PLEASE NOTE: The contest portion and the Q&A portion of this event is now CLOSED. The winners will be chosen at a later date and contacted via email.

A huge warm welcome to everybody here today and especially to our guest author Jim Butcher! Jim will be answering questions from 12pm-6pm Central time today about his new book Ghost Story and other books in his Dresden and Codex Alera series. There will probably be SPOILERS so you are now officially forewarned! PLEASE LIMIT your questions to 2-3 so everybody has a chance to get their question answered. If it looks like questions have tapered off, feel free to ask another question at such a time. You will need to refresh the page every few minutes to see the new answers appear. This is not a rolling chat. You leave your questions below in the blog comment box and Jim will reply to them in turn.

“When we last left the mighty wizard detective Harry Dresden, he wasn’t doing well. In fact, he had been murdered by an unknown assassin.

But being dead doesn’t stop him when his friends are in danger. Except now he has nobody, and no magic to help him. And there are also several dark spirits roaming the Chicago shadows who owe Harry some payback of their own.

To save his friends-and his own soul-Harry will have to pull off the ultimate trick without any magic…”

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Learn more about Jim Butcher below :
Read reviews of the author’s work here.

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CONTEST INFO:

Prize: Three copies of Ghost Story

The Contest Entry rules have changed so read them carefully

This CONTEST lasts for TWO DAYS Ending at 11:59 pm Central on 8/9/11 at 11:59 pm CDT. Open to readers US.

These are the ways you can enter to gain points towards winning the prizes offered here today. The only one that is mandatory is #1. The rest are optional. The more you do, the more points you gain, the better your odds at winning the prize. Prizes are chosen using the random.org number generator. Making a purchase is NOT mandatory, it is only one way to gain additional points. There are free ways to get points. Remember to add in your RSVP points if you RSVP’d.

1. LEAVE YOUR FIRST NAME AND THE INITIAL OF YOUR LAST NAME AND YOUR COUNTRY in your comment/post so we can give you the proper credit for your entries. Mandatory, if you don’t leave this,  your entries will NOT count. It is NOT mandatory to make a purchase to be entered into the contest.

2. Ask the author some questions, please no duplicates. + 1 points PLEASE limit your questions to 3 today.

3. Spread the word about this contest and HELP OUT Jim  by spreading the word about his new book!

Tweet this event: http://www.bittenbybooks.com/?p=45367 + 1 Points (max 3 times a day please not all at the same time) include @bittenbybooks in your tweet.

4. Order NEW copies of the author’s book Ghost Story by using the links below (print or Kindle).

Click here

Click the Barnes & Noble link HERE

Good for 500 + points per book you purchase by using the links above. Email your receipt to the prize Goddess here bittenbybooks.contests @ gmail.com (no spaces).

OR you can use the Barnes & Noble link HERE to make your purchase of ANY kind of merchandise during the contest. You can also use the Amazon link HERE to shop as well. Good for 100 + entries to the contest for EACH item you purchase.

5. Spend $15.00 or more at http://acharmingtime.com the proceeds go to help keep Bitten by Books running. Email your receipt to the prize Goddess here bittenbybooks.contests @ gmail.com (no spaces). Good for 200 points per receipt/purchase. Use code BBB20OFF for 20% off your order.

Tweet the code ONE time and URL like this for +15 points (max 3 times per day please don’t do it all at one time):

PzRT: Help out Bitten by Books by following @acharmingtime & shopping http://acharmingtime.com + Use code BBB20OFF for 20% off your order.

6. RSVP For the Kat Richardson event and contest here + 1 point: http://www.bittenbybooks.com/?p=45262

Leave a meaningful comment on this week’s screen bites here +1 point: http://www.bittenbybooks.com/?p=45128

7. Tally your own points total +1  point

That’s it!

RULES AND LEGAL DISCLAIMERS
Winner(s) will be contacted via email. You will receive your prize directly from the author. PLEASE LEAVE YOUR FIRST AND THE INITIAL OF YOUR LAST NAME AND COUNTRY as well as a valid email where we can contact you. REMEMBER the more things you do, the more entries, the greater the chances of winning. PLEASE ALLOW THIRTY DAYS to receive your prize BEFORE EMAILING US.

1. Please note, the prize stated IS the prize you will receive, there will be absolutely no substitutions or changes the prize is non-transferable. If you don’t want the prize being offered, please don’t enter the contest. If you ever win an electronic copy of a book, please note that it is ILLEGAL to forward, give away or copy it in anyway once you receive it. Doing so violates copyright. If we find out that it has been done, you will no longer be eligible to win any of our contests.
2. You have THREE days from the day the we contact you to claim your prize by sending your name/mailing address to us at the contact email we provide. Failure to contact us will forfeit your prize. BBB can at that time, choose either to re-award the prize to another entrant or not.
3. The prize stated IS the prize you will receive, there will be no substitutions, trades or changes. No exceptions. Please do not ask. If for some reason you do not wish to claim your prize, please let me know as soon as possible. Bitten by Books has the option to re-award it or not.
4. Contest is open to readers in the USA except where noted above. The prizes are almost ALWAYS shipped directly from the publisher/author unless otherwise noted.
5. Bitten by Books is in NO way responsible for the prizes being offered in any of the contests. If for some reason a contributor does not honor their prize, there is nothing we can or will do about it. We are not worried that this will happen, but we want to be very clear that WE are not offering these prizes, the contributor is and it is their responsibility to fulfill their prize obligations not Bitten by Books.
6. These rules are subject to change or be modified without prior written notice.
7. Contest is void where prohibited.
8. By entering this contest you are agreeing to our terms of entry

Side Jobs is a series of short stories about Harry Dresden, Wizard and Private Investigator, and his oh-so-fascinating world, friends and family (although his relationship to his brother, a vampire in the White Court, is a secret, so mum’s the word). The first story, “A Restoration of Faith,” was written two years before the first Harry Dresden book and the last, “Aftermath,” was written after Changes, the last Dresden book. The stories are a progression of Harry’s life, career and relationships. There are stories that have been included in anthologies and a few never before published.

I really enjoyed Side Jobs: both as a reader and as a fan of Jim Butcher. His introduction to each story is almost as humorous, interesting and thoughtful as the stories themselves. The complexity of Harry Dresden has always been a draw for me, and it was fascinating to get a peek into the mind of the creator of Dresden’s world. The characters and storylines of the short stories are as solid and vivid as one demands in a full Dresden novel and just as satisfying.

