A Review of Fool Moon – Spoiler Free
Jim Butcher’s second entry into The Dresden Files continues months after Storm Front (Dresden Files #1) with another terrifying paranormal case to solve. Karen Murphy approaches Harry Dresden to solve the multiple homicides that have taken place over the last two months.
I have been really excited to get back into this series after reading Storm Front last fall. I’ve always found crime stories interesting. This series reminds me of my favorite TV Show NCIS even though it doesn’t have a team and they are solving cases surrounding magic instead of military crimes. I enjoy the thrill of trying to solve the case before we get to the end.
It’s all right to be afraid. You just don’t let it stop you from doing your job.
I liked how Jim Butcher didn’t stick to the formula of the first novel and try to add a new fresh spin on that idea. We see a lot of the cast from Storm Front – Harry Dresden (of course), Karen Murphy, Susan Rodriguez, Bob and several others. Jim Butcher also gives us several new characters. I was really disappointed by the lack of time Bob had in this story. He’s one of my favorite characters out of the 4-5 series I am currently reading. I like his wit and humor when Harry is working with him.
Pros
I enjoyed the fast pace story. The story felt like it was never slowing down. It was action pack from start to finish. I love seeing the story from one person’s eyes the entire time. You feel like you don’t have all of the cards and Jim Butcher does a great job at making you guess every step of the way. You think you have the answer… a massive curveball is thrown into the mix.
The different types of magic that are explored really help bring the world to life. I really appreciate this type of world building. We know there is more to the world we are in besides Chicago.
My magic. That was at the heart of me. It was a manifestation of what I believed, what I lived. It came from my desire to see to it that someone stood between the darkness and the people it would devour.
Storm Front could have been a stand alone novel but at the end of Fool Moon you know Jim Butcher is setting you up for a bigger story. I walked away from the story excited for the next step.
Cons
I really want Murphy to standout as this amazing female character. She has every potential to be that but the First-Person viewpoint makes it hard for us to see it.
I believe this is where the story is flawed. If we saw some of the story from her eyes, I think we would see a completely different picture but our view of her is tainted by Dresden trying to be chivalrous. Instead it continuous to cast her away in the story and makes her less utilized. I’m hoping this changes because I think she has a lot to offer to the story.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I really enjoyed the story. It was an exciting change of pace from the dense fantasy series I have been reading. I went into it hoping for a fast pace detective story and got just that. We get a nice setup for an overarching story. I definitely recommend reading this!
