Turncoat: Jim Butcher (2009)
The purpose of this review was not to rehash, for yet another time, the plot and potency of the Jim Butcher experience, but to establish that I can write one single entry without deleting it.
In the course of these examinations I have discovered that I sure like Jim Butcher, and Turncoat (book 11 in the Dresden Files Series) and so does the rest of the country, according to the New York Times best seller list and all the sci-fi people out there. If you haven't read the other ten books in the series, try to pay attention. I know I did.
Chicago detective and tall man Harry Dresden the Wizard is so confused, and so righteously angry. He wants to save humanity, in which he is tenuously included, yet conflicting forces confound him on all sides.
For instance, a near lifeless body is thrust on his doorstep in the first 20 words, and identified as his enemy; yet begging for the wizard's help. What's a modern socially conscious fictional wizard detective to do? Dump the council member who wants him dead, or believe his sketchy story and endanger his own life?
If you're Butcher, arm him with a snazzy outfit and contact the reinforcements - werewolves, in this case. Throw in an early, unexpected casualty, and take the money and run.
There's little room for disbelief of the premise here, given the parameters of the plot setup. That's not a spoiler, just the style of writing. Morgan, the White Council Warden who used to hate Dresden, is being framed.
Harry believes him despite the overwhelming evidence, and it's so Humphrey Bogart. No one else believes Dresden except his noir counterparts, his vampire brother Thomas and his apprentice Molly, and his girlfriend Anastasia.
Butcher spares little time on background information, and possibly even less on character development, although that's to be expected for a series of this kind. His stories thrive on an odd combination of complexity, historical background, and vagueness.
His characters are well described but often empty of motivation. You want to root for them, and sometimes you do, but it's hard to become emotionally invested in them as they bounce in and out of the narrative.
Not to say that Butcher doesn't write well. His story is instantly engaging, aggressively so, even. Like a sort of literary headlock. Forget about putting this book down, either. But he assumes you know the back story, and that you identify with the assorted non-human deities. There's quite a bit of sex, too.
Keep reading, though. Inside of the wall to wall action, and truly funny one-liners, the author has moments of quiet introspection that give way to a deeper meaning (not in a "Christiany" way, sorry if you're offended.)
Harry's battle speaks loudly of the silent class and race conflicts in this country, and in a real way of the actual wars going on worldwide. He strives, however clumsily as the character calls for, to force everyone to reconcile their differences.
My personal favorite line, "In this country, diplomacy is when you bring a sandwich in one hand and a gun in the other and say, make your choice."
The author also makes less subtle comments on the nature of humanity, such as Thomas' change of personality after torture, as he becomes the 'monster' which he has always been.
In Butcher's hands, Dresden is innately flawed and self-effacing, endearing in that quasi-human way. We look for defects in our heroes, even in fiction. We want to be caught up and drawn away, and then tethered by sober remarks (like the author's reference to WW2).
Get caught up, but be sure to have plenty of free time!
Fortunately, only the henchmen get killed. (just kidding!)
Sunday, August 9, 2009
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