History Literature / StormFrontDresdenFiles

* WhatYouAreInTheDark: Morgan the Warden faces this when [[spoiler:Harry has fought against the evil warlock, freed his control over the toad demon without binding it to himself, and even tried to save the warlock. In his few scenes, Morgan had clearly shown he hates Harry and would love to kill him and could let him die in the fire. But he cannot bring himself to let Harry die, because in this moment he was innocent of the crimes and will even testify to this to the White Council.]]

** [[spoiler:Victor Sells/]]The Shadowman]] has access to huge amounts of raw magic power, but he's also [[spoiler:new to the gig and mostly self-taught.]] This bites him in the rear, as it's what causes the VillainBall moment below, as he doesn't know that [[spoiler:anyone who knows a demon's name can control it.]]

* PowerIncontinence: [[spoiler:Victor Sells]] was only trying to kill Jennifer at the start of the book, for threatening to reveal him to Marcone. Tommy Tom was pretty much just caught in the blast.

''Storm Front'' is the first book in ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', written by Jim Butcher. Now has its own [[ShoutOut/StormFront Shout Out]] page. Do not confuse with Stormfront.com or Chimpout.com if these come up as your Google results for this book.

[[TheOneWith The one with]] our introduction to [[AntiHero Harry]] [[{{Determinator}} Dresden]], [[WizardClassic wizard]] [[OccultDetective PI]].

** Vmpires are also said to be creatures of the [=NeverNever=], which will later only be faeries.

* UnskilledButStrong: [[spoiler:Victor Sells/]]The Shadowman is very strong at magic, but he's also [[spoiler:new to the gig and mostly self-taught.]] This bites him in the rear, as it's what causes the VillainBall moment below, as he doesn't know that [[spoiler:anyone who knows a demon's name can control it.]]

** Harry doesn't seem at all worried when Bob the Skull starts talking in front of Susan. In general, Harry doesn't make Bob out to be anything all that uncommon for a wizard to have, and definitely not like something he has to keep secret.
** Harry makes very few of his trademark pop culture references.

** Vmpires are also said to be creatures of the NeverNever, which will later only be faeries.
** Later books make it clear that physically attacking someone in Mac's is somewhere between unacceptable and unthinkable. In this one Harry beats Morgan unconscious with a chair. May be explained by the fact that Mac's is later [[spoiler:given the status of Accorded Neutral Territory.]]

* WindowsOfTheSoul: If one looks into the eyes of a wizard, the wizard will see a flash of the person, a hint at their inner core and strength. The wizard doesn't know what he or she may see when they look into someone's eyes and so avoid it because it is a two-way street and the other person will see the wizard's soul and neither can ever forget what they saw. [[spoiler:Marcone tricked Harry into this, and Harry realizes he was the one to pull back in shock and not Marcone.]]

** For [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil extra squick]], remember that he had long since graduated from using anger, pain, and fear to using ThePowerOfLust, fueled by orgies. [[ParentalIncest What did he have planned for his children?]] That's why this revelation, and Monica's daughter wanting help, were the real fuel in Harry's final fight.

* GeometricMagic: Circles used in magical rituals are seen used by both Harry and his enemies in the book. To make them work, all one needs is the shape and to infuse it with one's will and power. There is also a crucial weakness cited for them. [[spoiler:If the circle's line is broken by a physical object that's willfully propelled by a mortal, it destroys the circle and ends whatever was being done inside of the circle.]]

* TheLostLenore: [[spoiler:The Beckitts lost their only daughter because of mob violence involving Marcone, and seek revenge for their loss.]]

** Later books make it clear that physically attacking someone in Mac's is somewhere between unacceptable and unthinkable. In this one Harry beats Morgan unconscious with a chair.

* BigEntrance: When Harry confronts Gentleman Johnny Marcone, he does so by blowing off the doors of his gentleman's club in a burst of magic (towards himself, protecting himself with a shield, so as to keep bystanders from getting hurt), then fireballing the jukebox into slag, and popping every lightbulb in the joint to make an impression. In a later story, Marcone has [[TaughtByExperience remembered this]], and has the dramatic entry points of his establishments furnished with flimsy doors, so that when similar things happen, the shrapnel won't do any damage. The ''strategic'' entry points, on the other hand, are equipped with reinforced steel.

** Harry mentions that Santa Claus does exist and it would be insane to try and summon him. Harry would end up meeting him a few books down the way (and summoning a being equivalent in power to him).

* HiddenVillain: [[spoiler:We never meet the people who opened Victor to his magic and turned him into a warlock.]]

* CPRCleanPrettyReliable: [[spoiler:Morgan]] performs it, and when Harry rouses it is with no more than an observation that he had been performing it.

