Small Favor

This book came in pretty good condition, just some spotting on the pages here and there, and pretty bad spotting on top of the pages of the book, but in good, readable condition. Bonus that I got it as a hard cover fairly cheap.

The best novel series out there have several defining factors - a number of common points. First, they have to have memorable characters that grow and change as the series progresses, but retain enough of the characteristics that the readers has come to expect and love. Secondly, and this follows closely with the characters, there has to be a wide variety of interesting supporting characters as well - not only heroes, but the villains. Both we look forward to seeing in the future. Third, and this is really important, the mythology, the canon behind the series itself. How the author sets up the world he's created, and his eye for detail. This goes hand in hand with continuity. You lose the continuity, you lose the detail and the canon becomes, at best, haphazard and a real mess. These are the three things that I love about two different series. The Dresden Files, and Outlanders. Of course, this review is about Small Favour - Book ten of the Dresden files by Jim Butcher. Poor Harry Dresden. He's been through a lot over the years. He's been tempted by a fallen Angel, had his girlfriend taken from him by the Red Court, been in trouble more times than he can count with the White Council... just to name a few of the things that have happened to him. But what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. A man that he despises has disappeared, and the Winter Court forces Harry to search for him, by calling in a marker, one of the two remaining favours owed to Mab, the queen of the Winter Fae. Of course, as much as Harry would like to tell her to shove it, he has no choice but to do as she asks. And that only invites more misery into his life. Don't fret, as tempted as I am, I won't give any of the plot away, I don't want to spoil it for any potential readers. It has been a year since I read the ninth book, and at that time, I had devoured the entire series in less than a month. Consider this... I have a wife, son, full time job, and hobbies I like to pursue, so you have to realize that I loved the series if I would finish off the books that quickly. You can forget a lot in a year's time. I forgot about the rich world that Jim Butcher created. Sure, there are people out there who would say that it's nothing more than a cheap rip-off of Harry Potter, but to Hades with that noise! The Dresden files takes fantasy, all aspects of it, and melds it wonderfully together in a modern setting, and does so without removing or sullying any of the fantasy elements. With each progressive novel, the world he's created fills out more and more. We learn more about the various factions of the fantastic world of the Dresden Files - more about the wizards, more about the Fae, more about the various vampire houses, and so forth. Most importantly though, is we learn more about each character that we, the fans, hold near and dear to our collective hearts. Even minor characters that have only appeared a couple of times get more detail, we learn more about them, a

Another great addition to the Dresden Files. As Jim Butcher really starts digging into his characters he is able to intertwine the relationships so the stories don't seem like "oh, today's guest star is [blank]". Jim Butcher also is letting each character grow with the novels and not remain a static 2-D person to play the foil-du-jour to Harry Dresden. In Small Favor, many past characters and story lines build up more steam as Dresden has what might be called a "crapstorm" dumped on him. For those of you familiar he has to deal with the Denarians, Winter (Mab), Summer (Titania), the Archive and Kincaid, no support from the C.P.D., Gentleman Johnny Marcone, and what turns to be a little more insight into the Black Council. You can almost feel Jim Butcher using 'Small Favor' to take mythos of Harry Dresden and crank things up a notch and given what has been said and done, the future is "gonna get really good!"

You are never going to believe what Queen Mab wants Harry to do in exchange for a favor owed her. She wants him to rescue Gentleman Johnny Marcone (one of Chicago's most nefarious gangsters) from unknown kidnappers. Now, having Johnny out of the scene could be a good thing? Well, not if the folks holding him are the order of the Denarians. And yes, they want Gentleman Johnny to take one of those ill-fated coins and the demon possession that goes with. Unfortunately, Queen Titania is not in agreement with her sister regarding Johnny's possession and she sends some heavies of her own to get Harry's goat. What is described as a small favor turns out to be a serious threat to many of the people Harry cares about. As always, Jim Butcher puts a lot of heart into his novels. He's kept Harry a good man, someone who'd risk his own life for others, a real hero in the urban fantasy genre. We get some favorites returning: Michael Carpenter and his family; Sanya, the Black Russian Knight; Captain Luccio; Gard (remember Monoc Security, part of Marcone's protection?); and others. "Small Favor" is one of the faster paced Dresden novels around. Jim had me hooked from the beginning and didn't let up until I turned the last page. I was glad to read that Butcher has ideas for 20 or so Dresden novels on the books and I seriously hope that his publisher will allow him to continue writing them.

Harry Dresden and the cast are back for another round in A Small Favor. All of the major players have a piece in this tale, from the Faerie Courts to the Wardens and White Council, Marcone and his cronies as well as the entire Blackened Denarius (Nicklehead) crew, the Archive, the Knights and some of the powers unseen. The story is driven strongly by the sub plot of the last few books, with the formation of the Black Council and how their manipulations across the supernatural world are causing havoc. Harry has been called in for a favor from Queen Mab of the Winter Court of the Sidhe. His job; rescue Marcone. Do this while dodging hitters from the Summer Court who have a knack for finding him, as well as hitters from the Winter Court who seem to disregard the fact that Harry is on their team, and doing battle with various enemies of the Fallen, the Order of the Blackened Denarius. From the first chapter to the last, the book is a rush of organized anarchy, with everything depending on Harry and his talent for being the wrench stuck in every dark plan that swings his way. Its the 10th book of the series and doesn't disappoint. Now starts the countdown to Book 11.

Small Favor By Jim Butcher Once more author Jim Butcher has given his readers a thrill packed roller coaster ride through the wild & woolly world of Harry Dresden's Chicago. The 10th book in the series shows us an ever evolving and maturing Harry Dresden. Almost all of the old gang are back, Murphy, Mab, Thomas, Marcone, Knights of the Cross, Fallen Angles ...etc.... and of course ...Bob. While Butchers books are far superior to the enjoyable , if somewhat short lived TV series, is there anyone who doesn't visualize Terrence Mann in a smoking jacket as they read about Bob? Butcher seamlessly moves his story from the world of the hard boiled gumshoe through the occult and into magical realms of Faerie, (not to mention a few stops at the Godfathers), with all the in's and out's that we've come to expect in a Dresden novel. I normally don't do reviews of novels because I would hate to inadvertently ruin the story for someone. So here`s the nutshell version without giving anything away. A very enjoyable read that I highly recommend. The book has most of the cast and crew that we've grown to love (or hate). Fast paced with lots of twists and turns in the plot, no surprise there. The Good guy's finaly get to.......... I'll stop there. Oh, ya.... There's something better than hellfire, (be careful what you wish for Harry!). Enjoy! In Frith, Spence the Elder "Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc" M. Addams