Book Review: Bigfoot by Jim Butcher with Mark Powers and Joseph Cooper (graphic novel)

Bigfoot
by Jim Butcher, with Mark Powers (adaptation) and Joseph Cooper (illustrations) (Butcher)

Since 2000, author Jim Butcher has put out 17 full-length novels and several short story collections, all featuring his Chicago-based modern day wizard Harry Dresden, who works as a magic-using private investigator in the windy city. Several of the stories in the Dresden Files series have also been adapted into graphic novel format.

 

Bigfoot is one of the latter — Over the past 22 years, Butcher has written three different short stories that feature Harry being hired by a Bigfoot, Strength of a River in His Shoulders, who hires Harry to intervene to protect his half-Sasquatch/half-human son, Irwin, at three different times in his life — as a pre-teen, a teenager and in college. Irwin’s special nature means that he can be the focal point of paranormal intrigue, so Harry’s abilities to manipulative the forces of magic are essential to keeping Irwin safe. (Previously collected in text-only form in a collection in 2015.)

 

The artwork in Bigfoot is quite good, but I’ll offer one slight caution to sensitive readers — the third of the adapted storylines in this volume involves considerable nudity. Be forewarned. None-the-less, this was a terrific addition to the evolving world of the Dresden Files.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try other graphic novels in the Dresden Files universe — all featuring stories by Jim Butcher but with different artists for each entry: The Dresden Files: Storm Front (vol. 1): The Gathering Storm, Dresden Files: Omnibus Vol. 1, and The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle.)

 

( official Dresden Files page on the official Jim Butcher web site )

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files: Omnibus 1 - a graphic novel

Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files: Omnibus 1
by Jim Butcher, with art by Adrian Syaf, Brett Booth, Chase Conley and Kevin Mellon

I’ve been a huge fan of Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files novels, urban fantasy novels featuring Chicago private investigator Harry Dresden, who is also a practicising wizard. The series began with Storm Front in 2000 and has turned into a huge success, spawning a short-lived television series (on the SciFi channel) and 15 novels (and a whole lot of short stories) to-date. Comics publisher Dynamite began a Dresden Files comic book a few years ago, and has adapted several of Butcher’s novels into the graphical format, as well as telling some all-original stories in the comic books as well. Most stories run several issues — as many as 7 or 8 — and are then later compiled into a graphic novel with all the issues of that storyline together. This particular book — Omnibus 1 — gathers the original story “Welcome to the Jungle” (previously reviewed on BookGuide) with adaptations of the first two novels, “Storm Front” and “Fool Moon”, followed by another 10-page original, “Restoration of Faith”. These graphic novels are an excellent introduction to the character and storylines of Harry Dresden, nicely capturing both his wry, sarcastic sense of humor, and the complex, sometimes violent cases he gets mixed up in. The art in these stories is by various artists, including Adrian Syaf, Brett Booth, Chase Conley and Kevin Mellon. I found Syaf’s art to be gorgeous and highly detailed, while the art by the others tended to be a bit more abstract and/or grotesque. The coloring is beautiful. Having read both “Storm Front” and “Fool Moon” when they originally came out, I felt the comic adaptation did a tremendous job, hitting all the major plot points without loosing anything in translation.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the actual Dresden Files novels by Jim Butcher, or the audiobook versions read by James Marsters (Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer!)] [ Publisher’s official Dresden Files Omnibus Vol. 1 web page ] | [ official Jim Butcher web site ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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Side Jobs (on CD)

