Helpful Score: 7
NOTE: Reading at least 'Blood Rites' and the preceding books in the Dresden Files would be a good idea before reading 'Backup', and my review does contain spoilers for 'Blood Rites'.
Jim Butcher's newest book, a twelve thousand word novelette called 'Backup', is a very short story from his Dresden Files series, only this time it's from the point of view of Harry's brother, Thomas. One of the best things about 'Backup' is that it gives insight into Thomas' personality, such as how he sees himself and his relationship with his brother. Thomas' opinions of Harry are very amusing and he has no trouble telling them. Just look at Thomas' worry that Bob the Skull doesn't actually talk, and that Harry was pulling his leg using his night job as a ventriloquist. We also really start to understand how much of a hardship it is for Thomas to suppress his demon everyday, and how little he thinks of himself. The story itself is also fun, and Thomas has a similar sense of humor to his brother, though they have little contact. 'Backup' is fast paced and never lets up on its speed, so it feels that it was over before you even realized you started it. It is very easy to read, so it shouldn't take more then a hour to get through. The price tag is a bit extreme for a tiny book, even with such nice binding. Either way, Thomas is a great character in the Dresden Files, despite his small part, so it is nice to see more attention on him. I personally would love to see more stories about Thomas in the future, or at least more appearances from him in the main series. Overall, 'Backup' is a refreshing look at the Dresden Files, since Thomas sees the characters and events in a completely different light then Harry. If you like the Dresden Files series you'll almost certainly like this story, though you might want to borrow from a friend or the library due to the price for such a short book.
Jim Butcher's newest book, a twelve thousand word novelette called 'Backup', is a very short story from his Dresden Files series, only this time it's from the point of view of Harry's brother, Thomas. One of the best things about 'Backup' is that it gives insight into Thomas' personality, such as how he sees himself and his relationship with his brother. Thomas' opinions of Harry are very amusing and he has no trouble telling them. Just look at Thomas' worry that Bob the Skull doesn't actually talk, and that Harry was pulling his leg using his night job as a ventriloquist. We also really start to understand how much of a hardship it is for Thomas to suppress his demon everyday, and how little he thinks of himself. The story itself is also fun, and Thomas has a similar sense of humor to his brother, though they have little contact. 'Backup' is fast paced and never lets up on its speed, so it feels that it was over before you even realized you started it. It is very easy to read, so it shouldn't take more then a hour to get through. The price tag is a bit extreme for a tiny book, even with such nice binding. Either way, Thomas is a great character in the Dresden Files, despite his small part, so it is nice to see more attention on him. I personally would love to see more stories about Thomas in the future, or at least more appearances from him in the main series. Overall, 'Backup' is a refreshing look at the Dresden Files, since Thomas sees the characters and events in a completely different light then Harry. If you like the Dresden Files series you'll almost certainly like this story, though you might want to borrow from a friend or the library due to the price for such a short book.
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