The Dresden Files

I've been slacking with reading, but I finally finished Summer Knight by Jim Butcher this afternoon. I read the first three books in the Dresden Files Series last November, and I've been meaning to continue reading them. The first three were good, but I definitely liked this one the best. It had fewer fight scenes and more character development.

I think Butcher is at his best when he is writing dialogue. I get bored by some of the longer action sequences, and I think that it sounds too contrived when the main character thinks aloud or talks to himself (it just screams "I didn't know how to fit in this information so I'm just going to have Harry tell you". I know. I was always tempted to make my main character in my book talk to himself so that I wouldn't have to explain things. But it doesn't work). With actual dialogue that involves more than 1 person, Butcher is able to actually advance the plot (without seeming to be trying to only advance the plot) while being funny.

I'm pretty sure Jim Butcher must be the extremely awkward and dorky irl. So many of his jokes are blatantly corny and random, and there are references to Peter Pan and Star Wars. I love it. Occasionally, during a relatively serious scene, there will suddenly be an out of place, cheesy joke. I can just imagine Butcher being in a solemn situation and saying something completely off-the-wall and inappropriate. He would certainly make an interesting party guest.

I'm reading another fantasy book now- the first of the Bartimaeus trilogy. I meant to get the next Dresden File book tonight, but I got distracted...

Total Book Count: 32
Total Nonfiction: 16 (50%)