Side Jobs

by Jim Butcher

This collection of all the Dresden Files short stories and novellas was released after the Dresden novel Changes (2010), in which -- *spoiler alert* - Harry Dresden died (don't worry, he comes back). The stories included her have appeared in a variety of venues, mainly thematic genre anthologies -- so you might have seen some of the stories previously -- I know I had. None-the-less, it's great to have them all put together in a single package. This collection also features one all-new story, "Aftermath", set 45 minutes after the conclusion of Changes -- it focuses on Harry's cop friend Karrin Murphy, and deals with her coming to terms with the loss of Harry and her need to take up his role as a a protector of the windy city's paranormal population. I thought this one story alone was worth the price of the book! One other note -- friends have been trying to convince me to listen to the Dresden Files books in audio format, because actor James Marsters (Spike on Buffy the Vampire Slayer) is the narrator. This was the first Dresden book I "listened" to instead of "read". My friends were right -- Marsters does a terrific job with the narration, imbuing a variety of different characters with slightly different voices and personalities. I recommend this volume in both print and audiobook formats!. [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the rest of the Dresden Files series.] -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[Also available in print and downloadable E-book formats.]

[ official Jim Butcher web site ]

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Ghost Story

Ghost Story
by Jim Butcher

Spoiler Alert! Harry Dresden, Chicago's wizard/private-eye is dead. He was gunned down in the final few pages of the previous volume of The Dresden Files (Changes), leaving fans apoplectic with anger and frustration at author Jim Butcher. However, being dead is only a minor inconvenience to Harry, who finds that eternal rest is not exactly next on his agenda. Sent back to the land of the living, Harry is charged with discovering who killed him -- before others that were close to him come to dark ends. Life as a ghost proves complicated for Harry -- his wizardly powers are close to non-existent, and only a very small fraction of people can even sense his presence. But when Harry sees what the results are of his world-altering actions in Changes, and how precarious the lives of his friends have become, he eagerly tackles the afterlife head on. This is one of the most unusual volumes this series has seen, and the characters are all vibrant and alive (if you'll pardon the jest). I particularly liked the major roles that former minor characters enjoyed in this particular story. I recommend this one strongly, but the Dresden Files books have a strong level of continuity, and you really need to start with one of the first 3 or 4 books -- you'll easily be lost if you try to pick up Ghost Story without any prior knowledge of the series. -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[Also available in book-on-cd format.]

[ official Jim Butcher web site ]

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Side Jobs

Side Jobs
by Jim Butcher

The Dresden Files is one of my favorite fantasy series and this anthology of short stories is like icing on the cake for a big fan. While I've read many of the stories in other compilations, I liked reading them all together and I particularly enjoyed the personal note from the author for each story. Best of all, the last story was an all-new tale set right after the ending of Changes, the most recent book in the series. -- recommended by Rebecca A. - Walt Branch Library

[Also available in book-on-cd format.]

[ official Side Jobs page on the official Jim Butcher web site ]

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Turn Coat

Turn Coat
by Jim Butcher

This is the 11th full-length novel in the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher, following 2008's Small Favor. Butcher has a game plan in place as he's building up (eventually) to a conclusion to the Dresden books, and Turn Coat really felt like the author was getting some of the important groundwork covered as he starts down the path towards his end game. The plot, in a nutshell -- Harry Dresden, wizard-for-hire and a regional Warden in the spellcasters' "police force", has long-time nemesis Morgan drop by, nearly dead and asking for help in hiding from the rest of the Wardens from a trumped up murder charge. Harry's attempts to surreptitiously help his old enemy coincide with his investigation into who on the White Council has been leaking information to their enemies. Although this novel had several excellent action sequences, and the plot moved forward, it wasn't necessarily one of the best of the Dresden books. To me, it felt a bit top-heavy with too many characters involved, and too many political machinations going on. But...in order to understand what's going on in Harry's universe, especially in future novels, this one is still a "can't miss" volume, filled with lots of great lines from Butcher's characteristic wise-cracking anti-hero. -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[Also available in book-on-cd format.]

