Storm Front

Title: Storm Front
Author: Jim Butcher
Published: No idea.
Genre: Noir urban fantasy
Pages: 8 cd's


First of Butcher's Dresden files books, but! In audio form, read by the ever fantabulous James Marsters. Therefore I don't know page count etc., since I don't actually have the book. Or the cd's, since I kinda found this when I was... googling Mr. Marsters. Yeah. That's it. *cough*

Anyway. I have this very short list somewhere with books or authors I've wanted to check out, a list which was written a few years ago already. Other writers on it were Sarah Waters and Kate Mosse, who I found I liked. Jim Butcher and his Dresden files were the third item, so when the opportunity came to check one out, AND to get to listen to Mr. Marsters for hours on end, of course I took it.

The book's about Harry Dresden, a wizard in Chicago, a world very much like ours but with magic and creatures of the night. Harry's not doing so well: no work, no pay, no food, no way to pay the rent. Then he gets a call from a distressed housewife. And another from a friend of his, a police offiver Murphy. When it rains, it pours, and Harry soon enough finds himself drenched, up to his magic marbles in water. Pretty much literally, as well. The plot could be summed with a quote from Jeremy Clarkson: "And then it got worse."

Storm Front's a great start for a series, urban fantasy sprinkled from themes and dry humour from classic detective stories and film noir. I wouldn't have spent hours with earphones plugged into my ears if I hadn't liked it (must have spent close to four or five hours yesterday listening, while walking around Helsinki. My feet hurt.). While I'm reading a book at home, it's usual for me to comment out loud on what happens in it. I tried not to do that while sitting in the bus on my way to work, smirking in amusement due to Butcher's choice of words or Marsters' breathless girly voices. But a few giggles and groans might have escaped.

So, no quote, with no actual book, but I'll definitely be checking out more of the series, and! Here's a link to downloading the first few chapters for free: Click this!