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Fool Moon

(The Dresden Files #2)

Jim Butcher (Goodreads Author),

James Marsters (Narrator)

really liked it 4.00 · Rating details · 170,765 ratings · 7,512 reviews

Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden is Chicagos only openly practicing wizard. He is also dead broke. His vast knowledge and magical skills are unfortunately matched by his talent for making powerful enemies and alienating friends.

With little more than his integrity left, he accepts an offer of work from Lt. Karin Murphy of Chicago's Special Investigations Unit. He wants ...more

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Audio CD, 10 pages

Published April 28th 2003 by Buzzy Multimedia (first published January 1st 2001)

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Feb 13, 2011 Kat Kennedy rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: kat-s-book-reviews, the-great-shelf-of-meh

I've been told this series gets good at book three. Someone else said book four. Another, book six.

I promised to read until book seven, and I will. But Harry is seriously, seriously shitting me.

Harry Dresden is a Wizard private eye who works largely with the Chicago police department's Special Investigations officer, Murphy.

He has the most over-developed Hero complex of any protagonist I've ever read, to the point of ridiculous. I'm almost wondering whether his subconscious is guiding him toward ...more

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May 09, 2020 Regan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

sold continuation

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Apr 02, 2020 Petrik rated it it was ok · review of another edition

2.5/5 stars

Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden has a new case to solve: The werewolves are here.

Fool Moon is the second book in The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher. Although the story takes place six months after the end of Storm Front, I do think that it worked great as a standalone. If someone was to, accidentally, start their journey with the series from here, I doubt they’ll feel like they miss anything crucial. As far as the quality of the book goes, I’ll say that this is slightly weak ...more

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Apr 06, 2019 Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: library-book, fantasy-all

I’m not reviewing all books any more. Because I don’t want to

🖤🐶🐺🐾

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Jan 23, 2015 Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: buddy-reads-are-the-best, angels-and-or-demons, audible, urban-fantasy, rabid-reads-reviews, weres-shapeshifters, not-your-ordinary-creatures, some-kinda-magic

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

BR with my peeps at: Buddies Books and Baubles

Specifically: Robin (Bridge Four) , Jennavier , Jenny , Lila , oOSarahOo , Sh3lly (Not all those who wander are lost) , and Steven

I don't know if it was the lowered expectations from being told by every-friggin'-body that DRESDEN doesn't start "getting good" until book 3 or 4, or if it was how much cooler the book was than the TV episode based on this same installment, or something else entirely . . .

The ...more

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Apr 13, 2020 J.L. Sutton rated it liked it · review of another edition

The Dresden Files' TV Series in the Works Based on Jim Butcher ...

The good, the bad and the Harry! So on the good side of Fool Moon, Jim Butcher keeps you intrigued about what will happen next and thus turning pages. Then there's a cool werewolf variant. Butcher is also great at fight scenes and there are plenty of them in this book. That brings me to both the good and the bad because while I'm reading I sometimes forget that I don't really like drawn out fight scenes. Just not my thing.

As for the Harry, I liked Harry and the world created around him; however ...more

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Oct 15, 2019 Ahmad Sharabiani rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, novels, mystery, united-states, 21th-century, fiction, paranormal

Fool Moon (The Dresden Files #2), Jim Butcher

Fool Moon is a 2001 contemporary fantasy novel by author Jim Butcher. It is the second novel in The Dresden Files, which follows the character of Harry Dresden, present-day Chicago's only professional wizard.

After the events in Storm Front, Kim Delaney, whom Dresden helped to control her magical talents, asks Dresden how to create a set of three magical circles, which could be used to contain powerful entities. Dresden withholds the information, beca ...more

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Apr 14, 2015 ✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2015, good-ol-testosterone, rawrrr, urban-fantasy, poof-gone-harem, uf-with-male-lead

►►► Today is your lucky day. Yes it is.

