A good (yet small) addition to The Dresden Files (Backup - Jim Butcher)

Member Name: nixtee

Product:	Backup - Jim Butcher
Date:	15/05/09 (50 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good story, humourous, action, doesn't take long to read

Disadvantages: Doesn't take long to read, not many pages, price

Backup is a novelette written by Jim Butcher, illustrated by Mike Mignola and published by Subterranean Press.

Jim Butcher is a fantasy writer, best known for The Dresden Files series of books (and a TV series of the same name) in which Harry Dresden (Chicago's first, and only, Wizard Private Investigator) gets into all kinds of bother while trying to investigate several matters (it's never as simple as he thinks it's going to be). Jim's books have humour, drama, love and all kinds of wizardry going ons, and are a real joy to read.

I've been reading Jim's books for a number of years now and each one seems to get better and better (which is amazing, considering I loved the first book - Storm Front). Over the years, I have been recommending Jim's books to my friends and have managed to get 2 or 3 hooked on them too.

The main character of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files is Harry Dresden, a lovable wizard who just seems to run into trouble at every corner. Harry is a hero, although some of those in authority just don't see him that way. Some think he's a con artist, while others think he's on the other side (the darker side of Chigaco), but Harry has saved Chicago from all kinds of nasties whether people think they exist or not!

Harry Dresden has a half brother and this is where the Backup novelette comes in......

Backup is a story set after Small Favor (the 10th book in The Dresden Files series), but this time, rather than being written from Harry Dresden's persective, it is written from big brother Thomas Raith's perspective. Harry's in trouble, but he doesn't know it, so it's up to Thomas to track him down and save him... but how will it go? Thomas can't save Harry on his own and he knows it, but he also knows who will help. Thomas isn't a wizard like Harry, he's a vampire of the White Court, will this help him or hinder him? Has Thomas put himself in danger to protect his brother? Will Harry be grateful? The answers are all in the Backup novelette!

As I've said, I'm a fan of The Dresden Files series of books and, true to form, I loved the Backup novelette too. I only had one problem with it... At 12,000 words (roughly 70 pages) it's way too short. I was left wanting more (so it's a good thing I am now a quarter of the way through Book 11 - Turn Coat!).

Having said that, I found Thomas just as humourous as Harry Dresden, but his dark side was always simmering in the background just waiting for its chance. Jim Butcher doesn't let us forget that Thomas is a vampire and has certain desires. Backup gives us more of an insight into Thomas and, along the way, we bump into one or two characters who are regulars in the Dresden Files. We're reminded of Thomas's love, Justine, but we're also reminded that they can't get close without it being disasterous. I like how the story weaves into the rest of The Dresden Files series. While I think you can pretty much jump into any book of The Dresden Files series and enjoy it and know what's going on, I do think you'd need to have read at least some of the other books before reading this novelette.

The price is also an issue when buying this novelette. I think only us die hard Dresden Files fans will be buying this book, but then I could also imagine it being included in a book of short stories (like some of Jim Butcher's other short stories) in the future. It's certainly a welcome addition to The Dresden Files, but it's price and availability in the UK may put some fans off.

I paid £20 for my copy, which is a lot more than I normally pay for a book, let alone a short book! However, I'm a big Dresden Files fan and couldn't imagine my collection without this hardback novelette.

Amazon UK no longer stock it themselves (although they did have a number of copies available upon it's release late last year), but they do sell it through the Amazon Marketplace, although you're looking at £25+ there. It isn't the easiest book to find, but I got my copy through Abebooks.co.uk.

Backup was originally available in 3 editions: Lettered (26 signed, lettered copies, specially bound and housed in a custom traycase - sold out), Limited (500 signed numbered copies, bound in leather - sold out) and Trade (full cloth bound hardcover copies).

Learn more about the author at http://www.jim-butcher.com/

Summary: A Dresden Files book written from the perspective of another character.