[ official Turn Coat page on the official Jim Butcher web site ]

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Backup

Backup

by Jim Butcher

Fans of the other books in the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher should enjoy this short novella, published in a limited-run printing by Subterranean Press. Set in the Dresden Files universe, Backup is a brief adventure of Harry's half-brother Thomas Raith, one of the White Court vampires of Harry's world. Thomas has always been one of the most interesting supporting characters in the Dresden universe, and that is only built upon by giving him his own story...complete with secrets that he's keeping from Harry. There's action and humor aplenty -- Butcher's trademark writing style. But the overall Dresden Files world is carried forward and expanded as a result of this short work. Highly enjoyable, but definitely light-weight in comparison to the larger novels in the series. -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[ official Backup page on the official Jim Butcher web site ]

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Welcome to the Jungle

Welcome to the Jungle
by Jim Butcher

This graphic novel, originally released as a limited-run comic book series, is an entertaining prequel to the first official Dresden Files novel, Storm Front. Chicago wizard Harry Dresden is called in by his police contact to assist in the investigation of a bizarre animal attack at the Lincoln Park Zoo. With a little gumshoe skills and a little magical manipulation, Harry uncovers a plot by an ancient entity attempting to break through to our plane of existence. This graphic novel features highly detailed and realistic looking artwork, although Harry's "everyman" physicality in the books sometimes comes across as a bit too muscular and heroic in a graphic format. This story does feature a very strong plot, and nicely realized supporting characters. Should appeal to all readers who are already Dresden Files fans, and resembles the tone of the novels enough to serve as an excellent intro to the series for newcomers. -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[ official Jim Butcher web site ]

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Staff Recommendation - The Dresden Files - Complete Series

The Dresden Files: The Complete Series

This short-lived tv series adaptation of Jim Butcher's urban fantasy series, The Dresden Files, may have played a little fast and loose with the series details, but it still managed to capture the tone of the books very well. Paul Blackthorne was perfectly cast as the sarcastic, spell-casting P.I., Harry. The producers made an excellent choice to have actor Terrance Mann portray Bob, Harry's arcane advisor, rather than leaving him as a disembodied skull (as he is in the books). Only one of the episodes, out of the 12 that were filmed, is based on any of the Butcher books, and many of the supporting characters from the books didn't have a chance to show up in the series. Of those that did, Valerie Cruz as Lt. Murphy is Harry's stalwart cop friend, Conrad Coates was an odd but interesting choice to play the White Council's enforcer Morgan, and Joanne Kelly puts in a limited appearance as the local vampire leader, Bianca. All in all, this was a sharply done series, with excellent special effects and great acting. The producers didn't really have a lot of time to get into the extended background of the novels, but what they did put on screen worked really well. Whether or not you've read the books, this was a fun, short-lived fantasy series, that didn't get nearly enough of a chance to develop. -- recommended by Scott S. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[ Dresden Files on the Internet Movie Database ] [ official Sci Fi Channel Dresden Files web site ]

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Staff Recommendation - Small Favor

Small Favor

by Jim Butcher

The tenth volume in the popular on-going Dresden Files series finds Chicago wizard Harry Dresden enjoying some down time between crises. Quiet times never last, and Harry soon finds himself under attack from mystical assailants, while also having to repay a favor to Mab, the Queen of the Winter Court of the Sidhe. Allies and enemies keep popping up to make things even more complicated, including a group of Fallen Angels who may be trying to bring John Marcone, Chicago's biggest mob leader, into their midst. With his friends, the Knights of the Cross, Sgt. Karrin Murphy, mercenary bodyguard Kincaid, and his vampiric half-brother Thomas backing him, Dresden finds himself opposing a mystical power play that could have permanent global repercussions. All while Chicago endures one of the worst white-out blizzards its ever faced! The Dresden Files books will be a hit with anyone who is a fan of the hip, pop-culture sensibility of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or who doesn't mind a hefty dose of spell slinging with their noirish detectives. One caveat: If you've never read any of the Dresden Files books before, don't start with Small Favor -- there's way too many returning characters to enjoy without knowing how they fit into Harry's world from previous adventures. The series starts with Storm Front. -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library/Reference

[Also available in unabridged book-on-cd format -- read by James Marsters (who played Spike on Buffy the Vampire Slayer][ official Small Favor web page on the official Jim Butcher web site ]

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