Fool Moon by Jim Butcher (2001)
Instantly sinks its claws into you
Book cover blurb
Lost items found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment.
Business has been slow lately for Harry Dresden. Okay, business has been dead. Not undead - just dead. You would think Chicago would have a little more action for the only professional wizard in the phone book. But lately, Harry hasn't been able to dredge up any kind of work - magical or mundane.
Just when it looks like he can't afford his next meal, a murder comes along that requires his particular brand of supernatural expertise. A brutally mutilated corpse. Strange-looking paw prints. A full moon.
Take three guesses. And the first two don't count...
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My Review
Ok, book two, here we go.
I have to admit this story seems to observe a lot of the same traits book one did. Harry stretched for money, Murphy's career in jeopardy, and grisly murders to turn Harry's stomach. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, or that it detracts from the enjoyment of the book at all, but with so many books in this series, I hope things are destined to get a little more variety.
This book feels a little different, flow-wise. It seems more solid, if that makes sense, as if Butcher had more confidence this time around. Everything feels more structured and even, making reading a swift joy. There seems to be more formality (the only word I can think of to use) as proceedings come across more deliberately spaced than in book one.
Now, let's talk about the whole werewolves thing. Don't ask me why, because I honestly can't put a finger on it, and I've tried, but early in Fool Moon the whole thing just feels a little corny to me. There is an emphasis placed on just how fearsome and dangerous these creatures are. And the graphic descriptions of mutilated victims are blood-curdling, offering more credence to the serious horror of their nature. But still, I can't shake the feeling that it's just a bit Abbot and Costello. Perhaps it's simply the overall humorous elements of Butcher's main character. But, then we reach the centre of the book, a Werewolf loose in the jail of a police precinct (not wanting to give too much away) and suddenly these creatures become very serious. These few central chapters are frantic, fast and extremely exciting. On the surface, this comes across as a great action scene. But I saw something quite different. Yes, of course, it's an action scene but it's also an incredible character study. Every character involved in this scene is brought into perfect focus. Each is broken down to their bare essence, condensed into exactly who they are. You could read this single scene without having read anything else of the Dresden Files and discover exactly what each of these characters is about and precisely who they are as people in this series. It's a work of genius hidden under a few pages of mayhem.
Is it as good as the first book? Well, the new has worn off and the surprises aren't as surprising in this outing, but yes, it is. In some aspects, as mentioned, it's better. It feels good to be back in this world with Dresden, it's like having a best mate who's a bit of a screw-up but you know you'll never desert him because his heart is always in the right place. The story is tight and flowing, a very even read which, like Harry, is a joy to spend time with. I very much look forward to seeing Harry's character and complicated life develop over the coming novels.
Do I have any gripes about Fool Moon? You can always find personal gripes in any book, big and small. And in this one, I have a big one. Well, more of an irritation than anything else. At the beginning of the book, Dresden knows next to nothing about werewolves and we have to assume he's never even encountered one, even though he's very much part of that world. And yet, by the end of the book, pretty much everyone and their uncle is a werewolf. I found that pretty hard to swallow, no matter how much I was enjoying the story.
My copy of this novel
Orbit paperback edition.
Published in 2005
391 pages
ISBN 9781841493992