Want know why? Well this was going to be one of my never-ending, ever-rambling reviews. This was going to be an ode to the awesomeness that is Harry D. I was going to go all "blah blah blah this is fantastic, blah blah blah this is so cool, blah blah blah Harry D. I love you even though you're not an asshole, blah blah blah I love what you do with your staff, blah blah blah blah blah blah" on you.

But I won't. Because as much as I love Harry I don't have t ...more

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Jun 18, 2019 Adina rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-sf, urban-fantasy-pr

3.5*

I can’t believe it took me more than 3 years to read the follow up to Storm Front ( the 1st in the series). I enjoyed the first one but somehow other books seemed more interesting than continuing with this series. Well, it will not take that long to start the 3rd volume.

Ok, maybe I know why I did not run towards this book. It is about werewolves and other shapeshifters which are not my favorite but I enjoyed it despite their presence ( the same way I tolerate them in Kate Daniels series).

I ...more

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Jul 30, 2014 Markus rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-and-thrillers, fantasy, team-rocket, 2015, urban-fantasy

3.5 stars

I looked up through the clear night at the almost-full moon. Werewolves jumping through windows at gangster's lackeys in unfinished restaurants. A mangled corpse in the middle of a blood-drenched floor. Berserk FBI field agents drawing guns and shooting to kill. A little kung fu, a little John Wayne, and a few casual threats.
So far, I thought, my nerves jangling, just one more night on the job.

Ah, the Dresden Files. Modern-day pulp fiction, and yet so fun to read.

Harry Dresden’s career 3.5 stars

I looked up through the clear night at the almost-full moon. Werewolves jumping through windows at gangster's lackeys in unfinished restaurants. A mangled corpse in the middle of a blood-drenched floor. Berserk FBI field agents drawing guns and shooting to kill. A little kung fu, a little John Wayne, and a few casual threats.
So far, I thought, my nerves jangling, just one more night on the job.

Ah, the Dresden Files. Modern-day pulp fiction, and yet so fun to read.

Harry Dresden’s career is going downhill. His former friend and main source of income, Special Investigator Karrin Murphy, refuses to have anything to do with him. Things get so bad he can barely afford his next meal. But then a new murder mystery comes along, one involving brutally mutilated corpses, paw prints left behind on the scene, and a full moon…

This book was actually quite different in a number of ways. At first it actually seemed to have taken a step down from the level of Storm Front, but fortunately it got better and better as the story progressed. Writing, characterisation and most other aspects of the book are still rather mediocre, but Jim Butcher is visibly improving as a writer.

As a murder mystery, this book was a lot better than the first one. There are multiple suspects, interesting plot twists and overall there are simply more layers to the story. The reader gets more information about Harry’s past and personality, and about the nature of magic and magical beings. I especially enjoyed the introduction of Chauncy the demon, and Harry’s rather interesting conversation with his own subconscious.

In the end, this was not a great book, but it’s definitely going in the right direction. Most important of all, it actually made me excited about continuing with the series. And that’s something the first book wasn’t able to. Considering that most people seem to think that this is another of the second-rate Dresden books, I am certainly looking forward to reading the really good ones.
...more

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Jun 29, 2016 Lyn rated it liked it · review of another edition

Fool Moon is Jim Butcher’s second Harry Dresden novel, first published in 2001 to wild acclaim and popularity.

And why not? Butcher knew back then that he had a winning formula and he does. Cool and charismatic protagonist, excellent world building, and a fun set of magic rules to make even the most cynical of urban fantasy readers to tune in like a Cubs-Sox game on WGN. Even Coach Ditka would no doubt no reveal a hint of a smile behind the sunglasses and mustache and say in a mid-western twang, ...more

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Aug 23, 2014 Conor rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, dresden-files

This was an alright read but not one that has left me eager to tear into the next 13 books already published in this series. There was quite a bit of world-building, especially about werewolves, but I didn't find it particularly immersive. Like in the first book Butcher's attempts to integrate fantasy into the modern world feel kind of forced and these 2 worlds still don't relate to each other in a believable or compelling way.

