By: Mickail Thomas
A feature piece on Jim Butcher’s Storm Front, the first novel in the Dresden Files.
On a relaxing, stormy night, I read the blurb of a book I’d received weeks prior. With food next to me, and a blanket laying atop my legs, I slowly comprehended what I was seeing.
“Harry Dresden – Wizard,” According to the back of the book, the titular character of this bestselling novel was not only a private investigator, but also a proper wizard.
The concept was positively ridiculous, and I couldn’t ignore how fascinated I was in it. I finished the preview to learn that Dresden was facing a truly impossible problem, bills. Despite his job as a private investigator and a wizard, he couldn’t escape the plights of capitalism.
When he gets a call from Chicago’s Police Department, learning about a case connected with black magic, he sees money waiting to roll in. It only takes him a chapter to learn of the grisly murders connected to this case, and it becomes clear that he’s not immune to the dangers of a black mage.
So, the dangerous life of Harry Dresden is conveyed clearly. It’s said in the blurb, “Magic. It can get a guy killed.”
The story begins with a relatable encounter, a new mailman asking Dresden if he truly is a wizard. Dresden, unbothered, gets his mail and pushes onward, much to the mailman’s disapproval.
At this point, I knew that I was going to enjoy this book.
A page or so later, Dresden receives a professional phone call and learns about a missing husband from a woman named Monica. His wit calls for sarcasm, but he pushes it down and offers to help the woman, for no charge at all. Although, admittedly, the prospect of the work with no pay kills him.
Then, he immediately receives a call from Chicago P.D., and it’s from a woman named Murphy, the Lieutenant of the Special Investigations Unit, which was simply where all of the weird cases that were knee-deep in the supernatural were thrown. She mentions two murders, and Dresden finds his way in a jiffy.
The two exchange some relaxed comments with one another, and ride an elevator up to the seventh floor where the crime scene resides. All the way up, Dresden was nervous about the elevator.
See, wizards and technology don’t mix well in any sense of the word. Something like a new phone was basically useless around a wizard, and something like an elevator was destined to fail. Spoiler Alert: He had very good reason to be nervous about the elevator.
As Dresden and Murphy entered the first door and the smell of blood became more prevalent, I was drawn into the book completely.
My food was completely gone, and the blanket that was once atop my legs was now curled up near my neck. I hadn’t even noticed, but in less than twenty pages, I was hooked.
Dresden quickly scanned the details of the crime. It was a scene of passion morphed into a gorefest with two hearts ripped out of chests, with rib cages making their bony presences known. It’s not long before Dresden’s lack of breakfast was well acquainted with the bottom of a stainless steel bucket.
As Murphy and her disbelieving partner, Carmichael, ask Dresden about the crime, the former notes the important bits of Dresden’s words while the latter just scoffs and waves off all of his words. Then, Dresden asks who the two victims were, and Murphy sends Carmichael away so she can give Harry information he professionally shouldn’t know.
The woman of the two, Jennifer Stanton, was connected to a vampiress known as Bianca. Bianca was a Powerful (Yes, with a capital P) vampire who had her own territory and the gall to defend it.
The man of the two, Tommy Tomm, was connected to a thug known as Johnny Marcone. Marcone was one of the top forces in the Chicagoan Underworld, and he was not the type to take disrespect, magical or otherwise, lying down.
Furthermore, in using magic to kill a human being, a Law of Magic had been broken. The Laws of Magic were laid down by the White Council, and when they were broken, an enforcer of the Council would be found soon after.
And, to add to the problems, Dresden’s job as a public wizard was already pushing the lines of those Seven Laws of Magic. If he was found guilty of violating those Laws, the Doom of Damocles would fall on his neck, and, essentially, guillotine him.
Now, the style of Dresden is showcased. It’s simplistic, but incredibly effective.
Stack up a million problems for Dresden to face: His bills, Gentleman Johnny Marcone, the Vampiress Bianca, the unknown black mage, White Council, and Monica’s missing husband, and watch as he flounders or succeeds in the face of them all.
As Dresden’s appointment with Monica passes, he quickly leaves the scene to meet with her, only to be approached by a dark blue Cadillac. He was personally introduced to Gentleman Johnny Marcone, hopping in the car against his will and entering a dragon’s den.
And like dragon’s have been connected with since time immemorial, there’s plenty of fire around.
Dresden hops out of one fire into another for the sake of his morals, for what he truly believes is right in the long run. He faces thugs, vampires, wizards, demons, and even the law for what he believes in, and he comes out on top of it all.
As the Storm Front rolls in and out, Dresden’s first major adventure ends.
And soon enough, he’ll be facing a werewolf or two under the full moon, in his next adventures within Fool Moon.
Mickail Thomas
Mickail, '23
Tags: book review, books, features, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, redwood journalism
