I have been reading the Dresden Files series for several years now and started because many of my friends introduced me to the first book. I have recently gotten Tami to read the first book, and you can check out her review here.
Summary: Since this is book #16, let me first give a summary of the series. This is the first person testimony of Harry Dresden, a wizard who lives in modern day Chicago. He begins his career as a freelance private investigator, who openly advertises his magical ability and uses it to solve mysteries. He has some key friends that help him out when things get complicated, each with their own unique abilities, magical and mundane, that make the difference between success and failure. Each book is a life and death investigation with Harry precariously placed in a position where he can tip the balance either way, but he doesn't have the info to make the right choice until the very end. This formula, used is basically all the books, is best summarized by a neat quote out of the newest book:
"The radio blared with static and a woman's voice spoke in the tones of a news commentator. '...other news, Harry Dresden, Chicago wizard, blindly charges toward his own destruction because he refuses to recognize simple and obvious truths which are right there in front of him. Dresden ignored several excellently placed warnings, and as a result is expected to perish in the next forty-eight hours..."
This is one of hundreds of examples of Butcher having fun with the reader by incorporating into the story a wink and nod that he is right there with you as you laugh at Dresden's adventures.With Dresden as the narrator, he will often throw in a joke, nerd reference or a shameful apology, as appropriate, giving the impression that the book is the transcript from a time Dresden recounted his tales on stage in front of an audience. And I can only imagine how fun that would be!
I am hesitant to put too much of the plot for Skin Game because the Dresden Files culture is very much anti-spoilers. So here is your warning that I will be providing spoilers for any book that comes before Skin Game but I will try and avoid spoiling this book.
In this book Dresden is living in self-imposed isolation on his island, because he fears the entity sharing his head. As the pain increases, and his friends become more distant, Mab comes to him with an offer he can't refuse. Harry is forced to work with his most dangerous enemy, so that Mab can repay a debt. Harry is forced to walk a thin line between helping the villain and betraying him at every turn. To fulfill the debt, Harry teams up with a group of bad guys and breaks into a vault to steal treasure of unimaginable value.
And of course, he has three days to do it.
What I Didn't Like: N/A.
Rating: MUST READ.
Also Read by this Author: Storm Front, Fool Moon, Grave Peril, Summer Knight, Death Masks, Blood Rites, Dead Beat, Proven Guilty, White Knight, Small Favor, Turn Coat, Changes, Ghost Story, Cold Days, Side Jobs.
Reviewed by: Nick
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