Backup: A Story of the Dresden Files [Hardcover]

 

 

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"I'll be damned if I know how. But then, I'll be damned regardless. My name is Thomas Raith, and I'm a monster."

Thomas Raith is one of the more compelling, intriguing characters of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files -- a lovable, tormented incubus with an inner Hunger that nags him. Tiny novella "Backup" is the first glimpse into Thomas' head, with plenty of Butcher's trademark wit, action, and quite a bit of pathos. Looks like even a top-notch wizard need some backup now and again.

Thomas receives a mystery email from his sister Lara, regarding the Oblivion Wars from years ago. She ends up sending Justine to his apartment with photos of Harry and a mysterious woman -- turns out Thomas' wizardly baby brother has unintentionally enmeshed himself in a plot of the Stygian Sisterhood, in his search for a kidnapped child.

Unfortunately Harry knows nothing of the Stygian Sisterhood or about the danger he's in, and Thomas can't really tell him outright. So the hairdressing vampire sets out through Chicago to protect Harry from the shadows -- and promptly falls afoul of one of the Sisters. Now Thomas -- cloaked in an illusion of a different face -- must somehow help his brother before the Sisterhood kills them both.

Since the entire Dresden Files series is written in first person, readers have never really gotten inside the head of Thomas Raith. "Backup" fixes that: the entire story is told from Thomas' point of view, and it turns out he sounds a lot like his little brother. Except he really, really doesn't like what he is -- and I'm not talking about masquerading as a gay hairdresser.

He's also very funny and witty at times, dryly announcing that he has the "anthem of Nazi Germany" playing whenever his family emails him, and refers to Harry and email mixing like "Robert Downey Jr. and sobriety." Yet at the same time, we see that he's a heckuva lot darker than Harry ever is -- his contempt for his vampiric family, his fierce protectiveness of his brother, and his hopeless love for his ex-girlfriend Justine.

And then there's the Hunger. Butcher goes 110% when showing us the roaring demon inside Thomas, and the things it tempts him to do.

It's a shame that "Backup" is such a tiny novel, because frankly the whole Oblivion War and Stygian Sisterhood are incredibly fascinating ideas. Butcher only touches the tip of the iceberg. But he throws in plenty of lightning-quick action schemes with the Sisterhood and their ghoul thugs, as well as a slam-bang climax where a bespelled Thomas has to save Harry's magical butt.

Harry only appears occasionally in this novel, but he's in good form when he does -- our rangy, mildly grumpy wizard with a soft spot for little kids. Bob the Skull has a bit more presence, since he and Thomas have a bit of a heart-to-heart about supernatural matters (when Bob isn't dropping his usual lecherous hints about "grateful" mothers and beribboned nude girls).

Even a wizard needs some help from his big brother occasionally. And while "Backup" is a skinny little sliver of a story, it's a well-rounded look into the sexiest vampire in modern fiction.

So why is this book not out in paperback and I never even saw it in the stores. Disappointed because Thomas is one of my fav characters from these stories and would like to know more about him.

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