Book Review: Grave Peril

Grave Peril

By:  Jim Butcher

Publisher:  Roc Fantasy

Publish Date:  September 2001

Format:  Paperback 436pgs, pocketbook size

Genre:  Urban Fantasy

Series:  3rd in Dresden Files; 1st Book ~ Storm Front, 2nd Book ~ Fool Moon

Recommendation:  Yep, relate-able main character who's a wizard.  But starting to learn more here of Harry.

Synopsis:
Harry Dresden has faced some pretty terrifying foes during his career.  Giant scorpions.  Oversexed vampires.  Psychotic werewolves.  It comes with the territory when you're the only professional wizard in the Chicago-area phone book.

But in all Harry's years of supernatural sleuthing, he's never faced anything like this: The spirit world has gone postal.  All over Chicago, ghosts are causing trouble - and not just of the door-slamming, boo-shouting variety.  These ghosts are tormented, violent, and deadly.  Someone - or something - is purposely stirring them up to wreak unearthly havoc.  But why?  And why do so many of the victims have ties to Harry?  If Harry doesn't figure it out soon, he could wind up a ghost himself...

First Sentence:
There are reasons I hate to drive fast.

Purchase At:

Amazon ~ Kindle & Print  /  Barnes & Nobles ~ Nook & Print

My Thoughts and Summary:
Harry and his friend Michael, who happens to be the Hand of God as well, have been chasing ghosts around Chicago for two weeks.  Now, they are heading to the hospital for another, dangerous one.  The spirit world has gone ballistic.  Michael brings up Susan's and Harry's relationship with Harry, asking if he loves her and getting him to admit it.  Then tells Harry he needs more human interaction.  Then we back up to the beginning  of the day, leading up to this point.  The day starts with a young female practitioner asking for his protection at closing time.  Protection from a ghost killing her like in her vision, and Harry's at the center of all going on with the ghost she sees.  The same night something nightmarish deadly comes through from the Nevernever one of Murphy's men goes mad.  Harry crosses to the Nevernever to fight the bad spirit, having a run-in with his fairy Godmother.

There is more mention of people in Harry's life, his evil sidhe Godmother.  Interesting.  And to see a touch of his life as to where she had become a part of it.  Harry had some troubles when he was younger.  But every time he ventures into the Nevernever - which is fairly never - she is hot on his trail to find him and keep him.

We start right in with ghost action then fall back to earlier that day when it ends the day at the office with the young girl looking for protection.

This story read better for me, flowed as a story from beginning to end.  There are connections to the previous books but I think you could pick up with this book and start the series here.  The connections between the characters seemed to fit better in this book for me.  The books are getting better for me.  I've heard the fourth is where they start to get real good, so I'm looking forward to it.  I think the world and troubles might start to grow on me now.

Harry is one that many could 'relate' to.  He is what many would call 'human' as a character.  He's powerful in magic, yes, but he wears like any other person.  He gets tired.  His guard falls down and others can get to him when he's not ready.  Human.  Harry is always beat up by the big showdown of the book, even before hand, but finds a way to come through.

Oh, I had to laugh when Harry showed up at the ball!  That was such a play on characters.  The humor here is relaxing.  There are quick comments that fit perfectly with the scene.

This book ends with me wondering on what will happen with Harry...with the White Council, the vampires, Susan, and more.  This story in this book is complete, but the characters feel bigger and live on, leaving us looking to the next book.



***I read this book for my own enjoyment.

Book Review: Fool Moon

Fool Moon

By:  Jim Butcher

Published By:  Roc

Publish Date:  January 2001

Format:  Paperback, 401pgs Mass Market size

Genre:  Urban Fantasy

Series:  2nd in The Dresden Files series; 1st Book ~ Storm Front

Recommendation:  Sure, if you enjoy magic and werewolves, there is a whole world drawn here!

Synopsis:
Business has been slow.  Okay, business has been dead.  And not even the undead variety.  You would think Chicago would have a little more action for the only professional wizard in the phone book.  But lately, Harry Dresden hasn't been able to dredge up any kind of work - magical or mundane.

But just when it looks like he can't afford his next meal, a murder comes along that requires his particular brand of supernatural expertise.

A brutally mutilated corpse.  Strange-looking paw prints.  A full moon.  Take three guesses - and the first two don't count...

First Sentence:
I never used to keep close track of the phases of the moon.

