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Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1)
by Jim Butcher

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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47212.Storm_Front?utm_medium=api&amp;utm_source=blog_review" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1218331147m/47212.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47212.Storm_Front?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">Storm Front</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10746.Jim_Butcher">Jim Butcher</a> 
 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/17255398?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review"><h3>My review</h3></a>
 rating: 2 of 5 stars Wow, check out the weird gender dynamics. At some point Harry Dresden is having an internal monologue about how wizards are not very well socialized by nature, and I am mentally trotting along with him, until he pops out something along the lines of that's why it's so hard for them to pick up chicks. 
 
 Well, yeah, if *I* were a wizard I expect I'd have a problem trying to pick up chicks, but I'm guessing there are some wizards out there who are into guys, right?
 
 Not to mention the classic call girls with hearts of gold (or who just have low self esteem but are still jaw-droppingly sexy and always coming onto Harry). 
 
 And some rather egregious door-closing (in terms of plottage). T-minus thirty seconds before the climax, wherein he will have to face a dark wizard alone, Harry does two things so mind-numbingly stupid that it actually made me angry. First, he's just finished a massive fight with a giant scorpion creature, leaving his rod and his staff (apparently very handy things to have around for spellcasting) upstairs. He is about to go fight the big bad of the book. *And he does not go back upstairs.*
 
 Dude!
 
 You're going to go fight for your life against some guy with more than double your power and you're going in unarmed because your big mojo weapons are *up a couple flights of stairs*!?
 
 Directly after that brilliant strategic move, he also dismisses the idea of going to the White Council (essentially the wizard police force) because he's currently on trial with them. And yeah, you know - if a legal system doesn't think much of you, it will be harder to make your case. 
 
 Much less hard when you know the dark wizard in question has been tossing around spells with wild abandon. When Harry shows up at his house, the place is dripping with evil magic. Why not just grab some White Council people and tell them that if they don't believe him, take a thirty-second look at the dark wizard's house with their magic sight, and the question will be settled. 
 
 ARgh. Done bitching. Anyway, I might downgrade this to one star later, but I'm leaving it at two because it did distract me during a plane flight. So. 
 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/251555?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">View all my reviews.</a>

Shinynickel's review
rating:
recommended for: people who want a fast, mindless read

** spoiler alert ** Wow, check out the weird gender dynamics. At some point Harry Dresden is having an internal monologue about how wizards are not very well socialized by nature, and I am mentally trotting along with him, until he pops out something along the lines of that's why it's so hard for them to pick up chicks.

Well, yeah, if *I* were a wizard I expect I'd have a problem trying to pick up chicks, but I'm guessing there are some wizards out there who are into guys, right?

Not to mention the classic call girls with hearts of gold (or who just have low self esteem but are still jaw-droppingly sexy and always coming onto Harry).

And some rather egregious door-closing (in terms of plottage). T-minus thirty seconds before the climax, wherein he will have to face a dark wizard alone, Harry does two things so mind-numbingly stupid that it actually made me angry. First, he's just finished a massive fight with a giant scorpion creature, leaving his rod and his staff (apparently very handy things...more Wow, check out the weird gender dynamics. At some point Harry Dresden is having an internal monologue about how wizards are not very well socialized by nature, and I am mentally trotting along with him, until he pops out something along the lines of that's why it's so hard for them to pick up chicks.

Well, yeah, if *I* were a wizard I expect I'd have a problem trying to pick up chicks, but I'm guessing there are some wizards out there who are into guys, right?

Not to mention the classic call girls with hearts of gold (or who just have low self esteem but are still jaw-droppingly sexy and always coming onto Harry).

And some rather egregious door-closing (in terms of plottage). T-minus thirty seconds before the climax, wherein he will have to face a dark wizard alone, Harry does two things so mind-numbingly stupid that it actually made me angry. First, he's just finished a massive fight with a giant scorpion creature, leaving his rod and his staff (apparently very handy things to have around for spellcasting) upstairs. He is about to go fight the big bad of the book. *And he does not go back upstairs.*

Dude!

You're going to go fight for your life against some guy with more than double your power and you're going in unarmed because your big mojo weapons are *up a couple flights of stairs*!?

Directly after that brilliant strategic move, he also dismisses the idea of going to the White Council (essentially the wizard police force) because he's currently on trial with them. And yeah, you know - if a legal system doesn't think much of you, it will be harder to make your case.

Much less hard when you know the dark wizard in question has been tossing around spells with wild abandon. When Harry shows up at his house, the place is dripping with evil magic. Why not just grab some White Council people and tell them that if they don't believe him, take a thirty-second look at the dark wizard's house with their magic sight, and the question will be settled.

ARgh. Done bitching. Anyway, I might downgrade this to one star later, but I'm leaving it at two because it did distract me during a plane flight. So. ...less

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