Grave Peril / Jim Butcher

Grave Peril

(category: fantasy)
book 3 of Dresden Files by

Jim Butcher

published by Orbit, original copyright 2001
Nick read a library book, in April 2010

Nick's rating: 7 out of 10

Nick's opinion:

Another great book from The Dresden Files -- but, perhaps, not quite as great...

This is the fifth Dresden book that I have read, all within three months. Perhaps I have Dresden overload? I enjoyed Grave Peril but was -- just slightly -- dissatisfied. It is partly that Butcher is (it seems) still experimenting with his writing style. I also have a problem with the way in which the hero's personal life is going downhill...

You could say that this book has a complex plot. Or, you could say that the pace is frenetic... Either way, there's a lot happening. Non-stop, in fact. In each chapter the hero gets in trouble, just a little deeper; each chapter ends with a cliff-hanger. Still, the cliff-hangers are not as bad as in the previous book, Fool Moon.

Then there's the general happiness of the hero, Harry Dresden.

My first experience with Harry Dresden was with the tenth in the series, Small Favour. My next experience was with Summer Knight -- the fourth in the series. I noticed the difference, that book four was darker than book ten. At the end of book four, Harry Dresden has been drawn out of his funk. In this third book (Grave Peril), he reaches deep into the depths of despair.

For me, I enjoy the happy ending. I don't mind ongoing plots -- but I don't really like the hero to be quite so depressed at the end of a book!

So it's a great book, an exciting adventure, with lots of human and fantasy creatures to battle and to save. But for full enjoyment, I'm considering re-reading book four... just so that I can see Harry Dresden end a book in a cheerful frame of mind.

..o0o..

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