false 2 0 false false Wed Aug 05 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Fri Jul 31 11:26:28 -0700 2009 Wed Aug 05 12:27:12 -0700 2009
Harry Dresden comes off as an homage (or rip off) of classic noir detectives rather than following in his footsteps. There's the bad taste of wish fulfillment in the fact that he's grumpy and unkempt while still being chivalrous and romantic at heart.

As for his actually detective skills... they are more than a little lacking. He never actually makes a break in his own case. Instead he relies on the "wait-and-see" method where he reacts to a situation, broods for a while and then has someone tell him everything he needs to know in one big data dump.

As an homage it's thin but passable. As an original story it leaves me wanting a better detective and details about the magic world Harry only hints at as part of his past. There might be a great, entertaining story in the world that Harry Dresden lives in but this certainly isn't it.]]>