I read my first Jim Butcher book about three or four years ago. While on one of my periodic sweeps through the bookstore I picked up a copy of his first Harry Dresden book, Storm Front. A guy walking down the same aisle said "Oh you should get that. The Harry Dresden books are fun, quick reads." As I am never one to ignore the advice of random guys in Borders (hey, he had the sort of geeky, skinny pallor of someone who'd know a good SciFi/Fantasy book), I decided to get Storm Front and the second book in the series, Fool Moon.

And what do you know, Borders Guy was right. They were fun, quick reads. I won't claim to have absolutely loved them, but I liked Harry (misunderstood black sheep wizard with a good heart, of course I did) and his police friend Murphy, I liked that he bribed minor fairies with pizza so they'd help him, and I found the overall hardboiled wizard detective/urban fantasy premise intriguing. The next weekend I was back at the bookstore buying the rest of the series. I think he was up to book five or six by then. What? I read fast. Got to protect the book supply chain at all times.

Well, the stories and the writing kept getting better with each book and I got hooked. The world Harry lives in just kept getting richer and more interesting. Along the way he picked up a massive dog sidekick, found out he had a half brother, and got an apprentice. Then Jim Butcher started publishing his Codex Alera books, which as straight swords and sorcery sort of fantasy are right up my alley. Now I snap up his books every time he puts out a new one.

The latest one, a new Harry Dresden novel, Turn Coat, did not disappoint. The story starts with Harry's one-time nemesis, the rigid, rule-obsessed Warden Morgan turning up on his doorstep, wounded and on the run, accused of murdering one of the leaders of their governing White Council. Harry has no love for Morgan, but he's absolutely sure that there is no way Morgan is a traitor and a murderer. The story unfolds from there, with Harry trying to keep Morgan safe while unraveling the conspiracy behind his frame-up, and at the same time deal with a terrifying monster that seems to have come to Chicago to stalk Harry specifically. There's plenty of action, and the reader gets a more in-depth look at how the White Council functions (even wizards have to deal with bureaucracy), and many old favorite characters from past books put in appearances, including werewolves, vampires, a coroner, and my new favorite wizard, Injun Joe. Well, favorite after Harry, of course.

The book isn't all whiz-bang action though. Harry has to think his way through a lot of his troubles, he has to teach his apprentice Molly lessons along the way, and he still struggles with how to handle the people he loves. There is a scene with Harry and his brother Thomas at the end of the book that is just heartbreaking.

Turn Coat will make sense even if you haven't read the earlier books, so don't let that stop you. Not that the rest of the series isn't worth reading. In fact, why deny yourself the pleasure? Check 'em all out.

Posted by Bad Penguin at April 20, 2009 6:40 AM