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Summer Knight (The Dresden Files #4)

by Jim Butcher (Goodreads Author)

4.28 of 5 stars 4.28 · rating details · 41,434 ratings · 1,373 reviews

Ever since his girlfriend left town to deal with her newly acquired taste for blood, Harry Dresden has been down and out in Chicago. He can’t pay his rent. He’s alienating his friends. He can’t even recall the last time he took a shower. The only professional wizard in the phone book has become a desperate man.

And just when it seems things can’t get any worse, in saunters...more

Paperback, 405 pages

Published October 6th 2005 by Orbit (first published September 1st 2002)

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Apr 14, 2013 StoryTellerShannon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-scifi, owned, need-reviewing, books-reviewed, my-very-best-reads, action

This is a revised review as of 4/14/2013.

The strength of this novel is on the world building and character of Harry Dresden with a plot that moves along fast. One thing you can always say about the recent books is that they are fun and fast reads. This presumes you're a fan of Harry (a wise-cracking detective for hire style wizard, who had a tendency to piss off a lot of people) and the writing style. In fact if you don't like Harry then you shouldn't be reading these books.

In book four, he's...more

8 likes · like · see review

Mar 19, 2013 Karla rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 1st-person-pov, audiobook, amazing-narrator, character-we-love-from-the-past, continuing-story, demons, exciting, laugh-out-loud-funny, lots-o-crazy, magic, other-world-creatures, paranormal, scrumptious-hero, terrific-dialogue, werewolves, war, violence, witty, wizard, wonderful-secondary-characters

4 Stars! This is urban fantasy, not romance, but I want to jump in the book, lay Harry flat out on his back, and have my way with him! What a yummy wizard!

Another stand out installment in this series. A kick-ass plot, lots of laugh out loud moments, amazing world building, and the knowledge that there will be more, more, more! Loved Billy the Werewolf and his crew! Harry can't keep his eyes in his head when the female werewolves get naked...naughty wizard!

James Marsters as narrator, makes this...more

15 likes · like · see review

Oct 02, 2009 Stephen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, 2000-2005, good-guys, fantasy, faeries, detectives, mystery, supernatural-spies-and-slayers

3.0 stars. The Dresden files books are great fun and this is a good installment, though not quite as good as the previous 3 books. I view them as literary comfort food. Great characters and a really cool magic system make this an interesting read. Recommended.

6 likes · like · see review

Jun 16, 2011 Brandy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favoritos-uf

No puedo negar que soy fan de esta serie desde su primer título. Siempre me pareció que iba de menos a más, y ésta, la cuarta entrega, corrobora mi primera impresión.
Cuando aparece una nueva entrega en castellano de Harry Dresden soy la primera en ir en busca y captura de un ejemplar, sin embargo, aunque no tardo mucho en ponerme a leerlo, reconozco que me cuesta abrir la primera página porque siempre me queda la pregunta ¿Y si no está a la altura de los anteriores?. Por el momento, Butcher me h...more

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Oct 02, 2012 Archer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-that-bleed-awesome, comedy, fantasy, urban-fantasy, thriller, currently-re-reading

"Lord, what fools these mortals be."

Is there any better way to end a fairy novel, than a quote from good old Bill Shakespeare?

*REVIEW TIME*

Well, hello there once again fellow book-o-philiacs.

I have been remiss with my reviewing of late for a number of reasons. I’ve been stuck in a rut, I’ve not been reading things that I really wanted to be reading and mostly… I was sick of reading books that were so dull that they didn’t hook me. That my interest couldn’t be piqued by any of their mediocre atte...more

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Feb 09, 2011 Sath rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, paranormal, urban-fantasy, magic, vampires, wizards, fairies, reviewed

Harry has had a rough time of it lately, he hasn't seen his gf-turned-almost-vampire in a while, and he blames himself of course. He hasn't been working, he barely eats, he's broke, and he certainly hasn't washed. So when werewolf friend Billy books him an appointment with a client he really needs to take it. Even when it turns out it's the Winter Queen of fairy, and she wants a murder and theft investigated. It seems good and simple but you know theres going to be a catch.. poor Harry.

I actuall...more

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Aug 31, 2012 Olga rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012