I also struggled with the characters in this one. Harry was frustrat This was an alright read but not one that has left me eager to tear into the next 13 books already published in this series. There was quite a bit of world-building, especially about werewolves, but I didn't find it particularly immersive. Like in the first book Butcher's attempts to integrate fantasy into the modern world feel kind of forced and these 2 worlds still don't relate to each other in a believable or compelling way.

I also struggled with the characters in this one. Harry was frustratingly self-righteous and Murphy was annoyingly judgmental and their tense, mistrustful interactions left me hoping one or both of them would be eaten by a werewolf (tbf their last scene together was pretty awesome and I'm hoping their relationship will continue on that note and leave behind the distrust that has been really annoying since half-way through the last book). Tera West was a pretty standard 'magical mystery person' with alien motivations and Susan was a typical love interest character with no discernible personality. The main villain in this one could have been a brilliant opportunity to explore the meaning of good vs. evil and challenge Harry's self-righteousness but instead was too busy working on his pantomime evil villain schtick. Johnny Marcone was still an interesting character although he really didn't develop in any meaningful way from the last book.

The highlights of this book were the hints about Harry's parentage and the ending (which bumped this up to 3 stars). The allusions to Harry's deceased parents not having been what they seemed, coupled with his affinity for dark magic, makes for a really interesting situation that I hope will be explored later on in the series. While the finale wasn't anywhere near Malazan proportions of epic-ness there was still enough action, and perhaps more importantly solid resolutions to various mysteries and plot points (see the Murphy-Harry relationship), to redeem what had at times been a frustratingly paced book.

This book was much darker than it's predecessor, with one section about halfway through containing a level of gore and violence previously unseen in this series. Butcher also demonstrated a willingness to abruptly kill off some reasonably important characters (spoiler: it's not Harry) that ratcheted up the tension and drama in this one.

Mostly on the recommendation of... pretty much all of my friends on here :D... I'm going to continue this series until book 4 in the hope that the various plot threads are pulled together and the story really takes off. ...more

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Jun 21, 2019 Jody rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: top-priority, urban-fantasy

This was another fun romp through the streets of Chicago with my favorite wizarding detective, Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden. In Fool Moon Harry manages to get himself in even more trouble than he did in book 1. But he always manages to come out the other side. Not unscathed though, as he did manage to take quite a beating in his quest to solve the crime.

Fool Moon starts out with Lieutenant Murphy again asking for Harry’s help on a murder case that seems beyond the bounds of mere human a This was another fun romp through the streets of Chicago with my favorite wizarding detective, Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden. In Fool Moon Harry manages to get himself in even more trouble than he did in book 1. But he always manages to come out the other side. Not unscathed though, as he did manage to take quite a beating in his quest to solve the crime.

Fool Moon starts out with Lieutenant Murphy again asking for Harry’s help on a murder case that seems beyond the bounds of mere human activity. As Harry gets involved and begins following leads, he quickly finds himself in over his head. His quick thinking and magic can usually help get him out of a tight spot, but he may need more than his wit and unique talent to survive this case.

”To much work and no play makes Harry a paranoid boy.”

A great element to these books are Harry’s interactions and relationships with the other characters. The friendship that Harry has with Lieutenant Karrin Murphy of the Chicago PD is always on rocky ground. The relationship between Harry and supernatural reporter Susan Rodriguez is getting very interesting and one to keep an eye on. And let’s not forget the crime lord Gentleman Johnny Marcone. Harry and Johnny continually cross each other’s paths and I have a feeling it will eventually come to a boiling point. All of these characters add a certain layer of depth to Harry’s story, and play more to his character than just being a wizard or detective. He continually explains his feelings for each one and it gives the reader a deeper look at the human side of Harry and not just Harry the wizard.

”It isn’t enough to stand up and fight darkness. You’ve got to stand apart from it, too. You’ve got to be different from it.”

