Book Review: Dead Man’s Hand

There is a mighty witch who can raise battles with his magic. He appoints audiences with the king. He can even protect that king’s castle against any threat. In fact, Grimshaw Griswald Grimsby gets paid minimum wage at Mighty Magic Donald’s Food Kingdom to do all of those things. He animates the play area to entertain kids on their birthdays. It is a far cry from being an auditor like he’d hoped, but it did, at least, help him pay for his apartment. On the other hand, it did nothing to help his pride as a magic user… especially when he had to wear the tutu.

Dead Man’s Hand is James J. Butcher’s debut novel, bringing a new urban fantasy adventure to life. This book is about a witch with mediocre powers who failed to achieve his dream of becoming an auditor. Now, he’s stuck working a thankless job for the worst food establishment in the area. When the witch who failed him in his auditor training is murdered, everyone starts to think he’s the culprit. His boring miserable life suddenly seems to get a lot more dangerous.

For Butcher’s first novel, his writing style is extremely impressive. The style is clear, engaging, and sophisticated. The events flow smoothly between actions and narration. It also helps promote the main character’s personality with the first person point of view. It really draws the reader in to keep wanting more and to find out more about Grimsby. An author’s writing style is a very important aspect of experiencing a book, and Butcher’s way with words really enhances this novel.

The way the world and fantasy elements are developed is unique and interesting. There are many aspects that are seen in other urban fantasy books, but Butcher has morphed them into something new and surprising, making them fresh. The magic system is interesting with the way it binds things together to cause different effects. It isn’t a traditional spell casting. The world is also structured with a unique agency and cultures since magic isn’t a secret. As for the fantasy elements, they work well with the world as it is being developed. It feels realistic and adds depth to both the setting and the characters. Butcher is building a unique world that is open to more development in future novels.

As for the plot, it is very solid. There is a clear direction of where events are leading and a clear drive for each of the characters’ motives. This helps the story be easy to follow and understand. Plus, the mystery of who killed his former mentor automatically creates tension that is sustained throughout the novel. There is a lot of suspense to know what will happen to Grimsby if he can’t clear his name especially with several parties after him. It is a very enjoyable storyline that draws the reader in and easily keeps them wanting to find out what will happen.