Book Stats:

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: Roc Hardcover; Reprint edition (October 26, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 045146365X
• ISBN-13: 978-0451463654

Purchase a print copy of Side Jobs from Amazon
Purchase a Kindle copy of Side Jobs from Amazon

Purchase a print copy of Side Jobs from Barnes & Noble
Purchase a Nook copy of Side Jobs from Barnes & Noble

I would like to welcome all of those who are new to Bitten by Books and thank you for joining us today with the fabulous Jim Butcher! Jim has generously given up a portion of his extremely busy day to be with us here again to answer your questions. The event takes place right here below the post in the COMMENTS section.

To see Jim’s answers to your questions comments, you will need to refresh this page often and watch for his answers in them comment section. They will be marked like this: ANSWERS FROM – JIM BUTCHER

Just leave your comment/question and Jim will try to answer as many as he can as time allows. Please try and keep book spoilers to a minimum as not everybody has read all of Jim’s work. Thank you!!

SIDE NOTE: Jim Butcher Fans can join other fans in a lively discussion throughout the day in our chatroom located in the toolbar at the bottom of this page or by going to this page: http://bit.ly/aWgMqd Jim will NOT be in this chatroom, it is a fan discussion room only.

“On a night like any other, Chicago’s only professional wizard private detective, Harry Dresden, answers the phone to hear not a client—but his old flame, and now vampire, Susan Rodriguez. And she has news for him.

Harry he has a daughter he has never known…and the girl has been kidnapped.

Long ago, when Susan was Harry’s lover, she was attacked by the vampiric Red Court, transforming her into half-vampire. Susan thought she could fight both her savage gift and those who cursed her with it, and years ago disappeared to South America, leaving Harry for the sake of his own humanity.

Now Arianna Ortega, Duchess of the Red Court of vampires, blames Harry for the death of her husband—and she wants vengeance. Discovering that Harry is the true father of Susan’s child, Arianna will stop at nothing to avenge Harry through killing his long-lost daughter. With the White Council of Wizards and the Red Court in a state of détente, Harry finds himself working alone, supported only by resources inadequate to challenge the forces of the entire vampire Court. In the past, there has always been a line Harry was never willing to cross, and though dark powers tempted him time and again, he never gave in. But then, only his own life had been at stake before. How far will he go, and what bargains will he make, to bring home the child he never knew he had?”

About Jim Butcher
A martial arts enthusiast whose résumé includes a long list of skills rendered obsolete at least two hundred years ago, #1 New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher turned to writing as a career because anything else probably would have driven him insane. He lives in Independence, Missouri, with his wife, his son, and a ferocious guard dog. You can visit his website at: http://www.Jim-Butcher.com

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Learn more about Jim Butcher here:
Read reviews of the author’s work here.

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CONTEST: Jim’s publisher is giving away 10 unsigned copies of Changes! Open to readers with US/Canadian addresses.

To Enter PLEASE

LEAVE YOUR FIRST NAME AND THE INITIAL OF YOUR LAST NAME in your comment/post so we can give you the proper credit for your entries. Mandatory, if you don’t leave this, none of your entries will count. It is NOT mandatory to make a purchase to be entered into the contest.

1. Join the Bitten by Books Newsletter at the top right hand side of the site or use this link:

2. Ask Jim a question, please make sure they aren’t duplicates. Good for 10 entries. (Max 5 good towards entries)

3. Purchase copies of Jim’s ’s NEW book Changes

From Amazon:
click here

From Barnes & Noble:
click here

Good for 300 entries per book you purchase by using the links above. Email your receipt to the prize Goddess here bittenbybooks.contests @ gmail.com (no spaces). Not valid on past purchases.

OR you can use the Barnes & Noble link HERE to make your purchase of ANY kind of merchandise during the contest. You can also use the Amazon link HERE to shop as well. Good for 100 entries to the contest for EACH item you purchase. Not valid on past purchases.

4. Spread the word about this event and invite everybody you know by using the new Share Buttons below at the bottom of the post to tell your friends about this contest and come back and tell us where you shared. This is the live link to the event: http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=22804 if you don’t know how to use either of those functions. Good for 50 entries per place you post the event link.

While you are here today, please join us at today’s book chat here: http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=22781 and RSVP for the Carolyn Crane Guest Blog http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=22776 and last but not least, vote in this week’s poll here: http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=22773 good for 25 entries per.

Be sure to check out these other fun events for next week: http://bittenbybooks.com/?page_id=4.

That’s it!

RULES AND LEGAL DISCLAIMERS

The contest ends on 4/15/10 at 11:59 pm Central and the winners will be contacted via email. You will receive your prize directly from the authors. PLEASE LEAVE YOUR FIRST AND THE INITIAL OF YOUR LAST NAME as well as a valid email where we can contact you. REMEMBER the more things you do, the more entries, the greater the chances of winning. PLEASE ALLOW THIRTY DAYS to receive your prize BEFORE EMAILING US.

1. Please note, the prize stated IS the prize you will receive, there will be absolutely no substitutions or changes the prize is non-transferable. If you don’t want the prize being offered, please don’t enter the contest. If you ever win an electronic copy of a book, please note that it is ILLEGAL to forward, give away or copy it in anyway once you receive it. Doing so violates copyright. If we find out that it has been done, you will no longer be eligible to win any of our contests.

2. You have FIVE days from the day the we contact you to claim your prize by sending your name/mailing address to me. Failure to contact me will forfeit your prize. BBB can at that time, choose either to re-award the prize to another entrant or not.

3. The prize stated IS the prize you will receive, there will be no substitutions, trades or changes. No exceptions. Please do not ask. If for some reason you do not wish to claim your prize, please let me know as soon as possible. Bitten by Books has the option to re-award it or not.

4. Contest is open to readers in the USA/Canada except where noted. The prizes are shipped directly from the author unless otherwise noted.

5. Bitten by Books is in NO way responsible for the prizes being offered in any of the contests. If for some reason a contributor does not honor their prize, there is nothing we can or will do about it. We are not worried that this will happen, but we want to be very clear that WE are not offering these prizes, the contributor is and it is their responsibility to fulfill their prize obligations.

6. These rules are subject to change or be modified without prior written notice.

7. Contest is void where prohibited.

8. By entering this contest you are agreeing to our terms of entry

Most series seem to lose their way as the story progresses. With Changes, book twelve in the Dresden Files, Jim Butcher manages to deliver the best story in the series yet. This book is one of only a few I have ever read a second time immediately after finishing it through the first time. Part of me was thinking: there is no way Jim Butcher just put his characters through all this, I must make certain my eyes are not playing tricks on me. After reading it a second time, I can say Butcher does things to our favorite characters no sane writer could accomplish in the same story, but they make Changes one of the most thrilling books I have ever read.

