The fantasy genre is not typically up my alley, but adding the detective murder-mystery genre to it and I knew I would least be entertained by Storm Front, the first book in The Dresden Files novels by Jim Butcher. Reading the book over 25 years after it’s initial publication, it’s easy to see why this turned into a fan-favorite series as this first book is filled with the foundation needed for exploring much more of this universe.
As a professional wizard, Harry Dresden knows firsthand that the “everyday” world is actually full of strange and magical things—and most of them don’t play well with humans. And those that do enjoy playing with humans far too much. He also knows he’s the best at what he does. Technically, he’s the only at what he does. But even though Harry is the only game in town, business—to put it mildly—stinks.
So when the Chicago P.D. bring him in to consult on a double homicide committed with black magic, Harry’s seeing dollar signs. But where there’s black magic, there’s a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry’s name…
As someone who has enjoyed episodes of Supernatural and is a diehard fan of The X-Files. I know I would at least enjoy reading a book based in The Dresden Files universe. Fittingly, I started at the beginning. With other series of this length or shorter, I have pushed myself to read the entire series and while I don’t know if I will do such a thing with The Dresden Files, I do think I will read a select few here and there.
The story itself in Storm Front was pretty solid and was well paced. The detective story where a wizard is called upon was cheesy, but in a good way. It allowed me to find an interest in the story but also not to take it too seriously and allowed any flaws in the story to be pushed aside in the interest of enjoyment. It’s not a straight forward magic tale, nor a simple police procedural, but a combination of the two that places wizards in the real world.
Storm Front may not fully turn me into a fantasy reader, but it did show me why The Dresden Files have become a beloved series for over 25 years. Jim Butcher blends the supernatural with humor, mystery, and noir-style detective work to build something that feels familiar yet refreshing. Storm Front is a fun, past-paced blend of magic and murder-mystery that was an enjoyable read.
Storm Front is available at bookstores everywhere. The audiobook, narrated by a full cast, is available via Libro.fm!
