Proven Guilty (The Dresden Files, Book 8)

One of the best one's yet.

The latest book in the Dresden series is a real treat. Dresden receives a warning that black magic is heading for his hometown, and he heads out to stop it. On his way, though, he gets sidetracked into helping a friend's daughter who has a ton of problems of her own. In typical Dresden fashion, he spreads himself too thin, tries to help too many people, gets beat up almost as much as Bruce Willis in a Die Hard movie -- and he does it all with a grin on his face and a snappy one-liner that usually relates to a horror or SF movie. The plot's a tad obvious (I called several twists by halfway through the book), and some of the dialog with Murphy is annoyingly awkward, but Harry has the heart and soul of a hero, and he's a fantastic character to join on a good romp through dark magic and the weird Nevernever. Some have compared this series to the Anita Blake series, but Harry is far more likable, heroic, and mythic. He's just a lot more enjoyable to be around than Anita ever has been. One cool -- and totally unexpected -- surprise.... This book contains one of the best expressions of Christian faith I've read in a fiction novel ever. Don't be fooled and don't let that turn you off if you're not a Christian. This is not a "Christian" novel -- those are notoriously poorly written -- and Dresden, with a fallen angel swimming around in his head, never claims to be a Christian himself. But some of the characters in this book are Christians, and I appreciated seeing them portrayed realistically and with respect to their faith. If you've never read a Dresden book, you could pick this one up with little problem. The cast of characters may feel a little overwhelming since they've been building from the previous seven books, but they're distinct in their own rights, and Butcher does a good job recapping each when they first show up. Overall, another fantastic entry in a wonderful series of books.

Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed "Dead Beat" but it did have a couple of flaws: slow beginning and old characters brought into the story for no apparent reason. Proven Guilty, however, is a work of near perfection. From the opening chapter on, this novel grabs you by the neck and drags you along for one amazing ride. Any novel that begins with an execution is definitely going to be action packed. Harry, now as a Warden, is forced to face responsibility in a whole new way, while being reminded of his own questionable past. This brings even more depth to an already complex and intriguing character. Old characters are alluded to or mentioned in passing, but fortunately no one shows up in the story who isn't involved in the plot. This avoids the over-cluttered, confusing tone that other series in the comtemporary fantasy/horror genre seem to take on as they progress (examples: Glen Cook's Garret series and Laurall K Hamilton's Anita Blake series). Lastly, Mr. Butcher has actually managed to make the series fresh and new with each novel he has written. The characters change and evolve, they do not turn into caricature of themselves. Yes, Harry is still a rebel and a smart aleck, but these traits are represented as great personality quirks, instead of the main representation of the character. Supporting characters in the previous novels are suddenly thrust center-stage in this novel, and become driving forces in Harry's life. I realize that this review has been more about writing style than the actual storyline. That is on purpose. As you, fellow fantasy and sci-fi fans, well know, we are constantly bombarded with good story ideas that are poorly written. Most series dissolve into cliches and very predictable plotlines. So far the Dresden Files has not done so. Mr. Butcher has taken a fabulous scenario and turned it to a well developed fantasy-scape. I highly recommend this latest installment in the adventures of Harry Dresden, and I eagerly await the next one.

What can I say about Harry,plenty. Harry gets caught up with Michael's family again only this time Molly,his young daughter is caught in the Fae clutches. I have to say that I never enjoyed Charity, Michael's wife but after this book I have great respect for Charity, and her strength and love for her family. Molly comes across as a good and sympathetic character in her own right. We also find out about Charity's and Molly's great power and how dangerous they can be. For some reason even Karrin came across well in this book and even Thomas. Loved seeing Mouse take center stage as well. Now I have the grueling task of waiting another whole year for the next great book in this fantastic series. Hurry up Jim, I can't wait for the next book. The only great mystery will be who be the new in Harry's love life. The only unsolved piece of this great puzzle.

After the events in Dead Beat, Harry Dresden is now a Warden of the White Council, and one of his first official acts you see him perform is to bear witness to the execution of a young warlock, no more then a child, corrupted by his own power. From that moment on you should be able to chart where the book will take you. If you know anything about Harry Dresden you will figure out his feelings about what happened to that young man. If the previous novel was a showcase Harry's slow decent to darkness, then this book will show his firm resolve to the do the right thing and accept the consequences for all of his actions. Like Dead Beat, Butcher takes pains to pick almost forgotten threads from previous novels and weave them into his story with great care, this time it is not quite as obvious. This time out Harry is warned of dark magic being afoot, and a request for help by the daughter of the last man on earth he wants to be involved with, Michael Carpenter Knight of the Cross. With Harry sharing his brain with one of the Denarii, Lasciel he fears that Michael may take issues with this as well as the recent events and his downward spiral to darkness. Harry reluctantly gets involved, and nothing plays out the way he thinks. The book is shorter then some of the previous installments, that only means Butcher cut out a lot of loose talk and got right too it, Zelazney style. He manages to flood in detail after detail without drowning you in it. New readers beware, while Butcher attempts to get people caught up by giving brief recaps, they do not do the stories justice. Butcher also dusted off a couple of unused characters and made them shine like jewels, just as he made Waldo Butters a hero in Dead Beat. He is absent in this book, but you can feel the polka beat whenever you turn the page. The humor level is high, and while things are grave, it is nowhere near as grave as they are in Dead Beat or Blood Rites. Proven Guilty did not give us that feel of time running out and the world would end soon. It forshadows, very effectively, that things in Harry's world will become very, very big and even more dangerous in the near future. As again the traitor in the White Council seems to strike, the Vampire War takes another turn, the affairs of the Sidhe are revisited with catastrophic consequences for those involved, and Harry's personal life.....well you will have to read the book for more. Without a doubt this is my favorite novel beside Summer Knight, and it may even surpass it. The story was well told, dialogue was spot on. Murphy seemed a bit too relaxed but after her disappearance in the last book I didn't realize how much I missed her presence. Once again I thank whatever muse made me pick up that loneley looking paperback sitting on a bookshelf six years ago in Waldenbooks. Well done Mr. Butcher.