Storm Front by Jim Butcher

I had planned to catch up on all this stuff during the break. Spring term begins tomorrow - and I now have fifteen books which I haven't posted. Oh, well ---

I had recommended the Alera books to a former student and he came in a few days later talking about the Dresden books, so I thought it might be time to reread - and catch up with - this series.

Things do get gruesome - ripping hearts out and such - but the principal characters are entertaining and persuasive. After Gandalf and Dumbledore, Dresden is hard-working and fallible, and he gets beat up a lot, but he is well-intentioned and manages to save the day.