Small Favor

The Dresden Files, Book 10

By: Jim Butcher

Narrated by: James Marsters

Length: 13 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

The new novel in the New York Times best-selling 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....

Please note: A few lines of text from one section of the original book are missing from this 2008 recording. This is the best available source audio from the publisher.

©2008 Jim Butcher (P)2008 Penguin

Critic reviews

“Superlative.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

“Butcher...spins an excellent noirish detective yarn in a well-crafted, supernaturally-charged setting. The supporting cast is again fantastic, and Harry’s wit continues to fly in the face of a peril-fraught plot.” (Booklist, starred review)

“A tricky plot complete with against-the-clock pacing, firefights, explosions, and plenty of magic. Longtime series fans as well as newcomers drawn by the SciFi Channel’s TV series based on the novels should find this supernatural mystery a real winner.” (Library Journal)

Love love love

This i of of my favorites, it was thrilling and unexpected. I couldn't put it down.

Still as exciting as the first adventure

Another excellent journey with Harry and the gang. Butcher and Marsters knock it out of the park again.

Who's afraid of the big bad billygoat?

Note: I feel that Death Masks, Book 5, is where reading this series out of order starts to do you an injustice. This book does work as a stand alone to some extent, but you will get major spoilers for the previous books in the series and it also pulls in characters we have met before. So I recommend reading the previous books before you jump into this one.

Who’s afraid of the Big Bad Billygoat? If you’re not, then you should be and this story serves as a good example as to why. The story starts off with a friendly snowball fight at the Carpenter household, which then turns into a murderous brawl between Harry and some gruffs (which look a lot like upright billygoats). As Harry ponders over the implications of this latest tussle, Sargent Karrin Murphy of the Chicago PD tasks him with checking out a site with his wizardly senses. There he finds a large pentacle…. and Mab, a Queen of the Winter Court. She calls in a small favor from Harry: John Marcone, crime lord of Chicago, has gone missing and Mab wants him found.

When Mab is in the human world, her voice alone can kill mortals. So she talks through a grimalkin, which is like an extra evil large cat. The things Mab can do to Harry with just her voice make me shudder! And Toottoot tried to warn Harry, but Harry is too curious for his own good.

This is probably my 2nd or 3rd reading of this book and for some reason I always forget everything about it except for the gruffs because they are awesome and scary. And perhaps because Harry is always mentioning their..um… tackle. So once again I was pleasantly surprised by what took place in this installment of the series.

The Denarians are back in play and they are after something pretty darn important, if only Harry could figure out what it is in time. He teams up with Anastasia Luccio (a Warden for the White Council of wizards), Ivy the Archive (who has everything that’s ever been written down in human history memorized), and her bodyguard Kincaide (who has a secret supernatural side). Eventually, Harry has to make some hard choices about whether or not to do a trade with the Denarians. He is not a happy camper about it and he decides to play dirty (hooray!).

Luccio actually makes a play for Harry and he is totally oblivious. Poor dude. Bob the Skull has to point it out to him later. Of course Bob does it with his usual entertaining sarcasm. Harry’s love life, tho small and intermittent, is a mess.

Sanya and Michael (both Knight Templars with saintly swords) lend a hand in the final showdown. Murphy, Thomas Wraith of the vampire White Court, Molly (Harry’s apprentice), and Toottoot with the honor guard faeries all volunteer to help Harry out in some way. This lengthy scene is pretty intense. Harry finally puts a name to what Ms. Guard is, besides being a very deadly assistant to John Marcone. Harry also discovers a new power which, upon explanation from Bob, scares a little poo out of him.

One of the things I really like about this series, is that as the stakes get higher, the consequences go up as well. People get injured. In this book, one of Harry’s friends takes a hard hit and the book leaves us wondering just how bad it is. It’s a good thing the next book in the series is already out. Also, more and more Harry is learning that he can’t be the sole person to fight evil; he needs help from friends and allies and he won’t be able to protect them all.

Narration: James Marsters continues on as the voice of Harry Dresden. I really liked his creepy voice for the grimalkin and his uber-creepy voice for Mab. As always, his voice for Toottoot is both amusing and sincere. Marsters makes a pretty good gruff too, sounding like an angry billygoat.

Love this series, but…

This recording seemed to have some audio issues. Frustrating. Will it affect my listening to more? Not a chance!

Banger after banger

Love this series still. What a wild ride. How does Jim Butcher do it honestly.

missing part

while Marsters does an amazing job telling the story. this performance is missing parts from chapter 17.

I'm in love!!

10 books behind and i want more! I love Harry I love Mouse...I Love them all! All the carecters are so balanced between other that you are really sad if you lose one..bad or good. I like that schemes are complicated and books do not allways end when all is revealed. James Marsters voice is raspy and readin style really fits this kind of "old time private eye"-style. Thank you!

good story

love the series! But...please change the voice back for the hell hound. The British accent at book 10 threw me off.

Amazing as usual, despite one fact

Have you listened to any of James Marsters’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

It is great as usual. Kincaid is suddenly British, though, so that was weird. BUT... overall, it was a standardly excellent performance by Mr. Marsters.

I love this series

This is an awesome serious and I love Masterson's voice. Can't wait tell I get the next one.