I’m still digging the old school detective vibe these books have. I know I mentioned this in my review of Storm Front. But this element means so much to making these books so interesting and fun. Also, there is never a dull moment in these books. Whether Harry is at home making potions with Bob, hanging at MacAnally’s Pub, or roaming the streets of Chicago on a case, he always manages to be a magnet for demons, vampires, or any other supernatural beings that roam the dark alleys and shadows. I can’t wait to see what kind of mysteries the coming adventure holds. Next up…Grave Peril!!!

”It’s all right to be afraid. You just don’t let it stop you from doing your job.”

Actual Rating: 4 stars ****
...more

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Jun 04, 2010 Penny rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-books, zombies-aliens-vampires-dinos, werewolves

Update 03-11-11(2): So my last update was hastily written, and in anger. Now that I've had time to cool off and think clearly I'm feeling bad. So here's another, less in-your-face way of saying it:

Warning: this review contains cheekiness. Please do not be offended or take this review too seriously as it is meant in jest. If you are a serious Dresden fan this review is probably not for you. So you should just read another review, k. Have a nice day. :)

Update 03-11-11: I've pretty much had it wit ...more

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Jan 07, 2015 Justin rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Well, I've copied my review from two years ago below, and I feel like it is pretty much on point with how I feel after reading the book a second time. Not really sure if I need to say much more. The only parts I really enjoyed were the scenes that alluded to Harry's past. I'm sticking around for more of that down the road, I hope.

The first half wasn't bad, and the book actually felt like it ended halfway through. It should have ended there. There's a big scene in the middle followed by a whole ...more

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Aug 22, 2017 Liam Degnan rated it it was ok · review of another edition

“‎It isn't enough to stand up and fight darkness. You've got to stand apart from it, too. You've got to be different from it.”

2.5 Stars .

Unless things drastically improve by book three, I think it's safe to say that The Dresden Files is one of the most overrated series of all time. At least the first two books, anyway ;]. For the life of me, I can't figure out why these are so outrageously popular. A good friend of mine read them around the same time that I did, and these were t ...more

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Dec 12, 2014 Will M. rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2014, magic, paranormal, books-i-own, urban-fantasy

A gruesome murder comes along, and Harry Dresden's expertise is needed. A brutally mutilated corpse. Strange-looking paw prints. A full moon.

I really liked the first book of the series, and I was expecting a lot more from this. The premise screams werewolves, and that's actually my favorite supernatural creature. Werewolves are badass and ruthless, but once again, Butcher had his own take on the supernatural. He sort of mellowed it down, and made it more realistic. I don't hate his imaginative t ...more

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Mar 06, 2017 Heidi The Reader rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-and-sci-fi, fiction

Back into the world of Harry Dresden through another excellent audio book presentation. Between Fool Moon and Scarlet by Marissa Meyer, I've been reading about werewolves a lot. Not that I'm complaining.

The interesting premise of this book is that there are multiple ways to become a werewolf and it explores the problems associated with each. I enjoyed the juxtaposition and creativity the author showed in developing the different types. I always assumed a werewolf was just an unfortunate who rece ...more

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Mar 25, 2015 Robin (Bridge Four) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi, uf-pnr, fantastic-fantasy, awesome-audio, buddy-read, super-sidekicks, witches-warlocks-and-magic

Buddy read with a few friends at Buddies Books and Baubles.

description

Harry Dresden is going to grow on me. We have been on two outings now and already I see some real potential in this budding relationship between us.

Harry has a few things in his positive column right now:

✔ - Cool friends and acquaintances:

Bob – The skull animated by a sexually adventurous wind spirit who has the memory skills of a computer and a potions master status equivalent to Severus Snape.

Chauncy - Harry’s demon buddy who seems

...more

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Jun 14, 2015 TS Chan rated it liked it · review of another edition

3.5 stars.

Fool Moon started to show promising signs of improvement over the first book, even though most fans indicate that the series really only get better from Book 3 or 4 onwards.

I definitely enjoyed Harry more as a character in this book as he just felt so real. His tendencies for hilarious soliloquy or internal monologues while facing dangerous and grim circumstances might be a tad cheesy sometimes but it was fun and I think it worked for stories like these. Harry's backstory was also bei 3.5 stars.

