Storm Front by Jim Butcher: Book Review

My Review

My Rating: 3/5

**Spoiler Free Storm Front Book Review**

This Storm Front book review might never have happened, I tried to read Storm Front by Jim Butcher last year and I had to put it down after a few chapters. I’ve never liked urban fantasy. All those classic mystery books bored the hell out of me.

And Harry Dresden was a bit of a dick who said and thought a lot of thing about women that made me wince.

Over the past year I have heard that later on in the series, the world gets far deeper and more interesting. That in itself was enough to get me to at least finish the first book, considering how short it is!

The plot itself began brilliantly

I actually quite enjoyed this book! We are introduced to three separate issues almost immediately, and from there we watch as Harry Dresden tries to figure them all out.

The plot was engrossing and made the book difficult to put down – I suppose it goes with the genre, but there was always something at the end of a chapter that made me want to start on the next one!

Harry Dresden is a bit of a dick

Everyone knows that. He’s also witty and deeply cares about doing the right thing. A main character who has flaws he needs to iron out, or flaws that make his character more realistic, is an interesting character. I wouldn’t have him any other way.

The only reason I only rated this book 3 stars is because it’s a solid book, but not a great book. I don’t think it’s trying to pretend that it is. I have heard from other reviewers that future books become great, but the first few are introductions to the character, to the magic, to the world.

This leads me on to my only criticism of this book: setting

We are told it is Chicago. That’s all I know. I never felt fully engrossed in the place itself, as it is never mentioned really. I put that down to the author focusing on introducing Harry Dresden and making the plot as exciting as possible.

Perhaps we will get more of the setting in future books, and then look back on Storm Front as a bit of a prologue for what’s to come.