Purchase At:

Amazon   /   Barnes & Nobles

My Thoughts and Summary:
Kim Delaney approaches Harry in McAnally's Pub asking about symbols.  Harry refuses to tell her about something that could cause her to be killed.  Finally he tells her about most but not of the dangerous inner circle related to demons, demigods or Arch Angels.  After Kim leaves pissed to not get her information and Harry feeling as he did wrong with doing right, Murphy shows up.  There's been a murder and she needs Harry's help, after all this time.  A distorted dead body with pay prints visible in the dust and blood, and a full moon.  This case is out of Murphy's jurisdiction but identical to ones four weeks earlier.  If things go according to last months murders  this is the first night past of four total murders to come.  If things don'e work out with Harry on this case, Murphy might lose her job and Harry landing in jail as Internal Affairs is investigating her after the last case Harry helped with.

After the happenings of Storm Front, Harry's work with the Special Investigations unit at Chicago Police Department has tapered down to nothing, which was a big source of income for him.  So Harry is broke beyond broke.  This is nice to see a wizard that has to fight to make it and not just instantly have money at his disposal.  Murphy stayed away as she was being looked at, thinking in kahuts with the mobster Marcone.  Murphy is also still holding a grudge against Harry for not letting her know what was up with the case in Storm Front.

I like that this one shows Harry needs to trust in others, or just a select few.  He has things they can not know with the council, but they need to know much of his knowledge with the dangers they are crossing, and killing around them that they fight.  Harry gets scared and knows it.  He's not all brass balls all the time, but he pushes on as he has to get the job done as there is no one else around to do it.  Harry does take one heck of a beating in this book, exhausted physically and magically, and keeps going.

I still love Bob, the brilliant skull.  I think he might be my favorite character in these books thus far.  He's got a sense of humor and sticks out to me when I read these.

This book has much more magic from Harry, which I enjoy seeing.  We get into different types of 'werewolves.'  I like this classification system and the differences between them.  Great setting for the world with this.

Harry works with Special Investigations and the FBI in this round.  He also gets himself in trouble with one of the 'werewolf' groups, the mobster drug dealing Marcone is at his door wanting him, and there is another werewolf out on the prowl killing.  The story and mystery flow better for me this time around, along with the world building.  There are more hints of things to think on in the future.  Harry's name to a demon (he has more than just three) and Harry's mothers dark past.  There is an opening to the dark magic here, I'm curious to see more of it.  And I'm again curious as to why the White Council seems to be cautious with Harry, other than with his troubles with his mentor.

All that being said, I still feel I'm falling short of the awesomeness everyone else sees in these books.  Now, I've heard the third book is where it picks up and gets good, so I will continue onto the next book to check it out.  But with all the great elements present, thus far I'm not sold on the series yet.  Maybe I'm one of those few that doesn't connect with this one, but we will wait and see.


*I read this book for my own enjoyment.

Who? What? Where? (94)

Who are you with? Where are you at? What's happening?

Share with us just a little bit of what is happening in the book you are reading, right where you are now.

Just a tiny taste of what's happening, remember try to not give spoilers of the book.

his is a new meme I'm going to try and will tweak as I go. And please don't laugh at my lame attempt at drawing. ;D )

This Week:

I'm with Harry Dresden running down the road on a rainy night chasing the Nightmare who has a friends pregnant wife.  We don't have much magic in us, but we are going to do something...maybe?

Grave Peril
By:  Jim Butcher 



Others have shown interest in joining in this post, and linking up.  So I've created a linky for that.
My only requests; copy the picture to use, and link back to My World...in words and pages.
Please visit any joining in.
Thank you!

Who? What? Where? (81)

Who are you with? Where are you at? What's happening?

Share with us just a little bit of what is happening in the book you are reading, right where you are now.

Just a tiny taste of what's happening, remember try to not give spoilers of the book.

(This is a new meme I'm going to try and will tweak as I go. And please don't laugh at my lame attempt at drawing. ;D )

This Week:

I'm with Harry Dresden as we talk with his subconscious, while he's out like a light due to exhaustion.  Yeah, the guy seems to be losing it a little.  There's a lot going on in his mind it seems.

Fool Moon
By:  Jim Butcher

Teaser Tuesday (133)

Teaser Tuesday

is a weekly event

Sponsored by MizB of Should be Reading

Here's how it works:

Grab the book you are currently reading (anything at all)

Open the book to any random page.

Share 2 teaser sentences from anywhere on the page

Please Make Sure They Are Not Spoilers!

(Don't Give Too Much Away)

Just enough to pique our interests

This Week:

I didn't get to hear the rest of what Susan said, because I grabbed my blasting rod in one hand, the potion in the other, opened the door to the car, unfastened my seat belt, and rolled out onto the shoulder of the road.