Fool Moon started to show promising signs of improvement over the first book, even though most fans indicate that the series really only get better from Book 3 or 4 onwards.

I definitely enjoyed Harry more as a character in this book as he just felt so real. His tendencies for hilarious soliloquy or internal monologues while facing dangerous and grim circumstances might be a tad cheesy sometimes but it was fun and I think it worked for stories like these. Harry's backstory was also being gradually teased out; a very cheeky approach by Mr Butcher to keep me invested in our modern-day wizard and reading these books.

The plot in Fool's Moon was also better than Storm Front in my opinion. The mystery was more involving, the villain(s) more believable and it took me much longer to be able to cast any suspicions on who the real culprits were. The narrative also seemed to flow better in this instalment and I found myself excited to pick up the book again whenever I had to put it down to get on with real life.

I believe that this will be a pattern in the series where the readers get introduced to different forms of supernatural beings and foes as we progress from one book to the other. With “moon” in the title, I probably wouldn’t be spoiling anything by mentioning that we are dealing with werewolves in this novel. World-building in urban fantasy requires a pretty different level of creativity as one is confined to a certain extent with already commonly known myths of supernatural beings like werewolves, vampires, zombies, etc. I have to give it to the author for being able to take these well-known mythological creations and infuse some form of variation into them to make it his own.

The one thing that affected my enjoyment of this book was that of the tension building up between Harry and Agent Karrin Murphy, who works within the Special Investigation (read: weird stuff) division of the Chicago police force. This is the typical scenario where one tried to protect the former by not being completely upfront, and the latter then developed a mistrust of the former for doing so. The kind of character conflict which I absolutely disliked being used as a plot device. Just spare me the angst. Fortunately, it only lasted long enough until they had to work together to dispose of the enemy. Let’s just hope that the trajectory of their relationship continues to improve. Character development elsewhere still remained pretty bland. Notwithstanding, the story and worldbuilding were good enough to at least put this in the category of an entertaining read.
...more

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Jul 27, 2020 Choko rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, demons, mystery

*** 3.85 ***

There are werewolves on the loose and making trouble in the city of Chicago. A friend of Harry's has been killed and the Police and the FBI can't decide on if they should use Dresden as a source and consultant, or if they should look him up and throw away the keys... It is a good thing that he has some interesting acquaintances who might find it in their best interest to help him out and get him out of tight spots.

This is the second book in the Dresden Files series and we are still t ...more

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May 19, 2010 Kate Lansky rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

A friend of mine adores this series, and sent my husband and me the entire thing. It showed up at our door in a big amazon box, and well, we got to reading. My husband is two books ahead of me, and promises me that things improve.

I dearly hope he's right.

First off, Butcher tries to pile WAY too much into this book. I hope this isn't a massive surprise, but guess what - this book is about werewolves. Now, you know how authors and movie makers, etc. will tell you "If you show the gun, you have to A friend of mine adores this series, and sent my husband and me the entire thing. It showed up at our door in a big amazon box, and well, we got to reading. My husband is two books ahead of me, and promises me that things improve.

I dearly hope he's right.

First off, Butcher tries to pile WAY too much into this book. I hope this isn't a massive surprise, but guess what - this book is about werewolves. Now, you know how authors and movie makers, etc. will tell you "If you show the gun, you have to USE the gun"? Butcher shows about twelve guns over the course of this book, and uses them all - even ones he doesn't actually NEED to use. For instance, at one point relatively early on, he shows about 5 guns at once - now, in this case, I'd only use one or two of those - it's fine, you're establishing a world and it's cool and fun to play. But it very quickly becomes clear that Butcher isn't content with giving you a sneak peek. He has to play with all his toys in one go. It just becomes overload - so much so that at one point, Butcher has to bring the novel to a screeching halt, look at the camera, and go "okay, let's remind the readers of what all is on Dresden's plate right now. Ready for the recap?" If an author has to do this - spend ten or so pages just reminding the reader of all the loose threads still lying around - then something is seriously wrong.

