B.V. Larson goes up against Jim Butcher

This is Larson's take on the Paranormal Detective Noir Genre. Larson seems to be quite inspired by Jim Butcher's Dresden Files!

This is a review particularly for Jim Butcher Fans who no doubt will be drawn to this series. Butcher's detective Harry Dresden's city is Chicago, Quentin Draith's is Los Angeles and they are pretty much going head to head.

Being a Harry Dresden fan already, and also having read a few of Larson's books, I was interested how Larson would fare outside his usual military sci-fi novels. It's not bad, but not necessarily mind-blowingly good either. I'm going to interested to read the next book (it took Jim Butcher three books to get the Dresden Files to be totally gripping and addictive). For me it'll take another book or two to see if Larson is successful in developing a cast of strong characters you really care about and keep coming back to. Also, perhaps an little more humour wouldn't go amiss. So far though, Larson's contribution to the genre seems promising.

The main thing missing is the perfect narrator - James Marsters (the narrator of the Dresden Files) has taken on the mantel of "Harry" and he produces absolutely superb performances - for fans Marsters "is" Harry Dresden. For me neither narrator for Quentin Draith quite hits the mark yet (although I much prefer Darcie than Lane. Darcie (book 2) is much better at the character voices and seems more appropriate casting).

Larson's supernatural offering has a bit more of a sci-fi feel than Butcher's world which is more magical. Books 1 & 2 could easily have been a single book story-wise. Book 1 is a bit slow and it's only in Book 2 where the story properly gets going.

Here's a quick summary of the first two books - Draith wakes up missing memories of his past in a world where there exists ordinary-looking objects that have special powers e.g. sunglasses that open locks, other objects that give the owner rapid healing powers, control other people's minds or give access to other worlds/realities etc. Draith ends up acquiring several of these objects that give him "powers" and of course, Draith has use these and team up with other object-owning characters to save his city and uncover his past.

There are several things that are similar to Butcher stories e.g. travel to other "realms", a governing group that keep the supernatural world in check, a wicked witch character that is helpful but not necessarily on the side of "good", monsters, unravelling a mystery to save the city. I laughed at the book cover as it's got a very a similar looking guy to the Dresden Files, i.e. a non- descript detective type wearing a panama hat - the only difference is Larson's Draith has a gun and Butcher's Dresden has a leather duster and staff. Maybe Quentin is Harry's long lost brother or something?

I'm awaiting the next book to see if I'm hooked to the series.

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