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Audio Book Review of Storm Front by Jim Butcher

Storm Front (Dresden Files, Book 1) by Jim Butcher

Rating: 5

Storm Front by Jim Butcher (Dresden Files, Book 1)

Author: Jim Butcher
Reader: James Marsters

Short Review: Down on his luck detective Harry Dresden also happens to be a real, live wizard. This introduction to Harry’s world includes magic, potions, a talking skull named Bob, demons – and of course a murder mystery. James Marsters is brilliant.

Long Review: I am going to start with the reader on this one. James Marsters does an amazing job. I will admit that I was drawn to this audio book because of the reader. I am a big fan of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer universe in general, and of the character Spike that James Marsters plays in specific. The funny thing about all this is that Marsters doesn’t actually have the British accent that he uses for Spike. The first 10 minutes of Storm Front was me getting used to Marsters’ actual voice (or at least the voice he uses for reading this book). After I adjusted to his voice, I loved it. This is one of those cases in which if I read the books on paper, I hear Marsters’ voice in my head. When I watched The Dresden Files, I *still* heard Marsters’ voice trying to overlay the voices coming from the screen.

The story is a treat. This is the first installment in what turned into a solid series. Our protagonist is Harry Dresden, Wizard. He lives in modern day Chicago plying his trade – but this modern day has a lot hidden from the average citizen. There are many supernatural bad guys out and about – making trouble for the people and the police alike.

How to describe Harry? Imagine old school private investigator crossed with wizard with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Harry never has enough money – but always has someone relying on him for rescue. And technology hates him.

I don’t want to give away any of the plot, but I will give Jim Butcher one of my highest forms of praise: I love the people he created with this novel and the world in which he has placed them. If you like the supernatural, a good mystery and characters to root for – definitely check out Storm Front. If you are a Buffy/Angel fan – follow Marsters into this new rich world, you won’t regret it.

If you still need convincing, go listen to the first chapter for free and see what you think.



5 Comments

  1. […] Go to the author’s original blog: » Storm Front (Dresden Files, Book 1) by Jim Butcher » Books For … […]

  2. Thanatos wrote:

    While the first 4 books produced by Buzzy Multimedia are excellent, the reading style in the later books of the series is even better. The voice acting improves, with better character differentiation, name pronunciation (such as Mar-CONE rather than Mar-CO-nee), and no discernible pauses for page turns and sips of water. In general, books 5 and on feel more like listening to a radio play than someone reading a book to you.
    I got into these (and other) audiobooks because of a visual impairment that’s developed over the last four years (optic neuritis caused by multiple sclerosis) which has made it all but impossible to read most printed material without squinting through a magnifying glass. Discovering audiobooks could be considered the silver lining to my condition, and James Marsters is the best reader I’ve heard so far. I’ve been able to check out audiobooks from a state library for the blind for most of a year now, and I dearly appreciate that service, but in the case of The Dresden Files, the commercial versions are most certainly worth buying.

  3. […] you read this without having read the first book in the series, Storm Front? I suppose so, but you will have more fun with it if you start at the beginning and meet everyone […]

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