Over the course of the last three books of the Dresden Files series I've come to expect Jim Butcher to give me something different every time, not just in terms of Dresden's adversaries and allies but also in terms of the difficulty of his task and the character arc. I've come to look forward to finding out what supernatural species was going to come up on the stage next. I've come to relish the smart-alec and often beat up but never beatdown Harry. I thought I had the general system all worked...more Over the course of the last three books of the Dresden Files series I've come to expect Jim Butcher to give me something different every time, not just in terms of Dresden's adversaries and allies but also in terms of the difficulty of his task and the character arc. I've come to look forward to finding out what supernatural species was going to come up on the stage next. I've come to relish the smart-alec and often beat up but never beatdown Harry. I thought I had the general system all worked out. And then Butcher surprised me.
What surprised me most was the emotional journey on which the author took Harry. The last time I saw this level of character development in a fantasy series was in the Abhorsen Chronicles and I was glad to discover a similar depth in the Dresden Files. One of my favorite things about Butcher's writing in this novel is how well he showed the extent of Harry's depression and downright desperation. Grave Peril didn't end very well for the wizard and from the very first pages the fallout was obvious in everything from dark sarcasm to the state of Harry's life. Things started to turn around so gradually that I almost missed it but I sure was glad to see it happen. After all, who wants the protagonist to be semi-suicidal for the nearest foreseable future, right?
The story has grown too. All the familiar elements were there but this time every aspect was taken to the next level - the villain is the most powerful being Harry has battled so far, the life of the entire planet is at stake, and the guys who should be helping are leaving Dresden out in the cold. Fortunately it wasn't just about the circumstances. This time around experience and the willingness to take a risk wasn't going to be enough and fire and wind magic was useless against beings with unlimited power. This time it was as much about keeping at it despite a seemingly no-win situation, not falling apart because of guilt and pain over the past, and being able to tell who is a friend and who is a foe waiting to put a deadly spell on you.
If you're wondering what supernatural species was front and center in this novel you're in for a treat: this story was all about the fey. You know, Summer and Winter courts, Queens, bargains one's better off not making. It was dangerous and a little disturbing but, true to the Dresden Files ways, a lot of fun.
Reading this book was like starting to see what the puzzle will look like after having only the simpler pieces to work with. I look forward to seeing more of the big picture.

Read more of my reviews at Bibliophile's Corner (less)

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Mar 03, 2012 Tex Thompson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-urban

So after three books in the Dresdenverse and half of this one, I was all set to write the following (spoilers are for books 1 through 4)

Rules of the Dresdenverse

1. A beautiful woman who is good is helpless and/or ineffective, if not actively stupid, and usually in need of rescuing.
SEE: (view spoiler)

2. The rest of the beautiful good women will end...more

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Aug 30, 2008 Paul rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Before I start gnawing on the book, let me first say that I enjoy Butcher's writing overall. He does good character, a romping pace, and makes me care about his protagonists. In fact, Butcher's a good enough writer that he enters the "good enough to realize his mistakes, which makes it so frustrating when he misses them" category. So...yes...he's quite good.

But....

This is definitely the lesser of the 1st four books. I'm muchly bothered by the severe escalation of the power scale in this book, as...more Before I start gnawing on the book, let me first say that I enjoy Butcher's writing overall. He does good character, a romping pace, and makes me care about his protagonists. In fact, Butcher's a good enough writer that he enters the "good enough to realize his mistakes, which makes it so frustrating when he misses them" category. So...yes...he's quite good.

But....

This is definitely the lesser of the 1st four books. I'm muchly bothered by the severe escalation of the power scale in this book, as Harry is now immersed in an all-out war between faeries that threatens to change the very fabric of reality. This goes a LOOOOOONG way towards Dresden entering the class of the Not Very Special At All...which is something to be avoided.

And Dresden's habit of being in way over his head got a little tedious, especially as the character kept actually talking about being in over his head too many times, and how it would eventually mean his end. Yes...it would. And when I'm on the 40th or 50th instance of "Dresden only has a one-in-a-thousand chance of survival!" I start to wonder about the man making those odds, and I also start to yawn. And when Dresden puts down Yet Another Foe Against Whom He Has No Chance, I start to get reeaaalll sleepy.

Also......(spoiler alert!!)...........I have been trying very very hard to just enjoy these novels and look at them as fun gothic horror/adventure, and NOT somebody's idea of a kickass gaming night put down on paper, the kind of thing where someone acceded to the wishes of their gamer friends who kept saying, "Dude! Our campaign mega-rocks! You should write a BOOK about it and make our sweeeeeeet characters FAMOUS!" That became impossible to do at the end of this book, which ends with....(yikes)....Harry Dresden setting down to a table in an apartment, with a group of young werewolves, to eat pizza, drink soda, and....yes...have a role-playing gamer session. Yep...a wizard sits down with werewolves to have a roleplay session. Awesome. I feel like I'm sixteen again. Except, you know, I'm not. (less)

13 likes · like · see review

Jul 21, 2008 Latharia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The books in the Dresden Files series just keep getting better. Halfway through the book, new characters were still being introduced, and it felt like the story was just getting more complicated, but Jim Butcher did a fabulous job of weaving it all together towards the end, without it feeling rushed OR contrived! I'm looking forward to digging into book #5 of the series soon!

4 likes · like · see review

Apr 16, 2013 Nicholas Karpuk rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

To reiterate my criticism of the series as a whole: Harry Dresden is a stupid, narcissistic, nerd (nerdcissist?) who's first impulse when it comes to problem solving is to run into the villain's lair and shout "Who's making all the bad magic!" and then get surprised when people attempt to murder him.

