Harry and Michael discover evidence that the ghosts are being tortured, by someone or something, for reasons unknown. The barrier between the Nevernever and the real world are strained to their limits, allowing more powerful, more dangerous ghosts to visit our (mostly non-believing of the supernatural) world. But are the ghosts the real problem, or merely part of something more complex?

Butcher keeps the action fast-paced - you can't stop at the end of a chapter, you have to see what happens next. Harry always tries to do the right thing, even if it entails risking his life. This time, however, there's much more at risk and Harry's friends will pay the price if he fails.

I'm not sure how Harry will deal with the consequences of his actions in future books, but I certainly want to see how Butcher follows through with a complicated and unique character such as Harry Dresden.


Interesting, entertaining and action-packed   December 6, 2001
 5 out of 5 found this review helpful

This is the third book in Jim Butcher's Dresden files, and I have yet to read the first two, but I did enjoy this urban-scape detective of the supernatural fantasy. Dresden's first person narrative keep this story full of dry humor and film noir feel.

Dresden is a PI/wizard who's middle name is trouble. This time his supernatural snafu is a ghostly being that is able to rouse other ghosts and harm Dresden's friends. It's up to the only wizard in town to discover who's behind it all.

This series has been pegged as similar to Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series, and on the surface, that's a fair comparison. Both deal with urban societies and parnormal baddies. Both have a tough edge, supernatural powers, and a penchant for violence. Both have a tough time in their love lives. That being said, Jim Butcher's novel has a distinctly male flavor to it. There is far less relationship time and sensitivity, more interest in action, gadgets and intrigue--this is not a bad thing, but the overall result is you care about the characters less (they're distanced) and you have more interest in the mechanics of the supernatural. Those who enjoy Butcher's books might want to try STALKING THE UNICORN by Mike Resnick, about a gumshoe who gets hired by goblin to find a kidnapped unicorn. For those who like both Hamilton and Butcher, I also reccomend Tanya Huff's Vampire series. There a tough lady PI teams up with a romance-writing vampire to hunt down some supernatural baddies.

I'm intrigued to see where Dresden's story is going. Perhaps my biggest gripe with the whole book was that at the end the hero appears to be in deeper problems than he was at the beginning and I want to know what happens. But, that's the curse of series books...guess I'll just have to wait for the next one.


The series started so well   February 4, 2002
 5 out of 14 found this review helpful

I picked up and enjoyed the first book in this series, so bought the second and third together expecting more like STORM FRONT. Unfortunately Butcher fell into the same trap so many authors have done. The reviewers compare this series to that of Laurell Hamilton, and it does do the same pattern only faster. It only took three books for Butcher to change what was a good urban fantasy/mystery about a private investigator/wizard into an attempt at a modern fantasy epic in which the main character is the pivotal element in a worldwide war between wizards and vampires.

I don't understand why so many of the fantasy writers seem determined that any character they create has to become Frodo. I was looking for a nice urban fantasy/mystery like Mercedes Lackey or Tanya Huff do so well.

Buy the first book, skip the rest.


Formulaic   November 16, 2007
 5 out of 6 found this review helpful

About two chapters in to this, the third of the Dresden series, it was obvious to me that Butcher had hit on a formula that worked for him and he was sticking to it.

Harry Dresden, wizard extraordinaire, was once again on the job in Chicago getting his butt soundly kicked by bad guys. This time he has a side kick, but even with that character's sound reasoning Harry manages to flub every attempt to do the right thing, landing him in more and more trouble.

Which twists the plot as much as possible until we reach the ultimate conclusion which includes Harry being pursued by many different other-wordly characters while being brought as close to death as possible without actually dying. Only then does he get blinding inspiration which allows him to pull the rabbit out of his hat and save the day.

It was hard for me to get through this one once the formula became apparent, but I did finish the story. I may skip ahead a few to see if Butcher's writing and plot skills have improved over time but I can't recommend this particular story as anything other than a point along some larger story arc (that's existence hasn't been revealed to this point).