** The patrons of [=McAnally's=] have a MassOhCrap when they see Harry punch out Moragn.

* BlessedWithSuck: There is a (seemingly) B plot in the distribution of the illegal drug Third Eye. Harry doesn't particularly care about it (mundane drugs are not his problem), until he discovers that [[spoiler:it's a ''magic'' drug that ''forcibly'' opens the Sight, even on mundanes. [[GoMadFromTheRevelation Users of the drug risk being driven completely insane from the first use if they see something frightening with the Sight, unable to ever forget what they've seen.]] And since supernatural Chicago is not a nice place...]] Of course, even if [[spoiler:all they See are pleasant sights, that would ''still'' probably be enough to [[GoMadFromTheRevelation drive them bonkers]], it would just be slower]].

!!''Storm Front'' provides examples of the following tropes:

* BigBad: [[spoiler:Victor Sells]], a.k.a. The Shadow Man.

* BlessedWithSuck: There is a (seemingly) B plot in the distribution of the illegal drug Third Eye. Harry doesn't particularly care about it (mundane drugs are not his problem), until he discovers that [[spoiler:it's a ''magic'' drug that ''forcibly'' opens the Sight, even on mundanes. [[GoMadFromTheRevelation Users of the drug risk being driven completely insane from the first use if they see something frightening with the Sight, unable to ever forget what they've seen.]] And since supernatural Chicago is not a nice place...]] Of course, even if [[spoiler: all they See are pleasant sights, that would ''still'' probably be enough to [[GoMadFromTheRevelation drive them bonkers]], it would just be slower]].

* TheCavalry: [[spoiler:Morgan]].

** Early in the book, Harry mixes an "escape" potion, for emergencies. Bob, whose help he needs to do so, insists that he also mix a love potion (because Bob is a LovableSexManiac). Later, [[spoiler: a demon attacks while Susan Rodriguez is visiting and Harry's in the shower. He sends Susan to drink the escape potion while he fights it off, but [[HilarityEnsues she drinks the love potion by accident]]. When Harry retreats to the room the potions were in, he manages to get her to drink some escape potion and he drinks the rest of it, allowing them to [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin escape]]]].
** [[spoiler:Thunder storms were mentioned in passing several times before Harry realizes they are being used to power the curse]].

** [[spoiler:During Marcone's soulgazing with Harry, Harry saw a hint of something that Marcone was keeping deep and hidden but this also galvanized Marcone into the man he was]] This point of fact would come up several times as Harry learns more about it.
* ChekhovsGunman:
** When talking with Toot-toot, Harry mentioned Mab, Queen of Air and Darkness. Starting in the fourth book ''Summer Knight'' and on, Mab would prove to be a powerful and influential figure not just in the background, but in Harry's personal story as well.

* CryingWolf: [[spoiler:Because of Harry's previous lies to Murphy, she didn't believe him when he warned her not to open his desk drawer]].

* FantasticDrug: [=ThreeEye=] is one such drug as [[spoiler:it forces a person to open their Sight, making them see the world as it Truly is and what people are like on the inside. It is also highly addictive.]]

** [[spoiler: Victor Sell's]] first victims were caught by his spell in the middle of sex. When Harry looks at the murder scene later, he notes that the image could have been "a striking erotic tableau", if it wasn't for the fact that '''they both have had their hearts explode from their chests.''' Harry notes that it really takes down the Fanservice potential.
** The photographer Harry speaks to has a similar opinion on the [[spoiler: orgy he witnessed at Victor Sells' beach house]]. From hints he drops, one would have to be ''very'' kinky to be aroused by what he saw.
* FullFrontalAssault:

** [[spoiler: The Beckitts are engaged in ritual sex when Harry shows up to disrupt Sells's heart-ripper curse, and they both start firing guns at him while nude.]]

* HiddenVillain: [[spoiler:We never meet the people who opened Victor to his magic and turned him into a Warlock]].

** The Shadowman holds his control over the toad-demon ''Kalshazzak''. [[spoiler:Because Shadowman was foolish enough to say it within hearing range of Harry, Harry knew it too and knew how to free the demon of Shadowman's bind]].
* KarmicDeath: [[spoiler: Victor Sells is set upon by his own monstrous scorpions and conjured demon; between the former's poisonous stings and the latter's teeth, there isn't much left of him afterwards.]]
* TheLostLenore: [[spoiler:The Beckitts lost their only daughter because of mob violence involving Marcone and seek revenge for their loss]].

* MamaBear: [[spoiler: Monica Sells, so much so that it's what comes to the forefront when Harry soulgazes her.]]
* MundaneSolution: Harry is faced [[spoiler:mere feet from Victor Sells, who is about to cast the curse on Harry. Harry lacks the magical power to block it outright. So, he pulls out the film canister and tosses it across Sells' magic circle, breaking it and stopping the curse]].

** Morgan's opinion on [[spoiler:his rescue of Harry and report on the Victor Sells case. Not only does Harry survive, but he is freed from the Doom of Damocles]].
** Murphy has one when [[spoiler:she answers Harry's phone by saying, "Harry Dresden's residence". This is how Victor Sells knows where to send his demon to attack]].

