Due to an exchange with a faerie, and in turn getting his debt sold to the Queen of faeries, Dresden owes Queen Mab a favor. It isn't enough that he has to go rescue someone he doesn't like from the dangerous Demon Denarians however, once again someones trying to kill him. For as of yet unknown reasons, the Summer Faeries are out for his blood and sending the Gruff brothers (each one bigger than the last) after him to take his life. With the Gruffs behind him every step of the way, he has to wheedle and deal with the Denarians in order to retrieve the Archive. As always, he and his friends are in danger the entire time.
Harry's character fell a little flat in this one. He still had his humour and aptitude for magic, but he didn't seem as personal as he usually is. It was harder to connect with him in this book. Murphy also has a lesser part and isn't described as well in this book. Usually she has a lot of imagery associated with her and that just wasn't there this time. Michael and Sanya were ok, but surprisingly didn't play a very big part in this book even though it involved the Denarians. Everyone else played minor roles as well.
Butcher is normally a very descriptive writer; and while he still is in this novel (its one of the longer ones) it just seemed to fast and the detail wasn't in the important parts. Regardless, the plot was interesting and one of his better ones. I just wish he had fleshed it out more. All of these books involve a world that is very involved. While it does mirror the regular Chicago, Butcher's Chicago takes in account the magic that permeates all of Dresden's life. And he does a good job of it. He makes it very believable and especially because its written in the first person, we see it all in Harry's view.
Overall I greatly enjoy the series and look forward to the next. There's only three more so far to go so I'll have to make sure to savor each.
Small Favor
Copyright 2008
541 pages
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