Blood Rites by Jim Butcher
‘The Dresden Files’ series Book #6
Paperback: 372 pages – Publisher: Roc; 1st edition (August 3, 2004) – Language: English – ISBN-10: 0451459873 – ISBN-13: 978-0451459879
Back of the Book reads:
HARRY DRESDEN – WIZARD
Lost items found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment.
For Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard, there have been worse assignments than going undercover on the set of an adult film. Dodging flaming monkey poo, for instance. Or going toe-to-leaf with a walking plant monster. Still, there’s something more troubling than usual about his newest case. The film’s producer believes he’s the target of a sinister entropy curse, but it’s the women around him who are dying, in increasinly spectacular ways.
Harry’s doubly frustrated because he got involved with this bizarre mystery only as a favor to Thomas, his flirtations, self-absorbed vampires acquaintance of dubious integrity. Thomas has a personal stake in the case Harry can’t quite figure out, until his investigation leads him straight to Tomas’s oversexed vampire family. Harry’s about to discover that Thomas’s family tree has been hiding a shocking secret: a revelation that will change Harry’s life forever.
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31 Aug-08 to 2-Sep-08
Review: And Harry thought he was alone
Harry’s friend, Thomas, a vampire from the White Court, asks Harry for a favor: His friend, Arturo Genosa, an adult film producer, believes than an entropy curse has been laid upon him. The women in his films are meeting untimely and intriguingly spectacular deaths, and Arturo doesn’t know why. As Harry investigates, he wonders if the studio Arturo left behind could be behind it all. But as his investigation continues, new information comes to light and it becomes more than that.
Meanwhile, Mavra, a vampire from the Black Court is back – and is after Harry. He hires Kincaid to help him get rid of her and recruits his cop friend, Murphy, and his mentor and teacher, Ebenezar McCoy, knowing that he and Kincaid can’t do it alone.
Thomas’s family becomes involved in Harry’s investigation of the entropy curse, leaving Harry confused and wondering if Thomas set him up. However, a soulgaze with Thomas brings forth something that Harry had never known: Harry’s mother had been one of Lord Raith’s women – the head of the White Court vampires and Thomas’s brother. Thomas is Harry’s half-brother.
And just when Harry is left wondering if there are any more surprises… Harry learns that Kincaid isn’t exactly human. He also learns that Ebenezar is also known as Blackstaff McCoy – the one who takes care of the ‘ugly’ matters that the White Council won’t take care of themselves. Ebenezar has done things he’s not proud of, including lying to Harry. It was Thomas’s father, Lord Raith, who had found Harry’s mother, Margaret LeFay, and killed her shortly after Harry was born. Now, more than ever, Harry is determined to get rid of Lord Raith.
Holy crow, did a lot of things come to light in this book. Harry’s friendship with Murphy grows deeper, and Murphy learns she has more courage than she thought she had. He wonders if Mavra is gone for good and how he’s going to get the funds to pay Kincaid before Kincaid’s ‘deadline’. Thomas is his brother, who has been banned from the Raith House and is now staying with Harry for the moment. Arturo’s entropy curse has been put to rest. He is unsure if he’ll ever forgive Ebenezar.
As with all the Dresden novels, the magic and action are pumped up, raising this reader’s adrenaline. I love how Harry manages to figure out everything, fitting all the pieces together. The mix of friends and enemies are always at the forefront, and Harry’s sarcasm comes out more and more. I love his quirkiness, his relationship with Murphy as well as Bob. The author manages to give the reader explanations to rituals and rules, both Black Court and White Court vampires alike; their differences in powers and formalities. But he doesn’t go overboard, avoids creating anything formal as to limiting his story line for future novels. Butcher’s blend of paranormal/supernatural, occult beliefs and magic creates a world unlike any other – something distinct that you can’t compare to other series’ in this genre. Bravo, Mr. Butcher!
You can’t get better than Harry Dresden. This series is highly recommended to those who like paranormal and sci-fi novels.
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