Recently read: Storm Front by Jim Butcher

In preparation for a future activity, I have returned to the first of Butcher's Dresden Files books, "Storm Front". The first time around, I dropped this book after the first hundred pages and lost interest. Only steely resolve propelled me through to the end this time around, but it did have several things going for it, on balance.

Firstly, it read quickly. Butcher's writing may be purplish in spots, but at least it flows well and is not difficult to get through. And I don't think he takes himself tremendously seriously, so the purplish stuff can (I hope) be passed off as someone trying to find his groove and with luck will disappear in later books, and also passed through in the sure knowledge that it won't last long and is almost always followed up by something more palatable.

Secondly, there was at least one thing in the back half of the book that was fun enough to make it worth the quick trip through the pages: the large creature which figures prominently in the back half was interesting, somewhat unexpected, and let Butcher slip into a rousing action scene or two which were, I thought, much more readable and grabbing than the rest of the book.

If you read quickly, and you don't mind some fluff, and urban fantasy is of interest to you, then this book by Butcher is not a bad choice. Especially if you're going to believe the crowd of his fans that assure you that this series doesn't really hit its stride for another few books (in which case, you can forgive the book's roughness on Butcher's taking a few practice swings in the early innings). I can provide a somewhat guarded recommendation; "Storm Front" is fun and reasonably light, but is not without flaws and is clearly popcorn.

Recently read: Storm Front by Jim Butcher

In preparation for a future activity, I have returned to the first of Butcher's Dresden Files books, "Storm Front". The first time around, I dropped this book after the first hundred pages and lost interest. Only steely resolve propelled me through to the end this time around, but it did have several things going for it, on balance.

Firstly, it read quickly. Butcher's writing may be purplish in spots, but at least it flows well and is not difficult to get through. And I don't think he takes himself tremendously seriously, so the purplish stuff can (I hope) be passed off as someone trying to find his groove and with luck will disappear in later books, and also passed through in the sure knowledge that it won't last long and is almost always followed up by something more palatable.

Secondly, there was at least one thing in the back half of the book that was fun enough to make it worth the quick trip through the pages: the large creature which figures prominently in the back half was interesting, somewhat unexpected, and let Butcher slip into a rousing action scene or two which were, I thought, much more readable and grabbing than the rest of the book.

If you read quickly, and you don't mind some fluff, and urban fantasy is of interest to you, then this book by Butcher is not a bad choice. Especially if you're going to believe the crowd of his fans that assure you that this series doesn't really hit its stride for another few books (in which case, you can forgive the book's roughness on Butcher's taking a few practice swings in the early innings). I can provide a somewhat guarded recommendation; "Storm Front" is fun and reasonably light, but is not without flaws and is clearly popcorn.