The cover art for all these books, and the casting choice for the television show give me the impression that Butcher views Dresden as a sort of wizardly Han Solo, a roguish figure marginalized by bo...more To reiterate my criticism of the series as a whole: Harry Dresden is a stupid, narcissistic, nerd (nerdcissist?) who's first impulse when it comes to problem solving is to run into the villain's lair and shout "Who's making all the bad magic!" and then get surprised when people attempt to murder him.

The cover art for all these books, and the casting choice for the television show give me the impression that Butcher views Dresden as a sort of wizardly Han Solo, a roguish figure marginalized by both the human and magical worlds.

But anytime I imagine him, he ends up halfway between David Tennant and Rincewind from the Discworld books. He's all stick legs and potbelly, the physique you'd get from eating nothing but junk food and coke, but not enough of either. I'm actually shocked he doesn't eat Cup of Noodles.

Here's the thing: Harry Dresden is a well-realized character, he's just a person whose head I don't want to be inside. I don't want to hear his lascivious objectification of every woman every time they enter a scene. It's either how hot are they are, or how more or less hot they are than normal. He's also stubborn the way many real world nerds are, to the point of self-destruction where you want to choke them. Also, in third person I wouldn't have to listen to his rationalizations about how he's so awesome even while being self-deprecating.

What's odd is the writing style has improved around Dresden, but the growth of the character is much slower. He certainly says "Hell's Bells" with a reduced frequency, but he's about as immature as he was in the first book.

The pacing and the action packed set pieces really hold the book together. I nearly stopped near the middle because I simply have no patience for magical political intrigue from writers who don't seem to have that strong a grasp on politics, especially made up fantasy politics. Unless you are Frank Herbert or George R.R. Martin kindly stow that crap whenever possible.

So I find myself considering, somehow, reading another Dresden book, since it's an easy read and reasonably amusing despite Dresden himself. But seriously, when is this crap wizard going to grow the hell up?(less)

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May 10, 2012 Darnell J. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fav-s, series, top-notch, ya, urban-fantasy

Theme: Shaft Theme Song

Whose the wizard for hire/ That's a wise a## and always behind on his rent? /Dresden!/ Ya Damn Right!
Who is the man that would risk his neck/ for a lady in distress? /Dresden!/ Can You Dig It?
Who has a cat that will tip him over/ When its time to be greeted at door? / Dresden!/ Right On!
They say this cat Dresden is a bad Mother.../ Shut Your Mouth!/ I'm talkin' 'bout Dresden./ Then We Can Dig It!

The fourth arc in the Dresden Files was insatiable. Encompassing the veritabl...more

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Jun 21, 2012 Kirstine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: e-books, supernaturality-and-magic

All the while I was reading the other three books, Ágústa (my friend who recommended them) went something like: "HURRY UP! YOU HAVE TO GET TO SUMMER KNIGHT! THAT'S WHEN IT GETS REALLY GOOD!" and well.. She was right.

The last books was spent building up to this one. This is the one where shit goes down. Dresden must suffer the repercussions for his actions at the end of the book, both in the shape of a hearing in front of the Wizard council, but also emotionally. It's really quite the interestin...more All the while I was reading the other three books, Ágústa (my friend who recommended them) went something like: "HURRY UP! YOU HAVE TO GET TO SUMMER KNIGHT! THAT'S WHEN IT GETS REALLY GOOD!" and well.. She was right.

The last books was spent building up to this one. This is the one where shit goes down. Dresden must suffer the repercussions for his actions at the end of the book, both in the shape of a hearing in front of the Wizard council, but also emotionally. It's really quite the interesting set up. Suddenly by a trick of, not fate, but faery power (or manipulation), he finds himself immersed deeply into the affairs of the fae. Beautiful, but highly dangerous creatures you'd do best to stay away from. Far, far away from. So of course Dresden can do no such thing. Some of it is due to him being an ass when he was younger, and being indebted to one particular faery, Lea, who plays a rather large part in some of the earlier books. In this one Dresden finds himself free from his godmother, Lea, and indebted to someone far worse, none other than the Winter Queen, Mab. Who of course sends him on a mission (doing a 'favor'), that he'll have to complete in order to not only save himself, but also, as it happens, the world! Yay!

It also turns out his former lover, whom he thought he had killed (accidentally, mind you), is alive and his competitor. Let the fun and games begin!

Dresden has help from a few old friends, and most importantly, he FINALLY tells Murphy everything. Thank you, Harry, for finally figuring out that she's your FRIEND and that she'll be so much more helpful (and much less annoying) if she actually knows what's going on. That was one of my favourite parts of this book. Hopefully their friendship can be less dramatic and more friendly from now on.

