Storm Front Book #1 of Jim Butcher‘s Dresden Files series, is the fourth book that I have read in 2015.This is the first of Jim Butcher’s books that I have read. Reading Storm Front counts as a book read for several of my 2015 Reading Challenges. First Storm Front has been on my to be read (TBR) pile for several years now (don’t ask me why!!) so it fits into the TBR Pile Reading Challenge. It is a murder mystery so it count toward my goal for the 2015 Clock and Dagger Reading Challenge. And since Storm Front features Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, a wizard and the series spawned a TV show on the SciFi Network it definitely belongs in the Science Fiction/Fantasy category!
Harry’s ad reads….
Lost Items found. Paranormal Investigations
Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates
No Love Potions, Endless Purses, Parties, or Other
Entertainment
In Storm Front, Harry is called in by Chicago Police Lieutenant Karrin Murphy, director of Special Investigations to help solve the gruesome murder of Tommy Tomm, bodyguard for Chicago mobster Johnny Marcone and Jennifer Stanton an employe of The Velvet Room escort service. (their hearts were ripped out) in the Madison Hotel. That same evening, Harry is contacted by Monica Sells to help find her husband Victor, who just packed some things and left his home. Monica believes, that his disappearance has something to do with his new-found interest in magic, hence she has called on a wizard rather than the police to help find him!!
Since the murders required some very powerful black magic, Harry has become a prime murder suspect, not of the police (at least at first) but by the White Council that watches Harry and other wizards to assure that they do not bend or break any of the Laws of Magic! If the White Council finds that Harry did commit the crime he would have broken the First Law of Magic and would be executed!! So Harry is soon on the trail of a very powerful practitioner of black magic maybe even a little more powerful than Harry but without they years of training or the willingness to obey the Laws of Magic!!
Obviously this debut book was a winner and has led to a succesful series that now stands at 16, soon to be 17 books. Book 16 Skin Game finished at #3 in this years poll at Goodreads for the Best Fantasy Book! I love Storm Front both as a murder mystery and as a suspenseful fantasy novel with a great lovable protagonist in Harry Dresden battling some pretty challenging demons!
Bottom line: Storm Front is certainly a very strong 4.5 to 5 star book! A well crafted fast-paced page turner that works as both a mystery and fantasy book with a wonderfully humorous main character! I am definitely ready for Book 2 Fool Moon!!
