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Fool Moon (novel)
Encyclopedia
Fool Moon is a 2001 contemporary fantasy
novel by author Jim Butcher
. It is the second novel in The Dresden Files
, which follows the character of Harry Dresden
, present-day Chicago's only professional wizard.
. Kim Delaney is paying for Dresden's steak dinner at McAnally's tavern. Dresden had helped Kim control and use her magical talents. She asks Dresden how to create a set of three magical circles, which could be used to contain powerful entities. Dresden withholds the information, because such circles are generally used to contain demigods and archangels.
Police Lt. Karrin Murphy enters McAnally's and asks Dresden to consult on a homicide. A henchman of Johnnie Marcone's was gutted, the body near a group of wolfish paw print. Dresden follows a lead that takes him into a confrontation with a gang of teenage werewolves and their pack leader, Tera West. At the police station, he gets a tip from FBI Agent Harris that the Streetwolves biker gang might know something about the murder. It's a set-up. The Streetwolves and their packleader Parker are lycanthropes. They do not change shape, but become bestial in their minds. Dresden escapes unscathed, but now the Streetwolves want him dead.
Marcone shows up in Dresden's office. He offers to hire Dresden as his security adviser. Marcone is aware that the wolf creatures want to kill him, so he needs protection. Dresden refuses. On his way out the door, Marcone says that these killings are connected to Harley MacFinn and his Northwest Passage Project. Before Dresden can check on Harley MacFinn, Lt. Murphy arrests him. Kim Delaney's shredded body is found in MacFinn's apartment next to a summoning circle. Tera West sneaks in and frees Dresden. Tera tells Dresden that he must draw the containment circle around her fiancé Harley MacFinn before the moon rises, or innocent people will die. MacFinn is a loup-garou, an incredibly powerful werewolf that can only be killed with inherited silver. Dresden is shot during his escape from police custody, and is rescued by Tera. Desperate, he calls Susan and bums a ride in exchange for an exclusive on the wolf murders.
Ignoring Dresden's warnings, Murphy arrests and jails MacFinn in his human form. Dresden races to the station to get to MacFinn, but the moon rises, and MacFinn changes, slaughtering the suspects in the holding cells, the desk sergeant, and Murphy's staff. Dresden blows it through the wall with a firebolt and it runs off in search of Marcone. While searching for MacFinn, Dresden is attacked by the Streetwolves, and learns the FBI agents are hexenwolves behind the murders after capturing one of them.
At moonrise, they pile into a rented van and head to Marcone's estate to save him from MacFinn. If Dresden cannot corral MacFinn, he'll have to kill him. Dresden and his allies are captured and thrown into a pit with the transformed MacFinn, but Marcone frees them. Dresden and Murphy kill the FBI hexenwolves and MacFinn. Dresden and Murphy burn the hexenwolves' belts before Chicago PD arrives—so they can never be used again. Susan evacuates the Alphas and Chicago PD arrests Marcone on general principle.
Tera West, revealed to be a wolf that can change into a human, returns to her family in the Northwest. One major question is left unsolved, though-where did the FBI agents get their belts?
Contemporary fantasy
Contemporary fantasy, also known as modern fantasy or indigenous fantasy, is a sub-genre of fantasy, set in the present day. It is perhaps most popular for its sub-genre, urban fantasy.-Definition and overview:...
novel by author Jim Butcher
Jim Butcher
Jim Butcher is a New York Times Best Selling author most known for his contemporary fantasy book series The Dresden Files. He also wrote the Codex Alera series. Butcher grew up as the only son of his parents, and has two older sisters. He currently lives in Independence with his wife, Shannon K...
. It is the second novel in The Dresden Files
The Dresden Files
The Dresden Files is a series of contemporary fantasy/mystery novels written by Jim Butcher.He provides a first person narrative of each story from the point of view of the main character, private investigator and wizard Harry Dresden, as he recounts investigations into supernatural disturbances in...
, which follows the character of Harry Dresden
Harry Dresden
Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden is a fictional detective and wizard. He was created by Jim Butcher and is the protagonist of the contemporary fantasy series The Dresden Files. The series blends magic and hardboiled detective fiction...
, present-day Chicago's only professional wizard.
Plot
It's early October, about six months after the events in Storm FrontStorm Front (novel)
Storm Front is a 2000 novel by science fiction and fantasy author Jim Butcher. It is the first novel in The Dresden Files, his first published series that follows the character of Harry Dresden, professional wizard.-Plot Summary:...
. Kim Delaney is paying for Dresden's steak dinner at McAnally's tavern. Dresden had helped Kim control and use her magical talents. She asks Dresden how to create a set of three magical circles, which could be used to contain powerful entities. Dresden withholds the information, because such circles are generally used to contain demigods and archangels.
Police Lt. Karrin Murphy enters McAnally's and asks Dresden to consult on a homicide. A henchman of Johnnie Marcone's was gutted, the body near a group of wolfish paw print. Dresden follows a lead that takes him into a confrontation with a gang of teenage werewolves and their pack leader, Tera West. At the police station, he gets a tip from FBI Agent Harris that the Streetwolves biker gang might know something about the murder. It's a set-up. The Streetwolves and their packleader Parker are lycanthropes. They do not change shape, but become bestial in their minds. Dresden escapes unscathed, but now the Streetwolves want him dead.
