Welcome to the Jungle By: Jim Butcher Series: The Dresden Files Book Number: 0.2 Star Rating:

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Synopsis

Harry Dresden is Chicago's only professional wizard. He works as a private investigator and police consultant. Even though the Chicago PD is somewhat skeptical of magic, whenever things don't add up at a crime scene, Harry is the one they call. When a security guard at the Lincoln Park Zoo is brutally mauled to death, some are quick to blame it on a gorilla, even though that theory doesn't really make sense. One look at the crime scene and Harry knows this was no ordinary animal attack. As his sleuthing takes him deeper into the mystery, Harry discovers an ancient and dangerous evil that threatens his life and the lives of others at the zoo.

Review

Welcome to the Jungle was another enjoyable short story in the Dresden Files series, this time in graphic novel format. I rarely read graphic novels, but have to say that this one was quite fun. It was kind of like reading a movie or watching a book.:-) The illustrations were very appealing and complimented the text perfectly. They also expressed the emotion and action of the scenes quite well. The illustrator, Ardian Syaf is billed as a rising star in the comic book world, and I'd have to agree. He is very talented.

The story itself is a fairly simple one with Harry investigating the mysterious and brutal murder of a security guard at the Lincoln Park Zoo. Those who don't believe in the supernatural are quick to blame it on a gorilla, but Harry knows better. Each of the Dresden Files shorts I've read so far have drawn me into Harry's world. He's almost like a super-hero with his wizard powers, but at the same time, he's just an average everyday guy who's easy to relate to. He's something of a hard-boiled detective, but also has a softer side and seems to really care about people. The tidbits of Harry's backstory that are revealed in this graphic novel really intrigued me, and make me eager to read the first full-length book of the series so that I can delve into this character and learn more about him. The two Chicago PD officers Harry works with, Murphy and Carmichael, are introduced in this story as well. Overall, Welcome to the Jungle was a very enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours of my reading time and really has me looking forward to continuing the series.

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Jim Butcher