This month’s Rediscovered Read is Storm Front, book 1 of the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher. I was introduced to the series by a friend and recently read the book for the first time.
The series follows the life of Harry Dresden, professional wizard private eye. In Storm Front, Harry is employed by a woman who wants him to help find her missing husband. He also helps with the enquiries of the special investigations unit of Chicago Police Department, when two people are found murdered by magical means. Armed with his pentagram, magical staff and shield bracelet, Harry takes on an array of other wizards and supernatural beings to try and solve the crimes.
It is an urban fantasy, set in Chicago. The book has a fast-paced plot, and is action-packed and full of drama. The storyline was interesting, and the plot had unpredictable surprising twists that I didn’t expect! There is a good balance of funny moments, tense situations, and clever escapes, which all add to the action of the story.
I think that Harry’s adventures are partly modelled on the hardboiled crime noir detective stories, but this is reinvented with the addition of humour and the magical background.
The book is funny and full of references to popular culture, making it an enjoyable read. I particularly liked Bob, Harry’s assistant, a disembodied memory spirit who lives in a skull. I also liked the main character Harry because he seems to have his own particular kind of quirky humour. He’s full of sarcasm and witty remarks.
I particularly liked that it is from a male point of view with Harry Dresden as the main character. This is because a lot of books in the genre are from female perspectives so it is a nice difference to read one with a male main character.
In my opinion Storm Front serves more as an introduction to the series than as a stand-alone story, but it sets up the situation and the principal characters well for the rest of the series. There are also hints to things that have happened in the past, which I’m sure will be explained in later books.
Storm Front is a quick read, but an enjoyable one. I look forward to reading the rest of the series!