jnbmoore's Full Review: Jim Butcher - Blood Rites: A Novel of the Dresden ...
Secrets. Everyone has them.
In the sixth book of the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, Blood Rites, Wizard Harry Dresden is learning many many secrets. He is finding out he does have kin and that his guardian isn't pure. Luckily, we get to come along on his journey and learn his secrets as he does. Even though these secrets shape Blood Rites, they alone are not the plot.
How can one not be pulled into a book that starts with the protagonist rescuing cute puppies from a monkey demon that throws flaming feces? The plot is two fold - Harry has two missions. First Marva, the Red Court vampire, is back in town gunning for him. Second, Harry takes an assignment to protect the set of a porno flick in which people are dying horribly. There is an entropy curse in the air and only a wizard can stop it. Yes, Harry is a wizard. A matter of fact, he is the only wizard that can be found in the Chicago phone book.
It is in these two adventures that intertwine that we learn more of Thomas, the white court vampire that Harry keeps bumping into. We see Lt. Murphy learn to balance what is right with the law and learn more about her family. Missing in this adventure are any of the Knights of the Cross.
I really do enjoy Mr. Butcher's writing style. Using first person, we get to walk through the adventure in Dresden's brain. We feel and see everything that is going on. It helps that Harry isn't a perfect hero-he has his faults but he is noble. His heart is definitely in the right place. Plus the action scenes are written so vividly that you see them happening as you read them.
Even though this adventure includes time on a porn set, there isn't much sexuality in the book. There is mature language so I don't recommend it to junior high fantasy readers, but it is acceptable for high schoolers and adults.
Like the Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dresden has a sense of humor. Mr. Butcher makes sure there are things that will definitely make you smile. Just to give you a sense of his writing:
"Thomas scowled. "An errand is getting a tank of gas or picking up a carton of milk or something. It is not getting chased by flying purple pyromaniac gorillas hurling incendiary poo."":
If you enjoy fantasy or detective books, I can strongly recommend this volume to you. Unlike previous books in the series, this book could stand alone. I'm sure you could start with this book and easily get sucked into the Dresden universe. As a matter of fact, I recommend that you do just that.
Mr. Butcher recently has had a Dresden graphic novel come out and next month a novel focusing on Thomas will appear. Once you are hooked, there are many more book until you think of Chicago in a whole new light.
Harry Dresden, Chicago s only professional wizard, takes on a case as a favor to his friend Thomas--a vampire of dubious integrity--only to become the...More at Buy.com
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