Small Favor (The Dresden Files, Book 10) | 
 enlarge | Author: Jim Butcher
Publisher: Roc Hardcover
Category: Book
List Price: $23.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  114 reviews
Sales Rank: 1122
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 432
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.3
ISBN: 0451461894
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
EAN: 9780451461896
ASIN: 0451461894
Publication Date: April 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
The new novel in the New York Times bestselling Dresden Files series.
No one's tried to kill Harry Dresden for almost an entire year, and his life finally seems to be calming down. For once, the future looks fairly bright. But the past casts one hell of a long shadow.
An old bargain has placed Harry in debt to Mab, monarch of the Winter Court of the Sidhe, the Queen of Air and Darkness-and she's calling in her marker. It's a small favor he can't refuse...one that will trap Harry Dresden between a nightmarish foe and an equally deadly ally, and one that will strain his skills- and loyalties-to their very limits.
It figures. Everything was going too well to last...
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| Customer Reviews: Read 109 more reviews...
 Harry sorta won... July 21, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Like many others, I was disappointed in this installment of the Dresden Files. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't up to the same caliber as previous books. I also think there was way too much Michael, and not enough Murphy. And a lot of characters seemed to be thrown into the mix just so they could appear. Really, was driving Harry around all Thomas could do? Molly has the potential to be a good character, but she has little substance at this point so why not have her hide out with the rest of the kids? Yet, these were minor problems for me. My main objection was yet another hollow victory.
I agree completely with the reviewer who said, "the action is relentless to the point that it sometimes seems like movement for its own sake and simply to grind Harry down." I'm all for a nemesis, or powerful villain that recurs to tempt or taunt the hero. However, the endless parade of uber-powerful foes has become too much. I find myself thinking, "put the poor bugger out of his misery" instead of "go Harry!" He (still) owes a favor to Mab. Summer wants him dead. Then we have The Fallen, The Red Court, and The Black Council. Not to mention all the individual evils that pop up. And the White Council which still doesn't trust him. And to top it all off, his friends are doubting him and he keeps getting beaten up - literally! When I reached the end of the novel, it didn't feel like Harry saved the day. The little progress that was made was taken back and then some, and the Fallen are just regrouping over a minor setback. The plot, such as it was, didn't seem to serve any purpose. You'd think Summer would be just as concerned over a breach of the Accords as Winter, yet they're too intent on killing Harry? All this manipulation by Nicodemus on the chance the Archive would arbitrate? It just didn't mesh. I miss the Harry Dresden who investigated, prepared careful spells in advance (with Bob's running commentary), and came out ahead because of wits and bravery. I miss when the Voltswagon Beetle took the brunt of the damage instead of Harry. I was surprised to find myself happy at the potential romance between Harry and Luccio. I think because I just wanted something good to happen to our hero. But a kiss on the last page isn't enough to make up for how depressing the rest of his life, and this book, is.
Overall, I can't deny this was a page turner. Fans of the series will want to know what happens, and I did enjoy some of it. There is a lot of action and Harry is still a great, chivalrous hero. Butcher's trademark humor is here and a lot of good one liners. I've already pre-ordered the next book, but can't help but hope it gives us a real victory for the good guys. Harry deserves it.
 Excellent July 13, 2008
Completely full of action. There was so much going on it was hard to breathe. Excellent book, as usual for the Dresden Files.
An amazing novel July 11, 2008
Small Favor is the tenth book in the Dresden Files and follows White Night. In White Night, families in the White Court plan to usurp power from Lord Raith by culling female wizards from several cities. Thomas becomes involved in the case and draws his brother into it as well. Many intersting developments occurred in White Night, including the reappearance of Elaine (who operates as a wizard in LA), the conversion of Lasciel and her death, the elevation of Marcone to the Accords, and Helen Beckitt's return (villain in Storm Front).
That said, Small Favor is the best novel of the series. The plot is more powerful than other novels because of the inclusion of so many characters of past novels. Kincaid and the Archive reappear, and Jim Butcher describes the Archive more fully. Warden Luccio is drawn to Chicago by Dresden's plea. Nicodemus returns to Chicago with the entire crew of denarians. Michael and Sanya see an opportunity to finish them. Additionally, my favortite plot line returned as Mab appears and gives Dresden a task, which also means summer is around trying to harm him.
Small Favor was exciting and exhilarating. When I began the series, I wasn't sure if I liked it too much, but now, I can't wait for the next novel to come out.
Heroes, Antiheroes, and Enemies July 10, 2008
This book brought back the Denarians (which was only fitting as Lasciel was defeated at the end of the previous book) who (which?) are among my favorite enemies (Death Mask remains my favorite in the series).
It also reintroduced the Archive, Kincaid, and Marcone - who are all interesting secondary characters. I love Butcher's grasp on mythology and legend - tying the Archive into historic oracles and Pythians - bringing up elements of the apocrypha and old and new testament legend - all m...more This book brought back the Denarians (which was only fitting as Lasciel was defeated at the end of the previous book) who (which?) are among my favorite enemies (Death Mask remains my favorite in the series).
It also reintroduced the Archive, Kincaid, and Marcone - who are all interesting secondary characters. I love Butcher's grasp on mythology and legend - tying the Archive into historic oracles and Pythians - bringing up elements of the apocrypha and old and new testament legend - all make for a rich fantasy novel with a tone that doesn't approach hokey. I really believe someone like Harry Dresden could exist in my world.
I'm eagerly awaiting book 11.
More serious, but just as fantastic July 10, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
So, the Dresden series now having become my very favorite paranormal books, of course I read this as soon as I got the chance (Still well behind the curve, of course -- 'cuz I'm a big rebel, yeah.). It was as excellent and fun to read as the rest.
I will say that the feel of it was different. There was much less humor in this one than in several of the others. It seems that, with each book, Harry grows in maturity, in power and influence, and also in pessimism -- because how can you not be a little dark in your outlook, when you're facing necromancers who are immensely more powerful than you, the entire Red Court and much of the White and Black Courts, the Fae, the Black Council (or at least the disapproving White Council), and, of course, the Knights of the Blackened Denarius? But as Harry grows, he becomes too self-conscious of his own smartypants defense mechanism, and so loses his flair for it. The comment is made at one point that he is actually left speechless by an enemy, and that seems to be happening throughout the book, and the series. I wouldn't be surprised if part of it is Butcher getting burnt out on making up witty sarcastic repartee -- I would guess that any character trait would get somewhat tired after ten books.
Anyway, there is some wittiness, and there are some really funny parts -- the moment when Harry raises a fist in praise of the ugly dolphins, the ones who didn't sell out to a plastic surgeon to be on Flipper, and says, "Represent," cracked me up. And there is also a lot of banter between Harry and Thomas, which seems a good place for it. But there is a new romantic entanglement for Harry, which is excellent since the poor guy is so lonely and yet so surrounded by incredibly beautiful and monstrously evil temptresses; and there is some good progress made toward endgame. Though we don't find out anything terribly momentous about the Black Council, apart from them being even more powerful and nasty than we may have thought. And the good side takes some serious losses as well, so it isn't all wine and roses. Which just makes me eager to read the next book, of course.
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