Dresden’s POV is ostensibly self-absorbed while also being self-conscious which seems to suggest he’s “just a regular guy” who’s in over his head, but the thing is Dresden himself isn’t particularly interesting, and the world he lives in also isn’t interesting. The narration in this book isn’t quite as tiresome as that oblivious seatmate, but it comes awfully close. When it’s not done well, it feels like being stuck on a long flight next to a tiresome obliviously egotistical seatmate who would not shut up. Sometimes it’s okay when it’s written from a compelling perspective, like when there’s an interesting main character with a captivating inner life and hilarious commentary when it’s done well, you don’t even notice you’re spending too much time in just one character’s head. I can’t stand it most times, but I like urban fantasy and, since almost all UFs these days are written in first person, I have to tolerate it. Of all the narrative modes, first-person is my least favorite. I’m glad I finally got through this one though because now I can stop wondering and cross it off the DNF list. Harry Dresden, as I predicted, is inherently unlikable and annoying, and the story told from his POV just grates on me, but I hear it’s supposed to get better later on in the series. Which begs the question: it takes Jim Butcher SEVEN books to get the ball rolling? OY. People, much wiser than I, say skip all the way to book #7 because that’s when the writing improves noticeably. I’m mildly interested, but not invested enough in the series to get to the bottom of this mystery.

It’s a long sordid tale, one which he only hints at in this book. He’s on magical probation or something like that. I’ll feel bad about it for awhile, but I can’t help… (okay, I can try, but it’s gotta be off the books.) If black magic is involved in retrieving the item or person, then I can’t help. Lost items found… maybe, depending on what or whom you lost and when and where you last saw him/her/it. HARRY DRESDEN-WIZARD (and good guy chauvinist) No Love Potions, Endless Purses, Parties, or Other Entertainment Read Count: once all the way through first chapter too many times

Storm Front by Jim Butcher