* PoorCommunicationKills: Harry and Murphy's trust level in this book isn't very high. When they look at the murder victims, he feels like she suspects him as a possible suspect and she suspects he is holding back on her. So when things get worse and Harry hasn't fully explained himself [[spoiler:Murphy aims to have him arrested for the murders]].

* RapeByProxy: [[spoiler: Victor Sells forced his wife to participate in orgies]]

** Harry has a minor one when he realized [[spoiler:after soulgazing Johnny Marcone and seeing [[PragmaticVillainy what an efficient means he has to running his "business"]] he is the one to look away first. This in turn makes him lose his air of confidence he had just prior.]]
** Right after Harry [[spoiler:kills the scorpion with the elevator, when he steps outside and discovers that it has just started to rain. (The BigBad is using thunderstorms to power his death spells, and Harry is next on the roster)]].
** The residents of [=McAnnally's=] have a MassOhCrap when they see Harry punch out Moragn.

* RaceAgainstTheClock: [[spoiler: Or against the next storm in this case]].

* [[HeKnowsTooMuch She Knows Too Much]]: Shadowman plans on killing [[spoiler:Susan Rodriguez because she was present when his demon attacked Harry and her]].
* SquishyWizard: Harry mentions this is a shortcoming of certain wizards who rely too much on magic to fight with become one of these. He guesses correctly [[spoiler:Shadowman Victor Sells thinks him to be one. Victor is sadly mistaken when Harry gets physical with him]].
* ThirteenIsUnlucky: [=McAnally=]'s bar invokes this with its thirteen carved columns in an asymmetrical pattern, thirteen tables scattered around, and thirteen ceiling fans in various locations. The randomness and number act as a magical break wall to the emotionally-induced magical outputs by patrons. The lights and fans rarely stop working.
* ThouShaltNotKill: The First Law of Magic is it is forbidden to kill with magic. Harry has violated this in the past (in self-defense), and which the book's villain does repeatedly.
* UnskilledButStrong: [[spoiler: Victor Sells/]]The Shadowman is very strong at magic, but he's also [[spoiler: new to the gig and mostly self-taught.]] This bites him in the rear, as it's what causes the VillainBall moment below, as he doesn't know that [[spoiler: anyone who knows a demon's name can control it.]]

* VillainBall: The Shadowman holds this at the end when [[spoiler:he calls out his demon-slave's name out loud when he summons it, giving Harry both the thing's Name and how it is pronounced, allowing him to use the Name to free the demon from the Shadowman's control]].
* WhatYouAreInTheDark: Morgan the Warden faces this when [[spoiler:Harry has fought against the evil Warlock, freed his control over the toad demon without binding it to himself, and even tried to save the Warlock. Morgan in his few scenes has shown with great examples he hates Harry and would love to kill him and could let him die in the fire. But he cannot bring himself to let Harry die because in this moment he was innocent of the crimes and will even testify to this to the White Council]].

* WindowsOfTheSoul: If one looks into the eyes of a wizard, the wizard will see a flash of the person, a hint at their inner core and strength. The wizard doesn't know what he or she may see when they look into someone's eyes and so avoid it because it is a two-way street and the other person will see the wizard's soul and neither can ever forget what they saw. [[spoiler:Marcone tricked Harry into this and Harry realized he was the one to pull back in shock and not Marcone]].

* WouldHurtAChild: Implied. [[spoiler:Victor Sells' wife felt he was looking at their children more and more as tools to be used for his growing level of power. She had to act to save them and went to Harry]].

* CombatPragmatist: Harry establishes himself as one, while Sells, as noted below, is not and [[WrongGenreSavvy expects Harry to only use magic to defeat him]].

* VillainBall: The Shadowman holds this at the end when [[spoiler:he calls out his demon-slave's name out loud when he summons it, giving Harry both the thing's Name and how it is pronounced, allowing him to use the Name to free the demon from Shadowman's control]].

* BigEntrance: When Harry confronts Gentleman Johnny Marcone, he does so by blowing off the doors of his gentleman's club in a burst of magic (towards himself, protecting himself with a shield, so as to keep bystanders from getting hurt), then fireballing the jukebox into slag, and popping every lightbulb in the joint to make an impression. In a later story, Marcone has [[GenreSavvy remembered this]], and has the dramatic entry points of his establishments furnished with flimsy doors, so that when similar things happen, the shrapnel won't do any damage. The ''strategic'' entry points, on the other hand, are equipped with reinforced steel.

* BlessedWithSuck: There is a (seemingly) B plot in the distribution of the illegal drug Third Eye. Harry doesn't particularly care about it (mundane drugs are not his problem), until he discovers that [[spoiler:it's a ''magic'' drug that ''forcibly'' opens the Sight, even on mundanes. [[GoMadFromTheRevelation Users of the drug risk being driven completely insane from the first use if they see something frightening with the Sight, unable to ever forget what they've seen.]] And since supernatural Chicago is not a nice place...]]

** Harry mentions that Santa Claus does exist and it would be insane to try and summon him. Harry would end up meeting him a few books down the way.