Posted in: Comics | Tagged: arrow, books, Dresden Files: Storm Front, entertainment, game of thrones, Jim Butcher, Karrin Murphy

Sunday Night Book Club – The Dresden Files: Storm Front

Published Sun, 16 Aug 2015 19:00:10 -0500

by Dan Wickline

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The other day I was skimming through the "suggested" DVD's on Amazon and came across the complete first (and only) season of The Dresden Files. The short-lived TV series that aired on SyFy and starred Paul Blackthorne (Arrow). I remembered watching it when it aired back in 2007 and I liked it enough that when I saw Blackthorne in other show I would immediately like his character… like with Detective Quentin Lance in Arrow. So I ordered the DVD and then realized I had seen the TV show and even read some of the Dynamite Entertainment comics… but I had never actually read one of Jim Butcher's novels. I had tried. I bought one of the later ones shortly after the series aired and just couldn't get into it. Now with the DVD in my hands, the urge to try again was strong… but this time I went back and got the first book… Storm Front from 2000.

In Storm Front, Butcher introduces us to Chicago's only openly practicing wizard, Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden. He specializes in finding lost things, dealing with the occult and occasionally consulting for the Chicago PD. But Harry's world is not a happy one. He struggles to make ends meet, he doesn't have good luck with women… or electronics… and the White Council is ready to have him executed if he does the tiniest of things wrong. He gets pulled into two cases… one a missing husband, the other to help Detective Karrin Murphy as two bodies are found with their hearts having exploded out of their chests.

Butcher creates a unique and colorful world around Dresden. From his over-sized cat, to his monosyllabic bartender friend, to his watcher with the nasty sword, to the disembodied spirit that lives in his sub-basement.. the author creates a setting that will last for many books to come. The plot of the story is good and flows well, though at times the reader is far ahead of the wizard in trying to solve the mystery and there really isn't any strong alternative theories put forth to keep the reader from solving it early.

Dresden as a character seems like he's supposed to be a classic noir style hero, flawed but with a courage of conviction and never lets anyone in. But that isn't exactly what we have here. The wizard is a bit more British police drama detective because his emotions are out on his sleeve for everyone to see, but he always chooses the wrong thing to do for the right reasons. In a way he reminds me of the character Jack Taylor from author Ken Bruen or the TV version played by Game of Thrones Iain Glen. He's a good man but with the ability to do bad things.

This is the first Dresden Files novel and it may be the first novel for Jim Butcher. And while reading it I can see some of the inexperience of the author, but the talent is there, the characters are there and it's definitely worth the read. I recommend Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files: Storm Front.

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