Book Review From The Entertainment Critic: Small Favor

Small Favor:  A Novel of the Dresden Files

THE ENTERTAINMENT CRITIC BOOK REVIEW, BY JAMES MYERS

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SMALL FAVOR: A NOVEL OF THE DRESDEN FILES

By Jim Butcher

Published by ROC, An Imprint of the New American Library, A Division of the Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

Publication Date: April, 2008

Price: $23.95

432 Pages

ISBN-13: 9780451461896

Four Star Rating ****

NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLING AUTHOR, MOST KNOWN FOR HIS CONTEMPORARY FANTASY BOOK SERIES THE DRESDEN FILES. HE ALSO WRITES THE CODEX ALERA SERIES.

MR. BUTCHER HAS WRITTEN 19 NOVELS

WHITE NIGHT, RELEASED ON APRIL 3, 2007, IS BUTCHER'S MOST SUCCESSFUL BOOK TO DATE, REACHING THE TOP FIVE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER LIST ON AN INITIAL RUN OF 100,000 COPIES.

MR. BUTCHER IS PUBLISHED IN 11 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, INCLUDING RUSSIAN, SPANISH, CZECH, POLISH, AND MANDARIN CHINESE.

DUE TO THE POPULARITY OF THE DRESDEN FILES, BUZZY MEDIA PUBLISHING HAS RELEASED THE FIRST THREE NOVELS AS AUDIO BOOKS IN BOTH AUDIO AND MP3 CD FORMATS. THEY ARE VOICED BY ACTOR JAMES MARSTERS.

ON DECEMBER 16, 2004 BUTCHER ALSO INKED A DEAL WITH EVIL HAT PRODUCTIONS TO RELEASE A ROLE-PLAYING GAME BASED ON THE DRESDEN FILES. THE GAME USES A MODIFIED RULE SET FROM EVIL HAT'S ACCLAIMED FATE RPG.  THE GAME IS COMING IN EARLY 2009.

THE DRESDEN FILES WAS MADE INTO A TELEVISION SHOW ON THE SCI-FI CHANNEL.  THE SHOW PREMIERED ON JANUARY 21, 2007.

            “I have chosen you to be my Emissary,” Mab said to me. “You will repay me a favor owed.  You will find the Baron.”

            “The hell I will,” I said before my brain had time to weigh in on the sentiment.

            Mab let out a low, throaty laugh.  “You will, wizard child.  As you wish to survive, you have no choice.”…

            “No, Mab,” I said finally.  “I don’t want the job.

            She studied my face with calm, heavy eyes. “Liar,” she said quietly.  “You want it.  I can see it in you.”

            Jim Butcher is back with the 10^th installment of the popular Dresden Files with his new book, Small Favor.  Back again for more adventures is Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard/private investigator.  Harry’s life seems to be going along on a smooth course.  But a promise that he made to Mab, monarch of the Winter Court of the Sidhe, the Queen of Air and Darkness has come back to haunt him.  He owes her three favors and only one has been repaid.  She calls on him to repay the second.  She wants Harry to find another of his adversaries, missing mob boss, Johnnie Marcone, who has been abducted by unknown forces for unknown reasons.  When Harry begins to investigate, he discovers that Marcone may have been taken by The Order of Blackened Denarius, a group of 30 Fallen Angels.  Harry calls in the Wardens and his commander, Anastasia Luccio to arrange a meeting with the Denarians to try to negotiate Marcone’s release.  He retains Archive, a neutral party, to act as a mediator.  Archive is the memory of all of humanity’s knowledge both mundane and supernatural.  Although Archive is powerful, its power is held in the both of a 12 year old girl.  The negotiations do not go well, as the Denarians only want to abduct the Archive.  They are successful in abducting the 12 year old.  The Denarians want her to accept a special Denarius coin.  This would permit the Fallen to have control over the Archive’s knowledge and power.  Now, Harry has two thorny problems on his hands.  Such a move could lead to Armageddon.

            Harry is then in a desperate race to save both Marcone and the Archive.  Harry figures the way out is the trade the third Holy Sword of the Knights of the Cross, Fidelacchius and the Denarian coins he has captured for the Archive and Marcone.  2 of the Knights accompany Harry to make the trade.  Another battle ensures. Harry manages to rescue Marcone and the Archive and get everyone else out of danger.  Unfortunately, Harry is left behind in harms way.  Although he is later rescued, the future does not look as smooth and as quiet for Harry. 

            Whether you are a sci-fi fan or not, this is a captivating book.  Well written and conceived, Butcher drops us in to a world of wizards and fairies and dangerous supernatural types that is interesting and intriguing.  His protagonist with a cross of human and supernatural characteristics gives the reader a new spin on the classic detective story, blending that genre with a new wave vampire slayer.  The writing and style is first rate.  You cannot put this book down.  This one just left me wanting more, and looking forward to book number three in series. This is some of the freshest work Butcher has done to date. This is a riveting, wisecracking, good time that I can hardily recommend.