeping towards you. Meanwhile, you stare at the monster wide-eyed, paralyzed in your seat while cold sweat drooping down your forehead. Your brain goes numb and waves of terror assault all faculties of your consciousness. The line between fiction and reality blurred, as sanity retreats from what's left of your shattered mind.

 "Is this really happening?" You wondered.

But you know one thing; a monster just came out from a horror movie, and it is coming to take your life.

What will you do? Call Ghostbusters?

Nope. I will tell you what you can do. If you are in Chicago, then you can call Harry Dresden, the world's first and only professional wizard for hire. Harry's area of expertise is “taking care” of supernatural monsters and he knows what he is doing. Buying Harry's service might cost you $$$, but when a supernatural monster is after you, it is highly recommended to let your wallet take the damage instead of your body.

But occasionally Harry performs a paranormal investigation for free. Especially in a time when an old friend's teenage daughter, Holly, called him for help. What's the case? Spooky things sprawled in cinemas around town, where people are being attacked by “crazies dressing up as movie monsters”. And the police thinks Holly's boyfriend is the prime suspect, because everyone KNOWS monsters don't really exist. This is when Harry comes in to prove them wrong...

My thoughts on this book:

In my previous book review, I wrote that Dead Beat, the 7^th installment in the series, is my favorite book in the lot. After reading Proven Guilty, my opinion remains unchanged and Dead Beat still takes the crown as my favorite The Dresden Files novel (so far). However, having said this, Proven Guilty is a great novel. While it may not be as good as Dead Beat, but it is still far better than the earlier installments in the series.

This novel's vein is pumping with much strength. For starters, Proven Guilty has an excellent plot. This fast-paced novel is shaped as a detective story and coupled with explosive actions. There are many unexpected twists and turns in the story which will thrill readers with suspense. The story maintained readers' interest high at all times with a shroud of mystery that reverberated in the plot until the last page of the book.

Jim Butcher wrote effectively yet descriptively in Proven Guilty. There is a cinematic quality to his writings, and every scene in this book is depicted vividly. Jim Butcher's writings also imbued Proven Guilty with a noir vibe, making Harry Dresden's world a dark, but captivating place to visit.

Proven Guilty introduced new characters. The most noticeable new character is Holly Carpenter, the daughter of Harry's old friend, Michael Carpenter. Jim Butcher did an excellent job at portraying Holly, and her character is very impressionable. At the end of the book, readers could see how events from Proven Guilty transformed her character. This is a mark of good character development, and it seems Holly may play a vital role in the future books to come. Meanwhile, Harry continues to be a likable character. He is a powerful wizard, but he is not the strongest wizard. Harry can be outmatched by opponents more powerful than him, so he often relies on helps from his friends. He also makes mistakes and suffer the consequences. The “powerful yet vulnerable” Harry made the story engrossing and unpredictable.

Humor is a trademark in The Dresden Files series. Proven Guilty is no exception. The story inserted comedic reliefs in between the suspenseful, intense story. However, while humors are not in short supply in Proven Guilty, but I think the jokes in this novel are not as funny as in its predecessor, Dead Beat.

Proven Guilty is a solid entry to The Dresden Files series. This book has a healthy dose of mystery and suspense, while remembering to spice things up with fast-paced, explosive actions. The characters are likable and impressionable. Overall, while Proven Guilty may not be as good as Dead Beat, but it is still an excellent novel that guarantees plenty of fun and entertainment. If you have already ventured into The Dresden Files novels, then make sure to check this one out.