Things have been rough for Chicago's only wizard-for-hire Harry Dresden. He's had very little opportunities for employment since the events in Storm Front took place, and for some reason Detective Karrin Murphy has made herself scarce, taking his largest source of income with her. But everything changes when some grisly murders are discovered. Murphy suspects supernatural forces and Harry Dresden is once again called upon.
Fool Moon, book two of The Dresden Files, is a lot like the first in the series. Harry is still a sarcastic, grumpy wizard that's got a golden heart. Magic runs rampant through the Chicago area, both light and dark. The book reads like another episode in the life of Harry Dresden, adding a little more characterization and background to the wizard and his ilk, plus throwing in a bit more world-building to boot.
The writing style is identical. We read the story from Harry's first-person limited POV with the benefit of hindsight. This works very well for most of the novel, but a few phrases lessen the effect of the story. For example, Harry may say something like "now, looking back on it..." That pretty much takes out the possibility of him dying, unless we discover Harry's been narrating as a ghost or something, which, I suppose could happen, but I don't think so. There are also a few instances where Harry will be talking directly to the reader, which also comes across as odd.
The plot of Fool Moon is pretty quick paced and action filled. Butcher's prose reads fluidly, and it's easy to keep turning pages to see what happens next. That said, I didn't enjoy this book near as much as I did Storm Front. I'm not sure if it was the conflict itself being merely mediocre or if it was something else. Still, the story book was fun and instilled in me the desire to read the next episode of The Dresden Files.
The real beauty of these books is the world-building. Harry's conversation with Bob, the wise spirit that's stuck inside a human skull, is revealing about the mechanics of the world. The hints of something larger going on. The ever-present background of the White Council and the mystery that permeates it. Butcher slowly reveals things about Dresden's universe, holding out the allure, and it works very well considering Dresden's nature.
In the end, Fool Moon has enough in it to make the book recommendable so long as you know what you're getting into. If you're expecting deep thoughts and philosophy, you'll be disappointed. This book is a fun romp in an urban fantasy setting with nothing too deep.
Fool Moon, book two of The Dresden Files, is a lot like the first in the series. Harry is still a sarcastic, grumpy wizard that's got a golden heart. Magic runs rampant through the Chicago area, both light and dark. The book reads like another episode in the life of Harry Dresden, adding a little more characterization and background to the wizard and his ilk, plus throwing in a bit more world-building to boot.
The writing style is identical. We read the story from Harry's first-person limited POV with the benefit of hindsight. This works very well for most of the novel, but a few phrases lessen the effect of the story. For example, Harry may say something like "now, looking back on it..." That pretty much takes out the possibility of him dying, unless we discover Harry's been narrating as a ghost or something, which, I suppose could happen, but I don't think so. There are also a few instances where Harry will be talking directly to the reader, which also comes across as odd.
The plot of Fool Moon is pretty quick paced and action filled. Butcher's prose reads fluidly, and it's easy to keep turning pages to see what happens next. That said, I didn't enjoy this book near as much as I did Storm Front. I'm not sure if it was the conflict itself being merely mediocre or if it was something else. Still, the story book was fun and instilled in me the desire to read the next episode of The Dresden Files.
The real beauty of these books is the world-building. Harry's conversation with Bob, the wise spirit that's stuck inside a human skull, is revealing about the mechanics of the world. The hints of something larger going on. The ever-present background of the White Council and the mystery that permeates it. Butcher slowly reveals things about Dresden's universe, holding out the allure, and it works very well considering Dresden's nature.
In the end, Fool Moon has enough in it to make the book recommendable so long as you know what you're getting into. If you're expecting deep thoughts and philosophy, you'll be disappointed. This book is a fun romp in an urban fantasy setting with nothing too deep.