The story starts out with a phone call from Susan Rodriguez, whom Harry has not seen since Death Masks. She informs him that the daughter he never knew about has been kidnapped by the Red Court. Now Harry is in a race against time to save not only a little girl from the monsters, but his little girl. Dresden must call upon everybody that can fight if he is to succeed. It is great to see so many familiar faces aiding Harry in his time of need. Along the way, events happen that give the title of the book real weight. The odds look overwhelming for Harry and his friends. All the characters have choices to make that will affect them going forward in the series.

The choices Harry has to make are not just about him this time around, and will affect the people he cares about the most. The story goes deeper than good vs. evil, or heroes vs. monsters — it is about what would you not do to save your child? I will say it again, changes happen and they come at a very fast clip.

Somehow with everything that is going on in Changes, Jim Butcher finds time to introduce some new characters to the Dresden Universe, like Agent Tilly of the FBI. There are still plenty of lighthearted moments, and the best Star Wars references in literature today that we have come to expect from Harry Dresden. The only negative I can say about Changes is that reading the earlier books is important if you want to understand everything. Putting that aside, Changes is Jim Butcher’s best book to date.

There really is not much more about the story I can say without being like Rosie O’Donnell when she ruined the ending of Fight Club. Changes is a thrill-by-the-minute rollercoaster of a ride that will leave you satisfied at the end of each page. Know this — you will laugh, cry, maybe throw the book against the wall, and finally understand that Jim Butcher is the Jedi Master of the Science Fiction/Fantasy Universe.

Book Stats:

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: Roc Hardcover; First Edition/First Printing edition (April 6, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 045146317X
• ISBN-13: 978-0451463173

To purchase a print copy of Changes at Amazon click here.

To purchase a print copy of Changes at Barnes & Noble click here.
To purchase an eBook copy of Changes at Barnes & Noble click here.

Support this Jim’s work by visiting the Jim Butcher Store on Amazon Here!

Books in the Dresden Files series in the order they should be read:
Storm Front
Fool Moon
Grave Peril
Summer Knight
Death Masks
Blood Rites
Dead Beat
Proven Guilty
White Night
Small Favor
Turn Coat

Changes

I have to admit, I’m not much of an anthology reader. But I had to read Strange Brew because it had some authors that I have not had a chance to read yet, and I figured even reading a short story was better than not getting to read them at all.

In “Vegas Odds” by Karen Chance, Accalia de Croissets is a teacher in The Corps. When her students turn on her, she tries to get down to the bottom of what is going on.

In “Signatures of the Dead” by Faith Hunter, Molly needs to use her powers as a witch to find out what is happening to local families. She enlists the help of Jane Yellowrock to get to the bottom of the murders.

In “Ginger” by Caitlin Kittredge, the reader gets a look at things from Luna’s cousin Sunny’s perspective. When Sunny is contacted by a mysterious party, she gets dragged into one of Luna’s cases yet again.

There are many other great stories in the anthology, all told, nine in all. Other authors include Rachel Caine, Charlaine Harris and P.N. Elrod. I really enjoyed reading Strange Brew, since its actually based primarily on witches and magic, something that is not a primary focus in most of the books I read for review. Each author has picked an interesting character from their series to base the short story on. In some stories, such as Ms. Kittredge’s, it might be a secondary character. In other ones, such as Jim Butcher’s, it is based around Harry Dresden the main character in the Dresden Files series. As I said earlier, I rarely read anthologies, but I am glad I picked this one up, because it introduced me to many great authors that I will definitely have to add to my TBR pile. If you enjoy anthologies, or just want an introduction to these nine different authors, then pick up Strange Brew today.

Book Excerpt: “Today’s hottest urban fantasy authors come together in this delicious brew that crackles and boils over with tales of powerful witches and dark magic!

In Charlaine Harris’ “Bacon,” a beautiful vampire joins forces with a witch from an ancient line to find out who killed her beloved husband. In “Seeing Eye” by Patricia Briggs, a blind witch helps sexy werewolf Tom Franklin find his missing brother—and helps him in more ways than either of them ever suspected. And in Jim Butcher’s “Last Call,” wizard Harry Dresden takes on the darkest of dark powers—the ones who dare to mess with this favorite beer.

For anyone who’s ever wondered what lies beyond the limits of reality, who’s imagined the secret spaces where witches wield fearsome magic, come and drink deep. Let yourself fall under the spell of this bewitching collection!”

Book Stats:

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin; 1 edition (July 7, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312383363
• ISBN-13: 978-0312383367

To purchase a print copy of Strange Brew from Amazon click here.

To purchase a print copy of Strange Brew from Barnes & Noble click here.
To purchase an eBook copy of Strange Brew from Barnes & Noble click here.

In this video blog episode, Craig from GranLAN reviews Dresden Files: Storm Front #4 by Jim Butcher. Written by Mark Powers with art by Ardian Syaf. Be sure to leave your comments here as well as rate the video on YouTube and share it with friends. If you have other paranormal comics or graphic novels you would like to see reviewed on video please drop us a note or post it in the comments section below. We are always looking for fun new books to cover!

Type: Comics
Genres: Fantasy, Horror
Series: Dresden Files
Publisher: Dabel Brothers Publishing
Pub. Date: May 20, 2009

To purchase a copy of Dresden Files: Storm Front #4 click here.

Or pick up a copy in person at:
GrandLAN Gaming Center
56 North Division • Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503
616.975.7911 • info@grandlan.info
http://www.grandlan.info/

Or use this link to find a comic shop near you: http://www.comicshoplocator.com/

Fans of The Dresden Files TV show who miss “seeing” their favorite wizard police consultant, rejoice! There is now a new medium in which to enjoy the hard-boiled, down-and-out Harry Dresden – graphic novel. Author Jim Butcher and artist Ardian Syaf have brought a pre-story to The Dresden Files series to colorful life in the first compilation of The Dresden Files comic books, Welcome to the Jungle.

