155 Thoughts While Reading Storm Front by Jim Butcher
Hello Everyone,
So confession time, instead of reading my TBR I have been rereading The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. For the seventh time. Or something like that. I blame getting the release date for the next book for my compulsion. July of 2020 seems so far away but I know it will get here before I can blink. So because I’ve read this book so many times I didn’t think I could do a fair review without just going off into what I know from the future. So instead I’ll be listing the random thoughts that go through my head as I read the books. I took notes. Used a lot of sticky notes, and I’m ready. Here are 155 thoughts I had while reading book one Storm Front:
Okay chapter one, it’s happening
Oh, this really is the worst opening line of the series.
Yeah, mocking mailman read the door sign. Also, I think this is the best sign in the history of ever. Look at it:
HARRY DRESDEN—WIZARD
Lost Items Found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice.
Reasonable Rates.
No Love Potions, Endless Purses, Parties, or Other Entertainment
Harry breaks the spines of paperbacks, we need to have a talk about this
Dresden made the lizard joke before it became a meme
Murphy was a badass from the beginning and Harry took too long to appreciate that she was actually more badass than him.
We run to the murder scene. I approve.
The murder scene is bad. Exploded hearts are never pretty. Well not that I’ve seen it myself but I looked up pictures. Come at me police!
Murphy has no patience for Harry’s bullshit and I’m here for it. Either help or get out of her way.
We run back to the office and get kidnapped. Well it’s good to know you can be an almost 7 feet tall man and still get kidnapped
Marcone, sir, hello. You have many issues and I really would like to analyze you.
Ohhhhhh soul gaze. I forget these are a thing because they happen less in the later books.
I like that Harry sees Marcone as a tiger, but I want to know what other people see when they look at Harry
I love you Harry but no wonder you’re broke and about to die ninety percent of the time, take the bad man’s money like the rest of us!
Nope, he didn’t. Clearly he doesn’t have college loans.
He makes it to his appointment. How unexciting.
She lost her husband, if I didn’t know what was coming I’d roll my eyes.
Harry goes to dinner. I want dinner
I also want to go to McAnally’s. It sounds lovely.
Eh Susan
I’m not a fan of Susan
Especially in these early books
She’s just so sure she’s right all the time
That’s also what annoys me about Harry in these early books so maybe they are perfect for each other
What does it mean if someone faints after you Soul-Gaze them? I think its a sign they are not prepared to deal
Blah, blah, blah, flirting, flirting, flirting.
Harry gets a date, Poor thing doesn’t know what to do about it.
Oh Blue Bettle, I do love that car.
Going off to investigate a grim-looking lake house, perfect horror movie setting.
Oh look film canister, could it be a clue? Also, film canister, guess you can tell the book is from 2000 just by that small thing.
Toot Toot! Hi little guy! You have a journey ahead of you.
I get the pizza obsession. I so get the pizza obsession
Also, faeries apparently gossip like polish grandmothers. Love you, grandma.
Morgan really knows how to make an entrance. Harry, take notes.
I imagine living with doom over your head is kind of like me living with my bookshelves hanging over my bed. You know they can kill you at any moment and you can’t really do anything about it.
This is all very dramatic.
Ohhhh punch. Good going, Harry.
Morgan got his back. Guess you should work out more wizard.
You left your cat alone until 2 AM. What kind of cat dad are you?
Bathrobe to do magic seems legit. We can’t take ourselves too seriously now.
Hi Bob! You’re my spirit animal. Literally a spirit! Get it? You get it.
Make some potions, brew some trouble, cauldrons bubble, bubble, bubble.
I’m practically a poet.
This love potion sounds like a sex potion. Subtle you are not Bob.
Harry goes off to see the vampire madam after a good breakfast, how very millennial of him.
This posturing appeals to me, we fake it till we make it. If only we were not trying to make it into a vampire lair.
Oh no the car broke down, this poor car does not deserve this treatment.
Convenient breakdown spot though.
Well convenient if your aim is to get in to meet the vampire madam who might kill you.
Oh hey, gun.
We are in, whatever could go wrong
Vampire madam is pretty, how shocking. If something wants to eat you it will look pretty and shiny and like it could be friends with you.
Oh look she wants to eat Harry
Sunshine in a handkerchief, whats next? Liquid luck? Oh, wait.
Vampire madam turns into a monstrous creature. How shocking.
Now she’s crying because Harry is just so mean to her.
Yeah, I have no sympathy. These things creep me out.
So much for the vampire madam being a relatively good guy, she got pissy and ate someone.
Can we talk about how often things that think they have power get pissy?
Blah blah blah, flirting over the phone. Blah blah blah.
Creepy robot couple creeps me out.
Blah blah blah, more flirting and a number slip.
Blah blah blah, calls pizza places and now I want pizza. I want all the pizza.
Creeped out teenager is added to the mix.
Oh orgy, how scandalous.
Gets hit in the head with a bat, seems like fun.
Then we obviously proceed to spend hours in the basement, working out how to kill people with magic. I wish I did fun things like that.
We go to the police station. We go to the police station.
Maybe put clean clothes on Harry. It’s just common courtesy. Also, you’ll feel better good sir. It’s called tricking your brain.
The crazy person on drugs creeps me out. It’s like creepy children, only with drugs. What am I talking about?