This is probably the best book in the series. The world of the Fae is very interesting, so I'm glad this is not the last we'll see of it. If the stakes were high in the last book, they're even higher in this one, and though everything is resolved in the end, there are a lot of loose ends and questions left unanswered (such as WHO WAS YOUR MOTHER HARRY DRESDEN. TELL ME NOW!). It's definitely the book where Jim Butcher finally pulls it all together, just make it take off at an even crazier pace. And as much as it's the book where Jim really shines, it's also the book where Dresden finally finds his own footing, and comes to terms with what kind of person he wants to be. He has to make some difficult decisions, but in the end he's that much stronger for it, and much surer of himself.

I am looking forward to reading the next books, but a little break between them isn't bad either. And with Jim's love for repeating the plot of all the books in the next one, I'm not too worried I won't keep up.
I kid! I jest! (a little at least). It's a great series, and I have high hopes it'll not turn to shit along the way, because so far it's only gotten better and better.

Great work, Jim Butcher. You definitely have a fan in me!(less)

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Oct 11, 2011 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: occult-detectives

It's funny glancing at Jim Butcher on my Goodreads shelf, and seeing the average rating progressively go up for each book -- which is exactly what numerous friends have been telling me in response to my 'meh' reaction to the first 3 books. I thought they were fast, enjoyable reads, but nothing to write home about (or if so, it was me ranting to my housemate about the chauvinism, Harry's overabundance of self-awareness, or the tell-don't-show style of writing).

But everyone told me Butcher hits hi...more

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Mar 21, 2011 Books-treasureortrash rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

Book Review: 2 Treasure Boxes

Harry has started a war between the Wizards and the Red Court Vampires, the sky is raining toads, then Harry is attacked and must defend off several combatants. This is just the beginning. Summer Knight takes place nine months after the end of the last book where Susan was infected by the Red Vampire Court. She was bitten so many times that she is close to becoming a vampire herself. She has the thirst for blood but has not yet indulged it. Once she does she will bec...more Book Review: 2 Treasure Boxes

Harry has started a war between the Wizards and the Red Court Vampires, the sky is raining toads, then Harry is attacked and must defend off several combatants. This is just the beginning. Summer Knight takes place nine months after the end of the last book where Susan was infected by the Red Vampire Court. She was bitten so many times that she is close to becoming a vampire herself. She has the thirst for blood but has not yet indulged it. Once she does she will become a vampire. During the fight where this occurred Harry attacked the Red Court to save Susan and that is how the war started.

Summer Knight is the fourth book in The Dresden Files. Jim Butcher has currently written 12 books in this series with book 13 due July 26, 2011. He has also written 6 books in the Codes Alera Series, which is closer to High Fantasy than the Dresden Files. See my review of these books at http://books-treasureortrash.com/seri... The Dresden Files are considered Contempory Fantasy and sometimes are referred to as Urban Fantasy. They can also fall into the Detective genre since Harry solves a case in each book. Each book is told in the first person narrative from Harry Dresden’s point on view as we follow him through his life while he is solving his current case

This book starts right in with lots of action which continues throughout the book. Susan has left both Harry and the city of Chicago while she fights her demons. Since Harry feels responsible he has been spending all his time trying to find a cure for Susan. However there does not seem to be one. Harry is suffering under the stress of this and his life is falling apart. He is close to eviction in both his office and his home and he is in terrible shape both physically and emotionally. Soon he is dragged into trouble in the Faerie courts where he must get involved in order to help the wizards in their battle against the vampires.

There is the introduction of numerous new characters, particularly both Summer and Winter Faeries. The most notable person is Harry's lost love, who he thought was dead. Billy and the Alphas play a big part in this book, but Michael does not. We learn a lot about how the Faery courts work. There are two courts, Summer and Winter, with Summer being a bit more forgiving towards humanity but both courts are harsh and cruel. We learn that each court is ruled by three queens: the Queen Mother (the Queen who was), the Queen (the Queen who is) and the Lady (the Queen who will be.)

There is lots of action in this book. The story is pretty deep and it has a mystery as well as twist that is not revealed until the final chapters. Harry must find out who murdered the Summer Knight, which he does. Harry is also given the opportunity in the book to help out Susan with some interesting consequences. I was fascinated to see how Harry handled this challenge.

I liked the ending of the story. I thought it was imaginative, I also liked that although the story is unfolding over time, each book is a complete story unto itself. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series to see what new kind of trouble Harry can get himself into. I highly recommend this book. If you enjoy reading a good detective story encasing paranormal activities with a strong, honourable hero then give this series a try. However, you should read the books in order as the overall story does build even if each book is stand alone.

For more of my reviews go to: www.books-treasureortrash.com (less)

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Jan 31, 2011 AH rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fae, favorites, zzxread-jan-2011, unicorns, vamps, urban-fantasy, were, wizards

Poor Harry! When we last left our intrepid wizard in Grave Peril, he was saddened by the departure of someone close to him. Harry is now in despondent mode, barely existing. His apartment is a mess, he hasn’t worked much, and the bills are piling up. To add to his troubles, it’s raining toads. Yes, toads. And someone or a lot of someones – want him dead. Including his own Wizard Council.