A security guard is discovered murdered in the Lincoln Park Zoo and all of the preliminary evidence leads to Moe, a gorilla. However, something strikes one of the detectives as odd, so she calls in Harry Dresden, a wizard who acts as a consultant to the police for anything strange. All of the zoo staff refuse to comply with Dresden, except Dr. Reese. As curator of the great apes, Dr. Reese knows Moe could not have committed this atrocity. With the help of Dr. Reese’s assistant, Will, Dresden starts investigating deeper, and soon finds himself face to face with possessed big cats. This leads Dresden to suspect their curator, the visiting Dr. Watson. With Will’s help, Dresden discovers major magic in her office, mainly in the form of ritual jars containing animal blood. Stymied, Dresden goes to talk the case over with his skull, Bob, and comes to the conclusion that Dr. Watson is a Hecatean Hag. Now it is a race against time to get to her before she gets what she needs to complete her ritual.

For those who miss the TV series, reading Welcome to the Jungle is just as exciting as watching an episode of The Dresden Files. Syaf brings the story to life with the grittiness needed for the crime drama part and the mystery needed for the paranormal aspect. Plus, actually seeing what the characters are seeing really helps pull the reader into the action in a way mere words never could. Dresden also loosely fits into the “flawed superhero” archetype that is so popular in comics right now, helping The Dresden Files make a seamless transition to the graphic novel form.

As soon as I finished reading Welcome to the Jungle, my fiancé stole it from me and then told me I better get the next volume. I definitely think he is right.

Book Stats:

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Del Rey/Dabel Brothers (October 14, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345507460
• ISBN-13: 978-0345507464

To purchase a hardback print copy of Welcome to the Jungle click here.
To purchase a print copy of Welcome to the Jungle click here.

To visit the author’s website go here.
To visit the artist’s website go here.

It’s a typical day at work for Wizard Harry Dresden – find out who is torturing ghosts and siccing them on people, get invited to a Vampire Ball, protect a young woman being haunted by prophetic dreams and avoid being enslaved by his fairy godmother. And, strangest of all, Harry is in love.

Dresden is joined by Michael Carpenter, Knight of the Cross, a righteous man married to the very loving, protective and expectant Charity. Charity does NOT approve of Harry, particularly as his escapades often endanger her husband. Along the way, Harry allies with Thomas, a White Court Vampire, in an effort to save the loves of both their lives.

Grave Peril is a suspense mystery, action-packed adventure, and a solid tale of revenge, tragedy and triumph. The reader is led on a winding trail of hints and connections until the very conclusion when the reader finds just one more surprise. I love Jim Butcher’s use of the language and imagery: describing a moment when Harry feels like a “floundering goob” or having Harry attend a Vampire Masquerade Ball dressed as a “cheesy vampire” in order to offend. Grave Peril is author Jim Butcher at his finest.

Book Stats:

• Paperback: 378 pages
• Publisher: Roc (September 5, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451458443
• ISBN-13: 978-0451458445

To purchase a print copy of Grave Peril click here.
To purchase the unabridged audio CD set of Grave Peril click here.

Support this Jim’s work by visiting the Jim Butcher Store on Amazon Here!

Books in the Dresden Files series in the order they should be read:
Storm Front
Fool Moon
Grave Peril
Summer Knight
Death Masks
Blood Rites
Dead Beat
Proven Guilty
White Night
Small Favor
Turn Coat

To visit the author’s website go here.
To visit the author’s blog go here.

Harry Dresden, Wizard, is going through a phase where his life is like a bad cowboy song: his woman has left him, he’s about to get evicted from his office, his Wizard colleagues don’t trust him, he’s got the deep down blues, someone is trying to kill him and it’s raining toads. To make matters worse, his first client in six months is Mab, Queen of Air and Darkness, Monarch of the Winter Court of the Sidhe, and she wants to bargain for Harry to fulfill three requests. The first being to find out who killed the Summer Knight, protector of her enemy, the Summer Queen.

Harry is pressured from all sides. The White Council of Wizards needs Sidhe permission to travel through Nevernever in order to win its war with the Red Court of Vampires (caused by Harry). Elaine, his first love, shows up and she’s working for the Summer Court of Sidhe (he didn’t know she was alive). War is brewing among the Sidhe, and if it breaks out, mortals will suffer and die for it. Throw in a kidnapping of a half mortal/half fae changeling, vigilante teen werewolves and pizza-loving pixies and the job just gets tougher.

Although Harry says, “Sometimes the most remarkable things seem common-place,” author Jim Butcher pushed the envelope a little too far with Summer Knight. The very best thing about the Dresden Files is Butcher’s incredible skill in making the remarkable common-place, but Summer Knight misses that benchmark. The writing is classic Jim Butcher: dark, introspective, mysterious and funny as hell. Although this is my least favorite of all his books, it still remains a must read.

Book Stats:

• Mass Market Paperback: 371 pages
• Publisher: Roc (September 3, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451458923
• ISBN-13: 978-0451458926

To purchase a print copy of Summer Knight click here.
To purchase a Kindle copy of Summer Knight click here.
To purchase the unabridged CD set of Summer Knight click here.

Support this Jim’s work by visiting the Jim Butcher Store on Amazon Here!

Books in the Dresden Files series in the order they should be read:
Storm Front
Fool Moon
Grave Peril
Summer Knight
Death Masks
Blood Rites
Dead Beat
Proven Guilty
White Night
Small Favor
Turn Coat

To visit the author’s website go here.
To visit the author’s blog go here.

By the second sentence of Turn Coat, the 11th novel of Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files, we know that Harry Dresden’s long-time nemesis, Morgan, is badly wounded and on the run from the White Council. By the second page, Harry has hidden him and arranged for covert medical care. That’s the kind of guy Harry is: stand-up, principled, compassionate.

In choosing to aid and hide a fugitive, Harry risks his own execution by the White Council and that of his apprentice, Molly Carpenter. That’s also the kind of guy Harry is: impulsive and perpetually over  committed, with his middle finger extended to authority.

While Harry is sheltering Morgan and working to uncover the real traitor responsible for a Senior Council member’s death, everyone else in the supernatural world is looking for Morgan. Among them is a naagloshii, a semi-divine thousands-year-old Navajo skinwalker that Harry dubs “Shagnasty.” Shagnasty quickly builds a body count that might soon include Harry’s brother, Thomas Raith.

With the help of Billy and his werewolves, Police Sergeant Karrin Murphy, the fairy Toot-toot (and Za-Lord’s Militia), Molly Carpenter, and the White Court vampires, Harry implements his usual: a creative and complex plan resulting in an epic and fatal battle. This time the battle leaves too many – nearly all – of the issues unresolved, forcing Harry to try Plan . . . F? J, maybe?