On top of this, Dresden spends almost the entire book two steps from death's door. After a while, it's hard to keep the reader on the edge of their seat like this. I started just feeling like "oh look, Dresden's almost dead again. Ladeedah." Things just... lost their intensity. Not only that, but I started to feel as though the author were writing fanfic of something. Dresden lost some of the depth we saw in book 1, gained a little aura of author-worship (a 'wouldn't it be awesome to be this guy?' feel), and started to peter out in my mind. It just wasn't as good.

Oh - and while the potion workings are kind of cool (okay, I really like the potions in Butcher's world), I swear, if he makes two potions at the start of a book that just HAPPEN to be exactly what he needs later on for reasons that have NOTHING to do with why he made the damn things in the first place... I just might scream. Potion Deus-Ex-Machina is not my idea of fun times.

update - I do want to say that, having read a bunch more of the series, I do think it's worthwhile. It's fun, it's interesting, and even though Butcher might not know his way around my city, it's a solid read. I'm glad I worked my way through the rough patches and kept going. ...more

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Nov 09, 2016 Scott Hitchcock rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, butcher

90% of this book was a snorefest. It felt like one Adam 12 (look it up) in book form with a wizard thrown in. Then we get to the end and it turns awesome making me wonder if I should continue this or not. I know everybody says this gets better as the books go on but if he wastes the first quarter of every book letting us know who Harry is I won't make it. The last part when Harry transforms, to be vague and not spoil anything, is awesome. Great thought process and action. ...more

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Nov 03, 2020 Tina Haigler rated it really liked it · review of another edition

"I never used to keep close track of the phases of the moon."

Werewolves. What could go wrong, right? Apparently in Harry's case, everything.

This was a decent follow up to the first book. I appreciated the wealth of werewolf lore and the author mixing it up with new material. I hate reading a vampire or werewolf story that doesn't have anything unique to it, but Butcher didn't disappoint. I do feel like he might've gone a little overboard with it though, throwing too much at us at once, but I'd r ...more

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Jan 25, 2014 Gary rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi, urban-magic, series-worth-continuing

This book is a fast paced urban fantasy novel that succeeds because of the likable characters and the well-designed world. Harry, the main character, is an archetypal everyman with spells.
The novel builds on the basic werewolf premise, but quickly evolves into a creative and original spin on what would seem a well told (or otherwise worn out) type of tale. The author’s skill, ingenuity and craftiness keep the plot fresh and entertaining.
The book borders on victim literature as Harry struggles t ...more

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Mar 07, 2014 Heather K (dentist in my spare time) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: at-my-library, shifters, paranormal, urban-fantasy, narrator-amazing, little-to-no-sex-content, audiobook, not-a-romance-book

I can't review this properly. Harry Dresden took me right out of my book funk. I mean, who can be in a funk while listening to James Marsters??? No one! It is a proven fact.

I don't even care that James Marsters makes all of his characters sound almost the same. I don't care that he swallows and clears his throat all the time. His voice is perfect for Harry Dresden and I love him for it.

I love Bob the skull, I love how Harry cries when he is injured like a real person, I love the world that Jim ...more

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Jul 12, 2017 Graeme Rodaughan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Lovers of Excellent UF.

Shelves: urban-fantasy, fantasy, thriller, sorcerors-magicians, werewolves

Lycanthrope Shocker. Werewolf Eats Chicago Police Department! "It's a Loup ... ah ... frack ... oh yeah! It's a 'Loup-Garou,' (Sotto voce: 'Did I get that right?')

Well - you can now call me a Jim Butcher/Harry Dresden fan.

Loved it, fantastic multi-climax ending. One of the best books I've read so far this year.

A couple of small quibbles with some of the [INSERT: "Escape by the skin of your teeth"] moments that overstepped the believability mark and dropped me out of the suspension of disbelief. ...more

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Sep 25, 2008 Brad rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, fantasy, mystery

Jim Butcher achieves something that no other authors of urban fantasy have done (at least not the ones I've read); he expresses how wonderful it is to be producing magic in a world like ours.

