Kat Kennedy's Reviews > Storm Front

The Dresden Files is one of those books that's intimidating to approach. It has a hard-core fan group that will scream its praises from the top of the roof. Usually, I would approach with extreme caution. I rarely read a series when I've been assured that it gets good after six books. When people tell me that, I simply quietly encourage them to read the Fever Series and avert eye contact.

However, after a discussion regarding male readers and writers of the Urban Fantasy genre, I felt I should give this series a go since the UF male demographic tends to be on the small side.

The Dresden Files has an immersive, interesting world. It's magical lore is possibly the only original thing about it. Which doesn't say that much for the book.


It's exactly the same half-assed compliment you'd give to Meyers...

Don't get me wrong. Harry is a solid, interesting character and the mystery and action in this book was great. There were plenty of tense moments, laugh-out-loud moments, and clever, witty escapes.

But that doesn't mean that anything in this book was actually original.

Paranormal private eye? If there ever was a cliche in this genre - there it is. Can't they ever have a different occupation? If you have some magical ability is this your only career choice? Honestly. I think Anita Blake, Rachel Morgan and Harry Dresden would make GREAT pizza deliverers!


Guaranteed they'd still manage to get in a shitload of trouble though...

What's the draw to being private detectives or retainers for police investigations? They're always struggling with money, almost getting killed to solve cases that don't pay, for people who don't like them and never really trust them. Insurance salesmen, guys. If people are going to treat you like dirt, you might as well be fucking them over equally as bad!

Besides, most of the characters in this book could have come out of ANY mystery novel about a rogue private eye solving mysteries and helping the police.

You have:

1) The toughass female cop with a heart of gold.
2) The asshole cop who gets in the way and hates the protagonist for no reason.
3) The surly bartender who knows everything and likes the protagonist. Usually more than he likes most people.
4) The sexy reporter who flirts with the male protagonist in order to get leads for a story.
5) The male protagonist who is awkward with the ladies, self-proclaimed non-lothario but still has at least one woman through themselves at him.

I appreciate characterization that encompasses flaws. Sometimes though, being too nice is a character flaw I get sick of in books. That's like going to a job interview and listing workaholic as a personality flaw.

Listen, Dresden. If someone explicably involves you in a murder case, doesn't give you enough information, doesn't inform you that they're an accomplice to the crimes, knows that your involvement will surely mean your death, and then tells you to go away and die somewhere else because they don't want your heart to burst out of your chest and stain their lovely carpet - YOU'RE OFFICIALLY ALLOWED TO BE A DICK TO THEM.

You know what you're not allowed to do? Feel like an asshole for getting information out of them that will save your life. That is NOT an asshole thing to do!

And maybe you don't have to put your ass on the line to spare every single other person when you're likely to die as a result.


For goodness sake, let the immortal wizard and the warrior ranger take the fucking ring to mordor!

Just sayin' is all...

Over all, I liked this book. I will read more of these books - but I AM still waiting for the magic to hit me and turn me into a crazed Dresden fangirl.

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Yep, can't wait for the day...