Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1)
by Jim Butcher
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Book Summary Information
Author: Jim ButcherEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2000-04-01
ISBN: 0451457811
Number of pages: 384
Publisher: Roc
Book Reviews of Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1)
Book Review: Wizard for Hire
Summary: 5 Stars
Storm Front (2000) is the first urban fantasy novel in the Dresden Files series. Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden carried the names of three famous stage magicians. His father, needless to say, was also a stage magician. But Harry was a Wizard, the only one listed in the Chicago Yellow Pages and the only consulting wizard on retainer by the Chicago Police Department.
In this novel, Harry receives a phone call from a woman looking for her husband. She doesn't need the police or a private investigator, just a wizard who finds things. Harry is rather puzzled by her remarks, but he agrees to meet her at the office in about an hour.
As he hangs up from that call, the phone rings again. Thinking that his magical fields are once more playing havoc with the electronics, Harry answers the call and learns that Lieutenant Murphy needs his assistance immediately in a nearby hotel. Dresden says that he already has a client coming by, but Murphy insists.
When Harry reaches the hotel, he finds a couple intimately intertwined in sexual coupling, but also thoroughly dead. Their hearts have burst within their chests and drenched the bed and the whole room with blood. Harry holds off his nausea while examining the scene, but soon has to leave to lose his nonexistent lunch.
The way Harry figures the case, a wizard had to have used unthinkable power to commit the crime. He just doesn't see how anybody could have done it. He himself might have been able to kill one of the victims, but the power required to kill both would have taken him down with his victims. He reluctantly agrees to analyse the possible methodology of these murders.
Since he is late for his meeting, Dresden runs part way back to his office. Reducing his speed to a walk so as to not be out of breath for the interview, Harry is intercepted by three thugs and herded into a limousine, where John Marcone waits to talk with him. Harry has not previously met the current boss of organized crime within Chicagoland and is a little nervous in the subsequent conversation.
One of the victims in the magical murders was Marcone's bodyguard. When Marcone offers to pay him to lay off on the police investigation, Harry refuses. At that point, Marcone looks him in the eyes and they both undergo the soulgaze.
The magical mechanism of the soulgaze is a puzzle, but the results are an interchange of deep peeps into each other's mind. Harry is used to such exchanges, but is surprised and somewhat threatened by the tightly organization mind and cool thoughts of the gangster boss. Marcone doesn't seem to be the least bit upset at what he sees within Dresden.
In this story, Harry manages to get back for his interview with his potential client and she explains that her husband has developed an interest in magic. Monica says that none other than a wizard would believe in her husband's hobby or know the right terms to talk with him. Dresden takes her five hundred dollar retainer and interrogates her on her husband's habits and possible whereabouts.
Harry goes out to one of the most likely locales and tricks a fairy into providing him information on the occupants of the lake house. After Toot-toot flies off to query his friends and then brings back a few answers to Harry, a Warden of the White Council suddenly appears with a naked sword in his hand and accuses Harry of violating council laws. Morgan is not Harry's friend, but his current accusations are bunk and soon the Warden has to admit that Dresden hasn't yet committed any chargeable offenses.
Harry is under a form of abbreviated probation -- the Doom of Damocles -- that can lead to sudden death if Harry commits even one offense. The council of mortal wizards has already let him off on one killing as committed in self-defense, but the conservative wizards still don't trust him. Dresden has a few friends on the Council, but he can't afford any more accusations.
Unfortunately, Lieutenant Murphy has asked him to perform studies that could easily be held against him by the Council. However, since the Council will surely suspect Harry of committing these murders, he might as well perform the analysis to help the police catch the killer, but he still keeps a wary eye out for Morgan. After a long night in his workshop, Harry reports back to Murphy with a possible explanation.
Meanwhile, Harry has made a date with a reporter. Then he is slugged with a baseball bat and warned off the case. Later, a possible informant calls him to set up a meeting at his apartment. The reporter shows up first, but shortly thereafter a demon appears and attacks Harry. Some days are just murder.
This story has all the characteristics of a noir detective movie, but with many fantastical elements. Harry is powerful enough to worry the White Council, but his enemy is even more powerful. Happily, Harry had been thoroughly trained as a wizard while his enemy is self-trained. Dresden knows a lot of tricks that give him as edge at times. But Harry is steadily worn down in this story and loses most of his power and tools just before the final confrontation.
Highly recommended for Butcher fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of magical investigations, interesting characters, and sheer perseverance.
-Arthur W. Jordin
Summary of Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1)
For Harry Dresden, Chicago's only professional wizard, 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.
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