Small Favor (The Dresden Files, Book 10) by Jim Butcher
|
List Price: Our Price: $7.42 You Save: $16.53 (69%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $1.11 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Small Favor (The Dresden Files, Book 10)
Book Review: Just keeps gettting better
Summary: 5 Stars
Jim Butcher has done it again! Written and hugely entertaining and mesmerizing Dresden book. I love them!
Butcher seems to keep getting better. The first Dresden book was good, but here at the tenth book, it's great. When I am reading a book and come across a sentence, an analogy that is so well crafted that I have to stop to appreciate and savor it, THAT is a sign of a good read.
Butcher reminds me of the late great Douglas Adams, in that he can keep multiple trains of thoughts going and integrate them smoothly into his writing. Also, like Douglas Adams, you can never predict where he is going to go.
Butcher wisely chose a wizard has his hero, allowing him a vast world of supernatural playmates. He is not stuck in a world of vampires such as a vampire hunter might be (although there are vampires). He has wealth of different supernatural characters to select to come and play. And they do. Sometimes not nicely. Vampires, faeries and demons to name just a few.
Since the first book, Dresden has gathered a support group. It is not the Scooby group of Buffy; these guys have weapons and know how to use them. There is little angst over killing the uber-bad-guy, thank you very much.
The only downside to the Dresden books is that Butcher seems to feel it is necessary to rehash things covered in previous books - sometimes covered in every single previous book. If I have to read one more time how Murphy is a cop, and a good cop, and good cops only go by the law and yada, yada, yada...... (skip read to something new).
That little foible aside, read the book, read the series. You too can become addicted to Dresden!
Book Review: Butcher and Dresden...they just get better and better
Summary: 5 Stars
I am very impressed with Jim Butcher. 10 books in, and his character, Harry Dresden, is still going strong. Both Jim and Harry continue to grow. Jim keeps growing in the world of writing: his stories get more fascinating, his characters more complex, his readers more involved. Harry keeps growing in the world of magic: gaining more and refining his skills, being given more and more responsibility in the magical realm, learning to acknowledge and embrace all of his flaws and struggles. Neither has become stagnant; both Jim and Harry continue to evolve, and each has come into his own.
Small Favor is faced-paced, action-packed, and extremely clever. I was breathless throughout most of the book, from both the non-stop suspense and from laughing out loud. Without giving too much away, let me just say that Jim Butcher continues to provide the most amazing and hilarious foes for Harry to battle. As always, you are hooked from page one, and cannot put the book down. A true page turner from beginning to end.
Many old friends, and enemies, return in this installment. The repartee is grin-inducing and witty, as always. The relationships between the characters, both mortal and magical, continue to develop, with interesting twists and unexpected turns.
Overall, this book is another fun, wild romp in the complicated life of wizard Harry Dresden. Several threads are summed up, and a solid foundation for the future is laid. I highly recommend it. Fans will be thrilled, and newcomers will enjoy the ride.
Book Review: 10th in the Dresden Files Series
Summary: 5 Stars
Harry Dresden is the only professional wizard listed in the Chicago phone book. And just when it seems his life is starting to quiet down, Queen Mab of the Winter Faeries has decided to cash in on a favor that Harry owes. But the Summer Court has already caught wind, and has begun sending forces to stop him. As Harry tracks down a missing gangster, he must make hard choices and put himself in further danger in order to fulfill a "small favor."
My favorite wizard (the other Harry) returns in another suspense-filled thrill ride. A complex and witty character, Harry Dresden has gone through a lot of turmoil and changes throughout the series. He still deals with many internal struggles as well as confusing relationships. Harry is constantly putting others before himself, so his love life has been non-existent for years. He's a mentor, a friend, a brother, a wizard, a warden, an investigator, and whatever else he needs to be to help those he cares about. With equally complex secondary characters, Butcher has created one of the most well-known and well-loved urban fantasies.
Flawlessly blending classic noir mystery with a fresh take on fantasy, every installment of the Dresden Files is a treat. In Small Favor, Harry enlists the help of his friends once again to combat the forces of darkness, while trying to stay alive. With a few surprises along the way, this is a non-stop, action-packed mystery that does not disappoint.
If you haven't been reading the Dresden Files, you've been missing out.
Book Review: Faeries, why did it have to be faeries?
Summary: 5 Stars
Small Favor
By Jim Butcher
Once more author Jim Butcher has given his readers a thrill packed roller coaster ride through the wild & woolly world of Harry Dresden's Chicago. The 10th book in the series shows us an ever evolving and maturing Harry Dresden. Almost all of the old gang are back, Murphy, Mab, Thomas, Marcone, Knights of the Cross, Fallen Angles ...etc.... and of course ...Bob. While Butchers books are far superior to the enjoyable , if somewhat short lived TV series, is there anyone who doesn't visualize Terrence Mann in a smoking jacket as they read about Bob?
Butcher seamlessly moves his story from the world of the hard boiled gumshoe through the occult and into magical realms of Faerie, (not to mention a few stops at the Godfathers), with all the in's and out's that we've come to expect in a Dresden novel.
I normally don't do reviews of novels because I would hate to inadvertently ruin the story for someone. So here`s the nutshell version without giving anything away. A very enjoyable read that I highly recommend. The book has most of the cast and crew that we've grown to love (or hate). Fast paced with lots of twists and turns in the plot, no surprise there. The Good guy's finaly get I'll stop there. Oh, ya.... There's something better than hellfire, (be careful what you wish for Harry!). Enjoy!
In Frith,
Spence the Elder
"Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc"
M. Addams
Book Review: Never owe a faery queen a favor...
Summary: 5 Stars
You are never going to believe what Queen Mab wants Harry to do in exchange for a favor owed her. She wants him to rescue Gentleman Johnny Marcone (one of Chicago's most nefarious gangsters) from unknown kidnappers.
Now, having Johnny out of the scene could be a good thing? Well, not if the folks holding him are the order of the Denarians. And yes, they want Gentleman Johnny to take one of those ill-fated coins and the demon possession that goes with.
Unfortunately, Queen Titania is not in agreement with her sister regarding Johnny's possession and she sends some heavies of her own to get Harry's goat. What is described as a small favor turns out to be a serious threat to many of the people Harry cares about.
As always, Jim Butcher puts a lot of heart into his novels. He's kept Harry a good man, someone who'd risk his own life for others, a real hero in the urban fantasy genre.
We get some favorites returning: Michael Carpenter and his family; Sanya, the Black Russian Knight; Captain Luccio; Gard (remember Monoc Security, part of Marcone's protection?); and others.
"Small Favor" is one of the faster paced Dresden novels around. Jim had me hooked from the beginning and didn't let up until I turned the last page. I was glad to read that Butcher has ideas for 20 or so Dresden novels on the books and I seriously hope that his publisher will allow him to continue writing them.