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Blood Rites by Jim Butcher
Jun. 3rd, 2007 01:50 pmThe Blurb On The Back:
Lost items found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment.
For Harry Dresden, Chicago's only professional wizard, there have been worse assignments than going undercover on the set of an adult film. Dodging flaming monkey poo, for instance. Or going toe-to-leaf with a walking plant monster. Still, there's something more troubling than usual about his newest case. The film's producer believes he's the target of a sinister entropy curse - but it's the women around him who are dying, in increasingly spectacular ways.
Harry's doubly frustrated because he got involved with this bizarre mystery only as a favour to Thomas, his flirtatious, self-absorbed vampire acquiantance of dubious integrity. Thomas has a personal stake in the case Harry can't quite figure out, until his investigation leads him straight to Thomas's oversexed vampire family. Harry's about to discover that Thomas's family tree has been hiding a shocking secret: a revelation that will change Harry's life forever.
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )
The Verdict:
The story arc looks promising and Butcher finishes the book in a way that leaves interesting options for the future books. However, he definitely has difficulty keeping his timelines and 'canon' in check and because he's focused on his story arc, the main plot of this book is somewhat cursory. It's still an entertaining way to pass a few hours, but because of the complicated arc, I suspect it will be difficult for readers entirely new to the series to dive in and start with the later books.
For Harry Dresden, Chicago's only professional wizard, there have been worse assignments than going undercover on the set of an adult film. Dodging flaming monkey poo, for instance. Or going toe-to-leaf with a walking plant monster. Still, there's something more troubling than usual about his newest case. The film's producer believes he's the target of a sinister entropy curse - but it's the women around him who are dying, in increasingly spectacular ways.
Harry's doubly frustrated because he got involved with this bizarre mystery only as a favour to Thomas, his flirtatious, self-absorbed vampire acquiantance of dubious integrity. Thomas has a personal stake in the case Harry can't quite figure out, until his investigation leads him straight to Thomas's oversexed vampire family. Harry's about to discover that Thomas's family tree has been hiding a shocking secret: a revelation that will change Harry's life forever.
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )
The Verdict:
The story arc looks promising and Butcher finishes the book in a way that leaves interesting options for the future books. However, he definitely has difficulty keeping his timelines and 'canon' in check and because he's focused on his story arc, the main plot of this book is somewhat cursory. It's still an entertaining way to pass a few hours, but because of the complicated arc, I suspect it will be difficult for readers entirely new to the series to dive in and start with the later books.
