Summer Knight

I honestly don't know what to say about this book. After finishing Grave Peril, I was really disappointed by the Dresden Files. As I've mentioned when I started reading the series, I loved the television show. I've liked all of the creativity and ideas behind each of the books so far. What I haven't been enjoying is the bare bones characterization, the predictability that Harry will be at the end of his rope when he suddenly saves the day, and most of all, the rampant misogynist views shoved down the reader's throats. Summer Knight was suprisingly better on that front. Apart from an awkward and poorly written sex scene (AKA Jim Butcher's apparent fantasy regarding women throwing themselves at him), it really toned down the disgusting aspect of chauvenism. The plot was intriguing, and there were aspects that I didn't see coming.

Why I didn't see them coming was another matter. Honestly, I was kind of bored with this book. It wasn't good. It wasn't bad. It just was very bland. I couldn't really get into the plot, I couldn't really get interested in the Giant Mystery of Doom, and most of of all, I couldn't give a damn about Harry's emotional predicament. Possibly because the scene in which his emotional/relationship drama is introduced was so incredibly unrealistic. 'Oh hai ex-girlfriend I thought I killed. I TOTES believe your vague excuses and lack of explanations. I still luv you!". Seriously. So much for deeply wounded with severe trust issues. Could you at least have had Harry have some doubts for longer than five seconds? I'm at least glad that Butcher did delve more into the White Council and Fairy worlds- his world creation is definitely his strongest suit, and he does a great job of it in this book.

At any rate, this book was mediocre. Not good, not bad. What is really bothering me is that this is going to be the last book I read for a while. This is the last book my library has on Overdrive (until book 12 or so), so I'll have to wait until either I can check out the book in person, or I can find it for super cheap and buy it (unlikely). I can't really recommend this book. While it was nowhere near as bad as the last one, the fact that I was so bored with it really disappointed me. I keep hoping to see this giant turn around with the Dresden Files, but it just hasn't happened yet. I guess I'm just a hopeless optimist...

(3/5 stars)