Today, we will be reviewing the second book in The Dresden Files, Fool Moon by Jim Butcher. Wizard Harry Dresden gets caught up with werewolves and has to stop them before anyone else is killed. Keep reading to find out if you should read this novel and series next!
Fool Moon Summary
Harry Dresden is struggling since Storm Front and is barely getting by. Karrin Murphy doesn’t trust Harry as she used to and he’s no longer being consulted by the police. But she needs his help and takes him to the scene of the crime. From the clues left behind, Dresden is sure that the killers were werewolves.
The FBI is handling this case and want Murphy and Harry out of their way. But one of the detectives tells Dresden about a shady group which ends up being a gang of werewolves. Harry has to find out who the killer is and what they are plotting before it is too late.
John Marcone gives Harry a name to track and wants to hire Harry for protection. Whatever is happening, Harry deduces that they are after Marcone as he fears for his life. But once Harry follows the clues, he becomes hunted by the police as well as werewolves. Can he solve this mystery before he becomes another victim of the werewolves?
Commentary
Before I dive into the novel, I will say the name of this novel is clever in a corny way. After reading the novel, you understand why he chose this title for the book. A big theme in this novel is justice and what is right as a couple of characters try to figure it out.
After reading Storm Front, I was excited and scared to read the second book. And my fears came true. Many sequels tend to copy the formula of the first novel and unfortunately, Butcher does that in Fool Moon. In both of the novels, Harry meets someone that is related to the main plot unbeknownst to Harry and the reader, gives him clues that end up being vital for the book, and someone dies as a result of Harry not putting two and two together.
Those are just some of the many stuff that happen in both books. It is bad when even a character makes a joke about it. I enjoy detective novels but Butcher’s writing ruins the fun for me in his novels. His character is always on the verge of death but doesn’t die. And this sequence goes on for too long. You need a lot of disbelief because you know the protagist is somehow always going to pull through.
Writing Style
As I was reading this novel, I realized that I wasn’t as invested in I was in the first book. A big reason is what I mentioned before. Harry Dresden is not going to die so the stakes don’t feel real. And Butcher doesn’t help with his writing or pacing.
There are a couple of scenes where Dresden is in a serious situation but Butcher decides to focus on less important stuff. As a reader, I was confused but it makes sense. Harry is in a life and death situation for about half of the novel. That dulls the importance of the scene if it is constant.
Finally, it comes down to Butcher’s writing. His world building is interesting and I enjoy his rules of magic. But he isn’t that great of a writer. Sometimes, it feels like you are reading a textbook because it feels dull. It doesn’t help that Butcher uses a lot of cliché phrases. A few are fine because you won’t notice them but he does it too often where I can’t help but roll my eyes.
Conclusion
With all that said, I still enjoyed the novel. My interest in The Dresden Files has lost some of its steam. I do think I will read the next book and see if that is still the case. If you enjoy contemporary fantasy, then this is up your alley. While it does some things right, if you see the trick enough times, you can guess how it’s going to play out. Happy reading!
I felt the same way about Fool Moon – that it was a bit formulaic, etc. I wasn’t convinced. I kept reading at the urging of other Dresden fans, and found that the magic of the series really took hold around book 4. Butcher starts experimenting a bit more then, and the larger plotline sinks in. I’d encourage you to finish book four before deciding whether or not Dresden is for you!