Storm Front
Mon, March 19, 2007 at 07:28PM 
Storm Front
Written by Jim Butcher
Read by James Masters
Published by Buzzy Multimedia
Price: $45
Storm Front is a fun and addictive read. I used to read a lot of Sci Fi and Fantasy…so I found the Wizards, Demons and Fairies in Storm Front a bit of a home coming! James Marsters (Spike in Buffy the Vampire Slayer) reads brilliantly. In an unusual twist our narrator, Harry Dresden, is a detective and licensed Wizard. Marsters brings out his scruffy character, adding credibility to the hapless Harry Dresden with an almost stereotypical (but not unlikable) American ‘Private Investigator’ drawl. Other characters, from the ballsey Detective Karrin Murphy, to a Toad Demon and a Fairy are also imaginatively brought to life by Marsters. I found most of Jim Butcher’s writing witty, fun, and often laugh-out-loud funny, although, I was irritated by his obsessive observations on women’s makeup…
Harry Dresden scrapes his rent together finding things that are lost and helping the police with difficult cases, despite being the only Wizard listed in the Chicago Yellow Pages.
With work dry, and an ultimatum from his landlord on his desk, Dresden first takes a call from a woman wanting to find her husband. She sounds sexy, of course. After arranging to meet her he then answers a call from Detective Karrin Murphy of Chicago PD's Special Investigations division. She needs help on a gruesome double murder.
In a hotel room not far from his office a man and woman have had their hearts blown out through their rib cages in the middle of having sex. I found the descriptions very graphic, although, I love the morbid. For me, the added gore drew me in to the story making me want to find out what was happening next!
Dresden discovers the missing husband has an unhealthy interest in powerful black magic. He’s intent on saturating the city with a dangerous drug that opens the ‘third eye’, and could drive people mad. It’s also him that’s ripping people’s hearts through their rib cages. And, when this new Black Wizard gets hold of a lock of Dresden’s hair, Harry knows he’s next.
Not only that, because of his reputation for being a ‘rogue’ Wizard; one that’s thoroughly unconventional, the White Council (the magical ombudsman) have put him on probation. If he breaks any rules, they’ll have him killed.
The book gallops along at a lively pace. I laughed at the clichéd ‘gorgeous reporter’ determined to get her story. Harry (who has an eye for the ladies) gives her the wrong potion when fighting a Toad Demon and she does everything but rip his clothes off.
NB: Only available from American publishers at the moment I’m afraid.
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