I visit Amazon.com pretty frequently to check out science fiction and fantasy novels. Recently, I began to notice that many of novels in Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files series were frequently in the top seller list. I looked into them a little more and found that they sounded pretty interesting and that they all got great reviews. I decided to try out the first novel and I’m really glad that I did, because Storm Front was awesome. It is definitely the best novel I have read this year.

If the Dresden Files sound familiar to you, it might be that you remember the short-lived television series that aired on the Sci-Fi Channel. I never watched the show, but I remember seeing promotions and I thought it looked lame. To be honest, even if the show was good, I’m glad I didn’t see it, because this way my imagination hasn’t been tainted by any of its imagery or anything.

Storm Front, the first of many novels in the ongoing saga, is a unique blend of fantasy, horror, and detective genres that somehow go together perfectly. Harry Dresden is a freelance wizard living in present day Chicago. He’s got an office and an ad in the Yellow Pages and takes on clients that need the services of a supernatural investigator. Harry is a sarcastic outcast of the wizard community with a shady past and a penchant for trouble. Harry’s primary income comes from the Chicago Police Department, when they hire him as a consultant for cases that involve elements of the supernatural. It’s on a grisly murder case that Harry’s troubles begin, launching him into a fast-paced adventure that combines just the right amount of action, suspense, and fantasy elements.

I would highly recommend the novels to any adult, since they do contain some strong language, violence, and adult situations.