The Fantasy Review’s guide on everything you should know before reading Storm Front by Jim Butcher, book one in The Dresden Files urban fantasy series.
If you’re about to dive into Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files series, starting with Storm Front, there are a few things you should know before you begin. This urban fantasy series follows Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard, as he navigates a dangerous world where the supernatural and modern world collide.
Meet Harry Dresden
Harry Dresden is the protagonist of The Dresden Files. He’s a wizard who works as a private investigator, initially helping the Chicago PD out with supernatural cases that confuse them.
Karrin Murphy is a lead detective in the Chicago PD who is the point of contact for Dresden. She, like most people he runs into, finds Harry irritating, but they work well together.
Harry Dresden is known for his sarcastic wit, strong moral compass, and tendency to find trouble. Jim Butcher has said in interviews that he wanted Harry to be like Bruce Willis in the Die Hard movies, so you can get a feel for what he’s going to be like!
Magic System
In this world, magic is real but not widely known to the general public. Wizards like Harry can manipulate various forms of energy to cast spells, but magic comes with rules and consequences.
Some of those rules are imposed on wizards like Dresden by The White Council. These are a governing body for wizards who make and enforce laws which, if they are broken, can lead to a death sentence.
The White Council is a cool part of the worldbuilding that becomes gradually more important to the story as the series progresses.
Supernatural Creatures
Vampires, werewolves, faeries, and other mythical creatures exist in this series You’ll meet beings like Bob early on!
Storm Front introduces some of these creatures, but you will meet many more in the following books. Additionally, there are human “villains” too, one of whom you will meet quickly in Storm Front.
Character Growth
It’s important to know that Harry Dresden and the supporting cast develop significantly over the series. I mention this because some readers might find Dresden to be a little sexist, with a “camera angle” that focuses a bit too much on women’s bodies…
But, I promise that this subsides as Harry gets older and develops as a character through the 17 books currently out. Watching Dresden mature is actually one of my favorite aspects of the series and well worth a few cringey moments in earlier books.
Conclusion
I would recommend Storm Front and The Dresden Files to every fantasy reader. Primarily urban fantasy readers, because it’s one of the best in the subgenre. And, arguably, it’s also one of the best urban fantasy series for readers of epic and high fantasy.
This world explodes (especially after Changes), so you get a lot of worldbuilding and epic scope, even though it’s set in a fictional version of a real place.
Check out: our reviews of The Dresden Files books by Jim Butcher for more information.