I can’t believe how much action is crammed into this book. So many things happen, it’s almost hard to keep tra...more

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Nov 20, 2012 Tara rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2010, urban-fantasy, witches-wizards-mages, things-that-go-grr-arg-in-the-night, detectives-private-investigators, read-in-2012

10/31/12-11/13/12-I've decided to reread this series leading up to the newest book. This early part of the series is difficult to reread because I know what awesomeness is coming and I just want to get to it.

6/23/10-12/21/10- In this we pick up right in the middle of the action. Susan is still gone, the red court vampires are pissed at Harry, the council is pissed at Harry, and Harry is stinky and hungry. He has to untangle a mess between the fairy courts in order to please the council... it's a...more

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Jul 08, 2010 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: werewolves-are-awesome, fairy, fantasy-urban, fantasy-fairy-tales-influ

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I would give this a 3.5 if I could. Summer Knight is a fun, quick read. Despite his rather annoying ability to bite off more than he can chew, Harry Dresden is a funny, believable character who unlike some urban fantasy main stays, actually fears, to a degree, what he goes up against. The fact that he is smart enough to be afraid is refreshing. What I like most about the series so far is the fact that Butcher has a good working knowledge of myth, legend, and fairy tale. This is most evident in t...more I would give this a 3.5 if I could. Summer Knight is a fun, quick read. Despite his rather annoying ability to bite off more than he can chew, Harry Dresden is a funny, believable character who unlike some urban fantasy main stays, actually fears, to a degree, what he goes up against. The fact that he is smart enough to be afraid is refreshing. What I like most about the series so far is the fact that Butcher has a good working knowledge of myth, legend, and fairy tale. This is most evident in this book, at least so far in the series, with his description of the Summer and White Courts, to the fairies (Sidhe) themselves, to even their names. It is also evident in the fate of two minor characters, Lily and Meryl, who seem to illustrate the fairy tale rule of the passive, beautiful girl being reward/rescued simply for her beauty (Lily doesn't do much in the book) and the ugly girl not being rewarded. Whether Butcher did this intentionally or not, it ties nicely in with the setting and plot of the novel.
I also liked the fact that Murphy was back in the mix and "put on the boots". Butcher deserves credit for showing the reader her recovery from the attack in Book 3 as well as her dealing with her understandable fear. It is nice that Butcher allows his characters to show fear and work though emotional issues. Too many other urban fantasy authors gloss over this aspect or have their characters show no fear at all. I was also glad to see the werewolves and Toot Toot again.
There were a couple hollow points in the series. The mystery of who did it is quickly figured out. The why is poignant and well done, but why couldn't Harry figure it out sooner? But what rung particularly hollow was the appearance of Elaine, who Harry seems to accept to readily. I know he loved at one point, but she betrayed him and he thought she was dead, so shouldn't he have asked more questions and been a little less trusting. It made him seem stupid. I also wish there had been a brief mention of Charity and Michael who appeared in Book 3, just a sense of what they were doing. (less)

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Jun 29, 2010 Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of faerie, occult detectives, urban fantasy

Shelves: all-things-summer-challenge, hero-to-die-for, occult-detective, urban-fantasy, favorite-or-autobuy-author, owned-copy, part-of-a-series, faerie, wizard-warlock-sorcerer, magic-noir, detective-private-eye-sleuth, favorites, alpha-hero, mythical-beasties, set-in-chicago

Summer Knight starts with Harry in a very dark place. He is reeling from the fact that his girlfriend has left him, and she's been changed into a near-vampire by the Red Court of Vampires. He feels personally responsible, and is desperate for a way to help her. This despair has affected him to a deep level, and he's barely functioning, living in a pig-sty, and not even taking cases or taking care of himself. It was very hard to see him like that. And things don't get better for Harry. Because he...more Summer Knight starts with Harry in a very dark place. He is reeling from the fact that his girlfriend has left him, and she's been changed into a near-vampire by the Red Court of Vampires. He feels personally responsible, and is desperate for a way to help her. This despair has affected him to a deep level, and he's barely functioning, living in a pig-sty, and not even taking cases or taking care of himself. It was very hard to see him like that. And things don't get better for Harry. Because he's facing judgment by the White Council of wizards, who are out for his blood, and he has to prove that he's not a troublemaker or they're going to deliver him signed and sealed to the vampires, who won't sit him down for tea and sandwiches. They'll kill him, and make it hurt. His only way out is to prove his allegiance to the White Council by opening up routes into Faerie so they can get away from the vampires. In order to do that, he has to make nice with the Faeries. Luckily, or unluckily, the Winter Queen Mab shows up at his office, 'asking' his help to solve the case of who killed the Summer Knight, thus stealing away some of the Seelie's Court's power and upsetting the power balance between Seelie and Unseelie Courts. Trust me, that's not a good thing, and could very well lead to the end of the world. By asking Harry, that means he doesn't get to say no, since his faerie godmother sold his debt to her to Queen Mab. Complicated? Yes it is. But that's par for the course for Harry.

