Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsGreat start to a series
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 20, 2023
You'd think a book I've now read 3 times would deserve more stars right? It just doesn't deserve them though. As part of the entire series, this is a fun introduction to characters who we will see get significant development as the books go on, so I re-read more to ease my completionist-self back into the series as a whole.
Storm Front throws a lot of world building at you, and it's oddly difficult when the fantasy story is set WITHIN our reality. Jim Butcher is foreshadowing LIKE MAD, an aspect obvious even to new readers, and he doubles down with plenty of MYSTERIOUS BACK-STORY we don't get answers for.
Another frequent comment about this (and other) entries in The Dresden Files, is that it's very 'male-gaze-y' And, I can't defend that, because it's true. Couched as "chivalry" it allows Harry to 'notice' things, and then deliberately NOT say or do something inappropriate. I'm not a fan.
On the plus side, there is so much potential in this series opener that continuing was a done deal for me. Harry, the giant stretched out doofus that he is, is a charming main character. The side characters all show promise, and there is SO MUCH here to work with in later books.
Finally, it's a magical romp, clearly the beginning of a series, but has a good single book plot 'end', and it works as a palate cleanser between the fantasy tomes I usually bury myself in.