Fool Moon
By:  Jim Butcher
243pg

Book Review: Storm Front

Storm Front

By:  Jim Butcher

Publisher:  RoC Book

Publish Date:  2000

Format:  Paperback 352pgs, pocket size

Genre:  Urban Fantasy

Series:  1st in The Dresden Files

Recommendation:  Yeah, a fun series with strong magic influence and a man with manners, for a warlock that is. ;)

Book Synopsis:

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 transends mortal creativity or capability, they come to him for answers.  For the "everyday" world is actually full of strange and magical things - and most of them don't play well with humans. That's where Harry comes in.  Takes a wizard to catch a - well, what ever.

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.

First Sentence:
I heard the mailman approach my office door, half an hour earlier than usual.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Harry Dresden, a wizard who's come out of the closet and specializes in finding lost items, paranormal and investigations, but Harry hasn't had any work to pay his rent, for some time.  Harry is an honest man, with what work had come around and he didn't take the payoff but told the truth.  Until a woman calls asking him to find what she has lost...her husband.  Then a call from Lt. Murphy comes, asking Dresen to come to her murder scene with a couple dead bodies involved, needing him to look around as she feels is paranormal related.  Two cases in minutes after a dry spell of months, Harry tries to handle both cases for both pays.

The book starts fast with two cases, which build the magical creatures and magical usages for us.  These two cases bring a wizard investigator into so much more that's out there; vampires, bad magic, and the council that watches over wizards and more.

I love Bob!  Bob is a possessed skull that helps Harry with his potions, or has all the potions memorized.  But his humor is wonderful!  I really enjoy him.  I enjoyed Harry as well.  He has an old gentlemanly feel to him, yet he's brass too.  But he is approachable for me, I know not for the other characters in the book, but I like him just the same.  Leutinent Murphy is a hard one.  She is a solid rock and on the police force that could make Harry's life hell.  But she is a good cop.

I enjoyed the mystery and following Harry along on the two cases he took on.  He really gets beat around some, but the mystery all works out in the end.  And along the way we get introduced to a real world full of magic that's just starting to come out of it's shell to the public.

I like there is magic here, mixed with humor.  It's fun.  I plan on continuing with the series to see where it goes, as I've heard the books get better.


I read this book for my own enjoyment.

Who? What? Where? (45)

Who are you with? Where are you at? What's happening?

Share with us just a little bit of what is happening in the book you are reading, right where you are now.

Just a tiny taste of what's happening, remember try to not give spoilers of the book.

(This is a new meme I'm going to try and will tweak as I go. And please don't laugh at my lame attempt at drawing. ;D )

I'm with Harry Dresden in a victims place of residence where he just spent the remainder of the night sleeping, and we really shouldn't be here as Harry is enough trouble with...everyone.  We found a clue and need to get out of here, but someone shows up who shouldn't be here, but could turn out to be a huge lead on a second case.  This now connects the two cases in my mind.

Storm Front
By:  Jim Butcher

Teaser Tuesday (98)

Teaser Tuesday

is a weekly event

Sponsored by MizB of Should be Reading

Here's how it works:

Grab the book you are currently reading (anything at all)

Open the book to any random page.

Share 2 teaser sentences from anywhere on the page

Please Make Sure They Are Not Spoilers!

(Don't Give Too Much Away)

Just enough to pique our interests.

This Week:

I looked over my shoulder, back toward the apartment.  Through the rain I heard a dry and raspy hiss, underlaid with a sort of clicking growl.

Storm Front
By:  Jim Butcher
199pg

Throwback Thursday (6)

Let's talk about those books already on the shelves, yours or the stores.

I have a post for books I'm looking forward to coming out;

Looking Forward To...

But what about all those wonderful books that are ALREADY on the shelves?

Whether it be on your shelf waiting to be read or on the shelves in the stores waiting for you to give it a good home.

So, I thought I would share a book a week that is just waiting for me to travel through it's world.

Now... where do I start?  On the the WANT List...

From all the blogs around, I have been sold on trying this series.  I've heard great things of this author and the series itself.  I don't have it yet, but hope to get the chance to get it some day here.  Thank you all!

Storm Front

By:  Jim Butcher

Goodreads Synopsis:

Harry Dresden--Wizard
Lost items found. Paranormal investigations.
Consulting. Advice. Reasonable rates.
No Love Potions, Endless Purses, Parties, 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 of them don't play too 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 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.