I received this book for free from Courtesy review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Storm Front Series: Harry Dresden Files #1 Published by ROC Fantasy, Pengiun on April 1, 2000
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 372
Format: Paperback
Source: Courtesy review copy
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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 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.
2.5
This book is truly the definition of a 2 star rating: It was okay.
I’ve actually been saving this book for a rainy day. I was 100% sure I’d love it. I was so excited for an Urban Fantasy Noir, or Mystery Noir…both? Both. I have been hoarding this book to savor, fully expecting to fall into a new favorite series.
I wanted to like it. I wanted to love it, actually. And I love the idea of it. I love the idea of a down on his luck P.I. who’s also wizard, and solves small jobs, sometimes works with the police, and is late on his rent. I loved the noir aspect of this book. I mean, a P.I. in a noir mystery, with such a powerful wizard that literally everyone, the wizards, the human police, even the Special Investigations Police team, and every Tom, Dick, and Harry all thought Dresden was the killer because he’s so powerful only he could have performed this magic.
And yet…we never, not once see him at this powerful level. He needs his assistant/centuries old ghost friend Bob to help him with potions. He uses some pseudo Latin words every now and then for spells, and his spells are like a fire blast, or a wind gust. I wanted Power with a capital “P.” He has some party tricks.
The idea of this book is fantastic and I can only hope that as the books continue we see more. This book doesn’t really give us the rules to the magic or the Harry Dresden “universe” either. So I feel like the best way I can describe this book is that it’s okay. It’s fine. But I’m not in any hurry to continue with this series either, so I guess if a copy of book 2 magically popped up in my house I’d think about reading it, but more to see if Harry is going to grow up a bit than because I’m chomping at the bit to read it. I do however think this series would make a fabulous TV show. That’s where this could shine. Instead of being at the mercy of this author’s writing, a team could make something magical.
I would watch it. I don’t know as I’ll continue on reading it though. And I want to be clear: I did not dislike it. I just feel it’s okay. 2.5 stars
***I was sent this book for review from the publisher