Turn Coat is a novel of turning points. Harry’s relationships with many characters change: Morgan, Luccio, Molly, Kirby, Billy, Thomas, and even members of the Senior Council, including the Merlin. It is about stripping away illusion and seeing things as they are, not how we want them to be. At the same time, Turn Coat is a geek-culture-laden fantasy/mystery that sates my inner fangirl. Harry is Spider-Man (I’m surprised it took me 11 books to realize that), in Chapter 45, there’s a shapeshifting duel right out of The Once and Future King, and the villain’s plot reveal at the end is worthy of J.K. Rowling.

As the best book to date in a wonderful series, if I could give Turn Coat six tombstones, I would. If Harry Dresden were a real person I’d…well, I wouldn’t have his babies because they’d constantly be in mortal danger, but I’d want to. I’d really want to.

Book Stats:

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: Roc Hardcover; 1 edition (April 7, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451462564
• ISBN-13: 978-0451462565

To purchase a print copy of Turn Coat click here.
To purchase a Kindle copy of Turn Coat click here.

Books in the Dresden Files series in the order they should be read:
Storm Front
Fool Moon
Grave Peril
Summer Knight
Death Masks
Blood Rites
Dead Beat
Proven Guilty
White Night
Small Favor
Turn Coat

To visit the author’s website go here.
To visit the author’s blog go here.

As Harry Dresden, Wizard, is fond of saying, “nothing is ever simple,” and White Night takes ‘not simple’ to a whole new level. Called in to take a look at a young woman’s supposed suicide, Harry finds murder and a cryptic message leading him to believe a serial killer is loose in Chicago and targeting female magic practitioners – witches. As the story tangles and untangles, it becomes clear that there is something greater afoot and he has to not only discover the reasons but destroy those behind it as well.

White Night has it all: intrigue, twisty turns, a thickening plot, moral dilemmas and compromise, vampire politics, fast patter, humor, a crime lord, an epiphany for Molly the apprentice, an absolutely amazing dog, friendship, love on the highest level, loss and, of course, action: “We got suited up. Swords and guns and grey cloaks and staves and magical gewgaws left and right, yeehaw.”

But although the action is epic, the tale is more about redemption than about destruction. The redemption theme is woven throughout, and for once, Harry is the catalyst rather than the penitent. The secondary, but oh so important, characters have matured and gained depth, and as a reader, I’m overjoyed that they have become part of Harry’s life rather than floating around it. I want to hear their stories and finally feel like I’m getting more than glimpses into these fascinating people and not-people.

Harry is right that “nothing is ever simple”, and White Night is not a simple read. But if one takes the time to read the stories inside the story, it is an immensely satisfying read. Jim Butcher does not preach to his readers but he does create a space in his books that allows one to think about the hard philosophical questions, if one so chooses. And it is that elusive opportunity that makes author Jim Butcher a master in his field. His books are never just “a good read”, but oh so much more. You can read one of his books the easy way or the hard way, and both are worthwhile.

Book Stats:

• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Roc (February 5, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 045146155X
• ISBN-13: 978-0451461551

To purchase a print copy of White Night click here.
To purchase a print copy of White Night click here.

Books in the Dresden Files series in the order they should be read:
Storm Front
Fool Moon
Grave Peril
Summer Knight
Death Masks
Blood Rites
Dead Beat
Proven Guilty
White Night
Small Favor
Turn Coat

To visit the author’s website go here.
To visit the author’s blog go here.

Newly-cloaked Warden Harry Dresden is asked to investigate reports of black magic in Chicago by his former mentor, Ebenezar. He has barely begun when the Blue Beetle is rammed by a mysterious car and Michael Carpenter’s daughter, Molly (now a teenage runaway), calls, begging for his help. Molly’s boyfriend is in jail for the savage beating of an old man at a horror film convention, but she says he didn’t do it. After a trip to the convention site, Harry agrees with her: it appears to be the work of movie monsters made real.

This adventure eventually takes Harry and his unlikely team (Lieutenant Murphy, Thomas the vampire, and Michael’s wife, Charity) to Arctis Tor, Queen Mab’s stronghold in the faery realm of Winter. All the while, the shadow of fallen angel Lasciel (her “stupid mental sock puppet,” as Harry says) is still hanging around in his head, tempting Harry to solve every one of the gigantic mound of his problems by taking up the coin and embracing her evil assistance.

Proven Guilty is a dense book that leaves the reader with many intriguing loose ends. It’s a connecting, dark-feeling book; a second act in the tradition of The Empire Strikes Back. War is still raging, Harry has been pressed into a service he hates and that is against his moral code, Wardens and other council members don’t trust him, and Lasciel’s presence is wearing him down (sometimes keeping him from trusting himself).

There’s plenty of humor and action amid the confusion and darker themes of this novel. The character of Charity Carpenter is a bright point. She raises the bar for mothers and tough women everywhere – a lucid, faith-filled Sarah Connor.

Proven Guilty is a great read and an essential part of Harry’s story. I don’t know how well it would be received by readers new to the series, but that’s okay because no one should be starting with book eight anyway. Important things are best done in order starting with Storm Front.

Book Stats:

• Mass Market Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: Roc (February 6, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451461037
• ISBN-13: 978-0451461032

To purchase a print copy of Proven Guilty click here.
To purchase a Kindle copy of Proven Guilty click here.

Books in the Dresden Files series in the order they should be read:
Storm Front
Fool Moon
Grave Peril
Summer Knight
Death Masks
Blood Rites
Dead Beat
Proven Guilty
White Night
Small Favor
Turn Coat

To visit the author’s website go here.
To visit the author’s blog go here.

It is almost Halloween in Chicago, a time of tall tales of ghosts, ghouls and goblins – unless, of course, you are Harry Dresden, Wizard, who just KNOWS that the tall tales are just the tip of the ice berg. Harry finds himself being blackmailed by a vampire to protect the career of his unrequited crush, Sgt. Karen Murphy of Chicago PD. In order to meet the blackmailer’s demands, he finds himself dealing with the not only the living dead and the dead dead, but those who raise the dead, as well as a Fallen Angel, a Faerie Queen, the Wild Hunt and a polka-playing coroner. What starts out as a project to protect a friend turns instead into a frenzied, desperate effort to save the lives of all in the city, and possibly the world.

