I had been meaning to read this series for a long time. Finally, I found a male lead character in an Urban Fantasy. A main character named Harry - and he was a wizard. So, right away, I had images of a kid with glasses and a lightning scar on his forehead. But this is Harry Dresden. Nothing at all like Harry Potter. Harry Dresden is a wizard who works as a private investigator. He investigates the paranormal and consults with the local police department. Reading this novel made me feel like I had been dropped into a black and white movie. It had a gritty feel about it. The characters seemed like they belonged in the novel; even the supernatural creatures felt real. From the first scene where Harry is approached by a woman looking for her missing husband, to the exciting end, I was hooked. I really liked Harry. Even though he was a very powerful wizard, he seemed like such a normal person. Harry is honest. He has a great sense of humor, almost self-deprecating. He has trouble dating women. He seems to always lack sufficient funds. Harry’s choice of wardrobe kind of seems sexy. He never goes anywhere without his black duster and his magical accoutrements.The secondary characters are entertaining. Morgan, who holds the “Doom of Domacles” over Harry would like nothing better than to catch Harry breaking one of the wizards’ laws. Morgan has a way of appearing at the most inopportune moments for Harry. I especially enjoyed Bob the Skull as a character. The banter between Harry and Bob while mixing potions was very funny. The author’s choice of bad guys was great. Who would have thought that a toad could be so scary? Well it is if it is a toad demon sent out to kill Harry. I am still having bad dreams about scorpions the size of small dogs. I had been warned by Goodreads friends that Storm Front suffered from First Book Syndrome. Sure, there were a few slow spots. Nothing serious. Nothing to prevent me from lowering my rating. A few of us are reading the next book, Fool Moon, next month. Join us!
