04-12-2023, 09:59 AM
Dead Man's Hand by James Butcher
Jim Butcher of Harry Dresden fame has a son who also writes books or at least a book. This is it. Following in pops footsteps, Dead Man's Hand is an urban fantasy complete with magic users. The book is set in Boston rather than Chicago and magic is more accepted in this world. DMH is in the nascent stages of world building but it does feel solid and interesting but the book suffers in comparison to Dad's work. The book also suffers because the book is a first novel, a little too wordy and over descriptive.
Grimbsy is a witch currently working at kid's themed magic restaurant, suffering through the indignities of the job because he washed out of becoming a witch police officer. He becomes the center of attention when he becomes the primes suspect when a fellow witch is murdered and the clues make Grimsby out to be the prime suspect. The Huntsmen, who seems a lot like Harry Dresden, who was friends with the murdered witch wants to get to Grimsby before Grimsby is picked up the regular witch police. The main concern for everyone is to find a mystical artifact the dead witch had so there is a lot of scrambling around trying to find the missing thing.
There were bits of the book I liked. The second half was better than the first. But there were lots of bits I didn't. James Butcher needs to work on his craft some more.
The reason there are so few entries for April at this point is I'm half way through reading a biography of Jonathan Swift that is taking an inordinate amount of time to read. I took a break from the Swift book to read this book
Jim Butcher of Harry Dresden fame has a son who also writes books or at least a book. This is it. Following in pops footsteps, Dead Man's Hand is an urban fantasy complete with magic users. The book is set in Boston rather than Chicago and magic is more accepted in this world. DMH is in the nascent stages of world building but it does feel solid and interesting but the book suffers in comparison to Dad's work. The book also suffers because the book is a first novel, a little too wordy and over descriptive.
Grimbsy is a witch currently working at kid's themed magic restaurant, suffering through the indignities of the job because he washed out of becoming a witch police officer. He becomes the center of attention when he becomes the primes suspect when a fellow witch is murdered and the clues make Grimsby out to be the prime suspect. The Huntsmen, who seems a lot like Harry Dresden, who was friends with the murdered witch wants to get to Grimsby before Grimsby is picked up the regular witch police. The main concern for everyone is to find a mystical artifact the dead witch had so there is a lot of scrambling around trying to find the missing thing.
There were bits of the book I liked. The second half was better than the first. But there were lots of bits I didn't. James Butcher needs to work on his craft some more.
The reason there are so few entries for April at this point is I'm half way through reading a biography of Jonathan Swift that is taking an inordinate amount of time to read. I took a break from the Swift book to read this book
As a matter of fact, my anger does keep me warm