The genius of author Jim Butcher is that he makes the improbable seem absolutely possible. Harry Dresden is a man driven by his own innate sense of goodness and an over-developed sense of responsibility, who happens to have Wizard powers. And therein lays the heart of the Dresden Files series. As Harry struggles with the big (and little) life questions, he is willingly trapped in a life style that forces him to make life and death decisions for himself and others. He is by no means a super hero, but instead the most admirable of heroes – the kind of hero that will run into a burning building without a clue of what he will do when he gets there.

Dead Beat offers a rip-roaring ride, moral dilemmas, excitement, suspense, and of course, characters that you WISH you knew personally. It is a satisfying, intriguing read, without the hackneyed scenarios that one expects when they see the word “Halloween”.

Book Stats:

• Publisher: Roc (May 2, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 045146091X
• ISBN-13: 978-0451460912

To purchase a print copy of Dead Beat click here.
To purchase a Kindle copy of Dead Beat click here.

Books in the Dresden Files series in the order they should be read:
Storm Front
Fool Moon
Grave Peril
Summer Knight
Death Masks
Blood Rites
Dead Beat
Proven Guilty
White Night
Small Favor
Turn Coat

To visit the author’s website go here.
To visit the author’s blog go here.

Like most of the Dresden books, Blood Rites starts out with a seemingly simple enough premise: the vampire Thomas asks Harry to look into who has put an entropy curse on his pal and renegade porn auteur Arturo Genosa. Sounds easy enough, but when is anything ever easy for Harry? The investigation leads Harry to a plot involving vampires of the White Court, from which Thomas himself hails, including Thomas’s father and two sisters.

Plus, Black Court vampire Mavra is back in Chicago and looking to put an end to Harry. He decides to take the offensive for a change rather than waiting to defend himself. To that end, he enlists the help of the head of Special Investigations for the Chicago PD, Karrin Murphy, Kincaid, a mercenary we met in the last book, and Ebenezar, his old mentor from the White Council.

As with all of the series’ books, once the action starts, the pressure just keeps building. The plot twists and turns, and Harry has a couple of monumental revelations thrown his way. One involves his family history; the other involves Ebenezar. What Harry learns about his former mentor might drive a wedge between the only man Harry ever felt deserved to be called “sir” as well as further alienating him from the White Council in general. Together, they could change everything about his motivations and how he views himself.

Karrin and Thomas both get considerably fleshed out in this novel. Getting a peek into Karrin’s personal life is especially satisfying since she is Harry’s closest friend. And Butcher plants a little seed of attraction between them; it will be interesting to see where it leads.

Blood Rites has all of the elements that have made the series so satisfying so far: fast pacing, excellent characterization, Harry’s trademark humor, and dynamic action. But despite the huge payoff in terms of finding more out about Harry’s past, this was probably my least favorite book so far. One of the problems I had was with the Big Bad of the novel. The power behind the entropy curse just was not all that interesting or scary and seemed too easily handled. Mavra from the subplot seemed a far more frightening challenge for Harry. The story overall seemed a little more clichéd and less inventive than what I’ve come to expect from Mr. Butcher.

Complaints notwithstanding, Blood Rites is still one page-turning good read. I mean, it opens with Harry dodging flaming poo thrown by a monkey demon while rescuing puppies – how can you not love that? The revelations and character-building add a new dimension to the series. Dresden fans won’t want to miss this one. The book is a very, very solid four Tombstones.

Reviewer’s Note: While any of the Dresden books can stand alone and serve as a jumping off point, it would be to the reader’s benefit to start at the beginning of the series with Storm Front.

Book Stats:

• Paperback: 372 pages
• Publisher: Roc; 1st edition (August 3, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451459873
• ISBN-13: 978-0451459879

To purchase a print copy of Blood Rites click here.
To purchase a Kindle copy of Blood Rites click here.

Books in the Dresden Files series in the order they should be read:
Storm Front
Fool Moon
Grave Peril
Summer Knight
Death Masks
Blood Rites
Dead Beat
Proven Guilty
White Night
Small Favor
Turn Coat

To visit the author’s website go here.
To visit the author’s blog go here.

After the large scale events of book four, Summer Knight, Jim Butcher goes for a slightly smaller scale in Death Masks the fifth installment of the series. But that doesn’t mean that there is room on Harry’s plate. The war between the White Council and the vampires that Harry kind of started in book three is heating up. A Red Court warlord challenges Harry to a formal duel with Chicago as neutral territory being the prize if Harry wins. He can hardly say no since he will kill all of Harry’s friends and associates if he does.

Harry is also hired by the Catholic Church to track down the Shroud of Turin which was stolen by thieves and traced to Chicago. In hunting it down, Harry finds himself at odds with a group of demons known as the Order of the Blackened Denarius. The Denarians are actually humans who have been possessed by a Fallen angel after accepting a silver coin (there are thirty of these coins, hint, hint).

On top of that, Susan, Harry’s one-time sweetheart, is back in town and still struggling with her semi-vampiric nature; and Gentleman John Marcone appears to be gunning for him as well. As usual, Harry gets by with a little help from his friends Murphy, Bob the Skull, and Michael, along with Michael’s fellow Knights of the Cross Shiro and Sanya.

Death Masks delivers Butcher’s now usual blend of clever plotting, high-octane action and adventure, Harry’s wiseacre humor, and strong characterization. In many ways, it is the meatiest, as well as the most mature thematically, emotionally, and graphically book of the series so far.

Butcher does an outstanding job of developing his characters, the supporting cast as well as Harry. I especially liked the revelation about Marcone, who is a complex and not unlikeable major bad guy. In him, I think we see the kind of man Harry might be were he to give into his darker desires.

Butcher deftly interweaves the supernatural ass-kicking action with quieter, contemplative moments that show the humanity of the characters. There is some pretty serious stuff in here about the responsibility of power, love and loss, faith, family and loyalty.

I did have a couple of very minor quibbles with this book. One is that the Shroud of Turin apparently went missing on the down low. I’m all for suspension of disbelief, but it seems unlikely that the Church could keep such a theft out of the news. I was also left feeling vaguely unsatisfied with the way the duel played out; it was just kind of a letdown. Neither of these detracted any from the book. It was as rollicking of a page turner as any of the books so far and a blast to read. And after a genuine “Holy Crap!” moment at the end of the book, I can’t wait to see what happens next. I give it four and a half tombstones.

Reviewers Note: While any of the Dresden books can stand alone and serve as a jumping off point, it would be to the reader’s benefit to start at the beginning with Storm Front.

Book Stats:

• Mass Market Paperback: 378 pages
• Publisher: Roc (August 5, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451459407
• ISBN-13: 978-0451459404

To purchase a print copy of Death Masks click here.
To purchase a Kindle copy of Death Masks click here.

