reviewed by
CALEB GEORGE
Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher is the next installment in a series of novels revolving around Harry Dresden, resident Wizard of Chicago (actually the only Wizard in Chicago). Jim Butcher mixes a rich cast of characters together to form a moving story where terror, intrigue, drama, action, fantasy and love all unite. Jim Butcher's world will appeal to both the old and the young, as there are aspects of the book for a reader of any age.
I found that I was quite drawn to all of the characters, especially Mouse, the massive canine that Harry calls his friend and Harry himself who is a rich and complicated character with true emotion. Each character is dynamic and vivid with details that create almost a real person. You feel for the characters and pray for them to succeed. This doesn't mean that they are perfect and this is by no means the case. There were times when I found the dialogue to be quite halting and juvenile and the characters to be childish and overdone. But then there were times where I could not put the book down because I did not want to stop reading. One night I even forgot to eat dinner. But Jim Butcher does a wonderful job of making original characters, each of which has a heart, a soul and I found myself relating to them and wondering what I would do in their particular situations.
The plot of Proven Guilty is equally as exciting as the characters. Harry receives a phone call from the daughter of a very close friend that he hasn't spoke with in years and this child is asking for Harry's help. There is nothing else that Harry can do but respond and in doing so he sucks himself into a wild web of action coupled with twists and turns. Something, or someone, is summoning demons that feed on fear. These demons wreak havoc on movie fanatics at a Horror Show Convention but no one can explain what these demons want until his friend's child is captured. They take her to another world and Harry is the only one who can save her. Harry comes to the rescue only to find that there is more to the story then he first thought. The plot thickens as Harry digs to find the truth and in the end you are surprised to find that nothing is what it seems.
Harry is in a difficult position. He must balance what he is commanded to do as a Warden and what he feels is right as a friend and as a man. As a Warden he must uphold the Laws of Magic but when those Laws threaten to harm someone he loves, Harry is prepared to challenge authority and do what he feels is right to save the day. Harry is not alone though as he friends and loved ones come to aid him and lay their lives on the line to do what is right.
Jim Butcher truly has a magnificent imagination as he creates an Earth where everyday people mix with wizards and demons and Faerie. There are factions fighting against factions and there is intrigue on top of intrigue. Just when you think you may have the story figured out you come to find that you are wrong and the unexpected comes to life. He draws from real life as well, mixing in bits of history and myth and legend, creating a world and a story that is a wonderful read. He makes it hard to put the book down.
There were instances where bits of information were tossed at you and it was assumed that you read the previous books in the series. This was one aspect that was difficult to handle as there was a bit of guesswork to be done in order to understand what was going on. But despite this slight shortcoming I highly recommend this book to anyone with a wild imagination. This book will suck you in and captivate you with the magic world of Harry Dresden.