I don't expect characters to be jazzed about their magic skills in a classic fantasy world, where magic is like bowling and everyone knows about it, most people have dabbled, but only a few can bowl anywhere near a perfect score.

Nor do I expect wizards to remain wide-eyed about their skills if they find them ...more

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Sep 20, 2016 Philip rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: supernatural, urban-fantasy

2.5ish stars.

I didn't love it.

Not that it's any worse than the first book, which sounds like a condemnation but it's not. The first book, Storm Front, was pretty good; it got my attention. I was expecting things to build on it in this book and beyond but, if anything, it feels to me like a "two steps back" situation. The decrease in rating is a reflection of frustrated expectations more than a reflection of decrease in quality.

Again, I didn't think the writing or the characterizations or anyt 2.5ish stars.

I didn't love it.

Not that it's any worse than the first book, which sounds like a condemnation but it's not. The first book, Storm Front, was pretty good; it got my attention. I was expecting things to build on it in this book and beyond but, if anything, it feels to me like a "two steps back" situation. The decrease in rating is a reflection of frustrated expectations more than a reflection of decrease in quality.

Again, I didn't think the writing or the characterizations or anything was markedly different from #1 and therein lies the problem. I have a hard time understanding why this book exists beyond just providing another freak-of-the-week villain for Harry Dresden, Chicago's resident wizard, to defeat. We learned a little (very little) about Harry's origins, but other than that... his relationships with the recurring characters didn't seem to grow, not a whole lot of worldbuilding was added to the existing structure, and there isn't yet a serialized storyline continuing between the books that makes me want to find out what happens next. Vague references are made to some mastermind that is siccing these baddies on Harry, but that's not enough to hook me.

A couple minor characters that I'm loving and want to see more of are Chaunzaggoroth and Bob. They provided the best parts of the book, I think. Susan and Murphy? I could take or leave. Obviously it's a requirement for Harry to pick up a real love interest eventually but if it comes down to these two, eh, I don't really care.

Embarrassing confession: I don't know how I got this impression from the first book- I must have glossed over the parts where Murphy's description was provided- but this whole time I've been thinking of Karrin Murphy as a short, plump, middle-aged woman with a button nose and a blonde head of hair. Basically I've been picturing Professor Umbridge in a police uniform doing Aikido. When someone mentions that Harry should ask her out I'm thinking, "Ew, why?" But apparently she's just short, button-nosed and blonde without being plump, middle-aged or toad-like. I think she'd be way cooler the way I envisioned her.

The drama this time around came through a convoluted plot involving a few different groups of werewolf-type creatures. Ironically, I became increasingly bored as the action started heating up. I guess I'm not invested in the characters enough to worry about what happens to them. Or it really was just boring. So, yeah. The mediocrity of this entry in the series is made apparent because of its inability to provide anything deeper than or different from the series starter. The general consensus seems to be that it actually gets good at book 4 so I'll stick around for at least a few more books. ...more

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Dec 19, 2011 Richard Derus rated it liked it · review of another edition

Rating: 3* of five

Someone help me here. These are compulsively readable books, and I grant Butcher full props for the ability to pace a story and parse a sentence with equal facility (not all that faint of a praise, believe you me), but these books have some je ne sais quoi that makes them into bestsellers.

WHAT IS IT?!?

I was interested enough in the story to read it in one long sitting, but upon sober reflection, I cannot begin to tell you why. It's not that good of a book. It's not a completely ...more

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About Jim Butcher

Jim Butcher

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Jim Butcher is the author of the Dresden Files, the Codex Alera, and a new steampunk series, the Cinder Spires. His resume includes a laundry list of skills which were useful a couple of centuries ago, and he plays guitar quite badly. An avid gamer, he plays tabletop games in varying systems, a variety of video games on PC and console, and LARPs whenever he can make time for it. Jim currently resi ...more