Grave Peril by Jim ButcherMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
If you've read books 1 and 2, you know what you're in for. But this book isn't just by the numbers. This is a good book, all on its own, and great fun to read.
One of the miracles of the Dresden Files is how Jim Butcher gets the reader to accept one absurd premise after another, but somehow he does it. The stories are grounded in the reality of Harry Dresden's scruffy apartment, crappy car, and overall schlumpy existence, making him come across like one of a million other Joes you might find in any big city. He's a good guy, but not too good; he's sympathetic, but not a soft touch; he's capable and inventive, but not unstoppable. He can't save everybody, but he really tries. All of that makes him feel like a regular guy caught in extraordinary circumstances, allowing the reader to sort of believe in the vampires and ghosts and demons, which makes it more fun to marvel at the strangeness.
The realistic interpersonal stuff, including his relationships with his girlfriend, friends, spouses of friends, police, and other acquaintances, makes what could be cartoony action feel like the real world with genuine stakes. There are lives at risk; we need him to solve the mystery and beat the bad guy. He can do it with wisecracks and banter, which is a big part of what makes these books fun, but none of that would matter if we didn't care. We do.
So, well done. A farfetched plot, kept in the lane by the gutter bumpers of human emotion on the one hand and wisecracks on the other, rolls along at a terrific pace with tons of action, great fun from beginning to end.
If you're like me, getting a late start on the Dresden Files, go ahead and jump in. This is no guilty pleasure. These are good books. Enjoy.
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