Marcone shows up in Dresden's office. He offers to hire Dresden as his security adviser. Marcone is aware that the wolf creatures want to kill him, so he needs protection. Dresden refuses. On his way out the door, Marcone says that these killings are connected to Harley MacFinn and his Northwest Passage Project. Before Dresden can check on Harley MacFinn, Lt. Murphy arrests him. Kim Delaney's shredded body is found in MacFinn's apartment next to a summoning circle. Tera West sneaks in and frees Dresden. Tera tells Dresden that he must draw the containment circle around her fiancé Harley MacFinn before the moon rises, or innocent people will die. MacFinn is a loup-garou, an incredibly powerful werewolf that can only be killed with inherited silver. Dresden is shot during his escape from police custody, and is rescued by Tera. Desperate, he calls Susan and bums a ride in exchange for an exclusive on the wolf murders.
Ignoring Dresden's warnings, Murphy arrests and jails MacFinn in his human form. Dresden races to the station to get to MacFinn, but the moon rises, and MacFinn changes, slaughtering the suspects in the holding cells, the desk sergeant, and Murphy's staff. Dresden blows it through the wall with a firebolt and it runs off in search of Marcone. While searching for MacFinn, Dresden is attacked by the Streetwolves, and learns the FBI agents are hexenwolves behind the murders after capturing one of them.
At moonrise, they pile into a rented van and head to Marcone's estate to save him from MacFinn. If Dresden cannot corral MacFinn, he'll have to kill him. Dresden and his allies are captured and thrown into a pit with the transformed MacFinn, but Marcone frees them. Dresden and Murphy kill the FBI hexenwolves and MacFinn. Dresden and Murphy burn the hexenwolves' belts before Chicago PD arrives—so they can never be used again. Susan evacuates the Alphas and Chicago PD arrests Marcone on general principle.
Tera West, revealed to be a wolf that can change into a human, returns to her family in the Northwest. One major question is left unsolved, though-where did the FBI agents get their belts?
Plot points introduced
- Werewolves: Early in the novel the character of Bob explains that there are at least four different variations of werewolves, each of which has different magical properties, strengths, and weaknesses. Dresden encounters all four variations throughout the book.
- Dresden's enemy: At the end of the novel, Dresden concludes from the events in Storm FrontStorm Front (novel)Storm Front is a 2000 novel by science fiction and fantasy author Jim Butcher. It is the first novel in The Dresden Files, his first published series that follows the character of Harry Dresden, professional wizard.-Plot Summary:...
and Fool Moon that there is a powerful magical being who is working to make chaos and create deadly trouble.
Returning characters
- Harry DresdenHarry DresdenHarry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden is a fictional detective and wizard. He was created by Jim Butcher and is the protagonist of the contemporary fantasy series The Dresden Files. The series blends magic and hardboiled detective fiction...
: The protagonist; a professional wizard. - Lieutenant Karrin MurphyKarrin MurphyKarrin Murphy is a major character in Jim Butcher's contemporary fantasy series, The Dresden Files. The character also appears as Connie Murphy in the television series based on the novels.- Background :...
: The Director of Special Investigations, Chicago PD. - Detective Ron Carmichael: Murphy's partner at SI. He is killed by Harley MacFinn in his shapeshifted form.
- Gentleman Johnny Marcone: The crime lord of Chicago.
- Susan Rodriguez: A reporter at the Midwester Arcane and Dresden's love interest.
- Bob: An intelligent air spirit who resides inside a skull in Dresden's sub-basement laboratory.
- Hendricks: One of Gentleman Johnny Marcone’s bodyguards.
- Mister: Dresden's 30+ pound house cat.
- Mac: The owner-operator of McAnally's tavern.
Characters introduced in this novel
- FBI Agent Denton: FBI investigative team leader.
- FBI Agents Benn, Harris and Wilson: Members of Denton's FBI team.
- Kim Delaney: A young woman being mentored by Dresden in the magical arts.
- Harley MacFinn: A millionaire environmentalist with lupine qualities.
- Tera West: A mysterious woman with lupine qualities and the fiancée of MacFinn.
- The Alphas: A gang of college-age men and women who have werewolf abilities.
- Billy Borden: One of the Alphas.
- Georgia: One of the Alphas.
- Chaunzaggoroth: A demon informant; Dresden calls him "Chauncy."
- The Streetwolves: A Chicago biker gang of lycanthropes.
- Parker: The leader of the Streetwolves.
- Detective Rudolph: A new officer at SI.
Fool Moon in other media
- Certain plot elements of this novel, specifically FBI agents who are both lovers and secretly werewolves, were reused in The Dresden FilesThe Dresden Files (TV series)The Dresden Files is an American television series based on the books by Jim Butcher. It premiered January 21, 2007 on the Sci Fi Channel in the United States and on Space in Canada. It was picked up by Sky One in the UK and began airing on February 14, 2007.The series ran for a single season of...
television episode "Hair of the Dog." Most plot elements, however, are entirely original. - This book is available as a Kindle book.