Look at Harry realizing he might not know as much as he thinks he does.
Give Murphy a name plack you assholes. How dare you.
Murphy is catching on to this magic explanation rather quickly Harry. Maybe you should consider just telling her things? No? Okay fine. You’ll regret it.
Harry stop doubting the police officer.
Oh, head injury acting up. Let’s take a nap on Murphy’s office floor.
She gave you her jacket to sleep on harry and you still argue with her. Girls don’t just give up their clothes for people who they don’t like
Head injuries are what shut Harry up, enemies take notes.
Murphy gives him a ride home! She’s a good friend. Appreciate good friends Harry.
Woozy harry is inhibitions gone harry. Even murphy raised an eyebrow at his flirting.
Head injuries are serious things. Maybe see a magic doctor? You forgot you had a date, good sir. And made another one.
I want to take a nap too.
Thunder, lightning, all the fun things you need for a dramatic atmosphere.
Eh, Susan is here. I’m sorry I just can’t with her. For someone described as observant and smart, she really doesn’t seem to notice when her date is clearly not doing well.
Demon at the door! Demon at the door!
For the love of god Susan, what do you think this is? A sexy lady in a frog costume here to steal your man? At least she follows up with very relevant questions like “can it get in?” Very important to know.
Look harry I know you are busy not blowing up a demon but you can’t just tell someone who has no experience with magic to drink one of two bottles of magical potion and expect things to go well.
Bob has a gift for summing up a situation and I’m here for it.
Yep, let’s get in a tiny magical circle with someone who obviously drank the wrong potion.
Yep, there goes the sex potion.
Bob, you get your fun out of this, but I will point out that you can also just gather blackmail material.
Drunk another potion
Got transported outside.
Demon destroyed your apartment.
Does insurance cover ‘damage by a demon”?
Storm harnessing, now why didn’t anyone think of that before.
Naked man laughing hysterically on the street, no wonder the police were concerned.
Hey, sweatpants and cowboy boots, that’s a look
Murphy is not happy. When Murphy is not happy, no one is happy.
Linda is dead and it’s not pretty.
Harry is traumatized.
Oh, I forgot Morgan showed up again, he made a lot of threats. Maybe that’s the real source of trauma.
Murphy gets pissed when people die on her watch. Understandable. Harry knows there was nothing she could have done. Understandable. What’s not understandable is the holding out on Murph despite it.
Harry gets attacked again. Well if you didn’t look like a bum maybe people would have no issue believing you’re the one getting mugged.
Hair loss is traumatic for men, especially when that hair can be used to kill you.
Tracking spell
We bust in on Marcone’s place because that’s a good idea. But that’s much more Harry than most of this book has been thus far. Call it character growth.
Marcone is scary because he honestly is more interested in the bottom line than in individuals.
Let’s go lie down in a murder scene because that’s not suspicious
Ohhhh someone is coming in.
I’m not impressed by any of this.
Harry goes to visit his client, finally.
She’s not happy to see him. I wouldn’t be either.
Oh look the lady knows more than you thought she did. I call that education in reading people
How did she know her sister was dead before they found the body? Inconsequential.
Sister is dead, we must go to the gullible wizard.
Gullible wizard plays along and now is in my kitchen. Guess I have to tell him the story now.
The classic midlife crisis took place, only this man found black magic and actually went crazy with his insecurities.
Well now we know the whole story, and now we call the police. Little too late good sir!
Murphy went to Harry’s office. I sense bad things.
Yep, there’s now a giant scorpion. Why am I not surprised.
Murphy still tries to arrest him, and I laugh
This poor elevator.
I mean I knew they were death traps, but this is taking it too far.
I might never get in one again.
When you cant slip out of handcuffs you slip your friend’s hand out of them instead.
But now you have random handcuffs just sitting on your wrist.
Harry is borrowing a lot of cars in this book. I forgot about that.
He goes off to fight evil in a borrowed car.
So if I’m reading this right this house will be haunted by very angry spirits soon.
Dark magic leaves a reside. Ewwww.
I imagine this smelly dark stuff. You know the stuff. The stuff.
Tar!
I got there.
Bad things. More bad things. Very bad things.
Oh hey, a reenactment of that one scene from that one movie with the brooms.
Getting shut does not sound like fun.
Our big bad is confused by the mention of higher powers. Sigh.
Harry steals a demon, like a boss.
There is a reason I hate things like scorpions. Yeah sure they’re tiny, but imagine them big. Also even tiny can kill you. Just ask bacteria.
Eaten by your own monsters. RIP Victor Shadowman.
Harry, I don’t recommend handing by handcuffs off a balcony.
Morgan to the rescue!
Harry didn’t die. That’s why we have fourteen more books ready to read.
Morgan promises to tell the truth and nothing but the truth and knowing Morgan he does. He’s a truthful fanatic.
Harry ends up in the hospital, which is good when you’re shot.
Susan wasn’t scared off sadly for me, but good for the story.
Murphy forgave but didn’t forget.
I have a feeling Harry will not be any better with money anytime soon. Or learn from his mistakes for a while.
This was fun.
I recommend reading this series.
Yes I know I was whiney about it
I’m always whiney.
Also, this was a reread so I knew what was coming.
Okay, that’s it.
Byeeeeeeee
See you next time!
Anna
