Storm Front by Jim Butcher
Reviewed by: Jimi Roberts, Circulation Assistant
Genre: Modern Fantasy
Suggested Age: Adults
What is the book about?: This is book 1 in the Dresden Files. We follow the protagonist, Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, the only practicing wizard in the phone book. He is a private investigator, who does a lot of consultation work, for the Chicago Police Department, on cases that have a supernatural ring to them. This is not to say, everyone in the department believes he is legit – quite the opposite. But, we follow him as he works to discover the truth behind a double murder, that seems to have been committed by some type of dark magic.
My review: People have been telling me for years to read this series. I was a bit skeptical because I am getting burned out on fantasy creatures in modern times, because it’s been done to death. That said, I took the plunge anyway, because so many people recommended it and I was not let down. In fact, I could not put this book down. At its core, this is very much a detective story and is formulaic, but I still found it highly entertaining. The world is lush and vibrant, and the characters charming and inviting. I am told the series gets better, and fans of it claim that the first installment could be one of the weaker entries. If that is indeed the case, then sign me up for the series, because I felt it was very solid. I am about halfway through book 2 and I find the quality to be ramping up quickly, so that bodes well. I could see this book appealing to multiple types of readers. Fans of modern fantasy and even high fantasy, will find familiar elements that will make them feel at home in the world. I could also see fans of something like the Alex Cross books branching into something like this, if they want to try something similar but with magic and fantasy elements. My literary pleasures are diverse, and I found this book to cater to a lot of them well without spreading itself too thin. Soon I’ll be one of the masses who tells everyone to read this series, and if you dive into this book, I suspect you will be too.
Rating: 5/5
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About FDL Reads
Welcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library. Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each week at fondulaclibrary.org. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available. If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently. We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!
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Fondulac District Library and Digital Outfitters have partnered to organize Operation Stitch-a-Stocking, a project which provides free custom embroidered holiday stockings to those affected by the tornadoes and storms that struck central Illinois in November. Operation Stitch-a-Stocking sponsors donated more than 1,000 stockings for the local project. Sponsors supporting the project include Pekin Insurance, Target (East Peoria), and Unland Companies.