Harry Dresden doesn't get it easy. He just gets it not as hard, sometimes at least. Life for him seems to go from one battle to the next. And he has plenty of battle-scars. But, he doesn't give up. He keeps on trucking. I couldn't love him more for that. Harry is at his snarkiest in this book. The man's mouth is a sharply-honed instrument, and he knows how to use it. And, he shows that he's definitely an alpha male, with his take charge, 'try to stop me' attitude, despite his endearingly self-deprecating manner. He might seem like a ne'er do well, but he's resourceful, strong-willed, and at heart, definitely a white knight.

Summer Knight wasn't an easy read for me. The print in my book was way too small, and Mr. Butcher has a very descriptive, detail-oriented writing style. But, it was a fantastic read. Mr. Butcher takes faerie and concocts a delectable story around it. I've read quite a few faerie stories, and he still managed to bring some new images and concepts to the table. I love what he does with Faerie. And I loved the Faerie smackdown at the end of this story. I felt like I was right there, with a ringside seat on the action. I was cheering for Harry and his gang of werewolves and faerie changelings, and wincing as he takes his share of licks. And if you've ever read a Dresden novel, you know that Harry is always, always getting hurt. But, he just keeps on going. Gosh, I love this man!

Mr. Butcher really took me on a nonstop ride. I was feeling all Harry's pain. I didn't enjoy seeing him suffering the way he does in this book, and I hope that he does find peace over Susan. Even still, with all his personal anguish, he manages to save the day, yet again, and give me more than a few laughs in the process. It was great to see tough as nails Karrin Murphy, the Chicago Police Detective that he consults on 'weird' cases with, fight at his side against an ogre, chlorofiend (plant monster), and ghoul assassin at the local Walmart. Hats off to Mr. Butcher for yet another grand adventure with Harry Dresden. I better rest up so I can be ready for the next one!(less)

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May 11, 2010 Ben Babcock rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own, fantasy, urban-fantasy, mystery, 2010-read

Faeries are even better than vampires. Firstly, you can actually make a deal with faeries and compel them to honour the deal. Secondly, that makes them even more deadly, because they're usually clever enough to twist the deal so it ends up harming you anyway. Just as Jim Butcher can't claim credit for vampires, he can't claim credit for faeries, but he sure can claim credit for the characters he creates to personify each species.

I hadn't noticed it before, but the antagonists from both the vampi...more

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Sep 26, 2010 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, fantasy, urban-fantasy

I loved this book to, but then I loved all the Dresden books. Everyone and everything ends up at stake here and unlike so many books where "the fate of the world hangs in the balance" this one stays an absorbing page turner throughout.

You can't help but feel for Harry, the poor schmuck usually manages to get the proverbial "snot" beat (yes I know it should be "beaten out" but we're going colloquial here) out of him, before the end of the book. Sometimes the amount of punishment he takes is (as...more

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Nov 24, 2007 Kristy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Sci-fi Fantasy fans

It seems I just cannot put these books down. For some reason Mr. Butcher really makes a pretty believable character out of a guy that does magic and has a vampire as an estranged girlfriend.

This time we meet with Harry and Maub the Winter Fairy Queen. She has a job for him to do for her, as he has a debt that needs to be repaid. (Think Loan Shark)

This teams him up with his old first love Elaine, who we all thought was dead, including all the magic world. Turns out she's not, yet we aren't too su...more

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Dec 12, 2012 Fantasist rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, speculative-fiction, urban

Though rated highly by many reviewers, this book just rubbed me the wrong way. I love the other dresden files books but the main concept of fairies and their deep involvement in this book was just too cheesy for me, there were a few memorable moments but overall I felt that this book was a let down especially considering the high quality of the other books.

EDIT: I absolutely need to re-read this. How come I gave a Dresden book 2 stars? That be irrational! Plus Faeries don't have the same connota...more

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Aug 25, 2011 Michelle added it · review of another edition

There are some among Harry Dresden fans that state that the series truly takes off during book three. While I enjoyed Grave Peril, it does not hold a candle to Summer Knight. In fact, I dare say this fourth book in the series is my favorite so far. The tension is much more subtle than in previous books, and Harry has to use finesse and caution to be successful. Considering what he has done so far, all the battles and explosions and exclamations of "Fuego!", it was a nice reprieve and proof that...more There are some among Harry Dresden fans that state that the series truly takes off during book three. While I enjoyed Grave Peril, it does not hold a candle to Summer Knight. In fact, I dare say this fourth book in the series is my favorite so far. The tension is much more subtle than in previous books, and Harry has to use finesse and caution to be successful. Considering what he has done so far, all the battles and explosions and exclamations of "Fuego!", it was a nice reprieve and proof that Harry can show restraint when necessary.