Books in the Dresden Files series in the order they should be read:
Storm Front
Fool Moon
Grave Peril
Summer Knight
Death Masks
Blood Rites
Dead Beat
Proven Guilty
White Night
Small Favor
Turn Coat

To visit the author’s website go here.
To visit the author’s blog go here.

In Fool Moon, wizard for hire Harry Dresden is back for the second installment of this series. It is about six months after the events of Storm Front, and Harry’s situation seems to be par for the course. He is broke and work is non-existent, he has been getting the cold shoulder from his police contact Karrin Murphy, and there are rumors that he has been working for local crime boss John Marcone.

When Murphy comes to him with a string of especially brutal murders occurring around the full moon, Harry finds himself up to his amulet in human lycanthropes, hexenwolves, shapeshifters, and loup-garou. To complicate matters, the FBI has taken over and wants no help from them, Internal Affairs is on Murphy because of Harry, and Harry himself is facing a possible stint in jail.

The investigation leads Harry to two different packs (and types) of werewolves and environmental activist Harley MacFinn, all of whom could be responsible for the killings. And just for fun, the victims all seem to be tied to Marcone. With the help of Murphy, Bob the Skull, and some new allies, Harry is able to make things right.

Jim Butcher delivers another outstanding page-turner packed with all of the ingredients that made the first Dresden book so much fun: tons of supernatural action and thrills with a noir sensibility, tight plotting, natural, realistic dialog, a generous helping of humor and pop-culture references, and finely rendered characters that evoke strong reactions. The plot is smartly contrived with some nice twists. It all builds to a gripping finale that has a real sense of urgency.

Harry gets a little more flesh on his bones with more info about his past. We also get more of a sense of the tremendous burden of responsibility he feels for the magic he wields, its destructive potential, and his obligation to the innocent. He has charm and honor that make him likeable, but he is a flawed human which makes him interesting. The world Harry inhabits has smartly-crafted rules governing the use of magic and the limits of its power, which is one of the things that makes this series so compelling.

Fool Moon is a bit darker than its predecessor. Harry really takes a beating in this novel (both physically and emotionally), and Butcher ups the gore and violence quotient. But for all of that, it is still loads of fun and a rich and satisfying read. I had a…get ready for it…howling good time. I give it four and a half tombstones.

Reviewers Note: Fool Moon works perfectly well as a standalone novel, but readers will have a fuller appreciation by reading Storm Front first.

Book Stats:

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Roc (January 9, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451458125
• ISBN-13: 978-0451458124

To purchase a print copy of Fool Moon click here.
To purchase a Kindle copy of Fool Moon click here.

Books in the Dresden Files series in the order they should be read:
Storm Front
Fool Moon
Grave Peril
Summer Knight
Death Masks
Blood Rites
Dead Beat
Proven Guilty
White Night
Small Favor
Turn Coat

To visit the author’s website go here.
To visit the author’s blog go here.

In Jim Butcher’s series introduction Storm Front, we meet Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only wizard openly for hire (certainly the only one with an ad in the Yellow Pages), in a genre mash-up where hard-boiled detective fiction meets magic and supernatural creatures in the modern day. In this universe, a magical realm called the Nevernever exists in tandem with the mundane Earth, although it goes largely unnoticed by the population at large.

Harry has problems. Magic disrupts technology, so he and it seldom see eye to eye. He has a negligible social life. Rent is overdue and he is broke. Business has been very slow. Then there’s the little matter of the wizard governing body, the White Council. They’ve been keeping close tabs on Harry ever since he violated one of their rules years ago, even though it was in self-defense.

We first come to Harry in his office, lamenting his finances. He gets two calls within moments of each other: the first case is the requisite mystery woman whose husband has gone missing; the second is from Lieutenant Karrin Murphy, the director of Special Investigations with the Chicago PD for whom he sometimes acts as a consultant. They have an apparent double homicide unusual enough in nature to seek his specialized knowledge.

As he investigates both cases, Harry runs afoul of the city’s crime boss and an upscale vampire madam, neither of whom are amenable to his snooping. He discovers himself in the way of a dark magician responsible for the grisly killings and a drug that grants users visions into the magic realm. Harry also manages to find himself at odds with his police contact.

Harry figures out that he is next on the dark wizard’s hit list; he is not just racing to solve his cases but to save his own life. He has to tread carefully, though. Morgan, the Warden assigned to bird-dog Harry by the White Council, is waiting in the wings for Harry to mess up so he can put him down. Not to mention sundry demons and thugs to battle, plus a giant scorpion!

The premise of the series is simple enough, and Butcher breaks no new ground in that department. He borrows extensively from the stories, films, comics, and television he (and a healthy chunk of his readers) was weaned on. While it is kind of familiar territory, that is not necessarily a bad thing. Butcher is a creative and engaging storyteller. Thanks to the excellent pacing and narrative, interesting characters, a tight plot and a generous dose of wry humor, he has created a really enjoyable, fresh book.

Told from Harry’s point of view, the writing is elegantly simple and intelligent. Butcher lets his protagonist tell his own story with Harry’s particular charm and wit. The tension escalates steadily from chapter to chapter as Harry bounces between encounters. Lots of pop culture references make the story fresh and relevant. His internal monologue as well as the conversations with other characters is modern and believable. Hardly anyone says something that seems unusual, out of context, or over the top.

As the character to base a series on, Harry is immediately likeable. Magical ability notwithstanding, he is a regular guy with regular problems – outside of work, anyway – that everyone can identify with. He suffers from all too realistic internal conflict when reality intrudes past his morality. In spite of his abilities, he remains practical – Harry carries a gun because sometimes it’s easier and more effective than a spell. As the story progresses, we get backstory in doses big enough to satisfy curiosity but small enough that the story never lags. And plenty of interesting questions remain that would be great for some sequels!

The supporting characters are all compellingly brought to life, from Harry’s friend Karrin on the police force, the dark magician, and Bob the skull right down to Mister, the cat who owns him. It is easy to get behind their motivations. Everyone acts in believable ways given the universe in which they reside. Butcher has created a cast that you care about and want to succeed…or fail as the case may sometimes be.

Anyone interested in the genre and looking for a fun and entertaining read should spend a few hours with Harry Dresden. A superbly crafted story, Storm Front will have readers itching to turn the page to find out what happens next. The worst part about the book is having to wait for the next installment after you finish. Storm Front is a metric assload of fun. I give it four and a half tombstones.

