Small Favor

Harry Dresden owes Mab, the Winter Queen, two favors. She's here to collect one, but it's only a small favor that she needs and, as she assures him, baring "her delicately pointed canines. 'I am going to help you.'" "Yeah," as Harry notes, " This couldn't be good." And with little further ado they're off. The small favor requested of Wizard Dresden is that he find and rescue "Gentleman" Johnny Marcone, local hoodlum, dabbler in the supernatural, nemesis and sometime ally of Harry's, who's been kidnapped by the Order of the Blackened Denarians. Meanwhile, as if dealing with the baddest bad guys around isn't enough, the Summer Court is sending assassins right out of a fairy tale after Harry for some perceived hurt he did them at some show more point...

It's complicated. And delicious. And really, really clever.

The series gets darker and darker, yet loses none of its smart-ass snarkiness along the way. The usual suspects--apprentice Molly, Knights of the Cross Michael and Sanya, cop Karrin Murphy, et al--are along to help. The action is close to non-stop, and the ending is a doozy: several lives are irrevocably changed and you won't be able to wait to pick up the book eleven to find out what happens next. show less

The series has devolved into Christian Rock in book form. Underneath the surface veneer of vampires and fairy tale monsters lies the spiritual warfare between the Host of Heaven and the Fallen Angels, supplemented with chivalrous knights wielding swords crafted from the True Cross. The pervasive sexism and homophobia make a lot more sense in this context, as do the recurring themes of Sacrifice and Righteousness.
Which is all fine and dandy if that's your thing, but not at the expense of telling a compelling story. The plot to this one was both flimsy and convoluted, with Harry once again caught in the middle of a 5-way fight. The antagonists are ancient powerful supernatural beings, yet continue to device dastardly schemes more show more befitting a Scooby Doo villain. show less

Yet again, I found myself happily pulled into the world of Dresden, and once again, I had a great freaking time...well until the end, when Butcher went and pulled the damn rug out and got me upset.

It's the endless inventiveness that Butcher ladles into each installment to this series, and then just when you have it all figured out, he confounds your expectations.

The world of Dresden just grows richer and more fun with each novel. I started out this series wondering what the fuss was about. Now?

Now I completely understand. I have bought into the fuss.

One person's small favor is another's world-shifting, death-skirting onus. Especially when the one asking, nay demanding, the small favor is the Winter Queen of Faerie and saying 'no thanks' just isn't in her realm of acceptance. Poor Harry Dresden. Again. One would almost feel abounding sympathy and terror for him if it wasn't so darn funny the situations that seem to coalesce around him.

At least Harry has his trusty Mouse, a pair of holy sword-bearing Knights of the Cross, an apprentice and cop friend with attitudes, and a super-hot vampire brother to keep his butt from being roasted by the arrayed forces of antagonists - including some very irate Billy Goats Gruff.

Yeah, okay, I think I'm going to have to give this one five stars. Oh, Michael. Oh, everyone. Harry's fist-shaking at God in the hospital chapel is one of the most stirring scenes in the series thus far, and the plotting has become so layered and unexpected. And I care about everyone. Absolutely everyone. On to the next.

Small Favor combines my favorite parts of the Dresden Files: the Denarians and Knights of the Cross, Marcone, and the Fae in varying degrees. On top of that, where White Night tended towards mystery, Small Favor is straight up actions. The story hits the ground running and never really stops, right through several big set piece battles and one of the bigger finales we've seen (albeit not quite up to the level of Sue...).

On top of that, we get another of Butcher's lovely twists which just drop the bottom out of a story. You think you know what's going on... turns out you've missed the same huge clue that Dresden has. I'm always impressed with those.

There was one particular interesting thought that stuck with me even after I finished show more the book. Neither the Knights nor the Denarians believed that it was possible Dresden could be rid of Lash without taking up the coin. Everyone has their blind spots. It makes you think about where your own blind spots might be. And back in the Dresdenverse, given how tightly tied the Dresden Files are to Dresden's point of view, what is he missing?

We're also starting to see more and more power creep. Dresden may have lost the ability to sling Hellfire with Lash's demise, but he's got a new trick up his sleeve curtesy of a new heavy hitter on the supernatural scene. If all of the big guns show up in the promised finale to the Dresden Files another ten books down the line... It's going to be an interesting day.

Fun quotes:

"We're ostriches and the whole world is sand."

"That's the problem with you immortal types. You wouldn't get a pop culture reference if it skittered up your neck and implanted an embryo down your esophagus." show less

Note the five stars and take what follows for what it's worth.

I'm a few books ahead -- I'm just behind on posting. But this book, and another one to come, confirmed what I began to suspect a book or two ago, which is that Jim Butcher has developed a poker tell.

I don't want to say much or I'll spoil the suspense for you the way Butcher has started to for me. I'll try to be vague enough that you won't know what I mean until you finish the book, look back with this review in mind, and get it. Maybe you won't agree. Either way, I'd love to chat about this with a Dresden fan.

Harry Dresden is a fully-developed character -- a human on the page, as it will. Prick him and he bleeds and all that.

Except.

Except he's starting not to respond to show more events the way I've so far been able to count on him responding. The guy started off one of his own novels being physically ill because he was upset by the violence he'd just witnessed. He's not Clint Eastwood, nor does he want to be.

I hate being kept in suspense too long as much as any reader, but I'm annoyed that I'm starting to say, "Oh, wait -- it's going to be okay" long before I've been given official word that things are, in fact, okay.

If you've read the series -- the whole series, not just up to this book -- go ahead and read the spoiler below. If you haven't read the series but think you might, DON'T read the spoiler, because it turns out that word is entirely accurate.

Harry Dresden didn't react at all to the fact that he'd witnessed his dog being murdered a book or two ago, and that's how I knew his dog was somehow actually okay. He had the same utter lack of reaction when he saw Michael shot in a way that should have meant the end of Michael. And hey, look! Jokey-jokey time right after Butters takes a well-aimed bullet from a professional killer, and guess who's okay after all?

Somebody tell Butcher that he keeps giving his hand away. I'm very surprised his agent and/or editor haven't caught this tell, but it's real and it's kind of a bummer to hardcore nerd readers like me.

He still gets five stars, though, because he's still doing everything else right. show less