Another great change of pace was the focus on the Fae. Yet another book about vampires, rogue wizards, or werewolves would have been a bit too much. There is so much to the Never-Never that it is wonderful to see Butcher branch out among different supernatural creatures. The Fae, in Dresden's world, are every bit as ruthless and cunning as one would expect and add an interesting dimension to Harry's fate. Their power is less obvious and therefore more dangerous than anything Dresden has yet faced.

The reader also gets a greater glimpse at the White Council and Harry's peers. There is obviously tension brewing between the Council and Harry. It promises to be a worthwhile storyline, and I cannot wait to see it all unfold. I am glad that Butcher is not rushing it, as I believe it is key to understanding Harry's penchant for raw power and snark versus finesse and political savvy. Not that I mind his tendency to blast his way through a problem, but it does show that Harry has depth, a good thing to have in a main character of a such a long series.

I have to admit that my beloved James Marsters did not quite rock the audio as much as I expected/hoped. He is still the perfect Harry, but I was completely and utterly distracted by his noisy, flapping gums. You could literally hear them as he talked. I wanted to give him a glass of water to try to quiet them down a bit because it was a bit disgusting to hear. I am hoping it was just poor editing and not a burgeoning trend.

In spite of the issues with narration, Summer Knight is the best novel in the series so far. It is a far cry from the battles against werewolves or vampires, and the entire series is better for the change in direction. The reader also gets exposed to more of Harry's mysterious past while the series slowly builds towards the penultimate battle in future novels. If anything, Summer Knight has made me fall in love with the series all over again.(less)

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Dec 10, 2008 Haengbok92 rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was the best book of the series so far (and if there was a 3.5 star rating, I'd bump it up). The depiction of the various fairy courts and their interaction is really well done, and I like how the problems set up in the first three books are really beginning to clash against each other, putting Harry in the middle of an ever increasing mess. It looks like this is going to continue in the next book.

With that being said, I find myself losing interest in this series, mainly due to the magical...more This was the best book of the series so far (and if there was a 3.5 star rating, I'd bump it up). The depiction of the various fairy courts and their interaction is really well done, and I like how the problems set up in the first three books are really beginning to clash against each other, putting Harry in the middle of an ever increasing mess. It looks like this is going to continue in the next book.

With that being said, I find myself losing interest in this series, mainly due to the magical system, which, while interesting in its details and multiple worlds (really interesting and fun), seems to have a measure of arbitrariness that's beginning to get on my nerves. What's exciting and interesting about the fairies is that they exact a cost for doing business. Unfortunately, the general practice of magic doesn't seem to do this, at least not with the main character, ie: the magic seems to run on determination, of which Harry has an endless supply. Even the costs that are exacted (ie: wizard sight) don't seem to have any real effect on the story, so they don't feel like consequences at all. As a result, I don't find myself doubting that Harry's going to come through things. I'm not worried about him. (though I'm worried about the other characters, mostly).

Because of this, it seems like Harry has to keep getting his ass physically kicked to greater and greater degrees in each book, so we can see escalation (if Harry 'almost' broke his back one more time in this book, I'd have screamed). Also, his friends are getting in deeper and deeper, which makes their stories really interesting (esp. Susan and Murphy). I lot of this escalation would be far more compelling as SPECIFIC, consistent, long-term consequence of performing magic. A part of me wants to see a book from Susan's POV actually, because it seems like the stakes (literally) are a lot higher for her.

Of course, the fact that I've been able to put aside this aspect of the magical system for four books does say some major positives about the series. I guess I just want to like it more. A lot of fun though!(less)

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Mar 30, 2013 Tara rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, adult-fiction, modern-fantasy, fantasy, paranormal, vampire, werewolf

