Review: Summer Knight, by Jim Butcher

Author: Jim Butcher

Title: Summer Knight

Series: Dresden Files (#4)

ISBN: 9780786536511

Publisher: Roc (September 2002)

Buy your copy: Kindle | Paperback | Audiobook

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Harry Dresden's faced some pretty terrifying foes during his career. Giant scorpions. Oversexed vampires. Psychotic werewolves. All par for the course for Chicago s only professional wizard. But in all Harry's years of supernatural sleuthing, he's never faced anything like this: Professional wizard Harry Dresden is approached by the Winter Queen of Faerie to find out who murdered the Summer Queen's right-hand man. Soon, Harry finds out that the fate of the entire world rests on his solving this case.” GoodReads’ blurb

Before we go any further, I have to say that my take on this book is surely biased.

I mean, come on, fairies! Fairies and Dresden! How funny can that be?

Yep, dear readers: we get to see Titania, Mab, a lot of Sidhe, and even Grimalkin! As I know most of you have read and enjoyed The Iron Fey series, those names are sure to bring great memories back.

As a side note: no Oberon (remember what I said about Dresden books and guys? Yeah, that). We do get a Sidhe general of Summer, though. He must have two scenes and a half.

Witty comments aside, though, I enjoyed Summer Knight. The war that Harry declared quite unwittingly in book 3 is growing to World War Supernatural Edition proportions, and both sides are, of course, screaming for Dresden’s blood. Lucky him, Mab wants to use him for her own ends so... he’s got a chance.

A pity Harry’s not at his best after months of emotional wreckage. He’s not really over Susan and over the end of book 3 yet...

But he’s not alone. He doesn’t need to be: there’s Murphy there to cover his back (as it should be) and unlikely friends in the shape of the werewolf gang from book 2 – who have matured quite a lot and now are trying to behave as the closest thing to real friends Harry has had in... too long to count.

That’s what I loved: the cast was built on previous stories, it was understandable why they were there, and no part of any importance to the plot happened before we joined the party, so to speak.

So, yeah – we’re back to the goodness of book 1 and 2. And Butcher’s take on our beloved fairies? Just the icing of the cake.

And I have to say this before wrapping up the post:

Grimalkin has just a scene, but he acts as a guide through magical paths after offering a bargain of sorts. Go figure. Even across literary universe, our favorite cat remains the same!