Storm Front

(The Dresden Files, #1)

by Jim Butcher
Release date: 2000

Type: speculative fiction
Genres: fantasy > urban fantasy

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HARRY DRESDEN – WIZARD

Lost items found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment.

Harry Dresden is the best at what he does. Well, technically, he's the only at what he does. So when the Chicago P.D. has a case that transcends mortal creativity or capability, they come to him for answers. For the "everyday" world is actually full of strange and magical things – and most of them don't play well with humans. That's where Harry comes in. Takes a wizard to catch a – well, whatever.

There's just one problem. Business, to put it mildly, stinks. So when the police bring him in to consult on a grisly double murder committed with black magic, Harry's seeing dollar signs. But where there's black magic, there's a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry's name. And that's when things start to get... interesting.

Magic. It can get a guy killed.

updated 2015-01-11

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About the Author :: Jim Butcher

Jim Butcher (born 1971) is a New York Times best-selling author, who is best known for his contemporary fantasy book series The Dresden Files. He also writes the Codex Alera series. Jim Butcher grew up as the only son of his parents, and has two older sisters. He currently lives in Independence with his wife, Shannon K. Butcher (an author of romance novels), one son, James Joseph, and his guard dog, Frostbite Vondoom Butcher.

Photo: Jim Butcher at Norwestcon 34
Photo source: Wikipedia Commons

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Reviews (2)
(open a review) Written by Lilyn George 2016-12-13 I’ve seen The Dresden Files books around but never bothered to pick them up. I’d come across a book in the series at Half Price Books and think “Hm, should try this out sometime. I will when I find the first book.” I never looked hard, but finally this weekend I came across Storm Front. So I coughed up my $3.50 or so, and decided to let Mr. Dresden have his wicked way with me. Well, while Storm Front didn’t exactly wow me with its awesomeness, I can see why it’s as popular as it ... (more) is. It’s not breathtakingly good work, but it is solid, entertaining and has the potential to be great series. The Private Investigator set-up naturally lends itself to a long series, provided the main character is interesting and the author is good enough. The series has been going for 15 books now, and has been made into a TV show. So, I think it’s safe to say that Dresden is here to stay for a while. I’m not going to object. Harry Dresden is interesting, I think, because he’s a poor slob who just happens to be a wizard. And I mean the poor and slob parts quite literally. In Storm Front the man is so hard up for cash he doesn’t even have money to buy light bulbs for his apartment. He also ends up doing some investigating in cowboy boots, sweats, bad t-shirt, and a duster. I don’t get the duster thing. I’m assuming that’s explained at some point further in the books. Is it just a general rule that all bad-asses must have a duster? Is it written in to the Good Guy Kick Ass Code of Conduct? Anyways… The pace is nice and fast. The repartee is more half-wit than witty, but funny nonetheless. Butcher’s description of the action scenes really bring it into vivid clarity in your mind, without him feeling the need to go overboard on details. I think I prefer urban fantasy to high fantasy for this aspect alone. Urban fantasy writers – perhaps because they don’t have to build a new world – tend to avoid word vomit, on the whole. I almost wrote ‘hole’ there, thankfully I realized that’d give a whole different disgusting image and fixed it. Of course I just talked about said disgusting image now, so I’m sure it’s in your head. Sorry. Overall, The Dresden Files isn’t a series that I’m super eager to pursue, but good enough I’ll keep an eye out. You know, those books you’ll buy whenever you see, but you don’t actively go looking for? Like that. If you like detective stories, it’ll probably make you happen. If you like detective stories and urban fantasy, it’ll definitely make you happy. Looking for a gorgeous hunky wizard to lust over……er… well, good luck with that. But, hey, thus far no love triangles!
(open a review) Written by Jenel 2013-10-03 It been a while, when I last time read a fantasy book in english, but this was really easy to read and also this story did catch my eye really fast.

Reviews (2)

(open a review)

Written by Lilyn George 2016-12-13
4.0

I’ve seen The Dresden Files books around but never bothered to pick them up. I’d come across a book in the series at Half Price Books and think “Hm, should try this out sometime. I will when I find the first book.” I never looked hard, but finally this weekend I came across Storm Front. So I coughed up my $3.50 or so, and decided to let Mr. Dresden have his wicked way with me. Well, while Storm Front didn’t exactly wow me with its awesomeness, I can see why it’s as popular as it ... (more)

is. It’s not breathtakingly good work, but it is solid, entertaining and has the potential to be great series. The Private Investigator set-up naturally lends itself to a long series, provided the main character is interesting and the author is good enough. The series has been going for 15 books now, and has been made into a TV show. So, I think it’s safe to say that Dresden is here to stay for a while. I’m not going to object. Harry Dresden is interesting, I think, because he’s a poor slob who just happens to be a wizard. And I mean the poor and slob parts quite literally. In Storm Front the man is so hard up for cash he doesn’t even have money to buy light bulbs for his apartment. He also ends up doing some investigating in cowboy boots, sweats, bad t-shirt, and a duster. I don’t get the duster thing. I’m assuming that’s explained at some point further in the books. Is it just a general rule that all bad-asses must have a duster? Is it written in to the Good Guy Kick Ass Code of Conduct? Anyways… The pace is nice and fast. The repartee is more half-wit than witty, but funny nonetheless. Butcher’s description of the action scenes really bring it into vivid clarity in your mind, without him feeling the need to go overboard on details. I think I prefer urban fantasy to high fantasy for this aspect alone. Urban fantasy writers – perhaps because they don’t have to build a new world – tend to avoid word vomit, on the whole. I almost wrote ‘hole’ there, thankfully I realized that’d give a whole different disgusting image and fixed it. Of course I just talked about said disgusting image now, so I’m sure it’s in your head. Sorry. Overall, The Dresden Files isn’t a series that I’m super eager to pursue, but good enough I’ll keep an eye out. You know, those books you’ll buy whenever you see, but you don’t actively go looking for? Like that. If you like detective stories, it’ll probably make you happen. If you like detective stories and urban fantasy, it’ll definitely make you happy. Looking for a gorgeous hunky wizard to lust over……er… well, good luck with that. But, hey, thus far no love triangles!

(open a review)

Written by Jenel 2013-10-03
4.0

It been a while, when I last time read a fantasy book in english, but this was really easy to read and also this story did catch my eye really fast.