The thing I like about Jim Butcher's writing in this series is that he doesn't waste words. Everything he says is part of the story. It usually takes me about five or six chapters to set everything up and get rolling, but it's easy page turning thereafter. I like the way he puts things simply. Like, according to an author note, Jim Butcher is a martial arts enthusiast. Yet, main character Harry Dresden does not appear to possess such skills. Character Lieutenant Murphy does, and when describing...more The thing I like about Jim Butcher's writing in this series is that he doesn't waste words. Everything he says is part of the story. It usually takes me about five or six chapters to set everything up and get rolling, but it's easy page turning thereafter. I like the way he puts things simply. Like, according to an author note, Jim Butcher is a martial arts enthusiast. Yet, main character Harry Dresden does not appear to possess such skills. Character Lieutenant Murphy does, and when describing one of Murphy's moves during a fight with a bad guy, in keeping with the knowledge of the character telling the story, he explains that she started out standing like this and twisted her body somehow and ended up pinning the bad guy... But he says it in that vague sort of way that someone who didn't understand would describe it. I find this strangely comforting. I don't really like the hard-boiled private detective angle as much as the wizard with a few things yet to learn angle, but so far the books present themselves as Harry working on a specific case. Each is mostly self-contained, although I recommend reading them in order because certain things in one book may set up events that take place in a later book. Book four opens with Harry struggling through a bit of a rough patch. He's having to answer for how he handled things in the past, trying to find a cure for Susan while being faced with losing everything if he can't get himself together, and now a fairy queen wants to add more misery to his life, as if one supernatural war wasn't enough already. The book includes a host of supernatural creatures that, oddly, seem to work reasonably well together without seeming ludicrous or convoluted. The character is being developed through each book, and he's starting to grow on me. Harry isn't a know-it-all genius omnipotent wizard. He has issues, but he manages to solve problems in creative ways that enable the reader to imagine what it might be like to be a wizard in modern-day Chicago.(less)

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Feb 11, 2013 Maythavee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Another great installment to The Dresden Files! I loved it! Finally, we get to meet the infamous White Council. The White Council meeting was really intense. Poor Harry, he had no choice but to do the Winter Queen’s bidding. Another thing that I really liked was the Faerie politics. Wow, I don’t know how Jim Butcher came up with this stuff. It was crazy! (And confusing at times)

Harry was fantastic like always! Okay, he was really depressed at first but he got better as the book progresses. Murp...more

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Nov 22, 2012 Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, fantasy, illinois, mystery, magic, paranormal

This 4th in the series featuring Harry Dresden as wizard-for-hire was more compelling a mystery and more fun to me than the first one (the other I have read).

Harry is at a low point, as his girlfriend is turning into a vampire, he can’t find enough customers for his Chicago paranormal investigations business to stave off eviction by his landlord, and the White Council of Wizards seems ready to convict him over illegal use of magic for mayhem that kicked off a war with the vampires. On top of th...more

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Nov 19, 2012 Onefinemess rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

book reviews: Summer Knight & Death Masks

I read these on the trip but couldn’t get the time to post a review. Trying to do so before I forget much more of them (yes, I do forget books *that* fast).

I’m just going to cluster them together, since the series is basically one big, long book anyway.

In both cases Butcher continues his trend of stacking the deck against our perpetually harried protagonist, then shooting the deck up with Meth and lighting it on fire. I always got the sense of “Wow, r...more book reviews: Summer Knight & Death Masks

I read these on the trip but couldn’t get the time to post a review. Trying to do so before I forget much more of them (yes, I do forget books *that* fast).

I’m just going to cluster them together, since the series is basically one big, long book anyway.

In both cases Butcher continues his trend of stacking the deck against our perpetually harried protagonist, then shooting the deck up with Meth and lighting it on fire. I always got the sense of “Wow, really? Overkill?” but, not in a bad way surprisingly. The majority of the building tension and additional drama seemed to flow organically from the established story – for the most part, nothing came out of nowhere. Although… it does seem like he’s picking up the habit of just flat out starting each book with two main plots, which has the potential to be annoying. However, everything always dovetails well and both plots are usually equally engaging so, no harm no foul – yet.

There are a metric ton of plots and potential plots running through the series now, and I’m curious if Butcher has any endgame in site (I have a vague sense of what it would involve), or is planning on making this an indefinite series. I think, as long as he can avoid the pitfalls of formula, it could work as the latter. Don’t get me wrong, his various formulas are visible, but not distracting or trite – yet. Don’t know why I’m so paranoid… just hate to see a good thing ruined I guess.

Summer Knight is basically our introduction to the Fae/fairie/etc. of Butcher’s Earth. We get a little more background on Harry’s ties to the Nevernever and his fairy godmother comes off looking not quite as horrible as she has in previous books. She may actually be looking out for him… duh duh dah! Based on the way the plots are shuffling about across the series so far, I’m sure that will rear it’s head in another book or three.

THREE AND THREE QUARTER STARS

(Continued on the Death Masks review)(less)

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Aug 30, 2012 Jenre rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, paranormal

I'm slowly working my way through The Dresden Files series at about the rate of one or two a year. This is book four and I shall be fifty before I finish the series if I don't get a move on!

This book follows on from the previous book. Harry has accidentally started a war between the wizards and the Red Court of the vampires. Meanwhile he's withdrawn from the world, feverishly attempting to find a way of reversing the vampire curse that infects his girlfriend, Susan. He's called to the White Cou...more

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Romance Lovers fo...: Summer Knight (The Dresden Files #4) by Jim Butcher (Start Date: June 21, 2013)	13	37	May 20, 2013 06:31pm
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About Jim Butcher

A martial arts enthusiast whose resume includes a long list of skills rendered obsolete at least two hundred years ago, 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.

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