Storm Front (The Dresden Files, #1) in What's the Name of That Book???

Jul 29, 2007 Wealhtheow rated it did not like it

Shelves: urban-fantasy

I really hated Harry Dresden. He's cocky, self-absorbed and my-life-is-pain-but-I'm-too-stoic-to-admit-it, and ooh look, oh so gritty! Ugh. Also, his friend the skull is not witty by any stretch of imagination, and the plot is not even vaguely imaginative. It feels like a paint-by-numbers urban fantasy book. ...more

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Dec 06, 2015 Nadine in NY Jones rated it it was ok

Shelves: authors-i-don-t-ever-want-to-read-a, fantasy-and-sci-fi, audio, paranormal, hard-boiled, mystery, detective-mystery, dick-lit

I had a little party when I finished this book, I was so glad to be done with it!!!

I quickly became tired of Harry Dresden's bumbling, cantankerous and sexist ways. Every time he described a woman's make-up, I winced. (ESPECIALLY when it was described as "tasteful.")

This is one of those books where women are not just people, they are "cheerleaders" or "mother wolves" or "sluts."

Plus, aside from being a sexist schmo, Dresden is an asshole - he's hired to consult for the police, but he regularly w I had a little party when I finished this book, I was so glad to be done with it!!!

I quickly became tired of Harry Dresden's bumbling, cantankerous and sexist ways. Every time he described a woman's make-up, I winced. (ESPECIALLY when it was described as "tasteful.")

This is one of those books where women are not just people, they are "cheerleaders" or "mother wolves" or "sluts."

Plus, aside from being a sexist schmo, Dresden is an asshole - he's hired to consult for the police, but he regularly withholds information from them. What is that bullshit?

And I'm sorry to say this, as much as I love anyone associated with Buffy, but James Marsters' narration makes it worse - he is miked so close, every breath and wet ticking sound of his tongue against his palate is amplified. I really wanted him to pause and take a drink.

Plus the way Butcher has set up the magic just strikes me as silly, with Dresden's reliance on fetishes and a staff, the stupid spirit within the skill, regular references to "the Never-Never" and focusing his "will" on his "blasting rod" and opening his "third eye" ... it's all so childish. And Dresden is so stupid sometimes, missing obvious clues, destroying evidence, withholding information from the police, making poor decisions. Plus, we are constantly told Dresden's thoughts, which just emphasizes how slow and dense he is. Such as (and I paraphrase here):

bad guy cuts off a lock of Dresden's hair.
He cut off my hair!
My hair!
He's got my hair!

Yeah, we got it the first time, we've been paying attention and are all up to speed on how bad juju can be performed when a wizard has a body part like hair or nail clippings or blood. No need to keep saying it like an idiot. No amount of telling us you have savvy and learning can overcome the slow and dense thought processes we are shown. There is constant recapping throughout the book! It was really annoying. I despise Dresden so much that I rooted for every person who attacked him.

The writing can be ridiculous. "The words pounded around her like sledgehammers, throwing up concrete." yeah, okay.

I just hated the characters Butcher created, and I really hated his inability to write women as people.

I can see the appeal here of an irreverent wizard who works as a detective, but it doesn't appeal to me, and I won't be continuing on with the Harry Dresden series.

I was all set to give this one star, but the ending was satisfying (and didn't involve describing any woman's make up). So, two stars, and I never want to read anything by this author ever again. ...more

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Dec 29, 2014 Melissa Rochelle rated it really liked it

Shelves: scifi-fantasy, ebook, library, magic, read-2014

Jesse can finally stop badgering me to read this book! :-) he was right. I liked it.

This is a great introduction to a very long series. There's a lot of character introduction, which is a good thing. But that also means some things are mentioned as asides and your left wondering more about a character's history. The plot of this one is simple -- Harry needs to find a dark wizard so everyone stops blaming him for some very violent murders. The writing is filled with dry humor and at times too ma ...more

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Aug 14, 2014 Christina rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

Here's one of those books that absolutely could not exist without Dashiell Hammett, however far removed the influence might be. We have a hardboiled wizard/detective for a first-person lead, and while he's no Continental Op, he's got a reasonably entertaining style and a few interesting friends. Plus an action scene about every four pages, so, there's that.
It's not perfect. Much of the dialogue is so bad I caught myself almost making "blah-blah-blah" gestures with my hands as I read it (note, al ...more

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Aug 02, 2009 Karina rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

Exciting, fast-paced story of a wizard living in Chicago, advertising his services openly in the telephone book (and yes getting crank calls), who gets in a whole lot of trouble with a dark mage, mafia, police and the White Council of wizards. I liked this a lot. I'm glad I tried this out and even gladder that there are more Harry Dresden adventures out there. ...more

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Aug 31, 2012 Jennifer Kronk rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-and-sci-fi, kindle

When I first started to read the Skokie Stackhouse books, I think I read the first 6 straight in a row. I might do the same here. Harry Dreseden is a fun hero & he is surrounded by an intersesting supporting cast. I'm moving on to the second book now. ...more

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Apr 14, 2007 Debbie is on Storygraph rated it liked it

Shelves: contemporary-fantasy, 2007

This was very disappointing. Buther's writing style annoyed me. It was overly simplistic and abused commas way to much. The plot was interesting but wasn't anything terribly new and the mystery wasn't much of one at all. It was a quick fluffy read for a lazy day. I may pick up some others in the series just because my roommate's boyfriend loves them but I do hope that the writing got better. I'm a bit wary, though, since my reaction to this book was near identical to my reaction after finishing ...more

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Feb 21, 2010 Isabel rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

read it in maybe half a day. like candy.

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May 14, 2007 Michelle rated it really liked it

Shelves: witches_wizards, dtb-own, urban_fantasy

Jim Butcher's harry dresden series starts out pretty solid, and only gets stronger as time goes along. in this first one, our intrepid wise-cracking wizardly p.i. has to figure out who in chi-town has been using black magic to kill people. basically, imagine if harry potter was in his 30s, bitter, and american, and you'd have this harry.

the series is a lot of fun, but definitely read them in order, as there's a story arc that gets increasingly referred-to but not explained as the books go along ...more

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