Book Stats:

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Roc; First Edition edition (April 10, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451457811
• ISBN-13: 978-0451457813

To purchase a print copy of Storm Front click here.
To purchase a Kindle copy of Storm Front click here.
To purchase an unabridged audio CD set of Storm Front click here.

Books in the Dresden Files series in the order they should be read:
Storm Front
Fool Moon
Grave Peril
Summer Knight
Death Masks
Blood Rites
Dead Beat
Proven Guilty
White Night
Small Favor
Turn Coat

To visit the author’s website go here.
To visit the author’s blog go here.

I will be the first to admit that I have never found anthologies to be all that satisfying to read. The stories, either novella length or short stories, felt too short to develop characters and plots to the degree that I expect when I read. Mean Streets is the exception. I selected the book because of the Jim Butcher selection. I’ve been a fan for years now and never pass up the chance to read a piece of his work. I had heard of Simon R. Green but I had never read any of his Nightside books. I had also heard of Kat Richardson but was unacquainted with her Greywalker series. Thomas E. Sniegoski? Who is that?

Jim Butcher’s The Warrior gives the reader a look at the consequences of Harry Dresden’s possession of Amoracchius, the wonderfully powerful sword once wielded by Michael Carpenter, Knight of the Cross, and Dresden’s friend. The upshot is Harry is in danger and so is the Carpenter family, but from whom? And why? Anyone acquainted with Chicago’s wizard for hire knows that Harry has an arsenal of tricks at his disposal but sometimes tricks are more harmful than helpful.

Simon R. Green’s story, The Difference a Day Makes, takes the reader back to Nightside, the realm of John Taylor, the private eye extraordinaire who can find anything, even a lost day experienced by a mortal woman who has come looking for her loving husband. As a newcomer to Nightside, I found it a rather messy place, but I did like the zombie and his cool car.

Here is the US we celebrate Halloween; in Mexico they celebrate Day of the Dead when families gather in the cemeteries to celebrate the life and memories of those who have gone before because the dead are never gone as long as someone remembers them. In The Third Death of the Little Clay Dog, Kat Richardson sends Harper Blaine, who can see and converse with the dead, to Mexico to deliver a little clay dog to the grave of someone who met an unhappy death. Being naturally curious as well as a natural meddler, Ms. Blaine becomes embroiled in a family mystery, makes contact with the family bogeyman, takes a lawyer to task for his lack of ethics, and directs a young man on to the path of righteousness. This is a fun read. Harper Blaine likes to use her head but I wouldn’t want to cross her.

The final novella in Mean Streets introduced me to the world of Thomas E. Sniegoski and Remy Chandler, the angel living as a man and grieving as a widower. In Noah’s Orphans, Remy is hired to find out who killed the ancient being who has lived among humans for centuries. I am a sucker for a good who-dun-it, and Sniegoski delivers a stunning tale with all the mystery and cathartic drama an emotional story promises. I have already bought A Kiss Before the Apocalypse to find out more about Remy Chandler and why he felt the need to suppress his angelic nature.

Book Stats:

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Roc Trade (January 6, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451462491
• ISBN-13: 978-0451462497

To purchase a print copy of Mean Streets click here.
To purchase a Kindle copy of Mean Streets click here.

To visit the contributors’ websites go here.

http://www.sniegoski.com/
http://www.katrichardson.com/
http://www.jim-butcher.com/

In Small Favor, book 10 of the Dresden Files series, Winter Queen Mab decides to cash in on one of the favors Harry owes her, the Knights of the Cross and their foes the Denarians are back, and the Three Billy Goats Gruff of nursery rhyme fame are trying to assassinate Harry for apparently no good reason (Sidhe court politics is offered up as a weak explanation). As usual, the odds against Harry are so long they have to be measured “in astronomical units” (pg. 250). As usual for Jim Butcher, this book is a hell of a good read.

Over time, Harry Dresden has grown as a character without losing the essential Harryness he had at the beginning. As a reader, I wish other authors could do this with their characters as well as Jim Butcher does. Harry has learned from (some of) his mistakes in previous books and references them, providing a nice feeling of continuity. When Harry has a new toy or skill, there is often an explanation as to how he developed it during the down time between adventures, e.g. “The coil of steel chain in my coat pocket came out smoothly as I drew it, because I’d practiced the draw thousands of times . . .” (pg. 103)

This is a nice nod to realism in an otherwise unreal setting, but hundreds of references like this over 10 books have caused me to create a humorous picture of Harry’s incredibly busy life between books: he runs daily, trains his apprentice, crafts his own weapons and practices using them “thousands of times,” forms alliances with the little folk through weekly pizza donations, creates a meticulous miniature model of the entire city of Chicago and patiently imbues it with magical energy, studies, helps other Wardens, solves minor cases, shovels the walk for his neighbors in the winter, and presumably also sleeps, eats and bathes. He’s the hardest working Wizard in showbiz, and it pays off.

While Mab and the Billy Goats Gruff play a role, most of the action in this book comes from Harry working with the Knights of the Cross to thwart the Denarians and save two recurring minor characters (and through them, The World). The Fallen Angel/Denarian storyline is fascinating and I enjoyed revisiting it. It is a tribute to Butcher’s rich characterization that, on the way to work this morning, I saw a sign saying “Experienced Carpenters Needed” and first thought of Knight of the Cross Michael Carpenter and his family.

In every Harry Dresden book there is a moment of sheer audacity that causes the reader in me to say, “I can’t believe Harry (or rarely, another character) did that!” while simultaneously the writer in me says, “I can’t believe Butcher wrote that!” My favorite, which Butcher may never top, takes place at Chicago’s Field Museum in Dead Beat. Small Favor has its moment too (hint: there’s a helicopter). Like its predecessors, Small Favor is complicated, fun, action-packed, true to its characters, and full of difficult moral choices. This is a book that will cause you to stay up until 2 AM finishing it and will then stay with you for a long time.

Note: Readers who are new to Harry Dresden could read Small Favor and enjoy it, but it is well worth starting with Storm Front and reading the series in order.

Book Stats:

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: Roc Hardcover (April 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451461894
• ISBN-13: 978-0451461896

To purchase a print copy of Small Favor click here.

Books in the Dresden Files series in the order they should be read:
Storm Front
Fool Moon
Grave Peril
Summer Knight
Death Masks
Blood Rites
Dead Beat
Proven Guilty
White Night
Small Favor
Turn Coat

To visit the author’s website go here.

To visit the author’s blog go here.