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A review by timinbc
Grave Peril by Jim Butcher
2.0
Meh. I've read quite a few similar but better. To be fair, this one's from 2001 and the others may have been influenced by early Butcher. Still, to name two, I like Sandman Slim and Stross's Laundry series better, and Paul Cornell's urban-police books WAY better.
I was put off early when Michael put what was explicitly described as a five-foot sword into a gym bag. Unless Michael uses the gym to practise pole-vaulting, that's a heckuva gym bag.
Also agreed with the others who noted that the book's just repetitions of don't go in there / but I have to / omigosh my power is drained / uh-oh, I'm in trouble / (digs deeper) Aha! I win! And sometimes he wins by remembering one more thing we hadn't known about magic.
As happens so often in urban fantasy even now, Harry seems to face an unending stream of opponents who are vastly more powerful than he is. One gets tired of them finding little reasons not to splatter him. Especially his evil godmother either. Too strong, too nasty, forces the plot to make up reasons to keep Harry alive/intact.
I was put off early when Michael put what was explicitly described as a five-foot sword into a gym bag. Unless Michael uses the gym to practise pole-vaulting, that's a heckuva gym bag.
Also agreed with the others who noted that the book's just repetitions of don't go in there / but I have to / omigosh my power is drained / uh-oh, I'm in trouble / (digs deeper) Aha! I win! And sometimes he wins by remembering one more thing we hadn't known about magic.
As happens so often in urban fantasy even now, Harry seems to face an unending stream of opponents who are vastly more powerful than he is. One gets tired of them finding little reasons not to splatter him. Especially his evil godmother either. Too strong, too nasty, forces the plot to make up reasons to keep Harry alive/intact.