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reviewed Blood rites by Jim Butcher (The Dresden files ;)

Jim Butcher: Blood rites (2004, Roc) 4 stars

Review of 'Blood rites' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

It's been a while since I last read a book of the Dresden Files, but it's easy to get back into them. From the first page to the finish, you're head-deep in the action and whacky universe of the urban fantasy world of Harry Dresden. This book has probably the most remarkable start of all of them so far. Imagine our modern day hero, Harry Dresden, wearing his long, black leather duster, cradling a box of puppies to his chest, running away from purple, flying demons that look like monkeys, throwing flaming monkey poo at our hero. Yup, that's the Dresden files for you.

While each of the Dresden Files is really a self-contained story that does not require prior knowledge of the books, I would say it's easy to get lost in the myriad of characters introduced in the series. That's really my favorite part of the books. Not the individual stories but the recurring characters, the continuity and the layers of Harry's past that get peeled off, one by one. In Blood Rites we learn a good deal more about Harry's mysterious faerie mother, and about the people Harry cares about the most.

The story itself that finds Harry working as production assistant in a porn production is not that captivating. It's the details and really the overlying story arc that make the Dresden Files. As always, fast paced action that doesn't bore, if you are into urban fantasy.