If you’re a fan of the fantasy genre as I am, then the Jim Butcher series “The Dresden files” are for you! On the hunt for a new fantasy book to read, I picked up the first of the series, called “Storm Front” not long ago.
Harry Dresden is a wizard and the only wizard in Chicago. He’s out of a job and a bit broke, but every now and then the Chicago Police Department call upon him to come and deal with bizarre crimes they have no explanation for. In each novel (so far I have read the first three) Harry uncovers some magical force behind the unsolved crimes, and battles it out until near death, before triumphing.
It took me a while to get into the first novel, but the action is good and so is the magical/fantasy element. Admittedly, Harry’s powers are not the most amazing you will have come across, but the magical monsters he are up against are fun. You have some traditional vampires, werewolves and other beings, and some other less traditional ones that crop up in the stories. Although Butcher’s literary style is not always my favourite, sometimes weighing in with sentences like “excuse the pun” that I find unnecessary, his books are nevertheless catching. Once you start it is hard to put them down as you want to know what happens to Harry. Butcher builds upon certain characters which recur each book, making you want to follow them and their life stories other than Harry’s. This also allows you gain in familiarity when picking up the next book in the series, taking up where you left off. There is a decent amount of action, magic and weird creatures involved, and even some romance.
I would definitely recommend the Jim Butcher series for anyone who is in search of light but gripping read in the fantasy genre.
Emma Brooks 